A Memory of Light (Wheel of Time, #14; A Memory of Light, #3)

by Robert Jordan

“Dai Shan,” he said, “are you worried about Lord Agelmar?” “In what regard?” “I worry that he’s pushing himself too hard,” Baldhere said. “Some of the choices he is making… they confuse me. It’s not that his battle decisions are bad. They simply strike me as too aggressive.” “It is war. I don’t know that one can be too aggressive in defeating one’s enemy.” Baldhere fell quiet for a time. “Of course. But did you notice the loss of Lord Yokata’s two cavalry squadrons?” “That was unfortunate, but mistakes do happen.” “This isn’t one that Lord Agelmar should have made. He’s been in situations like this before, Dai Shan. He should have seen.” It had happened during a recent raid against the Trollocs. The Asha’man had been setting fire to Fal Eisen and the surrounding countryside. At Agelmar’s orders, Yokata had taken his cavalry in a swing around a large hill to attack the right flank of the Trolloc army advancing on the Asha’man. Using a classic pincer movement, Agelmar was to send in more cavalry against the enemy’s left flank, and the Asha’man would turn to meet the Trollocs head-on. But the Shadow’s leaders had seen through the maneuver. Before Agelmar and the Asha’man could act, a large contingent of Trollocs had come over the hill to hit Yokata’s own right flank, while the remainder hit Yokata head-on, enveloping his cavalry. The cavalry had been killed to the last man. Immediately after, the Trollocs went after the Asha’man, who had barely been able to save themselves. “...

The first sign of the trap of the Great Captains.