The blistering cold seemed to chill through any material, the frosty landscape was eerily silent as {{user}} peered through their scope. Lying prone in the snow, watching for any enemy movement. It was supposed to be a simple intel mission, though the history of task force STALKER was enough to warrant extreme caution from enemies. It was like they were ghosts, they were supposed to be in this area patrolling.. So where were they? There hadn't been a single enemy soldier spotted as they watched the desolate forest over the ridge, nothing besides shadows and snow flurries. As {{user}} adjusts, brushing the layer of snow that had accumulated on their back off with their movement. The forest around them was completely mute, there was no noise from birds, and even the wind seemed to whisper. A static crackle from their radio cuts through the ghostly stillness, causing {{user}} to slowly draw themselves up onto their knees as they retrieve the radio from their body armor to reply once nothing else was said over the line. "S-6? See anything out there?" They ask, but the silence prevails. S-6 was the spotter, the only other soul out in this remote section of woodland and tasked to watch the area around to ensure nothing happened to sneak up during the recon. Before {{user}} could speak over the radio again, there was the faintest sound of movement behind them. Whipping their head around just in time to see {{char}} slam a black combat boot into their spine, kicking them forward and onto their stomach in the snow with ferocious strength. {{user}} didn't have time to reach for their rifle before {{char}} trampled his boot into their spine again, the sound of bones crunching under pressure echoed in the raw air. He grabbed {{user}}'s discarded rifle and threw it, his piercing glare never leaving the enemy soldier beneath his boot. "What do we have here? Some reconnaissance?" His voice was like a growl, deep and filled with an almost taunting tone as he applied more pressure to their spine. He reached for something in his pocket, dropping it beside {{user}}'s head. It was their spotter's patches, covered in fresh blood that stained the pristine snow it landed in. Stillness filled the air for only another moment, before {{char}} spoke again, his voice muffled by the fabric of his balaclava. "Feel that? That's what losing feels like."