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Moondoor, day six. Everything was perfect. My subjects were doing fine, my enemy, Keagan the Slayer was defeated. Sam, aka Sheridan the Brave, has been saved by his older brother, Dean, aka Dorran the Hammer, my loyal right-hand man. Keagan won almost all the battles during this week, but the finale one? Nope. He couldn’t do a damn thing because the evening before the last and big battle, someone unexpectedly joined us during our strategy meeting. Dorran, or… Dean when he is out of the Moondoor world, called his best friend Castiel. He really wanted him to join us for this week playing LARP in Moondoor. Castiel refused at first, saying he was busy but we all knew he was more embarrassed by a role play then being really busy. Dean was a bit sad but he respected his friend’s choice.
During day four, we were almost sure that I, the Queen of Moondoor, would lose this battle and my title. It has been four years since I’m the Queen, but I wasn’t ready to give up.
“I am the Queen and I will fight until the end.” I said to Dorran and my other commanders. “It is my duty to fight Keagan and save your brother Sheridan.”
“You will, my Queen.” Dorran said – with a little bit exaggerated-bad-playing tone.
Dean was putting so much efforts in this LARP that no one was really annoyed or mocking his role play – it is forbidden to mock though. Deep inside, I was very proud of him, but right now I had to focus on the LARP and on my Queen’s duty.
“So, at dawn, I want a group of soldiers here and another here.” I said while showing my commanders on the map on the table. “We tried a dense group on the front line but it didn’t work, so I want divided groups this time.”
“What about archers?” Dorran asked raising an eyebrow.
“I want mixed groups. Archers, swordsmen, healers, everyone. And… Maybe I suggest that some farmers go on the front line, because I-“
“You will lose this battle.” A voice said.
I turned my head and saw Castiel entering the tent. Everyone’s eyes widened, especially Dean’s. Castiel was dressed like a wizard, a kind of long and grey toga with a hood on his head. He had a brown belt with some small purses on it. He looked very confused and yet super confident. I smiled and Dean too. Castiel came to play his first Live Action Role Play. Fantastic. I cleared my throat and took the Queen of Moondoor role immediately, frowning at this stranger.
“Who are you?” I said, putting a hand on my sword.
Castiel swallowed and tried to stay in his role.
“I’m… Huh… Cuinn… A shaman, connected to the woods of Twilight Lake.”
I faked a surprised face. He invented a new character without telling me and the organizers of the LARP but I had to improvise in order to let him in.
“You’re… Cuinn the Wise?” I asked.
“Y-yes, that’s me.” Cuinn said before clearing his throat again and joining us at the table. “You can’t put the farmers on the front line.”
“Why’s that?” Dorran said.
“Because they are weaker than the soldiers. Your enemies will defeat them quickly. This crescendo-style strategy won’t work. It didn’t the two first times anyway, am I right?” Cuinn said.
I frowned and crossed my arms on my chest.
“You watched us?” I said.
“Yes. As a shaman, I didn’t have to intervene but I figured you are the only Queen who cares about the woods and the creatures in it. You care about your people and your land. So, I came here to help you. Me, and the forces of the Woods will help you.”
I smiled and nodded. Dorran seemed pretty proud of this “stranger”.
“What are you proposing then?” One of my commanders asked.
“All the farmers and weak subjects have to be in the back. All the strongest warriors in the front. You have to attack Keagan’s army directly with strong forces, you have to weaken them immediately. Archers will create a circle of defense with the swordsmen and strong warriors in the front line. Then, the healers will be everywhere, in the front, in backup, everywhere. My little army, which means some other shamans, we will attack Keagan from the back.”
While speaking, Cuinn made a demonstration of the strategy on the map with pieces.
“You will attack Keagan from the back?” I said.
“Yes. His camp site is near the woods. This night, I will bypass the camp and join my friends. We will wait for dusk for tonight? We will poison every healer we can find in the camp.”
Dorran chuckled and nodded.
“That’s a great idea!” He said. “We will defeat them!”
I nodded too.
“Okay. Everyone, be prepared and tell the others about our new strategy. Tomorrow will be Keagan’s defeat.”
* * *
As you might imagine, the day of the finale battle went well, as expected. Cuinn The Wise had been such a good help and Keagan died on the battlefield by the hands of my loyal Dorran. Sheridan was freed during the night thanks to Cuinn and they massacred all the healers and shamans on Keagan’s side. I won. We won. The reign of the Queen of Moondoor can continue.
The day after the Great Battle, I prepared a banquet for everyone in order to celebrate this victory – and the end of the LARP, the end of this year’s edition of Moondoor. Everyone was happy, eating, drinking, singing, dancing. I was eating with a beautiful lady who will, I hope, be my wife in the next edition of Moondoor – maybe in real life though. Dean was congratulating Castiel for having come in here and playing a beautiful part. Sam was also very happy and it was an interesting experience – even if he was a prisoner most of the time. This banquet allowed us to be ourselves a little bit in the real life. It was a transition part between the magical world of Moondoor and our world which was also magical sometimes but not everyone was aware of it. I smiled, enjoying this moment with my friends. I wish we could stay like this forever, out of trouble, simply enjoying life like we did in LARP.