You know only time will tell whether you made the right choice.
Your attention shifts to the one unit that Rade lacks: your rangers. You've witnessed their lethality with their crossbows firsthand. However, their ferocity in melee is also highly impressive.
You've yet to use the rangers in a standard pitched battle. You've long wondered about their capacity for fighting in such an environment.
Now I finally get to see them, you grimly note.
You turn your attention back to the present. You estimate that your line is roughly five hundred yards from Rade's. You bark for your men to halt, and Darin emphasizes the order with a blast of his trumpet.
The men halt. A few seconds later, the rebels halt as well.
Five hundred yards, you think. Well beyond longbow distance.
You take a deep breath.
Alright, Rade. Let's see what you've got.
Next
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Rade watches the royal army from his position in the rear of his own. It feels strange to not have Vuk by his side.
But Rade pushes down the emotions. They will only get in the way.
Grim determination rests upon his face.
His heart thunders in his chest.
Here is the ground that the revolutionary has chosen. Here is the place where he will make his stand. There is no jungle for the rangers to hide in. There is no river to protect the loyalists. The ground is nice and flat.
Here, he may finally deliver a decisive blow. Here, he may destroy the royal army.
Their broken bodies will litter the field. And he will personally look over each one to find the body of the Marshal.
He's too grave of a threat to let live.
Rade's mind is so focused on the oncoming battle that he's forgotten about Sobik's brat, the prince. He remains unaware of the boy's treachery.
Rade glances over at the horn-bearer on his left.
"Signal for the first group of cavalrymen to fix lances and charge. Be ready to signal a withdrawal, if necessary."
The man nods and brings the instrument to his lips.
Let us begin.
Next