The mindless, suicidal charge of endless Goblins continues on for almost two hours before it finally comes to a stop, though this doesn’t come as a relief but is instead concerning.

The Goblins, even through sheer force of numbers, could only manage to make it about halfway across the airfield before they are mowed down by a rain of bullets. Regardless of their numbers, Goblins are still Goblins. Their bodies are fragile and even a low caliber bullet can cause serious damage and be far more fatale than if they were used against larger targets. And with the Goblins lack of proper armor, the high caliber rounds of our machine guns are tearing through them like they are made of wet paper.

The problem now, is that they have stopped their suicidal charge and are now hiding in the forest; movement in the shadows hinting at activity deep within. It is when the presence of several Fields brushes up against the defenders that it become clear that the dumb little Goblins are being held back now by orders from their smarter and more evolved kin.

I quickly call into my radio, “Enemy mages have arrived, number unknown.”

The call comes back, “Hold position for now, coordinate with the snipers and prioritize elimination of high priority targets.”

“Copy.”

As soldiers run around delivering fresh containers of our limited ammunition and doing quick maintenance on the machine guns, we keep an eye on the tree line, feeling for the presence of the mages’ Fields.

Hard to figure them out at this distance, they aren’t close enough to tell apart yet. Can’t even get an accurate count of how many there are, or what elements they use.

More calls come in, thermals showing that the Goblins are spreading out more to surround us from the east and west. There is a lot of movement out there, and trees are starting to fall with the sounds of chopping wood. Other noises mix in, like the breaking of metal and something like a car getting ripped apart. As more trees start to go down, birds fly away in a fright, loudly making calls at those down below.

While the Goblins are doing their work, our side is making their own preparations, spreading out our forces to better cover our flanks. Mortars are quickly being set up nearby and are waiting to go, though our supply of mortar rounds is few. All of our ammunition and weapons had to be carried here by hand when this place was getting set up, so our reserves are drastically lower than that of home. The mortars won’t be used unless they are absolutely needed. If it wasn’t for the fact that this place just recently received a fresh shipment of ammunition in preparation for this, we would have already run out of bullets by now.

“Makes me wish we still had jets. Just one carpet run could blast them out of there. Imagine if we still had napalm, could burn their little green asses out of there.” Sam complains as she impatiently waits for the fighting to start up again.

“I don’t think napalm would be a good idea. What if they have a fire mage, they could take control of the fire and use it against us, right?”

“Ahh, magic is bullshit…”

“I don’t want to hear that from the one that is closest to being able to use it amongst us. Don’t be complaining.” I tell her.

“Yeah, but then it will be my bullshit. If anything, I have the most right to complain about it amongst everyone here. If you guys want to be able to complain about magic, then you guys need eat your monster meat like good little boys so you can grow up big and strong like me and Lain.” Sam jokes.

“Monster meat isn’t like eating our vegetables; we aren’t being picky.” Xanders says.

“Oh? So, then you have a good reason to not eat it?” Sam asks like she a mother at a dinner table.

“Well… I mean… It’s just weird, ok? Just seems gross…”

“But eating chickens and cows isn’t? Sounds like being picky to me.”

“It’s not!... Anyways, I bet it tastes gross. You’ve seen how some of those things look. A lot of them are covered in tumors and stuff…” Xanders says, looking grossed out.

Sam just gives him a curious look. “They taste fine though? I got some of that t-rex thing that Lain brought back. They have so much of it still on ice. Barbecue that shit, add some good sauce, and it tastes pretty good. Tastes just like chicken. Had it with some coleslaw and a baked potato.” Sam says with a shrug.

“So, what, all monsters just taste like chicken?”

“The ones I’ve tried so far, yeah. Although, I am pretty sure that t-rex is just a mutated chicken, so that one doesn’t really count…”

“What kind have you ate so far? Xander asks curiously, but before Sam can answer, I interrupt.

“Wait, why are calling Lain by her name now? I thought you were calling her Demon Queen, or I guess, Boss, since she put that curse on you.” I ask.

“Because she’s not here? Duh.” Sam answers like it is the most obvious answer. “There is no point if she isn’t here to tease. Besides, I stopped actually calling her that a while ago.”

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“What you mean? I know she ordered you to call her Boss if you try to call her anything other than her name, but…”

“Yeah, so I’ve switched to just calling her Boss now.” Sam says with a cheeky smile and a little blush.

“Wait, so when you say Boss, you aren’t trying to call her Demon Queen anymore?”

“Nope, hahaha. When I call her Boss, I actually mean Boss. She still thinks I am doing the other thing, but I’m not anymore. Now, Boss is Boss, because she is my Boss. Hahahaha!” Sam laughs triumphantly.

Xander just looks at her like she is stupid. “You know, Lain does prefer that people just use her name, right?”

“Yes, but only I get to call her Boss. So that makes it special. Plus, she still thinks I’m doing the other thing, which makes it fun. If she wants me to call her Lain, she’ll have to drag me into bed first and pull the words from my lips~”

Frank off to the side. “Sam, put on some warmer clothes before I chuck you in a fire.”

“Ah, sorry, sorry, no horny… Damn cold…”

As Sam is digging a scarf out of her bag, I have to ask. “So, what, Boss is like your nickname for her now?”

“I guess?”

“Wait, I thought nicknames where just supposed to be shorter or cuter versions of someone’s name? Boss is a title, not a nickname.” Xander asks.

“Boss can be a nickname; I think it’s cute. Especially for a little Devil. Oh! I wonder how she would look in a business suit!? Maybe I should dress up like a secretary, wouldn’t that be fun?” Sam says excitedly as she snuggles into her scarf and puts some fresh hand warmers into her pockets, her long tail wagging happily behind her.

With the noise of the Goblins doing their work in the background, Sam turns towards me and suddenly says, “Enough about me. Nathaniel, I heard that you started dating that cute nurse. What was her name? Hope, right? How that going? You get laid yet?”

“Ah!?”

Getting caught off guard, I can’t stop myself from blushing a bit in surprise.

“We… We’re taking things slow. I don’t want to rush into anything… But she’s really great, and I like spending time with her.”

“Ah, so you’re still a virgin. So, what, she just not interested or something?” Sam asks with a teasing smile.

“I’m not… Mrmrr…”

Frank cuts in before Sam can say anything. “Sam, don’t pick on him. Nathaniel, there is no shame in it, so don’t be embarrassed.”

“I’m not embarrassed!” I lie, totally being embarrassed. “And it’s not that she doesn’t want to… It’s just. I’m worried that I might hurt her…”

Sam looks me over and gives a knowing smile, while Xander just looks up at the clouds like he isn’t a part of this conversation right now. “Ah, I see, I see~ Tools too big for the hole you’re trying to fill. Don’t worry, some girls are into that, hahahaha~”

Frank cuts in again. “Sam, more pocket warmers.”

“She shakes her head angrily like she is trying to knock her brain loose. “Ah! Sorry, sorry! Can’t wait till winter is over…”

Grabbing more pocket warmers, she stuffs a couple in her scarf. I just turn away from her so she can’t see me blushing…

“Sure would be nice if the Goblins would hurry up already. How long are they going to take?” I ask, desperate for a change of subject.

Xander answers, “Bad thing about a siege. The attacker can take as long as they want, and the defenders have to just sit and wait. We could send out forces to disrupt them, but then we risk an ambush.”

“Mhh…”

With the four of just sitting there against the sandbags, waiting for things to get moving again, Sam now bundled up under a couple of blankets and looking toasty, our conversation slowly dissolves to just random bullshitting, talking about stuff we have seen around base or about what people are up to. Apparently, one of the newer farms in the east expansion has decided to try and start raising cattle again, willing to take the risk of having their cows mutating into giant things. It seems like mutant cows aren’t hostile and won’t attack people unless provoked, but the issue is the fact that they are as big as a house. So, keeping one in a fence, or even a barn for that matter, is almost impossible. Forget even trying to keep a herd of them. But people want to be able to eat steak and cheeseburgers again -This is America after all. - and are probably getting sick and tired of having only goat milk as their dairy option. And, in the case of one of the cows randomly mutating, I guess the farmers figure that they can just sell it to us or the Kobolds, or anyone of the few people that are slowly warming up to the idea of eating monster meat. It doesn’t help that the Kobolds have been having giant monster barbeque parties almost every other day, the smell of grilled meat reaching any person even remotely close to their area. Add to the fact that meat has become a scarcity with most farmers not wanting to risk raising livestock and hunters not being able to bring back nearly enough deer or other game, and people are becoming more and more tempted to risk eating the stuff.

A house sized cow, that would make a very big steak… Would need a very big grill though…

“We’ve got movement!” Someone yells.

Turning to look over the sandbags, we look down at the tree line and find that the Goblins are doing stuff again. There is still a lot of noise out there, but it seems like they are finally ready to go.

“Welp, time to get back to work then.” I say as we get back up.

Frank calls out for everyone on the roof to hear, “Up and at it lads! Smoke breaks over, back to work!”

Everyone rushes to their stations, rifles getting chambered, and safeties clicked off as everyone readies their weapons for more Goblins to come rushing out of the woods and to their deaths.

The first of the Goblins show themselves, rushing out in small groups with what seems to be hastily improvised shields. Long flat cuts of trees held as a group over their heads, or even some using car doors ripped off from the many wrecks that still litter the streets everywhere as rotting corpses of rusting metal and sun-bleached plastics. Dozens of these groups lead the charge, the little green Goblins billowing out war cries as they charge across the field.

“Really? I guess we should be impressed they thought to make shields…” Xander comments, looking a bit astonished.

“Doesn’t matter, bullets still win, OPEN FIRE!” Frank calls out.

Machine guns open up and target the shields. Wood gets reduced to flying splinters and metal and plastic becomes Swiss cheese, blood blossoming out from behind their covers as the little things scream out in pain. If we were all using nothing but pistols, their shield might have worked, but at this range and with the weapons we are using, their cover just isn’t going to cut it. Within moments, their groups of shield bearers get reduced to a mess on the floor, the Goblins quickly making a retreat back into the cover of the woods as their leaders blow in horns.

“Well, so much for that… Back to waiting I guess.” Xander comments, looking a little bored.

“Doesn’t matter. Our job is to stall the enemy for as long as we can, not to eliminate them. Let them take as long as they want.” Frank says as we all return to sitting against the sandbags to bullshit.

Sam digs out a granola bar to eat as she gets comfortable under her blankets again. “Hey, have you guys gone to that new tavern that just opened up?” She asks.

“The Irish pub style place? Clovers or whatever, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Nah, haven’t been their yet, is it good?”

“Eh, foods alright, but it’s good for when you need a drink. I know the owner, he’s a cool guy.”

“Nice, will have to check it out later.”