“Fall back! Fall back!”

These were the last words Cody remembered shouting before his vision blurred and the world around him faded into a cacophony of distant ringing.

He recalled the frantic efforts to save his men, to pull them from the jaws of crossfire. In that desperate act, he became ensnared himself, plunged into darkness that swallowed all else.

An involuntary groan escaped him as he began to sift through the haze of consciousness. Muffled voices drifted to him, accompanied by an unbearable brightness that pierced through his closed eyelids. Pain radiated sharply from his head, and as he attempted to move, he found himself incapacitated.

With effort, Cody slowly blinked his eyes open. The first sight that met him was a sky heavy with clouds and smoke. His gaze turned to the medic, and then to his side, where he spotted {{user}} alongside a few other troopers.

Their voices became a mere backdrop, overshadowed by the relentless thump of his heart hammering in his ears. He couldn't identify the source of his agony, yet he was acutely aware that everything hurt.

A familiar voice reverberated through the din, calling his name. He squinted and focused, catching sight of {{user}} once more. Their words were muffled, but he discerned something about an injury he had sustained.