Dragon Knight

By N G Daniels

“ In a world born out of chaos, the Dragon Riders of the Angorith Canyons hold the key to a better life. The Caves of Knowledge, sacred to the Order of Draconis, hold the knowledge for themselves, and they only parcel it out as they see fit. Or, is this what others say? The Dragon Knights hold back the destruction of an age gone by and intend to be the stewards of the world, giving out the long-hoarded knowledge of a past world that devastated itself using those instruments of destruction that no man should have. The infamous Kor army again tries to take the Tower and the Caves of Knowledge for themselves. The secret is that the Kor held back long enough to tip the balance of power in their favor. Will the Kor horde finally wrest the Caves of Knowledge away? Read and see what Justin Tulaire, a newly recruited dragon Lancer, Third class, does to try and stop the infamy of the Kor nation. ” N G Daniels - “Dragon Knight”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Nov 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781716224911

Book preview

PRELUDE

In the new ages of life stood a pillar of humanity. Born out of the chaotic times came the Order of Draconis. Their sole purpose was never again to let man destroy man with knowledge. The Order of Draconis swore to protect the Caves of Knowledge from any who would seek it to gain power over others. 

      The Keepers of Knowledge, who tend the Oracle and who also dispense the information contained within, judge what information is worthy of humanity. 

Then and only then will they release it.             During the Age of Chaos, the Oracle had been placed in what is called The Angorith Canyons. These canyons afford a natural tower, easy to defend against any who would try to mount an attack. While the age of chaos raged in the world, a small band of brilliant men gathered in the canyons. Using their knowledge, these men had made creatures of immense power and named them after the fabled beasts called dragons. 

      Rumor has it that, because of terrible destruction, humans wreaked upon themselves, and Dragons and other creatures were born from the chaos plaguing the Lands.

      The tower men took what was once evil and turned it to the good for humanity, by using the Dragons as protection for Caves of Knowledge. Thus, the men of the world mounted campaigns against the Order of Draconis in weak attempts to take the Tower and gain the Oracle's knowledge. Only to be smitten and ravaged by Dragons.

      To this day, every attempt to take the Tower and the Caves of Knowledge has failed. 

      Most campaigns against the Tower were futile as the Order of Draconis has always been well prepared, and the Dragonriders have fought bravely. 

      Over the ages, men of the world have gained knowledge of war, politics, et al. Naturally, every generation would pass along their knowledge to gain an advantage over their neighbors.

      And this age is no different . . 

CONTENTS

PRELUDE      1

I. DRAGONLANCER      9

II. FIRST PATROL      55

III. BLOOMING HEART      83

IV. A CALL TO ARMS      101

V. BONDING      119

VI. IN THE CROSSFIRE      147

VII. IT BEGINS      169

VIII. CALM BEFORE THE STORM      181

IX. THE TIDES OF WAR      213

X. TURNING POINT      235

XI. TREACHERY      255

XII. THE LAST STAND      271

XIII. NO HOPE IN SIGHT      301

XIV. HELP ARRIVES      321

XV. AFTERMATH      337

EPILOGUE      348

OUTLINE      349

PLACES      349

TOWER OF CAVES & KNOWLEDGE      351

PERSONA      356

MILITARY STRUCTURE, TITLES & RANK      360

ABOUT THE AUTHOR      362

CHAPTER I

DRAGONLANCER

Justin awoke to the cool morning air on his face, remembering that it was his day to do or die. The sun had not yet broken the shadows on the canyon walls, so the window of his small room allowed only the refracted light of the deep purple morning sky. 

Throwing back the covers, Justin quickly climbed out of his simple wood-framed bed. The chilly morning air could be seen in his breath and felt upon his skin in goosebumps. The young man swiftly found his clothes and dressed. 

He first pulled on his white undershirt and loincloth, then his black leather pants, and sat down and pulled on his stockings. Next came the high leather boots, stuffing the pant legs in just before pulling, then snug with a stomp on the ground. Finishing his dress, Justin tucked the tail of his undershirt into his pants and cinched his belt on his waist. Last was the leather coat, which he gladly pulled on to ward off the cold air. 

As he looked around his small apartment, he prepared himself for the day. It would be one of his last days in this room where he spent the previous ten years of training to become a Dragonrider. 

The room was rather plain. A desk and chair were near the window. A chest was at the foot of the bed that held his personal effects, and a small nightstand with an oil lamp atop it stood to the right side of the bed. All of this would change, though, once he became a Dragonrider. Justin took a moment to look out the open window of his room and admire the canyons where he had lived for close to half of his life. The morning light shone upon the long handsome face of a young man. The thin nose, almond eyes, and high cheekbones gave Justin a tall compact appearance, even though he was just under six feet and weighed about two hundred and twenty pounds. 

With his blue eyes sparkling, he smiled, quickly inhaled, and exhaled as he often did when he tried to calm down. Food was the second thought on his mind as he tugged his coat straight, spun on his booted heel, and left for the dining hall to meet with a meal and his fellow Dragonsquires.

The intricate cavern halls interlace the Tower, linking the living quarters, storerooms, stairwells, and sleeping quarters throughout the natural sandstone. The founding elders of the Caves of Knowledge carefully designed the floor plans and Tower defenses to each occupant’s comfort. The ornately carved rooms and halls had many pictorials of Dragons, men and women, and many full landscape scenes of what seemed a world that time had forgotten. High buildings jutted into the sky, where many people used to live. Master Dukas used to tell Justin of the time before the age of chaos, the life of destruction, and evil. Still, it must have    been a great time.       

      At each supporting arch in the halls, a Dragon stood to either side on a pillar half a man’s height. The Dragon statues depicted them on their hindquarters with their wings swept back and up, supporting them. The Dragon’s necks arched up to where their heads met above. One head faced one direction, and the other turned the opposite. The detail was incredibly lifelike, so the scales, horns, and talons seemed full of life. 

Similar carvings exist over the doors and entrances to other rooms. Some were Dragons with a rider on their backs, and others depicted fights between Raptors and Dragons. Raptors were huge eagles that had mutated during the chaotic time and mainly inhabited the broken lands to the East. 

Justin always felt a chill up his spine when he thought about an encounter with a Raptor as they were very cunning, and a Dragonrider would probably lose his life if they were ever to meet in the air.

On the way to the dining hall, Justin liked to cut through the Great hall. This vast meeting place was, by far, the most ornate of the whole Tower. Many tapestries, several men high and half as wide, hung along both sides of the Great hall. Each fabric hung from the bottom of the third-tier balcony that spanned the whole length of the room. These tapestries depicted the battles that The Order of Draconis had won against many foes, twenty-three. 

The vaulted ceiling, painted with murals, showed many of the Draconis who served the Tower and notably contributed to its history. The forefathers who built the Tower used feats of engineering, now lost to all but the Keepers of Knowledge, by designing the windows to reflect the natural sunlight onto the Hall floors. Several of these holes were above the third balconies and angled down. The sunbeams that poured into the hall were made visible by the dust motes floating in the well-circulated air.

The Great Hall was capable of holding several thousand men, all of whom could hear the speaker at the podium located on the dais at the far end Hall. Justin had entered through one of the two side doors, halfway down the hall, and walked to the sizeable stout oak doors opposite the dais. These twelve-foot high doors were, like the rest of the Tower, ornately carved with pictorials. 

Justin loved the feel of the door’s weight as he passed from the Great Hall into the main staircase landing. Following this down to the lower levels, Justin made his way to the kitchens and towards his assigned dining area. As he passed through the halls and passages, he greeted the other residents of the Tower with a wave and a smile. Most smiled back and wished him luck as most knew of the testing today. 

With a quick step, Justin turned the last corner and entered the dining hall and greeted with a quick cheer from the room. Justin spotted a wave for him to sit as his friend, Marcus, saved him a seat. 

The dining hall was long and narrow, with eight-man bench tables lining the room’s length and six tables. Save for a few seats, the gallery was full. Most of the patrons that were eating this morning were of the Dragonfoot. These men were the Tower’s defense as they would fight any who would try and breach the Tower. The others were his fellow-squires and other Dragonriders of the Tower.             Some men and many women were busy, hustling about food, serving the patronage, or clearing the used dishes to make room for newcomers. These persons were flowing to and from the two entrances halfway down the length of the dining hall. One door went into the kitchen, and the opposite door went into another dining hall precisely like this one. The dining halls were lit up by a lamp wheel that suspended from the ceiling.

      Justin made his way to the open seat that his friend had saved for him. Marcus was also a Dragonsquire and would test today. Marcus was dressed the same as Justin as this was the uniform that all Dragonsquires wore. Marcus’ raven hair was about shoulder length, and his round green eyes were piercing, yet the warmth of his smile softened this effect. Marcus had a diamond face where his chin was small and had sharp cheekbones. Not as heavy as Justin, Marcus was just a finger or so taller. 

      How goes this morning? Marcus asked in his usual cheerful mood. 

      Ah, like any other morning. Justin sat. I am alive. 

      Are you ready? Marcus grabbed a large cup of water and washed down a bit of morning bread that he had finished chewing. 

      Yes, of course. Are you? 

      Most certainly, my friend. I have waited for this day for a long time.

      A maiden brought a tray of food and a tumbler of water, then squeezed between Marcus and Justin, purposely blocking out Marcus as she placed the meal down on the table in front of Justin. Her long blond hair was pulled back in a thick rope braid, which showed off her beautiful face and neck. Her sharp nose and full lips accented her strong brow and crystal blue eyes. 

      Stepping back, she said, Your meal, My Lord. She then curtsied behind them. 

      Thank you, Mellisa, Justin said over his shoulder. 

      I take it that you will become a Dragonrider this day. She made it a statement rather than a question. 

      Aye! You bet we will, Marcus piped up and clapped Justin on the shoulder. We have studied and trained our fingers to the bone. 

      Mellisa clicked her tongue at Marcus and said with her arms akimbo, Agh! You have never studied, nor worked anything to the bone, Marcus! She then turned and hugged Justin from the back, whispering in his ear, Good luck, M’Lord. It sent a warm, pleasant tingle down the back of his neck. 

      Reaching over and giving Marcus a swift cuff on his head, she cried loudly for all to hear, I do pray thee well as I fear that you will need it! 

      It produced a chuckle from most of the room. Marcus took this lightheartedly as the three of them had grown up together. Mellisa was an orphan who had shown up on the Tower’s doorstep right around the time Justin and Marcus, and others, had been chosen to become Dragonriders, and so, they all had a good history together. 

      With a flurry of skirt and bustle, Mellisa was off about her duties. 

      Justin made short work of his morning meal, which consisted of two fried eggs, morning bread, and boiled oats. While Justin inhaled his food, Marcus went on about the testing that they would have to endure before being commissioned as Dragonriders. More specifically, A Dragonlancer Third Class.             First will be the history of the Order of Draconis. Then on to the basic soldiering and care of our Dragons. After that, will come the physical part of our testing. The hand to hand swordsmanship, and the lancing. And last but not least, is the endurance run. 

      Justin knew that when a Squire passed these tests, the oath would follow, and these boys would become men, earning them full commission as a Dragonrider. The position of Lancer Third Class was not the best paying job, but the Dragonrider has earned the respect of those who live in the Tower and of the people of the known world. When a Dragonrider speaks, all pay attention to his words. It is not hard to guess why.

      Justin began to drift off into thought as he ate, thinking about the Order’s military structure. All knew that gaining rank is rare, as a change in status only comes with death, dismemberment, or retirement. 

      The Draconis is the highest rank, and he is the leader of the counsel of Dragon knights. Each Dragon knight who is active is in charge of a wing of Dragonriders. The Dragon knight is the second-highest rank. They give counsel to the Draconis, both in peace and in the time of war. 

Each Dragon Knight commands six talons, which make up a wing of Dragonriders. Each talon is led by a talon leader, who controls four pods of Dragonriders. Within each pod, there are two triads, with each triad made up of Three Dragon Lancers a piece. The leader goes by the title, Lancer First class, and his two subordinates, Lancer Second Class, and Lancer Third class.

      It is an honor for a Dragon Knight to retire and give his position to one of the Talon leaders in his wing. It happens only if the Dragon Knight has become unfit to carry out his duty. The Dragon Knight, who had retired, holds an honorary position of Dragon Knight and still sits in on any council meeting to the Draconis as his ability permits. 

      Justin stuffed the last bit of bread into his mouth as the third quarter bell past seven resounded eerily throughout the Tower. Downing the last of his water, Justin stood and followed Marcus as they left the dining hall. 

      The lower levels that housed the Dragon aerie and Dragons were but a few flights down. Both men made a quick time by taking the central staircase as they would arrive at the aerie a little before the hour.

      The main staircase spiraled up through the middle of the Tower and was twenty men wide if they stood shoulder to shoulder. Each landing was to every other level, where the second set of stairs opposite the main stairs led back down to the intermediate level. 

      The construction had given the Tower a tremendous defensive advantage. A partial balcony overlooked the main stairwell, where this enabled the Dragonfoot archers to attack any enemy that would dare to charge up. 

      As Justin and Marcus reached the level of the Dragon Aerie, Justin halted in surprise. His parents stood before the passage that led to the aerie. Both were smiling as they spotted their son. 

      Dael and Mara stood proud as they waited for the two Squires to approach. Dael, a tall man, towered over his wife and was a hand and a half over his son. Dael wore simple farmers garb, robes of forest green and brown. A black leather belt with a pouch cinched his waist. Dael carried a simple carved walking stick in his hand. The same one that Justin remembered from his youth. The years had worn it out, giving it a natural, polished look. 

      Mara was much different in her looks as it related to her son. Her sandy blond hair and round face were opposite to Justin’s, while her almond eyes and thin nose matched. Her eyes were aglow with love as her delicate nose lifted in pride. As her husband, Mara was also wearing robes, but in shades of blue, decorated with beautiful brocades at the hem, neck, and cuffs of her sleeves. A large silver chain with a like silver amulet hung about her neck. 

      As the young men walked toward Justin’s parents, Mara opened her arms wide to envelop her son, but the exact opposite happened. Justin folded his mother into his chest. 

      Oh, my lovely boy, Mara cooed. I am so happy for you. 

      Thank you, mother. Justin rocked her. I have missed you so. 

      Justin, my son. Dael smiled and squeezed his son’s shoulder. I am proud of you. It is a great thing to become a Dragonrider. Very noble. 

      Thank you, father. Justin broke free from his mother and faced his father. I hope to make you proud. 

      Of course, you will, son. I am proud of you, regardless. Dael reached out and pulled his son into a firm embrace. Justin thought he was muscular, but his father’s vice grip muscles just about squeezed the life out. Farming life had been kind to his dad. Dael finished the embrace by slapping his son on the back a couple of times before releasing him. 

      And who is this? Mara turned to Marcus, hugging him.

      This is my friend, Marcus. And these are my parents, Dael and Mara Tulaire. 

      Dael stepped up and gave Marcus a hardy handshake and then nodded to Marcus with a smile. 

      He also tests today. 

      Well, Dael said to both of them, good testing to the both of you then. You both look healthy, and I would hope that you did your studies. 

      Thank you, sir. Marcus gave a deep bow. 

      Justin suddenly had a puzzled look on his face. How did you know that I was testing today? 

      It was Dreaborn who stopped off in Brie on his patrol and told us, Mara explained. 

      Oh, I must thank him when I see him again. I was hoping to surprise you once I had taken the oath and had a mount of my own. 

      How was your trip? Marcus asked. 

      Very easy and short, Dael answered. 

      Good then. You will be here for the taking of the oath? 

      Yes, of course. We will. Dael was cut short by the hour bell as it chimed out the time of the day. Well, son, here you go, and good luck." 

      I love you both. Thank you for coming. I had genuinely hoped that you would have seen me on a Dragon, but this will do. 

      With that, both squires moved past Justin’s parents and hurried to join the formation of the other Dragonsquires already in the Dragon Aerie. They fell in line with no time to spare as the last bell rang, and they snapped to attention. 

      The aerie hall was enormous and oval. The high vaulting ceiling seemed to disappear into the blacklight, a vast gaping pit. There was little light in the aerie as the Dragon’s preferred it that way. The lamplight illuminated the ground level between the large alcoves carved into the room’s walls. The early morning sunlight shining through the exit to the canyons gave, somewhat, more light at the far end of the aerie. 

      The cubicles were four high, and just about four-fifths of them occupied with Dragons. On the ground level, Dragons and Dragonmasters alike were hustling about, whether getting ready to fly, or unsaddling to rest from activity. 

      Many of the ground alcoves stored the Dragonrider’s tack, weapons, and lances, while others held the hatchlings and their mothers. Justin could see the Dragonmasters saddling up the young unbonded Dragons in preparation for the testing this morning. He has also caught a Dragon and rider taking flight from the corner of his eye. The great reptilian had leaped forward and unfurled its wings. With an exaggerated flap, the Dragon gained flight as it powered its way up and out of view. 

      A fascination still held the Dragon for Justin. From the crown of horns to the spade top of the Dragon’s tail, Justin marveled at the raw, ugly beauty and power. 

      The size of a Dragon is immense. A Dragon is close to twenty paces when fully matured. The head is a wedged shape with a crown of six horns. Two horns set forward, scything from just behind the jaw, sweeping forward and angled slightly down. These were the fighting horns and were mainly used for combat when vying for a mate or establishing the pecking order among them. The neutral horns were located above each eye and were curved up and forward. These spread wide as they grew out and hooked back ahead at the tips. The last set grew from the back of the Dragon’s head, where they grew up and back, curling at the ends as to be blunt. These horns defended the Dragon’s neck at the base of the head, where the Dragons were most vulnerable. A fan of smaller horns sometimes grew out from behind the jaw, also used to protect the neck from attack. The engineers who created the Dragon could not explain these horns as they did not figure it into their makeup.  

      The mouth of a Dragon is full of sharp teeth and four large fangs, two up and two down at the front of its muzzle. The nose of a Dragon is flat with S-shaped nostrils. The glowing green eyes are thin and swept back like stretched teardrops, where the tips ended near the Dragon’s temple. 

      The thick scale-covered skin was a natural brown, tan, and black, which matched most of the canyon terrain, affording excellent camouflage. The skin was like armor, as the overlapping scales were a sturdy leather and resisted both arrow and talon alike. 

      Each wing attached at the back of the Dragon’s long sinewy neck by huge dorsal muscles. The wingspan was one and a half times the Dragon’s length. The thick leather membrane of their wings stretched between seven fingers, where there were two from three, with two of the fingers being thicker. Two fingers were close to the body, with one finger dividing them from the other three. These fingers were much longer, and the membrane was attached along the Dragon’s side, ending close to their hindquarters. The next three fingers tapered off, each getting a bit shorter. At the joint and at the top of the last thick finger is a hooked talon about the length of a man’s hand. 

      Each of the Dragon’s four thick legs ended with three toes and a spur. Each toe and spur is tipped with a talon the length of a man’s forearm and blacker than a moonless night. 

      Klovis, the head Dragonmaster, was standing at ease before the line of squires. His chiseled face was calm, and his brown hair hung from beneath his helm of status. The helm was unique from the other Dragonrider uniforms, as it signified that he is the master trainer for the Order of Draconis. 

      The ornate design of the helm was a Dragon’s image etched above the helm’s brow with its wings spread. The black lacquered finish glinted in the dim light of the aerie. 

      Klovis was known to be a hard man, but a fair and just teacher. Almost every Dragonrider turned out has gone on to prove their worth. It gave Klovis a lot of respect in the tower. 

      Good morning squires, Klovis began in his basso voice. Today, most of you will become Dragonriders, and some of you may not. I hope that none of you will fail, as I have taken personal pride in training every one of you. It is through you that the world will remain safe from ourselves. By pledging your lives to protect the Caves of Knowledge, you stop anyone from destroying our world. 

      Klovis turned and began walking to the opposite end of the line from where Justin and Marcus stood, eying the squires as he did so. Klovis paused at the first squire for a moment and then turned and walked the line, continuing hid speech. It is you who will be in charge of defending all that we stand for. Your pledge is binding. Your oath is to uphold the Order of Draconis and the Knight’s Valor. 

      He paused near the middle of the line and looked back over his shoulder before continuing. When you take the oath, if you take the oath, you will have honor and respect of the known world. There will not be a place you go where your uniform will not be known. Some may fear you, but most will honor and respect you. 

      Klovis finally stopped in front of Justin and paused for effect. He stared into Justin’s eyes for a long moment, seeming to search for something. 

      Still standing in front of Justin, Klovis turned his head so his voice would curry down the line. This, of course, does not give the right to do as you please. With honor comes responsibility. With the title comes circumspection and discernment. 

      As you have been taught, so do. The code of the Dragon Knight is your life. Klovis faced Justin once again and looked deeper into his eyes, then continued. One: Uphold the defense of the Order of Draconis. Two: Respect life, all life. Three: Be at peace with the death of your fellow Dragonrider. 

      Klovis broke Justin’s stare and walked back to where he started his oration, then turned and faced the line of squires once again. There are eleven of you here today, and I hope that there will be eleven of you here tonight at the oath ceremony. 

      With that, Klovis brought his right fist to his heart in a salute and said, Good luck and good hunting. 

      The squires all returned the salute and then broke rank as Klovis dismissed them. They all knew what to do next. It was given to them the day before. Each squire moved off toward their assigned Dragon, being readied for them to ride later. 

       As Marcus moved off towards his Dragon, Justin slapped him on the back. Marcus nodded to his friend over his shoulder. Justin gave him a knowing smile. 

With a swift inhale and sharp exhale, Justin approached his Dragon. She was a young but energetic Dragon that had not yet bonded to a rider. Her trainer stood next to her talking soothingly. The Dragonmaster turned and smiled at Justin as he walked up. Krell is a Beautiful Dragon, eh? 

      Yes. Yes, Krell is, Justin answered. I only hope that she will take to me. 

      Of course, she will. She’s a feisty one, but tame. She had not hesitated to follow any command, and I think she is the smartest of this hatchling group. 

      Well. Thank you then. Justin gave a genuine smile of appreciation. I hope to show her pride today. 

      Do me proud, too, Dragonrider. 

      Justin was taken aback at the Dragonmaster’s use of ‘Dragonrider’ as he had not yet earned that title. 

      I will, Dragonmaster. I will. 

      Justin moved to Krell and gave the verbal command to mount. She laid down on her belly, allowing Justin to step up on her forearm and into the saddle stirrup. Once mounted, the Dragonmaster helped Justin strap in and then handed Justin his riding helmet. There was not much else to carry this day as it was just to the parade grounds. Justin hooked the chin strap so he would not lose it if Krell were to do an unexpected maneuver. Next was the traditional lance. The long wooden pole had a thick handle, tapered to the point that harbored a wicked-looking spaded tip that looked like a pair of bat wings to either side of the long metal point. The bat-winged edges were razor sharp between the serrated points. The lance is an essential weapon for the rider. He uses it for war and protection from Raptors, who plaque the skies everywhere, but especially to the East over the Brokenlands.

      The Dragonmaster once again inspected the safety straps that held Justin securely in his saddle and then checked the saddle straps to be sure they would not slip or would not choke the Dragon once in flight. The Dragonmaster gathered Krell’s reins and handed them up to Justin, giving him a nod of approval. The Dragonmaster then stepped back to allow the Dragon and soon-to-be-rider to leave, giving them a stiff salute before moving off. 

      As Justin gave the command for Krell to stand, his heart began to race. It will be his first time on a solo flight and his last as a squire. The thrill of flying was a rush as was having a lithe creature moving powerfully underneath him. 

      Okay, Krell. Let’s go! Justin said as he took up the reins. Without further direction, Krell moved to join the Dragons queuing up to launch from the cavern exit. Justin mentally nodded at the intelligence of Krell. She displayed an acute awareness of her surroundings. 

      The line quickly moved, and it was their turn. 

      Krell moved to the edge of the cliff without being directed and prepared to leap by shifting her weight forward. Justin gave her the command to wait to be sure she was listening and letting her know that he was in charge. 

      Krell craned his head around to face him with both eyes. She held her stare for a moment and then looked forward again, waiting. Her weight still shifted forward for the leap. 

      With another quick inhale and exhale, Justin gave the command, Krell. Launch!

      Like a spring, Krell uncoiled, leaping out into the morning air. The effect was unexpected as Justin was whipped back in his saddle by her strength.      her initial flap, followed by a steady climb into the morning air.  

      The morning was fresh and beautiful. The blue sky was clear, but for a few wispy clouds high above. The view of the canyon always excited Justin ever since he had been taken up by other Dragonriders who would indulge him in seeing if he was fit to fly. Many of the Dragonriders now admit it was a mistake as Justin would continually pester them for rides.             The other Dragons trailed behind as they made their way to the parade grounds below. The flight was short-lived as they approached their destination. Again, Justin barely gave Krell any direction, only giving her the command to land.             Justin looked down onto the parade grounds as they descended. The defensive positions and walls enclosed the parade grounds where they would test this morn. The walls started at the base of the tower and stretched out for furlongs square where there was a turret tower every furlong, with a large turret tower at each corner.