The Wind of Karelia

Act 1: Snowdrift

Animals swept quickly through the ice covered forests, trees dropping snow left and right, and the wind howled through the foliage of the snowy landscape. The quiet snowflakes fell, only meeting the low rumbling of the damp soil below them. Eventually, the shaking from the ground slowed down, and humbly came to a stop.

"Alright. Let's sit here for a while. Feel free to relax for a bit, but keep your eyes out for the enemy."

A squad of infantry disembarked from the top of a tank destroyer, settling down around the premises of their makeshift base. Eventually, the rest of their company showed up, and they set up camp. The sun slowly started to set as the soldiers put up tents, cooked dinner, and eventually, laid down to rest. The stars glimmered in the sky, with clouds periodically blocking the shine as the cold swept over the unit of soldiers.

The winters were harsh here in the east, it was like a hellscape of frostbite and icy winds. But that didn't stop the army from moving onwards. Day after day, after day. But this one morning, something broke that chain of boring repetition.

WHIRRRRRRRR....... BOOM! BOOM! BANG!

"Fuck! Run for the treeline! Hide!"

Soldiers scrambled, hiding in dug-ins, behind rocks, and under whatever they could find as bullets came raining down along with the deathly sound of fighters, attackers, and other aeronautical vehicles filling the once quiet Finnish sky. As flashes of green, red, and white splashed the skies, Soviet fighter jets about as they strafed the soldiers down below, the 2nd Lieutenant of the platoon got on the radio and started to shout.

"Where is he?! Anti Air, get off your ass and start shooting!"

"I can't see him! The clouds are too thick!"

Another officer jumped into a foxhole, gripping the radio as he looked up.

"Ilmatuki! Tarvitsen ilmatukea!" - Air support, we need air support!

Propellers whirred as the Red Starred Avenger swerved above the trees, passing over on one last strafing run over the camp. The lieutenant's eyes turned wise as the machine guns pointed straight at him, strafing the ground as he started to run. This was surely the end of the young officer.

FWOOM!

All of a sudden, the fighter's shots were silenced. The plane burst into flames as it passed over the heads of the fearful soldiers. Forces on the ground stood still as-

BOOM!

Ouch. The aircraft that was just terrorizing them had flown out of sight, and out of mind. Now, one could assume all that was left was a heaping ball of fire, burning off further in the forest. All was silent. All was calm. Slowly, soldiers and officers started to come out of hiding to assess the damages.

"Who shot him down?!"

Cried a sergeant, picking up his field cap, ridden with bullet holes as the sky cleared up. He turned his head up, the rays of the sun glistening over the fresh snow. It was as if nothing just happened. The NCO squinted, as a familiar sound filled the air.

NNNNNEEEEEEEOOOOUUUWWWWMMM!

Flying over the clearing caused by the munitions of the enemy came the saviour of the company. Donning the iconic blue and white air force symbol of Finland, whizzing above them came a single plane. 200, maybe 300 metres above them, the sole bird in the sky, a German Bf-109 G, made its presence seen as soldiers cheered with joy. The air force finally came in clutch.

"This is Joki Company, we sustained minor casualties, but we're overall fine. Thank you, pilot!"

"You're damn welcome. Now get artillerymen that know what they're doing, so your anti aircraft guns actually have a use."