The next day rolled around all too soon. We are transported out to the zone by helicopter. When there, we were quickly outfitted with our kit. Then I discovered that my axe handle had been replaced from wood with a composite material with a mesh grip. I was unhappy about this but knew it would do nothing to complain right now.

We were quickly pushed through a reminder briefing on what we were doing. Afterwards, we were directed to the zone edge and given a few minutes to prepare ourselves mentally before going in.

“Everyone ready?” I asked.

I got various confirmations from that question. It was easy to hear that none of them was happy to be here. A sentiment I completely agree with.

“Okay, let’s go.” I lowered my faceplate and walked into the zone.

The effects and constant dampness of the zone quickly enveloped me with the fog. I walked several metres into the zone, taking in everything around us that could be seen, which was not a lot.

I stopped and looked back at the others.

“Diamond formation from here on in. Smith is on my right. Hills on my left. Edwardson on the rear.” They nod in understanding where they would be information. Each would be about 3 m away from the other in a diamond pattern. This was the best formation for us as it gave us room to swing or support another team member when needed.

“Make sure to pay attention to the ground here, especially in the long grass. This zone has been rated as a creature type. Some form of large snakes makes up the zone’s defenders. They come in fast and low, so keep an eye out.” Hills was still upset about finding this out. She doesn’t like snakes. “Let’s go then. The faster we do this, the faster we go home.”

The zone is located in the centre of the area and when it opened, it was the middle of the night most of the locals did not get out. We set off down the road leading into the small collection of houses that comprise the bulk of this zone area. There is a small collection of houses about a dozen in total all with accompanying patches of land.

We made no small talk. We weren’t in the mood and the zone’s oppressive nature didn’t help the situation. The area was overgrown and several of the fences that separated the fields and gardens had gaps that had appeared due to the wires snapping. The hedgerows were all still intact.

We progress slowly but surely, ensuring we cover as many angles and approaches as possible. The reduced sunlight creates large patches of deep shadow and the fog suppresses most sounds if there were any present.

We passed the first house. We have all been given maps of the area. We will have to check each house on the route to ensure that there are no nasty surprises for the support team behind us. Normally entering the breach would attract every threat in the zone to us, but recent events have shown this does not always happen fast enough.

I glanced over my teammate’s weapons and decided who was going in—a sword with Smith. Hills and Edwardson both have spiked maces.

“Hills. Take Edwardson and check out the first house internally while Smith and I check the outside.” She nods and quickly leads Edwardson up to the front door to check the danger. She is instructing him on what will happen and what they will do in the house. She had come a long way in such a short time.

“Smith head right. I will go left.”

“Understood.”

I move around the left side of the building, checking for any dangers. The front door had been smashed in and as I walked around the building, I saw several broken windows. Windows had been smashed out. I walked over to the shattered remains of the glass on the floor. The house was dark and empty and I knew from the evidence that bad things had happened there.

I encountered nothing around the house and met Smith in the back. It was clear that neither of us had encountered anything, and we walked back to the front together. We were joined a few minutes later by hills and Edwardson.

“All clear.” She told me.

“Good. We move on with the same formation.”

I stopped as we approached the second building located further back from the road in its plot of land. I look around for the source. I got that tingling sensation up and down my spine and this head on the back of my neck shot up. We were being watched.

“Harrington, what’s wrong?” Smith asked.

“Thought I saw something.” I tell him. “It was nothing.”

I continued walking. I think he accepted what I said. It was customary to believe you see something in the fog and it turns out it’s typically just shadows playing tricks on you. The feeling is still there and this makes me tense.

We have to go into the second building and here it is, Smith and I, that search the inside of the house. The house is wrecked and it is clear that something nasty has gone down here. Dark stains can still be found in some of the rooms. The hardest part was the kid’s rooms. They had not been washed away by the endless dampness but were reduced.

We met up once more outside with the other two. Still no sign of any threats, which I was unsure with a good or bad sign given that we were still being watched. None of the others showed any sign of being aware of the observation.

Again, I wonder whether all of it is in my mind.

No, I can’t think like this. I have to trust my instincts because they have not let me down yet. In many ways, they are all I have when in here.

“We go on.” They quickly settled into formation again as we had been in to go on.

I quickly stopped the group again a short distance later. This time I did see something in the fog, moving. I motioned for everyone to kneel to reduce our profiles. They quickly followed my instructions. I pointed to the distance. Just on the edge of our view within the fog, there was a figure that we could barely make out.

It did not seem to be approaching us, moving more along a parallel line. The way it was moving was odd. A zombie, maybe? No, this was something else. It was not staggering. It was more swaying. I think. It was odd.

Smith and hills had moved forward to have a look as well. And they were looking at me just as perplexed. I could only shrug my shoulders.

“We moving in behind it. Quiet and slow. Identify then eliminate.” I whispered to them. They both nodded in understanding.

“Edwardson, follow but do not engage.”

We spent the next few minutes positioning ourselves behind whatever was in front of us. Once we were ready, we had Edwardson hold back, but not far as we advanced, ready to engage.

We were able to get close enough to see it without it spotting us and we were shocked by what we saw.

It was clear it was no zombie.

The upper body was humanoid with a head and two arms. The lower body was that of a snake. I think the whole thing was covered in scales that were more like armour. From behind, I could see its hands end in nasty-looking claws.

Before we could do anything, it suddenly spun around, snarled and attacked Smith.

It was fast.

But what surprised me was the grave chill that swept over us.

But we were ready. Smith got a shield up and was quickly blocking the rapid strikes. I moved into attack straightaway and scored a nasty hit onto one of its arms. The scales were much harder than they looked and my initial impression of armour was correct.

The cold was slowing us down, getting into our joints and heads. My anger rose to meet it. I hope the others can handle the sudden onset of the chill.

Smith swung at it with his sword. He hit it but did not penetrate the scales on its shoulder. It quickly moved backwards. It was soon lunging with its upper body striking at both of us. Its lower torso was planted to the ground and was used to increase its range by striking with a lunge and then pulling back, like a cobra. Its red eyes were glowing and focused on us.

This kept us out of our striking range. It would strike forward as we try to advance, forcing us back. It, however, did not account for Hills. She had moved around behind the creature. I was not aware of her as it was focused on us. Its scales were strong, but the blow from her mace to the back of its head was more than enough to stagger the creature. Blunt force trauma is great when you’re not on the receiving end.

Smith and I did not hesitate and quickly began a full assault. The three of us in a rough circle pounded on the creature for all we were worth. It struck out many times but each attack was going slower and weaker. Black blood quickly was flying as blow after blow fell upon it.

Eventually, we beat it to the ground hard and killed it. His head was smashed entirely in from repeated blows from my axe and Hills mace. When we were sure it was dead, we all staggered roughly away from it breathing heavily from the exertion of the fight.

“What the fuck was that!” Smith asked between heavy breaths.

“Fucked if I know. You felt the chill?” I asked.

“Yes. What the hell! That’s the no undead.” Hills added.

I quickly look around for any more dangers and my eyes fall on Edwardson. His face is white. I mean chalk white. It is also clearly shaking; I think he was caught in the grave chill’s effect.

“Hills.” I motioned to Edwardson.

“Shit. Aidan, are you okay?” He doesn’t answer. “Aiden! Are. You. Ok?” She asks more forcefully. This seems to shake him out of his startled state.

“Eh…are….what?” He is clearly confused.

“Then focus Aidan. This was your first engagement and training mission; you are suffering from grave chill.” Hills attracted his attention. She was speaking slowly and calmly to him.

Wait, first engagement! Training mission!

I wanted to say more, but I decided to stay quiet. Hills was going to answer a few questions along with Hawk.

She spent the next few minutes giving Edwardson back into a mental state that he could at least work with us. This did not bode well for him in the long run. You might be able to handle entering the zone, but mentally he did not look strong enough to deal with what was within it.

Smith and I inspected the corpse while she was doing this.

“Thoughts?” I asked him.

“I have no clue.”

I listed off what was in front of us. “You got that right. Snake’s lower body. Humanoid upper. Claws and scale armour. Black blood, red eyes and grave chill.” “It’s like several types of threats all merged together.”

Smith leaned in closer to me and whispered.

“Harrington. I’ve heard the rumours and I know that you’ve seen some crazy shit. Have you ever seen anything like this?”

I didn’t know what to make of that, but the question he asked was fair.

“Never. You?” I felt I had to ask him. He shook his head vigorously in the negative.

“What now? Continue or scrub the mission?” He asked.

I looked over to Hills and Edwardson. Hills I knew was reliable. It was Edwardson I was worried about. It was clear that he could handle what was happening and I expected the grave chill was really fucking with him.

“I think I should send Edwardson back.”

“Good idea. You’re going to have to send Hills with him, though.” Smith could see the same issues that I did.

Before I could say anything, the feeling of being watched returned even stronger than before. I quickly looked around, trying to identify the source of the feeling out there in the fog whenever it was still hidden.

We were deep in the zone and actually quite close to the breach. Smith had noticed my changing attitudes; I was far warier looking around as well. It was then that I had a terrible feeling that we needed to get out of here. Something was coming.

“We are scrubbing. Let’s get out of here.” The others looked at me but voiced no opposition. We quickly set back along the road we used to come in.

As we walked along the road, I was hit by a terrible sense that we were already far too late.