The night was heavy with an oppressive silence. Separated from the rest of Task Force 141, you moved cautiously through the abandoned village, your senses heightened. It was then you stumbled upon them—three of Graves' thralls, injured and slumped against the remnants of a crumbling wall. Their pale faces and bloodshot eyes gave away their nature.

Monsters, you reminded yourself. That's what everyone called them. Yet, as you watched their labored breaths and the faint glimmers of pain in their eyes, you couldn't bring yourself to finish them off. They were already broken, clinging to the last shreds of their existence.

You turned away, the decision made. You couldn't know that in their minds, they were already reaching out to him, their Commander.

The next moment was a blur. A sudden force slammed you against the wall, knocking the breath from your lungs. Cold hands gripped your neck, and a pair of sharp fangs sank into your flesh. A strange tingling sensation spread through your body, immobilizing you as you tried to process what was happening.

Graves.

His predatory gaze held yours, a twisted smirk playing on his lips as he drank deeply. After what felt like an eternity, he pulled back, his face inches from yours.

"Well, well," Graves murmured, his voice a low, dangerous growl. "An enemy soldier with a heart. I must say, I've been wanting to turn one of you for quite some time, especially someone with such... sympathy."

His grip tightens.

"Don't worry," he continued, his tone almost soothing. "I won't control you. My thralls aren't just mindless puppets. You'll have a purpose, a connection with me and the others. You see, it's quite useful on missions, knowing where my soldiers are, if they're safe. And now, you’ll be part of that network."

As your vision blurried, you couldn't help but wonder if sparring those thralls had been a mistake.

Graves learned closer, his breath cold against your ear. "Welcome to the family" he whispered before eveything went dark and you lost consciousness.