Chapter 427: The Southern Front (3) The Sudden Twist
Abraham didn’t waste any time. He stepped forward, his gaze sharp, and gave a quick, respectful nod. "We’ve just returned from a scouting mission, Lady Wilhelmina. There’s a serious issue. Varzadian reinforcements are advancing towards Lyan’s forces faster than we anticipated, and they’re larger in number than we had expected."
Wilhelmina’s eyes hardened as she listened, her gaze flicking to Ravia and Raine, who were both catching their breath. Abraham continued, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation.
"The Varzadian reinforcements have taken a different route. They’re attempting to outflank Milord’s vanguard from the east, and they’re moving faster than we thought possible. If we don’t act soon, Milord’s forces could be trapped, caught between the main Varzadian force and their reinforcements."
Wilhelmina nodded, her mind already working through the possibilities. She turned on her heel, her voice rising in a commanding tone.
"Captain Gareth! Gather the officers; we need a strategy meeting now. The rest of you, double-time with the fortifications! We have a fight coming our way, and I want us ready to meet it head-on."
Within minutes, the command tent was filled with key figures. Belle, Xena, Abraham, Tesha, and Solia were gathered alongside Captain Gareth and a handful of other officers. Wilhelmina stood at the head of the table, a map of the terrain spread out before them.
"We don’t have time to wait for further orders from the main army," she began, her tone unwavering. "We’re on our own out here, and Lyan’s force is in danger of being overwhelmed. We need to act preemptively and set up an ambush to thin out these reinforcements before they can reach our vanguard."
She looked at Belle and Xena.
"Belle, I need you and the other mages to prepare magical traps along the eastern path. Create illusions to lure them into a confined space, then unleash everything you’ve got. Xena, I want you to work with the engineers to set up physical traps—spiked pits, barricades, anything that will slow them down and cause confusion."