Hey everyone, another chapter here!
Touhoufanatic: Maybe. Though I like the meaning behind names too. Also I will be honest with you here, I followed everything up until the word flafbree and then you lost me.
Raime063AN: She needed a new haircut. Maye I'll bring back the tribal hairstyle later on, but for now she's stuck with a good 'ol short haircut. Also yeah, getting slammed full force into the ground by a Brute Wyvern with thousands of pounds of muscle behind it will do that to ya. Also here's hoping I get the fight between Nergal and the Huntsman right. Thank you for the encouragement and good wishes. I promise I'll at least get a few chapters out by next month.
CuriousCancer: Don't worry, I plan on finishing this up and then moving on to the Witcher inspired arc next. Yeah, I beat Alatreon but it really forced me to come to terms with my sub-par hunting skills. I honestly don't remember what exactly inspired me to write this specific scenario, but I know Alleskeins' own fanfic at least planted the idea in my head. Go read his story if you really want to get to the steamy stuff.
The Megaevolved Pony: Yeah, she needs some comfort. Maybe I'll have a scene for it in the next chapter. We'll just have to wait and see.
Onward with the Story!
The Canteen was slightly quieter than usual thanks to both the preparation Astera was undergoing and the already present sense of worry for their shining star Hunter. But that didn't stop Richard, Nina, Angela and Fabien from their discussion.
"Fabien, you sure you're gonna be okay? I'm not sure you'll be able to tell the difference between Lava and the Teostra."
Richard said with worry on his face as he looked at his helmeted friend. Fabien waved the question off as he leaned forward on the table, being careful not to bump into Nina, who was still eating.
"I'm not that blind, Richard. I'll be able to tell the difference just fine. If I can't, then I'll wait until it moves to a more cool area."
"Fabien, if things get too overwhelming just let me know. I can handle the Teostra myself if I have to. Plus, that Huntsman will be there too so we have backup if worst comes to worst."
Angela said, her words a mixture of worry and reassurance. Worry for Fabien and reassurance both for herself and her semi-blind friend.
"Speaking of which. Do you even have an ice weapon to use, Angela?"
Richard asked, quickly changing the subject. Angela let her eyes look upward for a moment while she recalled if she did before nodding in confirmation.
"Yeah. I have an Ukanlos Gunlance I can use. What about you two? You have thunder weapons to use against the Kushala Daora?"
Angela asked, her question aimed at Nina and Richard. Richard shrugged and Nina remained silent while he responded to the query.
"I'm bringing Old Reliable. It'll get the job done."
"You uh... Know that Amatsu is primarily a Water based Elder Dragon, right?"
Richard paused as Angela poked a hole in his plans. He sucked in a breath in an attempt to think of an excuse to use Endless Sky, but he couldn't find one.
"I completely forgot."
He said in despair before placing his head in his hands. It had been so long since he hunted an Amatsu that he had indeed forgotten that Endless Sky's hidden Element was likely to be Water rather than Thunder. In other words, it was elementally ineffective against Kushala Daora.
Nina suppressed a snicker at her partner, but nonetheless drew Richard's attention. He peeked out from his hands with an offended and unhappy expression at his friend, not bothering to hide his slight anger at the fact he had been forgetful of such an important detail.
"What's so funny?"
He asked, letting a tiny barb of accusation fly with his words. Nina was seemingly un-effected by his tone and instead let some of her giggles out instead of holding them in.
"It's funny that you forgot Amatsu was Water based when you told the story of how we all met. You know, the one where we hunted an Amatsu?"
Richard let his arms fall to the table in exasperation, not bothering to defend his slip in memory. He cast an unamused look at Angela and Fabien as they shared a small chuckle. Angela placed a hand on Richard's shoulder and patted his pauldron gently.
"It's ok, Rich. You remember that time I brought a Poison weapon to hunt a Chameleos? We all make mistakes."
Richard nodded in response, growing an embarrassed smile to replace his frown. Eventually the giggles and laughter died down, leaving the group relatively quiet.
Fabien leaned forward slightly, his armor clinking as he moved.
"Did you guys hear about Nergal and the Huntsman?"
-Transition-
"So he challenged ye' to a duel? Yeah, sounds like him."
The Head Smith said as he sharpened a blade on his personal grinding wheel. Nergal leaned on the conveyor belt of the Workshop, looking out of the large doorway that separated the Smithy from the rest of Astera. It was early in the the morning, with the sun just cresting over the horizon.
"I'm just wondering why. We both saw what we could do on the back of Zorah Magdaros."
Nergal said, a hint of confusion in her voice. The Head Smith only shrugged as he continued to sharpen the edge of a blade that would be fitted to a metal made Insect Glaive later.
"To see what changed, most likely. Knowin' him, he wants to see just how much of ya' carried over from yer' Monster body."
Nergal made a confused face and pushed off the conveyor belt, crossing her arms and facing the older man as she did so. The master blacksmith didn't flinch as he kept working the grinding wheel.
"What do you mean?"
The Elder Dragon asked. The Head Smith allowed himself a sigh and stopped turning the grinding wheel, pulling back the blade and inspecting for a moment before setting it down on the conveyor belt. He then turned to face Nergal, complete seriousness on his features.
"The Huntsman is a man o' skill. Old style. He's been hunting for who knows how long. Hell, even I don't know..."
The Head Smith paused, seemingly trying to recall the details of the Huntsman's carreer. Nergal uncrossed her arms and leaned forward, placing her hands on the edge of the conveyor belt. The older man snapped from his thoughts and continued.
"He wants to see ya' work. After years of experience and trainin', he wants to meet someone just as good or better than 'imself. Eclipsen was that match and even surpassed him on multiple occasions, and now that you're takin' his spot he wants to see if yer' worthy. He's testing ya'. Or at least, that's what I think he's doin'."
Nergal nodded and allowed her gaze to drop downward. Her heart ached a little hearing that once again she was stuck underneath the shadow of her beloved. Her instincts and pride were growing irritated with the fact that Eclipsen was gifting her a position and not allowing her a chance to prove herself. Though the challenge of the Huntsman allowed her the small hope that her strength could be proven once again. Like in the wild, the way she wanted it to be. The way Nature intended it to be.
"Speakin' of which-"
The voice of the Head Smith pulled Nergal from her thoughts. She looked up to see the older man push his grinding wheel away with his foot before leaning over and grabbing something from beside his place at the conveyor belt. It took a second for him to lift whatever he was retrieving, but with some effort he withdrew a small cloth covered object. He set it gently into the conveyor belt, letting out a sigh as it met the cool metal. Nergal gazed at the object, her eyes trying to guess what was underneath the red cloth.
Before the Elder Dragon could, the Head Smith reached forward and grabbed the cloth. He glanced at her for a moment before pulling the cloth off with a flourish, revealing what was underneath.
Nergal's eyes widened as she beheld the pair of modified Dual Blades Eclipsen had designed for her. Before her sat a pair of bracers with two forearm mounted blades, designed to extend and retract with the flick of a wrist. The blades were made of the same durable keratin as her spikes, blackened for durability and sharpened to an almost razor edge. They spanned fourteen inches in length past her hands and a little longer than that to give the mechanism room to move.
"Before ye' say it, yer' welcome. I had ta' get some help from the engineers, but it worked out pretty well if I do say so myself. Try 'em on."
The Head Smith said, a proud smile etched into his face underneath his beard. Nergal reached out for the weapon but paused for a moment. Her mind quickly began to let the doubt crawl back in. Was she even worthy of such a weapon? Did she deserve to use it since Eclipsen wasn't able to see them completed?
"Before ya' start havin' doubts, I assure ya' that our top Hunter wouldn't want ya' using a weapon yer' uncomfortable with. Just take em, Lass. It'll make him happy when he wakes up."
Nergal glanced at the Head Smith, whose proud smile had melted into one of reassurance. She swallowed and nodded, shoving away the doubt in her head. The Elder Dragon reached forward once more, grabbing one of the bracers and lifting it. She turned it around for a moment before slipping it onto her arm, letting the leather made bracer fit and conform to the size of her arm.
Her hand slipped into a fingerless leather glove sewn into the bracer, hugging her hand and also giving her access to her still sharp and deadly claws in case she needed them. She lowered her arm, searching the bracer for a way to extend the blades.
"Just flex yer' arm. It should work. Those crackpot engineers are nothin' if not reliable.
Nergal looked up at the older man before doing as she was instructed. She clenched her fist and felt her muscles stretch the leather of the bracer. With a click, the mechanism for the blades was released and they shot outward from their resting place. Nergal jumped a little at the sudden movement, but her mind quickly adjusted to the change.
She lifted her arm, gazing at the shining black blades that reflected the light of the molten materials of the forge. Her heart lurched once more, seemingly intent on giving her these emotional jumps. Her claws, her teeth, her power. All of it placed into the blades on her forearm, ready to be used and ready to hunt once more.
"I... Cannot express how thankful I am..."
She whispered, just loud enough for the Head Smith to hear. The older man looked on in expectation as Nergal lowered and relaxed her arm, letting the blades slip back into their machanism.
"With these... I am reborn."
She said. Her mind, body and soul spoke with her, giving an almost unnoticeable echo to her voice that was distinctly different from the echo of the Workshop. The Head Smith raised an eyebrow and his face transformed into one of confusion.
Nergal let out a sigh before reaching for the other bracer, quickly slipping it onto her forearm. The feeling of the leather bracer on her scales was comforting now, thanks to the presence of the epitome of her strength locked onto the top of them.
"Thank you..."
She began to say, but she realized that she didn't know the Head Smith's name. The older man smiled before reaching over and gently setting his hand on the handle of his hammer, which was laying head down on the Smithy floor.
"You can call me Brökkr, Lass. Or Brök, if you prefer a more pronounce-able name."
Nergal smiled. The name rung loudly in her head, insuring she would never forget it. She turned her entire body towards the Head Smith and gave a thankful nod.
"Thank you, Brökkr. I will never forget this."
Brökkr gave a chuckle and waved off the thanks before responding.
"Aye, aye, ye' need not keep thankin' me. Now, how 'bout we get ye' to that duel you're expected at, aye?"
-Transition-
The wind whistled quietly as the Huntsman sat cross-legged on the ground of the Special Arena, the wind speaking to him as he waited. It spoke to him of things to come and the clouds above suggested that life would go smoothly, with the white wisps moving quickly on the invisible waves of the sky.
The sound of the rocks around the entrance of the Special Arena shifting drew the old hunter out of his meditation. He looked up and spied through the eye slits on his helm, watching as Nergal brushed off her pants and stretched out her wings to clear them of dust.
Nergal walked to the edge of the large pit the Special Arena consisted of, glancing at the ballista and the large rock suspended above the area. The Huntsman sat perfectly in the middle of the pit, his posture relaxed and waiting. Nergal looked around before crouching down and climbing down into the pit.
Climbing on the thin rope was difficult with Nergal's clawed feet and the kiss of the dirt was much more tolerable compared to it. She turned away from the rock wall, finding the Huntsman still sitting quietly in the middle of the Arena. She walked towards the armored man, still looking around at the Arena as she did so.
She stopped a few feet from the Huntsman, looking up into the sky before looking back down at the older man.
"Why?"
She asked, keeping her question vague even though she knew what she was asking. Why had the Huntsman decided to challenge her? It had always been a question that ran through her primal mind when other Elder Dragons decided to attack her. Often, the reason was to defend their home or to avenge their brethren. But for the Huntsman, there seemed to be no reason.
"Why?"
The Huntsman repeated. This time, it was a question in of itself. Nergal sighed through her nose before lowering herself to the ground, sitting cross legged on the dirt in front of the old hunter.
"Why did you challenge me?"
She asked again, looking straight into the eyes of the Huntsman's helm. The older man didn't move, nor react at all, returning the stare almost like a manikin. Silence fell for a few long moments, with Nergal's patience matching the Huntsman's almost second for second. She could wait forever, if she had to. She had to wait when hunting, as well.
"For the same reason I hunt."
The Huntsman finally answered, moving his hands from in his lap to on his knees. His armor clinked and Nergal followed the movement like a hawk.
"To learn. To feel the rush of battle. To feel every attack of my opponent and to return in kind. Battle is not just fighting. It is the connection of the soul. The deepest experience two beings can have. Mutual danger. The ensured fact that one of two will not survive. And within that fact, in the middle of that fight for survival, you learn everything about yourself and your opponent."
The Huntsman's words struck deep in Nergal's mind. He was speaking of the way Nature handled confrontation. When one Monster challenged another with no alternative but death, there was nothing but truth between them. There could be no lies in a fatal battle; only the actions that spoke of who you are.
"I understand. Completely. And what do you want to learn from me?"
Nergal asked. Her eyes closed and a part of her fell into total calm. Tranquility. She couldn't tell what part of her it was, but it felt important. The Huntsman once again didn't move, as her ears and senses told her that hid armor was not moving as it would if he did.
"Everything. I want to know who you are. What you want. Who you want to be. How much of you is Monster and how much of you is Human. I will be brutally honest, both in battle and out. I do not trust you as you are. You have proven nothing besides the strength you have. I want more than just strength. I want your will. Your motivation. Your everything."
Nergal made the tiniest nod. She heard the Huntsman's armor move as well, supposedly in the same motion.
"But for now, sit. Relax. Preparation is needed before a hunt."
Nergal nodded again. She hadn't even begun fighting the Huntsman and she felt a kinship with him. He was trained, experienced in the ways of Nature. He shared the same view of battle many other Monsters had, including herself. She had expected a shallow answer such as 'I just want to see you fight', but instead his desire was to engage her in the only way that felt natural.
The silence dragged on and Nergal's eyes remained closed. She pondered over some of the things she had been through since Eclipsen's fight with the Deviljho. She wanted so badly to prove to Astera and the Research Commission that she wanted to follow in Eclipsen's footsteps; to defend these humble Humans who wanted to learn and live just like everyone else, even though they did it differently and slightly more damaging than others.
After all, she was part Human now.
Then, after reinforcing what she wanted in her mind, she moved on to what she felt around her. The wind was gentle and moved quickly, like a patient friend who was helping to move forward. The dirt was soft and welcoming, like a mother who was there to comfort. All around her was the feeling of Nature, there to give her guidance despite her new form.
Another part of her wanted to return to her Monster form. To feel her true claws and to taste her own large teeth. To stretch her wings and take to the sky where the wind was far more turbulent and took far more strength to keep aloft. Then, she reminded herself that she still had her claws, just smaller. She still had her teeth, just shaped different. Still had her wings, just hadn't flown with them yet.
Nature was still a part of her as well.
In a quick moment of realization, Nergal's eyes snapped open. She saw the Huntsman; a man who had experienced the call of Nature and answered. She knew what he wanted to know about herself.
She was the perfect combination of Nature and Humanity, everything both of them stood for and everything they did for people. To protect and destory, to be free and to be ordered, to be strong and to be smart. To love, and to hate.
Now, all she needed to do was to choose which side she was on.
"I'm ready."
She said, her spines flexing and her arms ready to flex and wield her claws. The Huntsman's hidden stare broke in order for him to nod, and both of them moved. They lifted themselves from the ground almost in unison. Their body languages both spoke of readiness, with stiffness in their movements and inertia behind every muscle.
Once they stood straight, they stared each other down. Nergal's body was like a statue and the Huntsman was the same, with Nergal's spines and his armor reflecting the light of the sun.
Then, in an instant, they both readied themselves. It was like a lightning bolt, with the Huntsman reaching up and drawing his Longsword almost too fast for the eye to see and Nergal flexing her arms and letting the blades of her weapons spring outwards just as fast, if not faster.
They paused once more, with Nergal bearing her teeth and spreading her wings while the Huntsman tensed his grip on his beloved sword. The world itself seemed to stop and hold it's breath, waiting for the two to begin their duel.
Then something, somewhere, in some far off place, snapped.
Nergal let out a hiss before launching forward, her wings catching what wind they could. The Huntsman reacted quickly and swung his Longsword to the right. Nergal responded just as fast and let her body fall, landing on her knees and sliding underneath the long blade of the Huntsman's sword.
Nergal then jumped upward from the floor just beside the Huntsman and swung to the left, her blades singing with primal fury as they cut the wind. The Huntsman switched his grip on his sword, blocking the strike with the handle and just as swiftly shoving away Nergal's arm.
The Huntsman then swung to the left, which Nergal ducked to avoid before thrusting outward with her left claws. Her attack struck home, slamming hard into the Huntsman's armor and unfortunately sliding straight off the right side and leaving two deep claw marks.
Before Nergal could land a second hit, the Huntsman swung downward. Nergal jumped to the right, but her movement wasn't fast enough and the sword caught her right wing, cutting a few of her spikes clean off. She let out a grunt before preparing to swing again only for the Huntsman to move faster, sending another strong swing to the right.
Nergal lifted her arms to block the attack, but it didn't stop the force of the swing from sending her a few feet backwards. Her clawed feet dug into the dirt as she slid backward, but the rest of her body was already reacting to the Huntsman's next move.
The Huntsman readied and drew back his Longsword, taking a step back before thrusting forward with all the strength he had. Nergal saw through the attack as soon as the Huntsman had prepared it and she smacked the strike away before rushing forward and once again going for a stab with her left arm.
The Huntsman moved almost before Nergal had even struck, swiftly moving his head out of the way of the attack and taking a step back, swinging his sword in a wide sweep. Nergal barely had time to place her hands in front of her before the blade collided with her forearms, the strike once more sending her flying and her surprise caused her to miss the landing and roll.
Nergal growled as she lifted herself from the ground, staring down the Huntsman as she did so. The old hunter stood at the ready, his movement devoid of any telling actions that would give Nergal an opening. The Elder Dragon let out another growl. She didn't have a way to pierce his defenses. She would need to think of a new plan of attack.
Nergal then rushed forward, her blades at the ready. The Huntsman attacked fast, lifting and bringing down his Longsword like he was reaping a field. Nergal made a quick step to the left and drew in her wings, evading the attack. But before Nergal could retaliate, the Huntsman threw a second swing to the right.
Defying her established technique, Nergal pushed of the ground and spread her wings. With a furious flap of her wide black wings, Nergal was carried up and over the Huntsman's Longsword. The Huntsman could only look on in surprise as Nergal quickly lashed out, striking him in the forehead and leaving a large gash in his helmet.
Nergal hissed as she twisted in the air, landing deftly onto the ground right next to the Huntsman and unleashing another blow, striking the older hunter in the stomach and sending him rolling backward. The Huntsman grunted as he hit the floor and immediately righted himself.
Nergal stood still for a moment, her spines and claws still itching to land another hit. She had successfully broken through the Huntsman's defense, but it would only work effectively once. She needed a way to permanently throw him off.
Her primal instincts working in full gear, Nergal lowered herself to the ground and placed one hand on the dirt, readying herself for a flurry of activity that was familiar to her Monster body. Her wings spread out like sails and her tail thrashed back in forth angrily behind her. The Huntsman slid his right foot farther behind him and shifted his own stance in preparation.
Suddenly Nergal launched forward, her movement leaving naught but dust where she had originally stood. She dashed in a Zig-Zag pattern and tucked in her wings to prevent the drag from slowing her down. The Huntsman grunted before throwing a Spirit Slash, which Nergal dodged easily thanks to her adopted pattern of movement.
Before Nergal could get close enough to strike the Huntsman jumped backward, twisting his body and preparing to strike again. Nergal panicked for a moment and slid as she tried to halt her movement, but her actions weren't quick enough. The Huntsman's strike was faster than lightning and he executed a Foresight Slash, his blade howling as it sliced air.
But strangely, the sound of the blade cutting flesh or colliding with metal was absent. The Huntsman reacted instinctively, looking upward and spotting Nergal who had leapt over the slash at the last second. The Huntsman grunted as he lifted and swung his Longsword in an attempt to knock her out of the air, only for the Elder Dragon woman to twist unnaturally in the air and dodge the swing.
She landed with a thud before lashing out, only giving the Huntsman enough time to block her strike with the handle of his sword. Her hand gripped the middle of the handle, with the long blades of her weapon inching closer to his visor. Nergal's other hand proceeded to grab the edge of his Longsword, barely noticing as a small amount of blood dripped from her palm.
She let out a primal growl as she forced the Huntsman's blade backward, slowly but surely overpowering him and letting her blades grow closer to his visor. The Huntsman grunted as he planted his right foot and pushed back with all of his strength, only to find that his effort was wasted. Nergal quickly broke the struggle and spun, her tail slamming full force into the Huntsman and sending him barreling a few feet.
The Huntsman let out a yelp as he landed hard onto the ground before rolling and righting himself. He stumbled for a second, finding that Nergal had struck him hard enough to remove the air from his lungs. He tried to begin breathing, but Nergal swiftly halted the action as she sprinted up to him, throwing another stabbing strike towards the Huntsman's helmet.
The old hunter jumped to the left, dodging the blow and swinging his sword in response. Nergal dropped, evading the Huntsman's strike and once more stabbing outward with her Dual Blades. The Huntsman once again spun backward, preparing another Foresight Slash. Nergal immediately spread her wings and leapt upward, dodging the attack before it had even begun.
The Huntsman then noticed a flaw in Nergal's moves.
The old hunter quickly canceled his Foresight Slash and instead lifted his blade over his head and brought it down, prompting Nergal to beat her wings and move to the left in order to avoid the strike. Nergal then growled and struck outwards with her right foot in an attempt to scratch the Huntsman's helmet. The Huntsman responded quickly by swinging his sword upward and hitting Nergal in the back with the flat of his Longsword, effectively knocking her out of the sky.
She landed on the ground with all fours before drawing in her wings and rolling, placing her outside of the Huntsman's reach. Unfortunately, the Huntsman acted too quickly for her roll to be effective as he ran forward and brought his Longsword straight downward. Nergal rolled once more, this time forward in order to avoid being cleaved in half.
She swiftly stood from the ground and turned, managing to narrowly block another swing from the Huntsman and slid backwards slightly from the force, which she was now used to. The Huntsman then pulled back his Longsword and thrusted forward in another Spirit Thrust, which Nergal simply stepped to the side to dodge before swinging her own blades.
The Huntsman quickly swung to the left, deflecting the strike and forcing Nergal backward. Both of them paused for a moment, heavy breathing in both of their lungs. The Huntsman's posture was nowhere near tired and neither was Nergal's, both fighters clearly conditioned for this level of battle.
The Huntsman then sprang back into action, jumping forward and sending a downward slash towards Nergal. She responded swiftly, stepping to the left before dashing forward and swinging her blades towards the Huntsman's helmet. But before Nergal's attack could connect, the Huntsman leapt out of the way of the swing in a motion that was unlike his usual movements.
The Huntsman slid as his spinning dodge landed his feet on the ground and he quickly pulled the sheath of his Longsword from his back, quickly sliding the blade into the scabbard in preparation. Nergal growled and her wings fanned out before she sprinted forward, unaware of the strike the Huntsman was about to deliver.
In a flash of crimson light, the Iai Spirit Slash cut through the air like butter and trailed with a red hot line, as if it was burning the very atoms around it. A howl rang out as the blade slammed full force into Nergal, with the World itself seeming to scream out in horror at the sight.
But just as quickly, the Rathian Longsword was missing from the Huntsman's hands and instead of feeling the strike connect, he felt a strike that was not his own meet his chest like a freight train, sending him flying across the Special Arena. He landed hard and with a deep thud, knocking even more wind from his lungs and leaving the old hunter breathless.
Before the Hunter could realize what happened, Nergal's clawed foot was pressed against his chest and the Elder Dragon was standing over him like a grim obelisk, her wings spread proudly and her chest heaving with the effort to pull more oxygen into her own lungs.
Less than a second later the Huntsman's Rathian Longsword embedded itself into the ground a few feet away, having been sent skyward with whatever Nergal had done to dislodge it from the Huntsman's grasp.
The Huntsman could barely believe what had happened before the lack of breath in his lungs caused his vision to turn black.