Brosnan and Anders watched patiently, not exchanging a word as the initial small group of dark-headed orcs continued steadily up the road. Watching Lageena in the lead, Anders remembered to look for Ivan’s signal. No doubt one cue for them to advance would be signs of fighting, but from their vantage point a small skirmish could begin and end before Anders and Brosnan would even see it. If the fighting was among a small enough contingent and remained on the northern side of the buildings, it could take place in a blind spot for them. There were areas within Ryedale where Anders couldn't see anyone in the streets for several blocks. It pained him to think that his companions might be jumping into a fight heavily outnumbered anticipating help that didn't come. Precisely for that reason, Ivan had created a surefire way to signal the elves and dwarfs that it was time to launch the ambush.
The granary and flour mill with its towering windmill in the center of town could be seen from all directions. Ivan, Natalia, Solomon and the Lumbapi soldiers were hiding in buildings throughout the town. Several brave Lumbapi had disguised themselves as the townsfolk. The actual townsfolk had been cleared from Ryedale one day prior. Those soldiers hiding in town had picked strategic locations throughout Ryedale to ensure they were well dispersed. Once Lageena had entered the town and her orcs were well within the confines of the canyon, Ivan and Natalia, using their remaining magical abilities, would force the windmill to spin. When the windmill started turning, all three parties united for this crucial ambush would know from their various vantage points that the fighting could begin. Anders just hoped he wouldn’t be too distracted to see the mill when it first started spinning, but that’s why he’d invited Brosnan to be his second set of eyes.
Anders was somewhat surprised at the seemingly careless way in which Lageena was leading her forces farther west and deeper into the canyon proper. As he understood it, the Lumbapi had been successfully ambushing Merglan’s troops throughout the eastern half of Southland. If Anders were in her position, he would have sent scouts ahead before approaching any town. As he was thinking about what he would do differently, Lageena shouted to her orcs and they halted. The sound of her voice as she barked commands rang up the slopes. Anders could easily hear what she was shouting. If he understood Grug, the Eastland orcs’ native language, he would’ve known what she was saying, but for now, he had to use his eyes to make sense of what was happening below.
The Lumbapi soldiers disguised as townspeople continued working in the fields plotted tightly along the river just east of town. When they heard Lageena’s commands, they acted their part and fled toward town in fear.
Shoot, Anders thought. I wish she would’ve just kept marching into the heart of the town. For a moment he wondered if somehow she’d read his mind, but after thinking about it, he quickly dismissed the idea because he’d closed off his mind from all outgoing and incoming thoughts.
“What’s she doing?” Anders whispered to Brosnan who remained motionless on the canyon rim next to him.
“It looks like she’s going to send a group of orcs out ahead of her to check out the town. That’s what I would do if I were her,” the elf commander whispered.
That’s what I thought, Anders thought to himself. “Hopefully the Lumbapi hold off their attack until Lageena commits to entering the town,” he replied quietly.
Anders appreciated the lack of response that meant Brosnan agreed.
All they could do was wait for Ivan's signal whether it came or not. He briefly wondered what they would do if Lageena backed off and decided to bypass the canyon altogether.
I hope it doesn’t come to that, Anders thought.
He observed the thick line of orcs cascading down the length of the road. He’d not seen this many orcs in organized formations before. When they’d fought the orcs beneath the Eastland Mountains, they’d been led by Thargon. It had been dark and for all Anders could tell the orcs had been a disorganized mass. Even in battle, he could only see what was immediately in front of him. It wasn’t until Zahara came to his rescue that he was able to see the whole of the army and by then the orcs were fleeing in mass. This host of orcs looked to be well regulated and remained in formation as they marched. They stretched the length of the road and around the corner out of Anders’ line of sight.
He took the opportunity to search for other threats among them, such as kurr and fairnheir. Anders couldn’t quite tell but he thought he only saw two or three large figures that resembled kurr. From his distance, he realized these could just as easily be large orcs. He could distinctly see a pack of fairnheir, however, snapping and barking like mad dogs. They were recognizable even from a great distance. Once Anders had seen one, he could tell what the figures were from a long way off. He hoped the Lumbapi’s war dogs were with them. They’d need their help when they encountered the fairnheir on the battlefield.
It didn’t take long before the group of orcs leading Lageena set out toward the outskirts of town. They rushed headlong toward the closest buildings. Anders thought they were being reckless and trying to intimidate any Lumbapi soldiers possibly hidden in Ryedale, but when they halted suddenly, Anders understood their tactics. Lageena must have known that if any archers were hidden within the city, they would have no choice but to fire on a squad of orcs rushing into their midst. Unbeknownst to her, however, there were far more than a few Lumbapi archers waiting for her to enter the town, but they wouldn’t make a move until Ivan launched his ambush.
Well within shooting range of the eastern edge of town, the orc squad sent to search the streets drew their weapons and began their slow, careful approach. Anders could see their thick broadswords, cleavers, cutlasses, hammers and several maces in hand as they stepped up to the first row of buildings. The orcs slowly made their way into Ryedale, searching around each building as they advanced. Anders could hear screams and shouts as townspeople, or Lumbapi soldiers dressed as townspeople, fled.
The ruse seemed to be working. The orcs became more emboldened the farther into the heart of town they traveled. By the time they'd reached the opposite side of the thin, mile-long town, the orc squad was simply strolling down the middle of the central street. Satisfied that they had managed to cross the length of Ryedale unchallenged, the squad began their return toward their leader. They stormed storefronts, flipping food stands and tables of trinkets on display and smashing windows as they joyfully ventured back to Lageena.
Anders held his breath, hoping that Ivan would hold off on launching his attack. His eyes darted continuously between the motionless windmill and the orc scouting party. Finally, the orcs left Ryedale’s limits and rushed full bore to their leader. Seeing that the windmill remained still, Anders breathed deeply with relief. Now they needed Lageena to trust her foolish orc squad and continue marching west up the road as it ran through the center of Ryedale.
He could see Lageena clutching at the glowing crystal that hung around her neck. She had waited until the orcs returned with their report. Turning back to see the length of her army and no doubt gathering confidence that she had greater numbers than any Lumbapi army, she placed her hands on the long mane of her black horse and spurred him forward. The orc squad stepped aside, clearing her path as she trotted to the head of her horde.
The entire chain of orcs began to move again following Lageena approaching the town. Anders kept his eyes on the windmill, making sure he didn't miss the moment it started moving. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that the line of orc forces continued around the corner and out of sight. Lageena would enter the city and be through it before the entirety of her army entered the canyon. Ivan must have only seen a fraction of her forces. He didn’t know how extensive her army truly was. There was no way their ambush could work in this short of a canyon. Ivan was confident that Lageena’s army would march beyond where the dwarfs were hidden and could easily attack the enemy from the rear, trapping them within the canyon. Where the dwarfs were stationed now wouldn’t be anywhere near the rear of Lageena’s army. Anders felt an ache in the pit of his stomach as he watched the windmill remain motionless while Lageena continued her steady approach.
Lageena halted suddenly, just as the orcs had slowed when they first approached Ryedale. She brought her hand up to her chest and fingered the crystal. Her attention remained on the streets for several long breaths, then she turned her head to the left, her gaze sweeping the shallow canyon slopes beginning their rise only a few hundred feet from the Kingston Road.
Anders remained perfectly still, hoping everyone else within sight of Ryedale did the same. Lageena’s sweeping gaze stopped, seeming as though she was staring directly at Anders; he thought for a moment she could see him. Only when her cold stare broke did Anders dare to blink again and she continued searching the rim, westward toward the narrowest point of the canyon. Her gaze lingered there. Anders continued to wait for the windmill’s first movements.
Breathing slowly, Anders tried to decrease the rapid pounding of his heart. He struggled to keep his thoughts closed off and to himself as he breathed in and out, watching the suspicious eyes of his foe.
While Lageena sat on her horse before Ryedale’s eastern perimeter, her orc army continued to march, filling the canyon’s base. Anders could see the common disorganized behavior of the orcs beginning to show. Instead of following the movements of their leader, the army just continued to balloon in around those in the front lines, filling the space between the river to their north and the canyon slopes to the south. Lageena must have heard the gathering sounds of her orcs because she suddenly snapped around in her saddle. Cursing, she shouted in Grug at the orcs collecting along the road behind her. Frustrated, she swatted about attempting to direct her army back into formation. Succumbing to the hindrance, the former elf queen spun forward in her seat, grabbed hold of her horse’s black mane and dug her heels into its haunches, moving forward into the town.
Anders sighed with relief. She’d been skeptical of entering Ryedale, but due to the lack of discipline among her troops, she was forced to advance if she wanted them to regain their formation.
The orcs’ front lines followed their leader as she rode into the heart of Ryedale and halted under the windmill. Anders saw her point toward the west end of town, after which the orcs continued marching past her. It had worked, even if she hadn’t fallen for the bait, their plan to get Lageena into the town’s center before attacking had worked. Now all Anders needed to do was wait for Ivan’s signal, then he’d be able to open his mind and command his half of the elven army to attack.
With Lageena and the front of her army well inside Ryedale, Anders saw the initial signs of the ambush. The orcs were beginning to spread out among the side streets, four on either side, making more room for the cluster gathering in the canyon behind them. Lumbapi soldiers sprang out from buildings and homes, pulling the passing orcs inside and quickly closing the doors just a fast as they’d opened. Orcs at the head of the army began to fall off one by one as disguised soldiers ran past them through the streets, cutting their throats and lopping off their heads. Before the orcs knew what was happening Anders saw the windmill begin to turn.
This was it, Ivan’s signal. The ambush had begun.
Anders opened his mental link to all the elves waiting patiently in the thinly spaced trees behind him. He shouted through their minds, Attack! Now!
Before he could shout a second call with this telepathic link, the elves were rushing past him. They poured down over the canyon rim with their blades drawn. At their head, Anders could see Brosnan Strongsword speeding toward Ryedale. Zahara leaped from her hiding place and came alongside Anders as the elves sprinted downslope at the unsuspecting orcs.
What are you doing? We need to remain unseen, Anders said as Zahara came to sit at his side.
She growled and lay down in the grass placing her long head low so her profile wouldn’t stand out along the rim’s horizon.
Anders shook his head but knew there was no stopping her. This was as hidden as she was going to be for the remainder of the battle.
The sounds of war echoed through the canyon as the Lumbapi soldiers exploded from their hiding places. Nearly every building in the small narrow town opened and Southland natives flooded out. Orcs lay dead in the street before the elves from Anders’ position descended on them.
The clash from hundreds of elves colliding with thousands of orcs echoed in the canyon below. Despite the elves’ speed on foot, their sword skills were only slightly more advanced than a human’s. They outmatched the orcs, but the enemy, though slower, had brute force and numbers on their side. Anders and Zahara watched as the elves began to cut their way deeper into the orcs. Once beyond the initial surprise of their attack, the elves began showing signs of their mortality. First Anders saw a wave of orcs pile into the midst of the attacking elves. The elves held them off for a moment but they were gradually overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of orcs. He witnessed a dozen elves crushed by the collective orcs before the other elves could withdraw from the charge.
Nadir’s elves had dropped to the canyon bottom simultaneously with Anders’ group. They flooded the road, cutting off any chance for the orc army to advance through the city and up the canyon to the west. While Nadir’s contingent had secured the west end of Ryedale, Ivan and the Lumbapi battled the thicket of orcs throughout town.
At first, the orcs were unable to defend themselves from the soldiers attacking from all directions. The Lumbapi quickly killed off many orcs along the side streets. Ivan and Natalia had been inside the mill. They leaped out at Lageena as she pranced around on her horse, trying to regain control of the upset steed. Although Ivan had been close to the traitor queen, she managed to slip away from his grasp. Using the powers of her crystal necklace, she blocked Ivan and Natalia’s attacks and held them at a distance while she rode back across the eastern half of town. The impact from the elves dropping into Ryedale from the ridgeline pushed many of the orcs into the town’s core. Lageena quickly found a wall of orc bodies to shield her from the attacks of her former subjects.
As she gained situational awareness and control of her surroundings, Lageena began to fight back. She used powers that she shouldn’t have had access to, halting elves that were advancing too far into her protective wall of orc bodies. In several instances, Anders saw one of the three-story, wooden buildings fall on both Lumbapi and orcs fighting in close quarters. He could only assume that Lageena was somehow using the properties of the crystal to force the buildings down on her enemies, regardless of whether they crushed her orcs as well.
We should take her now, Zahara said, stirring her wings as she and Anders watched the battle unfold.
It’s too risky. If we weren’t successful on the first try, she’d attack us and we don’t know how much power she has in that crystal. We could probably defend ourselves from it, but it would drain our energy and then if Merglan suddenly showed up, we’d be useless. I want to fly down there and help as much as you do, but if we’re going to win this war, it’s in everyone’s best interest to stay here, Anders said.
But what if we got her on the first try? What if we stopped her now?
