With the clock ticking under twenty-four hours until the Goblins' expected arrival, Deacon needed solid intelligence, not estimates. He tasked Staff Sergeant Tate (Balthasar) with a final, high-risk mission to check the furthest tripwire.
Deacon met the beggar-scout at their secure rendezvous—a shadowed, crumbling shrine dedicated to a forgotten water spirit.
"Report, Balthasar," Deacon ordered.
Tate, breathless from his speed, produced a small, crudely formed triangle-shaped iron tack from his pouch.
"SFC Hayes, Red Alert. Jones and Davis confirmed. They drove their cart to the blacksmith this morning. The triangle tack means the Goblins' Main Force is confirmed. They are crossing the King's Road now. They will be on Oakhaven's doorstep by dawn tomorrow."
Deacon felt the cold realization of the immediate threat. He had pushed the timeline to the absolute limit.
"Numbers, Sergeant? Did they get a count?"
"They estimate four hundred, Sir. But there's a new, critical threat: they spotted large, dark shapes running ahead of the main column. They move fast, low to the ground, and have an armored look to them. Jones and Davis called them Wargs."
The Warg Threat
Deacon's mind instantly accessed his military training data. Wargs—a fantasy equivalent of shock cavalry—meant the Goblins were using beast mounts for high-speed assault, likely to batter down the gates or smash through the militia line before the main infantry assault.
"Wargs are a tactical disaster," Deacon muttered. "They are immune to fear tactics, and a single charge will collapse our thin lines. We need a specific, anti-cavalry defense, and we need it deployed in the next six hours."
"I passed this intel to Staff Sergeant Rodriguez via the militia runner, Sir. She is already trying to adapt the fireteams, but medieval spears won't stop a massive canine charging at full speed."
"No, they won't," Deacon agreed. "We need to hit their speed and their legs. I have a mission for you, S-2. A final, high-priority acquisition."
"Name it, Sir."
"Go to the tanner's shop. Ruiz got the sulfur there, but I need the boneyard. I need every piece of sharp, large animal bone you can find—femurs, ribs, anything that can be sharpened. We're making caltrops."
Tate understood instantly. Caltrops—simple, multi-pointed spikes designed to land with one point facing up—were an effective anti-personnel and anti-cavalry tactic.
"I'll need to work fast, Sir. It will take me four hours just to sharpen enough bones to make a difference."
"Do it. Work with Ruiz to secure the deployment sites. The S-7 team will deploy the finished product."
S-1 Activation: The Spies are Found
Deacon pulled Tate back. "One last piece of business, Sergeant. The Major's code: P.E.P.P.E.R. The two spice merchant apprentices you saw—the ones who requested silver for the rooftop work. Have you identified them?"
"Yes, My Lord. They are twin brothers, Pyper and Elan. They were mercenaries traveling south when the Isekai event happened. They were working as spice runners for the local Guild. Their bodies, Sir, are incredibly quick and agile. They move like ghosts."
Deacon nodded, recognizing the Major's S-1/S-2 code. P-E-P-P-E-R was an initialism for Pyper and Elan. The Major had found his most capable light infantry assets.
"They are officially activated. Their mission is to be the North Gate's Close-Quarters Defense. Their rooftop work is merely cover. I want them to receive two things: The silver they demanded, and their first Thunder Clap incendiary charge. Tell them to use their agility, their knowledge of the shadows, and the shock weapon to ensure nothing gets past the gate, not even a mouse."
Deacon paused, then added: "Give them the new code: The Pepper Twins. That's their call sign now. Now go, Sergeant. The sun is setting. We need that boneyard clean by midnight."
Tate melted back into the shadows. The Shadow Command was now fully activated, every piece deployed: S-4 (Logistics), S-7 (Engineering), S-3 (Tactics), S-6 (Weapons), S-2 (Intel), and now the two crucial S-1/S-2 close defense assets (The Pepper Twins).
Command Inversion Payoff
Deacon knew he needed to communicate the Warg threat to Major Kiley, but he also needed Kiley to stop second-guessing his strategy.
He sent a final coded note to the doctor's house via the fireplace dead drop:
DOCTOR KELLY. THE FEVER IS RISING. THE PATIENTS ARE RUNNING HOT. THIS REQUIRES EXTREME TIGHTNESS IN TRIAGE. I NEED ALL AVAILABLE BANDAGES AND DRUGS MOVED TO THE NORTHERN DISPENSARY NOW. —C.
Kiley would decode the message: RUNNING HOT meant the Wargs (the 'hot' enemy) were leading the charge. EXTREME TIGHTNESS was the tactical instruction: close the lines, prepare for CQB. And moving the supplies to the North meant Kiley had to prepare for the bulk of the casualties to fall at the Northern Wall.
Deacon had finally managed to turn Kiley's strategic mind to logistical planning, using the threat as a driver for medical action. The inverted command was working, but only under the extreme duress of an imminent attack.