Arablest/ Prototype

We made a stop to a small city to stock up on whatever we needed first before arriving to the Port.
Durand insisted that we go to a city named Lew. By far, the shortest named city I’ve come across since, ever.
I mean, most of the places here had relatively long and nearly impossible to say correctly without help.
Well, anyways, turns out most of us were already ready. Gwen had stocked up on arrows before even leaving Kodona, and Nicolas, Pierre, and I didn’t really need anything else. Joseph went off to buy herself some new weapons, and Garrett went to the closest inn. I don’t really want to know why he did; it’s pretty obvious, I think.
Kal bought a regular iron sword, so that his favored killing edge wouldn’t break in the middle of the battle.
“The killing edge is a good weapon, but it’s not as durable as ordinary weapons.” He said. “And iron may be pretty weak, but at least it can endure a lot, and it’s pretty light, as well.”
So, durability. I highly doubted the durability of my rapier, considering I didn’t really know how to use it properly, and yet the iron swords, the weakest and lightest swords there, were too heavy for me. I told Kal about my dilemma.
“No they’re not.” Kal said, bringing farther back in the market. “I’m an experienced swords fighter, and if you need any help with sword fighting, I can help. You say iron swords are too heavy for you? We can get a lighter one forged for you, or perhaps I can get you a saber?”
I thought about it, and in the end, I didn’t know. “I’ll probably get myself killed in battle if you gave me a sword.” I said, trying to laugh it off.
“Very well. When we have time, I’ll teach you some of the basics. But for now, to try stay alive. I can’t teach to a dead person!”
Durand, though, well, he had to have a reason for coming to Lew. I followed him before even talking to Kal, and he was not heading towards the market.
So, the question is, where is Durand going?

I found out soon enough. He stood in front of a house, and knocked. I stayed back, so that Durand would not see me. I was surprised he hadn’t noticed me, yet.
Durand spoke, and then opened the door and went in, closing it behind him. I walked into the alley way, checking for anyone all the way.
Luckily, it was empty, but I now heard voices from inside the building Durand was in.
“I’m home.” Durand’s voice wafted towards my ears.
“Durand? Is that you? What a…cough surprise.”
I froze. Durand, a mage of Thrycia, used to live here? I certainly was surprised.
Well, family matter wasn’t my business, and I was about to leave, when I heard Durand speak.
“Father? You’re sick. And where’s my mother?”
“She... cough, she was… cough cough killed by someone while I was sick… coughDurand, there’s cough something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?”
After that, whispers.
“What!?!? Impossible! That can’t be true!”
‘Believe me, son. I too, cough couldn’t believe at first. cough cough But now… I am close to death’s door. cough coughTake this, and use it sparingly. I’m sorry I couldn’t have stayed with you any longer... Go…. cough You have things to do, right? cough I…”
There was silence. Did Durand’s father just die?
“…Falling asleep on me, huh? Your illness was more serious than I thought. I’ll find a cure, sooner or later.”

Apparently not.

This was the most interesting event of the day so far. And I know why Durand wanted to go to Lew, now, although what is it that Durand had learned from his father?

But now, it was time to go to the port.

We had arrived at the port. Leona had agreed to come along, instead of staying at Calistro, so that we may leave after the battle was over.
I was brought to the commander of the troops here. He had his troops spread out around the city, probably to prevent people from leaving. However, if you didn’t have enough troops, using it to retake the city wouldn’t be very effective; you’re troops would be too spread out, and the enemy was fortified within the port.

“Are you the tactician the apostle said would be coming to help me? I didn’t expect anyone this young! We’ll surely lose this battle if we let this child take command.” He protested vocally.
However, when Veronica’s brother, who apparently was a relatively high ranked soldier in their army, told him it was on the apostle’s orders to use me, he reluctantly agreed.
The first thing I asked might have been simple, but it was to give me a general idea of the situation.
“What kind of soldiers do we have, and how many of each? Also, what kind of soldiers do they have? Can you estimate how many units they have, too?”
“We have about 1,000 regular soldiers at our disposal, 500 archers, and 20 squadrons of 4 Unicorn Riders and one Unicorn Lord each.”
I quickly did the math. Only 1,600 soldiers to take the port back from an army, and my own units. What was this madness? I continued listening to what he said.
“ Everyone else, I’m not allowing you to command, as they are injured. That’s all you have, and of course, your own people. I don’t know why we only get these many soldiers. The enemy has knights, and mages, and archers! I have no idea what else they have, or how many of anything. Any squadron of Unicorn riders that fly over to scout gets shot down, and we haven’t been able to breach the walls, because they’ve blocked all the entrances with armored knights and mages to support them. Retaking this city is pure madness, I tell you! I still can’t believe the apostle would entrust you, a child, to take care of this.”
He was starting to rant, now. But yes, I could see his point. The enemy had set up an extremely good defensive point at any of weak points. There basically was no way in.
Or was there?
I walked around the perimeter of the city, until I found one opening. Behind me was a large forest, on my right was the sea, at my left a large, vast plain littered with soldiers, either dead or alive, and in front of me was a well barricaded entrance to the city. All the possible entrances were barricaded with armored knights and mages behind them, just like the commander had said.
“Bring all of the troops into the cover of this forest.” I said to the commander. “But leave a few to distract the enemy, I suppose. Just have most of the units retreat until out of sight of the city, and then come back under the cover of this forest. We’ll try an attack from here.”
The commander shrugged his shoulders, and ordered a few soldiers to relay the command.
“A frontal attack won’t do anything.” He said. “I hope you have a plan, because just charging, even from here, is the same as signing your death wish. It’s suicide.”
“Not if we blow a hole in their defenses, it won’t.” I replied. “I have confidence in my own allies.”
About half an hour later, most of the troops were assembled under the cover of the forest. I had Pierre help with the injured, and the rest of the group was with me.
“Durand!” I said. “I think you’re good enough to survive the attacks of a few mages, right? Try blowing a hole in their defenses right there. Take out the armored knights, and then the mages, and then we’ll charge after you. You can do this, right?”
“A couple of mages won’t even hurt me in the slightest.” Durand replied with a sneer. “Although, sending a lone mage out there is risky, you know? Are you sure you’re a tactician?”
“And I thought you were the over confident one.” I shot back. “Look, if you don’t want to go alone, I‘ll send someone else with you.”
“And who would you send with me? No one. Exactly.” Durand said.
“No, I could send Veronica right behind you to take out the mages after you took out the armored knights. If she flies low enough, the archers wouldn’t be able to target her from behind the walls too well, right? And Unicorns are magical creatures, so they should have some resistance to magic. Right?”
“True.” Durand admitted. “But I can still do it by myself.”
“Then, advance at my command.” I said. “Everyone else, you’re charging in along with the rest of the soldiers.”
I went up to the commander of the army.
“I’m going to have my mage blow a hole in their defenses, ok? After that’s done, we’re charging through, and then we should have a better chance. Get the troops ready at the edge of the forest, and tell them to be ready charge at my command. The archers will stay back, supporting the front units by firing into the city.”
“Very well. At your command.”
Being at the command of this many people was strange. Weird, really. I wasn’t sure if I could pull this off.
And while all this was happening, a boat was just about to arrive at the harbor, ignoring all signs that was sent to them by the port.

Durand did better than I thought. He walked up all by himself, holding a small object in his hand. He lifted his right hand, and cracks appeared in the ground below the armored knights. They shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what Durand was going to do. The mages behind the armored knights began trying to attack, but he just side stepped the attacks or shrugged them off. A few bolts of lightning shot down from the sky, and Durand easily side stepped those, and small fireballs were being fired at Durand. He walked right through them, the fire blasting out around him, and he walked out unharmed, his right hand still raised.

It seemed like he was… absorbing some of the fireballs? For I all I knew, the mages weren’t having any effect.

Then he brought down his right arm, and a massive amounts fire blasted right out of the ground under the armored knights, roasting them alive in all their armor. It wasn’t like lava or anything. It was just fire coming from the cracks in the ground. There was so much flame that the light emitted from it nearly blinded me at first.

“Now!" I shouted, and with a shout the army thundered forward, going for the gap in the enemy defenses.

And thus began the battle to retake the port.