DEVIL'S advocate

Just as we were about to conclude our training exercise, a scout team member rode in on horseback, urgency etched on his face. He dismounted and rushed to deliver a message to Chief Orion.

"A devil has been spotted near the village," the scout announced, his voice low and serious.The atmosphere shifted instantly. Our training exercise was forgotten as the other sergeants and we cadets gathered to devise a plan to capture the devil. The mission was set for the next day.

Chief Orion turned to Sergeant Ryder. "We're short on manpower. I need you to gather your best cadets to join the hunt."

Sergeant Ryder nodded, his eyes scanning our group. "I'll choose the top performers from our training exercise. They'll need to be ready for a real-world mission."My heart skipped a beat as I wondered if I would be selected. Would I be part of the team to capture the devil?Sergeant Ryder stood before us, his eyes scanning the group. "For the mission to capture the devil, I'm selecting three teams. Team one, led by Levi, will consist of..."

He paused, then called out the names:

"Mike, Aria, and... Elian."

I breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be on the same team with Mike and Aria.

Sergeant Ryder continued, "Team two, led by Victor, will consist of..."

He called out the names:

"Riven, Lila, and... Kael."

Victor smirked, confident in his team's abilities.

Sergeant Ryder finished, "Team three, led by... Axel, will consist of..."

He called out the names:

"Lysander, Zara, and... Thane."

Axel nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination.

The three teams stood before Sergeant Ryder, ready to receive our mission briefing.

As we prepared to set out, Sergeant Ryder approached my team. "I'll be joining you on this mission," he said, his eyes scanning our group. "My experience will come in handy when dealing with the devil."

I nodded, my expression serious. "Glad to have you, Sergeant."

Meanwhile, Chief Orion approached Victor's team. "I'll be joining you," he said, his voice firm. "We need to ensure that the devil is captured and brought back to the village."

Victor nodded, a hint of a smile on his face. "Yes, Chief."

Finally, Sergeant Thane, a grizzled veteran, approached Axel's team. "I'll be joining you," he said, his eyes narrowing. "We'll provide cover and make sure that the devil doesn't escape."

Axel nodded, his expression determined. "Let's move out."With our teams finalized, we set off towards the old windmill, ready to face whatever dangers lay ahead.

As we rode, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and purpose. We were on a mission to protect our village and capture a fearsome creature.But I also knew that the road ahead would be fraught with danger. We would need all our skills and experience to succeed.

We gathered our gear, checking our weapons and ensuring our hoods were securely fastened. The horses were already saddled and waiting for us.

Chief Orion mounted his horse, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Let's move out. We've got a long ride ahead of us."

We followed chiefs lead, mounting our horses and falling into formation. Victor's team took the lead, with Axel's team bringing up the rear.

As we rode, the silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the sound of horseshoes on the dusty trail. I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, knowing that we were heading into the unknown.

The devil was a mysterious and feared creature, rumored to possess dark powers and unnatural strength. We were about to face it head-on.

After a few hours of riding, we stopped to rest and water our horses. Sergeant Ryder called a brief meeting to discuss our strategy.

"Alright, here's the plan," he said, his voice low and serious. "We'll split into two groups once we reach the windmill. Victor's team will take point, scouting ahead and searching for any signs of the devil."

Axel nodded, his eyes narrowing. "My team will provide cover, watching our backs and making sure we're not ambushed."Sergeant Ryder turned to me and the rest of my team. "We'll provide support, helping Victor's team track down the devil and providing backup when needed."We nodded, our faces set with determination.

As we remounted our horses, I felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins. We were getting close to the windmill, and I could sense that the devil was nearby.

The landscape shifted from rolling hills to a barren, rocky terrain. The windmill loomed ahead, its broken sails creaking ominously in the wind.

Victor's team took the lead, scouting ahead with caution. Axel's team followed, providing cover with their bows at the ready. My team brought up the rear, keeping a sharp eye out for any signs of the devil.

As we approached the windmill, I noticed that the air grew thick with an eerie, unnatural silence. The wind died down, and the creaking of the windmill's sails ceased.

Suddenly, Victor's team froze, their eyes fixed on something ahead. I followed their gaze, and my heart skipped a beat.

A figure stood before the windmill, its back to us. The figure was tall and imposing, with horns protruding from its head. A dark, fiery aura surrounded it, casting a malevolent glow over the landscape.

"It's the devil," Sergeant Ryder whispered, his voice barely audible.We knew that we had to act quickly and carefully. One wrong move could mean disaster.

Chief Orion raised his hand, and with a swift motion, he signaled the attack. Victor's team sprang into action, charging forward with their swords drawn.

Axel's team followed, firing a hail of arrows at the devil. The devil, caught off guard, stumbled backward as the arrows struck its dark, scaly armor.

My team, led by Sergeant Ryder, charged forward with me, our swords at the ready. We aimed to strike the devil from multiple angles, hoping to overwhelm it with sheer numbers.

The devil, however, was far from defeated. It let out a deafening roar, and a blast of dark energy shot out from its body, sending us flying backward.

I landed hard on the rocky ground, dazed and disoriented. As I struggled to get back to my feet, I saw the devil charging toward me, its horns glinting with malevolent intent.

Suddenly, a figure leapt into the fray, striking the devil with a powerful blow. It was Sergeant Ryder, his sword flashing in the sunlight.

The devil stumbled backward, giving me time to scramble to my feet. I rejoined the battle, fighting alongside my comrades as we struggled to bring the devil down.

But despite our best efforts, the devil seemed almost invulnerable. It shrugged off our attacks, its dark energy swirling around it like a protective shield.

We were starting to tire, our movements slowing as the devil's relentless assault wore us down. I knew that we had to come up with a new plan, and fast, or risk being overwhelmed by the devil's sheer power.

The devil's voice was like thunder, shaking the very foundations of the earth. "You filthy humans," it spat, "what do you think you are? Do you think you can defeat me?"

Before we could even react, the devil darted forward with incredible speed, its claws flashing in the sunlight. Sergeant Thane, who had been fighting bravely alongside us, tried to defend himself, but the devil was too fast.

With a sickening crunch, the devil's claws sank deep into Sergeant Thane's chest, piercing his heart. He let out a blood-curdling scream as he fell to the ground, his body twitching in agony.

The devil's eyes gleamed with malevolent triumph as it turned its attention to Axel's team. "You're next," it hissed, its voice dripping with sadistic pleasure.

Axel's team tried to defend themselves, but the devil was relentless. It tore through their defenses, striking them down one by one.

I watched in horror as Axel fell to the ground, his sword slipping from his grasp. Lysander and Zara tried to flee, but the devil was too fast. It caught them and dragged them back, their screams echoing through the air.

The devil's rampage seemed endless, and I knew that we had to act fast to stop it. But how? The devil seemed almost invulnerable, and its power was growing by the minute.

Just as the devil was about to unleash its wrath on our remaining team, a figure emerged from the shadows. He was clad in a black hood and mask.