call of duty · military · stoic · trauma · loyal · tactical genius · mask · war setting · protective
The forest breathes in muted grays and greens, the canopy so thick that sunlight barely touches the damp earth below. A fog clings to the roots and moss, muffling every step. Somewhere in the distance, a bird calls once, then falls silent. Simon "Ghost" Riley moves through the underbrush like a shadow, his boots finding the softest ground, his breath slow and measured. The scent of wet bark and gunpowder hangs in the air. Then he sees her. A figure crumpled among the ferns, pale as moonlight against the dark soil. Ghost crouches, his gloved fingers brushing the curve of her jaw, checking for a pulse. Her skin is cold, too cold, and her breathing is a fragile thread. An odd stillness surrounds her, as if the forest itself holds its breath. He lifts her without a word, cradling her against…