The battlefield was still smoldering, the air thick with smoke and the stench of the dead. Sergeant Darius "Hellhound" Rook pressed a bloodied hand against his cracked ribs, forcing himself to stand. The brutal clash between General Kruger and Baron Kane had left a trail of destruction, yet neither monster had fallen.
The dust settled just enough for Rook to spot a figure moving through the wreckage. A man in a red beret.
His heart clenched. It was Captain Adrian Wolfe.
Once a respected soldier, now a ghost from the past.
Wolfe's eyes gleamed with sharp intelligence as he stepped forward, his black tactical vest dusted with ash. "Rook," he said, his voice steady, but laced with something... off. "You look like hell."
Rook spat blood. "Yeah, well… hell's got better company."
Wolfe smirked, but the expression didn't reach his eyes. "You shouldn't be here."
Rook's grip tightened around his last combat knife. "And you should be dead."
Wolfe sighed. "You always were stubborn."
In a flash, he drew his sidearm.
Rook barely dodged. The bullet grazed his shoulder, and pain exploded through his arm. Wolfe wasn't here to talk.
Rook rolled behind cover, heart pounding. Why was Wolfe fighting for Kruger? Had the legendary soldier fallen to the Overlord's corruption, or was there something darker at play?
No time to think. Wolfe was already moving.
Rook sprang from cover, knife flashing. Wolfe countered, twisting his arm with brutal efficiency and sending the blade clattering to the ground. A punch to the ribs. Another to the jaw. Rook barely stayed on his feet.
Damn. Wolfe hadn't lost his edge.
Rook wiped blood from his mouth. "Why are you helping Kruger?"
Wolfe cocked his head, his expression unreadable. "Because I know the truth."
Before Rook could react, Wolfe lunged, slamming him into a crumbling wall. "You think Kruger's the monster?" he growled. "You don't even know who you're really fighting."
Rook gritted his teeth, struggling against Wolfe's strength. "Then enlighten me."
A sudden explosion interrupted them—Kane and Kruger were still locked in their deathmatch, their battle shaking the ruins.
Wolfe exhaled sharply, his grip loosening just enough for Rook to break free. The two men stood there, staring each other down.
Finally, Wolfe spoke. "This war isn't what you think, Rook. If you really want to stop Kruger… you're going to have to make a choice you won't like."
He stepped back into the shadows, disappearing before Rook could respond.
Rook clenched his fists. A choice he wouldn't like?
Whatever was coming… it was bigger than he imagined.