I had woken up the next morning to Chamberlyne tossing my armor in the chest. I could tell he wasn't happy that I left it on the ground all night. I scooted myself to the edge of the bed and sat up, Chamberlyne quickly smacking me with his little paw. I could tell he was irritated and I swore not to leave my armor on the ground again. I manage to get on my feet and walk over to the chest where Chamberlyne had tossed my armor. I saw that he had organized it for me on the basis of how rare it was. I take off my Alatreon armor to switch into something less heavy. I slide off my chest plate to show my ripped up shirt. I wasn't surprised to see my "hunters muscles" through the shirt. I reach into the chest and pick out another every day set, my Rathian armor.
I walked out of my house with my scaly green armor on. I had chosen my weapon of the day, a long sword, and headed back toward Loc-Lac. The brilliant sunshine had peeked through a hole in my helmet. I turned toward the boat that could take me back to the desert city of Loc-Lac, I was ready for another hunt. Nothing could beat my determination today, not even the Deviljho himself! I boarded the boat back to the desert and felt the gentle ocean breeze through my helmet. It was a great feeling, the feeling of a calm breeze going across your face and through your hair. I had remembered the first time I had felt the breeze from Moga Village.
On the ferry to Loc-Lac, I had started to remember the first time I came to this village. I had been younger and much more timid then. I entered the village from a ferry, just like this one, and I had been a very arrogant hunter. I thought I could take anything with just my little iron sword and shield. I had remembered entering the village with one thing in mind, to protect the village and the people. It seems like a dream that a true adult could think of right? Well, in a way it was, but for me, it meant slaying monsters. I remember first talking to the village Chieftain. The people of Moga Village are incredibly kind to one another and to me. I guess I became family over time to them, after all I had done for them, I was their guardian angel of sorts.
I had felt a sudden heat from the ocean, we were almost to Loc-Lac. I check my items and my money, just to be sure I didn't lose anything. I could hear the chatter from other hunters about hunts they had went on. I knew I wasn't the only one who had incredible stories from my experiences. I see a girl walk past me, I knew this girl. It was her! It was Kelli! I couldn't believe it. I ran over to her and gave her a hug. I could hear a sudden intake of air. I laughed when I told her that it was her little brother. I released my lock from her as she turned around, surprised to see me. "It's been too long Kelli. How have you been?" I asked with a brilliant smile on my face. She simply laughed and punched my shoulder and with a smile on her face she had said, "the hunting is fine. It has been a while since we last shipped to our respective villages. You've grown up so much since I last saw you." She could tell I was irritated by that comment and laughed about it.
I heard my friends, Daniel and Alex, call to me. Where was Mikey today? The two walked over to us, Daniel saying quickly, "Mikey's doing something for the Chief. He can't come along today." I was a bit disappointed but I was glad at the same time. I looked over to Kelli and asked if she could join us on our quests. They had walked off to go to our normal city and I walked behind them, Kelli walking beside me.
We entered the city, Daniel and Alex already sitting at the table with a beer. I walk over to the table and sit at my normal spot, near the bell, and wait for Kelli to join us. She had been talking to the Guild Sweetheart about something. They continued to point over here and laugh. Were they making fun of us? I stand up and post another quest up on the board, Alex and Daniel rushing over to see what it was. We were going to fight the fearsome Barioth. I had forgotten that I needed items and asked the Guild Sweetheart if she could give me a moment. I run down to the armory and equip a different long sword and new armor. I walk out of the armory wearing something unusual. Vangis Plate and Vangis Vambraces with Helios Helmet, Faulds, and Greaves. This unusual combination of armor with my Wyvern Blade Flare made for an interesting conversation. I posted the quest back on the board while the others swarmed to get to the quest information sheet. We were all ready for the king of the tundra. We boarded the balloon again and headed out toward the Tundra.
We had landed in the bitter cold of the Tundra. I was shivering from the bitter cold wind. I had brought Hot Drinks with me, so I drank one and felt much better. I look up from my drink and see the amber eyes of the Barioth, staring right at me. I run to it's side as it releases a terrifying roar. The earplugs that I had with the armor blasted the sound away as I strike the wings of the giant ice cat. The acrobatic tiger leaps to the side and charges right for me, I do my best to roll out of the way but get struck by the claws of the ice lord. I get back to my feet and see Alex scaling the wall to reach the platform of the area. He had a different weapon with him this time, a switch axe by the name of Fire Tempest. It was a brilliant looking weapon, the shine of the sun reflecting off of it had distracted me for a minute. I put my sword back in it's sheath and run behind the beast. The white tiger leaps into the air but with a quick Flash bomb by Alex, the beast falls to the ground, dazed.
Daniel had arrived shortly after Alex, he started to climb the wall to the platform while Alex and I were striking the beast with quick slashes and stabs. My blade starts to glow with a brilliant light. I was ready for the Spirit Blade. I close my eyes as everything around me disappears and I start the combo with a simple diagonal slash. I heard the Barioth step back in pain. I do a horizontal slash on the beast's wing, I hear a crack. I broke the claws on the wings. I open my eyes and see Kelli flying over my head. Alex had launched her over by accident. Rage fills my eyes from the Spirit combo. I take a step forward with two more horizontal slashes and come down with an overhead swing. I finish the combo with the Spirit Blade itself. I take one last horizontal slash and slide past the Barioth. I put my blade away as the beast falls over. I hadn't finished it but I had knocked it over. The others swarmed the vicious monster with strikes from the various weapons.
The Barioth gets back to it's feet. His eyes glow red with rage as he looks right at Alex. The Barioth jumps back and shoots a ball of ice right at him. The ice hits the ground next to him and a wind current takes up the ice, causing a small tornado like current. Daniel gets knocked away and covered in snow. He looked like a giant, running, snowball. I couldn't help but let a smirk cross my face. I look over to Kelli who is slamming the beast with another switch axe. This one was much different from Alex's axe. Her axe was an ancient blue. It looked like it had been worn away by something. She probably just needed to sharpen it. I turn my attention back to the glorious tiger in front of me and take another overhead slash at the beast. The Barioth takes to the sky and flies away. I look toward the sky and follow the trail. My fellow hunters right behind me.
We head into the middle of the Tundra, I could see the Barioth's amber tusks covered in blood. There was a dead Popo on the ground. He had just finished his meal. A grabbed the hilt of my sword and rushed toward the beast. With another mighty roar, he lunges at me. I get knocked away by the great paw of the beast, a large cut in my helmet. The claws had broken through the armor. I picked myself off the ground and look back at the beast. It's gaze had turned away from me while Daniel and Alex were cutting at the tail of the beast. I get back to my fight and charge again, another overhead slash comes down on the hind leg of the beast. I hear a gurgling noise behind me. Another beast was here with us. The leech of the tundra was here. The Gigginox had let off a scream of terror before flying away. Did it know that the Barioth wasn't pleased with little hunters striking it's legs?
I hear a snap from the Barioth again. Somebody had broken the claws on it's other wing! Now was the time to strike! I hit the beast once more with an overhead slash before starting another Spirit combo. I close my eyes again and everything seems to stop. The bitter cold of the tundra is the only thing I can feel right now. The Barioth squirming on the ground doesn't bother me a bit. I hit it again with the diagonal slash, it was weakening as I heard a yelp of pain. I hear someone yell "watch out!" as my eyes open quickly. The beast wasn't done yet. It had gotten back to it's feet and hit me again with a slash from it's mighty claws. I fly backwards, blood scattering across my face and armor. I slowly pulled myself up with the help of my sword, looking at the blood on the ground. All of this was my blood. I feel a bit dizzy but I drink one of my Potions and start to feel a little better. Daniel wasn't happy with that outcome. He slams his hammer into the beasts head, making it fall over once more. I hear my sister yell as she charged in with her axe. She had changed it into it's sword form and stabbed the sword into the back of the Barioth. She lifted the sword into the air a bit, a mysterious power flowing from the sword. I see a large explosion as Kelli steps back and switches the sword back into an axe.
I look over at Alex now. His face was angry as well. He slashed at the scales of the Barioth and did the same as Kelli. He used the morphing ability and changed it into the sword. After an incredible combo from him leading into the explosion, he had stepped back. Daniel's turn was next. He charged up his hammer and brought it up with a slow upper cut, following it up with a mighty slam on the beast's head. I ran over to the scene and took my turn. My hunting buddies still cutting and smashing the mighty tiger. I set up for the Spirit Blade once more. Taking multiple slashes against the scaly back of the Barioth and sliding past it with a final strike against the scales before sheathing the blade once more. I turn around and hear a scream of agony, Alex had been hit by the Barioth's spiky tail. The tail had pierced his armor but hadn't reached his stomach. It was war between the Barioth and I now. I took one more charge at the vicious monster in front of me, ready to watch it fall by my blade.
Something had knocked me off my feet and to the side. A Melynx had ran into me as I was charging at the Barioth. I get back to my feet, the little black cat was trying to steal my items. I stand up and kick the cat away from me. My attention turns back to the ice king, I see it panting from the battle. I yell at Daniel to set up a Shock Trap, fast. He runs next to the acrobatic tiger and kneels down. The trap was ready for use. The Barioth had been in the trap and wasn't getting injured. We threw Tranq Bombs at it and had a quick capture from it. I heard a yell of victory from Daniel. We were all excited from the capture. We had taken a seat, waiting for the balloon to pick us up and take us back to Loc-Lac. We were all exhausted.
On the ride back, I take off my armor and look at the broken piece of mail. I had worked hard to get this armor, maybe the artisan could fix it. A worried look strikes Kelli's face, was I really hurt that badly? I look at her with a reassuring smile, letting her know that I was just fine. I close my eyes once again and look up. Before I knew it, we were back in Loc-Lac. I had walked through the gates and sat at the usual table. I just wanted to drink, eat, and then go home. I was injured and tired. I took a rag from my pocket and wiped the blood from my face. The rag quickly went from white to red. I had lost a lot of blood from the fight.
The others surrounded me at the table and started to make me feel better with jokes. Daniel looked at me and said with a smirk on his face, "Man, three white guys on a bench. What is this? The unemployment line?" I started to laugh as a sigh of relief came from Kelli. "Kelli. I'm fine. I've taken worse. I can handle myself now." I said with a kind smile. She smiled and patted my head, "that's my little brother. Stubborn to the end." I heard Alex and Daniel share an "awww" and I wanted to punch both of them. For the rest of the night, we sat at that table sharing stories of our hunting experiences. I felt like a true hunter...and a true man.
