A Few Minutes Before the Karken Attack – High Ground Unit
Loki led the high ground unit across the canyon rim. Elsa followed behind him, keeping pace with Eri and the other White Calvary members.
"I didn't know Erik had history with the White Calvary leader, Aron," Eri said, keeping her voice low. "Isn't he a noble? And a royal knight candidate, too? I can't imagine how those two even met."
Elsa glanced sideways at her. "Ever since we met Erik, it's been one surprise after another. Honestly, nothing shocks me anymore."
"Yeah, well—I actually heard about him before all this. People call him the 'Solo Rookie.' He doesn't belong to any guilds, always works alone. Oh! And did you know he's a Silver-rank hunter?" Eri grinned. "That's why I followed him."
Elsa blinked. "Silver rank?" It caught her off guard. She knew enough to understand how rare that was. Becoming Silver-rank wasn't easy—especially alone. Most hunters that strong ended up getting recruited by guilds or even the royal knights.
A voice interrupted them from behind.
"What are you two doing?"
Elsa turned to see a spellcaster frowning at them. Another archer had walked toward the canyon edge and was now making his way back.
"Sorry, sorry. Let's keep going," the archer said with a sheepish grin.
The group began moving again. Elsa tuned in to their conversation.
"Why'd you stop?" the spellcaster asked.
"I thought I saw something on the edge. Like a… black monkey or something," the archer replied.
"You saw what?"
"I don't know. Might've been nothing. Forget it."
"A black monkey…?" Elsa murmured.
"What was that?" Eri asked.
"Nothing," Elsa said quickly, but she couldn't shake the strange feeling.
She kept scanning the cliffs. Nothing. Just rocks and shadows. Still, her unease grew.
"We don't need to worry," Loki called from the front. "Our job is to support Master Aron when the time comes. As long as he's here, we'll be fine."
They continued walking. The canyon narrowed, and the rock walls grew taller.
"Hey," Eri said, her voice uneasy. "Aren't we almost at the center?"
"Yeah," Elsa replied.
"Shouldn't we have seen the Karken by now?"
"...Yeah."
Elsa's eyes narrowed. Something was wrong.
"I'm not feeling a trace of its aura," Eri whispered.
"Neither am I."
The path ended. Loki stopped walking, and the group came to a halt. His spirit dragon dissolved into mist, then reformed into a glowing bridge across the canyon gap.
Elsa stared in awe.
"That was so cool!" Eri said beside her.
"Well, that's a Silver-rank sorcerer for you," one of the archers added, clearly impressed.
"Damn…" Eri muttered.
They crossed one by one. Loki checked to make sure everyone was across.
Then Loki walked passed infront of the team.
"Everyone's here?"
"Yes, sir!" came the chorus of replies.
"Alright then—let's move."
But then he stopped cold.
Standing in front of him was something humanoid. Black skin. White hair. Half its face looked… melted.
"What the fuck is that?" Loki whispered.
The thing tilted its head, cracked its neck, and rushed toward him.
"Fireball!" Loki shouted, launching the creature off the cliff. But more crawled up in its place—dozens of them.
"Shit!" Eri cursed, bow already in hand.
Elsa drew her dagger, ready to fight. Before she could react, something flew overhead. A huge shadow—too big to be one of the smaller creatures.
Elsa's eyes widened.
"It's the Karken."
A deafening boom shook the canyon as it landed below. The force kicked up dust, blinding them. And then the black creatures charged in, fast—too fast for ranged attacks.
They leapt into the ranks, biting and clawing. Chaos broke out.
"Get on the—" Loki tried to shout, but a creature tackled him off the ledge. He vanished with a scream.
One lunged at Eri. She blocked it with her bow but fell backward. Elsa was on it instantly, slitting its throat and pushing it off.
"You okay?" she asked, grabbing Eri's hand.
"Thanks," Eri panted.
But the creature got back up—somehow still moving, its head barely attached.
Eri leapt back and fired an explosive arrow into its chest. The detonation tore it apart.
"Elsa, these are Karkens!" Eri shouted.
Elsa's blood ran cold.
How?
Screams filled the air. Dust swirled. The sound of flesh being torn echoed from all around.
Elsa froze.
"Aah! Help me!" a soldier cried, being devoured by two creatures.
Elsa stood still, unable to move.
"Elsa!" Eri grabbed her collar, shaking her. "Snap out of it! We need to get out of here!"
Eri yanked her hand and started dragging her through the chaos.
Erik's voice echoed in her memory:
"Don't let your kindness be the death of you."
He was right. So was Eri.
Elsa began running. They reached the edge of the cliff. A straight thirty-foot drop.
"No way down," Eri said, panicking.
A snarl behind them. Elsa turned—one of the creatures stared at her, chewing on a severed hand.
It lunged.
"Eri!" Elsa shouted.
Eri turned—and slipped.
She fell backward, grabbing Elsa's hand at the last second.
Elsa held on tight.
The creature charged.
But then, a blur.
Old man Val slammed his hammer into it mid-air, sending it flying.
"I hope you ladies are alright," he said, pulling Eri up.
Val scanned the battlefield. "We're not done yet. Let's kill these bastards and get to the others—Erik might need our help!"
With a war cry, he charged.
Elsa and Eri followed. Arrows flew, spells flashed, hammers slammed. The White Calvary survivors regrouped.
Eri's arrows exploded on impact. Elsa stabbed anything that moved, and Val cleared space with every swing.
Finally, the creatures fell silent.
Val turned to the group. "Those who can climb, follow me. The others—hold the high ground. The rest of our team needs us."
He pointed to a narrow path down the cliff. One by one, they began the descent.
Elsa followed, her heart pounding.
Erik was down there.
And whatever they were facing—he'd need them soon.