Ice-like entities all suddenly boarded the train without any station, or manners.
While Erythos' icy, spiky abilities were dangerous, it's nothing compared to his echolocating abilities, which were absolutely not a force to be reckoned with.
Since his assignment in Daegu's Line 2 subway tunnel two months ago, he has heard every single thing happening around and above him---from loud skirmishes of Koul'ins and humans fighting each other on the biggest avenues, to even the faintest of squeaks of survivors dying in the cold, dark sidewalks of the city.
This ability made him a great locator when it comes to assigning delivery routes and pathways to and fro Daegu for the next few weeks. This was also handy for locating human settlements so that the other Koul'ins will be able to hunt them down.
Everything was going smoothly, until Erythos noticed something strange nearly two weeks ago.
For some reason, the other Koul'in General, Khera, suddenly stopped requesting deliveries for the construction of her small base. Then, he also heard more humans across the city fighting back over the next few days.
Erythos soon realized General Khera and her subordinates have fallen.
Soon after, a settlement team discovered his cover under the subway. It was Sanghoon's team, composing of an all military squad.
Both Erythos and Sanghoon were hellbent on not letting each other escape, and the clash took nearly an hour. The battle dragged on, with both sides taking heavy injuries.
Erythos was forced to flee deeper into the subway, while the remaining members of Sanghoon's squad limped away from the battle on the opposite side.
That was a week ago.
Now both combatants have recovered, the only thing that's left is to settle the score...
5:00pm, Naedang Station.
Erythos suddenly fell silent, and for the next few seconds, no sound was heard except for the train's movement.
There was no sign of him attacking either.
Or so they thought.
CRASH!
The front of the train seemingly gets hit by something big. It suddenly quivers, and it tilts slightly to the left before it stabilizes again.
"YAAAA!" Sana shrieked. "Wha---"
Hyungwon returns from the front car, a bit bloodied as he held his shoulder and kneels.
"Hyungwon!" Zeke exclaimed as he assesses his injuries. "Your wound, what happened there...?!"
"A giant stalactite pierced through the front car. The energy source and the control panel are okay... but... the train operator is dead."
Zeke, Jihyo, Sana, and Sanghoon's eyes widen.
Suddenly, without warning, another huge stalactite bursts in where Zeke and Jihyo were. Jihyo immediately sets up a crystalline shield to deflect it, but the force of the attack sends her slamming her on the wall of the train. The huge stalactite stayed on the wall.
"Tsk...!" Jihyo tries to stand up, but before she could even do so---
CRASH!
Another strike from another part of the train shakes the it a few seconds later, and Zeke, Jihyo, Sanghoon, and Sana wobbles as they try to keep their balance.
5:02pm, Bangogae Station.
The sound of crashing metal came from the fourth car of the train, where Hangyeol, Jinwoo, Ryujin, and Youngsook were.
A giant stalactite has pierced right through the car they were on. Ryujin was able to parry the stalactite, but it was too big that she was knocked off. The stalactite went through and has injured multiple men in it's wake, including Jinwoo, who got injured in the leg, albeit only a minor one. Still, it was a cause for concern.
"Jinwoo-nim...!" Youngsook exclaimed as she looked at her wounded ally. She brings out a bandage and attempts to wrap it around his leg. Jinwoo writhes in pain, but slowly recovers.
"That damn alien... I swear..." Jinwoo muttered as he attempts to stand. Youngsook supported him as she looks at Ryujin, who was trying to stand as well.
"Ryujin-ssi, you okay...?" Youngsook asked.
"Yeah. Used to it, hehe... But... it seems like Erythos has leveled up his attacks... This stalactite is way too big that it covers nearly a quarter of the car..."
"And it doesn't seem to have any biomagnetic properties, too..." Hangyeol said as he assessed the stalactite himself.
It glowed in a faint, light bluish hue, with blood stains scattered around. It felt really cold and it was smooth to the touch.
Before he could even register another thought, the stalactite suddenly melts away bit by bit, and what seemingly looks like water begins to flood the whole car.
"What the... Is he trying to drown us...?!" Hangyeol jumped in fear.
"No... it doesn't look like it will drown us... The water level isn't enough to do that." Ryujin said as she notices the stalactite completely melt.
The water soon freezes and turns into snow, and everyone notices huge piles of blue, crystalline cubes rise from it.
Something that looked way too familiar that it cannot be mistaken for something else.
"Oh shit..." Hangyeol muttered as his eyes widen in fear.
The crystalline cubes slowly take humanoid shape that are snow pale in color, and have dark hollow eyes and a dark, bead-like mouth.
"OH SHIET!!!"
5:04pm, Cheongnaeondeok Station.
On the second car of the train, Zeke, Jihyo, Sanghoon, Sana, and Hyungwon had the same predicament. Multiple swaths of snowmen have spawned from the melted stalactite and has now got the team surrounded.
But the snowmen looked slightly different.
Their usual icy veins across their body are now covered with liquid-like steel parts that the team is unfamiliar with. Soon, these liquid parts solidify, turning into what seems to be fragments of otherworldly armor scattered across each and every snowman's body.
"How do you like my gift, humans? Simple, intrusive, perfect for armored vehicles like yours: Modified snowmen infused with liquid metal technology. General Platina has given me these prototypes for field testing... but she is currently on her way to making better ones."
"We don't care about any of that." Zeke replied.
"Oh, I don't care about whatever you're up to, either. Its because I know it's going to be useless. As a matter of fact, I'm just toying with you right now. You're not worthy of any of my true abilities. Savor in that thought, because that will be the last thing you'll ever think of."