by Jeff Inlo
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Sy could see the goblins closer to the city scrambling toward the structures that made up the outer edges of Connel. They darted quickly out of sight, and at that distance, he could not make out where they entered the city. Still, he watched intently waiting for any sign of the enemy creatures, wondering if they would rush out of the city to repel them. He saw nothing to indicate such a strategy.
Sy yelled to Colonel Haravin as they raced closer toward Connel. “They’re doing exactly what you said they would! They’re staying put, they’re not going to meet us out here. They’re going to stick to their positions. Shame, we would have decimated them.”
“Aye, I think the bastard serp figured that out when he saw us. Regardless, our initial attack has been successful. It is time to institute the next phase.” With that, the colonel raised his hand with two fingers held upward.
A rider to Haravin’s left raised a green and white flag. As he did, the long line of galloping horses broke at the center. More and more horses dropped back away from the middle of the line, increasing the size of the gap. As these horses moved away both to the right and the left in an angled direction, the once unbroken line began to form two separate and distinct V-shaped formations that pointed at each other. These formations began to spread apart even further as the soldiers closed on Connel. The break between the two formations widened to the point that the whole of Connel could fit through the gap. As the riders continued forward, one formation moved to the north of the city and the other to the south, and neither would come close enough to be in crossbow range of any goblins waiting at Connel’s edge.
Both Sy and Colonel Haravin remained together at the formation that would cross past the south of Connel.
“That probably surprised him,” Sy grinned.
“Aye, at the very least, he has something to think about.” With the formation now passing beyond Connel, the colonel raised three fingers to the flag bearer. “Time to begin phase three.”
The soldier to the colonel’s left now raised a green and red flag. Those riders that pulled back and formed the back shaft of the V-formations now raced back to their original positions to reform one unbroken line.
“Let us now clear the western fields and let the serp wonder if we are bypassing him to take a flanking positions at Pinesway and Burbon.”
The line of riders thundered through the western lands just as they did the farmlands to the east. They cleared the area of all goblins and even those that had attempted to reach the trees of the forest were caught by the speeding horses. Before the last glowing strands of the red and orange sunset died away below the mountains, the western lands were cleansed of any dark creatures.
The cavalry line slowed and pulled to a halt. After turning completely about, the long stretch of soldiers on horseback paused to give their mounts a momentary rest. They cleaned their weapons, readjusted their armor and checked their equipment. Connel now stood before them to the east as darkness came to rest upon the land.
Sy nodded his head toward the city. “His hook hawks are still in the air. If what I’ve been told about him is true, he can see whatever the creatures he controls see. That means he knows we haven’t left.”
“Aye, let’s make it clear we’re not going away.” The colonel then gave an order to his flag bearer. “A steady trot to the city. Surround it out of crossbow range.”
The soldier replied by first holding a solid green flag that he waved twice toward the city. He then raised a yellow flag that he twirled about like a pinwheel. The long formed line of cavalry now moved steadily back toward Connel.