The frozen Eastern Front was a sinister place, the sky dark and heavy with unease, mirroring the stark terrain below. A harsh gust of wind cut through the frigid air as Major Svetlana Dmitriev led her troops forward. Her gaze was unyielding; she knew this place offered no mercy.
Lieutenant Boris approached, visibly nervous as he delivered the disturbing news.
“Major, the reports are worsening… things don’t seem like they’ll get better.”
A map of intercepted transmissions near the northern mountains showed unusual activity—some kind of “ritual” inside a supposed “fortress” that defied conventional understanding. The news confirmed Svetlana’s suspicions: powerful enemy mages were involved.
Despite the unease creeping into her thoughts, Svetlana refused to be overshadowed by anything she couldn’t control.
“Boris, prepare my battalion,” she ordered. “We’re going to investigate. I need to know what’s on that mountain.”
As they advanced toward the mountains, the environment grew increasingly hostile. The snowfall intensified, and the air became unnaturally thick and silent as the winds died away. A scout soon spotted the source of the abnormalities: a structure carved into the mountain, radiating a dark, deliberate energy.
Svetlana felt something was wrong. She knew she should retreat, but she ignored her instincts and ordered her troops to move in.
Suddenly, the mountain trembled violently, sending soldiers stumbling. An explosion of magic erupted from the fortress peak. A black figure emerged. As it raised a hand, a blast of energy consumed the soldiers closest to the base in an otherworldly fire, reducing them to husks within seconds.
“Fall back!” Boris screamed, terror in his voice. But Svetlana remained motionless, her grip tightening around her rifle.
“No,” she said. “We’re not retreating.”
The figure descended from the tower, its movements unnatural. Its face remained hidden, but Svetlana felt its gaze—cold, knowing, almost familiar. A chilling, mocking voice addressed her.
“Warrior from the Empire. You are far from your home. This is not your fight, and it never will be.”
Svetlana’s eyes burned with rage. “I don’t care who or what you are. I will go to great lengths to win.”
Before she could order an attack, a ripple of magic shot toward her. The impact sent her flying backward, her vision blurring. She gasped for air—the atmosphere felt too thick to breathe. As she struggled to regain her balance, she realized this monster was something else entirely.