The Trolls' Strategy

A few more days passed. The Trolls seemed very patient. The military dispatches had all been the same these past few days: the two armies remained at a standoff, with nothing else out of the ordinary.

It was time for another military meeting. Everyone gathered in the Mage Tower's hall, where the commanders of each unit reported on the day's situation, as they did every day.

"Everything was as usual today, with no unexpected incidents," the sentry captain said. "There was one thing. According to one ranger, while he was using Eagle Eye to observe the enemy from his sentry post, he spotted a few wisps of cooking smoke deep in northern Life Forest."

Cooking smoke? Only Trolls could be making cooking smoke in the forest. What were the Trolls doing in the back of Life Forest? Patrick thought.

"Wait, northern Life Forest?" Patrick blurted out. Alleria, who had been listening to her subordinates' reports, turned around and asked, "Advisor Patrick, have you discovered something?"

"Are you certain the cooking smoke was in northern Life Forest?" Rather than answer Alleria directly, Patrick turned to question the sentry captain.

"I can confirm that it was northern Life Forest. When the ranger reported it to me, I also saw a few wisps of cooking smoke there," the sentry captain replied.

With the sentry captain's confirmation, a frightening conjecture formed in Patrick's mind.

The Trolls' initial attack on Farstrider Lodge had only been a probe. After the elves repelled the attacking Trolls, the Trolls entrenched themselves below Allendar Falls, making a show of refusing to give up in order to mislead the elves.

Based on past experience, the Trolls would withdraw after a period of confrontation if they could gain no advantage, so the elves would merely hold their positions around Farstriders Camp.

The river below Allendar Falls flowed gently and was relatively narrow. Unlike upstream of the falls, the water below was shallow enough for rafts to ferry troops across, or even carry them downstream to join the Troll forces from Tor'Watha and attack Farstrider Lodge.

Farstrider Lodge was also built near the riverbank. Caught between two forces like that, holding out would probably be impossible.

After hearing Patrick's conjecture, a deputy commander said, "What would the Trolls gain from doing that? Do they intend to launch a surprise attack on Silvermoon City after establishing a foothold at Farstriders Camp?"

Patrick gave him a look as though he were an idiot, then continued his assault on their intelligence. "They have no need to launch a surprise attack on Silvermoon City. Once they establish themselves at Farstrider Lodge, they can use the same method to launch a major attack on us here, while sending a small Troll force from the Ghostlands to tie down Tranquillien and the Sun Temple, preventing our army from making any rash moves.

"Once the East Sanctum falls, the Trolls can send their forces into Fairbreeze Forest. Trolls are already skilled at jungle warfare, and they would be even more in their element in the forest. Even if we managed to repel the Trolls then, those who had already entered Fairbreeze Forest would fight us as guerrillas."

Looking at the increasingly dark faces before him, Patrick continued laying out his deductions. "Given the Trolls' capabilities, they could easily keep us occupied there for months, or even longer. Furthermore, they would plunder all the crops and supplies around Fairbreeze Village and Suren's breeding farm, easing their food shortages.

"That would leave all of Fairbreeze Village jumping at shadows, and cut the kingdom's military deployment in half. The troops stationed at the front, in Tranquillien, the Sun Temple, and elsewhere, would be unable to advance or retreat. They would be like a poisoned thorn lodged in our throats."

As Patrick spoke, he looked toward Alleria. Her brow was tightly furrowed, and she seemed to be pondering something.

Another commander said, "This is only your conjecture. Based on my many years of experience fighting Trolls, they could never come up with such a sophisticated battle plan."

"Enough, Hawkspear," Alleria snapped. "Arcanist Cabrolon's argument is well-founded. Besides, judging by the Trolls' current behavior, this is not impossible.

So this was Hawkspear? That elf at Quel'Lin's Lodge who stubbornly believed in forcibly stopping the absorption of arcane energy as a means of overcoming arcane addiction.

"Master Patrick, how confident are you in your analysis?" Alleria asked.

"I can't give you a definite answer. General Hawkspear is right. This is only my conjecture."

Alleria looked into Patrick's eyes and nodded thoughtfully. Indeed, this was only a conjecture to begin with, so it was only natural that Patrick could not provide a definite answer.

The most pressing matter now was to determine the Trolls' true intentions. If things really were as Patrick had described, then the East Sanctum, where she was now stationed, would be the first line of defense against the Trolls in the Eversong Woods campaign, and the most important. The consequences of its fall were unthinkable.

"Hawkspear, send a request for reinforcements to the Eastern Sanctum Tower and have them relay it to Silvermoon City. Also, send people to contact Thas'wether and Suren, and have them bring their people to support Farstriders Camp with everything they have. Farstrider Lodge must not fall."

Alleria truly lived up to her position as marshal of the Farstriders. Military deployments came readily to her; she was composed yet alert, meticulous in her arrangements, and able to see the entire picture. Her manner was dignified and graceful as well. In other words, she was the ideal candidate for a good wife and loving mother.

[She is 1,000 years older than you.]

Fuck, you really picked the perfect time to throw that bucket of cold water over me. Goddamn it.

"What were you thinking about just now? Your eyes tell me you seemed to have something else on your mind."

Patrick met Alleria's eyes and said, "I was thinking about how to unravel the Trolls' strategy. Is taking the initiative to attack now our only way to turn the situation around?"

"Really? That doesn't match the look in your eyes just now. Perhaps you've only told me part of it." Alleria looked straight at Patrick, watching those eyes that occasionally leaked faint traces of arcane energy.

Neither dwelled on this little interlude. Patrick explained his views, while the other commanders in the hall discussed battle plans.

Commanding troops in battle was not his strength, nor was arranging combat something he excelled at. Patrick offered no suggestions of his own, merely listening quietly from the sidelines as everyone discussed their deployments for this war.

If the Trolls really were making military preparations in northern Life Forest, the entire East Sanctum garrison might have to take the initiative and strike deep into Life Forest. Leaving them unchecked would pose an even greater threat to Eversong Woods.

But fighting deep in the jungle was practically suicide. The high elves currently knew nothing about the Trolls' deployments or personnel arrangements in Life Forest. What difference was there between recklessly entering Life Forest to fight Forest Trolls skilled at jungle warfare and throwing their lives away?

Alleria had a terrible headache. Time waited for no one. Once the Trolls were ready, she feared she would have no choice but to meet them in battle.