Derick walked across his room and took a paper out of a chest. He was planning the defense of the valley. His scouts had reported every little path they had found and Derick was convinced they could hold of the Orcs for a very long time. He had sent a few hundred men back to the Empire to buy food and other necessities. This would of course be in vain if they could not hold of the Orcs.
According to the latest reports the Orcs were about 3000 strong. Not all of them Orcs of course, they had their smaller kindred, the Goblins. And even Trolls were part of the army. Derick had ordered any men he had to take out the Trolls before aiming at anything else. The Barricades in the mountain passes would hold almost any man-sized army, but Trolls weren't in that category and they would have little problem with the wooden reinforcements Dericks men had set-up.
The Orcs were coming and the passes would be filled with blood, but for now all Derick could do was wait. He walked back to the chest, took out another piece of paper and piled it upon the others he had gathered in the last half-hour. Normally he was very keen at tactics, but since the plans for the defense of the valley had been made in the first week of their settlement, Derick didn't have anything to do but reexamining the again. It didn't take long before he grew tired of it and almost threw the plans into the chest.
Waiting wasn't a thing Derick was very good at and he longed for some action. Unfortunately, the Orcs hadn't showed themselves yet. Because he desperately needed to do something, Derick went to the exercise field. With the oncoming battle not many soldiers were practicing. In stead most of them saved their strengths for when the Orcs came. But as Derick expected, Anglus was there, fighting against two other soldiers. Derick posted himself along side the field and watched as the two soldiers closed in on Anglus.
As if a command was shouted, one of the soldiers stepped sideways to make room for the other soldier, who promptly stepped forwards and attacked Anglus, swinging his blade from right to left. Anglus stepped back and immediately stepped forward when the soldiers sword had passed him. The left him plenty of room to hit the soldier on his helmet. Which was sufficient to 'kill' the soldier for the time being. Once he had done this, the soldier on his right was in a perfect position to take him out. But the soldier hadn't expected the speed with which Anglus threw himself around facing his new enemy. As the young soldier was still halfway his blow, Anglus thrust his sword forward and left it hanging an inch of two from the young mans throat.
Derick smiled as he saw Angus explain the men what they did wrong and how they should have acted. When Anglus was finished he walked across the field. Derick met him halfway. Anglus hadn't even worked up a sweat yet. 'How long should it take them to travel to the Empire and back?' Derick asked without introduction. Anglus knew the question was about the food party they sent out. 'If the lands are free of Orcs, it should take them a month to get there, one or two weeks to gather enough supplies and another month to get back. Since they are gone for a week, they won't be back until the battle is well over'.
Anglus had foreseen Derick's biggest worry, the fact that his returning food caravan could become trapped behind enemy lines. But if this was true, Derick didn't have anything to worry about. The Orcs would either be defeated or victorious when the party came back, and although the first would be preferred by Derick, the outcome wasn't as certain as he would like. The party had been sent out two weeks ago, so they would now be halfway to the Empire. Derick shrugged of his worries of and took out his sword. Anglus smiled and also took out his sword. They took positions opposite from each other and began some serious practicing.
Another week went by. The tension in the valley rose with each passing hour. Everybody was expecting the Orcs any moment now, as they had done for days, so when a messenger finally arrived it was almost a relieve. The messenger was rushing his horse to the limit and Derick understood the attack was in progress, or soon would be at least. At first Derick didn't recognize the messenger, but one of the soldiers that were looking shouted he was from North. Derick commanded the first soldier he saw to inform Anglus, if he wasn't aware already, and tell him to form reinforcements.
Derick turned towards the messenger again, the horse now rode out of sight at the base of the mountain, soon to re-enter through the gate of the fortress. Derick held up his hand at the messenger and the latter stopped his horse and let himself drop from it. He could barely prevent himself from falling. The man had been in the pass less than half an hour ago and was tired from the fast ride. He immediately reported the sighting of the Orcish horde. They were pummeling along the rim of the forests, towards the northern passage. Derick ordered another soldier to report this to Anglus and he made sure the messenger was properly lavished before he walked towards the market square.
Derick climbed upon a stand and waited for the soldiers to stop talking. This happened within seconds. 'Fellow soldiers' Derick spoke 'As you have no doubt heard, the Orcish horde has come within our sight. They will defy the safety of this valley and they threaten the lives of every one of us.' Derick paused to look around. Some soldiers were nodding their heads, others were looking at him with strict discipline, but no one looked troubled or nervous. 'Some of you look relieved. God knows we've been waiting long enough. But don't be too happy about the oncoming fight and don't underestimate the Orcs. They might not have great skill with weapons, but their numbers are equally deadly. According to the latest news we will probably be outnumbered three to one and more Orcs are flocking to the banners of the Green Horde every day.
Some of the men started looking worried now, but with strict military discipline each kept their thoughts to themselves. Derick continued telling the men what they could expect and how good their chances were. Within fifteen minutes everybody within hearing distance knew what he was supposed to do. Within half an hour everybody in the whole fortress knew. By the end of the day, nobody was in doubt about the coming days. The fact was that they were facing a very hard, but by no means an impossible fight.
That night, nothing spectacular happened. Björn had been selected for guard duty in the northern passage and he was walking atop the wall when the sun was about to rise above the forest. When it did, Björn looked straight into it. It was impossible to see further than a few feet into the pass. He tried shielding his eyes with his hands, but still he could see nothing but the piercing rays of the sun. Cursing the illuminated canonball in the sky Björn rushed down the ladder and into the guardhouse. He walked into the lieutenant's room. The lieutenant looked up surprised by Björns entering. But when he opened his mouth to say something Björn had already left, grabbing something from his lieutenant's desk and running as if his life depended on it.
The lieutenant immediately followed him. He believed Björns action to be either some prank from the soldiers or something very important. Logically he concluded it must be something important, because this was no time for joking. The lieutenant arrived just in time to see Björn climbing the ladder towards the top of the wall and immediately followed him. When he got at the top of the ladder and looked over the rampart and was almost blinded by the bright sun. He looked at Björn, who still had the object he had taken from the lieutenant's desk.
It was small bottle with some liqueur in it. The lieutenant didn't know exactly what it was, as he had traded it with one of the workmen that had accompanied the army. But he knew it was still half full. And now he saw Björn empty it on the ground! He started shouting to stop Björn, but realized he was to late and the bottle was already empty. The bottle was made of green glass and had been a piece of art. He watched in terror as Björn smashed it with the hilt of his sword. It broke into several small pieces and the lieutenant became furious. This emotion became mixed with amazement as he saw Björn hold the bottom of the, now broken, bottle before his eye. He looked and seemed to be startled by something. 'Lieutenant!' he shouted, not knowing he had already been followed.
The lieutenant stepped onto the rampart and Björn gestured him to hurry. He pointed towards the passage, but the lieutenant could see nothing but the bright rays of sunlight. Björn handed him the piece of glass and told him to look through it. As the lieutenant looked he discovered the rays of sunlight weren't nearly as painful to his eyes when he looked through the glass. When he looked closer he saw hundreds of small bodies scurrying through the passage, making their way to the walls. As he saw this he shouted the commands to defend his position. He sent Björn back towards the soldiers quarters to look for more glass as he handed out pieces of the broken bottle to passing soldiers.
The attack had finally begun and the soldiers were ready.