29/11/2024
“The Sand Huntress”
The mercenary’s name had once been Aniya, but that alias was buried in the past, just like everything else about her old life. Now, she was known only as “The Sand Huntress.” Some said her armor was forged from remnants of ancient imperial technologies buried deep beneath the desert. Others whispered that her beast-shaped mask was a symbol of a cult she had betrayed. No one knew the truth, but everyone understood one thing: if the Sand Huntress was hunting you, there was no escape.
Today, her target was particularly elusive. A client, speaking through an encrypted channel, had offered an immense sum for the capture of a “scientist deserter” hiding in a ruined city in the middle of the wasteland. The scientist, they claimed, held the key to awakening technologies that could shift the balance of power across the world.
Aniya stood on the crest of a dune, her mask catching the first rays of dawn. Beneath her feet, the sands moved as though alive, swirling under the edges of her cloak that concealed parts of her armor. Activating the optical sensors in her helmet, she scanned the ruins ahead. A heat signature flickered on the display: a figure crouched behind a concrete barrier 300 meters away.
“Foolish to seek refuge here,” she muttered under her breath.
Weapon in hand, Aniya slid down the dune. Her movements were near-silent, aided by the stabilizers built into her suit. Around her, the desert was eerily quiet—too quiet. She knew the deserter wasn’t alone. He was guarded by former soldiers, desperate and poorly equipped perhaps, but still dangerous.
The first shot pierced the silence, but she was ready. Her armor absorbed the impact, and her return fire from an energy pistol struck the distant attacker with precision. One by one, the guards fell, barely registering what had hit them.
Reaching the scientist’s hideout, she found him trembling against the wall. His face was etched with fear, but his eyes burned with a hint of madness.
“You don’t understand what they plan to do,” he rasped. “If I go back, they’ll destroy everything!”
Without a word, Aniya grabbed him, twisting his arm firmly, and opened a communication channel with the client.
“Target secured. Prepare for pickup,” she said coldly.
Her voice betrayed no emotion. She had long ago learned not to ask questions. But when the scientist, desperate, whispered, “Don’t you see? This weapon isn’t for humans. It’s for the machines—they’ll awaken,” she paused. For the first time in years, her icy resolve wavered.
The desert winds howled around them, shrouding their forms in a swirling veil of sand. A decision had to be made—and, as always, she would make it alone.
