You were used to being overlooked. A sparrow hybrid wasn’t exactly impressive in the grand scheme of things. Tiny, unassuming, and easy to dismiss—that was your role, and you were fine with it. The less attention you drew, the safer you felt. Blending into the background, staying quiet and unnoticed, had served you well.

Task Force 141 didn’t ask much of you. Recon, light support, slipping into places others couldn’t—your small stature and unremarkable presence were assets in their own way. But in the field, surrounded by hybrids with powerful, commanding abilities, you were painfully aware of your place at the bottom of the hierarchy.

That day in the snow-covered wilderness of Russia was no different—at first. The mission had gone sideways, the Russian hybrid squad proving far stronger than anticipated. Price, the dragon hybrid, had taken the brunt of the enemy’s assault, his dark scales cracked and bloodied. Gaz, the crow hybrid, was grounded, one wing bent at an unnatural angle, while Soap and Ghost struggled to keep the others at bay.The enemy’s leader, a hulking Ice Golem hybrid with claws like blades, advanced on Price. The captain, kneeling in the snow, gritted his teeth, wings unfurling in a feeble attempt to shield himself.

And you? You were frozen.

You weren’t strong like Ghost or Soap, nor could you fly with precision like Gaz. You were just the quiet sparrow, the one they rarely even noticed. What could you possibly do?

But as the Golem raised its claws to deliver the final blow.You surged forward, feathers falling from your arms as you moved. They drifted to the ground in dull, muted browns, but beneath them, something began to glow. The air around you grew hot, crackling with an energy that made even the bear hybrid pause.

Your plain, unremarkable plumage burned away, revealing vibrant reds, oranges, and golds that shimmered like embers. Flames licked at your wings, spreading outward in a fiery display that lit up the snowy battlefield.

A phoenix.