"John is already past the river," Cissel muttered. "Ok… At least the machines are distracted. Let's build a fortress here and start attacking their rear. We have to peel some of this pressure off him."
"..."
Ricky couldn't say a single word for a long time. He had arrived expecting to find John struggling as they had, perhaps pinned down and forced to build miles of outposts just to survive the tide.
Yet, seeing him far, far away from their entry point, having already crossed the river and likely reaching the den in less than two hours, dealt a devastating blow to Ricky's pride and lingering arrogance.
He had genuinely thought that by adopting John's methods, the outposts, the fortresses, the towers and cannons, he could stand shoulder to shoulder with him. He had accepted there might be a small gap in their abilities, a minor lead held by John's mysterious ways.
