The Anvil (94 page)

“
Any
force
we
could
spare
wouldn
’
t
have
time
to
take
out
the
archers
and
siege
weapons
before
the
army
gets
to
them
.”
Tom
smiled
“
Most
wouldn
’
t
,
but
if
we
send
,
say
three
cavalry
units
,
four
infantry
units
and
my
group
,
the
cavalry
could
take
out
the
siege
weapons
,
all
they
would
need
to
do
is
cut
some
ropes
and
kill
some
engineers
,
the
regular
infantry
could
take
out
the
archers
while
my
group
holds
back
the
army
.”

Another
man
begins
to
laugh
“
I
know
you
think
you
group
is
good
,
but
holding
an
army
back
?
No
single
group
of
seventy
five
men
could
do
that
.”
Tom
looks
right
at
him
“
Where
were
you
during
the
battle
?”
the
man
replies
“
I
was
defending
the
banks
of
the
river
.
Why
?”
Tom
nodded
and
told
him
.

“
Well
,
on
the
bridge
my
group
held
the
bridge
for
the
entire
battle
.
Only
help
was
from
some
cavalry
that
would
strike
by
my
group
opening
a
moment
then
closing
behind
them
.
Which
brings
me
to
the
reason
I
came
here
.”
he
looks
at
the
king

“
I
need
three
more
men
.
Two
died
in
the
battle
and
one
was
seriously
wounded
.”
King
Frederick
nodded
“
Done
.
And
I
think
Tom
’
s
plan
is
coming
to
something
.
But
the
enemy
could
come
from
all
around
you
during
this
battle
you
are
suggesting
.”
Tom
shakes
his
head

“
Their
archers
and
siege
weapons
are
inside
their
fort
.
If
we
could
get
into
that
my
group
would
only
need
to
block
the
entrance
,
which
would
be
simple
.
Then
without
the
support
of
archers
and
siege
weapons
the
Ilemite
army
would
fall
quickly
.
If
we
take
a
unit
or
two
of
archers
we
could
even
attack
from
their
own
fort
.”
all
the
others
in
the
room
thought
for
a
moment
and
soon
they
were
arguing
about
details
.

After
awhile
they
decided
Alex
would
lead
the
troops
,
five
units
of
cavalry
and
infantry
,
three
units
of
archers
and
,
of
course
,
Tom
’
s
unit
,
they
would
attack
in
a
week
.

The
next
day
the
new
men
arrived
at
the
training
ground
and
began
training
with
them
.
Tom
pushed
the
men
hard
,
but
didn
’
t
tell
them
why
.
The
war
council
had
decided
to
keep
the
attack
as
unknown
as
possible
.

Within
a
few
days
the
Anvil
was
one
of
the
best
units
in
the
entire
army
,
almost
no
one
could
break
their
shield
wall
,
cavalry
broke
against
them
,
infantry
got
pushed
back
and
archers
were
ineffective
.

After
a
few
days
Tom
began
having
the
Anvil
train
against
multiple
units
in
many
combinations
,
he
even
had
some
‘
archers
’
some
people
throwing
padded
rocks
.

Tom
watched
as
a
cavalry
unit
charged
towards
the
shield
wall
along
with
another
unit
of
infantry
while
others
threw
the
padded
rocks
.
He
wanted
to
test
a
new
maneuver
and
gave
the
order
as
the
cavalry
approached
.

The
men
made
a
hole
that
the
cavalry
rode
through
,
unable
to
stop
and
stay
in
the
lines
they
continued
through
and
turned
.
The
third
line
had
turned
and
suddenly
the
cavalry
and
infantry
were
separated
,
while
the
Anvil
only
lost
the
support
of
the
third
line
.

Tom
dove
into
the
infantry
lines
and
began
fighting
.
Then
the
other
unit
commander
saw
him
and
started
towards
him
,
sword
raised
.
Tom
saw
him
coming
and
smiled
,
he
quickly
dropped
his
axe
and
pulled
a
smaller
practice
throwing
axe
from
his
belt
.

He
drew
it
back
and
threw
it
at
the
other
commander
,
hitting
him
in
chest
.
Tom
dropped
,
grabbed
his
axe
and
jumped
out
of
the
infantry
unit
and
looked
at
his
group
.
He
hovered
just
above
the
enemy
infantry
,
dodging
the
padded
rocks
.