13 Day War Read online

  The general expected weakness and sympathy for the natives from some of the soldiers under his command, but he would not accept such attitudes from his officers. He remained silent for a moment as he studied each colonel in turn, looking for any sign of weakness. He saw none.

  “All right,” stated the general. “We only have two hours before the dawn in Alcea. Colonel Ednor, assemble your regiment near the portal and prepare to enter the world of the enemy. The rest of you gather your men and keep them ready to move out at any time. I want this entire army through that portal in under an hour. Do not disappoint me.”

  The colonels rose and quickly dispersed. Colonel Ednor shouted orders to his men, and they ran to get into formation. He led them to the portal and explained what he expected of them. When he was finished he noticed Colonel Dorfan of the 1st Corps standing beside him. He was holding a key.

  “Are you ready, Colonel Ednor?” asked Colonel Dorfan.

  Ednor turned and glanced towards General Kolling who was standing nearby. The general nodded authorization to move out.

  “The 9th Corps is ready to go into battle,” he declared.

  Colonel Dorfan smiled and nodded approvingly. He walked to the portal and unlocked the Door, sliding the key into his pouch.

  “Should you need to come back, the portal will not be locked. The key has served its purpose. Good luck, Colonel Ednor.”

  Colonel Ednor waved to the squad chosen to go through first, and they quickly moved to stand in front of the portal. The rest of the regiment stood ten abreast with each company in a tightly packed line. Colonel Ednor gave the order to go.

  The squad leader opened the Door and rushed through it, closely followed by the rest of the squad. As the last man of the squad went through the Door, Colonel Ednor moved to the portal and waited. The first company column queued up behind him. The wait was only a minute, but it seemed much longer to the colonel. Eventually, the squad leader stuck his head out of the portal and announced that the barn was secure. With a wave of his hand for the regiment to follow him, Colonel Ednor stepped into Alcea.

  The other side of the portal opened into a large barn on a farm northwest of the Lanoirian city of Barouk. The initial squad quickly secured the barn and checked outside to see if anyone was around. They signaled that there was no one nearby. Colonel Ednor stood near the portal as his men filed through. He assigned each company to a specific area of the farm as they came through. A few minutes later, the last of his men came through the portal and the next regiment immediately followed. Colonel Ednor gave up his post at the portal and moved out of the barn to check on his men. Unseen by any of the soldiers flowing through the portal, two pairs of tiny eyes watched everything from the rafters of the barn.

  “Get word of this to Bin-lu immediately,” whispered the tiny green man.

  “Why me?” scowled the little blue woman. “I can stay and keep an eye on the Zarans just as well as you can. You go tell Bin-lu.”

  “Bin-lu said he needed to know right away,” countered the male fairy. “He needs to do something with their supplies before they reach the first day’s cache. You had better hurry or Bin-lu will be very angry. He might even grab you with those sticky hands of his. I bet that glue would never come off your wings. You might never fly again.”

  “He would punish you just the same,” retorted the female fairy. “Besides, Bin-lu would never harm a fairy. You are just making that up to scare me. I think you should be the one to go.”

  The male fairy merely smiled and looked away. He watched the Federation soldiers file into the barn and out the large barn doors. For several minutes, neither fairy spoke, but as the male had suspected, the female caved in.

  “Oh bother,” she scowled. “I do believe that you would refuse to notify Bin-lu just to win this argument. I will go this time, but you owe me one.”

  The male fairy grinned with victory as the female leaped from her perch and darted into the predawn darkness.

  * * * *

  The rendezvous point was where the secondary road met the main road running between the city of Barouk and the capital city, Ongchi. The sun was rising as General Kolling arrived at the intersection, and he saw General Gertz and his 25th Corps halted on the main road, waiting for the 9th Corps to precede him. He rode over to the Aertan general and halted.

  “Any problems?” asked General Kolling.

  “Not a one,” General Gertz replied. “We did run into a few fishermen a while ago, but they were quickly dispatched. Any problems on your end?”

  “Everything is going smoothly,” General Kolling answered with a shake of his head. “Is your cavalry mounted yet?”

  “Almost. Judging from the looks of the nags that your men delivered, I can see that you kept the good ones for yourselves.”

  General Kolling smiled. He had no doubts that his men would choose the best of the corrals for themselves, but he was sure that Gertz was exaggerating. “You will have to complain to General Tauman about that,” he replied. “His men did the purchasing of the horses. Brighten up. It is not as if we are racing to Ongchi. The horses will not get overworked.”

  “I suppose not,” General Gertz grudgingly agreed. “I sure don’t look forward to walking all the way to Ongchi. Did you send men ahead to check the cache?”

  “Of course. I expect a report back soon. I will send a runner back to relay the message to you. See you in camp tonight.”

  General Kolling did not wait for a response. He turned his horse and rejoined his own column, leaving the 25th Corps to wait their turn. An hour later his advance scouts reported back. The cache was intact and undisturbed.

  “Excellent,” smiled General Kolling. “Have one of your men report that to General Gertz. I also want another rider sent back to the portal. He is to report to General Tauman and tell him that everything is going smoothly. He is expecting a report of our progress so make sure that the man you send can describe our location and approximate hour.”

  * * * *

  The coast of Lanoir between Elmor and Ongchi was mostly flat and level, but there was one small section of the shoreline that rose vertically from the sea. That section of Lanoir was known as Hun-lo Heights. Hun-lo Heights was only a few leagues in length, but it had long served as an obstacle to building a road between the two cities. One of the good things to come out of the reign of Emperor Hanchi was a solution to that problem. Early in his reign, the emperor put prisoners to work hauling stones to the base of the cliffs. The stones were dumped into the water at the base of the cliffs. Over a period of years, the stones were spread along the base of Hung-lo Heights to enable a road to be built connecting the two cities. Far up on the top of the cliffs, a Lanoirian engineer was once again modifying Hung-lo Heights, and two Knights of Alcea stood by his side.

  Bin-lu and Rut-ki gazed at a series of huge vats and the long train of Lanoirians working to fill them. A wooden ramp had been built to allow the workers to dump their buckets into the vats, and the line of workers appeared to have no end. Coming out of the bottom of each vat was a large bamboo pipe, and the numerous pipes extended to one final vat that sat lower than the others. The bamboo pipe coming out of that final vat ran to the edge of the cliff and then straight down to the stone road below. The Knights of Alcea walked to the edge of the cliff and stared down. The engineer followed them and spoke when he saw what they were looking at.

  “It is all fed by gravity,” Cho-sung said proudly. “The bamboo pipe running along the base of Hun-lo Heights is slanted towards Elmor, although the slope is almost imperceptible.”

  “And it will work as you described?” asked Bin-lu. Cho-sung’s face adopted an injured expression, and Bin-lu smiled apologetically. “I do not doubt your word, Cho-sung, but everything depends upon this working properly. Have you tested it?”

  “There is no need to test it,” replied the engineer. “The principle of gravity is well-known.”

  “I know that the oil will flow downhill,” frowned Bin-lu, “but you have mor
e than that going on here. I have ridden along the road below, and I do not understand how the oil will get out of the pipe.”

  “Ah,” brightened the engineer. “That is simple. There are holes drilled into the bamboo pipe at regular intervals over a length of three leagues. Each hole is currently plugged, but the plugs will come out with very little pressure applied to them. When the oil is released from the final vat, it will flow through the pipe until it reaches the end. At that point it will start backing up towards the vat. The pressure will force the plugs out of their holes, and the oil will be dispensed.”

  Bin-lu did not appear convinced and Rut-ki knew that he was going to ask for a test of the system, but he never got the chance. A blue fairy shot down out of the sky and landed on Bin-lu’s shoulder.

  “The enemy has arrived!” announced the fairy. “They are in Barouk.”

  Bin-lu turned to the engineer and said, “There is no time to test the pipe. The Federation soldiers will arrive in Elmor four days from now. You have just over a week to get all of the vats filled. Rut-ki and I must go.”

  Without waiting for a response, the Knights of Alcea ran away from the edge of the cliff. They mounted their unicorns and took to the air, the tiny blue woman still clinging to Bin-lu’s ear.

  “Should I return to the barn?” the fairy shouted into the rushing wind.

  “No,” replied Bin-lu. “Fly directly to Tagaret. Tell the Bringer that the invasion has begun. Do not dally on the way. Many things must be put into action now.”

  The fairy nodded in understanding, but Bin-lu could not see the tiny woman. The fairy let go of Bin-lu’s ear and let the wind carry her off his shoulder. Her body tumbled away until she spread her wings and banked sharply to the north.

  “She’s a funny one,” chuckled Rut-ki as she pulled alongside Bin-lu. “Very playful. What needs to be done in Tagaret?”

  “Many things,” replied Bin-lu. “I only know a small amount of the plans of the others, but I do remember hearing that the Melbin City Guard was to march north on day one of the invasion. Each province needs to know that the war has actually started. The Federation will be on a predictable schedule from now on.”

  Hun-lo Heights was far from the approaching Federation army, and the flight of the unicorns consumed most of the day. The sun was already declining by the time the two Knights of Alcea landed well north of the Barouk-Ongchi Road. They landed in a large glade and dismounted, stretching their weary limbs. Moments later, an elf walked out of the trees and greeted them.

  “So it has started,” stated Elandros.

  “It has started,” agreed Bin-lu. “How did you know?”

  “I have had my people keeping watch on the campsite that they have chosen for their first night. Twenty riders appeared this morning to check on their cache of supplies, not merely two riders like a few days ago. These riders also wore uniforms and returned to the east instead of continuing along the road towards Ongchi.”

  “I wonder if General Kolling will have those riders check tomorrow’s cache in the morning or whether he was just concerned about the first day?” mused Bin-lu.

  “We will not know the answer to that until the morning,” answered Elandros. “Do you want my people to take care of today’s cache?”

  Bin-lu nodded. “We shall proceed according to the plan for now.”

  Elandros raised a hand over his head and made a signal with his fingers. Back among the trees surrounding the glade, several elves silently slipped away. Bin-lu stuck a finger into his pocket and woke up his fairy. Shrimp leaped to Bin-lu’s shoulder and looked around to get his bearings.

  “Has it begun then?” the fairy chirped enthusiastically.

  “It has begun,” smiled the Knight of Alcea. “Your naps will be few and far between now. I have already sent a fairy to inform the Bringer, but Governor Za-chan must also be informed. Carry the word to Ongchi, but return quickly. Tonight we must spy on the enemy.”

  “I would never miss a chance to spy upon the enemy.” Shrimp saluted briskly and darted upward.

  Bin-lu returned his attention to the elf. “Rut-ki and I must go to the nearest village and start the evacuation plan. I am also going to have my people remove all of the hidden caches between here and Ongchi. That means that the Federation will start foraging tomorrow evening, or slightly earlier if they do send riders on ahead to check the supplies. Your men can rest tonight, but then they will have a long two weeks before them. Remember that it is not necessary to halt all of their foraging. The main point is to make them wary and fearful.”

  “With only one hundred men, it will not be possible to halt all of their foraging,” Elandros responded, “but the Federation will feel our sting. Have no fear in that regard.”

  “Only one hundred?” frowned Rut-ki. “We were hoping for more than that.”

  “Sordoa has demanded a lot from the Sorelderal elves,” replied Elandros. “Queen Alysa has been generous in her response to them. Elven archers will not only guard the prisoners, but they are also needed against General Ritka’s army from Gortha. The Sordoans are spread thin.” Bin-lu sighed and nodded in acceptance, but Elandros smiled and placed a reassuring hand on the Knight of Alcea’s shoulder. “Do not fear. One-hundred elves will seem like an army to the Federation soldiers. We will strike their foragers without warning, whether it be night or day. Within a week, their soldiers will fear to step off the Lanoirian road they travel.”

  “You are up against twenty-thousand men, Elandros,” frowned Rut-ki, “and you are all that stands between them and Ongchi.”

  “We will not stand between them and the city they hope to raze,” corrected the elf. “Nothing stands in their way at the moment. We do not plan to engage in battle with the Federation. My people will work in small, four-man teams. They will be spread throughout the forest so that no part of their column can safely forage. If the Federation tries to push into the forest to eliminate us, they will find nothing. Four elves can disappear so quickly that no human will be able to find them.”

  “I have seen the Sorelderal elves in action,” Bin-lu said reassuringly to Rut-ki. “Believe what Elandros is saying. The elves are one with the forest. It is their home. Come. We have an evacuation to set in motion.”

  “I will wait here for your return,” Elandros said in lieu of a farewell.

  Bin-lu nodded in reply as he and Rut-ki mounted their unicorns. The nearest village was less than an hour away, and the Knights of Alcea kept their unicorns on the ground. As they approached the village, Bin-lu requested the unicorns to show their horns. The villagers halted their chores and lined the road to get a look at the amazing creatures. Bin-lu and Rut-ki halted in the very center of the village, and people gathered around to see what was going on.

  “I am Bin-lu,” the Knight of Alcea said loudly, “and this is Rut-ki. We are Knights of Alcea, and we bring news from King Arik and Governor Za-chan. Listen carefully for your lives are in danger. A huge enemy army is coming this way, and they will kill every last person they come across. You must gather your families tonight and flee into the woods. Do not travel on the Barouk-Ongchi Road. Move your families at least three leagues inland.”

  “Take only what is necessary to survive,” added Rut-ki. “We do not think the army will destroy your village if no one is here, but you cannot afford to be slowed down in any event. That army will be here in the morning, and they will slay anyone who sees them. They do not want anyone to know that they are heading for Ongchi, so they will kill you all.”

  “We are to abandon our homes?” asked an old woman.

  “Only for a time,” answered Bin-lu. “In a few days the army will have passed by this village, and you will be able to return home, but I would suggest waiting at least a week before coming back. There is a chance that the army might turn around and try to retreat toward Barouk.”

  The villagers had other questions, lots of questions, but Bin-lu had little time for repeating the same answers. He eventually explained that he had said al
l that he could say, and the villagers nodded glumly and returned to their homes to get ready for the journey inland. The Knights of Alcea rode onward, but they did not go very far. Just past the village was a new farmhouse and a very large barn, but the farm was a poor excuse for a commercial enterprise. The land was not yet cleared, and the corral only held eight horses and no cattle. The four men who lived in the farmhouse immediately came out of the house when they heard riders approaching. They stared at the unicorns and then saluted Bin-lu.

  “You are the Knight of Alcea?” asked one of the non-uniformed soldiers.

  “I am Bin-lu and this is Rut-ki. We are both Knights of Alcea. I trust that you have your wagons ready to roll?”

  “Sitting in the barn,” one of the men said with a wave towards the new barn. “Are we to leave now?”

  “As soon as we are done talking.” Bin-lu nodded. “I need to make sure that you understand your mission.”

  “We understand it,” assured the soldier. “We have a map of the location of the cache and directions to the next unit along the Barouk-Ongchi Road. We will relay your orders to them and then transport the cache to the designated location.”

  “You are also to instruct the villagers to flee to the north,” declared Rut-ki.

  “Of course,” nodded the solider. “That goes without saying. We will not leave anyone in the path of the enemy. You can count on us.”

  “We are counting on you,” replied Bin-lu. “Move swiftly because you have little time to accomplish your mission. The enemy will be here in the morning.”