Part 1
The massive artillery cannons roared like thunder as the Corporal walked the battlements. Even now he could see their enemies attempting to approach the walls. Or at least, he thought he did. But they must hold the line, until the reinforcements came. But how long has it been now? Weeks? Months? Longer?
"Private, a moment of your time." The Corporal said to a Private who was sitting against a wall, taking a break while the battle raged.
"What's up, Adjutant?" The Private asked.
"Something is bothering me. How long have we been here now?"
"That's easy it's been... hmmm." The Private stopped. "When was the last time you ate?"
"..." The Corporal didn't say anything, but he had an uneasy look on his face.
"Thought so."
"When was the last time you slept, Private? When any of us did?"
"The last time I went to the barracks the beds were covered in cobwebs."
"I'm going to talk to the Colonel. Keep this conversation to yourself."
The Corporal walked around the Fort, taking the long way back to the Colonel's office. The barracks were cobweb covered just like the Private said. The kitchens were empty, and cold as death. When he visited the magazine though, he was simply unnerved. It was empty. What have they been firing?
When he arrived in the Colonel's Office, the Colonel looked different somehow, as if he was slowly dying, or fading away. Looking around the office, the walls were also covered in cobwebs, as if nothing had been touched in years. The Corporal approached him right away, and stared him directly in the eyes before speaking.
"How long have you known?" The Corporal asked. "How long have we been trapped in this hell, Colonel Kurtz?" The Corporal shouted at him.
"Jason, how many years have you known me?" Colonel Kurtz asked the Corporal in response, not breaking his gaze.
"A long time, Sir."
"Do you trust me?"
"Until today, with my life." Jason answered truthfully. "You know something, don't you?"
"We're dead, Jason. Every single one of us." Colonel Kurtz answered, his unblinking gaze not moving off Jason's face. I saw you die, Jason."
"So what now?" Jason asked, his voice trembling slightly.
"Order the men to stop firing. Maybe today is the day our long nightmare ends."
"What of the enemy?" Jason asked.
"How do we know they're even still out there?" Colonel Kurtz asked.
"You make a good point, old friend. I'll give the orders, Colonel." Jason said, saluting Colonel Kurtz before leaving.
Colonel Kurtz sighed after Jason left, and looked at the letter still open on his desk. He was glad Jason never read it, as it had confirmed their worst fears long ago. Reinforcements were not coming, and never could have, as their nation had collapsed. But surely somebody must still hear the cannons.
On the battlements, the rest of the garrison reacted with astonishment as Corporal Jason went around, giving the order to silence the cannons. Despite their misgivings, they listened to him, and for the first time in nearly a decade, the guns of Fort Axiom were silent.
---
Some distance away, an Ashen Empire observer noticed the cannons of Fort Axiom had fallen silent, and was screaming into a radio.
"Headquarters! Come in Headquarters! The cannons of Fort Axiom are silent! I repeat! The cannons are silent!" The observer shouted, panic in his voice.
"Observer, say again. Confirm message." The voice on the other end of the radio requested.
The observer breathed deeply several times, before speaking again, more calmly this time.
"This is Spectral Observer at Fort Axiom. The cannons have fallen silent. The artillery of Fort Axiom is no longer firing." He replied, holding up binoculars, as if hoping to get a glimpse of something. All he could see were unmanned cannons, smoking as they stood idle.
"Stand-by for instructions."