Vanguard: Willem's Stand Part 20 is up

For the rest of the night we took turns sleeping. None of us really wanted to, but Rastus insisted, saying that we would need all we could get. The truth was though, that I was exhausted. I hadn't eaten or slept in almost two days and once I lay down, even on the hard stone floor it did not take me long to fall asleep.

I was shaken awake a time later by a somber faced soldier. "You need to come look at this," he said to me.

I followed him to the roof. It was day now. Though with the smoke it was impossible to tell what time. Willem sat off against the parapets, brooding quietly. The other soldiers had gathered at the edge of the building. I walked up behind them. It was obvious what had their attention.

For as far as I could see, the streets were packed tightly with the dead. Their catapults were busy demolishing the city in the distance, working their way ever closer towards us. Fortunately, our door still held strong, though I could already see battering rams being rolled through the streets in our direction. I nearly threw up.

I backed away from the edge a few steps, and looked back to Willem. He appeared to be lost in thought. "Well," I said walking over towards him, "I guess they know we're here." I tried to force a weak grin, it didn't quite work.

"They'll be inside by nightfall," he said simply. The captain did not seem like he was in the mood to do much talking, so I sat down a few steps away quietly.

[applause]
This is a very captivating story - my kudos to the author(s). Have you read the lore lately?