Once again I was in the air, soaring around the fortress grounds, we could see tiny swarms of soldiers gathering in the pass, and boulders teetered unsteadily as the ground rumbled. I swooped down quickly, avoiding a brick tower and landed next to the battalion, I slid off the Rathalos' back and walked up to the general, saluted as he did and asked him of the current situation. "How far is it, general?" He replied slowly,

"Five metres from the gate, we are ready to fire at command sir". I nodded and walked back to the squad "Okay, five metres to the north wall they have gunners at the ready. I need supporting left flank with a right attack formation, are we clear?" the team nodded and I re-mounted and kicked off.

The wind made a ghastly whistling sound which seemed to mock the three on the ground, Arran threw a rock at the north face and sighed. The marshy ground seemed to swell and sink beneath there feet as the near black fog cloaked the path of the beast. "I can't believe it isn't a Lao, we have to fight a-" Arran said but couldn't finish as he was interrupted by a large crash and some screams. It was here. The Shen Gaoren was here. Arran grabbed his wyvern blade 'fall' and stood up quickly, Megan turned to him "we have to go for the legs, it's the only way!" she shouted as another crash was heard. Out of the mist, came a giant, bone leg. It shook the ground as it landed with an almighty bang. Another leg, equally as big came forward followed by two absurdly long antennas, then the claws came into view, great blue sharp claws that swung wildly as the Gaoren walked. It approached them with twitching eyes which were shadowed by the great Lao Shan Lung skull that hung off its back, acid gathering in the 'mouth'. The gunners on the bridge opened fire with flame bullets as it turned around so the skull faced the bridge. The men carried on firing as its mouth opened and the lump at the back began to turn green, they had no idea what was about to happen. The green light became so intense, some of the gunners covered there eyes until a large ball of acid burnt clean through the bridge, killing most of the gunners, the ones that survived the acid blast were killed by the fall. Simeon looked over in horror as he saw his father running across to help a platoon. The Gaoren saw him and went for him with a giant claw which cut Simeon's father in two. Simeon screamed and rushed over, Arran grabbed him and growled "don't make the same mistake that he did, remember what Zak said"

The commander strode up to the lieutenant with a brisk pace. "Make sure those hunters don't kill the Gaoren we need it!" The lieutenant looked startled at this request. "But sir, it's killing everyone!" The commander smiled at this and replied coldly, "men are dispensable, you know too much" and with that he slit the young mans throat. Blood splashed across the floor as the lieutenant slid down the wall, screaming silently. The commander walked out "If you want something doing, you've got to do it yourself.

I sailed down to through the mist as I saw the Gaoren, we had landed once again as someone had flagged us down to tell us it wasn't a Lao. The giant crab stood higher than the fortress itself. I dropped the Rathalos down onto the giant skull as it walked through the gap in the now broken bridge. The crab reached up, broke the Rathalos' neck with a loud crack and threw us far into the air. I had to cut myself loose from the harness or I would fall with the Rathalos into the ravine next to the fortress, I grabbed my carving knife and sawed as fast at I could, the tendons of the tough leather snapping as I hacked at it. Finally I cut loose and flew upwards, using my knife to stab a nearby rock face; it carved in, scratching the face before it bounced off. I tried again, this time it worked; I managed to get a hold and climbed slowly down the wall to see the crab approaching. I rolled under its belly and looked up. There, on it's under carapace I saw a mark, it was the symbol of the guild.

Simeon ran to his father when the Gaoren had passed, he lay with just a few muscles keeping him together. He whispered weakly. "Son, I…I love you". A tear streamed down Simeon's face "The guild can patch you back up, you'll be fine" Simeon whimpered unconfidently more tears streaming down their faces. His father managed a smile "I'm gone son, I welcome death. Make me proud boy, you always have done, goodbye." With that, he closed his eyes and smiled. He was dead. Simeon screamed towards the sky, howling in an anguish that was horrific. He sank onto his knees, bowed his head and wept. Arran came up after five minutes and said "Simeon, we have to go." Simeon turned and looked at him and nodded. He stood up and wiped his face, his eyes blood red from crying. They walked away from the body as it was engulfed by the mist.

I burst into the fortress hall, striding to the main chair where the commander sat, smirking. "Why is the guild endangering people's lives" I shouted, he sat up at this point. "War" he smiled, his chest lying in the fold between his finger and thumb. I looked at him. "You're paid by the guild to keep this quiet, I am arresting you under suspicion of treason to the King" The commander laughed and pulled a rapier from his belt, "Try and stop me, boy" he sneered as I drew my flying rapier. We clashed swords as he swung his at me and I blocked. He swung again as I rolled, "You can't run forever!" He shouted going for me again. We clashed swords once more as we approached the large window facing over the ravine. He kicked me as I stumbled out, smashing the glass. I grabbed his shirt to keep me from falling into the ominous black of the ravine; he backed away as I fell back through the window, slashing wildly as I came. I jumped to avoid a low swipe just as I recovered. He ran out the door as I followed swiftly, he crashed into a wall while trying to run, I skidded round the corner, not making the same mistake. Just then, the fortress shuddered. The Gaoren was here.

The Gaoren slowly marched into the main corner; the only thing blocking its path now was the main bridge. Arran signalled to the bowmen to fire, they rained a hail of arrows onto its face as it flinched wildly. Meg ran forward with her long sword, slashing at the legs. It was weak. Arran ran to help Megan, followed by Simeon. Simeon swung his hammer onto the ground, and then spun round aiming for the legs. He missed as the crab stood up and saw him. It raised a large blue claw as Megan pulled Simeon out of the way, it missed them both by inches, making them stumble as the ground shook, and Simeon pulled away and went for another attack.

We burst out onto the main bridge, still fighting wildly, ducking, dodging and weaving through each others attacks. He swung at me but missed; I tripped him up and grabbed him, hanging him by his collar over the bridge. "Where are the other wyverns?" I shouted over the noise of destruction, he laughed and spat in my face, smiling smugly "why would I tell you?" he asked. I wiped the saliva from my eye and smiled back. "Because it you don't, I drop you". His smug look turned to an expression of fear, and then back to smugness. "You will be hunted down, even if you spare me! So kill me hunter, kill me!" I held him, regarding his face and looked at the Gaoren. "Do lets" I said and kicked him the bridge's edge. He screamed all the way down until he landed with a sickening sound of breaking bones and squelching mud. Arran ran up to me with an anti-dragon bomb in his arms. The Gaoren was turning so his 'skull' faced the bridge. The mouth opened slowly to reveal a grey lump of flesh that got greener and greener as the blast built up. Arran jumped into the mouth and laid the anti dragon bomb there. I jumped down from the bridge to the floor and looked up; Arran wasn't going to make it. The light became intense, and just then, Arran swan dived out of the mouth as the blast shook the ground. The bomb exploded shortly after as we caught Arran in a large flag torn from the wall. The Gaoren continued as it marched through the broken bridge.

We ran through the tunnels, it was the quickest way to the main fortress wall. Every time the Gaoren took a step, the earth shuddered and clumps of dirt filled with worms landed on us. There was a claustrophobic feel to the tunnels with only a slow burning torch for light. We emerged on top of the main fortress wall, Arran and Megan dropped to the ground as I manned the ballista cannon. We waited for what seemed an hour for it to come, when it came towards us across the glistening grass. It saw us and let out an almighty howl, bringing down both its claws. I fired my ballistae at it, making it flinch. It got up and carried on walking. Arran fired the cannon but again it carried on walking. It seemed to mock us with its apparent invulnerability, then Megan unleashed the dragonator. Huge, metal spikes whirred out the wall at an unbelievably fast pace, knocking the Gaoren to its feet. It didn't get up. A great cheer rose from inside the fortress. But then, it stirred, unnoticeably at first but it stood up for one last attack, we couldn't take that much, it had already damaged the fort enough to let Ioprey from the nearby volcano in. It turned round to do another blast, we didn't have any bombs. The only way to stop it was to clog the skull. Simeon must have been thinking this through his thoughts of grief and stood up and saluted me. I saluted him back with the other two hunters. "It has been an honour, to work with all of you" he smiled. Megan began to cry, she was a strong hunter but the bond between us all was strong. Simeon hugged her tightly as he also began to cry. He shook mine and Arran's hands and then ran, he ran to the wall, stepped up and pushed off into the skull, it fired its blast but it backfired, sending a huge energy surge through the crab. It exploded, purple blood and entrails spraying everywhere. The Gaoren was dead.