Ice and snow covered the ground in uneven steps like small hills over the barren land. Tree-tops stood like small pillars. Nobody could tell how many houses lied buried below the sea of snow. How many old cities and villages that lied under the great white.

There was no telling how long the snow had fallen in this cold landscape. But it was safe to assure that nobody who was alive had ever seen the bare ground of soil in the now frozen landscape. The everlasting rain of snow and ice was called Frozen Rain for a reason. The whole area was known as Tundra by name. If the land should ever thaw, it would cause a reaction of avalanches and drownings. The big pillars of steel that stood in selected areas over the ground prevented such uncontrolled phenomenons. These pillars of steel was able to adjust temperature. They were called Otrillian Sonars and the maker simply called themselves Otrillian Industries. This was a land few would want to live in. But the population was bigger then expected. Living in new cities and underground tunnels due to the climate.

As if living in this condition was not bad enough, a new challenger had appeared over the last few years. The cultist group of Avalon posed as a threat for a long time. The Silver War was raging all over the United States of America and Avalon wanted to use the rough terrains to build their own camps here, in Tundra.

Not knowing the impact of hate from the inhibitors of the cold land. It did not take long before Otrillian started to work for another line of defense apart from the climate. They started to cook up a new defense against Avalon. 

Survivors and experts of the terrain of Tundra armed themselves. Wearing thick coats and survival-instincts, they became a striking foe. Dressed in white camouflage with hard weapons from sharp blades to explosive guns. The SnowSnakes knew the hard frozen land. Anything from mental survival to orientation.

Tundra was under constant battle between SnowSnakes and Avalon. And in the frozen lands formed a new ongoing attack. The target was a giant building made of concrete and steel. Like a huge mill standing upon tons of snow. Frothing all over the facade with frost and ice bits dangling like dangerous daggers along the rounded rooftop. 

Avalon stood posted outside the giant building in huts made of rocks. The only thing to separate them from the Frozen Rain. Today it rained sharp enough to gouge out eyes if you were unlucky.

These soldiers were armed and ready if anything would come. Always on the sharp. But looking out to the white fog of the unknown in the horizon….it is never easy to see before it is too late.

An army of men dressed in white thick coats rushed through the pulsating snow. Skipping over the thickness without any problem at all. They opened fire to the posted guards. All hell broke loose.

Among the white thick coats, stood two lighter soldiers. Dressed like white ninjas, they stepped aside from combat. In a sneaky maneuver they moved from cover to cover. And managed to get to the door leading to the warm building up ahead.

Inside they met the warmth. Like a sudden breeze of fire compared to the outside. The hallway was mostly white. Unpainted and decorated as sparely as possible.

The duo did not believe that the plan actually fell through! They unmasked the white ski masks and showed the shivering frozen pain in their faces from the extreme conditions outside. The darker man of the two was a big, balding man. With small metallic plates over his forehead. Mister Bravo was a cyborg. One of the strongest powerhouses in SnowSnakes. 

The other was a skinny man. Brown hair and thick beard. Gyro was nothing but a simple foot soldier.  He was selected to assist Mister Bravo in a job that was doomed to fail from the start. And here they stood. In a giant metallic hull of a building. The job was just up ahead.

“It worked. I can not believe it worked”, Gyro muttered to himself.

Mister Bravo did not answer. He pulled out his small silver pistol. His younger assistant decided to do the same, pulling out his dual pistols. They were not as fancy. Had been carried from generations. But they knew the art to harm.

Mister Bravo had that look on his face. Focused experience that Gyro did not hold. Bravo knew something was around the corner. That anything could happen. 

There was a door in the endless hallway. One that was almost concealed perfectly to match the white wall. Gyro took aim at the door, understanding what Bravo had in mind.

The door swung open and three Avalon rushed out to the hallway. Armed and heavy in gear. Mister Bravo fired his silver gun. A ray of green laser squirted out like a sharp dart. Cutting an Avalon in half through his gut. 

Gyro opened fire with five rounds. His pistols was not as powerful, but three shots killed the remaining enemy. 

The door to the outside swung open and another guard popped out behind them from the frozen cold. Gyro was bearly able to see the speed Bravo had in his reaction. But the green ray of his gun split the head open on the new coming threat like it was a vegetable run over by a car.

“Let’s boogie”, the dark man whispered as he kept running towards the belly of the building. Gyro had no problem keeping up and they both were ready for any kind of surprises. While the thundering battle outside echoed from the open door of the frozen cold.

The hallway went on forever and the echoes of their footsteps had already alerted their presence, no doubt. Any Avalon could come at any giving time. And Gyro had read the report that the infamous Bronceheart was somewhere in the area. 

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At first they had ideas to wait for an ambush. That the rescue could wait. But there was no chance to it. SnowSnakes had taken lots of damage. Lost many good men and Commander Ryder was not going to be one of them. They had to act fast before a possible execution was been made. Even if it meant going up against Bronceheart himself.

The hallway divided in two. Gyro was going to head up ahead and do his job. And Bravo would execute his orders by killing the generator with some explosives. 

“I’m heading to the generator. We got no time to chat. Do the job and do it good” was Bravos commands to the foot soldier. Gyro nodded and kept rushing down the hallway, while Mister Bravo headed to the big room linked to the hallway. 

Gyro was a good kid in Bravos eyes. But just a kid. He had never seen the battle of Ice Crest. Where Bravo survived a gunshot to his head. Bravo knew that this job had one chance. If even that.

The room was a big yellow hull. Like an empty stomach of a whale. Warning tape went through the walls but in the middle stood a big machine. Like a huge cooking pot. The generator was humming a head-splitting sound. Running on all cylinders to produce energy to the building. 

Bravo ran up the staircase round the generator to get the top, where he could place his explosives. He got round the corner when he saw the last person he ever wanted to see in such a situation. The tall, bald man was in his 40’s. Wearing a black coat of thick leather and red gloves. Rainhaim. Avalons top executioner in the region.

“I have kept my eyes on you, Mister Bravo. You are on my list”, he laughed. 

Rainhaim pulled out a small handle from his inner jacket. And pressed a button to extend a staff made of pure steel. The extended pole was making it’s own sound, similar to the generator.

“Rainhaim…I don’t got time for this”, Mister Bravo muttered.

“I do!”, was the response he got.

Bravo fired a shot from his pistol. And hit the hull of the generator. It spew out burst of flames as if the generator was burning from inside. Rainhaim rushed to Bravo and swung his staff with such powerful might that Bravo fell down the staircase to the ground below. The few feet he fell was strong enough to put a weakling like Gyro down. But Bravo was no weakling.

Rainhaim jumped down to the floor beside him, landing on his feet. Swung his staff again and repeatedly hit Bravo in the chest.

Bravo got up and grabbed the edge of the staff, pulling Rainhaim towards him. Punching him in the gut. The killer-expert barely made a face. 

“You are not as powerful as you think, Mister Bravo”.

Rainhaim pushed Bravo who lost his balance and fell to the floor.

Bravo looked up at his adversary and was ready to get back up and finish him.

But at that very moment he understood that he was not alone. He turned his face to see the man dressed in black. Covered with medallions on his chest. The guy who was in charge over Rainhaim.

He saw the elegant face of a young but deadly commander. Bronceheart, holding his dual-swords.

“Get up again, mister Bravo. Put up a good show for us”, he said with a voice made of silk.

Mister Bravo slowly rose to his feet, looking at his both adversaries. Bravo had lots of fights in his life sense the war started. But taking two guys of this caliber was not going to cut it. Rainhaim alone was most likely there to execute Commander Ryder face to face. And Bronceheart was there to observe his victory against SnowSnakes. If Ryder would die, so would SnowSnakes.

Bravo pulled his gun at Commander Bronceheart, but knew from the grin of the commander. He knew he did not have the gut to kill a monster like that. He knew that Rainhaim would be fast enough to strike him. 

“Shit…”, Bravo sighed to himself. With his free hand he slightly touched the small explosive device in his back pocket. He would never have time enough to blow it up. Or to throw it at the spitting flame from the hull of the generator. 

The smile that Bronceheart had on his face faded into a yelling piercing scream of pain as he fell to the ground, loosing balance. He looked down at his leg and saw the arrow pointing out of his knee. He had been attacked from behind by a woman, a few feet away. She had white, long hair and looked young. Barely legal of age. The woman was wearing a white coat and held a crossbow in her hands. 

Bravo did not know the woman, but took his chance to kick Rainhaim in the gut, decking him to the floor. He whipped his gun into the skull of Rainhaim and turned to the lady.

“Keep them down!”, he yelled while running up the generator.

The name of the girl was Jamie Lund. She was a new recruit of SnowSnakes after her parents death. At the age of 17 she had already taken down a bunch of Avalon. She herself did not know who the guys on the floor were. But she did not seem to care.

“Tell me your name, lady. So I can put you on my death list”, was the poisoned words coming from  Rainhaim.

Jamie fired an arrow that was inches from piercing through the skull of Rainhaim. He got silent fast. Knowing that whoever she is, she means business.

Bravo installed the detonator and rushed down the stairs. He grabbed Jamie by the arm and yanked her out of the room. 

Nobody of them saw whatever would happen to the Avalon soldiers. Nobody of them seemed to give a hoot. Leaving them to whatever came next.

The sizzling heat from the detonation created a warm heatwave, pushing air itself all around the room in an arc of devastating force.

Jamie Lund and Mister Bravo was knocked back by this massive wave. It even took some burns around the edges of Jamies hair, as she was thrown out the doorway where Mister Bravo had entered.

Bravo, who was heavier of the two, could take the push with easier handling, just trembling behind her to the floor of the white hallway.

Jamie and Bravo looked up to the generator room for a small moment. The explosion had deafen their ears. And all time around them stood still. The generator was burning, glowing red of the heat from the explosion. And the sizzling fire from within the tank had taken the top of the construction like an egg. 

Among the fire two bodies could be seen. The man with the swords, Bronceheart lied face down to the floor. As if the heatwave had casted him away like trash in the wind. Rainhaim had almost no remains left. Just a bloody carcass of meat and bones. Burning in a small flame. Still holding that damn stick in his hands, as it where the only thing he could hold in his life. But this time, his weapon of choice could not save him from death.