Return to Jorgaldur Volume I: the battle mage

Defense forces

Gantaldón didn't understand what was happening. In fifty years fighting in that area, he had never encountered anything like that. It was too absurd. And, given the signs he had seen in the distance, it was happening on all fronts where there were generals.

His zone was, approximately, at level 75, and around those levels were the hundreds of corrupted creatures that were attacking. What made no sense was that they were doing it in that way, receiving wounds, even dying some of them, and not being able to advance in their push.

The generals hadn't caused much trouble for a long time, since the last defeats in which all those below levels 68 had died. Since then, they had remained half-hidden, ordering small attacks, trying small ambushes. Apparently, the knowledge that there was someone who could kill them had really scared them.

None of that explained the current concentration of losts on the edge of their territories. They were attacking sporadically, in an almost suicidal way. They weren't even getting their mana reserves to drain. It was clear that they were up to something, but it was impossible for him to imagine what, since they didn't seem to be achieving anything.

He didn't believe that his enemies would cross the barren zone, and launch a full attack, because they were weaker without miasma. So, on that side of the river, they felt safe. It is true that they were forced to have their troops deployed to avoid having unprotected areas, but he couldn't understand what it was for.

Only when an urgent help signal appeared, he and those in the other areas began to understand. It was precisely then when the enemy army began to advance.

"Damn, they want to hold us back," the veteran elf growled.

It wasn't a full attack, they were only showing their fangs, exposing a small part of their forces. It was clear that they weren't worried about the wounded or the casualties. The generals were willing to sacrifice a few hundred of their troops in order to keep them there, to prevent them from going to the rescue of their companions.

The threat was obvious. If they decreased their defenses, then they would leave their position vulnerable. He thought that, perhaps, they could part with a dozen troops. However, not only would they be insufficient, but they wouldn't arrive on time. It was those who were close who should send help, but those areas were in the same situation, or even worse. There were even more enemies threatening them, they had even less room for maneuver.

Anguish was grasping hold of them as time passed without a solution. If they advanced, although they could sweep aside some of them, most of their enemies would manage to retreat. Besides that, they couldn't carry out a charge to the end without knowing if there were more hidden enemies. It could be perfectly a trap for them. Although the river and the lack of miasma gave them advantage in their position, at the other side, it was the enemy which had the advantage.

The situation wasn't much different in the other battles fields, where, like this one, they were at a standstill, and all anxious about the situation in which the group that had been ambushed was.

They needed to send reinforcements before it was too late, if it wasn't already. They weren't afraid that the enemy would also do it, because the losts can't move to low-level areas just like that. There, the concentration of miasma is lower than what guarantees that higher level creatures wouldn't wake up.

It was then that, in the highest level area, where beings such as manticores, unicorns or griffons could even be found, an old druid made the decision to send two of her forces to reinforce the immediately lower zone. They couldn't send help directly to those who needed it, but they could do indirectly.

A notification arrived in that area, well before the reinforcements. Immediately, the person in charge there made the calculation of what those higher level reinforcements meant, when and where they were going to arrive. He then sent reinforcements to the area immediately below, taking into account those parameters and how many they could afford. He did it in two batches, waiting a bit for those who were coming, and making sure not to become too unprotected. And informing the destination about the reinforcements.

The reinforcements were spreading to the weakest areas rapidly, more and more numerous. When it was the turn of the area immediately above Eldi's, they sent 10% of their troops initially, another 15% a little later and 25% at the end. It had been a long time, too much, and they doubted they could arrive on time. But they had the duty to try a miracle.

Due to having got rid of so many, the general of the losts decided to take advantage of the situation to show its aces. More corrupted forces appeared, launching a full attack against them. But not only did they have the advantage of the location, but those who had stayed were the defense specialists. In addition, there they could use the forces of nature that were beyond their reach in the miasma zone.

Magical shields, roots and even the water of the river got in the way of their enemies, while the general congratulated itself on the stupidity of the living. They could endure more, but they were hardly hurting their enemies, and would end up falling.

It frowned when reinforcements arrived from the flank, which fiercely attacked the losts. However, although at higher level, they weren't enough to become a real threat. Sure, they would cause some casualties, but they couldn't stop their progress and, in the end, they would be completely overwhelmed, since they were using their energies too carelessly.

It was sure of its victory due to the shortage of enemy reinforcements, so it realized too late that the reinforcements number had increased. When it did so again, the disadvantageous position of its forces became apparent.

It ordered its troops to retreat, but they had suffered a significant number of casualties. It was a defeat for the general, but at least the ultimate victory in the lower zone would make up for it. Finishing off a large group of the living, and perhaps absorbing them into their army, would be a severe blow to their enemies. The most important thing was that those who were destined to reinforce the higher zones in the future would never arrive.

It was completely sure of that victory, the reinforcements of the living could no longer be on time. The other generals were thinking the same, some of which had also made the mistake of attacking, so they had suffered losses in the same way.