Chapter 1: Thunder
The rain was pouring heavily on the earth. Moistening the soil, naturally watering the flora and fauna. Plants greedily absorb the water gifted by the god. And tomorrow morning the forest would be bless with majesties green, vapors will shine brightly as sunlight shone on the green leaves, reflecting the light like a mirror. But before the morning miracles could be present to humanity, the earth are bath in heavy rain, complained by many and covered by darkness that hid unwanted creatures stealth within the shadow. This is how nature is and that how the world of Monster Hunter.
The rain gave the frogs and toads the signal of time, the time to mate. Amphibians were all around the forest, under the woods, roots, leaves and stones. The amphibians sang the song, the rain song, calling out to their opposite mates. They were all ready to make their own future, ensure their own generation until… A white lightning sudden decided to strike at their perfect mating spot, spoiling everything, mating pair hopped to safety. A loud thud was heard; all creatures of the whole misty peak heard the loud thud echo through the whole forest. All hunters and creatures turned to the area, but soon lose interest and decided to hunt or be hunted.
The croaks of the frogs have long stopped, leaving the forest in an eerie silent, only the sound of the rain drops pounding the leaves were heard and a heavy panting. A human was running as fast as his legs could manage in his injured state. Wounds were scattered across his thin body. One of his hand was putting much pressure on his abdomen, blood was pouring out from his fingers gape. He panted heavily as he kept turning behind, blood was certainly leaving a trait. Fallen woods broken under his weight, branches broke as he past with speed, leaves and small sticks were stuck in his long braided hair. But now all he care was flee from danger, even it stumbled a few times, and almost tripped by a tree root. Slowly, blood lost caught up to him, his eyesight was getting fuzzy, his eyelids weight tons. He shook his head hoping to clear his sight, but it appeared to make it worse. A lump was forming in his throat, he gulped it down, whatever it is….He slow his paces, as his sight got fuzzier to the point he couldn't make up where he was going. He shook his head again, but to no avail, the dizziness was still there. He walked toward the nearest tree and lean half of his body against the tree. Blood was dripping down his cloth to the soil, mixing with the rain water. He stopped there, leaning on the tree, slowly he slide down, gasping for air, keeping his eyelids open seems to get harder and harder. Alas, no matter how much will power he got, the darkness took over, he slipped into unconsciousness.
Meanwhile…..
"What the!" a man almost cursed as the white lightning struck west not far from their team wagon. If it struck them, they will be well-done steaks. The Gargwas that pulling the wagon went into panic fit, the feline in front tried to calm them by pulling the ropes that were tied around their beak and neck. With great effort the feline somehow calm the birds without the hunters help.
"White lightning? Could it be a White Fatalis?" a woman asked as she peeked through the darkness hoping she could catch a glimpse at where the lightning hag struck. The first man spoke gazed toward her before he too turned to look into the darkness as well. There was nothing but moving landscape. The other two hunters follow suite, focus hard to pinpoint any movement in the darkness. After a long moment of focusing, they gave up with a sigh. All of the hunter on board went back into their state of taking shelter from the rain with their own personal helmet. They drop their head, to let the rain slipped down their helmet and dripped down the wooden wagon.
"You know, right. That White Fatalis never exist anymore…" the other female hunter voiced out. She wore Jhen Mohran armor. The entire armor looked like a samurai get-up, one of her sleeve was took down and exposed her shoulder and torso. Her hair and exposed skin was now dripping with rain water. A fairly large bow was resting beside her, while spare oversized arrows were strapped behind her. The first female hunter raised her head and looked at the Jhen hunter, her own make-shift hair from Jinouga's fur were already soaked wet with rain, her abdomen was exposed, her armors were mainly consist of blue and yellow, the Jinouga armor. A duel blade was neatly placed on the belt around her armor waist. When both hunters eyes met, the Jinouga armor one looked back down on the wood and sighed.
"I know, Levin. It just…you know, hope. Well seems there were no more White Fatalis, won't it be good if we can see one?" the girl in the Jinouga armor said.
"Yeah, I know, Ulrika." The girl, Levin the gunner in the whole hunter team said as she patted Ulrika, the youngest hunter in their team.
"Everyone would have thought that thunder as Fatalis thunder right, Lucius?" One of the male hunters said to his partner opposite him, ignoring the girls. The hunter looked up to his partner when he heard the older one called his name. The older hunter wore Yama Tsukami armor, the whole armor was wood color, since he is a short in height, and the armor made him looked like a small, fat man. He wield a heavy hammer which responsible for wracking the monsters head and made them all go dizzy. The younger male was new to the whole team, or you should say he just joined as a hunter. He worked as a grand knight at Dondruma Town since his adolescent, but recently thing started to change. Cases about mass slaying unwanted monsters have been piling up at the upper guild. So now, here he is, joining the hunters to pinpoint the poachers and bring them justice, that what he going to do. This is his first day as a hunter, and the god already giving him the worse luck you could ask for. Without any actual combat with the monsters, going out hunting was like going to get hunted instead. They actually came across a Rathian, and Lucius almost turned into Rathian's dessert if not for Flynn came to his rescue. Flynn the hammer user threw a flash bomb and all off the other members. As they success in escaping the Rathian, Lucius sighed in relief, then a Qurupeco decided to show up. The other hunters decided that it was a good chance for the newbie to train, and so he does as they said. It turned out that he has the upper hand without the others help until…the Qurupeco decided to call for help, and the help turned out to be none other than a Devijho. All the hunters ran for their life as the Devijho roared and stomped after them. If the Qurupeco has a lip, Lucius was pretty sure that damn bird was smirking and laughing it ass off.
"MASTER!" the felyne, a cat that stood on its two hip legs yelled for one of the hunters. Levin stood up as the wagon slowed down by the felyne.
"What is it?" Levin asked as she leaned toward the cat. Meanwhile the cat was pointing in front of the wagon, to a nearby tree with its fluffy paw. Levin eyes followed the felyne pointed and gave out a loud gasp. The other hunters turned their attention toward her and decided to take a peek at what made the gunner gasp. Soon they too gasp, immediately Flynn hopped out from the wagon and ran full speed toward the offending object the felyne pointed. The others called out to him as he reached the tree with the object, or rather a bloody human lean on it. He quickly took his gauntlet and pressed two of his fingers on the girl's neck. Focusing hard he could feel a weak pulse beating under his fingers, fast as lightning he called out to his fellow hunters. He carefully slipped one of his hand behind the girl's back and other hand slipped under the girl's bent legs as she sat, leaning against the tree. Flynn gently lift the girl up, careful not to sent anymore pain on her thin body. Her long red braided was drag on the mud under the hunter's legs, since Flynn is really short and damn, the girl's hair was so long.
Seeing Flynn carrying a wounded person toward the wagon, Ulrika hopped with nervous, ignorant of what to do. Usually the medic stuffs were handled by Levin. Lucius just stood there with his eyes wide open.
"Clear the wagon!" Levin ordered as she quickly picked up items, scattered around the wagon. Ulrika was turning left and right with nervous before she too bent down and started to pick things up. Lucius meanwhile picked up the weapons scattered around and put that beside a vacant spot. The other iteams joined the weapons as Levin and Ulrika tossed it there.
"Lucius! Hoist her up!" Flynn ordered the younger hunter. Lucius's head turned toward Flynn's voice and saw the short man lift the girl upward, toward where he stood. He titled his head, then it hit him. Flynn is short, he can't laid the girl on the wagon himself and he can't just go and toss the girl up. Lucius bent down and took place of Flynn's hands and hoisted the girl without much effort. She was light as a feather.
"Lay her here" Levin kneed down while patted a make shift pillow with rags.
"Light the lamp." Levin gave up another order to Ulrika as she stood there dumb folded.
"Light?... Light the lamp? In this rain?" Ulrika asked while sending Levin the "are you crazy" look.
"Just do it!" Levin half yelled her comrade. She wouldn't have done that if not for the girl looked in much worse state then she expected. The girl winced as she was laid on the hard wood wagon. Flynn slowly and carefully makes his way up the wagon without shaking the wagon too much. He have went back to retrieve his gauntlet from the soil.
"All in." Flynn said with a low voice so he wouldn't wake the girl up.
"Light here." Ulrika copied the way Flynn whispered and walked slowly with a lamp in her hand. She held it toward where the wounded girl laid.
"Oh…she not a she, is a he…." Flynn mumbled, thinking no one would hear him, but Levin glanced at him, meaning she heard it. That what a hunter is, they have strong sense of hearing.
"We don't have time for she or he… Oh my god.." Levin words caught in her throat as she removed the boy's hand from his abdomen. Hidden underneath his hand is a nasty cut wound, like something real sharp have cut through his skin apart. Blood, ton of blood was pouring out of the wound. Now Levin have something else to worry, is his organs alright?
"We can't stay here! Coco, move!" Levin shouted order to the felyne as she immediately dug into her item bag.
"What should we do?" Lucius asked, his tone calm and steady but deep inside he was as nervous as an ant in a hot pot.
"Put pressure on his wound." Keep him warm. And keep his hair away from the wheel!" Levin shouted out orders. Nimbly the other hunters carried out the orders. Lucius took a rag and placed on the boy's abdomen, he looked up to Levin as he waits for her signal. Levin nodded to him as he pressed hard on the wound, swiftly the rag was soaked with blood and rain water, the rain isn't helping at all. As soon as the pressure was pressed down on his wound, the boy's eyes snapped open. He hissed at Lucius, swiftly he sat up before Levin could hold him down. Lucius gritted his teeth and lunged at the boy. Flynn and Ulrika's attention immediately snapped to Lucius as he struggled to hold the boy down. The boy lashed at him with his hands and feet. As the boy scratched his face, Lucius growled and took hold of the boy's hand. He took a glance at the boy's fingernail, it was red and pretty sharp, the red must be his blood. When the boy saw the other hunters came forward him, he struggled harder and landed his knee between Lucius's crotch. Immediately, Lucius let go of the boy's hand and involuntary held his crotch in pain. Lucius fell to his side gasping trying to reduce the pain.
As Lucius's weight off him, the boy right hand went to the hilt of the sword that were strapped between his belt, which all the hunters took not notice off.
"Shit!" Flynn cursed; hastily he pulled out one of Ulrika's duel blade. Before the boy could draw out is blade, he covered his mouth and went into a coughing fit. Flynn pushed Ulrika behind him and slowly advanced toward the boy, blade still in his hand. Flynn looked down to Levin as she nodded, letting him know she alright. The coughing fix continued, slowly the boy gasped for needed air. The moment he gasped, he coughed out blood, it spilled all across his fingers. He shut his eyes tightly before he lost energy to stay in sitting. The boy fell down but before he landed on the hard wood of the wagon, Levin sprang up and catch him, slowly she laid the boy down the make-shift pillow. Even in his fatigue state, he tried to fight Levin's hand away.
"Shu,shu, look, I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help, you are injure badly so please I beg you, let me help." Levin tried to calm the boy by gently stroke his soft hair. The boy slowly stopped trashing and went to curl into a ball. Levin still gently stroke the boy's hair, assuring him she not going to hurt him. The boy turned to look at her, his eyes met Levin's, Levin looked into his eyes, and realized that his pupils were silt. The boy looked at her like pleading her for something, but what? Slowly the boy eyes closed and his body went limp, Levin took off her own gauntlet and nimbly checked the boy's pulse. Flynn looked at the situation, after making sure the boy won't try and jump on them any time soon, he handed the blade back to Ulrika and knee down beside Lucius. While Lucius still growling with pain, Ulrika pulled the boy's braided hair out of the wheel reach and folded it and laid it beside it owner.
"How is he? And seriously, that was one hell of a fight for an injured person like him." Ulrika said, almost sounded like a whisper. Levin looked up to her and nodded before she gave a small smile.
"He just unconscious, hand me a blanket and if you have any Ancient potion, I would be glad to have one." Levin said as she still kept stroking the boy's hair. Naturally, the boy nudged into her warm palm. Ulrika smiled at the screen and went to dug into her bag for the requested items. Pulling out a blanket and an Ancient potion, she handed it to Levin.
"Can't we do something about his wound, I mean it bleed a lot…" Ulrika asked. Her eyes were present with worry as she looked at the boy. The boy seems to be around her age. Thin and seem to be tall, she couldn't make out his face and cloth well as the fire lighting them kept flicking and there were lots of blood caked on his face. One thing, Ulrika could be very sure of, the boy's hair is ridiculously long.
"We couldn't do anything now in this kind of light condition and we don't have the proper tools. All we could do is hope the Ancient Potion could heal some of his critical wound." Levin explained as she uncaps the potion and lifted the boy's head. She tilted the bottle and poured the liquid down the boy's throat. Once empty the liquid in the bottle, Levin message the boy's throat to help him swallow the potion.
"Everything all right, nya?" The felyne finally decided to ask as it turned behind to take a look.
"Everything is not fine, nya…" Ulrika mimicked the felyne's nyaing before she turned to look at Lucius and Flynn. At last, Lucius recovered from his crotch pain and Flynn was there helping him into sting position, when Lucius's eyes turned to the boy, he scowled and turned away. Flynn tried to stop himself from laughing, while Ulrika just giggled.
"How long will we reach Yukumo?" Levin asked as she started to worry the boy is losing way too much blood. The felyne in front frowned as it measured the time in its mind.
"Not long, nya. But you might want to be careful…." The felyne answered and cracked the whip to bring the Gargwas to a faster pace. As the felyne said, suddenly out of the blue a loud howl echo through the forest. All hunters stood up, hands on their weapons, except Levin as she pull the boy close to her, literally pulled the boy's head on her laps.
"Crap, a Jinouga?! In this time?! Damn! What agood time!" Flynn scowled as he clutched his hammer tightly, his fist turned white as he clutched his hammer as it is his life line.
"That howl, it must be a very huge Jinouga." Levin said calmly, though she were worry was badly deep down. She picked up her bow, trying to ready herself as well.
" Cold it be any worse" Lucius said as everyone turned toward him. Seeing every eyes were on him, he shrugged. Before any hunters voiced out their opinion, the howl come again, this time Flynn frowned behind his mask. Is it just his imagination or the howl sounded worry? Like a mother Jinouga calling for its lost pups.
"J..Jin…"The boy whispered, and it appeared only Levin heard him. She looked down on him to see him crack his hazy eyes for just a bit before he fell unconscious again. Before she said anything to her fellow hunters, or the Jinouga came out to attack them. The wagon suddenly halt, making all of the standing hunters stumbled and fell. Flynn landed on his ass, Ulrika fell out of the wagon and landed face first on the dirt. While Lucius fell on the boy.
"Lu…Lucius!' Levin yelled. Wincing Lucius held himself up, in progress knocked over the lamp. The lamp glass shattered and the fire goes out before it spread into a hell fire. The boy coughed made Lucius looked down, at that moment he frowned,did.. the boy grow….in light? A deep cough snapped him back from his trance, only then he realized that his in a kinky position with the boy, though the bay was still unconscious.
"Nya! We here! Yukomo village!" the felyne said as he jumped into the wagon and winced as blood covered his fluffy paws.
"Come on!" Flynn half yelled as he lift the boy up with his hammer strapped behind him. He took off to the set of stairs before the other hunters. Quickly, Levin gathered her stuffs and ran after Flynn. Lucius as quick as Levin, gathered his stuffs but his mind was on something else, the boy was growing with white light just a moment before if die down, but Lucius was pretty sure he was growing with light, He is not high on drug or drunk, so he is sure of what he seen. The moment Lucius finished packing, he hopped out of the wagon and went running the stairs. Leaving Ulrika dust herself and wiping the mud out of her face. As she stood up, suddenly she felt like something was looking at her. Looking around, she spot nothing except rain water dripping down the leaves and the leaves wriggling around like the trees were trying to wave goodbye to the resident. Shrugging, Ulrika followed the other hunters up the stairs.
Lucius stood outside of Levin's house, as the noises of clacking was heard from within the house. Shaking his head, Lucius push open the door and duck pass the door curtain. Flynn was standing beside the red bamboo box, thrashing everything inside, some items were threw on the bamboo carpet carelessly. A few Novacrystals were laying around the bed and mirror table. The boy sword was carefully laid on the bed edge. The fire in the room did not help lighting the whole area, only to provide warm for the residents. One the bed,Levin was busy on cutting off the boy's cloth, and it appear that she was having trouble to do so. Soon Levin growled and toss the scissor she using across the room. The cloth meanwhile was still unscratched except the part the wounds were exposed.
"What the hell is this thing made of?!" Levin tried to tear the cloth with her hands. On the eyes, the cloth looked soft and comfy but when she try to cut it open, it were as hard as an armor. Lucius shook his head and went to pick up the scissor, he frowned as he realized the scissor had bent into an impossible position. He shrugged and kept the scissor into his pocket, Levin turned to Lucius.
"Hand me your scavenging knife!" Levin ordered , hand stretched toward Lucius.
" Huh, wait. That is not a monster." Lucius said as he pointed at the boy who seen to sleep like a brick, or maybe he already death.
"You tell him! Now Give It To Me!" This time Levin demanded more harshly, her hand still outstretch. Lucius just sighed, his hand went behind and took his scavenge knife and toss it to Levin. Levin caught it in the midair and went back to scramble all the cloth off the boy. Pieces of cloths were tossed on the floor, Levin speedily yet carefully stripping the boy, always reminding herself not to cut into his flesh. Even using the scavenge knife, the cloths were still quite resistant. Flynn whistled to Lucius and beacon him to come over with his hand. As Lucius came closer, Flynn dumped a handful of Purecrystals to him. The purecrystals shone brightly with white light and a tint of blue. The most valuable light source other than fire. Finishing replacing the novacrystals with purecrystals, Flynn ran out from the corridor that lead to the gathering hall and hot spring to fetch the villager chief, at the same time Ulrika burst into the room and immediately squeaked.
"L..Levin! Nude! Nude!" Ulrika exclaimed, while closing her eyes with fingers, but Lucius could clearly see her fingers part between her index finger and middle finger, still giving herself a chance to peek at the boy's nude body. Levin, who have been a hunter way longer than Ulrika was used to nude body. For her every part of male is already been presented to her. Moreover she have something greater to worry, so she didn't cover the boy's pride. Lucius sighed and shook his head, picking up a random towel around the room and went toward the bed. Tossing the towel to close the boy's pride, he glanced at Levin. Realizing eyes on her, Levin looked up though her hands still working on the boy. Sewing up the large gush on his abdomen it was a miracle his inner still intact. Probably thank to the armor-like cotton cloth.
"What it is?" Levin asked, before she looked back down the wound she tends to. Lucius said nothing, he just stood there analysis the boy under the more proper light source. He had a whole head of spiky hair except the one he braided that seem to be intentionally to let it grow. Since it already reach his knee. His hair was platinum in color since there were some gave away from the caked blood and mud. Small branches were caught in his hair. His body size shows that he is not a hunter, thin yet a bit muscular, not much muscle just standard. Overall he looked like a young resident. If that was the case, why was he doing outside the rain where all monsters ready to tear you apart, and why was he carrying a sword like a hunter while he clearly not one and how did he get all those wound. Wondering himself,Lucius bent down and picked up one of the cloth remnant. Like Levin cursed, the cloth texture was exactly like an armor, but it looked like it was made out of cotton, soft and fluff, not as hard as wyverns shells and scales. Standing there Lucius twisted and turned the remnant of the cloth, hoping he could know how the cloth texture worked. Caught in his investigation, he didn't realize Ulrika walked beside him holding a bowl of warm water with a cloth drifting on the water surface before it sank into the water.
"Um…Lucius? Clean up?" Ulrika asked, her soft voice break Lucius's trance as he snapped back to reality and looked to Ulrika. Ulrika gave him a half-hearted grin and offered the bowl of the water to him. Blinking, as he mind worked on what Ulrika referring, slowly his mind worked back from his trance. Quickly, shook his head, he offered Ulrika a smile and took the bowl from her. Sat beside the bed, Lucius and Ulrika started to clear the boy's wound, minding themselves not to bother Levin. The major wounds were sewed up and the minor one were covered by herds and blue mushrooms salve. As they working, Flynn come back to the room with the village chief strolling behind him. The chief is a wyverian,which was different from human because of their knowledge were far more superior then human. They could be recognized as a wyverian because of their ear, which is long and pointy likes and elf or fairy.
The moment the chief walked in, she gasped at the sight in front of her. She covered her mouth with her delicate hands, her eyes were filled with worry. She walked toward the hunters that were tending to the boy. Stitches and bandages were all over his lithe body. His pale white brows were frowned with pain.
"Oh my, what happen?" the chief asked with her ever-soft voice, worry was obviously present in her voice. Flynn walked up beside her to give her an explanation. Telling every details to her without missing anything or adding anything.
"Oh dear, how could this happen?" the chief walked up to the bed. Suddenly she stopped as she felt a bulge she stepped on. She looked down and saw she was stepping on a chocolate colored object, tracing where the object lead to, the object started to have a tint of silver and red as the chief kept tracing upward. And branches were sticking out of the object, finally the object lead to the boy's head.
"His…hair." The chief thought to herself. Seeing most of the wounds were all covered, she sat beside the bed , pulling up the boy's hair, she laid it across her laps. Before the hunters say anything, she unbraided the hair on her laps. The chief produced a comb from her kimono, picking out branches.
"Um…chief. I think his wounds are much a matter than his hair…" Lucius turned to look at the chief while he bandage the boy's left thigh. The chief shook her head.
"I think he is far more stable than you think." Finishing plucking out the branches, the chief took a wet towel from Ulrika and cleans the mud and blood off the boy's hair. Levin sighed as she finally finished the last stitch. Sweeping sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, she turned to the other hunters and said.
"Now let him rest, and hope for the best." Levin stood up and cover the boy with a blanket, as the boy started to shiver with cold biting into his bone. Lucius took the basin and went out to dispose of the blood water. Ulrika picked up the purecrystals that were scattered around the room. Only left the room with two purecrystals which were more than enough to lighten the whole room. Flynn went on to accompany the chief back to the gathering hall. Levin sighed again and went to take out a few spare futons for her guests and herself, since her bed have been occupied just recently. Taking off all of her remaining armors, leaving only her undergarments, she went to the futon that were nearest to the boy and curl in. soon the other hunters follow suite, because all of them know tomorrow would be one hell of a busy day.