Story 671: Blood and Rebirth

The air around General Viktor "Bloodfang" Kruger crackled with an unseen force, waves of heat distorting his silhouette as he stepped forward from the ruin. His once-pristine uniform hung in scorched tatters, his tactical vest barely intact. But the most terrifying change wasn’t the destruction left in his wake—it was the new power radiating from within him.

Sergeant Darius "Hellhound" Rook fought the instinct to step back, but he could feel it—the unnatural energy pulsating from Kruger’s body. The undead soldiers at his side twitched, their decayed bodies reacting to something primal, something beyond their programming.

Kruger’s eyes, once cold and calculating, now glowed with a deep crimson hue.

"Status report," he commanded, his voice a raw snarl.

Rook hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "The explosion was heavier than expected. Morales escaped. We have scouts tracking her movements."