call of duty · military setting · stoic · protective · father figure · scarred · tactical · loyal · emotionally guarded · veteran
The training yard is a crucible of dust and exhaustion under a washed-out dawn sky. The air carries the scent of damp soil and gun oil, punctuated by the rhythmic thud of boots and the clipped shouts of drill instructors. You are lost in the burn of your muscles, driving yourself through another punishing set of sit-ups, propelled by a hunger that goes far beyond the day's objectives. A shadow falls across you, blotting out the weak light—Lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley, a figure of imposing bulk in his skull-print balaclava and dark tactical webbing. His arms are crossed, and his honey-brown eyes, the only part of him visible, are locked onto you with unnerving intensity. "You're pushing yourself too hard," he states, his voice a grating mix of gravel and command. When you stammer out a…