It was just one thing after another. Didn't she ever get a break? Between those damn Drachmans and this new hulking brute that had appeared within her impenetrable fortress, everyone in Briggs was on edge. Everyone but Olivier Mira Armstrong, the infamous Ice Queen. She, on the other hand, was down right pissed off. She had understood what it meant to be guarding one of their great country's borders, but god-damn it all! Did those Drachmans really have to keep attacking? And what was that monster she and her men had managed to incapacitate just a few hours ago?

She was currently heading to the tunnel entrance from which that brute had erupted, hoping to find some sort of evidence that would tell her just what she was dealing with. She'd witnessed first hand that thing's strength, and she had a feeling that even that flash freezing it had just gone through wouldn't hold forever.

She arrived at the blocked off zone and headed straight to where a small search team was waiting with horses and light sources for her. It wasn't normal for her to partake in these sorts of things, but Olivier's curiosity had been captured after seeing the monster's brutal strength. And if it was working for the Drachman army, then it was her duty to find its source, weakness, and then work on destroying it all together. There were already too many foolish wars going on in the country, she couldn't afford to have another one starting in her territory.

"Sir, we've got everything ready to go!" said a soldier who offered her the reigns to a large black stallion. She immediately got on, and motioned for the rest of the men to follow her down. One by one, they made their way down, the laterns gently lighting the walls around them. Shadows danced mockingly as they continued down this seemingly never-ending tunnel, and even the horses were on edge then.

Finally, Olivier ordered a dismount. It was as if they'd been walking for a lifetime, not that she was complaining, but something definitely wasn't right about this tunnel. Why was it here, under her fortress, and why was it so long? She had a feeling that it continued down for quite a while, and that continuing down might be a waste. So instead, she would start trying to figure out not only what the purpose of this tunnel was, but how in the hell something this extensive was going on right under her nose without even the slightest hint to her.

"Miles!" she barked, and the Ishvalan showed up at her side almost immediately. She pulled down blanket from her horse, and laid it neatly on the ground before sitting down. Her hand on her chin, she sat deep in thought. How would it have been possible for this to have happened without any detection? As far as she could tell, there wasn't any sort of mining equipment either, which meant that monster had been digging himself. So for how long, and what was its purpose?

"Miles, what do you make of this?" she asked.

"Well, sir, I can't really say. There's nothing here out of the ordinary, no rooms to be housing enemies in underground, no places for weapons to be stored. And it's much to deep for it to be used for explosives. We might be able to feel a slight tremor if someone were to plant explosives at this level, so it's unlikely this is meant for any sort of warfare." Miles explained calmly. He too was just as stumped as to what this was as his commander. And to see her not completely sure of any situation was unnerving. She wasn't freaking out of course, but she was always in control of things, always finding out what was going on no matter how much digging she had to do. "I probably end up doing more digging that than brute ever did…" he said quietly to himself.

And digging will get you in a lot of trouble... Said a low, childlike whisper from out of nowhere.

Miles whipped around, ready to attack, but found himself facing darkness, and nothing more. Olivier looked up questioningly, but he just shook his head, confused. Perhaps all of the extra hours spent training himself more throughout the nights were wearing him down. He made a mental note to try and get a little more sleep, and then turned back to where his commanding officer sat.

You'd better make sure you don't make us believe you're a threat too... Said that same eery voice again.

Miles was sure of it, there was something around them. But all he could see were the other soldiers in front of him, and behind him was pure darkness.

Before any of them had time to react, Olivier let out a shocked shout as a black wispy tendril snared her ankle and began to quickly drag her into the gaping darkness. Her hand immediately went to her saber, but yet another tendril came out and went for her arm. She drew her saber at the last moment possible, and managed to parry the attack.

Miles had already begun to react, firing at whatever was dragging Olivier away, but his bullets seemed to go through the entity...

The rest of her men recovered a couple seconds later, and started to charge. Immediately more tendrils came out of the darkness, stabbing many of them through the chest, while some managed to hit the ground and avoid the attack.

While they were busy defending their lives, Olivier had been dragged into the darkness completely, and was busy trying her best to parry the onslaught of attacks. Finally one managed to knock her saber from her steel grip, and it clattered to the ground.

"Shit!" she said as she felt something that she assumed was the attacker's weapon pressed up against her throat. Again that tug was felt on her ankle, and the last thing she remembered was Miles shouting orders to her men...