I am a stone, I am unmovable, I am a piece of iron. These very words I've spoken ever since I was a young boy, I'm a hunter who hunted in the Ural Mountains, deer and wolves I hunted.

When we moved to Leningrad, my parents were killed by communist traitors, exacting my vengeance, I went on to recover my Father's rifle, I used to gun down my first 5 fascists with that rifle.

I survived many encounters with the fascists, I was picked up by a Soviet patrol and volunteered as a soldier in the Red Army. Immediately, I fought at Moscow and dealt a deadly blow towards the fascist Germans. For constant months we were in retreat from the fascists.

Now we're at Stalingrad, the city that bears our leader's name, lose this city and it's all over.

"My name is Vasili Sokolov, this is my story."

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Chapter 5:

October 13th 1942

Red Square, Stalingrad

Russia

"Stalingrad, the city that bears the name of our leader, now it is a shadow of what it once was.

The fascist invaders have torn it apart by their constant bombs and lining up civilians in the streets. The blood of brave soldiers and civilians filled me with rage, so many lives torn apart by this brutal war just fills me with anger at the losses suffered.

The rotten cancer of the Fascists ravaged Europe, relentlessly driving into the motherland and stealing the lives of men, women and children alike.

All of Russia's brave soldiers have one goal and that is to hold Stalingrad at all costs. Victory or death. Not one step back."

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Red Square, this part of Stalingrad was covered in fog, but the ground was covered with bodies of fallen Soviet soldiers, crows pecked at the dead, some had missing eyes, some lost fingers. There were other body parts missing too.

German armoured patrols roved around Red Square; they were shooting the dead Russians even though they were dead.

One German soldier walked up to the fountain in the middle of the Square and fired his MP40 machine gun into some of the wounded soviet soldiers, some were already dead but regardless the Germans were brutal in killing the Russian soldiers.

As the German soldier walked on by, Vasili Sokolov woke up after playing dead superbly.

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His face covered in blood and dirt, he crawled along the ground, then to his surprise, another Russian awoke having seemingly thought to have been dead, put a finger to his mouth and said, "Let's go, my friend."

The soldier in question grabbed a Mosin Nagant Sniper rifle, and crawled along the ground as he said, "Come on, we've got to move!"

Crawling through the blood and water, the two soldiers soon came to a small gap in the fountain as the Russian soldier who had dark brown hair and sharp blue eyes then said, "My hand means I can no longer aim. You'll have to do it, my friend."

Taking the rifle, Vasili looked through the scope and saw a car approach as the soldier soon said, "The coward in the car is General Veers, he is the one who is responsible for the cold-blooded murder of men, women and children. He was the one who raped so many young women and ordered his men to do the same too. Not only was he responsible for the atrocities committed here, but throughout the motherland."

"He has no honor, none of those fascist pigs do." Vasili says softly. The soldier places a hand on Vasili's shoulder as he says, "Patience young comrade, we will kill him soon. Luck alone saved his wretched life, for 6 days I've hunted him and yet luck alone has saved him. we must be patient and wait for an opportunity."

The soldier then peers and says, "If we reveal our position to Veers' men, this fountain will be our grave."

Pulling the bolt back, Vasili then loaded the rifle as the soldier then said, "Load the rifle, hold your fire. The sounds of the engines above us will drown out your shots."

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Once the rifle was loaded, Vasili turned to heard the bombers get closer as the engines were directly over them, he turned to a pair of German soldiers sitting across from one another and killed them both with one shot.

He turned to a German soldier and his dog and killed them both in the same manner, causing the soviet soldier to smile sadistically at seeing the Germans die by his friend's hand.

When the Germans were killed, Vasili breathed out as he said, "Thank you Sergeant." "No problem Vasili, let's move, their patrols will be back soon." The Sergeant had said.

Moving to pick up a PPSH-41, the two Russians move out of the fountain.

The Sergeant leads Vasili as they take cover by a car, faint rumbling is heard as the Sergeant then says, "Armored patrols, we will have to find another route to catch up to Veers himself, stay low, Vasili and follow me."

The patrol nears by as the two soldiers race to a broken window of a bar and climb in to avoid any German patrols.

Avoiding the flashlights of the German patrols, the pair move through a building as the Sergeant says, "For days, I've moved through shadows like a rat. Many of these buildings once echoed with conversations of family, friends and lovers. No longer are they heard."

"One day, things will change. Things will be better, Sergeant." Vasili said. The Sergeant smiled and said, "Yes they will comrade."

Moving to a nearby door, the Sergeant then said, "Cover me, I will move across to the destroyed truck."

Vasili nods and covers his Sergeant, seeing that he has made it to the destroyed vehicle. Taking off into a run, Vasili decides to make the same similar run and reaches the Sergeant.

Vasili then says, "What now?"

"This building flanks Veers' route. He inspects each German garrison every day. Not far from here is a communications post and the command post Veers operates from. both ideal targets to strike back against the fascists."

Both soldiers sneak into a building as Vasili checks around before saying, "All clear."

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Taking point, Vasili then asks, "What's the plan, both communications and the Command center are bound to be crawling with the Germans, I assume you have a plan?"

"As always, I always have a plan up my sleeve, Comrade Sokolov." the Sergeant says with a smirk.

Vasili rolls his eyes with a knowing glance, as he says, "You have a plan, my ass."

Proceeding to the top of the stairs, Vasili walks to a nearby doorway as he takes cover from the other side as he sees a flash of light from across the river, a building with banners revealed to be the hiding spot of a German sniper.

He looks to his Sergeant and says, "Sniper across the way, I can see him." "Can you take him?" The Sergeant asks.

Vasili smirks and says, "Of course my friend. I have this."

Lining up the shot, Vasili scans the windows for a sign of him before laying eyes on him in the right-hand window on the far right, gently squeezing the trigger, and killing the sniper with a single bullet.

The Sergeant smirked as he said, "Excellent aim, my friend. The patrols would surely have heard your shot, we must keep moving, tovarich."

The pair moved out as they went to avoid German patrols moving through the streets.

Climbing over pieces of fallen furniture, the pair crawled through a burning floor, flames had consumed the place. The smoke got into their systems as they tried not to breathe.

Survival in a burning building was important if they were to achieve their goal and to kill the German general. Continuing to crawl along the floor, they could hear the sounds of the German armored patrol continue to move along, laughing and talking.

Vasili understood German and could speak the language and felt his blood boiling at the Germans for destroying and massacring innocent civilians.

Getting through the burning building, the pair continued onwards and made it out to a nearby hole in the building, they jumped out as soon as the building exploded from a leaking gas pipe, disorienting both Russian soldiers.

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This soon enough alerted a platoon of German soldiers to the scene, but hidden in wait there was eyes on the scene, a pair of blue eyes that were hardened with ice in them watched the scene unfold, the blue eyed person then held a hand up as they said, "Kill them like the rats they are."

Raising their weapons, the unknown figures in the dark opened fire, surprisingly killing the German soldiers, only one soldier dropped his gun in shock, but the leading soldier with the blue eyes pulled her sidearm out and killed the soldier with fury in her eyes.

The one who killed the lone German soldier, she was a very beautiful woman, long dark hair in wavy curls, blue eyes that blazed with fire from within, she wore a white blouse with a gun holster strapped across her shoulders.

Dark green trousers and a pair of boots on, she held a look of anger on her face, beside her was a beautiful blonde woman, her hair was pinned up in a bun, she wore a cap on her head, she dressed in Russian Army fatigues and carried a Mosin Nagant rifle, she was very well built and had ice-like glare of blue eyes.

She then changed hands for her rifle as she helped up the first soldier and said, "Still saving your ass, am I, Dima?"

"Well, I'm glad you're still alive." the Sergeant known as Dima said.

She walked over to the other Russian soldier and was instantly captivated by the soldier himself, she drank in his obviously dazzling blue eyes, his well-built figure, his mixed light brown/blonde hair.

The soldier in turn was surprised by the blonde, that half smirk had him weak in the knees and obviously it was her beauty that surprised him, but what made it more impressive was that it was his old comrade in arms in Tatiana Romanova.

Tatiana then said, "I can't seem to stay away from you, Vasili."

"Nor can I, Comrade Tatiana. It's good to find you once more. You look even lovelier as always, darling." Vasili says.

Dima looks at him and says, "Vasili, you keep your eyes upwards or I'll tear 'em out of your skull, you mudak."

"Love you too, Tovarich." Vasili smirked and winked at Tatiana who blushed. The brunette then said, "Alright, if we're done flirting, let's get goin'."

Dima then asks, "Who's this?"

"This is Veronique, she's an American fighting on our side, she hates Germans and kills them without mercy." Tatiana says introducing her fellow Russians to Veronique.

Dima and Vasili smirk as they say, "We're honoured to fight with you comrade." "We're at your command, Comrade." Vasili says.

Veronique smiles, "We're about to assault a German command post, north of our position. Tatiana and I will lead the ground assault, you two will provide sniper support from above."

"Such a move to prevent our enemy from calling for help, we shall get it done, comrade, wait till you hear screams of dying fascists." Dima said with a fury in his voice. He looks to Vasili and says, "Vasili, up the ladder and this way."

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The pair got up the ladder as Tatiana said, "This way comrades, take up attack positions, wait until the first shot is fired."

Heading to a nearby building, Vasili and Dima headed inside and Dima signalled to Vasili telling him to hold position, as he looks out the window for possible targets of opportunity.

Vasili then says, "What 'bout those flamethrowers, shoot the tanks and they incinerate anyone nearby?"

Dima smirks and replies, "You know what to do, Comrade."

Almost instantly, Vasili fires a shot against a flamethrower causing an explosion and killing several German soldiers, this starts off the Russian soldiers' attack as they charge forward with multiple lines of fire, using rifles, machine guns and heavy machine guns to attack the Germans.

Another flamethrower appears, Vasili shoots him causing an explosion, before turning his attention to the German soldiers. Shooting at the German soldiers so skilfully, Vasili kept to mind what his father had taught to him and he kept those lessons close to him when he had killed Finnish and German soldiers in his military career.

Vasili was a born killer and killing was a second nature to him, he was so skilled in shooting that in the many units that Vasili had served with wondered how he had done it and not wondered if he'd face absolution.

But Vasili believed in absolution but he didn't believe that the Germans deserved redemption for their crimes against the motherland.

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Following Dima's directions in eliminating German soldiers, Vasili looked out of the corner of his eye and said, "Dima, German soldiers approaching on the sidewalk to our 1 o'clock. We must intercept them."

"Agreed comrade, come, we must intercept them." Dima said as he grabbed a spare PPSH-41 and tossed it to Vasili saying, "Be prepared my friend."

Vasili smirked taking the machine gun as he checked it seeing a round in the chamber.

The pair moved forward as the Germans began shouting in their native tongue, Vasili snarled and fired short bursts from his machine gun, the rate of fire ricocheted around and hit the wall and the cover positions of where the Germans were hiding.

Dima fired a burst as Vasili said, "Pushing forward, provide cover fire!" pulling forward, Vasili laid down fire whilst moving forward. He killed several German soldiers and tossed a grenade back towards that killed another few more.

Seeing the German communication post, Dima and Vasili set up positions as the pair began to target the German soldiers and provide their comrades with a chance to push forward and take the post itself.

The Germans brought in their halftracks and Vasili began sniping the machine gunners as he then focused on the Germans that flanked the Russians providing an opening for Tatiana and Veronique to attack the Germans inside their communications post.

Holding their fire for the moment, they soon saw Veronique signal to them that they accomplished the objective.

Flashing thumbs up, Dima then said, "We must keep moving, Veers will try to run, we must find a position and take him out."

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Proceeding deep into the building, they attempted to push forward, encountering a small patrol inside, but Dima quickly killed them with his machine gun as he signalled to Vasili to move forward with him.

The pair cleared their corners as they came to a boarded window, Dima then said, "Here it is, take position, but hold your fire. We're too close to our goal to reveal our position."

Vasili looked over to Tatiana and Veronique's position as he saw the Russians were taking a beating.

he then said, "What about Tatiana and Veronique, we must help our comrades?" "Tatiana will be okay, my friend. Our comrades will be okay, they're providing us the time and opportunity to kill General Veers. His death will be the beginning, but our comrade's brave sacrifices will not go unavenged."

The pair looked out the window for any sign of the coward that was General Veers as they saw him attempting to run, Vasili locked his scope on Veers as he said, "I see the coward, he is heading for the destroyed tank."

"Wait for your moment, the sounds of battle are flushing him out, wait until he is in clear line of fire and kill him." Dima said. Vasili smiled sadistically before saying, "My pleasure, Comrade Romanova."

When the General tried to run, Vasili locked his scope on the German General and breathed slowly before firing. The bullet that fired travelled far touched a travelling German tank shell before making contact with General Veers putting the exact bullet in his skull.

The General fell to the ground at the exact same time, a German panzer exploded, Vasili came out from behind the scope as he pulled the bolt back expending the bullet, which he had caught before standing up.

Dima laughed manically before saying, "You are a true marksman, Vasili Sokolov. excellent aim, my friend. You've now changed everything my friend."

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But their victory was short-lived, suddenly, German panzers began to fire onto Dima and Vasili's position, knocking part of the building away. Vasili then said, "We must move now before their tanks fire again."

"Follow me, my friend. The lake is up ahead." Dima said.

The pair made a run for it, but the building shook all around them from the German tank fire. Soon enough, they saw German soldiers approaching on their right as Vasili brought up his machine gun and fired onto the Germans shouting, "Die, you fuckin' animals!"

Another explosion rocked the building, making their way to a attic, soon enough, Dima then said, "We must jump, Vasili, if we stay, we're dead men."

Looking to Dima, he then said, "You better be right behind me."

Vasili jumped into the river with his sniper rifle and Dima followed behind him, the pair jumping into the freezing cold river, the gunshots fired into the water didn't hit them, but just missed them by inches, unknown to Germans, Vasili and Dima saw someone urging them to come to the grate.

Having no choice they did exactly that and followed them inside into the dark abyss.