Disclaimer: Monster Hunter is (c) to Capcom.


Proioxis watched as the beast lowered its head, eyes blazing. Legs thick as trees slid across the ground as it pivoted and charged, scattering the few surviving men of his tribe.

The nomad felt his breath catch as the beast slid to a halt and whipped around, thrashing its pronged tail out. It turned several times, snorting angrily as the wooden spears used by the herdsmen to fend off the packs of wild genprey bounced off of its rocky hide. Proioxis cursed passionately as the beast reared up, roaring lividly, and buried itself under the earth.

The ground shook uncannily as a wide crest of sand rose from where the beast had descended. The crest wound violently about the campsite, scattering the nomads from their posts. Proioxis exhaled sharply as the beast suddenly leapt from the ground, sand streaming like blood from its head. He stepped back in horror and fell lamely onto his back.

That was all it took.

He could just hear them over the beast's livid roar, frantically shrieking. Proioxis wheezed and scrambled to his feet, clutching at the rusty hunting dagger in his left hand. He tore out, stumbling as the beast's speed picked up. He could hear it barreling forward, searing breath gusting from its nostrils. With each quaking step the beast took, the nomad's teeth clattered painfully together. He tried desperately to ignore the sensation of his bones jarring together, creaking and splintering with each footfall.

Proioxis didn't quite realize what had happed until he was lifted off the ground. His body swung limply about as the beast stepped forward and bellowed triumphantly, eyes lit with bloodlust. The remaining nomads looked on with blaring horror as the color drained from Proioxis's face.

He blinked in shock, letting his calloused hands rove over his clothed chest until they closed around a hard…thing projecting from his rib cage. It was slick with a warm fluid, protruding about an arm-length's out from his chest.

'…What?'

Proioxis exhaled unsteadily as a white-hot pain enveloped his world.