Chapter 1

The world had been teetering on the edge for years. It began with whispers—rumors of unrest between global superpowers, minor conflicts that the media brushed off as isolated incidents. But those whispers turned into roars, and the minor conflicts exploded into something far worse.

In the small village of Zahran, nestled between the borders of two warring nations, the sun was setting for what felt like the last time. Smoke filled the air, rising in thick, dark plumes from what used to be homes and schools. The earth trembled beneath the rumble of tanks, and overhead, the sound of distant bombers droned like a death knell.

Sarah Wells stood at the edge of the village, watching the destruction unfold. Her heart pounded in her chest, though her face remained impassive. Years in the military had taught her to bury emotions deep, to move forward no matter the cost. But the sight before her was enough to shake even the most seasoned soldier.

"They didn't stand a chance," her teammate, Rivas, muttered beside her, his voice barely audible over the chaos. His usual sarcasm was gone, replaced by a grim tone that matched the devastation around them.

Sarah nodded but said nothing. There was nothing to say. Zahran had been caught in the crossfire between two superpowers—two nations locked in a deadly game of who would blink first. But this time, neither had blinked. And the innocent civilians of Zahran were paying the price.

The radio on Sarah's belt crackled to life, snapping her back to the present. "Team Alpha, move out. We've secured the perimeter."

Sarah lifted the radio to her mouth. "Copy that, moving in."

She gestured to Rivas and the rest of her team, and they advanced toward the center of the village, their boots crunching against the rubble-strewn ground. The smoke grew thicker as they approached, the acrid smell burning her throat.

In the distance, the cries of children echoed, mingling with the desperate screams of mothers searching for their families. Sarah's jaw tightened, but she kept moving. They had one job—secure the survivors and get them to safety. But every step felt heavier, like she was wading through a sea of guilt and helplessness.

They reached what was left of the village square, where a small group of survivors huddled together. Their faces were streaked with ash and tears, their eyes wide with terror. A mother clutched her young son to her chest, rocking him back and forth, though the child was silent. Another man sat with his back against the charred remains of a building, staring blankly ahead as if in shock.

Sarah knelt beside the mother, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You're safe now," she said, her voice soft but firm. "We're going to get you out of here."

The woman looked up at her, eyes filled with unspeakable grief. "Why?" she whispered, her voice cracking. "Why is this happening?"

Sarah swallowed hard, unable to find the words. There was no reason, no justification she could give that would make sense of the senseless. War didn't care about reasons. It didn't care about the people it destroyed.

Before she could respond, the sound of an explosion rocked the village, sending a shockwave through the ground. Sarah instinctively threw herself over the woman and her child, shielding them from the debris that rained down around them.

"Fall back!" Harper's voice barked over the radio. "We're under attack!"

Sarah scrambled to her feet, pulling the woman and her child with her. "Rivas, get them to cover!" she shouted, her heart racing as more explosions followed, each one louder than the last.

Rivas grabbed the mother and child, leading them toward a nearby shelter while Sarah and the rest of the team took up defensive positions. The enemy had returned, and they were coming fast.

Sarah's fingers tightened around the grip of her rifle, her pulse pounding in her ears. The sky above them darkened as enemy drones zipped overhead, unleashing a barrage of missiles. The ground shook with each impact, and the air was filled with the deafening roar of gunfire and explosions.

For a brief moment, Sarah's mind flashed back to her home—far away from this battlefield, from the destruction and chaos. She remembered the peaceful nights spent on her family's farm, the smell of fresh grass, the sound of crickets singing in the warm evening air. It felt like a lifetime ago.

But there was no time for memories now. The war had come to her doorstep, and she had no choice but to face it head-on.

Her radio crackled again. "Alpha team, we need reinforcements at the northern perimeter. They're breaking through!"

Sarah gritted her teeth, motioning for her team to follow as she led the charge toward the northern edge of the village. The enemy was relentless, waves of soldiers pouring into the village like a swarm of locusts, consuming everything in their path.

The sound of gunfire echoed through the narrow streets, and Sarah's breath came in ragged gasps as she fought to keep her team together. She fired shot after shot, each one precise and deliberate, but the enemy kept coming.

"Hold the line!" she shouted over the chaos, her voice hoarse from the smoke and dust.

But despite their best efforts, the line was breaking. The enemy was overwhelming them, their numbers too great, their firepower too strong. For every soldier they took down, two more seemed to appear in their place.

As Sarah ducked behind a crumbling wall, reloading her weapon, a new sound reached her ears—a deep, rumbling growl that sent a chill down her spine.

Tanks.

She looked up, her heart sinking as she saw the hulking figures of enemy tanks rolling into the village, their massive cannons aimed directly at her team.

"Fall back!" she screamed into her radio. "We can't hold them here!"

The team scrambled to retreat, but it was too late. The tanks opened fire, their shells exploding with devastating force. Sarah was thrown to the ground by the blast, her ears ringing, her vision blurring.

For a moment, everything was silent. The world seemed to stop, the chaos fading into a distant hum.

Then, slowly, the sounds of battle returned—the gunfire, the screams, the cries of the wounded. Sarah pushed herself to her feet, her body aching, her mind reeling.

The village was lost. There was no saving it now.

But the war was far from over.