Rika led Allisa and Berken upstream. It was unnaturally quiet, adding to Allisa’s anxiety, looking over her shoulder for the next monster or krell to jump them. Despite the danger, Rika didn’t seem too bothered. She walked with her guns out but despite that, her posture was more relaxed than Allisa.

“Sooo… how are we getting up to Ion?” Allisa finally asked. “I mean, don’t they have a lot of security around her. She is the star singer.”

“Yeah, but I think they’ll be busy for a good while,” Rika said. “Before I came down here I hijacked one of the skiffs and crashed it into something that belonged to the krell.”

“That sounds like something you’d do…” Berken said. “That will just rile them up even more!”

“True, but it means that Thakreck’ll have to withdraw. Despite being Matriarch she’s not exactly a fighter so the Kolbelk won’t risk her being in harm's way.”

“Thakreck? Oh, you mean that giant skar,” Allisa said. If it was true, she was glad she wouldn’t have to fight her. She was already exhausted from fighting three krell at once. “Wait, you know that thing?”

“Thakreck? Yeah, they’re no one in the whole peaks who doesn’t. Kolbelk has been a real pain in the peaks over the past few years. Trust me, you’re not the first one they kidnaped for this hunt, and no one who takes part survives.”

“S-Seriously?”

“Don’t worry. You got me now.” Rika grinned tapping one of her guns on her head. There was no denying that she could take care of herself, given how easily she dealt with the krell. If anything, it was a comfort to have someone besides her who could fight.

“I still have to ask how you plan to get us up to rescue Ion,” Berken asked again.

“My speeder, obviously. I hid it at the far edge of the island.”

“Speeder?” Allisa creaked her head.

“Yep. A custom one. It’s not big but it can carry three people easily without losing much of its speed.” Rika continued while Allisa looked a little confused.

“Uh… what’s speeder? Like a… ship?”

“… You don’t know what a speeder is?”

Regretting the question, Allisa scratched the back of her head. “Uh, haha… they’re uh… different from where I’m from…”

“Yes they can fly,” Berken said blankly.

“Huh, guess there’s more to you than you’re weird eather gear,” Rika said intrigued. “Anyway, they’ll still have at least one krell guarding Ion so the two of us’ll have to spring her from the cage.”

“R-Right.” Allisa nodded.

*****

Eyeing the two hunes, the hunter etched herself further silently. Her four feet tapped the ground carefully. In her two hands, the large chaingun began to spool, the energy cells hissing as steam vented.

****

They hadn’t taken two steps when Rika abruptly stopped, raising her guns. Allisa stopped behind her. She didn’t even need to ask, her hair standing on ends.

“Wh-what do you think your doing, stopping all of a sudden? We need to get to Io-!” Berken didn’t have time to finish as a hale of blue tracers tore through the jungle. Rika forced Allisa to the ground as the tracers tore the undergrowth apart. Berken screamed, flying in all directions amid the hale- not being hit by anything by skill or just blind luck. The fire continued for a full minute before it died out.

Allisa’s ears were ringing as Rika got off her. Sitting up she looked in the direction where the fire came from. With smoke rising from its minigun, a skar krell strolled forwards. It had loser armor with what looked like a full metal jacket across its bone armor, connected to the weapon it clutched in its thin arms that looked ready to snap off at a moment’s notice given the size of the weapon.

“Where do they even get this stuff…?” Allisa groaned, keeping behind Rikia.

“You haven’t seen many ravengers in your life, huh?” Rika said to her. The krells weapon spooled again, with steam venting from the back. “I’ll keep it busy. Wait for an opening and get in close.”

The krell opened fire once again. Both Allisa and Rika teleported out of the way, with the latter appearing to the left, firing at the enemy with her two guns. The shots hit the armor, doing little visible damage while the krell continued its relentless fire at Rika who ran through the thick undergrowth, firing nonstop at it with one gun in hand.

With its attention focused on Rika, Allisa managed to get behind it. With Azure flame in hand, she focused flames in her weapon, ready to strike at the krell. Just before she struck, the krell stopped firing, pivoting sharply. Allisa found herself staring down the spinning barrels of the gun.

Oh crap!

Allisa quickly teleported back as the gun fired, ripping through the jungle. Allisa reappeared, a few feet away, but was forced to duck as the krell continued its rate of fire at her. Rika appeared just above the krell, firing at close range at the monster, burning several holes through its armor. The krell shrugged this off, turning to face Rika, swinging its gun towards her. Rika kicked off the gun, backflipping back firing two times before landing, teleporting away as the krell opened fire again.

Allisa, emerging from her hiding place attempted to charge in once more to help Rika. However, as soon as she took one step, something emerged from behind her, four sickles coming into view close to her head. Allisa ducked down, seeing small strands of her hair fall before her. Quickly she scrambled out of the way, turning to face a new threat. As she expected it was a Reg krell, dressed in looser armor then the previous one she had delt with a large, sharp sickle in all four hands.

“Rika!”

Regaining her footing, Rika saw the new enemy engaging Allisa and clicking her tongue in frustration. Facing forwards, she quickly teleported out of the way as the skar krell fired.

“Aqua Heart!”

Allisa transformed her weapon, detecting the strikes from the krell. Despite its size, the krell was fast, delivering strike after strike keeping Allisa on the defensive. Using, jetting water from her feet, she put some distance between herself and her enemy.

“Rika?” She looked around, but couldn’t see her new partner- although she could hear gunfire off in the distance.

The krell hissed and cackled, swinging its four sickles into each other, sparks shearing from the blades. Once again, Allisa had to fight this enemy alone. At this point, it was almost becoming routine.

****

Rika teleported in and out, firing none stop at her opponent as it continued to let rip its return fire.

“Damn it! That armor’s thick!” Rika took cover, letting her two guns vent. “Allisa?!” She called out but there was no reply. It was likely the other krell was keeping her occupied. “Looks like it’s just you and me.” She teleported as gunfire erupted, ripping the bark off the tree she was using for cover. She reappeared and opened fire at the krell before teleporting out again.

Taking cover once more, she let her guns cool off again.

“This does not look good…” Berken suddenly emerged above her.

“Oh, that’s where you were hiding,” Rika smirked.

“At this rate, we’ll never rescue Ion!”

“Give me some credit.”

“You’re not faring any better than the spy from what I’m seeing!”

She drew out one of her grenades and threw it behind with one hand. The object bounced against the trees landing a few feet away from the krell. The explosion was too far to do any real damage but it did stagger the krell with the backblast.

“Nope, I got the krell right where I want her.” Rika broke into a run again, firing blankly behind her, drawing the krell towards her as it cooled its weapon.

“I fail to see HOWWWW!!!” Berken flew after her while the krell continued its relentless fire. Rika kept running while blind firing behind her, occasionally teleporting out of the way, at one time sliding under a jutted root. The krell eventually had to stop firing to allow its gun to cool. Her four legs helped navigate through the forest, unobscured by the uneven terrain.

Eventually, Rika broke from the forest canopy, having a clear view of the floating islands of the peaks. She skidded to a halt, coming close to the very edge of the island she was on, small fragments of rubble falling down the long drop. Berken was next to emerge, stopping behind Rika.

“…. Welp, you’re done for.”

The krell emerged next, keeping the gun spooled, laughing (sounding like a distorted audio recorder) as she approached. Rika, turned grinned and tapped one of her guns to her forehead before falling backward off the edge.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

The krell cautiously approached the edge, ignoring Berken to look down, hoping to see the splattered corpse of its prey. Yet there was no sign of her. Suddenly, Rika landed on the krell from behind, slapping one of her grenades on the armor before leaping off. The krell only realized too late. The grenade exploded, blasting a hole through the back plates while the force pushed the krell over the edge. It hissed with rage, releasing its weapon as smoke rose from its destroyed back, falling all the way down to the island below.

Rika twirled her weapons and holstered them with a satisfied smirk. “See, just as planned.” She said to Berken.

“That most certainly was not planned…” Berken retorted as Rika began to run left along the cliff face.

“Come on! We need to help out Allisa!” She called to him with urgency.

“Wh-Do we have to? With you here, we’ll be able to rescue Ion in…. Ba! Of course, we need the spy! There’s no way you’ll be able to rescue her without making things worse!”

“Missed you too, tin bunika.”

****

With a hiss, the krell closed the distance and alarming speed. Allisa ducked as the sickles sliced through the bark. She pivoted, trying to counterattack only to be blocked by the krell, who effortlessly parried and struck back. Allisa backed off, barely dodging the strike. With both hands gripping her hilt she swung downwards. The krell blocked with one of its weapons.

Allisa’s blade lost shape, turning into a water whip that coiled around it’s arm. Allisa jetted back, trying to catch the krell off guard to finally land a strike. The krell used one of its arms to dig into a tree to anchor itself then pulled Allisa back towards her, preparing to strike with it’s two remaining arms.

Crap!

Allisa teleported before being struck, repairing behind the creature and landing on the ground. The krell freed its weapon before turning to Allisa, striking downwards with its top left hand. Allisa turned quickly, blocking the strike with only one hand, with the tip loombing a few inches off her right shoulder. The krell jerked its weapon back, the weapon ripping through the cloths on her shoulder, cutting into the flesh. Allisa yelped in pain, losing her balance.

The krell recovered and swung both its top arms at Allisa, who clumsily blocked it while retreating back using her water jets on her feet, but not before the bottom arms cut through her front, leaving shallow cuts on her stomach. In the retreat, Allisa’s power gave out causing her to fall on her back.

“D-Damnit…”

The krell, swung its weapons in a taunt as Allisa got back to her feet, grasping her wounded shoulder which had the deepest cut.

“I’m getting so sick of this…” Frustrated, Allisa changed her weapon to Azure flame, fixing a furious stair at the krell.

The krell took a step forwards, crossing its weapons on its chest. Allisa was about to respond when she heard a noise, the sound of an engine coming from behind. She looked behind her. The krell then lunged.

Something then burst from the undergrowth, passing over Allisa- something that resembled a jet engine with wings and a biker’s seat. It turned sharply, slamming into the unawares krell, catching it in the helmet, breaking the entire left side.

“Allisa!!” Rika yelled as she swung the engine around, reaching out her hand. On instinct, Allisa reached out and grabbed her hand. Rika pulled her on the strange vehicle before turning around until the nose was pointed directly at the disoriented krell. It had dropped both left sickles, grabbing the broke part of its mask.

“Hang on tight,” Rika said as Allisa grabbed her stomach. “This is gonna be rough!” Pulling her goggles over her eyes, Rika pushed down on the handlebars. The engine roared.

Allisa felt her stomach drop as the vehicle shot forward at high speed towards the krell. Just before they collide, Rika jerked the handlebars upwards. The vehicle’s nose pointed up, propelling them over krell, just nicking the helmet. Allisa couldn’t help but scream as they shot forward through the undergrowth, squinting her eyes as hard as she could.

When she finally opened them again, she was now flying above the tree line, taking into the sky. Allisa was almost blinded by the artificial sun above. Her vision began to settle, now overlooking the same arena she had found herself in when transported here, yet more chaotic than last she remembered.

“I can’t believe that actually worked.” Berken suddenly popped up from a storage container behind Allisa. “Oh good, you’re still alive spy.”

“And I really hope I stay that way…” Allisa held Rika tighter looking down at the ground high above. Her stomach once more lept as Rika pivoted downwards towards the forest as gunfire erupted all around them from the patrol skiffs. Pulling up, Rika moved in closer to the nearest one, flying vertically, climbing a few feet before slowing down.

“Ever flown a Speeder before?” She asked Allisa suddenly.

“NO!!”

Without waiting for a response, Rika dived once more, accelerating fast, dancing through the incoming skiffs that came towards them. Rika leveled the speeder flying directly toward two skiffs in the way. “Just hold the bars steady as we go through. Ready?”

“Nonono!”

Ignoring Allisa’s protest, Rika let go of the bars and leaped up towards the nearest skiff as Allisa quickly grabbed the bars. The vehicle jutted slightly as Allisa kept the bars as steady as possible. Above them, Rika teleported in the air, drew her weapons, and fired at the surprised ravengers on the deck, rolling on the deck before jumping off the edge as Allisa cruised past. She landed behind her as they flew below the second skiff, raising her weapons directly upwards. Rika fired her weapons above them, forcing her fire on the engines. As they exploded, Rika holstered her weapons and leaned over Allisa, taking the handlebars from her.

“Now let’s get Ion!” Pulling them forwards, the speeder zoomed towards the central platform where Ion was being kept, curving through the fire directed at them from the skars and two krell that awaited them there. Despite the awkward position, Rika kept the speeder on course, dodging the incoming fire while closing the distance to the target.

When they where close, Rika pulled on the bars. The plates on the front of the air intake shot upwards as the vehicle slowed quickly before curving right as it landed directly on the platform, skidding across the metal ground. Three skars and one of the krell were hit by the skidding speeder, knocking them off the platform.

“You hanging in there Allisa?” Rika said as she dismounted, drawing both her weapons.

“.... I think my heart stopped for a second there,” Allisa whimpered.

“This is why I was concerned…” Berken said, floating steadily from his hiding place as Allisa dismounted, her legs still numb from being forced into the driving set. In Front of them were the reaming ravengers, two skars and a couple of regs with polearms accompanying the final krell, armed with a large handheld cannon.

“Alright, I’ll take care of them.” Rika fired first, taking out the three skars before they could react while charging forwards, leaping and landing on one of the regs, using it as a springboard to the final reg to leap towards the krell as it fired at her. She landed on the krell’s shoulders, firing point blank at the krell’s helmat, burying through the plates destroying the head.

She backflipped as the krell toppled backward, firing on the final two regs, hitting both in her head before landing. With the danger passed, she twirled her weapons before holstering them and pulling her goggles to rest on her forhead.

Wow, she’s really good.” Allisa thought. And…. a little scary.

With the cost clear, Allisa, Rika and Berken rushed to the cage at the far end of the platform. Inside they could see Ion, sitting cross-legged on the floor with her eyes closed.

“Ion!” Allisa smashed against the bars. “Ion! It’s us!”

There was a small nudge on her head. Ion’s eyes flickered, small motes of light escaping from her eyelids. When she saw Allisa and Berken before her eyes widened fully.

“Allisa! Berken!” She shot up and rushed to the bars, looking up and down at Allisa, likely seeing the sorry state she was in. “I-I’m sorry… This is my fault.” She said looking close to tears.

“Nononono! This isn’t your fault Ion!” Berken said in a panic. “It’s her fault!” He jabbed a finger at Allisa.

“.... Y-Yeah. Like he said.” Allisa said downcast.

“Don’t beat yourselves up. Kolbelk knows how to capture people. Be grateful you’re still alive following this.” Rika spoke up.

“RIKA!” Ion’s face lit up, a tear of joy rushing down her cheek.

“Long time no see,” Rika winked. She reached into the cage and brushed away the tear. “Still the same Ion. Let’s save the tears till after we get outta here.” Walking backward, Rika examined the cage. “Now… how do we open this?”

Allisa looked around the cage trying to find some kind of release catch.

“From the looks of it, these cages were designed to open from below to drop the captured down for this hunt,” Berken analysed. “We could try blowing the bars but that could hurt Ion.” He looked sharply at Rika who shrugged.

“I wasn’t even thinking about that.”

Allisa rattled the bars, then an idea struck. Excalibur could cut through most things in its normal state so by she could cut a hole through the bars.

“Ion, get back.” She said readying to cut through. Something then crashed on top of the cage.

“Shit, Allisa!!” Rika exclaimed drawing her weapons.

Allisa looked up and saw the large sabertooth warframe on top, growling at her. Its tail raised, as it pounced and cartwheeled with a loud buzzing sound. Allisa quickly raised her weapon as the tail struck. At the tip, a chainsaw brushed against the enchanted metal, creating a shower of sparks as the sabertooth passed overhead, landing on both its feet, its claws digging in through the metal. It then howled like a wolf as its tail moved overhead, extending and brushing against the floor leaving small gashes.

“That’s the warframe we saw before!” Berken exclaimed floating close to Allisa. She recognized it from the cage, the krells pet warframe.

“Damn, of course she had something like this!” Rika clicked her tongue in frustration.

“You know… I’m getting really sick of these things.” Allisa snapped, holding her weapon out in front of her. “Ion, hold on a bit longer!”

The warframe recoiled its tail lowering itself close to the ground, its mechanical voice growling as its two sabers were close to the ground. It then lowered its body and charged, spinning like a wheel towards the girls. Both teleported out of the way as Berken scampered desperately away. The buzz saw tail struck Ion’s cage, the impact letting sparks fly. It stopped and pounced towards the reemerged Allisa, spinning vertically. Allisa quickly dodged as the tail struck and gouged through the metal plates.

Rika fired at the warframe, scoring a few hits on its armor but drawing its attention toward her. It pounced at her, lunging its tail toward her. Rika teleported out of the way as the warframe swung its tail towards Allisa. Raising her sword, she blocked the buzz saw strike only just, forced to parry two more swings before teleporting back to avoid an overhead swing from the tail.

She reemerged to the right, but was taken off guard when the beast charged her again, clenching her blade in its teeth knocking Allisa down as it chomped down on her weapon, nearly blinding her with the sparks emitted from her weapon grinding against something sharp within.

“No you don’t!” Rika suddenly placed a foot against its head and fired at point-blank range. The warframe released Allisa and backed off as Rika continued to fire at it, each shot burrowing holes into the frame but nothing that seemed to do any lasting damage. Revving its chainsaw tail, the warframe quickly pounced on Rika, who teleported back, quickly changing direction to Allisa, parrying one of her swings. Spinning clockwise, it lunged at Rika who ducked under the chainsaw as it was lunged at her then jumped over it as it swung at her again. Letting out two shots, Rika teleported away as the warframe swung vertically at her, the blade ripping through the metal platform.

“Damn this thing’s fast…” Allisa said to herself. She could feel her arms shake under the vicious strikes from the chainsaw tail and holding the warframe back. For once she was glad her sword was magical as a normal blade- expert possibly Yuki’s- would shatter under the numerous strikes. “Azure flame!”

Flames coalesced across her sword moments before the warframe turned its attention back to Allisa. Her super-heated blade parried the chainsaw blade- warping the metal coils as it brushed the weapon aside- trying to close the distance to strike. Given her experience with the giant bird, her weapon should be more than enough to destroy the warframe from within. The warframe however, seemed to have sensed something was off as it was keeping its distance, poncing around Allisa with the occasional swing at Rika.

“If you got a trump card, think now’s the time to use it!” Rika said firing at the warframe. Allisa teleported being the beast, but it leaped backward over her head and striking with its tail. Allisa just managed to parry and scramble away as the warframe landed on the ground, growling. Its tail wagged behind it, smoke rising from the revving blades along with the warped metal. Her weapon was working.

“Rika!”

“Way ahead of ya!” Rika charged in firing at the warframe which swung its tail at her. At the last minute, Rika teleported out of the way. Allisa appeared in her pace, and with one upward swing struck the tail, slicing through the metal severing the tail clean off.

Unfazed, the warframe pulled back and lunged at Allisa. Rika appeared below it on her back and kicked upwards, hitting the warframe in its jaw while in the air. Allisa followed up with a forward slash, cutting deep into the metal monster. It landed on the ground on all four paws, before staggering. Sparks, smoke and a blue fluid were leaking from the large cut from its right shoulder to its torso. With a final howl it lunged at Allisa once again. Seeing it coming, Allisa sidestepped and brought her weapon down. The head landed on the ground first as the body skidded to a halt a few yards away.

“I really hate these things…”

“Not bad going spy. You continue to impress me,” Berken said emerging behind Allisa’s right shoulder.

“.... And where were you this entire time?”

Her question was interrupted by a loud bang and a sudden jolt. Around them, the ravenger skiffs had converged around the platform and fired on the engines that kept it in the air. Two of the engines had been destroyed and a number were trailing smoke.

“Oh, not good.” Rika remarked. “I’ll get the speeder! Grab Ion!” She ordered.

“R-Right!” Allisa rushed to the cage where Ion was still being held. “Get back!”

Ion steadily moved away from the bars. Allisa swung her sword at the bars, infusing her blade with her mana. The weapon easily sliced through the bars of the cage. Her weapon vanishing, Allisa grabbed the bars and wrenched them off, moving them enough to throw them over the edge. The platform jolted again, causing Ion to lose her footing before Allisa grabbed ahold of her, helping the star singer out of her cage.

“Allisa! Ion!” Rika sped towards them in the speeder, pulling up alongside the two girls. Allisa helped Ion on behind Rika as Berken snuggled into the side pouch. The platform jolted again suddenly. Allisa lost her footing as the platform began to fall portside first towards the forest.

“ALLISA!” Ion reached out her hand as Rika struggled to keep the speeder level, forced off the uneven platfrom to hover a few feet in fornt of Allisa. Summoning her courage, Allisa regained her footing and pushed off, leaping towards the vehicle before her, grabbing Ion’s hand. Quickly scrambling onto the back behind Ion, Rika pulled her goggles down.

“Hold on tight!” Pushing the handlebars in, the speeder zoomed forward. The ravenger skiffs persuade close, firing their weapons at them as they speed towards the floating islands.

“They’re right on us!” Allisa pouted out, gripping Ion as tightly as she could.

“Don’t worry,” Rika grinned. “Now we’re in my domain!”

The speeder zoomed into a cave, circling through the various rock formations within. Two ravenger skiffs followed, though hampered greatly by the obstruction. Due to one of Rika’s tight maneuvers through a small gap, one of the skiffs followed and smashed the craft through the opening.

Rika pulled the speeder upwards through an opening, taking her into a near-vertical climb. The final skiff tried to do the same but couldn’t get the elevation and crashed straight into the rock.

Allisa couldn’t help but close her eyes as they continued to climb unopposed. Then they leveled out all of a sudden, and the speed dropped off significantly. When Allisa’s eyes finally opened, her mouth dropped.

“Whoa…..”

Looking at her, Ion smiled. “Welcome to the Peaks.”