Alora's POV:
"Go safely, my daughter. May THE LORD lead you back unharmed," my mom says, tears dropping from her beautiful green eyes.
"Don't miss me too much, my queen," I try to mask my emotions, but my unstable voice betrays me.
This is my first S class mission, meaning it's highly classified—our destination unknown. I try not to think too much about it, but worry sinks deep into my bone.
The pain of my fiancée going missing few months ago still weighs heavy on my heart—my mom has been the only reason why I've been sane till now. I have to leave her behind—this isn't the first time but this is the heaviest. No one knows his whereabouts. He's is one of the reasons why I've been pushing forward in this ruthless unforgiving world. I have to keep going, regardless. My adoptive mother is already worried about me, and now I'm being sent on a mission I know nothing about.
"Sergeant!!" a familiar voice yells, snapping me back to reality.
"The mission is simple," the lieutenant says. "Go in, get clips of the environment, keep your gear on so we can track you and see what you see."
"what exactly are we looking for sir?" My voice echoes through the heavy sound of the roaring helicopter.
"You're to look for this," he flashes a painting of a weird look red flower at me, then my crew—he continues, "Your suits are specially made for this mission—follow the instructions and drill you were given before the mission and you'll be fine."
That's all he says.
"Yes sir!" We yell in agreement to him. Not knowing what we're about to encounter—one thing I'm sure of is that something is definitely off about this mission.
We enter an isolated zone—a thick forest. The atmosphere feels different, charged with electricity. My skin crawls, and my hair stands on end, like I've stepped too close to high voltage.
My blood-red hair is packed back. Red eyes scans the environment—something that usually freaks people out, so I avoid eye contact whenever I can. I usually wear lenses to hide them.
But my case is different. My eye color affects the lenses, tinting them slightly red.
I anxiously bow my head in prayer.
"Dear LORD, I owe You a lot. Let this mission not be my last and my life not a payment for my never ending debt. I will win once again. Amen."
We reach the drop zone. The air is thick—unsettling. Massive trees, twisted unnaturally, towering like ancient pillars. We put on our goggles and activate our enhanced vision.
It's already evening. I can tell the sun is setting faster than normal. This environment is nothing like home. I've been to forests, and mountains, but this place feels different—yet familiar, and deeply wrong. Its ecosystem is… off.
Our heavy-lift transport helicopter descended into the clearing. We step out geared and armed.
I take deep breaths in and out—the air is also different in ways I can't explain. I look around me—no one seems to notice anything about the place like I do.
"Jeff! Jeff!! Do you notice the difference in atmosphere?" I ask one of my closest comrades.
"Nahhh," he says plainly, confirming my earlier thought.
Our commanders issue orders through comms, drones hovering above us to capture aerial footage. Fear sits heavy in my chest.
After about thirty minutes of following the map, a voice comes through.
"Sergeant, turn on your night vision and stay alert. We just spotted it—The real show is about to start."
Very weird statement to me. I swallow hard, raise my weapon, and scan the area. My vision sharpens. My hearing intensifies. One of the things that makes me stand out is my ability to see and hear clearer than a lot of people.
Just then, I see it.
"Did you guys see that?" I whisper, crouching a bit as I move slowly forward, anticipating its return.
I see it again—this time in full darkness.
In my four years in the military, this is my first time leading such an elite team and issuing orders to fellow sergeants.
"stay close behind me."
Our night-vision goggles are active, the weapons, suits and equipments we carry are unlike anything I've ever held before.
As darkness deepens, the forest brightens.
The moon rises—full and glorious.
My eyes scan the entire forest. Fast and swift. I catch another glimpse of it. "It looks… human."
I signal my team into formation.
Flashback to what the Admiral said before departure, "You're the best of the best—handpicked for this mission. You'll be rewarded beyond expectation if this goes well."
Something approach's from behind.
My eyes stay locked on my optics. My heartbeat thunders. Before I can turn—I hear screams. And just like that, two of my men are gone.
"What just happened?" I question.
"What was that?" Jeff screams. "Did you see that thing?!"
"Negative. Negative, Sergeant," the radio echoes.
We form a defensive circle instantly.
The coms come to life, "stay alert!"
Every one of us is locked in, weapons raised. My finger rests on the trigger—just waiting for a target.
Just something to shoot at—anything. The fear deepens even into my bone marrow.
Then something sweeps past me—too fast to track.
Another man vanishes.
Could it be advanced technology? I think to my self.
"Whatever this is, its movements are impossibly fast and powerful. The rush of air it leaves behind nearly knocks me off balance every time," I whisper into the radio.
"What the hell is out there?" One of my men shouts.
We are all terrified. Even Jeff—one of the bravest men I've ever fought beside—is terrified, but I force myself to stay focused. If I freeze, I'm next.
"We keep moving," I say. "This mission depends on us. Those taken—we either rescue them… or avenge them."
I try to convince myself and my team.
Then I realize I'm lying to myself—I see gut trails on the floor. A lone boot on the floor covered In red, and that is when the strong scent hit me—metallic and raw, sharp like rusted iron soaked in heat. It clings to the air, heavy and unmistakable, stirring something primal in my lungs before my mind can catch up—blood. My body acts on its own instantly, and I step back.
"Are those claw marks?" someone screams.
The rush comes again.
Another long scream that gets distant—then silence.
Blood splashes on me.
"We have to retreat and regroup!" I sneer. "We stand no chance against whatever this is!"
"Stand your ground, Sergeant. I repeat—stand your ground," the satellite voice commands.
One of us protests, "Did you see that? This is a bloodbath and you expect us to—"
She is taken mid-sentence. Even the drones come crashing down.
I turn sharply—and to the east, I see two glowing dots.
"Are those…Eyes?"
I back away slowly, careful not to make a sound.
We are elite ground troops—fourteen of us. One of us can do enough damage to at least a hundred man squad. And we've lost about half the team without firing a single shot. Not once does anyone get a clear sight to shoot.
I slowly switch off my goggles.
That's when I see it clearly. My vision and hearing instinctively gets sharper than ever.
"That thing is alive," I whisper into the radio.
It growls as it approaches. The growls stir up something within me.
I drop flat slowly, aiming carefully. The closer it comes, the more I realize how massive it truly is. It only looks close because of its size.
Damn—it's enormous!! I wanted to say it out loud but I couldn't make a sound.
Before I can blink, it vanishes.
As the sigh of relief was about to escape my lips—
I realize it's right behind me.