49 Indecent proposal

In the commander's tent you may hear strange whispers. Desmond just outside, now accustomed to the strange attitudes of his friend does not worry and even stops the elven commander "I'm sorry, Baron Simon is busy. If you don't want to wait, I can send someone to call you as soon as the commander breaks free."

Elder Cacam, still shocked by the one-way outcome of the battle, resigned and after thanking Desmond returns to his tent.

Simon instead is busy in an argument with Elza.

He explains worriedly "Field battle is our forte but besieging a castle is completely out of my experience. I don't even know if I managed to prevent someone from escaping. Also I have this bad feeling that the more I wait to act and the closer they get to what they want."

Elza observing the map answers "You have studied for a year with the teachers of the royal family, you will be able to pull out some strategy from that little head. If someone has escaped you can't do anything, concentrate on one problem at a time. By now you are no longer a helpless child. Today with one hand you have killed dozens of enemies."

Simon walks agitatedly in the tent trying to shape his thoughts "It's not enough for me to take the castle. I could do it by starvation instead I have to solve the thing in a spectacular way if we want this alliance that we have in mind can become a reality. To unite the kingdoms of this area of the main continent, I need to demonstrate the superiority of our army."

Elza smiles and comments "I'm of a different opinion. Don't show that your army is special, make it clear to everyone that you are the one chosen by a deity. Think outside the box as you have done until now."

The young man, as illuminated by the words of the goddess, answers "You're right. Maybe I could try something, it certainly does not hurt."

Elza satisfied "Excellent!" Then as usual she begins to slowly disappear.

Simon screams "Wait!"

Elza intrigued asks "Why?"

"Because you're the only one who saw the demons and therefore the only one I can ask."

The goddess making a sign of continuing "Tell me."

"Since we arrived in front of the castle my demonic bag has started doing strange things. You know something about this?"

The woman approaches and observing carefully note a strange symbol flashing, a kind of broken stick near the tip, practically a long line and a short, almost a dot. All designed in the whole of a triangle. "No, never seen this thing."

Simon breathes noisily then closing his eyes grazes the symbol. The usual screen with objects replaces with a new one. A series of concentric centers that widen from the center of the image at an established rate. At a certain distance from the center, the circle collides with a dot that flashes every time one of these lines overcomes it. The young man presses on the flashing dot, opening another panel full of incomprehensible writing.

While Simon questions himself on what he saw, Elza moves him pushing it into the various corners of the tent and then exclaims "The dot moves if you turn around, I think it's a kind of map."

After a couple of tests he understands that the dot should be a few hundred meters from the tent, in the direction of the castle.

Coming out of the tent, in front of an impassive Desmond, Simon verifies that this strange point is pointing to the castle.

"Will they be looking for something that belonged to the demons hundreds of years ago?"

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Elder Cacam is returning to his tent when the same baron Simon runs towards him saying "I know you wanted to see me."

"Yes, I wanted to discuss the next move. Did you think to make them capitulate by hunger?"

The young commander with a wicked smile answers "I thought I'd take them. Now."

The elf observes Simon walking away quickly in the direction of the castle. Arrived a few tens of meters from the walls, hunted by a very worried Desmond, he starts shouting towards the fortress.

"I am Baron Simon Forb, the one who fought the battle of the black demon and who killed your men just outside the gate of the castle in which you have holed up. I want to make you a proposal."

A dozen arrows are popped in his direction. With a couple of steps they are all dodged without problems.

"Today I'm not here to fight but to offer you something."

Other arrows. No center.

Simon picks up a small wooden beam and with the strength of his arm throws it against one of the loopholes from which they are targeted, then shouts "I'm here to argue, not to let myself be stuck by your sticks. Your magic nullifers have not been able to stop me, do you think I can not destroy this place with you inside and close the matter quickly? I have decided that I want the same relic of the demons you are looking for. I do not know what they offered you to find it but I propose something more precious ... your life. Give me the castle and anyone who will not put me on my way will be spared his life!"

Simon moistens his lips before continuing "You are brave warriors. By now we have understood that you are not a tribe or however your family is not here with you. You have been able to defeat the mighty army of elven magicians twice. Honor to you. What will you do with honor once dead?"

Some intriguing glances observe the scene from the walls.

"I offer you to enter my army, an army of men as strong as giants! Imagine yourself marching with us! Your families will be welcome in my territory. This is your chance to get out of this business alive and with all the honors."

"I ask you only one thing! Open the doors of the fortress! I do not ask you to fight against your comrades, you just have to open the door and step aside. You, descendants of the giants, are a proud people but you are not stupid, make the right choice. I will be here waiting for two days, after which I will respect your noble choice and bury you under the rubble of this castle!"

So saying halberd shines crack the air at a crazy speed by cutting a barricade in two. The commander still dodges a pair of arrows and then, with both hands, gives a small rotary movement to the rubble, throwing it against the walls. The castle trembles without suffering damage. Simon increases the dose by throwing a small ball of fire in the same spot, which penetrates the small cracks created by the previous impact to explode a portion of the walls. Rocks and lime fall to the ground leaving a large hole.

The elf council elf observes the young man returning to the camp, carelessly giving his back to the enemy. "This human can use magic and can fight like a giant. Who are you? Are you a blessing or a curse for us elves?"

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In the tent of the commander Elza waits sitting up in a sofa. When the young man enters she exclaims "Are you stupid? What if they killed you?"

He scared answers "You told me I'm strong!"

"I told you that you are stronger than before, not invulnerable! Thank you that everyone was so amazed by your action that they could not hit you with something serious!"

Simon, impatient, comments, "Nothing is good for you. And I thought I made the winning move. Can you think what I could do if these formidable warriors joined me. They would be unstoppable and I would be one step closer to being able to compete with the heroine and the monster lord."

Elza thoughtfully continues "Right! But I don't think it will be that easy. Their commander will not let them escape."

"How do you know? Were you able to get in and have a look in the castle?"

"Nobody vents me in there. As you know, I can't appear in place if I do not have a connection. But I have information for you. In the area, there is no ship moored nor signs of a marching army. Have you ever wondered how more than a thousand soldiers managed to pass under the nose of the elves?"

Simon sitting on the sofa answers "I don't understand why every time I get involved in something, it has to turn into an intrigue. There are no longer the simple and linear wars of the past. You want to conquer me, I defend myself. It is clear to everyone who the enemy is."

Elza ruffles his hair then pretending to open a door disappears into thin air.

An ancient inlaid book ends up in the hands of Simon who thinks "Since I promised two days, I'd better start studying elven formulas for a while. If they don't open, I want to throw down the walls with a very cool spell!"