The army. They had done this!
With deliberate slowness I turned to face Claude. He recoiled in fear from my gaze.
“Remember!” he cried desperately. “I had nothing to-“
“I remember,” I replied coldly. “And for that reason only I am letting you go. I would advise, however, that you choose a path to follow other than rejoining the army. I have tried to be gentle with them, but if they insist on having war, as I am Skeeve, we shall give it to them!”
Chapter Twenty-Three:
“What is this, a Chinese fire drill?”
-SUN TZU
I DIDN’T see where Claude went after I finished speaking with him, nor did I care. I was studying the opposing army with a new eye. Up to now I had been thinking defensively, planning for survival. Now I was thinking as the aggressor.
The legions were in tight block formations, arrayed some three or four blocks deep and perhaps fifteen blocks wide. Together they presented an awesome impression of power, an irresistible force that would never retreat.
That suited me fine. In fact, I wanted a little insurance that they would not retreat.
“Ajax!” I called without turning my head.
“Here, youngster!” the bowman replied from close beside me.
“Can Blackie send your arrows out beyond those formations?”
“I reckon so,” he drawled.
“Very well,” I said grimly. “The same drill as the first battle, only this time don’t go for the wagons. I want a half circle of fire around their rear.”
As before, the bowstring set up a rhythmic “thung” as the bowman began to lose shaft after shaft. This time, however, it seemed the arrows burst into flame more readily.