>be me
>inna /k/askadia zone
>everything has gone to shit
>Seattle area is worse than fucking Pripyat, anomalies, mutants, the cult, and monsters galore
>Oh yeah there's fucking magic now
>At least I didn't have to deal with this fantasy bullshit in Ukraine
>The rest of WA isn't much better, mountains are filled with anomalies and stal/k/ers are talking about spooky shit living up there
>Nope.avi
>Meanwhile cities are filled with mutants, monsters, and/or cultists worshipping the space needle of all things
>Eastern WA is as empty as ever but with the occasional mutant
>Decide to set up shop on outskirts of mountains on the east side, relatively safe
>Elves and dwarves seem to love being near the mountains despite the danger, something about being close to the spirits or whatever
>And that's how I met Leleah
>cont?

>/k/askadia zone pt2
>Out innazone looking for artifacts, money doesn't grow on trees and security gigs for farms and convoys only pay so much
>mountains have the more dangerous anomalies, but the artifacts pay better
>Fuck it, need better shit anyway 
>at this point I'm very much in the woods, had to leave the truck a few hundred meters back off a service road
>Suddenly hear barking
>godfuckingdamnit.png
>360 scan, need to find these little shits before they get close
>see the dogs, probably 5 or 7 of them 
>they're not coming towards me, weird 
>see what they're after
>its a fucking elf, by themselves 
>stupid fucking knife ears, naively getting themselves killed 'to find the spirits' or some shit
>sigh.exe
>cont?

/k/askadia zone pt3
>fuck it, good deed for the day, and start blasting
>7.62 makes short work of the dogs, but one reaches the elf and bites on its leg
>shitshitshit
>close the distance and dispatch the last dog
>at this point I'm right next to the elf
>lock eyes
>she elf, and a qt3.14 at that
>uh oh thats a lot of blood 
>professionalism takes over, pull out med kit and immediately apply tq and pressure bandage
>elf whimpers in pain, right in the feels 
>"shhhh you're safe now, I got you"
>think how many times I told a stalker in Zaton that exact phrase before they died
>NotToday.jpg
>cont?

/k/askadia zone pt4
>despite the bandage, she probably needs more medical care than I can currently provide
>no artifacts today, stalker
>"can you walk?"
>she just stares at me
>goddamnit, probably in shock
>here, let me help you up
>put her arm over my shoulders, try to get her on her feet
>with my help she's able to hobble on one foot
>realize truck is easily 400 meters away
>shit
>moving a lot slower than I'd like, easy target for mutants and lord knows what else
>about 200 meters in I feel her slipping
>nononononono
>look behind us, no bloodtrail so not bleeding out
>probably just shock and exhaustion 
>something shimmers in the distance 
>FUCKFUCKFUCK
>immediately scoop her up bridal style and run
>cont?

/k/askadia zone pt5
>now within 50 meters of the truck
>bloodsucker is slowly closing, can hear it panting in the distance as it chases us
>20 meters from truck
>that vampiric asshole is 30 meters away at most, still closing in
>10 meters to truck
>Its breathing is getting louder
>Get to truck, all but drop the elf, no time to be gentle with that thing lurking about
>Immediately turn around, AK at the ready
>Its gone
>oh fuuuuuuck
>stay alert, back against the truck
>I can hear it nearby 
>shimmer
>mag dump into general direction
>blood splatters onto the trees
>good enough 
>load the still unconscious elf into cab
>get in the truck and gtfo
>cont?

/k/askadia zone pt6
>reach the village
>good amount of buildings standing, plenty were destroyed when it first hit the fan though. RVs and trailers here and there, overall pretty comfy
>drive up to medical station, get out and scoop up the elf, who is still passed out
>walk over to medical 
>its ran by this old ass elf with a big ol beard, says he's a sorcerer or some bullshit
>"found her in the woods being attacked by dogs"
>"bring her in, set her on table"
>"hey Doc, anything you can do for her?"
>"I can take a look at that leg wound and help it heal, but now she just needs rest"
>"alright, let me know when she's up, I'll be around"
>go visit arms store, need more bullets after those dogs and the bloodsucker
>store is ran by this dwarf, bit of a Fudd for his love of hunting calibers but good enough guy 
>also has decent enough contracts for security runs for mining runs into the mountains 
>I need money more than ever so we'll see what he has

/k/askadia zone pt7
>enter gun store
>"Hey Lodnor, any job openings these days?"
>"I got 1 or 2 gigs over on the farms that need an extra gun, but nothing too exciting right now"
>"fuck it, I need the cash"
>"alright, be here tomorrow morning with your gear, you'll be back the next day"
>"you gonna bring that elf with you?"
>recordscratch.mp3
>"you heard about that?"
>"boy the whole town's talking about it, carrying her all romantic like"
>"man its not like that, I don't even know her name!"
>"so what, you're just gonna dump her at medical and leave her?"
>he's got a point, she's probably a new arrival to the zone
>"think you can take care of her while I'm away?"
>"Fine, but I want a cut from this job"
>"alright alright, I'll be back over in an hour or so with her"
>"got any 7.62?"
>"The real type? Or that russian crap you're so fond of?"
>sigh.exe
>theres no point in arguing 
>"the Russian stuff"
>he frowns before handing me a box 
>"when are you going to get yourself a real man's weapon?"
>"when the zone goes away, Lodnor" 
>he chuckles
>pay him and leave

/k/askadia zone pt8
>head back to medical 
>Doc is back behind the counter 
>"good thing you came by, I was about to send a runner"
>"oh, she's awake?"
>"yes, and there's something you need to see. Come on back and I'll show you"
>weird but ok
>go behind the counter to the table
>bandage is gone, leg looks fine 
>magic.exe
>she-elf's cloak is off revealing t shirt
>her arms are covered in runic tattoos 
>she's staring at me with those baby blues
>"tell him your name girl"
>"L-leleha, my names Leleah" 
>"so Leleah, what's with all the ink? Can't say I've ever seen an elf tatted like that"
>"...to better commune with the ancestors"
>wat.png
>look at Doc, who nods but doesn't elaborate 
>damn elves and their mysticism 
>"so what will you do now? Got any family or people that'll be looking for you?"
>"N-no, it's just me. I know not what I will do next"
>sigh.exe 
> am I really about to say this
>abandoning her would be cruel, but its hard enough to take care of myself as is
>conversely, she is really cute
>"why don't you come with me, if you've got nowhere else to go?"
>"O-okay, but what do I call you?"
>im about to answer when Doc interrupts
>"most humans go by nicknames here girl, most people here call him soldat"
>tfw im not even russian
>sure I've looted gear off the spetsnaz stalkers in Pripyat but atacs works in the PNW to ya know
>"soldat works for now. If your leg is feeling better, i can introduce you to a friend of mine"
>she hops off the table, grabs her cloak, and we walk to the exit
>"Soldat, a word please"
>Doc looks at me all serious 
>"wait outside Leleah, this shouldn't take long"
>she nods and steps outside of the clinic 
>"I take it this is about the tattoos?"
>"correct you are. Listen to me and listen well. Those runes are of magica, very ancient and VERY powerful. Leleah herself can't be much older than you, if that, but the last time I saw runes like was before our realms merged, in a book older than myself. Do you understand what this means?"
>"that she could shoot lightning out of her fingertips?"
>he scowls, and leans in
>"she could fix the zone soldat"

/k/askadia zone pt9
>"you're not joking are you? She couldn't even protect herself from some dogs, how is she supposed to fix the zone?"
>Doc sighs
>"I'll find more information for you, but at least protect her and keep her safe until I do. Good luck, soldat."
>I nod, and turn to leave
>"and don't get her pregnant!"
>I chuckle as I leave, elves and humans can't have kids anyway 
>...right?
>she's waiting for me outside 
>" let's got talk to a friend of mine, he'll be taking care of you for tomorrow"
>"and where will you be? I thought you said I'd be traveling with you"
>"right, but I have a job I gotta do"
>"and I can't come with you?"
>"do you even know how to shoot a gun?"
>she frowns, but doesn't immediately reply
>"will you at least be safe?"
>"of course I will, its a simple job, how hard could it be?"

/k/askadia zone pt10
>fast forward 36 hours 
>it was NOT a simple job
>turns out some goblins and bandits thought the farm was a soft target 
>they were wrong 
>but bandits means guns
>so no surprise when Torque catches a bullet to the face during their first burst
>HeWasAGoodStalker.mp3
>to top it all off some lead found its way into my arm
>one hasty tq and gauze later im back in town
>Leleah runs up to me before I can get to Doc
>"you said you would be safe!"
>"yeah, well these things just happen sometimes. Such is life in the zone."
>i walk over to medical and she's right by my side
>it would be really endearing of my arm wasn't shot, the adrenaline is just about gone and the pain is much worse now
>Docs behind the counter per usual 
>"gsw to the arm Doc. Think you could do something about it?"
>"come on back, and bring her too"
>we move to the table and I sit up on it
>"normally i wouldn't remove the bullet but with your guest here we definitely can"
>"can I at least get some morphine while you're poking around my arm?"
>"best I can do is some cloth to bite down on"
>well shit
>"do it"
>he brings out the forceps and starts fishing for the bullet
>FUUUUUUUUUUUCK 
>as soon as he pulls the bastard out of my arm, Leleah moves in and puts her hands over the wound
>she closes her eyes and begins muttering in what I assume is elvish
>her runes start glowing
>they're fucking GLOWING
>a warm tingly sensation spreads across my arm and into my shoulder 
>Exhaustion takes over and I drift into unconsciousness

Pt11
>its warm
>a little too warm
>wait, where am I?
>open eyes
>i'm in my bed at the 'hotel'
>it's not an actual hotel, it's just a building where stalkers and travelers tend to stay
>kind of like the Skadovsk come to think of it 
>get up and sit on the edge of my bed
>Leleah is standing by the bed looking at me
>can't quite figure out what here expression is
>somewhere between pissed and worried
>"you idiot!"
>definitely pissed
>"you said it was going to be a simple job, but then you came back hurt! Do you have any idea how worried I was? I-I thoughtyou might-"
>there's tears in her eyes
>awww she does care
>"Leleah, I'm sorry I worried you. These things, just, happen sometimes. A wise man once said, such is life in the zone."
>"why do you keep saying that? What exactly is this zone everyone keeps mentioning?"
>I pause
>"Leleah, how long have you been here?"
>"hmm?"
>oh here we go
>"what's the last thing you remember before I found you?"
>"well, I was walking in the woods, but then there was this bright flash and suddenly the trees were different and then the dogs started chasing me…"
>fuck, I knew she was new to the zone, but holy shit
>that damned zone...
>"you may want to take a seat, you're in for a rough ride"
>explain that she's on earth now
>explain the zone, deadly anomalies, dangerous mutants, anarchists and bandits
>explain that people from her world have been popping up here for unknown reasons 
>"I know p-people have been disappearing, but…"
>she's looking at the ground 
>trembling 
>here come the waterworks 
>"I-is there a way for me to get h-home?"
>sigh.exe 
>do I tell her the truth?
>"no, I don't think so. I'm sorry."

Part 12
>Leleah is sobbing at this point
>uncontrollably sobbing 
>feels bad man
>"Leleah…"
>she looks up at me, tears streaming down her face 
>I pull her in for a hug
>we wrap our arms around each other, her head on my shoulder 
>still sobbing
>I hold her for a few minutes before letting her go 
>she's still sniffling, but at least she's not inconsolable now
>get idea
>"you know, I know what it's like to lose your home as well"
>"hmm?"
>she looks at me, eyes still puffy and red
>"the zone wasn't always a thing, in fact it's a relatively recent addition"
>she looks puzzled, but interested 
>"on the other side of those mountains, there used to be a city. Millions of people used to live in and around it. But when the zone came…"
>her eyes widen, probably figuring out where this is going
>"it's all gone Leleah. My home, and everyone I cared for, are gone"
>I pause, let her digest what I've said
>"do you miss them?"
>"every day, but I'm still breathing, still carrying on. Its all any of can do, really"
>little does she know...
>the sniffling stops
>feel something on my hand
>I look to find that she's holding it 
>"Man this has been a shit day. Come on, I still need to get payed for getting shot"

Part 13
>exit the hotel quickly as to avoid the different factions loitering about
>more on them later
>walking through the town to get to Lodnor's
>decent amount of people roaming around. Not everyone here is a stalker, some are here to sell goods and food, others are just too stubborn to leave the area
>fair amount of non humans too, mostly elves and dwarves that have decided to stick around and have enough sense to not get themselves killed 
>doesn't matter who they are though, as most everyone is glancing my way, if not straight up staring at me
>I'd like to think its because of my reputation as an experienced stalker, but I know better
>they're probably staring because Leleah has attached herself to my arm 
>I've already told her that she doesn't have to cling to me, which she has completely ignored
>I should probably tell her to stop but…
>its kinda nice ngl
>finally enter 
>not even one step in and Lodnor looks up from the gun he's tinkering with
>can't quite tell what it is, looks older
>"Oh Soldat! I was wondering when you'd come by, not like you to not collect on a job"
>"it's kinda hard to swing by when you're unconscious, but I make do"
>"right you are. Shame about Torque though, last I heard he was gathering funds for an expedition out west"
>at this point he notices Leleah, who is still latched onto me 
>starts laughing 
>"and you told me it wasn't like that! You'll have a ring around her finger before you know it boy!"
>he keeps laughing 
> I groan
>Leleah just looks confused 
>"come on man, we both know the zone is no place for romance"
>she figures out what was being discussed and immediately lets go of my arm, furiously blushing 
>red all the way to her ears
>it would be really cute if I wasn't annoyed at the conversation 
>Lodnor stops laughing 
>"I'll be right back with your pay, feel free to look around"
>he turns to go to the back 
>start perusing his display of guns
>long guns of all makes line the walls
>could get her an AK like mine, that way we can consolidate ammo 
>but with her smaller frame, the larger rifle with more recoil isn't ideal
>then I see it
>theres a fucking Gordon carbine
>14.5 inch barrel with the front half sleeved by the suppressor 
>red dot on the carry handle
>it's already painted tan and brown
>small, lightweight, relatively low recoil, and lots of mags and ammo available 
>perfect for her


Part 14
>Lodnor returns from the back with my payment 
>wait a minute, thats 3 envelopes he's carrying
>"today's your lucky day Soldat"
>he hands me all 3 of them
>IAmConfusion.mp3
>"not only are you receiving hazard pay, but since Torque isn't around anymore, and didn't have any next of kin listed, payment defaults to you"
>fuck yeah
>sad that Torque had to bite it though
>decent enough guy, didn't really know him too well
>"thanks Lodnor, though I'm probably about to spend most of it here"
>he looks me dead in the eye, 100% serious 
>"if you buy her a god damn kalash…"
>chuckle
>"nah, I've already got my eye on that carbine over there"
>gesture at the Gordon gun
>Lodnor frowns
>"that peashooter? You young people and your intermediary cartridges''
>he keeps grumbling as he pulls the carbine off the wall
>he sets in on the counter 
>I pick it up and give it a once over. Doesn't look to heavily used, probably less than 2k rounds through it if I had to guess
>"where'd you get this anyway? Not like you to keep something like this around"
>he sighs
>"some kid traded it in for a mk18. I almost told him to shove it, but I had one left from that bulk order some of the Goonz put in for last month"
>raise an eyebrow 
>"goonz?
>he rolls his eyes
>"you know the type, young clout chasers with limited experience at best?"
>"oh yeah, those guys. Weren't they called the boog boys a week ago?"
>he shrugs 
>"I'm just glad I got that last mk18 out of my shop. You sure you don't want that hakim instead?"
>he points at the disassembled rifle on the counter
>so that's what it is
>"Lodnor, do you really think she could handle that thing's recoil? Let alone getting enough ammo and mags for it"
>he frowns again, but refrains from grumbling 
>"I assume you'll be purchasing some mags and ammo for the carbine?"
>"yeah, and I'll be adding some clothes and supplies as well"
>he nods and picks up the rifle
>"I'll be at the register if you need me"

Part 15
>back away from the counter, time to shop for clothes and a chest rig 
>unfortunately the gear here isn't as varied as the selection of firearms mostly US surplus and whatever gets traded in or the rare special order
>lots of BDU and some OCP uniforms 
>God's plaid it is
>start sifting through different sets to find any that will fit her
>thankfully I'm able to find a pair of pants, but all the tops are too big
>spot a very familiar jacket
>hello gorka, my old friend 
>and it looks like it would fit
>now onto chest rigs
>whole mix mash of things to choose from
>literally everything from Alice webbing to micro rigs
>fuck micro rigs BTW
>thankfully there's a pattern 83 rig on markdown
>grab that as well and head to the counter 
>fuck this is gonna be expensive 
>look around to see where Leleah is
>she's been tinkering with that hakim ever since Lodnor went to the register 
>looks like she's almost completely assembled it 
>impressive 
>walk over to Lodnor at the register, as he keeps an eye on Leleah 
>"seems like she's mechanically inclined, there may be hope for her yet"
>snort
>"only if she can figure out how to shoot straight"
>*click*
>turn to see Leleah with fully assembled hakim, dry firing
>Lodnor starts laughing his ass off
>"Hey Leleah, come here. I got some stuff for you"
>she starts walking over
>look back at Lodnor 
>"so, how much is this gonna run me"
>"well considering you're buying it for the lady, I'll just take one of those payments and the hazard pay, and call it even"
>its a good deal, but more than I initially wanted to spend
>groan as I hand over 2 of the 3 envelopes 
>Leleah stands next to me now
>hand her the gorka and 83 rig
>"put these on. You can put the pants on later"
>she removes her cloak and Lodnor sees the tattoos 
>he looks to me with a raised eyebrow
>i silently mouth 'later' 
>have her sling the carbine after putting on the gorka and rig and indexing the mags
>time to go

Part 16
>exit the store
>start walking back to the hotel to put the cash away and so Leleah can finish changing 
>she sticks close to me but isn't clinging on this time
>that reminds me
>"hey Leleah, how'd you figure out how to put that rifle back together at the shop?"
>she tilts her head
>"you don't know?"
>now I'm puzzled 
>"I don't know what?"
>she sighs
>"remember how I mentioned people from my realm have been disappearing?"
>nod
>"my people aren't the only ones being pulled out of their reality"
>"no shit? People here disappear all the time but it's always attributed to being lost to the zone, not teleported into another world"
>"in a world as grim as this place, such an outlook is understandable"
>"right, still haven't answered my question though" 
>"people from your world typically have firearms with them, but since your ammunition and weapons don't exist in ours, people have been trying to recreate both but with little success"
>lightbulb.jpg
>"so if you're familiar with guns does this mean you know how to shoot?"
>she groans
>"yes, but admittedly not very well"
>"oh don't worry, we'll fix that"

Part 17
>reach the hotel
>hide my cash in my locker underneath the false bottom with the rest of my money 
>little trick I learned in Zaton, can never be too careful 
>meanwhile Leleah puts the woodland pants on
>refrain from peeking at dat ass cause I'm not a teenager 
>grab some cans and bottles for targets
>once we're finished we head to the makeshift range on the outskirts of town
>nothing too glamorous, just a clearing with a large mound of gravel to shoot into
>brass, steel, shells, and trash everywhere
>range only extends to 50 meters, if that
>not much but it'll do
>thankfully it's just us today
>set up cans and bottle on the gravel mound
>"alright Leleah, show me what you got, and we'll figure out what you know and what you don't. Go ahead and see if you can't hit the can on the far left"
>she nods, and unslings the carbine
>awkwardly draws a mag from her rig, and sloppily inserts it into the mag well
>alright, definitely need to work on reloads
>she doesn't chamber a round and immediately shoulders it and attempts to pull the trigger 
>unsurprisingly it does not fire
>struggling to contain my laughter at this point 
>she looks over to me, confused 
>"alright, that's enough"
>I walk over and take the weapon
>"clearly you aren't familiar with this weapon platform, so let's start from the ground up. You correctly inserted the magazine, but that's only one part. Now watch"
>chamber the round and flick the safety off
>"now it's ready to fire"
>put it back on safe, drop the mag, and eject the round and put it back in the mag
>"now you try"
>hand the weapon and magazine back
>she loads and chambers a round then disengages the safety 
>*bang*
>clear miss
>hold up
>did I turn the optic on?
>"hold on, let me see something real quick"
>once again take the weapon and look through the red dot 
>shit I forgot to turn it on
>correct the issue and hand it back
>"now try it, just put the dot on the can and fire"
>hand it back
>she takes aim
>*bang*
>still misses, but the impact is maybe half an inch to the right
>"god damn it, of course it isn't zero'd"
>take the rifle for a third time 
>at this point annoyance is all over her face
>adjust the sight and fire
>hit
>"okay, should be all set"
>hand it back
>incoherent elven grumbling 
>she takes aim and fires again 
>hit
>she sighs with relief and looks at me smiling 
>feels good man
>"there we go! Keep shooting until the mag is empty"
>she does exactly that, only missing twice
>*click*
>"so now that its empty, press the mag release here, insert another mag, and press the bolt catch here"
>she nods, a big grin on her face as she reloads
>go through another 3 mags working on stance, breathing, positions, and reload drills
>eventually decided to pack up and head back for lunch 

Part 18
>make our way back into town
>Leleah still has a big grin on her face and some pep in her step
>well at least she's happy
>decide to grab some food and check the bounty board at The Bitter End
>normally I eat at the Hotel, but The Bitter End is closer
>and dammit I'm hungry
>enter
>ISaidComeInDontStandThere.mp3
>fair amount of people and some non humans gathered here, mostly stalkers though
>a few seedy characters as well, but they won't cause trouble here 
>or at least they shouldn't 
>make my way to the bar with Leleah close behind me and take a seat
>the bartender, or Tender for short, spots me and starts walking over 
>no, I don't know what his actual name is
>"hey Soldat, it's been a while! What can I get you?"
>"hey Tender, let me just get some water and two hot sandwiches"
>he whips out a small notepad, jotting down my order and nods
>"alright, I'll be back with those in a minute"
>as quickly as he appeared, he vanishes into the kitchen 
>take a second to get a better read of the room and start looking around
>free stalkers sprinkled throughout the room 
>group of Goonz all sitting together, easily identified by their gear. Almost all of them are wearing Hawaiian shirts, desert night, or fucking multicam black
>literally one of the stupidest camos IMO
>the few that have nods are currently wearing them on their helmets
>fucking day nods man
>Tender comes back with the waters and sets them down on the bar
>"those sandwiches will be out in just a few minutes" 
>I nod as he turns and leaves
>decide to make conversation with Leleah 
>"so Leleah, how is it you can assemble a hakim rifle, but you don't know how to shoot an AR?"
>asking the important questions here
>she sighs and takes a sip of her water
>"when your people showed us this world's weapons, they wanted to know if they could be replicated, and often took them apart to see if it was possible to copy the components with magic"
>she takes another sip
>"one such man had a rifle identical to the one that Lodnor had, and he showed me how to assemble it"
>now my curiosity is piqued 
>"so are you able to make guns from magic?"
>she frowns and shakes her head
>"I can't conjure advanced metals out of thin air Soldat, no one can"
>I shrug
>"hey man, I don't know how magic works. Prior to this dimensional merge thing, magic didn't exist here"
>Tender comes back with our sandwiches and sets them down in front of us
>"and here's your food. Enjoy!"

Part 19
>immediately begin devouring the sandwich 
>fuck this is good
>or maybe I'm just hungry 
>doesn't matter tbh
>look to my left to find Leleah is also demolishing her sandwich 
>nice
>we're both about to finish when someone sits down next to me
>glance over
>it's a goon, decked out in all multicam black
>wearing helmet and nods inside like a dork
>they are duals tho…
>"hey man, you're Soldat right? I'm Hitter Actual, but for now just call me Hitter"
>stupid name but in character for a goon
>he extends his hand to shake 
>slowly take it, not trying to make any enemies but I'm still weary 
>"uhhh nice to meet you Hitter. And yeah, I am Soldat. Is there something you need from me, or are you just trying to get with her?"
>gesture at Leleah, who has finished her sandwich and almost chokes on her water
>he chuckles, thank God he has a sense of humor 
>"no no, nothing like that. I actually came over to see if I could interest you in a job, one you might be personally invested in"
>raise an eyebrow 
>Hitter looks around somewhat nervously, lingering on some of the sketchy guys in the back
>"I can't go into more details here, but swing by our trap house later tonight. What I can tell you is that the payout is good. Plus you'd be helping us out, so we'd owe you a favor or two"
>Hitter stands up, along with the goonz seated at their table
>"I hope you take us up on this. You know where to find us, yeah?"
>I nod
>"good, I'll see you there"

Part 20
>pay for our meal and leave
>it's too early to head to the goonz's place, barely 3 PM
>Instead head over to Doc's place. Considering the week I've been having, grabbing some supplies is probably in my best interest 
>I also want to know if he's found any info on this whole 'fixing the zone' stuff he mentioned 
>enter
>"ah Soldat, and I see you brought Leleah. Please tell me no ones bleeding this time"
>"not this time, thank God. I just need some tourniquets and the likes"
>lean in and whisper
>"and I also am curious if you found any info and that, uhhh, thing you mentioned"
>Doc frowns
>"I've only just started scratching the surface of what those runes mean, it will be a while before I learn anything noteworthy, let alone actionable"
>"what are you two muttering about?"
>both of us turn to see Leleah looking at us, lips pursed and hands on her hips
>Doc sighs
>"Listen young one, it's time we talked about those runes"
>her face relaxes and she shuffles her feet nervously 
>"I don't know much about them, but I've had them since I was young and still lived at the temple."
>Doc starts muttering and pinches the bridge of his nose
>"Of course those are temple markings. And how old are you and when were you born, child?"
>"I'm not entirely sure, but I was born not long before the disappearances started, so I won't live as long as the old ones."
>"by the gods, you can't be older than 25, if that. Then you likely know just as much as I do, if that. Here I was thinking you could shed some light on the situation"
>multiple instances of confusion.exe are running
>time to get some understanding 
>"alright, I'm at a total loss here. The hell is going on?"
>Doc looks over at me
>"it only confirms that those runes are powerful, but she wasn't taught what they mean or how to properly use them outside of boosting her inherent mana"
>"so we're back at square one?"
>Doc nods
>"I will continue trying to find any information I can, but it may be a while. In the meantime, let me get you those supplies"
>he disappears behind the counter
>I turn to Leleah 
>"you really don't know how old you are?"
>qt pout face 
>brace for impact 
>"I'm still old enough to do magic which makes me at least half your age you old man!"
>waitaminute 
>"half my age? How old do you think I am, 40?"
>"well of course! All those lines around your eyes, how could you not be?!"
>put my hand on my face to feel around my eye
>she's got a point tbh
>"I'm 26, Leleah"
>she starts to deflate, indignation is being replaced by disbelief 
>"b-but I…"
>"and those are called stress lines"
>Leleah.exe has stopped working
>Doc comes back with tqs and bandages
>"are you two done arguing like some married couple?"
>now Leleah looks mortified and about to pass out
>"now look what you did Soldat, you broke her"
>Doc and I both start laughing while she continues to be stunned and embarrassed 
>"nah, I think she just figured out that we humans don't always age gracefully, much unlike you elves"
>Doc hands me the supplies 
>"so how much do I owe you?
>he shakes his head
>"just take care of her Soldat. Consider this my way of paying you back"
>free supplies? Sick
>"if you say so. Come on Leleah, let's see what the goonz want with us"

Part 21
>make our way to the goonz's trap house
>fairly large compound ngl
>enclosed by barb and razor wire 
>surrounded by roombas with claymores and fake dogs with obvious amounts of tannerite stuffed in them
>Gadsden flags and their meme offshoots adorn the fence
>a lone guard stands at the fence
>"hey man, you that Soldat guy?"
>"yeah, Hitter told me to come by"
>"sounds good man, you and your girlfriend just head inside, we got a bit of a party going on so have fun!"
>roll my eyes
>Leleah just looks confused 
>guard starts laughing and opens the gate
>continue walking to the compound 
>"Soldat, what did that man mean by 'girlfriend'?"
>oh boy here we go
>"he thinks we're romantically involved"
>she blushes
>"W-well I do owe you a life debt…"
>recordscratch.mp3 
>"wait, what?!"
>"look, can we talk about this later?
>"fine, whatever. Let's just find out what these guys want"
>open the door
>immediately hit with the smell of good ol cannabis 
>fucking great, forgot these guys are potheads 
>"Leleah, if these guys offer you anything to smoke, don't"
>she nods
>enter
>music in the background, sounds like generic trap shit 
>bunch of guys and some women milling about, most with drinks in hand, some with blunts
>surprising amount of demi humans too
>is that a centaur with a joint?
>"hey Soldat! Glad you could make it!"
>Hitter comes out from the crowd, red solo cup in hand, and puts his free arm on my shoulder 
>"hey man, didn't realize this was gonna be a party. Are we going to talk about the job, or is this just for drinking tonight?"
>"actually we were just waiting to see if you'd come, follow me into the conference room and we can start planning this raid"
>fuck
>he points at Leleah 
>"if she's gonna be on this op she can come as well"
>she opens her mouth but I interrupt
>"I'd rather her not be on it, I only just taught her to shoot"
>she looks annoyed, lips pursed and arms crossed 
>Hitter nods
>"right, I'll see you there, it's just down the hall, last door on the left. Also has a fancy label, can't miss it. Grab a drink on your way!"
>he leaves to the conference room 
>"you don't have to speak for me, and I can take care of myself"
>"Look, you've only just now gotten down how to shoot. Going out on a range like we did, and going out on a raid are two very different things"
>she sighs
>"I know you're right, but I still want to help and be involved. You and Doc have been doing all the work, and I just feel kind of useless"
>"If you really want to be involved, I can mention it and see if I can get you in a support role for healing or something like that."
>she smiles and nods
>"I'd like that, thanks Soldat"
>cute.jpg
>"I'll let you know what they say about it, but first I gotta find out if this is even worth it"
>I turn away, grab myself a beer, and head to the conference room

Part 22
>go into the conference room 
>Hitter and three other guys all kitted up with nods standing around a table, with a few more in the background 
 >one guy smoking a cigar with a good mustache looks at me
>"you Soldat?"
>"I am"
>he nods
>"great. I'm Overlord, and I'm in charge of this outfit. Hitter, go ahead and tell him why he's here"
>Hitter nods and puts a large map on the table 
>"Right. As I mentioned, we're planning a raid, but we feel the target may interest you. We're going to hit back at those raiders that tried to take the farm you and Torque were at."
>he points on the map
>I fucking knew it
>"Alright, and why are you guys involved in this? I'm all for hitting some bandits, but this seems larger than just some police action"
>Hitter looks to Overlord 
>He takes a puff before answering 
>"these raiders aren't just normal bandits. They're getting stronger, with more and more people joining. You're with familiar counter terror ops, right?"
>how the fuck do they know that? 
>decide to downplay it for now and shrug
>"I was more of a rear echelon guy, but I know a thing or two. Mind telling me where you got that info?"
>"see how this raid goes and we'll talk about it. As far as these raiders go, we have reason to believe that this group is operating more as a terror organization with an end goal of sowing chaos and discord in the area, and we have a mutual interest in that not happening. That enough for you?"
>god damn this is some professional level shit
>who exactly is this guy? 
>investigate later
>"I get it, I get it. Stability good, terrorism bad. So, what's your plan?"
>Overlord takes another puff
>"I'll let Hitter and Headhunter take it from here, as they'll be on the X with you"
>Hitter and who I assume is Headhunter nod and move forward, placing various shell casings on the table 
>Hitter finishes with putting a .50 cal shell where he previously was pointing 
>"our target is their main encampment in the area, here. Additionally, we have intel that there might be a low level magic user present. Capture if possible, kill if it isn't."
>"you know what they look like?"
>Hitter sighs
>"nothing solid, unfortunately. What we do know is that they're human, and use a staff to throw around fireballs"
>fucking excellent 
>"What about their overall strength? How many bad guys are you looking at"
>Hitter starts moving some shell casings around the target while Headhunter explains
>"Most we've seen was 40, but that was right before they launched a raid. In the aftermath of their failed attack on the farm, we can reasonably expect 15 people, plus or minus a few, armed with whatever weapons they've been able to pick up"
>Hitter puts about 15 .22  and one 9mm casing around the .50
>"you mean to tell me you're going in blind? I'm not exactly asking for a drone live feed, but Jesus"
>Headhunter shakes his head, and Hitter places one 5.56 casing on the map
>"no, we're not. Once we get close and dismount, we'll have a small recon team move in and tell us what they see. Too many guys, and we'll call it off"
>thank God, some common sense
>"speaking of, what do your numbers look like?"
>Hitter moves more 5.56 shells on the map into an L shape around the objective, and even more close by
>"We plan on having 35 people on target, not including QRF or medevac in case it gets hot, that's Mage's department."
>He points his thumb at the other guy guy standing around the table
>35 vs 15? It's not great, not terrible
>my concern must be visible because Headhunter sighs 
>"Its not exactly 3 to 1 odds, but it's all we could scrounge up for people with night capabilities on relatively short notice"
>Hitter looks at me
>Oh yeah, you do have nods right? If not, we can lend you some, but obviously we'd prefer to keep them in house"
>fuck
>"can't say I do, no"
>He frowns, but nods his head
>"alright, we'll get you set up"
>Hitter finishes his part of the brief, covering how well be getting and leaving the objective
>Mage takes over
>"as mentioned earlier, I'm in charge of QRF and any sort of medevac, if needed. As far as QRF goes, we should have an additional 10 guys sitting back with the trucks if we need more guns, and more we can pull from here if needed."
>he pauses as even more shell casings are shuffled around the map
>"as far as medical assets are concerned, we have another 10 capable individuals with us, so we'll have 5 accompany you onto the objective, and 5 with the QRF"
>I clear my throat, and Mage looks up at me
>"actually you can add one more, the elf I've been traveling with has some pretty good healing magic up her sleeve, but I wouldn't trust her to know what to do in a gunfight. Think you can fit her into your QRF medical component?"
>Mage nods
>"I can do that, anyways…"
>he finishes his part of the brief
>Overlord steps forward again
>"now that you all know the plan, go out and disseminate the need to know info to your guys. I want everyone ready to go in 5 days. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your night"

Part 23
>the days leading up to the raid go by uneventfully 
>I’ve been teaching Leleah to shoot more
>she’s definitely improved, but I still don’t want her getting shot at any time soon
>then again I don’t particularly like getting shot at either 
>I went ahead and got a soft armor vest and a helmet for Leleah
>I hope she won’t actually be needing them, but Doc did say to keep her safe
>the day before I bring out my direct action stuff from my locker in the hotel to give it a once over
>most of this gear served me well in the outskirts of Pripyat, but it’s relatively old and quite heavy
>still, not a lot of commonly available rounds are going to go through a defender 2
>and while a pasgt may not be the highest speed of gear, it’ll still protect my head  
>top off all my mags as well as Leleah’s
>try to get some sleep
>can’t
>step out for a smoke
>exit the building and find Leleahs outside too
>”can’t sleep?”
>she nods
>”me too. Don’t worry, it’s normal”
>light my cigarette 
>she looks at it with curiosity
>”you don’t want this, shits bad for you”
>take a drag
>”then why are you doing it?”
>she has that cute pout face 
>”I started in a place not too different from here, actually. High stress environment, world didn’t make sense, that sort of shit. Helps you relax for a little bit”
>her gaze has softened, but her arms are still crossed
>”tell you what. If you ever think it’s all getting too much, you can have a smoke”
>take another drag
>”until then, you’ll have to find healthy coping mechanisms”
>she cracks a smile
>and that’s how the evening went, in comfortable silence

Part 24
>night has fallen
>it’s time
>check both of our gear an untold amount of times
>arrive at the goon’s place
>looks like everyone turned up, and is for the most part kitted out the wazoo
>”Soldat! There you are, we were wondering if you weren’t gonna show. Take these while you’re still here”
>Hitter walks forward, extra NVGs in hand
>attach them to my helmet flipped up
>”Really, you think I’d wimp out on a job like this? And I thought your boss knew me better than that. Speaking of which, how does he know so much about me, exactly?”
>he shifts somewhat uncomfortably
>”listen, about that. We’ll talk a lot more about that after the op, depending on how everything goes. Right now, just focus on taking out that HVT. Recon team has already stepped off, I’ll brief you in 10 and we should be stepping off in 15”
>”good shit. Do you know where Mage is? I need to drop Leleah off with him so she can get oriented with he medical QRF”
>”yeah, his section is just over that way.”
>he points off to a small group of guys with white armbands, with red crosses on them
>”Be quick though, I want to get introductions out of the way before getting everyone up to speed”
>I nod and start making my way over with Leleah in tow
>as I approach I hear Mage finish up with a brief
>he looks over to me
>”-and there she is now. Guys, this is Leleah, the other magic user in our section for this op-”
>waitaminute
>other magic user?
>”-be on bravo team, with the QRF in reserve. Any questions?”
>there's some muttering, but no one really asks any questions
>”good. Soldat, Leleah, thanks for coming. I’m not sure how much of that you caught, but Leleah will be hanging back with the QRF. Ask your questions now, if you have any.”
>”Under what conditions is the QRF going to be sent out?”
>”finally, someone who thinks! We’re hoping to avoid having to send out that team in the first place, so we’re only calling them in if the main force becomes overwhelmed. They’ll also be acting as escorts to our reserve medevac team, which Leleah is a part of. “
>He puts a hand on my shoulder and leans in
>”if it all goes smoothly, she won’t even have to get out of the truck”
>godfuckingdamnit.png
>with those simple words, things will no longer go smoothly

Part 25
>SicarioTheBeast.mp3
>in the trucks en route to the target
>the recon team has already reached their staging area, and should be getting eyes on in 5
>we’re about 2 minutes out from our staging area
>the old service road is bumpy and full of potholes
>this does nothing to help that sinking feeling in my stomach
>the truck stops
>lights go out
>BravoSixGoingDark.gif
>Flip down my nods and dismount
>begin forming up into a wedge
>Headhunter's team takes point
>begin movement
>radio crackles to life
>”All units, this is recon. Visual contact made, SALUTE report when ready”
>The group stops
>”Recon, Hitter actual. Send report”
>”Copy. Size is estimated at 13 foot mobiles, break”
>”I count 5 personnel on guard, 8 sleeping, break”
>”Location; roughly 600 meters to our west, 800 meters to your north, break”
>”Uniform; Civilian clothing, I count 3 standing guard with body armor, break”
>”Time; 2347, break”
>”Equipment; Miscellaneous small arms, no heavy weapons or machine guns, break”
>”Hitter actual be advised, cannot confirm presence of HVT at this time. How copy?”
>”Good copy recon, continue to observe. Hitter actual out” 
>we continue our advance, slowly but silently
>”Hitter, recon. Be advised, you’re about 300 meters from the X.”
>”Recon, Hitter, Good copy, tango”
Part 26
>”GET THE FUCK DOWN!”
>everyone who isn’t already in the prone hits the deck
>cacophony of gunfire continues
>feel a wave of heat as yet another fireball soars over our fireteam
>I shout “Keep fucking shooting!”
>Headhunter’s team still hasn’t gotten into position
>”Hitter, any word?”, I radio in
>Let off another burst
>”No, they’re getting bogged down with more magical traps, break.”
>”Recon is taking pot shots where they can, and QRF is en route, break.”
>” For now we’re just going to have to hold-AH FUCK!”
>Look over at his position
>Hitter is sitting against a tree, holding his arm
>Shout “Get a TQ on and stay there!”
>’If it all goes smoothly’ my ass, fuck you Mage
>this is all his fault, fucker jinxed it
>”Soldat, Headhunter. We’re in position, but we’re down too many to push through, break.”
>”We’ve linked up with Recon and can support by fire, but we need your team to clear the X. How copy?”
>fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck
>glance around to see how many people are up
>Hitter is hurt, one goon is burnt to a crisp and another has his brains on the ground
>Still have more than a few guns in the fight though
>”Headhunter Soldat, good copy. Start opening up on those fuckers, I’ll radio you before we push. How copy?”
>”Good copy Soldat. Headhunter out.”
>”Soldat, Overlord. Be advised, QRF is 90 seconds out with initial medevac team. How copy?”
>”Good copy Overlord.”
>Even more gunfire erupts from where I assume Headhunter’s team must be
>time to get to work
>”Alpha team, get up and push!”
>the team sans Hitter gets up and shoots
>”Headhunter Soldat, we’re making our move!”
>”Roger Soldat, kill ‘em.”
>the team starts bounding and closing with the enemy
>fire from the objective slows but doesn’t stop
>”DOWN!”
>yet another fucking fireball sails over the team
>Hear ‘shift fire’ echoing from Headhunter’s position
>”Up! Keep fucking pushing them!”
>We start bounding and shooting again until we’re on top of the encampment
>by now all the bandits are dead
>see a magic staff on the ground but there’s no body next to it
>coward bitch must have run into the structure.
>”Soldat, Overlord. Bandits neutralized, HVT unarmed. Moving to capture.”
>I run into the shoddily constructed hut before awaiting a response
>I round the corner and there they are
>Mostly obscured by a cloak but they’re young and clearly terrified
>they start chanting but stuttering
>fuck that
>run up and punch em
>fuck you, you piece of shit
>enemy mage is knocked the fuck out and sprawled on the ground
>”Overlord Soldat, HVT captured, all hostiles neutralized.”


Part 27
>sun is beginning to rise
>golden beams peaking through the forest 
>the light falls upon the bodies, revealing the carnage of the last few hours
>the raid site is a hive of activity
>what’s left of the raid force is conducting SSE, trying to find and collect any potential intel
>QRF is still treating wounded
>Leleah has been doing what she can
>but she’s clearly becoming exhausted, both emotionally and physically
>the heavy use of her magic and the distress from seeing so much carnage is getting to her
>go over to her
>she’s healing Hitter of all people
>her face is pale and there’s sweat on her brow
>she hears me approach and looks up at me
>a ghost of a smile graces her face but the exhaustion is obvious 
>Hitter looks up at me as well
>"H-hey Soldat, looks like they winged me"
>"Yeah man, looks like they did. How you holding up?"
>Hitter glances at Leleah 
>"I'll be alright. She's a miracle worker, already patched up a guy with a sucking chest wound and another with a fucked up leg"
>his brows bunch up with genuine curiosity.
>"where'd you find her anyway?"
>without missing a beat I reply 
>"in the woods being chased by some dogs and a bloodsucker"
>Hitter chuckles
>Leleah takes her hand off the wound, fully healed
>"It will be sore for at least a few hours, if not a day"
>she lifts her arm to wipe the sweat off her brow
>"let me know if there's any other proble…"
>Hitter grabs her arm as she begins to slump over
>Hitters holds her off the ground but he's staring at her arm
>I look where he's looking
>her sleeve got pushed up her arm when she wiped off her sweat
>he's staring at her tattoos
>he slowly looks over at me
>"we need to talk"
>...shit

Part 28
>Hitter and I are staring at each other intensely
>he looks back over to Leleah, still passed out and being held up by Hitter
>”but not here, and not now”
>he gently sets her down against a tree
>exhale in relief 
>"Mage! Get over here, Leleah’s passed out."
>Mage makes his way over and takes a knee
>He hold his hands over her head
>they start glowing, but nearly as brightly
>oh come on, that callsign is just too on the nose
>Mage looks over at us
>"she'll be fine, just exhausted. She just needs rest, and make sure she eats somethi-"
>Hitter holds up his hand, cutting Mage off
>"OK, got it. Give us a moment, please"
>Mage looks over at me, shrugs, and walks off
>"so"
>"so"
>Hitter sighs
>"Once we exfil, just lay low for a few days, maybe even a week or two. You two just became a lot more important to us. We'll contact you when we're ready to start planning next steps"
>"We?"
>"our…employers, if you will. I'd explain more, but this isn't exactly a secure environment…"
>Hitter glances over to a still sleeping Leleah 
>"and dammit I could use a nap as well. Think you can get her in the truck?"
>I nod
>"Good. You can expect your payout at the next meeting. And keep the nods, consider them a bonus"
>Hitter walks off 
>well that was something 
>scoop Leleah up
>carry her over to the nearest truck and set her down in the cab
>the fatigue from the battle starts catching up with with me
>eyelids start feeling real heavy
>fuck it I need some rest too
>hop in the cab next to her and close the door
>just before I close my eyes I feel a soft nudge on my shoulder
>look over
>Leleah’s leaning against me, still passed out
>smile to myself
>this is nice