Tales of the Lorekeepers 01 - Rise of the Red Dragon

impossible for them to continue climbing the hillside with their horses and they had to dismount.
    “My king, perhaps we should mark this spot,” suggested Morghan.
    “What for?”
    “As far as we can tell, this is the highest point that horses can climb. It would be wise to remember where it is.”
    “Right,” replied Vortigern. “That way, we can build a rampart here as a first line of defense.”
    “Actually, we should build it about fifty yards from here, higher up on the hill. The Saxons don’t have advanced war machines as we do, but when they see the fortress, they will most likely plan to use long ladders to climb the walls, and battering rams to force the gates. They will use horses to carry all that equipment up to this point, but they will need to cover the remaining distance on foot. Their progress will be slow and arduous, making them easy targets for our archers, which will be stationed on the wall. With the steepness of this place, those who survive our arrows will be too tired to fight. We could very well win this battle before the Saxons even reach our walls.”
    “Of course!” exclaimed the king.
    He turned to a couple of knights accompanying them.
    “You two, travel around the hill and mark spots where the horses can no longer advance. Do so until you have circled the hill and come back to this point. As you progress, find a route for our horses to go up to the summit, if such a path exists. If there is one, we will build our main fortified gate there.”
    The two knights bowed their heads slightly and went on their way. The rest of the group accompanying the king resumed their climb to the top of the hill on foot. The ascent proved even more strenuous than they had foreseen. The slope was made mostly of rocks covered with slippery moss, as well as flimsy plants that offered no handholds.
    Finally, after almost an hour of climbing, the small group made it to the top of the hill. The plateau before them was perfect for the execution of their plan. Relatively flat, it offered a breathtaking view of the whole region, from the small valley before them to the northern mountains, among which they could see a lake in the distance. A few small rocky mounds offered perches for sentinels and small groves of trees provided shade, as well as cover from enemy arrows.
    Vortigern smiled at the sight before him. He took a few steps forward, then burst laughing, taking Morghan in his arms and lifting his old advisor from the ground.
    “Morghan, you sly dog, you did it! This is a place of legends! This is a place where God speaks to man, a place where a king can cement his legacy.”
    The king let go of his advisor and walked around the area, pointing at different spots on the ground, which was covered with pebbles and dry herbs.
    “Here we will build a storage facility. And over there the stables for the horses. Here and here, all the way around, towers for the archers to stand watch. And finally, right in the middle, the fort itself—the stronghold that will be impenetrable to our enemy. It will be so vast and impressive that should they make it to the top, the mere sight of it will destroy any courage they have left.”
    For the next hour, the king and his advisors sketched the layout of the fortress. Orders were given to officers, plans were explained and work began to lay out the foundations of the buildings and ramparts.

    At the base camp far below, warriors were turned into workers and divided into different groups. Samuel and Malloy found themselves in the logging contingent, and were provided with tools, including sharp axes. Samuel, of course, had never handled such a tool; he had never even seen anyone cut down a tree. Still, he did not have much choice and had to follow the directions. A few moments later, he was in the woods, where he was asked to bring a few trees down. Fortunately, they worked in teams and even though he was not with Malloy, his teammates proved to be friendlier than expected. They settled into a nice rhythm.
    When his group decided to take a short break, Samuel found himself thinking of mythical creatures again, like the ones he used to see in books and magazines. Ever since the thought had crossed his mind, he had tried to contact Angeline, but unfortunately, all his calls had gone unanswered. Maybe he was not using the appropriate method to contact the fairy. Should he pray? Maybe he needed to shout out loud. With every unsuccessful attempt, Samuel felt a little