Intervention

" I hope you can negotiate with Snorcs, Dan." Sasha said, looking at her cousin.

"It will not work." Dan answered before Sasha could even explain her plan.

" I didn't even say what my plan was." Sasha said, grumbling at him.

" You want to negotiate a surrender from Snorcs and Giants, with their wives as the hostages." Dan answered for Sasha.

"Indeed. Why wouldn't that work ? " Sasha asked, for in her mind, they have enough hostages to sway Snorcs.

"Because they have nothing left to fight for any more." Valerie answered.

"They have wives and children. In our hands." Sasha answered.

"No. As long as the Snorc children and women are in Wintermen's hands, they do not come back alive. You are not naive enough to think violence is only on Snorcs side, are you? " Valerie asked her sarcastically.

Indeed it is true.

Snorcs haven't been kind to winter land people, and vice versa.

However the circumstances are different now, aren't they ?

They have a vested interest in keeping the women and children alive, while the men have little reason to fight.

Surrendering is the best they could do .

Sasha thought both Valerie and Dan are over reacting.

Men move with benefits.

Snorcs wouldn't be any different. She is very sure about this much.

What if the forces on otherside want to fight ?

The Barrier kept Snorcs away for thousands of years, it will do so once more tonight.

As far as Snorcs crossing the Barrier and attacking them from the southern side of Castle one, Sasha believed it couldn't happen at all.

She repaired the barrier in almost all places, near to Castle one.

Even if she hadn't touched the lower part of the barrier, she definitely repaired the top part. The Snorc troops, if they ever climb atop the Barrier to cross it, they will not do so without huge sacrifices.

However, Sasha did not think they would do so.

She believed the Snorcs would rage at the closed beast entrance, and return to the north gate of castle one.

They will unleash hell upon the north gate, for Giants and Mammoth's both will be in raging anger.

However, Castle one will hold.

In the first place, the gates on the north side are made to withstand the strength of giants.

The iron gate of Castle one is ten inches of cold rolled steel, embedded in hundred meters of ice, with fifty meter long studs.

Pushing it by strength ?

Dream on!

Even if one is a dragon, it's not going to be possible, much less for measly mammoths and giants.

At times, Sasha wondered why her ancestors made such sturdy castles along the line of Barrier.

As truth has proven thus far, it's definitely not to keep Snorcs out.

In the end, after the meeting, Sasha decided to play it by the ear.

" My decision will not change. Lady Valerie and Lord Dan Frost will both try to convince Snorc fighters to submit. However, I will stay with you during the process. Whether the Snorcs are betrayed, or that we will lose their fighting strength, our priority is to protect winterland citizens." sasha answered, looking at Dan.

" Indeed, I have promised Snorcs land and better treatment. However, that is under the condition they do not pillage and murder amongst our lands. If what you are saying about fighting clans and Snorc army is correct, then they are both arrogant and unbridled. " Sasha looked at Valerie.

" In such a case, I would rather keep the one snorc who is likely to contribute work for food than keep a snorc who would rather fight for his own sustenance. My duty is to Winterland above all, humanity after that." Sasha decreed.

Valerie and Dan both nodded.

"Lady Valerie, please, stay back. " Sasha asked.

Valerie stayed back. She was a confident woman, no one would think at all that she is somewhat frightened inside by Sasha winterchild.

"Please, have some tea." Sasha gestured to Valerie, moving from the conference table to the tea table set in front of the fire.

"Lady Valerie! Please, teach me about the Snorc culture. Who amongst them you would not see living past the battle with the dead, and who, you think would be an acceptable husband if need be." Sasha asked, looking at Valerie in earnest.

Valerie sighed.

Even if she wants to deny, Sasha is not wrong in her assumption.

Her brother's charm has brought all the Snorcs together, but even she would rather see some of those men die than them survive past the battle with the dead.

"The great north, or Frontier as you call it, is divided into four parts. Eastern coast line, the arm, evernight, western coast line. The coast lines are as you can see from their names. Slimes control eastern coast line, thors control part of western coast line, though most of it is uninhabitable." Valerie paused there.

" I know you Southerners think Snorcs do not farm at all, but this is not true. It is possible to work fields in the arm, which is controlled by thors. They do grow some crops, but it's only possible once in a year, for three months. The rest, all the clans roam the great forest, hunting and gathering. " Valerie stopped.

"Giants live nearest to evernight. On western coast line. The region right in front of giants is controlled by Thors. It also has most hot springs. That is the reason Thors are so prosperous." Valerie answered.

Sasha nodded.

" Then what about the men you wish not to see tomorrow? " Sasha asked curiously.

" Bone Creeper. He likes having fun with little girls, and killing them afterwards. He has a three thousand strong army. He is also a coward and thief. Not a man I would entrust my back to. Leaders of both Slime and Thor's families. Rumor has it that the current Slime family head uses guest rites to lure a person to death as needed, and Thor's family head … he is a believer of old ways. " Valerie paused, gauzing Sasha's reaction.

She realized Sasha did not understand what she meant by old ways.

" Old ways of eating enemies' flesh." Valerie explained.

Sasha frowned for the first time. She will not suffer cannibals to live. A person who abuses guest rites is even more deserving of death.

" Then there is Ghost and Reaper. They sometimes act separately, sometimes they act together. Ghost is a soul flier, while Reaper is far too fond of killing. There are also rumors that Ghost practises a sacrificial shamanism, and the reaper brings his prey to him. " Sasha nodded in understanding.

As they were discussing leisurely, the horn from the Barrier which signified invasion blasted loudly.

Twice !

That's for Snorcs.

Sasha and Valerie both rushed to the elevator.

Valerie, because she wanted to participate in the battle, and Sasha, because she wanted to call her dragon.

The south side gate is already being bombarded, and quite heavily at that.

It would break any time soon.

"You mustn't stay here. Come on princess! " Valerie called when she heard the gate was about to break.

" No, we must go to the top. We need moon snow. The gate will break otherwise. " Sasha insisted.

Dan seems to be correct in his estimate about Snorc fighting policy.

However, if the gate breaks, then the fighting force will do their everything to kill her.

" Kingstower. ", Sasha ordered Valerie brusquely.

They have come down for the meeting, and rightnow, they are in the rooms adjacent to the dining hall, which is on the second floor.

The first floor is barracks, but most of the watchmen were atop the barrier.

The men left below are new recruits and stewards, who's fighting power is very lacking, especially compared to the Snorc elite team that is about to break in.

She must call Moon Snow as fast as possible! Sasha thought urgently.

The door will break any time soon, once the door breaks, the dragon will be of no use, for friend and foe will be far too near each other for dragon breath to be used.

Damn it!

She cursed once more.

Not just Dan, she also predicted this situation.

After all, Snorcs will not have a unanimous opinion amongst themselves. When they face such disappointment as the beast entrance closing, they would try to climb the barrier in anger.

She has added more than enough traps to the top wall of the beast entrance.

She expected a small team of elites will come over, their numbers in hundreds. Only, right now, it seems like the number of men who came is more than a single thousand. It's probably the largest warband that set off for herself.

But .. why is she running?

Moon snow is not her only defense.

Sasha whirled around, and created a snow barrier right after the door.

She could not create ice as well if it was not within the area of the magic wall of the Barrier.

South side gate was built protruding, thus, she was only able to create a barrier that cut off the gate at two meters distance. The Snorc warriors will still break in.

Only, the moment Sasha created Ice, the barrage stopped.

Instead, a keen horn sounded at a very high pitch.

The next moment, Sasha fell down like a puppet whose strings were cut.