Battle for Cloud Level, Part 1

Cloud Level Mountain had been a sacred place for hundreds of years, dating back over 400 years before the unification of Easlan under the Red King. Pilgrims of ancient religions would venture there from hundreds of miles away to pay respects to the spirits of the mountain. Out of necessity for housing and supporting the pilgrims, the city of Glendon was formed nearby in a partnership between a powerful adventurer, Glenn, and a rich merchant from the capital, Bryndon. 

Anne had read this history in a book about the four sacred mountains of Easlan. Ever since she was a child, Anne had a voracious appetite for information. Piles of notebooks were always present in her room, organized by date for easy reference. 

Not that she often needed to reference them, since she made it a point to remember everything.

Presently, Anne stood next to Gwen and Petra, watching as they readied their bows. This was phase one of the Seekers' plan that Enzo had delineated earlier.

The plan was simple, but efficient. 

After breaching the gate, Kai and Gwen's forces would charge through the two parallel halls toward the back of the monastery, while Faye's contingency would remain in the courtyard between them to eliminate any stragglers or retreating enemies. 

After the charge, Kai and Gwen's forces would unite in a pincer before combining and clearing the Tower of the Flock in the rear. 

Secondary and tertiary buildings like the sleeping quarters and the training kitchen would be ignored for now and swept after the main battle was won.

One of Anne's favorite book genres was military strategy. To date, she had read 73 papers, books, or treatises on the theory and application of military strategies. Watching a high-level engagement unfold before her was a dream come true!

While Enzo's Seekers' plan certainly had a high chance of success, Anne knew the real reason he chose this formation. The central courtyard was the safest place, and the two Seekers would much sooner sacrifice their army of sell swords than put themselves in danger. It was a cruel but pragmatic plan.

Anne was so enveloped in analyzing the strategy that she missed the first volley of arrows being loosed at the large group of undead guarding the gate to the first courtyard. She looked over the hill that her squad had taken cover behind and saw a forest of arrow shafts surrounding several ash piles. 

"I think I got one!" shouted Petra. Realistically, it would be incredibly difficult to track one's own arrow in flight during a volley. Anne would never say this though. It was enough that her friend was happy. 

Fenn patted the two archers on the shoulders before climbing up and over the small hill. The other adventurer groups around them had also begun to do the same. 

A sound of swords unsheathing reverberated through the misty air. 

Anne made a mental note to remember this feeling. 

Now it was her turn. Anne walked over to Faye and another mage adventurer and raised her staff.

Three large [Fireballs] formed in front of them and shot quickly toward the gate. She felt a tinge of guilt as she imagined the hundreds of years of maintenance and repair that went into keeping those ancient gates standing. This thought was soon dashed by an explosion of splinters that flew in all directions.

On cue, the adventurers rushed through the hole in the gate and immediately split into their respective teams. Anne saw Kai and Tharon at the vanguard; they were already inside shouting directions to the incoming adventurers.

"Good job, Anne," Gwen said as she walked past. "Let's head inside!"

A warm happiness welled up in her chest as she followed Gwen, Petra, and Fenn into the smoking hole in the gate. 

However, the warmth was quickly replaced by dread upon seeing the scene inside.

Two phalanx formations of shielded undead flanked the group on either side from 100 feet away, at the entrance to the hallways they had meant to storm. 

'A trap! We've been pincered first!'

Anne turned to see General Highgate and Captain Enzo follow her through the destroyed gate. As she surveyed the scene before her, a flash of nervousness crossed the general's face. A panicked retreat through the hole in the gate would be the end of them!

Thinking quickly, Anne recalled her knowledge of the pincer formation. Its strength was creating a multi-front attack that could quickly crush an unprepared force. 

Its weakness, however, was that your forces were divided against a consolidated enemy. Should they commit to crushing one arm before the other can descend on the rear, you will have lost your advantage.

Turning to the confused general, Anne shouted instructions to coordinate their forces, "General Highgate! Create a wall of magic that will prevent the western flank from advancing! Captain Enzo, rush to the vanguard and inform Tharon to push all of our forces toward the eastern hallway and crush the undead formation as quickly as possible!"

Stunned by the sudden outburst from the quiet mage, the two Seekers slowly closed their gaping mouths and nodded before getting to their tasks.

Anne turned back to her party with a serious expression. "Prepare to rush the eastern flank! We must wipe them out before General Highgate's spell ends!" 

Gwen, Petra, and Fenn all stared with the same expression as the Seekers: mouth agape, eyes wide. Anne's face flared red. What were they all staring at!?

Eventually, the surprise faded and the three prepared themselves to charge the eastern phalanx. Behind them, a 20-foot tall wall of thick blue ice was erected in an instant as General Highgate blocked the western hallway.

"Charge!" came Kai's shout from the frontline. 

Even though she could not see over the horde of tall adventurers in front of her, Anne knew they would succeed in crushing the phalanx. It was only two knights deep and seven wide; hardly capable of withstanding the overwhelming force of sixty trained adventurers.

Unfortunately, because of the chance of collateral damage from her spells, Anne could only wait at the rear as the charge decimated the enemy forces. From the other side of the ice wall behind her she could hear desperate chipping against the wall. 

"That was quick-thinking, girl. What is your name?" asked General Highgate from behind. The two were alone now as one awaited the return of her party, and the other maintained a high level [Wall of Ice] spell.

"Anne," she answered softly. The rush of commanding the adventurers was waning and Anne had returned to her normal self.

"You have a promising future ahead of you, Anne. But if you ever order me again, I will take that future from you in an instant. Do you understand?"

Smiling softly, Anne bowed her head low. 

'What an arrogant general!'

Enzo returned a few minutes later. "Their forces are dust, Faye. Literally dust, actually," he said with a chuckle.

She glared at him before answering, "In a moment, I will lower this wall. Be sure to perform the same to the next group. We regroup here afterwards."

Taking advantage of the distraction, Anne slipped away to rejoin her party.

"We need to move toward the front, Gwen! Otherwise everything will be dead by the time we get there again! Uh, more dead than usual, I mean," Petra shouted to Gwen while trying to push her way to the vanguard. 

Gwen waved as she noticed Anne returning. "That was an amazing plan, Anne!" 

Anne rubbed her perspiring hands together as Fenn and Petra repeated the praise. 

"Thank you," she muttered as the [Wall of Ice] suddenly disintegrated into a mist of reflective shards. The vanguard and the adventurers charged to overwhelm the surprised phalanx.

Petra, still struggling through the back of the crowd, grabbed her head at the sight and shouted, "We're missing everything again!!"