The Great Northern Tract ran through the desert forest, along the mountains, towards the fortress town of Zalon, in the vicinity of which were many mines. Between the fortress and the next town on the tract, which was Savoyardi, there was a distance of 300 leagues, which was about 200 kilometers. There were no settlements along this entire stretch.
Only goblins would come out of caves and ambush the tract, killing packhorses. It was impossible to make a road away from the mountains, as they had done on the other side of the ridge. To the east was the Cursed Forest, inhabited by far more dangerous creatures than goblins. It was as if the path was sandwiched between the mountains with goblins and the forest with unclean things.
But since caravans traveled it regularly, and their cargo was quite valuable to the kingdom's economy, a camp site was set up about every five leagues or so. Surrounded by a low stone wall, the space around which the forest had been cut down had two entrances, a source of clean water, four observation towers to provide a view, and stone bases for fire pits twenty to thirty meters away from the walls. All this made it possible to achieve visibility at night. At least, the goblins could not get close to the walls undetected.
The walls themselves were not high, but as a defense against goblins, they were enough. The caravan guards always had mages and a sufficient number of warriors. In short, the royalty made sure that the tract was as comfortable as possible in both directions. Naturally, the losses were constant, but the profits outweighed everything.
Once upon a time, there were actual villages along the tract. But even the high walls of the settlements did not save them from the occasional arrows and darts. Soldiers and residents died more often than caravan guards. So after decades of trying out different ways to secure transportation, settle on camps like this.
It was in such a camp that the vanguard of the Orod army stood. With carts blocking both entrances, the troops felt more than safe and secure there. The scouts sent to check the path found that the camp site, neighboring the one occupied by the vanguard of the Orod army and closest to the vampire camp, was also occupied by a detachment of Orodians. The men swore that the flags were exactly the same as in the vanguard camp. Except that there were far fewer people there than in the first camp.
Oleg, having listened to the report, assumed that the vanguard commander had divided his forces for a more comfortable stay. Still, the sites were intended for slightly smaller units.
Caravans rarely had more than two hundred men, and military units were even smaller. Therefore, to place five hundred people in the perimeter walls was not the easiest task, and perhaps the commander solved it radically, reducing the number of the main detachment. No one could think of any reason why the vanguard was standing still.
The results of the reconnaissance encouraged Alexey Gennadyevich. Only this time he decided to do without unnecessary talk and immediately gathered people for discussion. Those who were in the camp gathered quite quickly.
It turned out that about a third of the vampires were in the forest for one reason or another. This did not upset the chief much and he opened the meeting with the results of the reconnaissance. Then shared his ideas about the need to attack the humans and seize their possessions as trophies. While tempting people with weapons and clothing, he also didn't forget to remind them about blood and the knowledge it would provide.
He wouldn't even admit it to himself if he asked such a question, but he liked drinking blood. Liked taking life. Liked the feeling of power in his body. He liked a healthy and strong body.
Once again, people surprised him. When that bastard, Eugene, had only hinted that naked and practically unarmed people would have to attack skilled warriors in armor and weapons, the doubting crowd quickly rejected the idea of going into battle. Almost no one wanted to attack. Alexey Gennadyevich tried to threaten, to bribe, to promise a lot, to intimidate. But in response he received only ridicule and misunderstanding.
- Do you know what Alexander called this adventure? A thin naked line! - Eugene, having received the support of the absolute majority, achieved the enemy.
- Naked soldiers! - just shouted someone from the crowd.
- It's a complete foolishness, - Leonid, who stood next to silent Oleg during the whole meeting, raised his voice for the first time, - Well, there's no chance for naked and unarmed people, even if they are strong but inexperienced, against professionals with weapons and armor.
Having spit on everything, Alexey Gennadyevich left, showing that the meeting was over. His idea was a failure.
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