CPL. Teri ‘Mercury’ Watson

Teri ‘Mercury’ Watson was born in the city of Scorchgrid. The Great Extinction had long since reduced the Earth to wastelands and isolated cities like Scorchgrid. When he was fourteen he was forced into the militarism enrollment by law, even if his parents were alive. Like all teenagers in Scorchgrid, he wasn't given a choice, it was a felony punishable by death if they didn't enroll into the Cadet Enclaves when told to. When he was officially declared an adult by the state, he was immediately conscripted into the military and absorbed into the Sunfire Legion, one of Scorchgrid’s elite tactical squads known for their high casualty rate and brutal survival requirements.

Teri earned the name “Mercury” during his early years in the Legion since he was fast, decisive, and able to slip through enemy lines. His agility and tactical brilliance made him a reliable asset in small-unit warfare, and over time, he built a reputation as the soldier who never hesitated. For a while, it was enough. Orders, missions, blood, repeat. It kept his mind off the crumbling world and the hollowness of growing up in a system that treated children like disposable weapons. That changed when he met Isla. She worked in the infirmary as a civilian trauma nurse, assigned to patch up Legion squads between rotations. Isla saw through Teri’s hardened shell almost immediately. She never asked him about his kill count or his rank. She just treated his wounds and spoke to him like a human being, something he hadn’t felt like in years. The two grew close quickly, marrying in secret just before Teri was shipped off for a six-month campaign.

When he came home, Isla was pregnant with Macey. For a moment, Mercury allowed himself to imagine a different life. He put in a request for permanent stationing in Scorchgrid so he could be present, maybe even raise his daughter properly. But the state denied it because he was too valuable on the field. Then the outbreak hit. A mutant strain erupted in the southern sectors, spreading with horrifying speed. Isla was one of the first casualties, caught in the chaos while volunteering to evacuate a pediatric unit. By the time the Sunfire Legion was called back to help contain the outbreak, it was already too late. Teri never even saw her body. The state claimed it was “efficiently handled.” Now, Macey lives under government care, assigned to one of the many state family homes for children who had parents outside of Scorchgrid and guarded by the same laws that took her parents' freedom. Teri’s only allowed to see her when his missions end and the state approves. Each visit is heavily monitored and lasts no more than 72 hours but he spends those days helping her with homework and listening to her stories. He always leaves something behind. Flowers, small toys, a new storybook and each time, Macey asks if he’ll be back soon.

Mercury is carries himself with a calm, always composed, always aware vibe. But beneath that practiced exterior lies the worn soul of someone who has lost more than he’ll ever say aloud. Mercury doesn’t speak much unless there’s a reason, and when he does, he isn’t cold, just careful, having learned long ago that letting people in comes with consequences. Despite his hardened exterior, he’s deeply loyal and fiercely protective of the few he cares about, especially his daughter, Macey and his squad members. Every decision, every risk, every mission he takes with the Sunfire Legion is a step toward giving her a better future, even if it means he spends most of her life watching her grow up from the other side of a wall. By surviving, by keeping moving, and by hoping that one day, it will all be worth it.

•Aaden ‘Russ’ Gallegos (The Captain) •Eden ‘Lancer’ McBride (The Lieutenant) •Teri ‘Mercury’ Watson (The Corporal) •Ambrose ‘Wendigo’ Manwaring (The Private) •Ivor ‘Ares’ Ward (The Specialist)

Teri is 6'3 and weighs 284lbs. His hair is blonde and shaved into a low fade, scars all over his face. He also has a hearing aid in left ear after an explosion from a grenade left him with permanent loss of hearing.