211 Tactics (2/2)

”They're forged from pure iron,” Liu Xiang revealed. ”This makes them heavier and hardier than arrows with shadowblade tips.”

The enemy infantry's march resumed again, only to be stopped by the third volley of arrows raining down from above. And this time, many soldiers dropped to the sandy floor, their bodies peppered by arrows.

”The shields can't hold up to this barrage,” Aura realized. ”Although I doubt this is enough to stop my uncle.”

Too right she was. For no sooner had she said them when arcane shields — similar to her own spell — appeared over the heads of the different heavy infantry units marching forward.

”That's that…” I said.

”Yes,” Arah agreed. ”We should send out the signal to the units below.”

I nodded in agreement.

The fourth volley of arrows attacked the enemy but their arcane shields held. Moreover, the enemy cavalry began its march forward as well. Leading them was a man who was waving around a greatsword that was nearly as tall as he was.

”The tiger's taken the bait,” Arah said.

”We better pick up the pace then,” I answered. ”Send our cavalry to hold them off if we need to.”

”You want Luca to go against Garm?” Arah asked, uncertain.

”Luca can take at least one solid hit from Garm and survive,” I reasoned. ”I did.”

”Dean has more faith in Luca than he lets on most times,” Aura told Arah.

”Yeah, I know… he's secretly a doting big brother,” Arah agreed.

”Can we postpone the girl talk until after we survive?” I sighed.

Our orders were already being followed down below as wave after wave of our light and heavy infantry units began to march back into the mouth of the gorge behind the oasis.

Still, six thousand troops moving into one path about as narrow as a four-lane road was creating a bottleneck that meant more time was needed.

Although the fifth volley of arrows continued to slow the enemy infantry down, their cavalry pressed forward despite the threat from above.

That's when I raised my hand, and as the flags relayed my orders below, I watched as our Foolhardies cavalry, as well as a third of the Pilgrimage cavalry, begin their march forward. Luca was the lead rider with Xanthor and Azuma flanking him.

As my eyes homed in on my little brother, I silently prayed to whichever spirits would listen to watch over him.

”How are your eyes?” Aura asked.

”They're not in top condition, but I've rested enough that I can manage a Basilisk's eye along with the usual tactical view,” I answered.

”We should be turning back now too, Dean,” Arah reminded me.

”You two go ahead… and tell Qwipps and Thom to head out after their last volley,” I said. ”I need to watch over this next engagement…”

”Don't stay too long,” Arah said. ”We need you at the center path to bait Great General Garm in.”

I nodded wordlessly as my focus continued to stick to the two cavalries that were about to meet in the open field barely forty yards away from the oasis.

”You should go with Arah,” I said.

”I'll stay and watch too,” Aura answered.

The back of our hands brushed.

”Thanks,” I said.

Aura and I watched as the cavalries met, their shadowblades raking against their opponents' own weapons. Nearly a hundred fell to the other's charge while hundreds more locked shadowblades in what would begin a dance of death I was all too familiar with.

In the middle of this melee, Luca and Garm had just collided, and it was a credit to my brother that he'd stopped Garm's charge and the greatsword that had swung down at full force with his claymore.

Even from afar, I could see that Luca struggled, and even Jade Shadow underneath him nearly buckled at the strength of his opponent. What's more, while Luca had to use both his hands to block Garm's attack, Garm only needed one to nearly overwhelm my brother.

But that's why I didn't send him in alone. Just to play it safe, I sent the guy who rivaled Edo as the unit's top killing machine to help Luca out. I sent Azuma, the Immortal.

”He's been such a big strength for the unit that I almost forgot how frightening it was to go against him,” I said.

”Is this battle drugging up bad memories for you?” Aura asked wryly.

I shook my head. ”Only good memories now… Mostly about how reliable a fighter Azuma is.”

”That's certainly true right now,” Aura agreed.

A scene from a fighting game flitted across the surface of my mind — Azuma and Luca versus Great General Garm, fight!