Story 657: The Silence Before the Storm

The stone chamber was dimly lit, the torches flickering against the damp, aged walls. General Viktor "Bloodfang" Kruger stood in quiet contemplation, his muscular arms crossed, his head slightly lowered. It had been too long since he had allowed himself a moment like this—a moment where the chaos of war was silent.

And yet, the war still echoed in his mind.

Behind him, Sergeant Darius "Hellhound" Rook entered the chamber, his boots clicking against the cold stone. He stopped a few feet away, sensing that Kruger was lost in thought. Even the ever-brutal Rook knew better than to disturb his general when he was like this.

Finally, after a long pause, Kruger spoke.

"Do you ever wonder, Rook, what we were before all of this?"

Rook hesitated, then let out a sharp breath. "Before? I was nothing. Just another soldier following orders that meant nothing. And now? Now we fight for something greater."