Death was inevitable.

The crackle of the radio came to life, burdening all who heard it to the news we had desperately hoped not to hear.

“Artillery launch preparations detected on your position, Commander. Air patrol cannot engage.”

In other words, we were doomed. No air defence, no surface-to-air missiles. Even if we survived the barrage, we were all on the cusp of survival.

No food. No water. Couple rounds of ammuntion. An attack from an enemy platoon would have been the end of us. Hardly able to stand up as it was, let alone fire a weapon.

The radio crackles again.

“Enemy artillery incoming. Be advised, enemy artillery incoming.”

Distant booms sound in the distance.

Not the worst place to die. Beautiful mountains. Clear sky. Green grass. If not for the war, I’d have probably taken a little time out here. Bring the kids for an adventure.

I let out a long sigh. There was no more fight left in me to give.

A shell fizzed through the air.

Shock rang through my skull.

Deafening explosions filled my ears, thundering through every fibre of my body as I collapsed to the ground, unable to find any balance.

As the barrage’s volume began to quieten, I realised I was still intact. I couldn’t see or hear a damn thing over the ringing.

But I was alive.

I scrambled to my knees, looking around me as my senses started to clear. We were all alive. Not a single one of us had been injured.

What on god’s green earth could have saved—

I was greeted with the answer to my question.

The mountain had moved. Or rather, the foot of the mountain had shifted to shield us from the barrage, blocking the damage entirely.

This was no mountain.

It rose further from its slumber, rumbling to life as it began to stand up to full height.

My men stood back in awe at the creature as I fumbled with the radio, trying to contact command to attempt a description at what was transpiring.

“General?”

“Commander. You’re still alive?”

“There’s something…I have no words, General.”

“What is it, Commander?”

“You aren’t going to believe this.”