Victory without Casualty

"Stop!" Marcus shouted, his voice echoing through the dense forest as he raised his rifle, locking his sights on the shadowy figures moving ahead.

The four elements froze in their tracks, their bodies tense and still as the sudden command cut through the air. The sound of the Apache helicopter hovering above them made it clear they had no chance of running.

"Raise your hands!" Marcus ordered, his rifle steady, eyes narrowing as he watched the figures closely. There was no room for negotiation.

Slowly, with the reluctance of cornered animals, the four men raised their hands, fingers spread wide in surrender. They knew the Apache could rain hellfire down on them if they made one wrong move. Marcus's team, rifles trained on the captives, moved in swiftly, forming a tight perimeter around the men. The soldiers advanced in perfect formation, their boots crunching on the dry forest floor, every step deliberate and threatening.

The four elements were now completely surrounded, standing in the middle of a small clearing with no cover, no escape. Their eyes darted from Marcus to the soldiers circling them, fully aware of the lethal firepower surrounding them.

"On your knees!" Marcus barked, his voice cold and unrelenting.

Without hesitation, the four men dropped to their knees, hands still raised in the air. Sweat dripped down their foreheads, the fear evident in their eyes as they glanced nervously at each other. They were trapped, and they knew it.

Marcus stepped forward, his rifle still aimed directly at the group. He signaled to his men with a sharp nod, and immediately two soldiers moved in closer, their weapons raised, ready to react to any sudden movement. One of the soldiers reached forward, grabbing one of the men by the collar and roughly pulling him to his feet.

But little did they know, among those elements had a glowing object in its pouch.

"What's that?"

The hue was akin to lightning.

Marcus barely had time to react as the eerie glow from the pouch began to intensify. The air around them crackled, and the atmosphere shifted, heavy with an unnatural energy. His instincts kicked in, but it was too late. A flash of blinding light erupted from the pouch, and Garrick, who had been silent until now, suddenly raised his hand and muttered something under his breath.

The air split with a deafening crack as a bolt of pure lightning shot from Garrick's outstretched hand-Chain Lightning. It hit the closest soldier first, the man's body seizing violently as electricity surged through him. His scream was cut short as the lightning jumped to the next soldier, and then another. The arcs of energy danced between the men like a twisted, deadly game, spreading outwards in a split second.

Marcus, just feet away, barely had time to register what was happening before the lightning found him. The bolt struck him square in the chest, sending a jolt of searing pain through his entire body. His muscles locked, his teeth clenched tight, and he was thrown backward as if hit by a truck, his body smashing against the rough bark of a tree with a sickening thud.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

His vision blurred as his back collided with the trunk, the impact forcing the air from his lungs.

Marcus gasped, struggling to breathe, but the pain was relentless. His body convulsed uncontrollably as the residual electricity coursed through him, every nerve firing at once. He tried to fight it off, to regain control, but his limbs refused to obey. His fingers twitched uncontrollably, and his legs felt like lead. He could barely hold his rifle, the metal now scorching hot from the lightning. His vision swam, the forest around him spinning, the sounds of his men screaming as they, too, were struck by the deadly energy.

Marcus's mind raced, trying to assess the situation, but his body was shutting down. His muscles spasmed violently, jerking him against the tree, and he felt his strength draining away, replaced by an overwhelming weakness. The edges of his vision darkened, his thoughts becoming foggy as the lightning's effects ravaged his nervous system.

He could hear the Apache's rotors overhead, still humming, the gunner likely watching in shock. And seconds later-the M230 chain gun mounted beneath roared to life. Within moments, the once-standing figures of Garrick's men were reduced to crumpled, lifeless forms. Their bodies were torn apart, the raw power of the rounds turning them into nothing more than shattered remains on the blood-soaked ground.

In an instant, the four elements were killed.

Marcus, still convulsing from the residual electricity surging through his body, struggled to regain control. His vision blurred, but he could just make out the aftermath of the Apache's devastating firepower.

Gritting his teeth, Marcus tried to push himself upright, but his body betrayed him. His limbs were heavy, trembling uncontrollably from the lightning's brutal attack.

"Marcus... Marcus, do you copy?" a voice crackled through his earpiece.

It took all his effort to lift a trembling hand to the comms device at his ear. He managed to press the button, his voice hoarse and barely audible. "Copy... I'm here... What's the status?"

"All of the elements in the northern sector are eliminated," Vincent reported. "What's your status?"

Marcus took a deep breath, his voice still shaky as he replied, "Took a direct hit... lightning spell... most of my team is down. I'll need medics-ASAP."

"Understood. Reinforcements and medical teams are en route."

Marcus tried to sit up, but the pain that shot through his body was overwhelming. His muscles still twitched from the residual electrical charge, and every breath felt like a struggle. He forced his vision to focus, glancing around at the remnants of his fallen men. Some were motionless, others groaning in pain, all victims of Garrick's devastating attack.

It took them casualties but at least, they have killed Garrick and his men.

Five minutes later, four Blackhawk helicopters arrived at the scene, hovering above as they couldn't land. Medics rappelled down with their stretcher and immediately after their landing on the ground, they quickly went to the wounded and injured soldiers that were lying on the

ground.

Marcus watched as his men were receiving medical attention. He would need it but he was the only one conscious so he'd have himself checked later.