"So you are saying a goblin was spying on us."
"Yes, sir!"
"Then you chased it inside the cave to capture the goblin."
"Yes, sir!"
"And out of nowhere a thousand fireballs appeared raining down upon you."
"Y-yes, sir!"
"You dodged it by jumping back and when the explosion dissipated... the goblin had completely vanished?"
"That's right, sir!"
"BUNCH OF INCOMPETENTS! GET OUT OF HERE! NO FOOD FOR YOU FOR THREE DAYS!!!"
"Hiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!"
The four orc guards run away from my tent as if afraid I was going to change my mind and give them death sentences. Honestly, they were right, if this was a normal day, I would give them death sentences just for their incompetence, but unfortunately it was NOT a normal day.
"Strategist!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Prepare all troops, we are going for an all out invasion, now!"
"Yes, sir!"
Since they are coming out to scout us, that means we must have reached their inner defense lines. Instead of proceeding slowly and giving time for them to prepare, we should just trample them before they have the time to react!
...
15 minutes later the troops waited in formation for my commands.
"Attention all troops!"
"I know you are all tired of waiting and bored to death!"
"Rejoice! It's finally time to attack!"
"""Oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"""
"Today enemies are cowards who burrow themselves in caves and use poison and traps as their weapons!"
"To deal with their cowards, we use shall our brave warriors, to deal with their traps, we use shall our bodies and armors, and to deal with their poison, we use shall with our ancestor's legacy!"
"So before we proceed, each of you will take a sip of poison immunity potion from the shaman on my right! And together we shall trample over the enemy!"
"""Oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"""
The troops organized themselves in a single queue and one by one each orc took a sip from the cauldron's potion soup.
Another 15 minutes later, after all had their turn, they formed multiple box formation and one after the other advanced through the cave's passage.
As for me, I positioned myself just after the third groups. Not too far ahead, so I wouldn't be the first one to be killed nor too far behind where I wouldn't be able to command as I wouldn't understand what was going on.
We advanced through the cave without any problems until the first deadly traps.
It seems like the enemy had rearmed his traps again, but I stayed true to my words and used the bodies of my subordinates to break them apart.
We advanced again and reached a black corridor, a few steps forward and a flame lancer fired at us, lightly burning another two of our brothers. I found it odd for such an ineffective trap to be here but I had no time to lose so we kept advancing...
Finally we reached the enemy walls, or at least that's what appeared to be it.
It was a big corridor with wall at the end of it and behind the wall there were dozens of elves welding bows and arrows waiting for us.
As soon as our troops appeared on their sight the enemy fire magic and arrows at us, eliminating the first vanguard group in a few seconds.
"Shields up! Keep advancing!"
The second was a bit luckier, and a few were able to survive. They kept advancing holding up their shields and were able to make it through half of the way before falling.
The third group took advantage of the second group and they were able to reach the walls.
Seeing the battle had just started I stayed my ground and continued to command the troops.
The fourth group was middle way through when the enemy's mage exploded another huge fireball.
The mage's magic was strong but it took too long to charge, I decided to use this time in my favor to conquer the walls.
"Charge! Full speed! Go Go Go!!!"
The fifth group and sixth group charged together and were able to reach the walls with half their strength. The walls were not too high and with a bit of help it was possible to climb them. Unfortunately the enemy also knew that and attacked the climbers with long spears.
Meanwhile the seventh and eighth group charged through the corridor. The elves seems to have run out of arrows and join the melee using whatever weapons they had.
As the eighth and ninth group join the melee, one by one my warriors started conquering space over the walls, pushing the elves back.
The damn mage threw another fireball dealing with the ninth team.
"Keep going! Attack the mage!! Don't let him cast another spell!!!"
One by one the long eared fell to our weapons. Our warriors finally reached near the mage but a young thunder wolf was protecting him, making it hard to approach.
The thunder wolf fight fiercely and was only brought down after the sacrifice of more than ten warrior. With his familiar gone, the mage had no longer anyone defend him, so he stopped casting his spell and grabbed his weapon.
"Hahahaha! I appreciate your courage but there is no way a mage will ever win against my warriors in melee!"
Contrary to my assumptions, the mage seemed to be also trained in close combat. Not only that but his strength was proven to be one of the elites. One by one he slayed our warriors with his two handed war hammer. But using such a heavy weapon, it was just a matter of time before he was too tired to fight, so I was not worried.
As the tenth group reached the walls just as the enemy's reinforcements seem to have arrived. Seeing their composition and number, they would at most delay our inevitable victory!
We had also gained control over most of the walls, so they had no more advantages over us.
"Oh!!! Finally!"
My warriors have the mage surrounded, he will soon be kil-!?
"WHAT!? ILLUSION?"
The mage entered the wall! My warriors tried to follow him but it seems like the wall was still as solid as ever. But suddenly the war hammer bypass the wall as if it didn't exist and hits the head of one of my warriors, killing him.
"WHAT IS GOING ON!?"
My warriors retreated and no one dared to get closer to the wall.
Just then I start noticing something odd. My fallen warriors in the corridor were vanishing in light particles, leaving only the armors behind.
"WHAT KIND OF MAGIC IS THIS???"
This was the start of the nightmare, as more and more corpses vanished in the air, suddenly a new passage was opened in the corridor behind us. I had an odd feeling and I turned just in time to see it appear, bringing along a group of thunder wolf puppies with the damn mage.
"A THUNDER WOLVES NEST!? HE IS ALSO A TAMER!?"
The thunder wolves attack us from behind, making us surrounded. Because of their sneak attack the 14th groups was completely killed before it could fight back.
Those thunder wolves, while they are only puppies, their strength is already similar to our strong warriors, and each contact with their fur makes our bodies go numb from their electrical discharges, making it difficult to fight.
Luckily it was only a dozen....WHAT!?
Just as I thought we would be able to deal with them, another batch of wolves appeared from a summoning light.
"THIS CURSED MAGE IS A SUMMONER!?"
Seeing that situation had reverted in their favor, I decided it was time to get out of here. Taking out the teleport scroll I had saved for emergencies, I activated the scroll without a second thought.
"Sir! Wait for me!!!"
The Strategist grabs my leg just in time to be teleported together with me.
Shit! I thought I could finally get rid of him!
The teleport took us outside, just where our camp was located.
"Fuck! What am I supposed to do now? If I report back, I will be killed! Curses! Why is my luck so bad!?"
I consider my options and quickly decide.
"Strategist!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Right now I am promoting you into this battalion captain!"
"!? T-t-t-thank you sir!"
"But before that I need you to complete one last mission!"
I grabbed a letter and reported back all that happened.
"Take this letter and deliver it to the Chosen one, so you can assume your new post!"
"Sir, yes, sir!"
Leaving him behind, I go to my tent and grab my things, preparing myself to run away when I hear the strategist's voice outside.
"Soldier!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Right now I am promoting you into this battalion captain!"
"!? T-t-t-thank you sir!"
"But before that I need you to complete one last mission! Take this letter and deliver it to the Chosen one, so you can assume your new post!"
...
"Heee...Maybe this Strategist is not that stupid...."
With such thought in my head, I disappeared in the night.