Retreat

"Your Majesty! Terrible things have happened!" A shriek filled a dark room. One that was familiar to this particular messenger. 

The dark and shadowy atmosphere here was one that he was accustomed to. 

"What happened, Belhondir? Why are you so worried?" The king was seated this time. 

Seated in a throne that was far too big for a man of such stature. But Belhondir didn't dare say a thing about it.

"The battalion that you sent, Your Majesty! They came back!" 

"That is a good thing, is it not? I told you, they were over kill for these intruders. Yet you were the one who kept pushing to send them to the front lines. Such a waste of time." The king brushed it off. 

"That wasn't the problem, Your Majesty! They came back injured! More then two thirds of them vanquished, and the captain almost died! He had to use his sacrificial move to survive. This battalion its dead now!" Belhondir said.