Ashes In The Fall

Every piece of me hurt. My arms were useless. My lower back was protesting the very fact of me being upright. My legs and aching feet did not seem like they would support my weight one more moment. So, I sat down with my back to the battlements. I looked around, hoping to see Big City. He would have answers to my questions. I found Hybrid instead. His soldiers were replacing mine and Gypsy's as the sun announced the coming of morning. “Well done, lad,” Hybrid said. I wanted to go see Roulette. I wanted to take a bath and get out of my armor. What I did was sit there for two hours. I was awoken by Roulette who had gotten worried and come looking for me. “Falcon wants to see you,” she said. I heard the disappointment in her voice. “Tell him I’ll be right here,” I replied. She didn't do as I asked. Thirty minutes later I was gathered with the Generals and the other Lieutenants. Stone was there also. “Now that we’re all here,” Falcon said. “Stone has some experience with these creatures. He's going to brief us on their tactics.” Falcon was in a strictly no-nonsense mood. I didn't crack the joke about having all the briefing about their tactics last night that was dying to leap off my tongue. Instead, I gave into my body’s protests, which were coming in the form of cramps in both hamstrings, and sat down in the floor. Nobody said anything to me about the informality. I wouldn't have cared if they had. “These creatures are called Goblins,” Stone said softly.