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

so sure what a messenger does since the last one ran around a long, long time ago, but it sounds right. Are you refocused?”

“Not quite,” Trevor said, being honest with himself, “but I’m better.”

~

General Brightwork arrived at Trevor’s advanced camp. The combined Brachian army had just fought a major battle with a Maskumite force half a day away to the east.

“You should have let us help, General,” the Brachian commander told his superior.

“No need,” Brightwork said. “I’m here, aren’t I?” He clapped Trevor on the shoulders. “Your strategic advice was the key to our victory. I sent out more scouts to locate the enemy force, who had split into two pieces, an advance unit followed by substantial reinforcements with the intent on creating a vise with us in the middle. We ended up being the vise. I had to leave a good portion of my men behind to guard prisoners. Let’s get this war over with quickly, so my men can get back to their homes. There is a limit to how much fun one can have.”

Trevor nodded. Soldiering was fun only so far. “Then it is time to get into position. We will need a few more troops to enter the enclave from the land,” he said. “The maps we have of the interior aren’t reliable.”

“Just tell me how many you need?” Brightwork said as Trevor took them to the command tent.

Trevor showed Brightwork the enclave maps and the composite one they had made before they entered a discussion about entering the capital.

“Do you think the ships will arrive in time? We can’t hold the armies at bay for long,” Brightwork said.

“We should have a new strategy that doesn’t require a blockade,” Trevor said. “Perhaps we could commandeer ships on the wharf to send them to cordon off the waters closest to the enclave.”

Brightwork looked down at the map. “I will have anyone with experience with boats and ships identified and group them into a single force as we are taking the city over. If the other ships arrive, it will only enhance our ability to keep the enclave bottled up.”

Trevor nodded. “Let’s send messengers out to get the soldiers selected before we begin the invasion.”

“What will we do about Maskum’s chief of state?” Brightwork asked. “It seems we have been concentrating on the magicians.”

“Supposedly, he is a figurehead,” the Brachian commander said.

Potur Lott rubbed his chin. “I don’t know. I’ve been to Khartoo lots of times, and the potentate has become a recluse. I didn’t consider him a threat but perhaps cowed by the enclave.”

“He could still be a member of a cabal,” Trevor said. “The Jarkanese army has the responsibility for taking the palace and administration buildings. There aren’t many bureaucrats in Khartoo since Maskum is a loosely run country.”

“Then I would check with General Henkari. You should have a plan to provide him with reinforcements. Our assignment is the western part of the city, and judging by the map, The Viksaran sector is closer to the palace than we are,” Brightwork said.

“Henkari knows that,” Trevor said. “I left it up to him to make decisions on the troops entering from the north and northeast. We want a light occupation, but enough to allow us to clean out the enclave.”

Brightwork nodded. “I don’t see that changing from what I see here and what we discussed at Henkari’s border garrison. Have you had any recent updates from the other armies?”

Potur Lott nodded. “We get them every few hours. There is a chain of messages and individual messages coming in. The Sirlandian army is lagging the most, but they have had to slog their way through all the coastal garrisons. The Kyrian force has had to slow their advance to keep pace with the Sirlandians.” Potur Lott used a pointing stick to show the blocks on the large map of Maskum.

“And we will have to wait too. I’ll be having my men build some fortifications to protect our flank against surprises. I suggest you do the same,” Brightwork said.

“Already underway, sir,” the Brachian commander said.

They rehashed the strategies, but other than implementing Brightwork’s sailor idea, there wasn’t much new other than current army locations. The Brachian general left, and Trevor stayed in the tent with Potur Lott and the Brachian commander discussing how best to use the additional men Brightwork was sending them.

“How can we get better information about the potentate?” Trevor said.

“I’d ask around, but not around the enclave,” Potur said. “You can take Lissa again.” He pulled the map of Khartoo out. “This is where we stayed before. The palace isn’t far.”

“Then I can teleport to the inn and spend a little time drinking Maskumite wine with the locals,” Trevor said. “There is enough time for that.”

“You don’t trust my network?” Potur asked.

“Do you? Someone betrayed me to the enclave when I went inside. I assume it was the candy seller or his wife.”

Potur stared at the map. “I don’t know. You might be better off working on your own, after all. It’s one thing to move around a city that isn’t about to be invaded than in one that is.”

Trevor nodded. “We won’t spend much time,” he said. “Our trip to the wharf worked out.”

“Let’s hope for good results two out of three times,” Potur said.

“We will leave as soon as Lissa can be ready.”

~

Lissa spotted a pub where they could see the spires of the palace. They stepped inside. The place wasn’t too fancy, but Trevor didn’t spot any rough characters in the establishment when he led her to a table in front of a window where they could see the tops of the narrow towers that sprouted from the potentate’s residence.

“New to Khartoo?” the server said. He was a middle-aged, portly fellow with balding hair compensated by a colossal