Snippet #2453837

He listened through Max's explanation. Maybe I made the wrong decision by giving him the leadership role. I do not believe he can make the necessary choices in a full scale war. I want to create a land where these men can be sure that their children grow up with this new found country. It won't do the soldiers any good if they return to pillaged homes and burned fields. As Max quickly switched gears Calleus said the final words on the matter. "We are not finished discussing this." He said as he read over the piece of paper.

Before Calleus had even a chance to respond the alert came from the government building's guard. "It's an intruder! Do not let him reach Lord Calleus!" Before he could even register what was going on, Calleus had his blade unsheathed in his right hand and was moving toward the door. "I can't believe they would move so openly already. Have we really become that large of a threat?" He blinked once, surprised when he realized he was talking to himself. Max had already hurried outside, eager to fight off this new threat to his liege.

Unlike, Max, Calleus knew the importance of allowing his troops to fight for him. No matter how good of a swordsman he was one man could not fend off a hundred spears, you needed a host of properly ordered men to create an effective fighting force. It was the folly of many a general to lead their troops into battle and leave their army in disarray when he was inevitably taken down during his initial charge.

Outside in the hall the zealous Trevor charged the would-be assassin his spear point telegraphing into a lunge. The small hallways made it very difficult to dodge a spear thrust. The cloaked attacker dodged the thrust by dropping to the ground. Unfortunately, Trevor was well trained and countered; the blunt end of the spear bashed into the crouched attacker's face.

The flame in the man's hand winked out for a second as the man reeled backward on the ground. It was only a momentary respite as the assassin rolled away and leaped back onto his feet; the flame appearing in his left hand again as he did so. Seeing Max exit the chamber, the man thrust his flaming hand forward palm up towards his two attackers. A bolt of fire crackled down the hallway and zoomed past Trevor who had no problem dodging. It continued down the hall coming straight on towards Max. Just as it was about to reach Max; the assassin jerked his hand to the left, in the direction of the now open door to Calleus' office. The dart of fire responded in kind as it mimicked the motion of the gesture and began to curve into the office's door. It was almost uncannily targeted at the location of where Calleus was.

In the attacker's haste of spell slinging he forgot about the now charging Trevor. Realization dawned upon the attacker as the spear point plunged straight towards his center, like the horn of an stampeding bull. He was only able to try and roll with the blow, his reflexes not quick enough to dodge in time. The point drove itself home into the man's stomach instead of Trevor's intended target, the heart.