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I t had been two days since Uncle Tank's heart attack, and he was recovering in his room. His massive frame was reduced to a shadow of its former self. But despite his weakened state, his spirit remained unbroken.

The heart attack had struck during a particularly intense training session.

Uncle Tank had been demonstrating a new defensive maneuver to the soldiers when he suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed.

The training ground fell silent as everyone rushed to his aid.

The healers worked tirelessly to stabilize him, and he was carried to his room, where he had been recovering ever since.

The Beast Queen was on her way, and Uncle Tank had made it clear that he would not be lying down for it. Zelda knew what that meant. He would not be sitting this one out.

Zelda stood outside Uncle Tank's door, hesitating. She could hear the low rumble of his voice, probably issuing orders to one of the guards. Taking a deep breath, she knocked and entered.

“Uncle Tank, you need to rest,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Uncle Tank looked up from his bed, his eyes as sharp as ever. “Rest? There's no time for rest, girl. The Beast Queen is coming, and we need to be ready.”

It was useless, but the heart attack had shaken her. Against her better judgment and breaking from all training, Zelda walked over to his bedside and placed a hand on his arm. “We are ready. You’ve trained us well. But you need to take care of yourself. We can’t afford to lose you.”

He grunted, waving a dismissive hand. “I’m not dead yet. And I won’t be taken out by some heart attack. Now, tell me, what’s the status of our defenses?” He wasn’t going to back down an inch, and he wouldn’t let her, either.

Right. Zelda sighed but knew better than to argue. Argh, this hurt! “The walls are fortified, and the guards are on high alert. We have enough supplies to last a siege, and the townspeople are prepared for an evacuation if necessary.”

Uncle Tank nodded approvingly. “Good. Stay vigilant.” He looked up as Ozzy and Yarbo entered the room. “Ah. I’ll speak with you more later, Zelda.” It was a clear dismissal.

As Zelda left the room, she couldn't shake the feeling of dread that settled in her chest. She knew the battle ahead would be their toughest yet, and the thought of losing Uncle Tank was unbearable. She didn’t like that he was talking to the men alone.

It meant that whatever he was saying would be hard for her to bear.

She sat outside, holding back tears. She had a good idea what he planned.

He would take a goblin drug called Blood Willow, which would send him into a berserker rage and give him the strength to fight the Beast Queen.

But it would also kill him. With that much adrenaline pumping through his weakened heart, it would give out. This would be his last battle.

Zelda couldn't bring herself to speak, but she understood. Uncle Tank had always been fiercely protective of her and he wouldn’t let the castle fall. He had been there her whole life and was her last remaining family member aside from her sister—though some people wouldn't count her.

It wasn't just the impending death that tore at Zelda's heart; it was the end of an era. So much time spent learning and growing under Uncle Tank's guidance, now coming to an abrupt end.

Ozzy found her sitting on a bench outside, looking over the wall at the valley below. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She turned to look up at him with watery eyes. “I can't lose him,” she said simply. Even as she said it, she knew that it was going to happen.

“I know,” Ozzy said softly. “He's been here for you your whole life.”

Yarbo joined them silently, giving Zelda a wordless show of support.

She knew how she felt. It hurt incredibly, but she knew Uncle Tank. He was all about goblin honor and the warrior code. Never surrender, not to the enemy, not to sentiment, and never to the body he’d formed into a fighting machine. It was there to serve him, and it would obey.

Zelda couldn't argue with that. Death was just a doorway, and for him, it was better to go out like a lion than a lamb.

She was so proud of him, and so...blinded by tears and pain.

Ozzy gave Yarbo a look, and Yarbo nodded and left. Ozzy sat down next to Zelda and let her cry on him.

He got it, and she didn’t have to say a word.