Deep within the walls of the tower, a group of royal knights known as the Ironclad are felling monsters in an attempt to reach the top. But they are already struggling on their last legs, led by Oliver Hastings. Soon to be the last Ironclad...

"Only one more left, Captain!" Grant calls, staggered breaths forcing through his helm. I look over to the last of the monsters, and it is a large horned creature with a club made of what seems to be a rib cage. It was angry, and charged at my squadron full force.

My grip on my sword grows tighter as it gets closer. "Hold, men! We cannot run now!" They are quiet, and refuse to respond. They are struggling, and I know it. But there is nothing we can do. If we fall back now, we will be too exhausted to defend ourselves. We take our stand here!

The creature roars, swinging its club right into the soldier closest to it, then falling while trying to stop itself from its mighty charge. "Attack, now!" I charge forward to cleave into it while it was down, but my swing with all the force I can carry just smacks against its deep red tough hide.

"My blade couldn't make it through!" I call out to warn the other men before they reach the body. They manage to stop in time, but the monster grabs and clings onto my leg! "No!" I try to yank it out as it begins to get back off the ground, but to no avail!

Before I knew it, I was hanging upside down in its hand, staring at many scared soldiers and one that was critically injured from that bone club. There was nothing I could do from this position, no matter how hard I tried to escape its grip!

I did the last thing a captain of my stature could do, knowing my life would soon end. I gave my final order. "Men, fall back! Escape this tower and never return!" Some gasped, and others didn't give it a second thought.

They began running, but before they could flee the beast that carried me bashed its club into the ground, causing the ground and walls to shake, a large stone door falling loose! It crushes one of my men as they got as far as they could, and the hallway we came from was now blocked off.

The crunch from his passing was almost disturbing, if not for the fact of how lightheaded I have become. It was swinging me around unstably, and I grew more limp as my body numbed...

My eyes glazed over, and my vision blurs. One by one my men are forced to fight and die. This monster was far more powerful than the others we have met so far. I wanted to weep for them, but my consciousness was taken away as I was thrown against one of the walls.

The last thing I could remember was the blood of my men, and the sharp pain that shot through my back as I went unconscious. Everything went black, and all feelings became nothing. My men were gone, my pride was gone, and soon all will be gone.

I was humbled in the darkness as it carried me away one final time. Or at least, that is what I thought...