Jeff Inlo - Pure Choice

Okyiq, however, didn't care about advancing further into Burbon. He wanted supplies, as much as he could take, but nothing more. He held no plans of conquering the human town, not with only two hundred goblins. He would never be able to hold his gains. Again, he was not an intelligent creature, but his considerations surpassed that of a normal goblin.

He needed to create more havoc, to engage the human forces in condensed but bitter street brawls. He wanted mayhem, chaos that would distract the guards and allow him to send more pillagers into nearby shops and storehouses. For that, he needed the human archers off the wall and out of the towers, and all the ground forces occupied.

Snarling with frustration, Okyiq looked about the streets, desperately searching for an answer, but his mind grew clouded. He had contemplated more strategy on that one night than he had done in an entire season. His mind was weary and irritation rattled his nerves.

He almost ordered an immediate offensive. If the humans would not come off the wall or down from the towers, he would send his minions after them. It would be a suicide rush, but it would also create the necessary turmoil.

Before he gave the order, he realized that his raiding party lacked any ranged weapons. Every short bow and crossbow had been left to the goblins still in the hills. Okyiq's raiders were armed only with short swords. They lacked the ability to attack the humans on higher ground unless they climbed to the higher elevations. If they did, they would be cut down by arrows and then outflanked by the soldiers in the streets. It would certainly be suicide, but it wouldn't be mayhem. It would be a quick slaughter.

Not wishing to give up or to engage in a futile battle, Okyiq shouted out the only remaining order he could imagine.

"Forget the soldiers! Take everything you find!"

The goblins in the streets did not wish to leave the safety of their cover, but they had no choice. If they did not move, Okyiq would simply leave them behind to the soldiers. They scurried out from their hiding places and jumped toward the nearest buildings. Some were caught outside of locked doors or windows and were quickly brought down by human archers. Many, however, broke through weak barriers and made their way into the surrounding shops and storehouses. Nearly fifty goblins shrieked with glee as they ransacked that small portion of Burbon.

Sy read the tower signals before the first messenger arrived at the barracks to inform him of the raid. He knew the goblins had broken through the gate, and he was already forming his own strategy as the messenger revealed the details of the goblin attack. He spoke out loud as if responding to the messenger, but he was really focusing his plan in order to ensure he was not making any error in tactics.

"Residents are already in secure positions. Civilian casualties will be minimal at worse, especially if we hold the goblins to the southern section of the town. The thrust of the attack is on the south gate. I don't think this is part of some bigger assault. I'm going to bet the river rogue incursion and the goblin raid are unrelated, but I'm going to hedge that bet."

He briefly scanned a map of the town.

"If there's another wave waiting to hit us, it's going to come from the west… from the forest, not from the north or east. Last we heard, Ryson took care of the two rogues in the north and had headed east."

With a practical plan forming in his mind, he called to the signal guard on the roof.

"Send a message to be relayed by all towers. Guards in the western section of the town remain at their posts. Send the cavalry forces to the western gate as well. Signal all foot patrols in the north to move immediately toward the south gate. Tell them to cut directly through the center of town. I'm going to risk that Ryson can handle the third rogue to the east and that there aren't any more inside the wall."

The signal guard on the roof relayed some welcome news in response.

"Message from the towers, sir. Third rogue secure in the east. The delver is about to complete his scout of the town."

The report slightly altered Sy's plans.

"Signal back to the eastern patrols. Tell them to divide in two. Half stay at their posts, half move to the south."

The captain took one pause to consider the forces he was deploying. He then issued his tactical decisions for dealing with the goblins directly.

"Order archers on the southern walls and towers to remain at their posts. They are not to force engagement. Foot patrols are to form secure lines. Containing the raiding party to the south is top priority. Limited engagement and only when necessary to contain."

Sy looked to the messenger. He explained his decision out loud in order to gauge the reaction of his soldier. An expression of doubt or confusion would offer him a chance to reassess his tactics.

"Eastern section is highly residential. I don't want to leave it totally unprotected, but if we can contain the raid, it's worth sending more soldiers to the south. The little cretins are fast and hard to see, especially in this storm. I don't want to be fighting them all over the place. We hold them to the south and then we push them back outside the wall."

The messenger showed not the slightest distress over the plan, and Sy believed he had utilized his forces without an oversight. He left the northern section of town vulnerable and cut his eastern forces in half, but he believed the tactic necessary. He could dispatch his cavalry fairly quickly from the west if a need arose to the north, and he doubted additional attacks would come from the farmlands to the east.

His priority centered on securing the town. For the first time in a very long while, goblins had succeeded in breaking his defenses. He wouldn't hide behind excuses. Yes, the rogues and the rains played a part, but allowing goblins to breach the wall was a monumental failure in his mind. If his troops were distracted, then he had not prepared them properly. He was determined to rectify that mistake, and to see to the battle personally.

Before he ventured out into the heavy downpour, he made one last call to the signal guard on the roof.

"Relay to all towers that command is heading to the south gate. Signal Sergeant Klusac to report to HQ. Then you can come off that roof, but stay by a window to keep track of all tower messages. It's getting harder to see the signals in all this rain."

"Yes, sir."

Sy turned to the messenger.

"I'm going to the south gate. I want you to go directly to headquarters at the town center and wait for Klusac. Tell him he's in charge of communications until I send a message differently."

The soldier nodded and headed off.

Sy watched him only for a moment and then hurried off to the south. He had to shield his eyes with a hand at his forehead to see through the pouring rain. He frowned at the poor visibility. It was bad, no doubt about it. He almost forgave the mistakes that allowed goblins to enter his town.

Almost.

Then he thought about the harm that goblins could cause. People might die that night because his guards were careless, because he was careless. Rain, no matter how heavy, was not a significant excuse. He was not happy.

Ryson reached the southern edge of Burbon just as Okyiq had ordered his goblins to loot the town. His delver vision cut through the darkness and heavy rain and he spied the little fiends rushing towards every conceivable prize in the area.

He noted the careful movements of Burbon's soldiers and how they formed defensive lines to keep the goblins corralled. The archers remained on the walls, staying low to avoid incoming arrows, but they carefully targeted any careless goblin venturing out into the open. He was pleased to see he would not have to worry about casualties to the guard, but the raid remained far from over.