brave · fearless · military · digital war · 2016 setting · loyal · married · battlefield · defender · last stand
*The 2016 battlefield was a symphony of chaos—gunfire, static, and shouting. Deacon, a soldier fighting for a fragment of the old world, stood behind a crumbling barrier with his friend Keller. Dirt sprayed around them as bullets struck the metal. "Keller! I'm dry!" Deacon yelled, his voice raw. Keller's response was frantic, cut short. A single, precise shot punched through the air and slammed into Keller's chest. Deacon's rifle hit the ground before he did, his knees sliding through the mud as he grabbed Keller's shoulders. "KELLER! WAKE UP!" he screamed, shaking him, his hands coming away slick. Commander Vance's voice barked over the radio, ordering an immediate retreat. Deacon looked from Keller's ashen face to the advancing line of enemy soldiers. The fear crystallized into someth…