The Shadows of the Treeline
The chills running down Himari's spine were worse than the mountain wind. She hurried away from the dark treeline, looking back one last time over her shoulder. There was nothing there—just the silent, snowy woods—but the creepy vibe still clung to her.
When she reached the campsite, Kiro had already unpacked the tent and Reian had returned with a heavy load of wood. Himari dropped the pine cones onto the frozen ground, her hands trembling. Her face was deathly pale, and the "Ice Queen" mask was starting to slip.
Kiro, who was crouching on the ground as he worked, looked up and froze. He saw how ghostly she looked. "Hey," he asked, his brow furrowed with concern. "Are you okay? You're pale. Are you feeling the cold that much?"
Himari took a shaky breath and glanced back at the forest one more time. She forced the fear down. I didn't see anyone there, she thought stubbornly. It must have just been a hallucination from the fever.
"I'm fine," she lied, though her voice was barely a whisper. "Let's just get the tent up."Himari opened her mouth to ask more questions about her gear, but Kiro was already snapping the tent poles into place. Realizing there was no time to argue, she pushed her suspicions aside and moved toward him to help.
The Camp of Chaos
The campsite was a whirlwind of noise. From every direction, the sounds of shouting soldiers and students echoed through the air—people were yelling for missing equipment, calling out orders, and struggling against the wind. Reian was a blur of motion, shuffling snow away from their designated spot to create a flat surface for their tent before turning his attention back to the fire.
Determined to carry her weight, Himari pulled off her heavy blue cape and tossed it onto her bag. Even with her hip aching and her hand roughly bandaged, she jumped into the work. She grabbed the edge of the tent fabric, pulling it taut so Kiro could secure the frame. For a moment, the biting cold and the "creepy vibe" from the trees were forgotten, replaced by the rhythmic, busy work of setting up their home for the nightKiro was on the ground, his muscles straining as he tightly secured the tent fabric. Reian moved in to help, and together they finished the first two tents. But as they moved to the last one—Himari's tent—Kiro didn't slow down. He grabbed the heavy poles and began hammering them into the frozen earth himself.
Himari stood by, watching him breathe heavily in the cold air. She couldn't take it anymore. "Hey," she said, stepping forward. "I can do that too. You've already set up two tents by yourself, and it's taking too much time. You're going to exhaust yourself."
She reached for the poles, her eyes fixed on his. "Take my position and I'll take yours. We'll get it done twice as fast if we swap. Okay?"
Kiro paused, looking up at her pale face. He wanted to tell her to sit down, but he saw the look in her eyes—the stubborn spark of a girl who refused to be treated like a porcelain doll. He knew if he said no, it would only hurt her pride more.Once she took over, Himari began hitting the poles into the ground while Reian worked alongside her. With the two of them working in sync, they quickly pulled the heavy cover over the frame and bound it tight. The tent was finally secure.
"Okay," Reian said, wiping sweat from his forehead despite the cold. "Let's get our gear inside."
He immediately started hauling his packs into his tent, and Kiro followed suit, heading to his own. Their tents were pitched close together, but the surrounding area was packed with students from other academies, all assigned to specific plots by the soldiers.
Himari dragged her bags into the small, dark space of her tent. The first thing she pulled out was her sleeping bag—or rather, a specialized "wind bag." She glanced toward the tent flap to make sure she was alone. With a sharp, focused breath, she used her Wind Magic to fill the chambers of the bag, inflating it instantly into a cushioned mattress and a firm pillow.
She slumped down onto the air-filled surface, the silence of the tent finally allowing her to feel just how much her body was shaking.As soon as she finished, Himari felt a sharp, stinging pain in her neck. She winced, rubbing the spot, but forced herself to ignore it as she finished unpacking.
The Secret Language
She stepped back out of the tent, where Kiro was standing alone.
"Where's Reian?" she asked, looking around.
"He was called away," Kiro replied. "He went to ask the supply officers for a wind-pump. We need air to fill our sleeping mats. Do you need him to get one for you, too?"
"No," Himari said quickly, her mind still on the sting in her neck. "I'm good."
Kiro froze, his eyes narrowing. "What do you mean, you're 'good'?" When she didn't answer right away, he stepped closer, lowering his voice until it was almost a whisper. He switched languages, speaking to her in Turkish. "Did you use your wind magic?"
Himari's focus snapped away from her pain. She stared at him, stunned—not by his question, but by the words he used. Instead of answering him about the magic, she replied in the same language.
"Hey, Kiro... you speak my language? I remember back at the academy, during that thing with the phone, you spoke to me like this too. I wasn't sure then, but now... I'm right, aren't I? You know it. "Kiro didn't smile or look proud that she had caught him. Instead, his face hardened, and he stepped even closer, his shadow falling over her.
"That isn't important right now," he hissed in Turkish, his voice urgent. "Answer me—did you use your magic or not?"
Himari opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her off. "Look, Himari, this area where we're setting up camp? Magic is strictly prohibited here. You know that, right? Magic attracts creatures—especially the ones that hunt in this mountain range."
He glanced nervously toward the dark tree line where she had felt the "pinch" earlier. "Haven't you read the reports? Do you know how many students have gone missing from this exact location because they were careless with their power? If you used your wind magic inside that tent, you might as well have lit a signal fire for every predator in the woods."
Himari felt a cold drop of sweat slide down her back. The sharp pain in her neck throbbed again, and suddenly, the "hallucination" she thought she had at the tree felt a lot more like a hunt. Himari saw a group of soldiers patrolling nearby, their heavy boots crunching in the snow. Panic flared in Kiro's eyes, so she quickly pulled her hand out of her pocket and reached out, trying to calm him down before he drew any more attention to them.
"Hey, calm down," she whispered urgently, her eyes darting toward the approaching patrol. "I didn't... I didn't use it like that, okay?"
She lowered her head, the sharp pain in her neck giving a rhythmic throb as she faced him. "I used a little, but not that much. Just enough to fill the bag. It was only for a second."
Kiro looked like he wanted to scream, but he forced his expression into a neutral mask as the soldiers passed by. He grabbed her arm, his grip tight. "A 'second' is all it takes, Himari. These creatures don't need a banquet; they just need a scent."
Himari pulled her arm away, her heart hammering against her ribs. She wanted to believe she was safe, but the "not that much" magic she had just used felt like a heavy weight in the air around her—and the sting on her neck was starting to feel less like a pinch and more like a burn."Okay, but we're safe," Himari whispered, trying to end the conversation as she saw the shadows of the officers approaching. "Nothing has happened yet, so it's not a big deal. Tamam?"
The Sniper's Pride
"Stand straight," Kiro hissed back, his face instantly becoming a blank mask of military discipline.
Niel along his junior soldiers marched into their camp area, their eyes scanning the tents. "Has Arthford finished setting up?" Niel barked.
Kiro stepped forward, snapping a crisp salute. As the leader of their group, he spoke with total confidence. "Yes, sir. We are done."
Niel gave a sharp nod as he already done checking other camp and everyone s tent is almost setup, then pulled a whistle from his vest and blew a piercing blast that echoed off the curved walls of the Dome. Every student in the vicinity stopped and looked toward him.
"Pay attention, everyone!" Niel shouted. "Listen carefully. Only five seniors will be staying inside the Dome tonight to oversee the perimeter."
Himari's eyes immediately darted through the crowd, searching until she found Haru. He stood tall among the seniors, his expression cold and unreadable. Is Haru staying? she wondered, her mind racing. If he's one of the five, at least there's someone is whom she can little rely on here...
"For the rest of you," Niel continued, his voice dropping to a serious, threatening tone. "If any problem arises, you inform us immediately. But remember: from this moment on, you are responsible for your own security. The mountain does not forgive mistakes."Niel dismissed the group, and the camp immediately exploded back into motion. Students began pulling chairs out of their tents and gathering around the small cooking fires they had managed to light. It was a strange mix of cozy camp life and military tension.
As Niel marched away, Haru stepped forward. As the second-in-command behind Niel, his voice carried an icy authority that made people stop and listen.
"Listen up!" Haru shouted, pointing toward a massive central bonfire that the soldiers had just ignited near the middle of the camp. The flames roared high, casting long, dancing shadows against the Dome's walls. "You have fifteen minutes to finish your personal business. After that, everyone aligns at the central fire for the final briefing."
Himari watched him, the orange light of the fire reflecting in her eyes. The 15-minute countdown felt like a ticking clock. She needed that time to hide her tracks, check her fever, and figure out what was happening to her neck before she had to stand in line under Haru's sharp, observant gaze .After the announcement was finished and the officers left, Kiro turned around, his eyes searching for their third member. "how long is reain taking?"
Himari looked toward the path and saw him. Reian was walking back, but he had stopped near the Leo . He was standing close to their perimeter, deep in conversation with someone. From this distance, they couldn't hear his voice, but his body language looked intense.
"He's stopped near Leo's camp," Himari whispered, her brow furrowing. "I can't tell what he's saying."
Kiro's expression darkened. The Leo team were their direct rivals, and after the incident on the slope with Milli, any interaction with them felt loaded with tension. Reian finally broke away from the group and started jogging toward them, his face unreadable in the flickering firelight.
"Reian!" Kiro called out as he approached. "What were you doing over there? We only have fifteen minutes before alignment ."As soon as Reian reached them, Himari didn't give him a chance to breathe. "Hey," she demanded, her eyes sharp. "What were you talking to them about?"
Reian sighed, glancing back at the North Leo camp. "They're talking big," he admitted. "One of them told me that in the next task, they're going to earn the next batch—the top performance rewards. They think they're going to sweep the rankings and leave us with nothing."
Himari's jaw tightened. The pain in her neck and the cold in her bones were suddenly replaced by a surge of pure annoyance. "Nah," she snapped, her voice cold. "We're the ones who are going to earn it. What does he think of himself, acting like it's already theirs? but why you stop to listen at first place but leave it"
She looked toward the Leo camp, her glare returning for a fleeting second. They might have saved her on the slope, but she wasn't about to let them take her rank. Kiro sighed, crossing his arms as he looked at his two fiery teammates. "Don't pay attention to them," he warned, his voice low and firm. "Both of you, especially. They're just trying to provoke us. We're here to learn how to survive and train, not to get into petty matches with other academies. Understood?"
Himari and Reian looked at each other for a split second before turning back to Kiro. In perfect sync, they spoke at the same time.
"We aren't losing to him," they snapped together.
"And we aren't scared. Huh," Himari added ..
Kiro rubbed his temples, realizing he was leading the two most stubborn students in the Dome. Despite his lecture, a small part of him was relieved to see them both so energized. But as the 15-minute warning bell echoed through the Dome, he knew the real test was about to begin. "Okay," Kiro said, his voice returning to his captain tone. "Reian, put the equipment in your tent. We'll fill the mats later. Let's go. The other students are already aligning."
As they began to walk toward the central fire, Himari's gaze drifted again. She couldn't help it—she looked back at the dark, twisted trees where she had felt that strange pinch. The shadows seemed deeper now, as if they were stretching toward the camp.
Kiro noticed her distraction and stepped into her line of sight, forcing her to look at him. "Hey," he said firmly. "Listen to me. You need to stay close to us, okay? Don't get lost here—underestimate this place and it'll swallow you. Understood?"
He didn't wait for her to argue. He grabbed her shoulder gently but firmly and steered her between him and Reian. "You walk in the middle," he ordered. "Between the two of us. All the way to the fire."
Himari felt like a prisoner being escorted, but, she didn't fight him. She let them lead her toward the glowing heat of the central bonfire, where the rows of students were already forming under the watchful eyes of the seniors .Himari felt a flash of annoyance at being treated like she needed a bodyguard. "Why? " she asked, her voice a sharp, low hiss so the surrounding students wouldn't hear.
Kiro leaned in closer, his shadow shielding her from the flickering light of the other camps. "Because you've already invited a problem," he whispered, his voice so low it was barely a breath against the wind. "Have you forgotten? You used magic. In this place."
He glanced at Reian, who was walking just a few paces ahead of them, blissfully unaware of the secret conversation. "I'm keeping you in the middle so you don't 'drift' off or get noticed by the wrong eyes. Don't make this harder than it already is."
Himari went silent. The reminder of the magic—and the creatures Kiro warned her about—made the "pinch" on her neck feel like it was pulsing in time with her heartbeat. She stayed in the center, flanked by her teammates, as they finally stepped into the bright, hot circle of the central bonfire where the rest of the academy was waiting. Once everyone was aligned in their rows, Niel stepped forward, his eyes scanning the tired faces of the students. "I hope you're all feeling energetic," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Remember, this is military camping, not a vacation. Don't forget that."
He paced in front of the flickering bonfire. "Now, as you need to learn survival, your first task is about to be assigned. But first, tell me: in this freezing mountain winter, what is our most immediate need?"
Kiro immediately shot his hand up. "Food and water, sir," he answered clearly.
Haru stepped up beside Niel. "Exactly. We know we gave you food rations, but you won't always be provided for. You need to know how to sustain yourselves when the rations run out. We are going to show you how we prepare for our meals in the wild."
Niel looked at the crowd with a sharp grin. "Any guesses on how?"
One of the students from the Leo called out, "By hunting? Finding animals in the wild?" Niel looked at the crowd with a sharp grin. "Any guesses on how?"
One of the students from the Leo team called out, "By finding animals in the wild? Hunting?"
Niel nodded, though his smile didn't reach his eyes. "Hunting is part of it. But tonight, we aren't just looking for rabbits. In these conditions, you need to know how to track, kill, and dress your prey before the cold freezes the meat solid—or before something else smells the blood and comes to take it from you."
Haru, standing as the second-in-command, stepped forward. His gaze swept over the rows with a chilling precision. When his eyes landed on Himari, they lingered a second longer than on anyone else. Because he knew her better than the others, he could see the slight tremor in her shoulders that the others missed. But he didn't call her out—not yet.
"The student from Leo is right," Haru said, his voice echoing. "But the 'wild' here isn't what you're used to. The animals in the Wide Dome have adapted. They are faster, and they are harder to kill. You will be sent out in your groups. Your performance will dictate the quality of the 'batch' of rewards you receive tomorrow."
Himari felt Kiro's grip on her arm tighten slightly. The pressure was on .Niel looked over the crowd, his hands resting on his belt. "So," he shouted over the crackle of the fire, "how many of you actually know how to handle a gun? Step forward."
Himari didn't hesitate. She stepped out of the line, followed immediately by Kiro. A student from Leo and two others also moved forward, and then Milli joined them, her expression confident.
Himari glanced back at Reian, who was still standing in the main line. "Hey," she whispered, "don't you know how to use one?"
Reian shrugged, looking unbothered. "I know how," he whispered back, "but they didn't specify which kind of gun. I'm waiting to see what they bring out first."
Himari didn't hesitate. She stepped out of the line, followed immediately by Kiro. Leo stepped forward as well, his movements smooth and confident, marking him as the top representative of his academy. Two other students joined them, and then Milli stepped up, standing close to Leo.
Himari glanced back at Reian, who was still standing in the main line. "Hey," she whispered, "don't you know how to use one?"
Reian shrugged, his expression unbothered. "I know how," he whispered back, "but they didn't specify which kind. I'm waiting to see what they bring out."
Himari turned her attention back to the front. She could feel the rivalry radiating off Leo as he stood just a few feet away. Haru's eyes tracked her every move; as her cousin, he knew exactly how much pride she was putting into this moment, but he also saw her pale face and the way she held her bandaged hand.
Niel gestured to a set of heavy, dark cases the soldiers had brought out. "Tonight, we see who can actually hit a target when their fingers are freezing. "The seniors stepped forward and snapped open the heavy, foam-lined cases. Inside lay a variety of military-grade firearms, their black metal frames gleaming under the orange firelight. One by one, the volunteers stepped up to choose their weapon.
Leo went first, reaching for a standard-issue assault rifle with practiced ease. He checked the chamber and slung it over his shoulder, giving Himari a sidelining glance that dared her to match him.
Himari didn't even look at the smaller guns. She stepped past the rifles and pointed toward the longest case at the end. Inside sat a high-precision sniper rifle, its long barrel and heavy scope looking lethal and cold.
"That one," she said, her voice steady as she had learn this back in Cyprus when she got demoted after loosing her magic
As she reached out to take the heavy weapon, her bandaged hand brushed against the cold metal. The weight of it was immense—much heavier than she remembered. Behind her, she could feel Kiro's breath hitch in concern, and from his position of authority, Haru's eyes narrowed. He knew that holding a sniper rifle steady required a perfect pulse, and right now, Himari's pulse was racing with fever.
"A sniper?" Niel raised an eyebrow, don't chose that himari he said "In this wind? its not good for you can't handle that "Niel's look worried when he said and pick for her an rifle but before he could hand it out to her take sniper from her .
"I can handle it," she replied, her voice cutting through the wind. "I know exactly how to use this SIR you don't need to tell me and i know very well how to use it."
She didn't mention it out loud, but her mind flashed back to her time at Arclight Academy in Cyprus. Even back then, among the most elite trainees, she had been singular in her focus. While others scrambled for various weapons, she had only ever chosen the sniper. It was her signature. The long-range precision was the only thing that felt right to her—the distance, the silence, and the one perfect shot.
She gripped the heavy barrel, her bandaged fingers finding their familiar placement. The weight was a challenge for her current state, but the muscle memory from Arclight kicked in, steadying her arms even as the fever burned in the back of her throat.
Leo watched her with a newfound intensity. He had expected her to pick something easier, something for "show," but choosing the specialized t weapon proved she wasn't playing fragile games .
Haru muttered from the side, loud enough only for her to hear. His eyes were unreadable, but there was a flicker of something—perhaps pride or deep worry—as he watched his cousin prepare for the most difficult test of the night. Niel quickly organized the group, assigning one soldier to each student to act as an observer and instructor. For those who didn't know how to shoot, the soldiers began a crash course in safety and aim.
Reian didn't need the lessons. He moved with a practiced, military efficiency that surprised some of the bystanders. Unlike Himari, who chose the long-range silence of the sniper, Reian chose a high-capacity assault rifle. He didn't stop there—he reached into the crates and pulled out a tactical pistol, sliding it into a holster strapped to his leg.
"Going for the heavy loadout?" Kiro asked, watching him.
Reian adjusted the strap of his rifle, his expression serious. "Sniping is for people who have time. I want to be ready if things get messy up close."
Himari stood nearby, her heavy sniper rifle resting against her shoulder. Even with her bandaged hand and the burning "pinch" on her neck, she looked every bit the professional.
The groups began to move toward the edge of the light, where the dark forest waited. Haru stepped forward, his voice cutting through the sound of the crackling fire. "Listen carefully," he commanded. "Our soldiers have already mapped out the perimeter. Each academy group will be sent into a specific sector of the forest. Your mission is simple: hunt. and don't forget you can't disobey your senior command they are juniors officers of ours but well trained soldiers "
He paced the line of shooters, his eyes briefly flicking toward Himari. "Each group must bring back at least one animal. But if you want to prove your worth, one is not enough. To earn the Survival Sticks, your group must bring back two or three successful kills. You must do this within the time limit, with perfect teamwork, and most importantly—without a single injury to your team."
He paused, letting the weight of the "no injury" rule sink in. "If you bring back the most prey in the shortest time, your academy wins the top status for this mission. If you fail to work together, or if you return with a teammate wounded, you get nothing."
Himari felt a cold shiver that had nothing to do with the wind. No injuries. She was already hiding a bandaged hand, a fever, and a strange mark on her neck. If Haru or the soldiers noticed her condition while they were out there, her whole team would fail the mission before they even fired a shot .Niel watched as Kiro made his final selections from the equipment cases. Along with his rifle, Kiro picked up a serrated combat knife and a high-intensity emergency flare, tucking them securely into his gear.
Niel raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious. "Are you sure you know how to handle all that? Most students just want the biggest gun they can find."
"I know how to handle it, sir," Kiro replied calmly. nobody notice but Reain surely did the way the both exchange words does not feel like in between an general and an student but formal friend.
Kiro didn't mention that his intelligence was his real weapon. He knew that in the Wide Dome, a gun could jam or run out of ammo, but a knife never failed, and along that he also got an rifle as well he is the one who put in his team to the talking device and the earpieces along with a flare so there could be the difference between life and death if they got separated in the dark.
As one of the smartest and most observant students in the academy, Kiro wasn't just planning for the hunt; he was planning for an emergency. He glanced at Himari, his eyes lingering on her pale face. He was carrying that flare specifically for her, just in case her fever took a turn for the worse while they were deep in the trees.
"Good choice," Haru remarked from the side, his voice neutral but his eyes showing a flicker of respect for Kiro's foresight. "In this forest, the smartest person is usually the one who makes it back alive. Kiro walked back to his group, his face set in a grim line. Himari and Reian were both distracted, occupied with a final check of their equipment—Himari adjusting the heavy strap of her Arclight sniper rifle and Reian testing the draw of the pistol on his leg.
Without a word, Kiro reached into his vest and pulled out two compact emergency flares. He pressed one into Reian's hand and the other into Himari's.
"Keep these on you," Kiro commanded, his voice barely audible over the wind. "In an easy-to-reach pocket. Not in your bags and he gave the earpieces to both of them and said put this on your ear."
Himari looked up from her scope, her eyes glassy from the rising fever ok but why the flare we are not going alone?" she asked, .
"I think this isn't a normal forest," Kiro replied, his gaze intense. "And I think if the 'problem' you invited earlier finds us, we're going to need more than just bullets to get back."
Reian nodded solemnly, sliding the flare into his tactical vest. Himari hesitated, then tucked hers into her jacket pocket, and they both also put the earpieces in their ear They were no longer just students on a training exercise; they were a unit prepared for a disaster. One by one, the soldiers moved to their assigned academy teams. The soldier who approached Himari's group was intimidating—a mountain of a man with a scarred face and eyes that looked like they had seen a hundred battles. He looked way too strong to be a simple instructor; he looked like a specialized hunter.
Kiro, Himari, and Reian immediately straightened their posture, greeting him with a formal military salute. The soldier nodded curtly, his eyes scanning their gear with a critical, judging look.
"I'm senior Vane," he growled, his voice like grinding stones. "I'm here to see if you're actually soldiers or just kids playing dress-up. Let's start with these." He pointed to the heavy cases and the weapons they had strapped to their bodies.
He began questioning them one by one. "You," he pointed at Reian. "Why the short-range loadout? You expecting a brawl?" Then he turned his sharp gaze to Kiro, looking at the knife and the flares. "And you... planning for a rescue mission instead of a hunt?"
Finally, his eyes landed on Himari and her Arclight sniper rifle. "A precision bolt-action in a mountain blizzard? Give me a demo. Show me your stance and your check-procedure. If you can't handle the weight of that barrel, you're leaving it here."
Himari's heart hammered against her ribs. she'd be humiliated in front of everyone. Vane didn't waste time. He pointed at a target about fifty yards away—a small, red bullseye pinned to a tree. "You first," he barked at Reian. "Three bullets. All bullseyes. You have five seconds. Go."
Reian didn't hesitate. He pulled his rifle up, the metal clinking against his gear. Crack! Crack! Crack! The shots echoed through the camp, and three clean holes appeared right in the center of the target before Vane could even finish counting.
Himari watched him, her eyes narrowing as she leaned toward Kiro. "Why is he giving us a time limit?" she whispered, her voice low and strained. "This isn't a shooting range and why he is not he one explaining us about how to do and what to do ."
"Because when you're out there hunting, you don't have time to think," Kiro whispered back, his eyes fixed on Vane. "It's just action. Speed is everything. Especially for Reian—since he chose short-range weapons, he's going to be the closest to the target. If he misses or hesitates for even a second, the animal will either run or kill him and senior is not explaining because chose our weapon by ourselves ."
Vane grunted, checking his stopwatch. He didn't offer a compliment, but he didn't criticize either. He simply turned his cold, hard gaze toward Himari and her long sniper rifle. "You're next, girl. Your target is twice as far, and you have half the time. Let's see that 'elite' precision. "Himari didn't move yet. She watched Vane's stopwatch, a flicker of professional defiance in her eyes. "But I'm a sniper," she whispered to Kiro, her voice tight. "Sniper training isn't about rushing. It's about extreme patience. You have to hold your breath, wait for the gap between heartbeats, and stay still until the world stops moving. Speed just ruins the trajectory."
" senior Vane doesn't care about the textbook, Himari," Kiro warned, his eyes darting toward the Sergeant. "He's testing your reflexes, not your patience."
Vane's eyes snapped toward them, his stare like a physical weight. He could tell they were whispering. Without a word, he stepped closer, his presence looming
The Open Mic
she goes towards the large tree with long branches she goes there and start climbing in start she slip a lot but she managed to get a grip as she hop on the branch she carefully first settle down there as she done sitting
As Himari settled into the branches, she didn't realize her tactical earpiece was still keyed to the "open" channel. Her teammates' ears were filled with her annoyed, feverish muttering.
"'Target is live,' huh? What is that even supposed to mean?" she grumbled to herself, her voice a sharp whisper in the earpieces of Kiro and Reian. "Like, when I was down there, the man wouldn't say a word. Now that I'm at the top of a tree, he's shouting 'Target' like he's in a bad action movie. Hell no."
She adjusted her scope, wincing as the metal pressed against her skin. "Who does he think he is? Ordering me around without even giving details. He didn't even tell me the wind speed or the release point. Thank god I actually know what I'm doing from Cyprus. He probably thinks I'm some newbie... Hmph. A newbie? I'll show him a newbie."
Down on the ground, Kiro and Reian stood perfectly still. They didn't dare look up or laugh, but they could hear every single word of her rant.
Reian's eyes widened, and he bit his lip to keep from grinning. Kiro just closed his eyes for a second, rubbing his temple. His "Ice Queen" teammate was currently roasting a high-ranking Sergeant over a live military frequency, and she had absolutely no idea they could hear her.Himari took a deep, shaky breath, forcing the heat of the fever to the back of her mind. She lay flat against the branch, her body becoming as still as the wood beneath her. Her eye locked onto the scope, the world outside the lens disappearing until there was only the crosshair and the white-on-white landscape.
Huh. Killing a poor animal just to prove you know your weapon, she thought bitterly, her finger hovering over the cold trigger. Cruel and unnecessary.
Despite her mental complaints, her training took over. The world fell into a "deep silence" as she synchronized her pulse with her breathing. She found the target—the small, frantic rabbit. It was moving carefully, darting between shadows, but for a split second, it stopped. It took one tentative step, and in that moment of stillness, Himari stopped her breath entirely.
CRACK!
The shot echoed through the trees, sharp and deafening. The bullet didn't kill; it was a precision strike. It hit the rabbit exactly in the leg, pinning it down just as Vane had requested for a "live" capture demo.
Down on the ground, Reian and Kiro let out breaths they didn't know they were holding. Through the earpiece, the constant stream of Himari's complaining had suddenly cut to absolute silence the second she focused. The "Ice Queen" had delivered."Clean shot," Vane muttered, his voice devoid of praise but thick with acknowledgment. "The target isn't dead. Just immobilized. Move out and retrieve it."
Down on the ground, Reian and Kiro exchanged a quick, meaningful glance. They had heard her perfect shot, but they were still hearing her voice in their ears—and it was starting to sound shaky. They stood at the base of the tree, waiting for their "Ice Queen" to descend.
On the high branch, Himari was struggling. The adrenaline from the shot was fading, leaving only the bone-deep chill of her fever.
"It sucks," she grumbled into the mic, her words slurring slightly as she stared down at the forest floor. "Why the heck is this fever hitting now? At least... bro, calm down..." she whispered to herself, as if talking to her own racing heart.
She looked over the edge of the limb, and for the first time, her stomach did a slow, nauseating flip. "Let's go down... wait, why does it look so high? Huh..."