The discussion continued for a while as we began working out the funding and defensive positions.
The whole of Durlivan would take atleast five thousand troops to defend on rotation with two and a half thousand men on the walls at all times, the city is simply that large.
Of those required five thousand men we are currently in possession of a thousand three hundred men, Hardvar's intelligence division is based up in the mountain fort of Desdon and houses a further two hundred men and sixty three operatives but those cannot be moved for safety reasons.
Nova has said he will send five hundred greenhorns as reinforcments, if he wishes to rid the capital of underground influence he needs the rest of his men, not to mention that he is already lacking in man power the war several months ago taking its toll even now, his own army barely at three thousand battle ready men.
Rafulnas should have around three hundred men in it's standing army and two hundred in it's garrison, Trigo has pledged his army to the cause so I can expect those men making our numbers jump to one thousand eight hundred, then there's Warren's small army of a hundred hunter-farmers without any real battle experience against other people bringing up the number to one thousand nine hundred.
Lastly is Kitar, a headache in itself. Since Tars is likely to have been heavily involved with the underground from the start his territories former army should be filled with men of the underworld who are deserting even now, likely the territory will be ransacked by the time news can even reach them that Warren has been named their new lord.
I need to clear out Kitar and defend Durlivan.
All those deserters will likely be escaping through the neighbouring kingdoms making it impossible to follow them unless we wish to have an internation incident on top of everything, the remaining troops and people in Kitar are also not guarenteed to follow me with the shaky new footing they've been thrown on.
"What a god damned headache." I muttered holding Shion tight.
I can't sleep.
Getting up from bed I made sure not to wake up Shion before calling Yu.
"Say, what do fairies like the most?" I whispered walking through to the war room where a map of the area lay unfurled.
"They like the natural energy of the forest, but with humans constantly coming in and causing destruction as well as noise they feel disturbed by the death energy that stinks up from the forest floor." Yu replied curtly, "I would clean up a lot of that energy and so they really like me."
"I see, then could you make a deal with the fairies for me? Tell them that a large force of humans are going to come into their forests cutting and burning it to set up camps for war, I'd like you to propose a co-operation between our army and them in order to quickly eradicate them much like the previous eradication, except that this will be a contract with me where I will officially outlaw fairy hunting and make it a crime to wander deep into the forests where they dwell." I said seriously.
"I think they'll definitely agree to that." Yu said thoughfully, "They always complain about having to hide from the humans not matter how deep they go into the woods or how high into the mountains they go."
"Good, perfect, then please go and speak with them on my behalf." I said lightly turning my attention to the map below me.
With the help of the fairy population in the forests it should be much easier to pick off groups as they appear preventing them from gathering into any kind of substantial force, however it's not enough, if a large army of them storm through the woods on either side of Durlivan city we won't be able to stop all of them and a large force will inevitably gather.
These won't be so easy to route either, though cheap they are still being paid and are likely coming here with the conviction to die on the front lines for their gold, seeing as they will likely have no place to return to should they fail.
God what a headache!!!!!
Okay.
Let's see.
.....
Well... I haven't felt this cornered since I first arrived here.
Considering the fact that they got to Tars and Kleiol it is likely that there are already operatives of the guilds in these mountains lying in wait to go onto the next step of their plans, by now they know that it has failed and will send word back.
At closest it will take a day for the information to travel, and a further three days to gather and equip a proper force.
Right now I have three days starting now to set up an efficient defense that will collapse the invaders while also somehow leaving myself room to go and tend to Kitar.
"This will be a bloodbath." I muttered, "If i- If I choose to sacrafice Kitar then we would be able to defend Durlivan long enough to gather a proper force to then rein in Kitar, but by then they will be all but lost to lawlessness."
"I can't do that, but what do I do then?" I slammed my fist into the table angrily, "What can I do?"
"I can gamble." I sighed burying my head into my hands, "I can only gamble now."
Unbeknownst to myself a pair of blue eyes stared in from outside feeling sad and useless.
'He is shouldering all of this alone, I- how can I help him?' Shion thought sadly.
The night passed quickly giving way to the morning sun.
As I awoke I found a blanket over my body, let alone knowing who put that there I don't even know when I fell asleep.
"Champion."
"Boss."
"Lord."
"Agashi."
As I arrived down stairs I found that not only Shion, but Seramia, Hardvar and Trigo were waiting for me in the main room.
"Wh-what is it? Don't tell me was there an attack already?!" I panicked reaching for my swords on the wall.
"It's not that, do you know what time it is?" Shion said lightly looking at my confusion she responded, "It's almost mid day."
"I was asleep so long and no one woke me up?!" I half shouted, "What is the situation now?"
I turned trying to leave but was stopped by Leyalt who had been standing behind me for a while. I really have to figure that out- No! Not right now.
"What is it?" I asked coldly, "There are things to be done, we don't have time to spare."
Stepping forward Hardvar spoke lightly, "My operatives have already spread out into the city and into the frontier cities closest to here, I will know immediately if something is wrong and inform you, so rest for today, we can handle things."
"There is no time..."
"Lord, you just got back from a campaign to wipeout the bandits in Durlivan, then immediately jumped into declaring war against a large portion of the underground of Kendogan and some small time guilds in Rekardus, killing two men from noble houses of Carrien by burning at the stake," Trigo said lightly, "You need to rest."
"There is no time....!"
"Even so, you must take care of yourself, what will the people think if their champion collapses of exhaustion in the street?" Seramia said calmly, "Veru's believers are lovers of peace but that does not mean we are incapable of war, just this morning one hundred young men voluntered to join my Inquistor divison within the church which I would like to devote to you."
"A hundred men is a great contribution, but I can't rest, it simply isin't enough for me to break, the lives of not only the people of Durlivan now rest on my shoulders but also those of Kitar who are likely left without a proper garrison by now...I must go...!"
"Word reached us from Warren who went back to Locost to retrieve his men that Kitar is in better shape than originally estimated, their garrison is at three hundred men, adding on Warren's troop of one hundred it's four hundred total, the deserters are being hunted down as we speak and the people are well." Shion said calmly stepping forward, "Rest."
"Kitar will require those three hundred men to keep the bare minimum level of safety within the territory so the situation does not change with a simple hundred men more, please do not worry, I will rest once the preparations have been made." Stepping back I passed by Leyalt who could say nothing to stop me anymore.
"Thank you for the blanket." I said as I exited.
"Leyalt." I called out but got no response.
"Hardvar." Once more silence.
Turning around I found that they had not moved an inch from where they were standing previously.
Feeling a rise of anger I began speaking, "Do you think this is a joke?! We cannot waste time like this! Kitar is less of a problem now but it is still in a precarious state! Warren is a young boy and because of my own ineptitude he is being forced to carry the burden of the lives of thousands, not of soldiers but innocents!!"
"We cannot waste anymore time...!" I shouted feeling a vein pop on my neck, "Now come! We must make.... preparations....!"
Hum. What's this feeling? Why am I falling?
Why are you all shouting like that?