Damp leaves crunched underfoot as Erik, Elsa, and Eri moved through the forest. Mist still clung to the trees—thin enough to see ahead, thick enough to keep their nerves sharp. Each step drew them deeper into the woods. Closer.
"We need to understand the terrain before we set anything up," Erik said, scanning the treeline. "There are two ways to kill a Karken. One is with an execution spell—last resort. The other is destroying its heart."
He ducked beneath a low branch, voice steady. "Problem is, if this one's a fusion of multiple bodies, it might have more than one heart. And we don't know where they are."
Eri frowned. "And you're just gonna waltz up and find out?"
"I have to," Erik said plainly.
She raised an eyebrow. "You think it's gonna show you where it keeps its heart?"
He shook his head. "Karkens don't have a separate mana core like humans. Their heart is the mana core. If you're good at reading mana, you can sense it."
That seemed to settle it. Eri gave a slow nod, skepticism fading.
Elsa, walking beside him, turned. "You've fought one before."
"Yeah," Erik said.
He didn't offer more, but Eri wasn't the type to let things go.
"So, what happened?"
He sighed, not stopping.
"It was near Kali village. I was handling a ghoul problem—routine job. Nothing difficult."
His voice stayed calm. Detached.
"Before I left, the village chief asked me to check on a house. Said they hadn't seen the family in days. Claimed they heard screaming."
He stepped over a thick root, gaze flicking across the treeline.
"I broke in. Found the bodies of a man and two kids. No mana left in them. Still warm."
He paused. Just a second.
"The thing was in the next room. Tall. Dark. Mana rolling off it like smoke—twisted. Heavy."
His tone didn't shift.
"I don't remember much of the fight. Just waking up with my sword through its chest."
He kept walking.
"Later, I found out what it was. The mother of the kids. The man—her husband—was an abusive drunk. Beat them regularly. This time… he killed her. Hid the body. And you can guess the rest."
No one spoke. The fog had thinned, but the air grew heavier.
Erik didn't look back. He didn't need to. He could feel it—how Eri's usual fire had dulled, how Elsa's steps slowed. And maybe that was a good thing. They needed to understand what they were dealing with.
Eventually, they came across a cave half-hidden between gnarled roots and jagged stone. Erik raised a hand, and the others halted. He extended his right hand, focusing. A swirl of golden light sparked in his palm, pulsing like a tiny storm. It condensed into a marble-sized orb—deep crimson—and hovered above his hand before dropping gently into his palm.
"I'm heading south to get closer to it," he said, handing the marble to Elsa. "This'll help me trace my way back here. Looks like it's going to rain soon. If something goes wrong, pour mana into it. I'll feel the signal and come back fast."
He turned to Eri. "Oi. Keep her safe."
Eri threw him a salute, grinning. "Got it! You can count on me."
He turned to leave—
"Wait!"
Elsa's voice stopped him. She stepped forward and pressed a ring into his hand. Simple silver at first glance, but then Erik saw it—thin reddish veins pulsing faintly across the surface.
Even Eri's grin faded as she leaned closer.
"That's an Ember Stone ring," Elsa said, calm as ever. "It'll suppress your mana signature."
Erik blinked. He hadn't expected that. Eri looked like Elsa had just handed him a dragon egg.
Ember Stones weren't just rare—they were priceless. Not for their beauty, but for what they could do. Sheets could hold a spell. Stones could hold mana. Absorb it. Suppress it. Release it. Only noble families with royal permission could even own them—let alone have one custom-forged into jewelry.
Elsa kept speaking like she hadn't just handed him a fortune. "It was made for me when I was little, for training. While you wear it, you can't cast magic. It'll absorb your mana. But once you take it off, everything you stored will come back."
Erik nodded once, then slid the ring onto his finger.
Eri leaned closer, wide-eyed. "How does it feel?"
Erik glanced at her. "Like wearing a ring."
Her face went blank. Whatever she expected, it wasn't that.
Erik didn't smile—but inside, he counted that as a win. Elsa giggled behind her hand.
"Okay, mister obvious," Eri muttered, turning and heading into the cave.
"You should go with her," Erik said to Elsa.
She looked at him, steady. "Be careful."
Then she followed Eri into the shadows.
Erik waited until they disappeared inside. Then he adjusted his gear and turned toward the deeper forest.
Time to hunt.