The morning saw the team preparing to set off on the rest of their journey.
Elijah stood apart from the others, leaning against a nearby tree, his expression thoughtful. Without warning, he clenched his fist and delivered a powerful punch to the tree trunk.
The impact made the tree shudder, sending a cascade of green leaves spiraling to the ground.
He withdrew his hand, inspecting the clean fist shaped imprint left behind. A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
"At this rate I should be able to hold my own against the Lieutenant, even if she decides to go crazy again."
Satisfied with his progress, Elijah stepped away, rejoining the group.
---
The team continued their trek through the forest.The enemy base sat at the edge of the woods, concealed behind thick wooden spikes.
With the mountain at their backs, the enemy would never suspect an approach from this angle. It was the kind of audacity only a small team of Umbrals renowned for their lack of strategic acumen could pull off.
While the main army clashed in the open fields, this so called suicide squad quietly navigated the shadows. They wouldn't make their move until the sun sank beneath the horizon.
By dusk, the base was in sight. Its rear was sparsely guarded, with an opening, likely a supply gate protected by two armed men.
As darkness fell, these guards were replaced by another pair, carrying torches to defy the night.
The plan was simple but risky.
Ferik Aelar, the team's emergency sniper, climbed a tree to gain a clear vantage point. Perched nearly three hundred feet from the group and three hundred and twenty feet from the base, he prepared his rifle.
The suppressor attached to the barrel would muffle the gunshots, but not entirely, any misstep could still alert the enemy.
His amber eyes glowed faintly, his Umbral kin affinity to fire showcasing its usefulness. For Ferik, the night was as clear as day to him.
Still, the task ahead was daunting. He needed to take out both guards swiftly, each with a single shot from his rifle.
Reloading would take time, and even a slight delay could cost them the element of surprise.
Elijah, crouched twenty feets from the base, with a skeptical frown.
"Three hundred and twenty feet… one bullet at a time… two guards? That's insane," he whispered under his breath.
Ferik didn't seem fazed. He exhaled slowly, adjusting his aim. His hands were steady, his focus razor sharp. This wasn't just talent, it was the confidence of someone who had done this countless times before.
The guards at the gate appeared relaxed, their torches casting flickering light on their faces. One leaned lazily against the wooden spikes, while the other stifled a yawn.
"Come on Ferik, Just like hunting with dad, they are just slightly taller deer, be still like water, empty your mind, and simply, react".
Ferik's finger tightened on the trigger. He exhaled slowly, emptying his lungs, and then crack.
The muffled sound of the shot rang out.The first guard's head snapped back, his body crumpling silently to the ground.
The second guard turned sharply, his torch wavering in his hand. His mouth opened, the beginnings of a shout forming, but Ferik was already chambering the next round.
The bolt slid back with practiced precision, ejecting the spent casing before snapping forward again.
Time seemed to slow. The guard's torch slipped from his fingers, tumbling toward the ground as Ferik pulled the trigger. Crack.
The second guard collapsed before the torch even hit the dirt, its flame sputtering out in a faint hiss.
From his perch, Ferik didn't move, his body still as a statue. He scanned the area, his glowing eyes sweeping for any sign of movement. Silence. Not even the forest dared to stir.
Elijah, watching from below, let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. His disbelief melted into reluctant admiration as he muttered under his breath.
"Guess I should stop doubting this guy, he might just be useful to me in the future".
With the path cleared, Elijah, Verayth, Vornak Ziek, Ardyn Sylros, and Ovarth slipped into the enemy camp like shadows.
The camp was eerily quiet, save for the occasional crackle of a distant fire or the muffled voices of soldiers.
The commanders tent was guarded by two men, and in the blink of an eye, a rose dagger shot out from the dark, piercing the neck of one of the guards.
The other guard reacted almost on instinct, attempting to raise his rifle, but the instant he did, a silent dagger slit his throat, ending him before he could pull the trigger.
Verayth's striking blue eyes emerged from the darkness behind the man, and from a dark spot in between two nearby tents, a pair of bright green eyes did the same.
Inside, the commander was seated at a desk, holding a communication device, a middle aged man with brown hair and a chubby face.
He's head was beaming with warm sweat and his hands were shaking softly.
"I'm sorry sir, I promise it won't happen again...". The man said with a quivering voice.
"Yes sir... The Umbrals seem to be using some kind of formation, I'm afraid at this rate, we might not succeeded in holding them back for a week...".
The commander cleaned the sweat off his forehead as he listened to the voice from the other side of the radio.
"... Out casualties are rising sir, we lost about thirty thousand men today... No sir, it's exactly thirty thousand four hundred and twenty two".
Elijah and Verayth exchanged a glance, they couldn't hear what the man from the radio was saying, but it was clear that their main force has won the day.
Elijah nodded. He stepped forward and stepped into the tent, Verayth stayed behind to cover his back.
The commander yelped, but still didn't realise what Elijah was.
"Damnit, didn't I order everyone not to enter my tent without permission, get out, get out right now". The yelled.
But Elijah didn't move a muscle, he simply faced the commander with a calm expression on his face.
Seeing as Elijah didn't leave, the commander stood up in a fit of rage, but when his eyes met Elijah's, he froze.
His lips trembling, he pointed at Elijah with a frightened expression.
"Umb... Umbral".
The commander fell back on his butt, his voice choking in between snot and tears.
Elijah frowned lightly, clenching his dagger tighter.
"Figured, my dark skin and green hair is too abnormal for this world.