The heat was suffocating in the narrow valley as Ace’s squad pressed forward. Each step carried an underlying tension, the weight of unseen eyes heavy on their backs. Somewhere in these hills, the Sons of Liberation lurked, their ambushes striking with precision and vanishing like smoke.
The mission was straightforward: flush out a stronghold believed to house a key leader of the Sons. But with every skirmish, the squad was learning that the Sons weren’t acting alone. Their equipment was too advanced, their movements too calculated. Someone was pulling the strings.
---
Rohen crouched behind a jagged boulder, peering through his binoculars at the small outpost nestled into the rockface ahead. Becca was beside him, plasma rifle resting on her knee as she watched for movement.
Ace kept low, his heart pounding in his ears. The rocky terrain provided little cover, and every shadow felt like an enemy waiting to strike.
“Two guards at the main entrance, another patrolling the ridge,” Rohen whispered, lowering his binoculars. “Becca, take the ridge. Ace, you’re with me. We’ll flank from the left.”
Becca nodded, slinging her rifle over her shoulder as she began her climb. Ace followed Rohen, his grip tightening on his weapon.
“You good, Private?” Rohen asked, glancing back at him.
“Yes, sir,” Ace replied, his voice steady despite his nerves.
“Stay close. This one’s going to get messy.”
---
The approach was slow and methodical, the squad moving like shadows through the rugged terrain. The first shot came from Becca—a single plasma bolt that dropped the ridge guard silently.
Then all hell broke loose.
The Sons of Liberation erupted from hidden positions, plasma fire streaking through the air. The squad scattered, diving for cover as the outpost turned into a battlefield.
Rohen barked orders, his voice cutting through the chaos. “Suppressive fire! Push forward!”
Ace obeyed, firing in controlled bursts as he advanced. The Sons were relentless, their attacks coordinated and unyielding.
“Rohen!” Becca’s voice came over the comm. “They’ve got reinforcements coming from the north!”
Rohen’s jaw tightened. “We can’t hold this position. Fall back to the choke point and regroup!”
The squad began to pull back, their retreat chaotic under the relentless fire. Rohen stayed at the rear, covering their withdrawal.
---
As the squad reached the choke point, an explosion rocked the valley. Ace was thrown to the ground, his ears ringing as debris rained down. He scrambled to his feet, his eyes searching for Rohen.
The squad leader was still in the thick of it, firing from behind cover as the Sons closed in.
“Rohen, we have to go!” Becca shouted, her voice frantic.
“Go!” Rohen yelled back, his weapon blazing. “I’ll hold them off!”
Ace hesitated, his feet rooted to the ground. Becca grabbed his arm, pulling him back.
“He’s giving us a chance, Ace. Don’t waste it!”
With a heavy heart, Ace followed, retreating with the rest of the squad as the sounds of battle raged behind them.
---
When they finally regrouped at the extraction point, the squad was battered and silent. Becca’s face was grim as she tended to a wounded soldier, her usual sharpness dulled by the loss.
Ace sat on a rock, his weapon resting across his lap. His mind was a storm of guilt and anger. Rohen had been their anchor, the one who held them together. Now he was gone.
“Report,” came a commanding voice.
The squad turned as a senior officer approached, flanked by a pair of intelligence agents in dark uniforms.
Becca stood, her expression hard. “We lost Rohen. The Sons ambushed us at the outpost. They were waiting for us.”
The officer frowned, his gaze heavy. “This isn’t just a guerilla force. The Sons are being supplied—funded, even—by an outside nation. We’ve confirmed their backing comes from the Republic of Vessan.”
The name sent a chill through the squad. Vessan was a powerful nation on the Kingdom’s watchlist, one that had long opposed its growing influence.
“They’re using the Sons as a proxy,” the officer continued. “Every ambush, every stronghold—it’s all part of a larger plan to destabilize this region.”
Becca’s fists clenched. “So what’s the plan now?”
The officer’s expression darkened. “We take the fight to them. Command’s approved a full-scale operation to dismantle the Sons and their Vessan support network. But it’s going to be a long, bloody campaign.”
---
As the squad prepared to move out, Ace felt a heavy weight settle on his shoulders. The loss of Rohen left a void, one that no one seemed eager to fill.
Becca approached him, her voice quiet. “Rohen believed in you, Ace. Don’t forget that.”
Ace nodded, his jaw tightening. “I won’t.”
But as they marched into the unknown, Ace couldn’t shake the feeling that this war was only just beginning. And the cost would be far greater than any of them imagined.
YOU ARE READING
Eternal.
Science Fiction"They stood with us, side by side, Fighting through battles as the nights got colder. Their blades once lit up the battlefield, And their voices were strong-but now, it's quiet. I can still remember the way they laughed, The way they'd charge into t...
