Kingdom of Power, of Courage, and of Wisdom

Dragmire's War - Matsubi's battle

-Matsubi, western battlefield-

Commander Matsubi gulped as he saw the Zhao. Before them was a hill on which the Zhao had taken, and entrenched themselves. Yet from their movements it looked as that wouldn't last much longer. Soon they would be in battle Matsubi could feel it.

"A message from General Mitagi!" An officer yelled. Matsubi and Kagura turned to look. "The High General orders for us to entrench ourselves in the ruins." With the officer was a map of the surrounding landscape provided by scouts. They laid it out.

Matsubi and his ten-thousand were stationed at a clearing west of Ouki and Moubu. North of Matsubi was the western wing of Zhao on a hill. Between Matsubi and the Zhao was plains, but between the western and middle battlefields was a stretch of ruins and mountainous terrain. Matsubi had already felt he would be fighting for control of the ruins, but the Zhao had made no moves thus far.

The orders specifically was to send a part of Matsubi's army to the city ruins to hold it. Ouki predicted Zhao would move on it soon, and Matsubi needed to be ready to beat them to it.

"The Zhao have not moved yet. What makes him think they will now? And why the ruins? True, it offers some benefit, but it will leave us surrounded! The city is not walled. We will be beset from all sides." Kagura said.

"I do not know his thoughts, but he was the one chosen as High General. What more can we do but trust he knows the flow of war?"

"True, I speak not out of disobedience, but it will be difficult. We will be exposing ourselves while protecting the passage between the west and middle battlefields. It is risky."

Kagura stood and looked at the ten-thousand. He said, "Matsubi, may I make a guess?"

"Of course, you are my superior in experience!" Matsubi encouraged him.

"War is like a board game with moves and counter moves. Ouki is a player of the game, and as a player he has to perceive the moves his enemy will make. The most important move of any game is the first one, because it is the one that decides the flow of the rest as the two dance. It decides from the very start who sets the tempo, who is in control, or is the aggressor, who is the defender, and such a tempo is difficult to take when it is lost. It is clear to me the first move has been made, and it is based on that move that Ouki has predicted how Zhao will respond, whether to reclaim the tempo or the push it. Either way, positioning us at the ruins is a defensive move, not an offensive one... He wants us to prevent the Zhao from making a move. My best guess is that Qin has taken the first victory, and Zhao seeks to reclaim the offensive."

"An insightful guess. But I do not know if it is so or not, he tells us little."

"That is another thing that has left me curious." Kagura mused. "Why would he tell us to put ourselves into a defensive position? Being on the defense offers no gain for us but to hold them back. This tells me one very important fact: We are to buy time for the real offensive move."

"The real offensive move? What is it you are thinking?"

"I think Ouki seeks to make an offensive move, but needs us to act as the shield to his sword. Whether that is to surround, focus resources and men elsewhere, or what. We are the shield to his spear. As such, may I make a recommendation?"

"By all means! I rely wholly on your guidance, Kagura! You have taught me much, and your perception makes great sense."

"Then let us take the thousand Royal Guard." Kagura advised him. "If we send too many to the ruins, it will draw greater attention from Zhao. The smaller a force, the less perceptive they will be. The more they will underestimate us. The Royal Guard and I are trained to be the elite of the elite, to hold a single point against all odds. I think this is what Ouki has in mind, as surely our forces here have not gone beyond his knowledge."