Chapter 61: Preparing for War
Roland glanced up as Carlos entered the tent, dust clinging to his armor after the long ride back. "Carlos! How's the situation in the north?" Roland asked, leaning forward with concern.
Carlos wiped the sweat from his brow before replying, "The orcs have set up a camp about a hundred miles north of Elub City. It looks like they're digging in for the long haul."
"A camp? That close?" Roland asked, surprised.
Carlos nodded. "It's more than just a temporary stop. From what I saw, it's semi-permanent. There are more than 10,000 of them, maybe more. And they're well-equipped this time, not like the ragtag groups we've faced before. These orcs are armed to the teeth."
Roland frowned. "A semi-permanent camp… Why would they establish one? Are they waiting for something?"
Carlos hesitated, then said, "Could be. Maybe they're expecting reinforcements. If they're planning to wipe us out, they'd want to be sure of success."
Roland tapped his finger on the map laid out on the table, deep in thought. "It makes sense. The orcs know about Los Saint Neil and its importance. Rapid City's location has kept it hidden so far, but they must have learned from their failures in the wastelands. They won't strike unless they're certain they can win."
Carlos stopped mid-sip of his water. "So, you think they're gathering forces for a massive attack?"
"Exactly. These orcs likely came from the northern wastelands, but they're not alone. They're waiting for reinforcements from Togoldo and Gombada. When they join forces, they'll launch a coordinated assault."
Carlos's face paled at the thought. "Should we warn the others?"
Roland shook his head. "We can't afford to waste time sending warnings. Besides, they probably already know or will soon enough. What we need to do is prepare our soldiers and fortify our defenses. We must be ready for whatever comes our way."
He stood up, his expression resolute. "I'm going to check on the progress with the crossbows. We'll need every advantage we can get."
…
Roland walked into the armory, where Lance was supervising the final assembly of a massive crossbow. "Is this the finished product?" Roland asked, circling the weapon with curiosity.
Lance nodded proudly. "Yes, Your Highness. This is the heavy city defense crossbow. It's designed for long-range defense—capable of firing a 3-meter bolt up to 2,000 meters."
Roland whistled in admiration. "That's impressive. But can it really use standard Lagrand spears as bolts?"
"Absolutely," Lance confirmed. "The crossbow was designed with versatility in mind. If we run out of specialized bolts, our soldiers' spears will work just as well."
Roland patted the crossbow, impressed. "How many of these can we produce?"
Lance's face grew serious. "Only twelve. We only have enough dragon tendons for that many crossbow strings. Crafting more would take years."
"Right…" Roland muttered, his earlier excitement tempered by the reality of their limited resources. "We'll need to make the most of what we have. Get those twelve crossbows ready and positioned. We're going to need them soon."
"As you command, Your Highness," Lance replied, understanding the urgency.
Just then, Reynold and Marcus entered, fresh from their patrols. Reynold's eyes widened at the sight of the crossbow. "Now, this is what we need! How many do we have?"
"Just twelve," Lance answered. "We're working as fast as we can."
Marcus grinned, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "I have an idea, Your Highness. We could enhance these crossbows with magic. It would give us a significant edge."
Roland raised an eyebrow. "Magic? How?"
"Dragon blood," Marcus replied, his grin widening. "We can temper the steel with it, making the crossbows even deadlier."
Lance frowned, clearly hesitant. "It's not the most efficient use of dragon blood. Normally, an alchemist would fuse it with rare metals to create powerful magical materials. But… we don't have an alchemist."
Roland considered this for a moment, his mind racing with possibilities. "We do have the lava forge, though."
Reynold shook his head. "We're not dwarves, Your Highness. We lack the rare metals needed to fully utilize the forge's capabilities. Unless we melt down our existing weapons, we don't have the resources."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Finally, Marcus spoke up again, his voice steady. "The war is coming, and we need every advantage we can get. If we don't protect Rapid City, none of this will matter."
Roland looked around at the faces of his closest advisors. They were right. Wealth and resources meant nothing if they couldn't defend their home. "You're right," he said at last. "Do what needs to be done. I'll support you fully."
The decision was made. They would do whatever it took to prepare for the impending battle—no matter the cost.
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