The dawn mist had yet to clear completely from the plains of Golden Ear City when horns from the Raitelia camp tore through the morning silence.
Seba Retalia chose to wait no longer. His enormous war machine finally began grinding toward Boulder Heights.
Chris stood in a concealed observation post on Boulder Heights, watching through a telescope as more than ten thousand Retalians rode east. They stopped two kilometers away, dismounted, and began preparing for the assault.
"Tsk, tsk. Sebas just couldn't wait any longer!"
Chris spoke with a smile, and Marquis Dirac beside him immediately offered a humorous reply.
"Having too many horses can be a burden."
"Then I truly wish I had that burden too."
"Ha ha ha..."
Chris and Dirac both laughed, their laughter filled with contempt for the enemy.
"Well, Your Highness, I should return. The Retalians will be coming up soon."
Dirac courteously bade Chris farewell, then turned and left the observation post.
Chris had just held a brief meeting with Dirac here. Its purpose was simple: if the Retalians attacked from other directions, he wanted the Hegrande Legion under Dirac's command to move in immediately and hold them off.
After the war in Minisia, Chris realized he had made a moderately serious mistake... he should not have put the players at the very front.
Taking stock of the troops under his command, Chris could readily see that the players were his strongest fighting force.
Although the players had some disciplinary problems-once unleashed, they could not be reined back in-that did nothing to diminish their formidable combat prowess... much like the berserkers of Northern Europe, they lost control at the sight of blood.
Committing his best troops at the very start of a battle was foolish. Although these players could revive, that would only happen