Not Ordinary

"Impeccable work, as usual," commended the man behind the desk. He was Beladen, the city lord of Evenfall, and Ullen's superior. He slid a few papers across the desk's surface, indicating to Ullen to pick them up. "But I hope you don't have any plans to relax for the day. We need you."

Ullen picked up the small stack of paper with as expressionless a face as always, reading over them at a speed neither too fast nor too slow. It was a report on the casualties suffered recently, the resources lost, and several other technical statistics.

When he finished, he set the papers back down on the desk.

"It's getting worse," he said matter-of-factly.

"That it is," sighed the man behind the desk. "Despite our best efforts, that day is coming closer and closer. At this point, the higher-ups have decided to forego delaying it in favor of cleaning up the Preludes and amassing what forces we have in preparation.