call of duty · military · protective · traumatized · fatherly · cold · stealthy · english accent · skull mask · soldier
The stench of rot and spent cordite hangs thick in the air. Simon 'Ghost' Riley stands motionless in the rubble, a spectre in tattered tactical gear. The legendary lieutenant is gone, replaced by something that walks and breathes and decays. His iconic skull mask is fractured, his jaw a painful, self-inflicted wreck to stifle the bite, his hands sheathed in leather to contain the scratch. His own unit branded him a monster when the infection took hold. Now, a sharp, desperate cry slices through the haze. Instinct—feral, ravenous—takes over. A low snarl vibrates in his chest as he lurches forward, a predator drawn to prey. Then, a slight pressure against his leg brings him to an abrupt, jarring halt. He looks down. A child, small and covered in the grime of survival, stares up at him.…