Tundra Heroes: The First Battle

Qusay's consciousness shifted to Daniel this time, finding him on a dirt road stretching across vast plains covered in golden grass under a clear August sky. The weather was hot, but a gentle breeze softened the heat of the sun shining brightly on the ground. Daniel, an 18-year-old young man, was walking with his unit, the "Tundra Heroes," advancing toward Poltava as reinforcements for the Russian army already controlling the area. This was his first real mission, and he felt visibly anxious, though he tried to hide it. The heavy armored vehicles moved slowly, leaving clouds of dust in their wake, while strong horses pulled sleds loaded with supplies. The new faces in the unit, including Daniel, showed signs of unease and hesitation, especially as they approached an area marked by intense clashes.

Daniel walked beside one of the vehicles, trying to appear confident, but he noticed Ivan, another newcomer to the unit, who seemed even more nervous. Ivan was tall but slender, his short black hair peeking out from under his helmet. He approached Daniel and whispered, "Daniel, do you think we'll face heavy resistance in Poltava? I heard the European Union is sending elite fighters to retake the area..." Daniel looked at him, trying to sound reassuring despite his inner turmoil: "Don't worry, Ivan. We're the 'Tundra Heroes,' and we have a leader like Captain Boris. He won't let anything stand in our way. Poltava is under our control, and we're here to reinforce the defenses. Just stay calm and follow orders."

From a distance, Sergei overheard part of the conversation and approached, laughing: "Ivan, if you're scared now, what will you do when you face the enemy head-on? Maybe you should learn from Olga—she's not even afraid of polar bears!" Olga, who was walking on the other side, quickly turned to him and said dryly, "Sergei, if you put half the energy you waste on jokes into focusing on your mission, we'd be better off. Poltava isn't a picnic, and I don't want to lose anyone else to stupidity." Sergei fell silent for a moment, then whispered to Daniel, "You know, sometimes I think Olga scares me more than the enemy." Daniel chuckled softly and said, "She's just trying to keep everyone alive. Let her be."

Olga was a 17-year-old girl, sturdy with sharp gray eyes. She was one of the veterans in the unit but carried the trauma of losing her close friend in a previous battle. She often spoke bluntly but had a hidden leadership quality. Sergei, on the other hand, was a 19-year-old, short but stocky, with a light beard covering his chin. He was naturally cheerful, always trying to lighten the mood with jokes, but behind his laughter lay a deep fear of the unknown.

Captain Boris, who was walking at the front, suddenly turned and looked at the soldiers with his cold blue eyes. In a deep voice, he said, "Prepare yourselves. We're five kilometers from Poltava. There's no room for hesitation now. Our mission is to reinforce the defenses and support the troops already there. Remember, we're the 'Tundra Heroes,' and nothing will stop us." His words were enough to refocus the anxious faces, but they also heightened the tension. Daniel glanced at Ivan, who looked pale, and said, "Stay close to me. You'll be fine." Olga, who overheard the comment, muttered to herself, "Victory or death... always the same choices."

When the team reached the outskirts of Poltava, the city was in chaos. The sounds of explosions and gunfire filled the air, and thick smoke rose from burning buildings. The Russian soldiers defending the city were in retreat, trying to hold their ground against a fierce and sudden Ukrainian attack. The Ukrainian forces, backed by elite fighters, were advancing rapidly, exploiting the chaos to strengthen their positions.

Captain Boris stood on a small hill overlooking the city. His cold blue eyes gleamed with confidence as he surveyed the battlefield. He raised his hand, and the unit came to an abrupt halt. "This is the moment to show our strength. Tundra Heroes, prepare to engage!" His deep voice cut through the air like thunder, filling everyone with a surge of energy and determination.

In this war, supernatural abilities weren't exclusive to the 'Tundra Heroes.' Every soldier on the battlefield, whether Russian or Ukrainian, possessed some kind of supernatural power. However, these abilities were in their early stages and mostly common (abilities were categorized as: Common—90% of humans; Uncommon—9%; Rare—0.6%; Legendary). They were weak and not significantly impactful. Thus, both armies still relied primarily on advanced weapons and traditional military tactics, with supernatural abilities serving only as limited auxiliary tools.

But the 'Tundra Heroes' were different. Their abilities were more advanced, with some even being rare or legendary. Captain Boris, for example, despite having a common ability, had reached the second stage of his ice power, allowing him to create a stronger frost that affected a larger area. Ivan, whose ability to turn invisible was rare, had progressed from one second in the first stage (which might seem weak but could make a huge difference in critical moments if used wisely) to a full minute in the second stage. As for Daniel, he possessed a unique legendary ability (Legendary abilities were one-of-a-kind in the world, meaning no one else had them, or at least that's what humans believed): the power to grow into a giant. These superior abilities made the 'Tundra Heroes' a formidable force on the battlefield, though they still relied on advanced weapons to secure victory. Sergei and Olga, meanwhile, were in the first stage of their common abilities, but they had mastered them well to complement the team's coordination.

The first to enter the battle was Captain Boris. He raised his hands, and in an instant, the temperature around him dropped sharply. A thin layer of frost formed on the ground, making it extremely slippery. The Ukrainian forces advancing quickly began to lose their footing, while the Russian soldiers, who had been warned beforehand, moved forward cautiously. Boris shouted, "This land is tundra, and here we are the strongest!"

Qusay muttered to himself as he watched the scene, "Captain Boris seems like a true leader, but I wonder what's going through his mind. Is he really that confident, or is he hiding his fears for the sake of his team? Daniel seems eager, but I see hesitation in his steps. He knows this isn't a game."

After Boris created the frost, Olga was ready. She raised her hands, and a moderate wind began to blow. The wind was enough to push the enemies back and disorient them but not strong enough to create a full-blown storm. Olga shouted, "No one can stand against the winds of the tundra!"

As the wind worked, Sergei moved forward. His body began to partially turn to stone, making him more durable and stronger, though he hadn't reached full transformation. He ran quickly, smashing through some barriers and light vehicles. Enemies who tried to shoot at him found that bullets affected him but weren't enough to stop him. Sergei laughed loudly, "Is that all you've got?!"

While Sergei caused chaos among the enemy ranks, Ivan moved cautiously. His ability to turn invisible made him undetectable for only one minute. He used that minute to sneak behind enemy lines and blow up a small supply depot. After reappearing, he said confidently, "One minute is enough to make a difference!"

Finally, it was Daniel's turn. His heart pounded, but he took a deep breath and began to grow. Within seconds, he reached about 2.7 meters tall (roughly 1.5 times his normal height). His massive size was enough to confuse the enemies and boost the morale of the Russian soldiers. Daniel grabbed a light Ukrainian vehicle and effortlessly threw it aside. "Poltava is under our protection!" he shouted.

Qusay, who was closely observing Daniel, reflected on his legendary ability. "Daniel looks like a giant, but I see exhaustion in his eyes. This legendary ability drains his energy quickly. How long can he hold on? Ivan, on the other hand, uses his minute of invisibility wisely. He knows that small window can make all the difference."

Captain Boris directed the team with clear and firm commands. "Olga, use the wind to protect the Russian soldiers! Sergei, breach their front lines carefully! Ivan, use your invisibility to disrupt their supply lines! Daniel, target the light vehicles!" The team worked in perfect coordination, each strength complementing the other. The frost Boris created made the ground slippery, giving Olga the chance to use her wind to push the enemies back.

Daniel continued his advance amid the chaos, trying to maintain his balance on the slippery frost-covered ground. With every step, he heard the sounds of explosions growing closer. He looked around and saw Sergei smashing through another barrier with his stone fist, while Olga controlled the wind with force, constantly throwing the enemy soldiers off balance.

On the other side, Captain Boris stood and quickly assessed the situation. He noticed a large gathering of Ukrainian forces on the western side of the city and gave orders over the radio:

"Daniel, head west and start attacking the heavy vehicles. Sergei, support Daniel from the east. Olga, maintain the wind and prevent any advance from the center. Ivan, move behind their lines and monitor their movements."

Everyone responded in unison: "Under your command, Captain!"

Daniel moved with large strides until he reached the designated spot. He saw several heavy vehicles approaching the Russian front lines. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and slammed the ground, creating a powerful tremor that momentarily halted the vehicles. The Russian soldiers seized the moment to open fire and stop the enemy advance.

From a distance, Olga watched the battle, continuing to control the wind and prevent the enemies from getting closer. She whispered to herself, "We must hold on... I won't allow anyone else to be lost."

As the battle raged on, the Ukrainian forces began to realize that the "Tundra Heroes" weren't ordinary soldiers. Although their supernatural abilities were limited and relatively weak, their coordination was deadly. Each team member relied on the others to cover their weaknesses and enhance their strengths.

Daniel, still enlarged to his giant size, began to feel the strain. His ability to grow consumed his energy rapidly, and he knew he couldn't maintain this size for long. He glanced at Sergei, who was fighting with his stone fist, and signaled to him quickly. Sergei understood immediately and began moving toward Daniel to cover him.

"Daniel, return to your normal size! You can't keep this up!" Sergei shouted as he smashed through another barrier.

Daniel took a deep breath and began shrinking back to his normal size. Once he returned to his original form, he felt utterly exhausted, but there was no time to rest. He picked up his rifle and joined the Russian soldiers fighting fiercely.

Olga, still controlling the wind, noticed that the Ukrainian forces were adapting to their tactics. The wind that had been pushing them back no longer had the same effect. She shouted to Captain Boris, "Captain, they're adapting! We need something new!"

Captain Boris, standing on the hill, realized the situation required a change in strategy. He looked at Ivan, who was cautiously moving behind enemy lines, and gave him a quick signal. Ivan understood immediately and began sneaking toward another supply depot.

"Ivan, target their command post! If you can disrupt their command, we'll throw them into chaos!" Boris shouted over the radio.

Ivan, relying on his limited invisibility, moved carefully. His ability to disappear for only one minute was restrictive, but he knew that minute could change the course of the battle. When he reached the Ukrainian command post, he used his minute of invisibility to plant small explosives in the right spots. As soon as he reappeared, he fired at the explosives, causing a large explosion that destroyed part of the command post.

The explosion caused chaos among the Ukrainian ranks, giving the "Tundra Heroes" the chance to deliver a decisive blow. Captain Boris seized the moment and gave the final order: "This is the moment! Advance now!"

Daniel, who had regained some energy, joined Sergei in the frontal assault. Olga increased the strength of her wind, making it difficult for the enemies to advance. Ivan, who had returned to their lines, began firing accurately at the Ukrainian soldiers trying to regroup.

After hours of intense fighting, the Ukrainian forces began to retreat. The chaos caused by the "Tundra Heroes" was too much for them. Captain Boris stood on the hill, watching the enemy retreat with his cold blue eyes.

"We did it..." Daniel whispered, feeling utterly exhausted.

Olga, still controlling the wind, took a deep breath and finally lowered her hands. "Yes, we did it. But the battle isn't over."

Sergei, still laughing despite his fatigue, said, "I think we're going to need a long rest after this."

Captain Boris turned to his team and said in his deep voice, "You fought bravely today. But remember, this isn't the end of the war. Prepare yourselves, because the battles ahead will be tougher."

Daniel looked at Ivan, who was still pale but seemed more confident. "You were amazing back there, Ivan. That minute of invisibility changed the course of the battle."

Ivan smiled weakly and said, "Thanks, Daniel. You were incredible too."

Olga, watching them from a distance, smiled slightly. "We were a good team today. But we need to stay alert."

Sergei laughed and said, "Olga, you're always so serious. But I think we deserve some rest."

Captain Boris looked at his team and said, "Rest now. But remember, the war isn't over. And the Tundra Heroes will never surrender."

As the sun began to set, the "Tundra Heroes" paused for a moment to catch their breath. The battle was over, but the war was still ongoing. They knew they would face more challenges in the days to come. But they were ready to fight, because they were the "Tundra Heroes," and nothing would stop them.

Qusay reflected quietly, "Boris leads, Daniel endures, Ivan disappears, Sergei laughs, and Olga protects. Each of them carries a secret, and each of them pays a price. War reveals little but hides much."

Then, without adding more, Qusay shifted his consciousness away from the battlefield. He decided to direct his awareness toward a stream, wondering what he would find there. The stream had always been another mystery in his world, and he felt it was time to see how far it had come in its journey.