Elkin looked at Rollvag. "General?"
Rollvag stood up slowly. "Well, the addition of `Neetah's Ghosts' evens up the odds. The question is how to use this ghost army to our advantage. As far as I can tell, there seems to be two scouting parties at the tops of the two mountains, with the main force guarding the castle and caves. The problem is timing. We need the captives awake and aware without raising the suspicions of their guards. That means we must attack in the first hours of the morning. We will stealthily awake the prisoners after their deep sleep, and move them through the passages before the Ard wake up. That is where you must come in, Kip. You must convince the imprisoned to stay calm and to leave quietly through the escape ways. They might not want to leave their valley if you don't tell them to. I believe that you should tell them that we are all elves, since we are all dressed like them. They will be able to identify our green cloaks as worn by those in authority. This will be a job befitting a Consair. There is only one thing that bothers me: The Yuccah outposts will hinder our escape."
Rollvag looked from one to the other in hope of some idea. Elkin was quick to respond.
"You have forgotten Myriel, my friend. Let's just say that there won't be any outposts to bother you..."
Elkin's words grew as the significance of their boldness registered in the adventurer's minds.
Tato knew the implication and said: "Elven Archers."
Elkin added to the statement: "This is our fight too, you know."
Just then a Ghost came running to their council. He reported to Neetah. "Sir, we have seen a gigantic bear and two large wolves lurking nearby."
Tato and Gvin smiled broadly. Tato turned to Neetah before she could speak. "That's my bear friend, Brownie! And the wolves are Shadow and Lylax; they travel with Gvin."
Neetah calmed herself and told her man: "Relax, Artan, let them alone."
"Yes, Sir." said Artan, as he walked back to his post. "Apparently, even the animals are joining this fight!," she said in amazement...
Rollvag was suddenly struck with the fact that someone was missing.
"Tato, where are Finnie and Flippie???"
"I don't know!" exclaimed Tato quietly.
"They are scouting, Rollvag and Tato," said Elkin, "Don't worry about them. They will appear when we need them. Besides, they can fly and are quite able to take care of themselves."
Elkin looked over at Neetah, Eytawe, and Keri; saw the confusion on their faces; and said: "Finnie and Flippie are North Fairy Princesses. They are here to help us and they are quite a bit more than they seem. You will soon see."
"I thought that there was no such thing as fairies!" exclaimed Keri.
"All right now, everyone, let's stay on the issue at hand. Now that we know that we will not need to worry about the Yuccah, What will we do for a distraction, while the Kanokai leave?"
Tato was ready with an answer:
"Your distraction is ready made. While you are all in the passages, Elkin and I plan to destroy the dam of stones, washing away several garrisons permanently."
All marveled at this idea. Kuros looked at Elkin in awe. "You can do this, Elkin?"
"It was Tato's idea; yes, I can; and I rather like the sound of it."
Rollvag continued: "Dare we attack the fortress?"
Neetah spoke up on this point. "Sir, won't there be much loss on our part?
"She's right, Rollvag." stated Elkin. "Listen well, everyone. There are more forces here than just Man and Drog. BE warned: What you must fear is stopping the onslaught that will pursue the fleeing Kanokai. It is then that we will be in the most peril!"
Rollvag had finished his queries and was now ready to make his assignments: "So much for all my bright ideas. I am glad that we have had this Council."
Elkin interrupted: "You have all learned a valuable lesson: Two are better than one alone. For if one falls, the other may pick up his fellow. So it is with strategy. Where one could have led alone without council, many lead to dynamics and better paths for all thereby."
Rollvag continued: "Neetah's Ghosts will deploy about the caves. They will get our evacuees out of the caves and into the Bahkir Pine Forest. Cher will lead a sergeant you assign, Neetah, and ten men ahead of the evacuees on foot. How long will it take to get everyone in place, Vilef?"
"About an hour and a half."
"Very well, we will move into the passages about an hour before midnight, and Elkin and Tato will create their distraction at as close to an hour after midnight as they can tell. Therewith, Elkin and Tato will be assigned to our little dam project. Kip, Longsilver, Vilef and Keri will be assigned to the tower team with seven of the Ghosts.
"Kip will stop at the Well House on his way there with Tara and Murki and eight of the Ghosts, who will be assigned there. The cave team will comprise myself, Byc, and Kuros and nine of the Ghosts. Neetah will command the remaining Ghosts at the mushroom caves, and Myriel, bless his heart, will command the Elven Archers. Have I left out anything?"
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© Copyright 1999 by Abram Paradies.
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