A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor-Chapter 849: The Strength of Resolve - Part 3

"Yes, Commander," Rofus said, saluting ever so respectfully, the very model of a good soldier.

Cormrant sighed on behalf of his Commander, shooting Rofus a thorough glare for putting Northman in that situation in the first place. Rofus merely shrugged the glare off. He wasn't the type of man to care about such things.

Soon enough, Verdant arrived with the last of their men, whilst Judas marched over with Firyr and Nila.

"Very good, we're all here," Oliver said. It might have made more sense to have the meeting in the tent, but he was well aware that the rest of the soldiers were watching from a short distance away. He wanted them to see the efforts that they were putting into their planning. "I am sure, by now, you will have heard our plans for today."

He put it mildly on purpose, alighting a few wry smiles from the more experienced men. "Today is the day we storm that fort, ain't it?" Judas said, confidently stepping into the role of wingman, as though Oliver was Greeves digging into some lesser merchants.

"It is indeed," Oliver said. "The plan is quite simple. We will be using what little oil we have in combination with our rams to try and break down their front gates."

"I've a question, before we continue," Cormrant said, raising his hand.

"By all means."

"Why wait until today to make this charge? The time has cost us men, and energy. It seems to me that it's a simple enough idea – we could have done it days ago," Cormrant said.

"Two reasons," Oliver replied, holding up two fingers, and counting each one off. "The first – the barricades. Now we have something to support this charge. The second, our men. Only yesterday did we finally have an army."

Cormrant twisted his lips, thinking over the response. There was a tenseness to the silence that followed. Cormrant was the opposition, after all, and in that role, he had a purpose. He spoke for everyone with doubts. The reply must have satisfied him well enough, for he eventually nodded, and Oliver continued.

"The initial prospects for this mission were worse than they are now. It was meant to be only one hundred of you Skullic men, and myself. With a few days, and your cooperation, my own men have been able to reach a similar level of skill, as we've seen in our mock battles. So too, have our men begun to understand each other's skill sets.

We're far closer to a unified force than before – a fact that is of great advantage, considering the disorderly state of the enemy's own men," Oliver said. "It is that fact that we will bet on for victory. Yesterday, you all got a taste for how potent some of the skills of our men are. Today, those skills that had opposed each other in our training battles, will now work in tandem."

"Well, at least I don't have to worry about getting shot in the back from a mile away," Northman said with a grin, nodding to Nila.

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She gave an embarrassed laugh in return, and all but looked away.

"The objective is the same as what we decided on days ago – the slaying of the enemy General," Oliver said. "We will create the conditions needed to get close to him, and then I will take his life. Are there any complaints?"

He looked over the men, and gave specific attention to Cormrant, but he shook his head, as did the rest of them. No one could think of a better plan, else they would have already given voice to it.

"Now, as I'm sure you realize, there will be a significant amount of importance to how we place our men, given that the development of our men is our only true advantage of our foes," Oliver said. "The basic structures of armies shall remain the same. Skullic men will fight with Skullic men, and my men will fight together, under the same leaders.

They've learned to work well together, there's no need to split them apart. Cormrant, I would have you lead a mounted division under Northman. Take control of all our horses."

"Very well," Cormrant said easily.

"You will function as one of the links between our two different forces. When necessary, you shall provide support to the entirety of the battlefield," Oliver said. "Verdant, you will play a similar role, but unfortunately, we can not spare your strength. You will have to manage your positioning wisely, and only engage when there is something to be achieved.

Your eyes are too valuable to waste otherwise. Towards such an end, you both will play the role of Vice-Commanders, and you hold authority over every man on the battlefield."

"As you wish, my Lord," Verdant said.

"Northman, you will take the centre of the battlefield with your men. Once more, you shall hold overall command of our forces, when necessary. Firyr, you will take the right flank, and Judas you will take the left. You will be Vice-Commanders, with authority over the entirety of your flanks."

"Hell yeah!" Firyr said triumphantly, pumping his fist. It seemed like it was an expression that he'd likely stolen from Judas, with how familiar it sounded to Oliver's ears. Judas, for his part, had the sense to act a little more reserved, though he couldn't hide the fact that he too was pleased to be given such an honoured position.

That pleasure was outweighed – quite rightly – with a tightness to his face, though, as he felt the trueness of this responsibility, and how it differed from their training battle.

"Splitting them up?" Cormrant asked. "Is that wise? They'll be on opposite ends of the battlefield."

"With the nature of a gate assault, I imagine they'll end up meeting just the same, as they have continually in training battles. It shall not be a new experience for them," Oliver replied.

Then, he turned to Jorah, Kaya and Karesh. Alongside Blackthorn and Nila, those three would be the most difficult to place. They were versatile enough men that they could really be put anywhere, but Oliver knew that their positioning likely would matter even more than the positioning of the rest – after all, with the rest of the men, it was obvious where to put them.