Delver Magic Book III: Balance of Fate
Page 37
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Sazar sat quietly with his mind focused on the sensations he received from the half dozen rock beetles that were now under the town. Through them, he could feel the movement of the human troops, sense their alarm, but none of it matched what he expected.
“The farmers reached several guard posts within the city limits quite a while ago,” the serp said more to himself than to Chal, but he wanted the goblin to listen as well. “They’ve had plenty of time to rouse their forward scouts. Indeed, they have already recalled their outer patrols and have mounted several soldiers on horseback. These soldiers are not moving out. Why not?”
“They are afraid,” Chal said.
“No, they are moving with great certainty and purpose, not panic, but they are staying much too cautious. Could they know I already have them surrounded? No, that doesn’t make sense, either. Everything I feel indicates they are simply waiting, not truly preparing for a battle. It’s almost as if we don’t exist to them, as if the small raids never took place.”
“Maybe they don’t care about these farmers,” Chal offered, and at that, Sazar turned a head toward the goblin.
“They do not care? Hmmmmmm. Humans tend to be an excitable lot. When they feel they are threatened, they either run or attack. A few of the more intelligent ones show a bit more caution, but in the end they also would meet a raid with some type of action. But what if they didn’t care? They might indeed ignore the claims of a few farmers and simply do enough to appear as if they are prepared to meet any additional threats. Very good, Chal. Let us give them additional threats.”
Sazar began sending new orders by mental command, first to his raiding commander and then to the individual pack leaders. He began narrating his new plans as he continued linking with the minds of the goblins in the fields. He spoke out loud to Chal as he completed most of his commands.
“Since there is no patrol to respond to the first raid, it is a waste of time to try and confuse them with another smaller raid in the same area. I’m calling for an immediate attack by all goblin raiding parties in the fields to the east of Connel. I am also directing them to force the humans to flee to the city by whatever means necessary. Let us see if the humans remain so cautious when many of the farmers to the east reach their guard posts with warnings of a considerably larger raid. I think then they will care.