The soldiers sat atop the mountain, staring out at the horizon. This mountain was chosen primarily as a vantage point, though many soldiers wished that it didn’t serve its purpose this well. That clear night, the horizon was bathed in bright, orange light, and covered in grey clouds. Communications from those distant cities had stopped long ago, and it was too late for the troops to mobilize.
They looked at each other, and nodded. It was over.
Carter's Compendium 