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Lorena looked at Lady Proudmoore。 For all we know； milady； the fighting has already started。 If it hasn t； it may
at any second； if Kristoff was right about those orc and troll troops heading down。 Once the fighting starts； it won t
matter who or what caused it there will be bloodshed； and once that line is crossed； the alliance will be
permanently sundered。
Aegwynn also regarded the lady。 Time is of the essence。 You said yourself that Zmodlor knows that you re on to
him。 We have to strike now； before he has a chance to form a strategy against you。 And you can t be in two places
at once。
Then the lady smiled。 It was a radiant smile； one that Lorena took as something of a relief after the anger she had
displayed toward Kristoff。 I don t need to be in two places at once。 She walked to the entryway of her chambers。
Lorena and Aegwynn exchanged confused glances； and then followed。
When they walked in； they saw Lady Proudmoore rummaging through the scrolls on her desk； before finally saying；
Aha！
She turned around and held up a rock that was carved into an intricate shape。 Then it started to glow…。
Nieen
S ir； the orcs； they ve set up camp。
Major Davin started ripping out tufts of his beard； dress code be damned。 How many？
Shrugging； Corporal Rych said； Impossible to be sayin for sure； sir。
Davin closed his eyes and counted to five。 Take a guess。
Another shrug。 Lookout； he be sayin there s at least six hundred； sir but hard to say for sure； sir。 They be stayin
far enough back that they ain t violatin no borders or nothin ； but
At Rych s hesitation； Davin sighed and prompted him。 But what？
Well； sir； right now they just be sittin there； but I don t think that ll be lastin ； sir。 Specially once those boats
arrive。
Again； Davin sighed。 It seemed that sighing was all he did these days。 Dozens of boats carrying orcs and trolls alike
were seen heading south on the Great Sea a day ago； heading right for Northwatch。 They d arrive within a couple of
hours。
At that point； Davin would have a decision to make。
His instructions from Chamberlain Kristoff who； with Lady Proudmoore promised by these Burning Blade
people； was in charge were to hold Northwatch no matter what。
Davin had no idea how he was supposed to do that。
He hadn t even wanted to be a soldier。 True； he had an aptitude for violence that made him very attractive to the
recruiter who came to his village as a boy； but he was also a tremendous physical coward。 He managed to fake it
through training； mostly by virtue of never actually being in danger。 If it was just playacting； Davin had no
difficulties at all。 Use his sword on a straw dummy？ No problem。 But real bat against a fleshandblood foe？
Then he was hopeless。
So the first time he had faced off against a person； he had thought he d be doomed。 But he had lucked out by being
part of a particularly talented platoon。 Davin had done little when he had faced off against the renegade dwarves
who had e to his village to try to escape dwarven justice after a failed attempt to overthrow the existing
government。 But the rest of his platoon had done quite well； capturing or killing all the dwarves。 Davin had been
able to bask in the reflected glory of his rades。
Then the Burning Legion had e。
It had been awful。 People had died all around him。 Lordaeron had been destroyed。 Humans and orcs had fought side
by side。 The entire world had turned upside down。 Davin had never understood why Lady Proudmoore had chosen
to ally with the orcs they were devils； not significantly better than the demons themselves but nobody had asked
Davin his advice。
The worst day had been in some forest somewhere。 Davin hadn t even known where it was； only that he was there
with the tattered remains of his platoon； and they were trying to find a demon stronghold so some wizard or other
could learn its secrets。 Davin s job was simple： protect the wizard。 Everyone else was seeking out the stronghold。
Unfortunately； they found it。 The demons didn t take kindly to the notion。
As soon as they came； their eyes aflame； Davin panicked and hid behind one of the oaks。 He left the wizard
exposed； and while the mage tried his best to defend himself； eventually one of the demons set him afire。 While
Davin watched from the safety of his arboreal hiding place； the wizard he was supposed to be protecting screamed
in agony and died very very slowly。
Somehow Davin was never entirely clear why the demons overlooked him。 Perhaps they didn t deem Davin to
be a threat； which was certainly true。 Either way； though； when his platoon was wiped out and the demons buggered
off to wherever it was demons buggered off to； Davin ran back to base camp； expecting to be excoriated for being
such a coward； but willing to face the consequences； as long as he wouldn t have to go out and face such a thing
again。
Instead； they hailed him as a hero for surviving the deadly onslaught and ing back to report what had happened。
Then they promoted him。
Davin was stunned。 He was no hero； he was； in fact； the exact opposite。 But every attempt to clear the air just
resulted in his being considered unduly modest。 It was maddening instead of being relieved of bat； he was put
in charge of other troops。
Shortly thereafter； the war was kind enough to end； thus sparing Davin the embarrassment of having to actually lead
troops into a battle he was incapable of fighting。 The Burning Legion was driven back to whatever hell they had
e from； and Davin was given another promotion； this time to major。 After Admiral Proudmoore s arrival and
subsequent death； Davin was put in charge of Northwatch Keep。
Until recently； he had weled the duty。 Northwatch was fairly peaceful； and while Davin s cowardice made
bat an impossibility； he did fine at administration。
Assuming； of course； that nothing went wrong。
Davin didn t especially like Colonel Lorena； but he really wished she were here right now； instead of off with the
Burning Blade。 For one thing； she was a lot better at running a garrison of troops than he was。 Unlike Davin s；
Lorena s promotions had actually been based on merit。
For another； if the Burning Blade could get her； not to mention Lady Proudmoore； what hope did Davin have？
Oreil came running in； his toobig armor clanking with each step。 Major Davin！ Major Davin！ The orcs re
moving！ It happened as soon as the boats docked！
Davin sighed yet again。 When did the boats dock？
Didn t anyone tell you？ Oreil blinked a few times。 Oh； wait； I was supposed to do that。 I m sorry； sir； but I got
all overexcited。 Please don t courtmartial me。
Getting up from his desk and heading out the door； Davin said； Private； right now a courtmartial is the least of
your worries。
Slowly； Davin walked down the narrow staircase that led to the ground floor of the tower at Northwatch s center。
Northwatch was built on an uneven hill that sloped down to the Great Sea。 The eastern border of the keep was a
stone wall that had been built between two of the hillocks； the buildings that made up Northwatch were on the
western side of the wall； with a beach lined with palm trees on the eastern side。
As he approached the archway that led through that stone wall and onto the beach； Davin saw orcs and trolls。
Many many orcs and trolls。
Their boats were all tethered to poles that had been sunk into the sand。 There were dozens of them； each with a full
plement of about a dozen trolls or orcs。 Some wore animal skins； others wore the heads of vicious beasts as
helms。 All of them were armed with axes and broadswords and morningstars and maces； and other weapons that all
appeared at first glance to be bigger than Davin himself。
So this is it； he muttered。 We re going to die。
What was that； Major？ one of the troops guarding the archway asked。
Shaking his head quickly； Davin said； Nothing。 Somehow； the major managed to force himself to keep putting
one foot in front of the other。 As he passed through the archway； his boots started to sink into the sand with each
step。
Dimly； he registered that dozens of