Hamilcar's call to assemble the war council spread instantly through the camp, as everyone who was summoned rushed to his tent, and among those who were currently hurrying in that direction was non other than Barrafin; Patriarch of the Dolgun clan.
Yet he looked so different from the proud, confident man he was a few weeks ago. His back, once so straight and upright, like a valiant spear, now hunched ever so slightly as though an unimaginable weight stubbornly clung to it. His steadfast smile, one that shined true even in the most hopeless of situations, empowering his allies with boundless confidence, had now all but disappeared from his facial dictionary, leaving his face vacant of any semblance of joy. But worst of all, were his eyes. His once lively eyes now looked as destitute as the deserts of the Eclipse Empire, all but abandoned by the youthful light of hope they once held.
