with the ogres. After the fascines and destruction of the obstacles, they would likely try
to whittle down the number of defenders and exhaust those who survive. They would
then regroup with the siege towers and more troops and then launch an overwhelming
attack. Not the way I’d do it but the commander must be confident with the number of
troops at his beck and call. But surprises in the Gap will be the order of the day. No
doubt the enemy has some in store. The three siege towers seem inadequate and I
doubt the commander is a fool.
He kept his eyes on the contingent, scanning it for things he may have missed.
Suddenly, he could hear the shouts of attackers as Jorund and Habrok kept new
attackers of the low cliff at bay.
Shit! I thought those bastards had enough for a while. You take a sneak peek and look
what happens.
Their second day the campsite started well enough. Habrok found a small stream not
far from the cliffside, got a deer, and laid down some traps along the forest trail
starting from the forest entrance to the cliff. He was also able to eliminate
two dokkalfr scouts trying to enter the forest. Habrok stashed the bodies in a small
gulch but didn't have time and capacity to strip them of weapons and armor. They must
have thought them to be just hunters to be foolhardy enough to move in the daytime.
Or really stupid dokkalfr.
Jorund, for his part, started putting up a few wooden barricades behind the top of the
low cliff which was about twelve to fifteen feet in height. He built them in a way that
they could be released and crush those below the cliff in an emergency. Cutting the
trees was not much of a problem with Tyler’s ability to create blades. Even his lifting
ability helped, though at first, it strained his mind. Pointed stakes at the bottom of the
cliff and in the area before it were also placed.
He had made sure that the area before the cliff was cleared of trees thirty feet out. He
didn’t want enemies to have the expediency of just cutting nearby trees to fall and use
as makeshift ladders. Some of the smaller trees and branches were made into
sharpened large stakes. After sharpening both ends, Tyler positioned them on the
ground for Jorund with his LIFT! ability. Habrok could add more traps between the
posts, he thought.
It was exhausting work. He had to use the healing spell Eira gave him to rejuvenate their stamina several times. But he knew he couldn’t overuse the ability. He had no idea
of the long-term effect on muscle regeneration would be. A torn muscle even if healed
needs time to fully recover.
When the top of the cliff and area before it had the modicum of defensive
arrangements, he asked Jorund to add more brambles to the deadly field and set his
own traps. As with Habrok, he knew full-scale pit traps cannot be made due to time
constraints. Wounding and debilitating traps would do. Though the stakes themselves
should claim a few lives. That much he expected.
After finishing with the field for the day, the two went to the stream Habrok mentioned.
It gushed from a break in the mountain wall and flowed right through the forest. While
Jorund collected water, Tyler cut down trees on the opposite bank, creating a fire break
of twenty feet. With the AWAY! spell, he cleared the fire break area. But the fire break
area only continued for fifty feet downstream. He didn’t have the time to expand it
further.
By late afternoon, Jorund and Tyler started to work on the campsite. He raised large
boulders towards the ledge with his lifting ability, positioning them as best as he could.
Jorund was sharpening more stakes from the felled trees in the clearing. The warrior
explained that he wanted the clearing to have long sharpened stakes standing upright,
with a few slightly slanted ones, to discourage drakes and other creatures from landing.
If they are able to land, the stakes will limit their movement.
Tyler did notice that Jorund also began stacking some makeshift spears beside the
lodge. The companions ate as they worked. Even Habrok already brought with him his
food for the day, intending not to return until after dusk.
When the three gathered for the night, with another healing spell courtesy of Tyler, he
emphasized that any scouting or raiding group attacking them should, as much as
possible, be totally eliminated. This will give them more time as the commander of the
enemy will consider successful the raiding or scouting done by his troops, and will not
concern himself with them until a considerable time has passed without any report. For
the night, he told them to be extra careful as he expected unfriendly visitors.
As the rule now is to eat when hungry, with no fixed meal times, he left the two to
discuss more preparations. He went inside the cabin to check on the available water
and food. The food situation was good, enough to last them a week if they don’t
overindulge. About the water, he counted sixteen full waterskins. All the unfilled ones
had been used. He decided to prepare at least two boulders to serve as water tanks for
other uses. By cutting off the top and making a hollow within with his blade ability, such
storage could be made. Thankfully, on the latrine requirement, Jorund fixed the existing
one, rebuilding the damaged sidewalls and dumping fresh soil down the opening.
He entered the cabin and sat down amid the low lighting of the square lamp. He started experimenting with making orbs with very thin shells which could crack at a sudden jar
or impact. It took him a few tries. Too thin a shell and it falls apart with a touch. Too
thick and the shell would need several throws into the ground to break open. He
needed a thickness which would need the right pressure to crack. A design like an egg.
Finally, he was able to duplicate the thickness required and created an orb the size of a
small ball. That would make it handy enough but he assumed it would last at least a
day and a half before dissolving back into the magical
