Forgotten Ruin: An Epic Military Fantasy Thriller
Page 52
I tasted the coffee and watched the hawks hunt.
It was… the best coffee. Real coffee. Ground and brewed right here. By me.
“Good?” asked the sergeant major in his Texan mumble as he scooped up his eggs. “Guess we coulda made toast,” he added.
“Yes, Sergeant Major. This is… real good. And it means…”
“Means a lot. Means a lot, Talker. Means people out there with a civilization we can relate to. But that’s for another day.”
I kept thinking about Brumm being dead. And then not being dead. I asked the sergeant major about that.
He continued to eat, and then, as he finished his food faster than me, he took a sip of his coffee and sat back for a moment watching the hawks. He fished his Kindle out of his cargo pocket and set it down on the rough table in the rustic fortress kitchen. I could tell this would be his reading place. This was where we’d be able to find him. Just like his little circle of stones and fire out on the island that had almost been our Alamo.
“Man could get used to this,” the command sergeant major said to himself, staring out the window at the valley and the golden sunlight as the day began to heat up. “That’s for sure.”
He looked at me. I was still waiting for an answer. But I wasn’t going to prompt a sergeant major for one.
“You know what Ol’ Shakespeare would’ve said, PFC Talker?”
I did not, so I said nothing. Shakespeare said a lotta stuff. Chances were I’d get it wrong. I like to be right. I’m sick that way.
“He said… There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. That’s from Hamlet. It was a play. But I been thinking about this since we spotted our first orcs back on the LZ. This world’s a strange place. Maybe it isn’t even ours. Maybe it is. But I’ve been having strange dreams ever since we got here.”
He paused. And for a long time we just drank our coffee. Finally, he leaned forward and I could tell our pause was coming to an end. There would be a lot to do today. The fortress would need to be scoured. Blood washed. Defenses and watches set up. Quarters organized. Forge restored to working order. More of the Orc tossing game. That and a lot of other things for a lot of days to come.
“You know that… meme,” continued the sergeant major as he studied the hawks out there. “Those pictures and words you young guys like to communicate by instead of just pickin’ up the phone. You know that one where it shows a buncha studs in high-altitude drop gear coming in at dusk or dawn or whatever. And it says someone is praying right now and asking for help. And help is on the way. Two minutes to insertion. You know that one, Talker?”
I did.
“Well, maybe that’s all that happened. What Shakespeare was trying to say. Someone here in whatever this place is… they needed help, Talker. And the universe, or whatever, decided to send Rangers. That’s what I think about all of it. I’ve been that guy. Droppin’ into some hellhole to try to croak a tyrant and make things a little easier on the oppressed. So maybe this… this is just that. But all like ol’ Shakespeare was tryin’ to say ’bout the nature of the universe and stuff. There’s mysteries we ain’t even thought of, Talker. Reasons we don’t understand yet, know what I mean?”
I took a deep breath.
I had coffee. That was actually all I needed when I got right down to it. Everything else was just a want. But coffee. Coffee was a need.
I could face what came next. Dragons, vampires, were-captain-knife-hand-tigers. Whatever the Ruin had. I was sure there was more to come. I was sure the captain would come back to lead us. He’d lead us even when he’d become something else. Something terrible. And he’d continued to lead in the only way he could at that moment. By attacking our enemies like a wild and berserk animal.
“Talker…” said the sergeant major as I got up to go and find some way to be useful and help the Rangers stay alive one more day here in the Ruin.
I looked back at him. He held my gaze for a moment to tell me that what he was giving me was the truth. That I could measure by it. That I could survive with it.
“You done good, Ranger.”
***
That night, I dreamt in Elvish.
The End
Hit & Fade
Forgotten Ruin Book 2
Order Now
Ranger Creed
Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of the Rangers.
Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite Soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country expects me to move further, faster and fight harder than any other Soldier.
Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one-hundred-percent and then some.
Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well-trained Soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow.
Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.
Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission though I be the lone survivor.
Rangers lead the way!
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