Zectas Volume IV: The Salubrious City of Centzo Read Free Page A

twelve members per tree. They were divided into two groups on opposite sides of the forest, directly across from one another. They practised accurately hitting their targets from above without hitting their allies.

Gate, Sharur and Jinggu's team, was divided into northern and southern groups, each consisting of two hundred Armored Farmers. They learned how to fight defensively inside a forest, equipped with round shields that were bigger and heavier than usual but covered more of their bodies. Their main task would be to hold the bandits inside the entrapment while staying in an upside down ‘U’ formation. The Armored Farmers would rotate positions and take turns on the front lines.

Illusion, Sharanga's team made up of mounted Bowed Fishermen, disciplined themselves to shoot while riding and accustomed their aardwolves to running fast between the trees. They practised riding back and forth between the two Gates day in and day out. They needed to be able to create an impression that there’s more of them than there actually was. Since Illusion was assigned to cover the sides of the entrapment, Sharanga found herself running back and forth between the two sides during their drills.

Bulwark, Rasant, Stark and Weise's team, was divided into three smaller groups. Weise and Stark were in charge of thirty Iron Knights while Rasant was in charge of sixty. Each group was told to maintain a square formation, as if defending something important within. Weise's group positioned itself inside Jinggu's northern Gate formation, Stark's group within Sharur's southern Gate, and Rasant's group was placed smack in the middle of the battlefield. They would stay hidden on the sides of the entrapment at first, and then carefully make their way to the center of the battle.

Mutilate, Ledur's Tikbalangs, were to jump down from the trees and initiate the assault on the guards around a Brandal Captain. They were split into groups of four. After taking out the guards, they would go after the bandits farther away from the Captains and create an opening for the Slaughter team.

Slaughter, Sierra's werewolves,  would be scattered between the North and South Gates. As the werewolves were swift and agile, they were expected to deal with Captains once a path was made clear for them. Sierra organised her werewolves into pairs, each meant to hunt down a specific target.

Both the special teams of Mutilate and Slaughter then trained to periodically run to Rasant's Bulwark at the center of the battlefield.

Balance, Adder's team, were trained to do almost everything except scale trees. They were meant to play both the defensive and offensive role on the ground and provide support all over the battlefield. In case of emergency, they were to help out any of the other teams. However, the Condortlian Warriors didn't have enough time to acquire the ability to ride mounts; only Adder rode on a dirus wolf. Luckily, the Centaurs, innately fast on their own, offered themselves for the Warriors to ride on. Gone were the days when the proud Centaurs of Pferde would not allow anyone to ride on them. As soon as Adder heard this, he asked Tragar, the bulkiest of the Centaur Rangers, if he would be willing to carry his shield for him. Tragar happily agreed and found no problems with it.

All teams repeated the exact same drills for three days, until the Lioumereans' arrival. Sierra immediately ordered the strike teams to gather at the plains outside of the forest.

She stood right beside Gandiva and Laernea. "Everyone, I'd like you all to meet our secret weapon: our eight team, called Life." said Sierra and drew everyone’s attention to the Lioumereans’ carriages. Twenty men and forty women got off both carriages. All of them were dressed in Acolyte robes. The whole strike force cheered when they saw that they now had healers.

Sierra clapped her furry red paws loudly. "Alright, let's do another day's worth of drills, but this time we'll have our Acolyte