A Demon's Playground (2)

Like a ghost in the snow, she weaved between them in silence. She didn't strike. Not yet. Instead, she reached out with precision, snatching helmets right off their heads before they even realized she was there.

Then, chaos erupted.

"What the hell was that?!"

"Where's your helmet?!"

"What?! I—I was just wearing it a second ago!"

"Something's here! It's like a demon!"

They spun in circles, weapons raised, eyes darting wildly. Fear crept in, the unknown far more terrifying than a visible enemy.

Their captain, a grizzled man in his forties, barked over the rising panic. "You, Private! Keep moving, don't stop!"

The nineteen-year-old soldier stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat.

The bodies of his three fallen comrades lay sprawled before him, their blood staining the snow. They hadn't even had time to mourn. And yet, his captain still barked out the order and still expected him to move forward.