They were piled up like a discarded trash heap. I shook my head and said. “Unacceptable.” The bruiser who had walked with me nodded and said. “They deserve better.” I nodded and said. “Grab a few bruisers, separate the corpses. Try to identify them as well. They deserve to be remembered.” I stumbled away and checked my notifications while I walked.

You have killed a level 1 Zorkid. x54

You have killed a level 2 Zorkid. x31

You have killed a level 3 Zorkid. x23

You have killed a level 4 Zorkid. x19

You have killed a level 5 Zorkid. X6

You have leveled up. You are now a level 37 Mud Skink War Queen

You have leveled up. You are now a level 38 Mud Skink War Queen

The level ups were welcome but felt a bit guilty to get. I had only gained from this fight. There had been no personal loss, nothing. So why did it still hurt? I cried as I walked back towards my command post.

Tetel ran up to me when he saw me. “My Queen! I just heard what happened! Are you alright?” I nodded and said. “I’ll be fine, no need to worry.” Tetel nodded and said. “I have the goblins with me, will you begin the training now?”

I shook my head and said. “We’ll be using them for manual labor then food. I’ll have to buy some more for my idea later. There's so many wounded. We’ll need to kill some goblins tomorrow.”

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Tetel nodded and asked. “What can I do to help?” I smiled sadly and said. “You could help me dig a grave for the two hundred or so soldiers that died.” Tetel nodded sadly and said. “It would be an honor, my Queen.”

I walked over to a nice hill overlooking a meadow. I looked around and said. “Alright, let’s start digging.” It took six hours for us to make a good sized mass grave. It was shallow and wide, I wanted each soldier to not have another stacked on top of them.

“Alright, I’ll put each soldier in individually. Tetel, go make sure my kids are alright.” He nodded and said. “The caretakers were just starting to gather when I left. They’ll be here soon enough.”

I nodded and said, “Thank you Tetel, for everything.” He was a dependable rock of a butler. Definitely giving him a raise. Wait, do I pay any of them? Huh, guess not. Can’t really remember negotiating pay. Kinda insane to just sign up without worrying about money.

Is that my fault? Nah that's on them. Oh well, I’ll take care of them anyway. I shoved the strange thoughts of contract management away and focused back on the task at hand. Slowly soldiers started filtering in carrying the bodies of the deceased. Once around five hundred of my soldiers had gathered I began to talk.

“Troops! It has been an honor to serve with you. But today we are here to honor those who no longer serve with us. Over two hundred of our proud brothers were murdered by those peasants. Two hundred skinks that won’t be able to see the proud nation we will become. But they fought for our right to see that beautiful nation. Their lives were not wasted. They sacrificed themselves so that we could live on!”

The bruisers around me let out a resounding cheer as I stood as tall as I could and yelled. “In honor of this sorrowful day I name today as a day of remembrance! I want to hear stories about the dead. I want you all to eat as much as you want! Get to it!”

My soldiers scattered into various groups, chatting and grieving in their own ways. I just limped back to where I had placed my command post and collapsed. My wounds were still incredibly painful and I needed some rest. Someone delivered a goblin that I gratefully ate.

After a while my kids joined me and I watched them play. They were doing their usual war game although this time one side defended a small fortification. The fortification was a small fort built out of sticks and mud. Marlow, Tim and Tom defended while James, Charlie and Chester attacked.

At first James’s team seemed content to sit and wait until the defender got bored. But just as I was beginning to fall asleep myself James made a clicking noise. I looked up and saw that Charlie and Chester were sprinting towards the fort from either side.

James waited for a moment, looking for where no one was going to go. Then he was off, sprinting forward and leaping higher than I had thought possible with his small stubbly legs. He landed inside the fort and quickly began viciously biting the defenders.

Unfortunately for him he didn’t have anyone protecting his rear and proceeded to be belly flopped on by Marlow. I laughed as he gave me a wounded look and walked away to sulk. I grabbed him with my tail and pulled him in for a hug. He tried resisting but after a while he just sighed and snuggled up next to me.

After a few more minutes all of my kids were cuddled in with us. We all fell asleep soon after that. We were woken up by Tetel calmly walking towards us. The sun still wasn’t up but it would be soon.

He nodded respectfully towards me and said. “My Queen, we caught two deserters. What would you like us to do with them?” I walked towards him and said. “Walk with me.” We walked a good distance away as I leaned in and siad. “Kill them. Desertion will not be tolerated.” Tetel nodded and said. “Of course, I’ll do it myself.”

Desertion, what an idiotic idea. Soldiers think they can just leave? After others died to protect them? No. “Tetel, don’t kill them. But I want them in the front when we charge in. They’re brothers died to protect them so they could fight on. I will not let their sacrifice go in vain.” Tetel nodded and said. “Thank you, my Queen.” I just shrugged and walked back to my kids. I need some more sleep before facing the rest of the day.