C512 The Battle At The Border

The following morning at the border, the construction of the Wood Wall was finally completed. The massive wall stretched across all 154 kilometres of the border, standing as a barrier between Scotland and the enemies who had threatened its safety for far too long. After days of exhausting work, the soldiers had finally accomplished what many had considered impossible. A large gate had also been constructed, allowing people to enter and leave through a designated passage. It was the only major entrance through the wall, making it easier for the soldiers to monitor movement and protect the border. Everyone was exhausted. Some soldiers sat on the ground, wiping sweat from their faces, while others leaned against the wall to catch their breath. Their clothes were dirty, their hands were sore, and their bodies ached from the constant labour. Nevertheless, they were proud of what they had accomplished. The wall was standing. But Cipher knew their work was far from finished. She was the only person who knew the final stage of her plan, and she understood that a wall alone would not be enough to stop a determined enemy. If they wanted to protect Scotland, they needed to think beyond the structure they had just built.

Cipher slowly stood up and looked around. "Everyone, can I have your attention?" Her voice carried across the construction site. The soldiers immediately stopped what they were doing and turned toward her. Even those who had been resting struggled to their feet, waiting to hear what their leader had to say. Cipher smiled lightly. "The biggest part of our job is done. We have built the wall, and that is something we should all be proud of." Several soldiers nodded. "But we are not finished yet." The smiles on their faces faded as they listened carefully. "Now, we need to talk about setting traps." The soldiers exchanged confused looks. Cipher continued. "We will return to the forest and cut down more trees. We will sharpen the wood and use it to create a defensive trap behind the wall." For a moment, nobody spoke. They had spent days constructing the wall, and now their leader was talking about returning to the forest to cut more trees. Bloom, a soldier from the First Family, finally raised his hand. "Leader, I don't understand. How exactly are we going to do that?" Cipher turned toward him. "Think about it, Bloom. Right now, when our enemies approach the border, what will they see?" "The wall," Bloom answered. "Exactly. They will see a wall and assume that they need to climb it or find a way through it. But what happens if they manage to get over the wall and discover that we have prepared something for them on the other side?" Bloom considered the question.

Cipher explained her idea further. "We will sharpen the wooden stakes and position them behind the wall, pointing upward. Anyone who attempts to climb over the wall and falls onto them will be seriously injured or killed before they even reach our soldiers." Several soldiers exchanged looks as they began to understand her plan. "We cannot afford to lose soldiers unnecessarily," Cipher continued. "Every life matters, and every soldier we lose weakens our ability to protect the border. If we can use the terrain and our preparations to discourage the enemy from climbing the wall, we should do so." She pointed toward the large gate. "Instead of spreading our forces across the entire border, we can concentrate our defence around the main gate. Anyone who wants to enter Scotland will have to find a way through our defences." The soldiers nodded. Her strategy made sense. Rather than allowing the enemy to choose where to attack, they could force them to confront a more concentrated defensive position. Hammer stepped forward. "That would also allow us to organise our forces more effectively, Madam. We would have fewer areas to defend directly." "That's the idea," Cipher replied. She looked around at the soldiers. "We will return to the forest, prepare the defences, and make sure this wall serves its purpose. We did not spend all this time building it just to allow our enemies to walk through it." Several soldiers responded with approving nods. "Understood, Leader!"

Cipher was about to give the order to move when a patrol suddenly came rushing toward them. The soldier was breathing heavily, and his expression immediately caught everyone's attention. "Enemy approaching!" The entire area fell silent. The patrol soldier stopped in front of Cipher. "They are coming toward the border! The enemy is attacking! Everyone needs to prepare!" The soldiers immediately stood up. Some reached for their weapons, while others turned toward the wall. The exhaustion that had filled the area moments earlier was replaced by tension. They had barely finished building their defences, and now the enemy was coming. Cipher remained still. For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Hammer approached her and lowered his voice. "Madam, they are waiting for your order." Cipher looked at him. "Waiting for my order?" Hammer nodded. "The soldiers are ready. They will follow whatever command you give." Cipher looked across the assembled army. She could see the uncertainty in some faces, but she could also see determination. These soldiers had worked together to build the wall, and now they were being asked to defend it. She took a deep breath. Then she raised her voice. "Everyone, listen to me!" Every soldier turned toward her. "We have just finished building this wall. We have worked hard to protect our country, and we are not going to allow the enemy to destroy what we have accomplished." She pointed toward the border. "We must not let them reach this wall without a fight. Follow me!"

With those words, Cipher led the soldiers toward the outside of the wall. The army followed her. As they moved, I walked beside Bighead, checking my weapon and trying to understand what we were about to face. We had trained for situations like this, but training and reality were two very different things. In training, we knew what to expect. Here, we didn't even know how many enemies were coming toward us. Cipher slowed down when she reached Hammer. "Hammer, there's something I don't understand." "Yes, Madam?" "How have your armies fought these battles in the past? Do you rely on guns, or do you engage the enemy in physical combat? And what about archers?" Hammer looked toward the approaching battlefield. "Madam, we fight with whatever we have available." He paused before continuing. "Before our armies collide, you will hear all sorts of sounds. Gunfire, arrows flying through the air, soldiers shouting orders, and people screaming. The enemy also has guns and archers. We cannot assume that they will fight using only one method." Cipher nodded slowly. "So we should prepare for everything." "Yes, Madam. We must be ready for anything." I listened to their conversation carefully. This was not going to be a simple confrontation. We were dealing with an army that had its own weapons, its own strategies, and its own reasons for attacking us. There was no guarantee that our wall would be enough.

As we continued walking, Bighead leaned toward me. "Brother." I turned to him. "What's wrong?" He glanced toward the soldiers marching around us before lowering his voice. "If anything happens to me, tell my son that I love him." He paused. "And tell my wife that I love her too." I stared at him. "Brother, what are you talking about?" He forced a small smile. "I'm just saying." Before I could respond, Chipmunk, who had been walking nearby, frowned at him. "I'm right here. Why are you asking him to tell me that instead of telling me yourself?" Bighead turned toward her. "I didn't mean it like that." "Then what did you mean?" He sighed. "Nothing. Forget it." I shook my head. "Brother, nothing is going to happen to you." He looked at me. "We have trained for this. We have survived difficult situations before, and we will survive this one too." I looked toward the others. "Everyone, be careful. Whatever happens, stay alert and watch each other's backs." Chipmunk nodded. Bighead gave me a small smile, but I could still see the concern in his eyes. Nobody wanted to die. We all had families waiting for us, people who expected us to return home. But we had also accepted the responsibility of protecting Scotland, and now we had to face the consequences of that decision.

We eventually reached the area outside the wall. Cipher raised her hand. "Halt!" The entire army stopped. She surveyed the open ground in front of them. Beyond the immediate defensive position lay the route along which the enemy was approaching. Cipher turned toward the soldiers. "We will hold our position here. Prepare your guns and archers. When the enemy comes within range, we will attack." Before she could say anything else, Stacy stepped forward. "Boss, I disagree." Everyone turned toward her. Cipher looked at Stacy calmly. "Explain." Stacy gestured toward the open ground. "If we stand here in the open and wait for them to arrive, we will give them an easy target. Their archers and gunmen can attack us before we even get the chance to engage them properly." She shook her head. "Many of our soldiers could be killed before the actual battle even begins. We should counterattack while they are still approaching, before they have the opportunity to organise their forces." A murmur spread through the soldiers. Some appeared to agree with Stacy, while others waited to hear what Cipher would decide. Cipher did not respond immediately. Instead, she turned toward Hammer. "Hammer, what do you think?" Hammer considered Stacy's argument before giving a slight nod. "Madam, I agree with her concern. If we remain in the open, we risk exposing too many soldiers to their first attack." Cipher looked back toward Stacy. The enemy was coming. Their wall stood behind them, the soldiers were waiting for orders, and the first major battle could begin at any moment. Cipher had to decide whether to hold their position or take the fight to the approaching army. And whatever she chose, the lives of the soldiers standing behind her would depend on it.