Winter Storm Vladimir swept Texas into oblivion, leaving Ethan haunted by loss and fury. Whispers of vengeance slithered into his frozen heart, painting the American leaders who failed him as monsters. When a raven-winged shadow offered a path to retribution, Ethan crossed the icy wasteland, not to liberate, but to become a soldier in the iron ranks of the Russian army. He swore allegiance to a new flag, fueled by a twisted promise of justice against the eagle he once adored. But as the inferno of World War III consumed the world, Ethan's loyalty wavered. He saw echoes of Texas in the burning ruins of Europe, and Volkov, the despot with eyes colder than Siberian ice, offered only darkness in place of redemption. Caught between the flames of vengeance and the fading embers of his old life, Ethan must forge a path in this crucible of war. Will he become one of many teenage instruments of Volkov's twisted vision, or rise from the ashes, a symbol of something more than hate, in a world forever scarred by fire and ice? This is his story, a saga of loyalty broken, choices made in the biting frost, and a desperate search for light in the bleakest winter.