A Clash of Magics by Guy Antibes (read this if txt) 📕

“Or you take a crossbow,” Lissa said.

“I didn’t think of that,” Trevor said. “I’m not as accurate, but do I have to be inside the enclave?”

“No,” she said, folding her arms. “I want you to wear a helmet.”

“We’ll see. The maps are getting combined as we speak, and in a few days, the armies will be positioned and ready, encircling Khartoo.”

“Let me have our best healer take a look at both of you,” the head seer said, “then you can be on your way.

~

Trevor took Lissa with him as he walked to the command tent. Everyone was standing around waiting for the finished enclave maps.

“We received messages from the other armies,” the Brachian commander said. “We can discuss their status while we wait. Resistance has increased on all fronts as our forces have gotten closer to Khartoo. We thought all forces would be in place the day after tomorrow, but as of now, it looks like the invasion can take place in less than five days.”

“And that makes our position more precarious,” Trevor said. “We can’t wait. The Maskumite forces can attack and finish with us before they turn to defend Khartoo against the other armies.”

“The other columns of the Brachian army should join us sometime tomorrow,” the Brachian commander said. “That solidifies our position and the entire west and northwest side of the enclave.”

Trevor looked down at the map of Khartoo. Colored blocks of wood were now in place, representing the troops’ final disposition encircling the capital. He looked at the others in the tent. “What are your recommendations?”

“Wait,” most of them said.

“If you attack hard enough to bloody their nose, that might delay the response from the enclave for a day or two,” Brother Yvan said. “I don’t recommend waiting, looking indecisive, especially since they have a secret weapon, and they know that we are here.”

Trevor stared at the map. He wanted his war game skills to give him an answer, but he decided Brother Yvan’s plan was best for now. The other armies needed time, and he had to face a hard truth. The combined forces might be needed to clean out the enclave. “Then let’s get the enclave maps in and see if we can create a punch hard enough to delay their attack on us.”

What had Trevor forgotten? He kept concentrating on the broad outlines of the enclave. His eyes went across the wharf, and then he knew who he had disregarded. He needed to get to Samar Doford and talk to him about the enclave’s exposure to the blockade and the Sirlandian vulnerability from the enclave’s naval defenses, of which Trevor knew nothing.

“I’m going on another excursion. Lissa will accompany me this time,” he said. “A quick jump to the wharf, far from the enclave, and then I need to reach the Sirlandian ships.” He looked at the Brachian commander. “Do you know of any kind of magical strategy that Gareeze Plissaki suggested to King Worto?”

The commander shook his head. “If he had one, it was talked about above my rank.”

“Then I’ll have to talk to General Brightwork about that,” Trevor said.

The commander pointed to a spot on the map. “He is marching down the main road in the mountains. You might be able to catch him late today if you leave right now.”

As much as Trevor wanted to ride Snowflake, he decided he would make a few jumps instead. It might test Lissa’s magical capacity, but he would risk it. Trevor changed into his diving outfit and waited for Lissa to change into something more durable than what she had worn in the seers’ headquarters.

“Are you ready?” Trevor said to Lissa.

She nodded. He squeezed her hand, and they ended up on the main road they had taken with the caravan of smugglers on their first foray to Khartoo. Trevor examined the road and didn’t see evidence of a large force moving through the road recently.

“I’ll be taking short jumps from here,” Trevor said.

He looked down the road and began to teleport to the end of his sight until they spotted two scouts. As they got closer, Trevor could see they were Maskumites. They walked toward the scouts. Trevor drew his sword, but the men must have seen the black suit and thought Trevor was one of them.

“Are you two lost?” one of the scouts called out to them. The man squinted. “You aren’t Maskumites!”

The men drew their weapons and charged. Lissa shot a lightning bolt at one of them. The man must have had a charm, but it wasn’t up to her bolt. He clutched his chest, but her initial attack wasn’t strong enough to knock the man off his horse. Her second bolt was, and the man leaned back in his saddle before falling to the ground. By the time that happened, the other guard was attacking Trevor.

Trevor had trained fighting mounted men, but his injured arm hampered his movements. His height gave him an advantage over an average fighter, but mounted men always had the superior position. The fight was awkward for both men, but the scout’s slashes almost scored more times than Trevor wished.

He could feel a shred of panic begin to shorten his breath when he realized that the man had at least as much experience as he, but when Trevor saw the other scout fall, he teleported to the saddle of the second scout. The horse reared, but Trevor managed to hang on long enough to grab the reins with one hand.

The other scout’s eyes grew wide as he observed Trevor’s move to equalize the fight. Trevor advanced on the man. His confidence grew, and he saw doubt begin to enter his opponent’s expression. The battle suddenly turned in Trevor’s favor with his longer reach, and within a few moments, he cut deeply into the scout’s bicep,