Chapter 417: The Sudden News
Lyan studied the map, his brow furrowing in thought. "It’s a solid plan," he said, his voice calm. "But we need to be ready for anything. Varzadia is cunning—they won’t follow our script."
Arnold nodded, his eyes meeting Lyan’s. "I know. But I believe in our soldiers. I believe in Prince Erich’s leadership. He’s brought us this far, and he won’t let us down now." He paused, his gaze steady. "Astellia stands united, and as long as we stand together, we can face whatever comes our way."
Lyan nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Of course, but I guess pleasantries should be skipped for now," he said, his tone shifting to one of urgency. "We might be running out of time. Let’s get straight to the point."
The two of them entered the command tent, the soft glow of lanterns casting long shadows across the detailed map laid out on the table. Around the table stood the key military figures of Astellia—seasoned commanders, intelligence officers, and a handful of trusted captains. They all turned to look at Lyan and Arnold as they entered, their expressions serious, tension evident in their eyes.
Arnold moved to the head of the table, gesturing for everyone to take their places. "We have no time to waste," he began, his voice authoritative. "We need to finalize our strategy and prepare for the battle ahead."
He pointed to the map, his finger tracing the main routes that Varzadia’s forces might take. "Our scouts have identified three potential routes that Varzadia could use to advance into Astellia. The most likely is through the Eastern Pass—a narrow path that would allow us to funnel their forces and slow them down. We’ve set up defenses there, but we can’t rely on that alone."
Lyan leaned over the map, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the routes. "They’ll anticipate a trap at the Eastern Pass," he said, his voice thoughtful. "We should expect them to either try and bypass it or create a diversion to draw our forces away. We need contingency plans for each possibility."
A commander to Lyan’s left nodded, his expression grim. "We’ve stationed a battalion at the Eastern Pass—two companies of archers and one of infantry. They’ll be under Captain Renault’s command. If Varzadia attempts to bypass the pass, we have scouts positioned here and here," he said, pointing to two spots on the map, "to provide early warning."
Lyan nodded. "Good. But we need more flexibility. The enemy will adapt, and we have to be ready to do the same." He paused, his gaze sweeping across the group. "What about our cavalry? Where are they positioned?"
Arnold gestured to a section of the map closer to the central plains. "Our cavalry will be stationed here, ready to move at a moment’s notice. They’ll serve as a rapid response force, able to reinforce any position that comes under attack. Sir Garreth will be leading them, with three squadrons at his command."