Chapter Thirteen: The Troll's Scheme

Several more days passed, and the trolls seemed remarkably patient. The military reports during this time remained unchanged: both armies continued their standoff, with no other unusual occurrences.

It was once again time for the daily military briefing. Everyone gathered in the great hall of the Mage Tower as usual, where the commanders of each unit reported on the day’s events—an unvarying routine.

“Everything proceeded as usual today; there were no unexpected incidents,” said the captain of the sentries. “However, there is one matter. According to a ranger, while he was on watch and used Eagle Eye to observe enemy movements, he noticed several wisps of smoke rising from deep within the northern part of the Forest of Life.”

“Smoke? The only ones who could produce smoke in the forest are trolls. What would trolls be doing deep in the back of the Forest of Life?” Patrick wondered to himself.

“Wait, the northern part of the Forest of Life?” Patrick blurted out. As Aurelia was listening to her subordinates’ reports, she turned toward him and asked, “Advisor Patrick, have you discovered something?”

“Are you certain you saw smoke in the northern part of the Forest of Life?” Patrick did not directly answer Aurelia’s question but instead addressed the captain.

“I am certain—it was the northern part of the Forest of Life. When the ranger reported it to me, I saw the smoke myself,” the captain replied.

With the captain’s confirmation, a dreadful suspicion began to take shape in Patrick’s mind.

The trolls’ initial attack on the Farstrider Encampment had merely been a probing assault. Once the elves repelled the invaders, the trolls entrenched themselves below the Arendal Falls, feigning stubborn resistance to mislead the elves.

Based on past experience, trolls usually withdrew after a stalemate if they gained no advantage. Thus, the elves only guarded the outskirts of the Farstrider camp.

The river below Arendal Falls was gentle and narrow, unlike the upper reaches. The water there was shallow enough to ferry troops across with rafts, or even to drift downstream and join forces with the troll army at Thorvasa, launching a combined assault on the Farstrider Encampment.

Since the encampment was built close to the riverbank, being attacked from both sides would make it nearly impossible to hold.

After listening to Patrick’s conjecture, a deputy general spoke: “What benefit does this bring the trolls? Do they intend to use the Farstrider camp as a foothold to launch a surprise attack on Silvermoon City?”

Patrick glanced at him as if he were an imbecile, then continued to challenge their intelligence: “They have no need to launch a surprise attack on Silvermoon City. Once they secure the Farstrider Encampment, they can use the same strategy to launch a full-scale assault here. At the same time, they could send a small force into the Ghostlands to tie down the armies at Taquilin and the Sun Sanctuary, making us wary of acting rashly.

If the Eastern Sanctuary falls, the trolls could easily send their forces into the Breezewind Forest. Trolls are naturally adept at jungle warfare; in the forest, they would be in their element. Even if we manage to drive them out, those who’ve entered Breezewind Forest would become guerrillas, harassing us relentlessly.”

As the faces before him darkened, Patrick pressed on with his deduction: “Given the trolls’ abilities, they could drag out the fighting there for months or even longer. Furthermore, the villages of Breezewind and Suren’s farms, along with the surrounding grain fields and supplies, would be plundered, relieving the trolls’ food shortages.

With that, Breezewind Village would be thrown into panic, the kingdom’s military deployments severed, and the frontline forces stationed at Taquilin and the Sun Sanctuary would be trapped—unable to advance or retreat. They would become a poisonous thorn lodged in our throat.”

As he spoke, Patrick glanced at Aurelia. She frowned deeply, clearly pondering the implications.

Another commander objected, “That’s just your speculation. In all my years fighting trolls, I’ve never seen them devise such sophisticated strategies.”

“Hawksbill, that’s enough,” Aurelia interjected sharply. “Archmage Kabron’s reasoning is sound, and judging by the trolls’ current behavior, this scenario is not impossible.”

So this was Hawksbill? The same stubborn elf from the small hut in Quel’thalas, the one who insisted on abruptly ceasing arcane absorption in hopes of curing magic addiction.

“Master Patrick, how confident are you in your analysis?” Aurelia asked.

“I cannot give you a definite answer. General Hawksbill is right—this is only my conjecture.”

Aurelia gazed thoughtfully into Patrick’s eyes and nodded. Indeed, this was merely a hypothesis; it was normal that Patrick could not provide certainty.

The most urgent task now was to discern the trolls’ true intentions. If Patrick’s suspicions proved correct, then the Eastern Sanctuary, where she was currently stationed, would become the first and most crucial line of defense against the trolls in the war for Eversong Woods. The consequences of its fall would be disastrous.

“Hawksbill, send a request for reinforcements to the Eastern Sanctuary Tower and have them relay it to Silvermoon City. Also, dispatch messengers to contact Dasvisser and Suren, ordering them to bring their forces to fully support the Farstrider Encampment. The Farstrider camp must not be lost.”

Aurelia was indeed worthy of her title as Grand Marshal of the Farstriders—her strategic deployments came effortlessly, calm yet vigilant, meticulous and with a sweeping vision. Her bearing was stately and graceful; in other words, she was the ideal candidate for a virtuous wife and loving mother.

[She’s a thousand years older than you.] An incongruous voice echoed in his mind.

Damn, that was a cold splash of water—at precisely the wrong moment.

“What were you just thinking? Your eyes tell me your thoughts were elsewhere,” Aurelia said.

Patrick met Aurelia’s gaze. “I was thinking about how to unravel the trolls’ stratagem. Right now, is our only option to take the initiative and try to turn the tide?”

“Is that so? Your look just now suggests you weren’t telling me everything,” Aurelia replied, her eyes fixed on his, noting the faint threads of arcane energy that shimmered in his gaze.

No one paid this minor episode any heed. Patrick offered his thoughts, and the other commanders in the hall began to discuss battle plans.

Commanding armies was not his forte, nor was he skilled at arranging troop movements. Patrick simply listened in silence to their strategic deliberations.

If the trolls truly were making preparations in the northern Forest of Life, the entire garrison at the Eastern Sanctuary might have to go on the offensive and venture deep into the forest. If left unchecked, the trolls would pose a greater threat to Eversong Woods.

But to enter the jungle and fight there was tantamount to sending soldiers to their deaths. The high elves knew nothing of the trolls’ arrangements or deployments within the Forest of Life. To plunge blindly into battle against trolls, masters of forest warfare, would be no different from marching to slaughter.

Aurelia was deeply troubled. Time waited for no one. If the trolls perfected their plans, she feared she would have no choice but to meet them in battle.