Battle Mage (An Epic Fantasy Adventure) by Peter Flannery

Author:Peter Flannery [Flannery, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blackheart Books
Published: 2017-02-19T22:00:00+00:00

56

Le Matres, Hunting & The Commander of the Fourth

Two days south of the city of Hoffen, the command tent of the Fourth Army was charged with tension. Since arriving on the front they had fought a number of small engagements but now two larger Possessed armies were closing on their position and there was also a demon army moving up from the south.

I don’t understand,’ said one of the younger officers. ‘I thought this area was fairly secure.’

‘Something’s happened to the south,’ said the emissary. ‘Both Jürgen and Wildegraf are now missing and we won’t know why until Nathalie returns.’

He looked down at the campaign map. If they acted quickly they could defeat the two Possessed armies before they could come together into a larger and more dangerous force. But if they were joined by the demon that was moving up from the south then the Fourth Army would have no way of stopping them.

The emissary’s contemplation was suddenly broken as Dagoran Sorn slammed his hand down onto the map.

‘Enough of this waiting! We need to attack!’

The parchment around his hand began to darken with the pent up magical energy that suffused his flesh. The commander of the mage army was growing increasingly impatient. The battles they had fought thus far had been over quickly and the magi had not had the opportunity to demonstrate their skills.

‘We know where the enemy is. We should attack now before the two forces have a chance to join together!’

‘We will,’ said the emissary.

‘Then what are we waiting for?’ demanded Sorn.

‘We cannot attack until the scouts have returned,’ said General Renucci. ‘We cannot plan a battle until we know what we face.’

‘But we know what we face,’ said Sorn. ‘We face the Possessed and unless we stop them they will reach the Clemoncéan border within months.’

‘I have been fighting the Possessed for twenty years,’ said General Renucci between clenched teeth. ‘I refuse to be lectured by a pompous mystic who’s never known a day of battle.’

He raised his eyes to glare at Sorn who matched his anger with cold contempt.

‘We are all aware of the threat we are facing,’ said the emissary. ‘And I commend Lord Sorn for his eagerness to join the fight.’

Despite the emissary’s calming presence the tension between General Renucci and Sorn persisted while the other officers shifted uneasily. They had never known such discord in the command tent of the Fourth.

Looking down at the map the emissary breathed a heavy sigh.

‘Lord Sorn is right. We need to engage the Possessed armies before they have the chance to combine. But we must be careful and we will not attack until the scouts return.’ Sorn’s mouth took on a sour twist while General Renucci gave a satisfied sniff of concurrence. ‘And whatever happens we cannot allow them to join up with the demon army that is approaching from the south. Until Nathalie returns we have no way of stopping a demon.’

‘We could stop it,’ said Sorn, raising his chin to meet the disbelieving looks of the other officers.

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