Sanctuary: Safe Haven

Three grueling hours had passed since the start of the hunt, and the marsh continued to teem with monsters, seemingly endless in their numbers. The sanctuary warriors had fought valiantly, striking down beast after beast, but it was as if the marsh itself was spawning new waves of creatures.

The mud and waters stirred constantly, spewing out more horrors—Leech Horrors, Bog Serpents, Fen Creepers, and even more dangerous monsters from deeper within the marsh.

Some of the warriors had already reached their limits, their fatigue apparent in their slower movements and heavier breathing. A few had been gravely injured, their wounds too severe to continue fighting despite the healers' best efforts. They had no choice but to use their Noctis clones to forcefully teleport back to the sanctuary, their mission complete but their bodies exhausted.

High above the marsh, Canna watched the ongoing battle, his expression contemplative. This wasn't how the hunt was supposed to go. What had initially started as a strategic push into the marsh to clear the monsters and harvest mana cores had turned into an unexpected, extended siege.

The monsters were relentless, and while the sanctuary warriors were holding their own, Canna knew that their true mission was still waiting for them—Sygon's settlement, trapped and waiting for rescue. Time was running out.

Canna sighed. It was clear to him that it was time to call it. They had gained a substantial number of mana cores, but the marsh was far too deep and vast to clear out in a single hunt. There were bigger priorities now.

He glanced down at the battlefield below. Solara and Zephyros had both finished their respective battles, standing victorious over their disaster-ranked opponents. The marshlands echoed with silence in their wake, the once-towering monsters they had faced now lifeless, their corpses already transported back to the sanctuary for dissection and study.

Solara, with her powerful wind magic, had torn through the Queen Lamia's defenses, while Zephyros, utilizing his shadow magic, had overwhelmed the Dreadmire Behemoth with terrifying efficiency.

But the real trouble lay at the center of the marsh. The Earth Drake, towering at 150 feet, still roared defiantly, despite the odds stacked against it. It had been under constant attack for hours now—bombarded by Canna's forces, including three disaster-ranked beings, two pseudo-disaster-ranked entities, and the combined might of Mortem, Sygon, and the undead orc army.

Even Canna himself, along with Flora's support, had joined the fray.

Yet, despite everything, the Earth Drake stood tall.

Its immense vitality, health, and regeneration abilities were nothing short of monstrous. Its massive form crashed through the battlefield, summoning powerful quakes and raising earth barriers as it fought back with destructive force. Each of its attacks shook the ground beneath them, making it difficult to maintain balance.

But it wasn't just its size and strength that made it so formidable—the drake's thick, rock-like scales absorbed most of the damage, deflecting magical and physical blows alike. As a member of the draconic race, its natural ability to reduce incoming damage meant that even the combined strength of Canna's forces wasn't enough to bring it down quickly.

The battle had become one of attrition. Each blow dealt to the drake seemed to take ages to make any lasting impact. Canna could see that they were wearing the beast down, slowly but surely, but at this rate, it would take far too long to defeat it.

And time was something they did not have.

Canna raised his scythe and charged it with lightning one last time. He leaped forward, his weapon crackling with energy as he swung it in a wide arc, the blade slicing through the air with a sharp hum. The lightning-infused strike landed squarely on the drake's head, causing a burst of electricity to explode outward.

The Earth Drake roared in pain, but it was still far from defeated.

Canna straightened, his mind already made up. "Hunt's over," he called, his voice echoing through the marsh, carried by the wind. "Time to pack up. We've collected enough mana cores. It's time to go home."

With that, he sent the signal through Noctis. One by one, the sanctuary warriors were pulled from the battlefield, teleported back to the sanctuary by their Noctis clones. Some of them resisted at first, eager to continue the fight, but they knew better than to disobey a direct order from Canna.

The retreat was orderly and efficient. Despite the marsh creatures still swarming, the sanctuary warriors moved in formation, covering one another as they began their withdrawal. The undead orc army continued to fight, holding the line until the very last sanctuary warrior had been teleported out.

The warriors had done their best and had accomplished a great deal tonight, but it was time to leave before the fight claimed more lives.

Canna glanced over at Sygon, who was still standing at the edge of the battlefield, his chest heaving from exertion. The white-furred minotaur looked to his leader for guidance, his eyes filled with concern.

"Sygon," Canna said calmly, "head back to the sanctuary with the others. I'll make my way out of the marsh in no time. I'll call for you again once I've scouted ahead."

Sygon hesitated for a moment, clearly reluctant to leave, but he nodded obediently. "Yes, Canna-sama," he said, his deep voice reverberating through the air. A Noctis clone appeared by his side, and within seconds, the minotaur was whisked away.
Explore more stories at empire

The last to be teleported were Aurelis, Terrorfang, and Flora. Their massive forms disappeared into the red portals that opened around them, their energy finally spent after hours of battle.

Mortem, standing at Canna's side, glanced over at him. "Shall we?"

Canna grinned. "Let's."

Without another word, Canna transformed into a bolt of lightning, his form crackling with electricity as he shot across the sky, leaving a trail of blue light behind him. The hunt had taken them deep into the heart of the marsh, but in his lightning form, Canna could traverse the distance in seconds. He flew through the darkened swamp, avoiding the few remaining monsters as he sped toward the edge.

Meanwhile, back in the center of the marsh, the Earth Drake let out another deafening roar. It was an ear-piercing sound that reverberated through the trees and marshland, sending ripples through the water. The ground trembled under the force of the drake's roar, as if the very earth itself was bowing to the beast's might.

The Earth Drake, still standing, gazed at the empty battlefield. Its enemies were gone, teleported away to safety. But it roared again, louder this time, as if proclaiming its victory over the foolish mortals who had dared to challenge it.

For now, the hunt was over. But the fight was far from finished. The marsh was still teeming with life, and the Catastrophe-ranked Earth Drake was still alive, waiting for the next challenge.