Countdown to War

"A iron mask, my lord. Are you concealing your face on purpose?" The devoted Lion's commander asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"Yes, a gift for my birthday from my precious little brother." Arthur smiled, brushing the forehead portion of the mask with his fingertips.

"I-It suits you, my lord." He replied, hesitant to ask why.

"Continuing." Arthur moved forward with the urgent meeting.

"Rumors have reached the very corners of the world. The Nation of Nofim has developed a weapon of mass destruction." Arthur's words broadened the eyes of all in the room.

"Mass destruction?" They all at the same time uttered.

"A ground-bound weapon that fires iron projectile spheres." Arthur was stunned to share the news.

These new mortars will cause mass casualties and ultimately put the current Trebuchet to shame.

They are faster to load and more accessible to haul. The room filled with eyes that were troubled.

The king and his commanders had limited information and needed to act faster than ever. The confidence of the Nofims seemed to soar to the limitless sky with the cannons. 

"They call these weapons a Cannon."

"Cannon?" The commander of the Bear's squad questioned the intention of the news.

"So, what?" He seemed unimpressed, even jealous

"So death has no bearing whatsoever on you?" The Leader of Roaring Lion shouted at his comrade.

"Death has always been at our side. Foolishness has overtaken this hall!" The Bears leader fought back with intensity.

"Fear not death for ourselves; fear death for the innocent, you giant fool!" The Lions' leader was not going to back down from a debate.

"You both."

"Zip your mouths." King Arthur gestured to his commanders.

"Your Highness." The Lion's leader sat back down. He was sweating with anger.

"I will not, you young fool. How dare you act strong yet strike fear into the hearts of your commanders with irrelevant news?" The Bear's leader pointed at King Arthur.

Pointing at his majesty is an instant insult that no devoted Commander will accept.

The Bear's leader heard the distant noise of a sword being unsheathing. The Lion's leader had drawn his sword and was sworn to kill anyone who stood against his king.

Out of the blue, while the Lions' leader had frozen in place, the Bears leader felt a sudden pain from the left side of his neck.

"I will not tolerate this, you giant frog." A man wearing no armor, dressed in an all-black overall, left a shallow gash, a reminder on the left side of the Bears leader's neck.

His intent to kill filled the room. Nothing about him is traced. Only a rumor had been formed about him. They call him the Unknown.

The unknown has many roles, but his most prominent is a king's guard, spymaster, and assassin. He is assigned and trained only by King Arthur. He is a murderer with no will.

His will is that of King Arthur, and the disgraceful act of the Bears' leader toward the king was also now directed at the Unknown.

"I will kill you." The Bears' leader swung an overhead straight right.

However, he swung only at the air.

"Un" is what King Arthur calls him.

"Enough."

"My lord!" Un replied, appearing by his side.

"Such speed!" The Lion's leader commented, sheathing his sword.

"I believe we've never met until now, Unknown." The Lions' leader wanted to initiate a conversation with the interesting fellow.

"Correct, we've never met, but I know you more than you know yourself, Lord Lancelot." Unknown's face was hidden in the mask, but his smile crept through. 

"Un, go rest, we will talk later." Arthur dismissed Un to his sleeping quarters.

"Master!" Un bowed and, in a moment, disappeared from the hall. 

"An interesting fellow indeed!" Lancelot smiled. 

"Lord Arthur, these canons, can they be countered?" The leader of the Reaper squad asked. 

"Lord Gawain, I am unsure myself." Arthur sat further back in his seat in a moment of unrest. 

The canons were a weapon unseen and unheard of. This moment was written down in history as one of the scariest meetings that the commanders held. 

Unsure of their purpose, King Arthur pondered which type of use these canons would utilize. Were they created to damage the frontlines or an artillery that smashed gates and doors to the kingdom? 

Both. He concluded that these weapons were created to do both proficiently. 

With his unrivaled experience and battle knowledge, King Arthur sat in defeat, wondering how they could counter such weapons. 

"My loyal commanders of whom I've trusted kingdoms too. We've come across troubled times. We need not worry but a plan with which of whom I know the best answer." Arthur managed to stand up and raise his arms wide.

"My faithful servant, Un, will conduct a spy mission at the Nofim weapon's training quarters; with him, the victory of peace can be ours." He gripped his only remaining hand. 

"We need to understand this weapon more. Its fire rate, firepower, sphere size, and dimensions will be gathered by our best of the best, Un."

"Who is in favor?"

"Say Aye!" Arthur asked

"Aye!" Lancelot shouted.

"Aye!" Gawain affirmed. 

"Aye!" Sharks' leader Shouted in agreement. 

"Thank you, Percival of Sharks." Arthur bowed his head, making Percival happy. 

"Aye!" The leader of the Elephant squad hollered. 

"Sir Tristan." Once again, Arthur bowed his head, and Tristan gave a thumbs-up with a smile. 

"Galan, leader of the crows, your answer?" Arthur glanced at him.

"Aye, sir!" Galan answered. 

"Oh, Mordred of Bears, my lousy boy. Your answer?" Arthur knew the answer but asked anyway.

"Nay, we advance and intercept the Nofims before they step into our Nation!" Mordred expressed his plan.

"What of our army? Their supply of water and food?" Their morals with travel and haul of arms?" King Arthur questioned Mordred.

"We make stops from city to city, resupply, and move. We have the upper hand." Mordred had planned all along, knowing that a fight outside their country would result in less damage. 

"Mordred, you are a genius but lack the knowledge of battle," Arthur replied.

"We are seeking peace talks."

"We are going to intercept them at the foot of our country."

"I will announce peace if and when it fails; the morale of the enemy who will seek peace and strive to live will be diminished if declined; their army will suffer at our hands if it comes to it." Arthur was a genius.

"King Arthur, many lives will be staked, but I will side with you for the spy mission. For the rest, shall we plan together after that?" Mordred answered, finally giving in, but behind his answer was a smirk of a traitor. 

"Yes, Un will take only two days to gather the information needed. At this rate, the Nofims will arrive at our borders a month from now." King Arthur revealed how long it would take them to understand more of what they were against and draw a counterplan afterward. 

"Our army will conduct training for the two days and will be mobilized on the night of the second day, by which Un should be returning with information. If Un fails, we will stake our future in the hands of God." Arthur shared. 

"My Commanders, you are dismissed." He showed his commanders his palm, halting the meeting for the moment.