My army raised their guns and swords and spears and wrenches, and ran to meet the gleaming metal men just as the bridge and caves exploded, right on cue, keeping the enemy troops just where I wanted them. Shing had done his job well. I smiled as I saw consternation flow through the enemy ranks; two-thirds of their fellows were outside the valley and unable to join them. But all my people were armed and ready.
My golden spider was first to reach the enemy soldiers, and it trod and kicked at least a dozen automatons before my human troops reached the line. As a result, the metal men were thrown into further disarray, some of them helplessly drawn to the spider, some fleeing it, and the rest unable to follow orders in their confusion.
The clash of meeting armies was so loud it knocked me to
