Chapter C: The Sacred War

 A thin, swirling line of smoke rose from a lonely campfire in Red Forest, just before the gates into the forest itself. The fire in it had long ago turned to cinders. A single guard looked longinly at the campfire before shuddering and turning back to the forest to continue his watch. His crimson and ebon-coloured Sunset suit was partially covered in a layer of snow, melting from body heat and the rising sun. He kicked a beer bottle into the fire pit and moved to the gate, where another guard in a pathfinder SEVA observed the hill ahead with binoculars

• Cheer up Stepukha, it's a wonderful morning, crows are chirping and Christmas is just around the corner, the gate guard said jovially.

• Easy for you to say Leva, you didn't drink anything last night... Jesus, my head is killing me, and the fire has gone out too. And this goddamn snow, drops of water constantly slide down my back, Stepukha replied bitterly.

• You can go inside for a second, bratukha, I can handle the watch for a time. Just don't snooze off or Vityukha will have to remove my boot from your ass.

• Thanks, bratan, I'll go fetch some grub and come right back... If it stays in, the Redemption sergeant added.

The sergeant disappeared into the trailer nearby, where Gleb, Valik and Mark were making a stew. The Ecologist commandoes led by Major Tarasov had kept watch for the night, as a thanks for Redemption's part in quelling Limansk attack earlier. During the watch, Yarik, the squad's pointman, had killed a pack of fleshes and boars, which were now being turned into meals. According to Mark, nothing beat a properly seasoned, purified boar stew as a hangover food. As Stepukha stepped inside, Leva continued to observe the frozen forest. Even a normal forest was a bit unsettling during winter, but the infamous Red Forest? It was absolutely terrifying. The Zone ambience is already haunting, distant screeches, shrieks and whispers a cause for paranoia. Winter features a lot more cracks and pops due to cold, which further adds to the nerve-straining.

Leva did not feel particularly smart about having ordered Stepukha to take a break, as the forest seemed to watch him intently now that he was alone. A twig breaking somewhere further up could be a gigantic chimera, or a rustle in the dried up bushes could be a Monolith elite placing his crosshairs on a careless watchman. Leva shivered and crossed his arms to rub them for some warmth. It wasn't particularly cold, but his thoughts didn't give him a warm, fuzzy feeling on the inside. And to add to his growing unnerving feelings, it was as if he heard footsteps scrunch on the snow further down the forest path. He raised his modernized SKS towards the sound.

• Freeze! Drop that gun or I'll gut you like a flesh!, commanded a harsh voice from behind him.

• Okay, okay, no need to get all rough, Leva said placatively and lowered his rifle slowly.

• Orlov, stop messing with my gate guards!, another voice called from behind, followed by a cackle from the original voice.

Leva turned around and saw a man in Duty Skat suit, grinning from one ear to another, and Boris marching towards them, trying to hide his amusement. Leva's face went red, but Boris nodded to him to calm him down.

• Sorry man, I couldn't help myself. Besides, I had to make sure you wouldn't blast the Redemption main force to pieces, Red Forest makes people trigger happy, Orlov said, reaching his right hand out.

• Alright, no hard feelings. Besides, if nothing else, at least I got to meet the first Dutyer with a sense of humour, Leva replied and shook the Dutyer's hand.

• Ouch, good one Leva. But now, you were talking about Redemption main force? Are the reinforcements coming soon?, Boris asked.

Before Orlov could reply properly, a group of stalkers in Redemption colours rounded the corner and marched into the camp. There was around ten of them here now, a loner in Sunrise suit and PBF gas mask, carrying a modified TOZ-194 with a Kobra sight. There were others as well, the ex-Bandit trader Tooth and his two companions, Kostya Vandal and Tima Rogue, another ex-thug Reefer with two ex-bandits of his own, Pavlukha Defunct and Vitya Carp, Redemption sergeant Toshka Attorney and two renegade recruits, Vetal Dead Duck and Zhenka Legionary.

• Boris! Glad to see you're still kicking!, Tooth shouted from afar.

• Same to you, you old geezer, and good to see you're wearing the good kind of colours these days!, Boris replied with a warm smile.

Rest of the small army gathered at Red Forest by Dima and Kruglov crawled out of their hiding spots to meet the newcomers, and warm greetings were shared. Reefer and Anton Anomaly shook hands upon seeing one another again, now as allies instead of enemies, Hip and Tooth started talking business almost instantly as they would now form the trading side of Redemption, Dima and Boris caught up on the training of recruits with Toshka and the new recruits introduced themselves to Boris. Polymer looked through Boris' Nosorog, propped up next to Forester's tower and nodded approvingly, Forester grinning at the young technician's observations.

The battle preparations were swift, Polymer and Forester fixing up anything that needed fixing, Mark and his crew providing rations for everyone in need of them and Tooth distributing ammo evenly between the combatants, commenting every time how they should not get used to such generosity. Boris observed the preparations with Dima and Kruglov as they went through the battleplans one last time. Kruglov's unit would utilize their helicopter to infiltrate into the Generators area and help Strelok in finding the emission machine controls. Dima and Boris would lead the main assault on the remaining Sin stronghold in the Deserted Hospital. The reinforcements would follow them and set up a retreat route near the power plant to ensure that they would not get trapped at the Generators.

With this, Kruglov, Tarasov and their squad of commandoes stepped into the Mi-2 helicopter, taking to the hazy skies, a snowstorm beginning to settle down to cover their approach. Boris gathered his forces, gave last orders to his lieutenants and sergeants, thanked Forester for all he had done and stepped into his massive battlearmour. The machine locked into his body, whirring and buzzing into action, its systems warming up the suit. Forester had added some extra functions to it, chief among them an improved helmet. Instead of the usual Spartan Helmet, Forester had digged up a new one, which visually reminded Boris of the MASKA helmet. This one however, had an integrated gas mask, radio and Generation 3 nightvision-device.

• Now, it really deserves its name. Thanks a lot Forester, I owe you greatly, Boris said, his voice full of gratitude.

• No need, for too long I've seen good men become monsters when they have no other choice, you have given them a chance, take this as my thanks for that. And if you kick those Sin weirdos out of the Zone, it's payment enough, the old man replied with a faint smile. Boris nodded to him as goodbye and turned to his men.

• Alright men, arise! Arise for the Sacred War! Let noble wrath boil over like a wave, to crush the fanatic hordes! For the scum of humanity we shall build a solid coffin!, Boris roared, reciting the words of an old Soviet propaganda song.

The men roared back, raising their weapons and helmets over their heads. Dima gave Boris a salute and the men marched on to Limansk, once more to war. On the Limansk bridge, Clear Sky forces cheered for the army as they passed by, and all over Limansk the allied forces did so too. And on one of the last standing parts of Duga antenna, a Clear Sky sentry gazed into the horizon, watching the electric pillar rise to the sky from the Generators.