Triumph in Dulo: Squads Xalarin and Manara vs. Ardunean Cultists

The entire squad was waiting for the attack. Whether it was going to be a surprise attack, or a full assault was the question.

The night passed without event, and at dawn Ardenese soldiers emerged from the woods. They marched across the field towards our position in pairs of two, with their rifles slung over their shoulder.

"So they aren't going to rush us." Sergeant Manara muttered. "They're gonna walk right up to us, bold as you like."

"Look at them, Sarge." Corporal Lufra said. "They look half-dead." He was scowling at them, and he wasn't wrong. The Ardunean soldiers had dark circles under their eyes and looked even paler than they usually did.

"I'm not sure, but I think I heard something about them being sick all week, maybe longer." I told him. "Maybe that's why they haven't attacked yet."

"That'd explain why there are so many of them hanging back in the woods." Corporal Lufra said. He turned to our medic, Private Xivirar Tazasco. "What do you think?"

Xivirar shrugged. "I don't know what could be making them sick. Could be food poisoning, could be some kind of plague…" He trailed off when he saw my expression, which was probably more disgusted than anything else. "Sorry, I'll leave medical matters to your Lieutenant and Captain." He turned back to his weapons belt and checked his sidearm for the umpteenth time since we'd been deployed here yesterday afternoon. The rest of us were also double checking our gear - everyone's sidearm primed and ammo reserves topped off.

We'd set up camp on top of a small hill that overlooked a plain leading down into a valley where the Ardunean Army was encamped. We'd been able to see some activity yesterday afternoon when scouts returned to report an enemy force several times larger than ours had moved into the valley during the night, but we hadn't seen any movement this morning until now. Maybe they were still too sick to move around? Or perhaps they'd decided to wait us out? If they were waiting us out then their patience would run out soon enough because we didn't have much left in terms of supplies or rounds of ammunition left in our packs. Our lieutenant had said we were going to hold our ground until supplies arrived or reinforcements showed up, whichever came first but something told me that it might end up being both at once if things went badly for us here today...