Katamar's sheathed his katana, an advanced version of 'wolf', that Trevor called 'shark'. Katamar of course, had to retrieve the fangs of various piscine wyverns to assist in the completion of the weapon, and although it wasn't a dramatic improvement, Trevor said it would open up the door for future posibilities. As the once brown, now red with blood, blade entered its case, Katamar was already chasing his limping prey.
The rathalos was drenched in his own blood, although this was hard to see, given the creatures already brilliant red scales and plates. The monster was at one point covered in spikes and thorns, but 'shark' had demolished those fragile peices with ease. The beast was now trying to escape this madman and his blade, but he found it hard to move with the intense pain. Limping towards a clearing suitable for a retreat to the skies, the monster turned to make sure the hunter wasn't too close.
Katamar sprinted after the beast, and the distance between predator and prey decreased with every second. Katamar considered his options. He could go for what was left of the mostly removed tail, he could take out a wing, or he could go for the kill. Without thinking twice, Katamar chose the latter. Finally catching the monster, he ran past his wings and struggled to reach the beasts head.
"Almost there!" thought both the hunter and the beast. The rathalos turned his head leftwards, to see the tiring hunter attempt to catch it. He was almost towards a clearing, towards safety, and the assurance of survival. Only meters seperated him from guaranteed life, but the distance from death was much shorter.
The beast reached the clearing. After realizing that take off would be impossible while on the move, due to his mutilated wings. The creature had to slow down. After reaching a complete stop, the monster watched as the hunter began unsheathing his blade. In a last ditch effort, the wyvern began flapping his wings furiously. It worked. The wind pressure was to much for the hunter to handle, and he was forced back, sheilding his face with his forearm.
The monster began to leave the ground. He was confident in his safety, but just to make sure, he looked back at the hunter, now tens of meters below him. The human seemed to be placing what the monster recognized as a barrel-bomb. The rathalos screached his amusement at the concept of this deadly hunter thinking he would return.
SSsssspppprrrrsshhhhhhhhhhhhh...
The monster looked down at the strange noise. The barrel was moving towards him like a bullet. The confused and scared monster had no time to react, as the bomb nailed him in the chest, setting him off balance, then exploded.
Katamar had to sheild his face again from the wind of the wyvern's impact with the ground. The beast moaned, then attempted to stand up. Not seriously damaged from the fall, the monster began moving forward, in an attempt to gain distance from the hunter before he went airborne again. He was making good pace, and this time the exhausted hunter had a harder time catching him. The ignorant rathalos stepped toward what resemple a large circle of leaves. Not realizing the odd shape until it was too late, the monster stepped into the circle.
The frightened beast let out a surprised scream, as the ground gave out from beneath him, and he was trapped inside a man-made pitfall. The monster flapped uncontrolably, unable to even increase wind pressure do to his cramped position. Katamar no longer had to run after the beast. Calmly walking toward the creature, he pulled out his contract. "Dead or Alive" it said. Katamar knew the reward was greater if he took the monster in alive. He also knew that this involved the slaying of the monster in captivity, and likely removal of organs while it was still alive. Katamar decided to hold on to what was left of his humanity,
The beast looked up at him, not pleadingly like the babakonga weeks ago. The rathalos's eyes were feirce, full of hate for Katamar, and all of humanity. His scarred smile oozed smoke and blood, and random, tiny bursts of flame exited the corners of the monsters mouth.
"I'm doing you a favor. Trust me." said the evil man, who now was above the giants eye-level. The seemingly merciless madman withdrew his blade. The rathalos saw and felt the blade puncture his skull, then the his brain, as death took it's sweet time coming for the helpless monster.
Katamar pittied the creature, and plunged his blade deeper into the monsters head until its evil eyes were dark. There were no tears for this beast. This monster deserved to be torchered. It had abducted a small child from a family of farmers. When they found her, what was left of the body was completely incinerated. Katamar, however, wasn't prepared to give the beast his just desserts, but had no problem killing the monster quickly.
Katamar, now an avid collector of monster carves, both for their rarity and trophy-like value, and there usefullness in creating weapons and armor. The guild, trying to limit poaching, had limited carves for each species of monster. Katamar took his three carves, all of them collections of blood-red scales.
After returning to the Pokke chapter of the guild, he was treated to even more trophies, carved by his same rathalos, but this time by professional guild employees. He took the money stated as a reward, and also reminded the guild ladies to refund his contract fee. Katamar was on his way home, when he passed an interesting flyer.
"Home for sale in Urbanius! Cheap!" it said. An artist had painted a picture of the house, which looked to be easily three times the size of Katamar's current hut. Although the last few weeks had been dark for Katamar, things now were looking up for him and his family. A house in the capital city, he played with the thought. Better, safer jobs would flock to him. He'd give up huntng, and live hapily ever after in the most powerful city in Minegarde.
"Ma'am, we've determined the wyvern is heading east." the squire reported to May.
"Exactly where... not the capital, not Urbanius?" she replied.
"Unfortunately, we think so. However, I've taken it upon myself to order construction of a forttress. It'll be built in the pass that the monster will have to cross."
"That pass is dangerously close to the city, but i suppose there is no other way." she sighed. "Good work. You may leave now, but bring in the militiaman before you go."
The squire nodded, and left. Soon after, a towering man in knight-like armor entered the doorway.
"You needed me ma'am?" he inquired.
"Katamar has just successfully killed a rathalos, one dubbed gold crown by the guild. I think it's safe to say, he's our man." she answered.
The man gave a nod, and May could only imagin his sick smile, as he said "He will be... 'persuaded'."
