“Today’s attack on us has demonstrated a deficiency in our planning,” Premer Doralin began without preamble. “The mage corps must be prepared to take independent action when necessary to protect the lives of the soldiers. Absent official orders from me, mages will be allowed to do whatever is necessary to respond to attacks. Are there any questions?”

There were no questions and the premer dismissed the mages. General Valatosa remained after they had left.

“That was hardly a meeting,” frowned the general. “Was that necessary in the heat of battle?”

“It was necessary if they were to be down here when the other mage fell into the ocean,” shrugged Doralin. “In any event, the battle is over. The Sakovans will not try that tactic again.”

“They managed to sink a few of our ships,” frowned the general. “Sounds like it was a win for them.”

“It was,” shrugged the premer, “up until the mages began obliterating the Sakovans. The next time that tactic is tried, not a single one of our ships will be hurt. I want you to get an assessment of our losses, General. Let me know how many men and ships we have lost.”

* * *

Forty-seven skimmer boats floated upon the sea like a field of corks all tied to one another. Their sails were lowered, and the sailors were sad and disheartened.

“We lost a lot of good men today,” grumbled one of the sailors. “The catapults were easy to avoid, but many a friend went down with an arrow in him.”

“The mages were the worst,” griped another. “There is no way we can be useful against those mages. They can blast us out of the water before we get close enough to use the harpoons. We might as well go home.”

“Home?” questioned Formone, a young fisherman from a village north of Alamar. “And just where do you think home is? Yes, we lost fifty-three ships today, but they lost eighteen. Do you know what that means? We killed eighteen thousand of the enemy today. That is eighteen thousand Motangans that will not be available to rape and murder our wives and children. Yes, like you, I mourn the loss of my friends, but I am not about to give up this fight. At least not while I have a boat and weapons.”