It was overcast, the density of the clouds just barely hid the airship that departed from Jumbo Village. The crew waited restlessly for a visual in the sea of clouds, but they were too thick for the airship's Feyline scout to properly do his job.
"Do you see anything yet?" The helmsman asked.
"The clouds are thick, but I can just barely meowke out the end of the stretch." The scout replied.
"Understood, increasing speed. I would rather not wait for an ambush."
The airship proceeded until finally breaking away from the sea of clouds. The crew eyed the isle of South El De and gasped in horror, for the village they traded with decades on end was completely destroyed.
"My gog, what happened here?" one of the crewmates asked as the airship circled the charred remains of the village.
"Are there any survivors?" the airship's captain questioned, as he walked toward the scout.
"Doesn't look like there are survivors, but we could set her down to purrceed on foot if you give the order." The scout said to the captain, who slowly walked to the edge of the bridge.
"Prepare to land, see if there's anything that'll tell us what happened." He replied calmly.
"Roger captain. Preparing to land." The helmsman says, taking the airship down to the ground.
The airship landed, prompting the crew to walk through the charred remains of village buildings, sifting through the rubble to find clues.
"This is out of the meowdinary, captain. The tracks are way too fur apawrt to be any run of the meowll wyvern." The scout said, clinging to the captain's coat.
"Yes but with things the way they've been since the frenzy epidemic ended, could the guild have missed a few stragglers?" He said, running his fingers through his lengthened beard.
"Captain, look!" His First Mate said.
The captain turns to his crewmate's direction, who pointed downward.
The captain walked to his side whilst viewing the area his First Mate pointed to. It was an impact crater, with a sizzling Powderstone at its epicenter.
"There are many other craters that have similar traits all over town. What are powderstones doing outside of a Volcano?" The First Mate asked.
"I'm unsure, bu-" The captain began to reply, only to be distracted by a red substance that slid down a slanted chunk of debris. Pulling out a knife from his pocket, he cautiously approached the substance and scraped the oozing liquid onto it. Holding it up to his nose, he took a strong whiff of the substance and his eyes widened.
"It's blood!" The captain shuddered.
"Blood?! Get it away from my fur!" the scout said in disgust.
"Captain, are you alright?" his First Mate asked, worried.
"We need to leave immediately, this isn't any old blood!" The captain panicked. "All hands head for the ship, posthaste!"
"Aye-Aye, captain!" The crew shouted.
The crew of Jumbo Village sped back to their airship and prepared to take off.
"Captain what's wrong?" The first mate asked.
"The blood I scraped on my knife, it was Elder Dragon Blood! The craters, the lanky footprints, all the signs point to-" He pauses, looking to see if anyone else of his crew was in earshot, then continues, "A Crimson you-know-what!" The captain whispered to his first mate, spooking him.
"Helmsman, set course for Jumbo Village immediately." The first mate commands.
"Aye, Aye!" the helmsman said, veering the airship upward.
Dreigul awoke from a swift slumber, unable to sleep well since the previous night's events. He dusts himself off as he gets up, noticing an airship departing the destroyed village, prompting him to immediately run.
"HEY! WAIIIT!" he shouted, praying to get their attention.
The scout's ears twitched, prompting him to look down from the airship.
"Captain, there's a Wyverian boy on the shore!" the scout shouted.
"Are we low enough to lower a ladder?" the captain asked, gazing at the boy.
"Affirmative," the First Mate said.
"Do it, now!"
The First Mate relayed the order, and the crew dropped the ladder. Unraveling at a tremendous speed, the ladder whipped downwards to Dreigul's eye level. He ran to the ladder and rushed up as the airship proceeded to flee from the isle.
Dreigul gets to the top, and is helped up by the airship's crewmates. He holds out his airship ticket for the captain to take.
"I...hah...ticket..." he pants.
"Welcome aboard, son," The captain said, grabbing Dreigul's ticket, "Are you the only one left?"
The Wyverian boy nods solemnly.
"Son, can you tell me what happened?" The Captain queried.
"I tried… I tried to save..Quilena…oh gog…" Dreigul began to shudder.
"So, she's gone...how unfortunate," sighed the captain, "What can you tell me of... the beast?"
"Shot...it...I…shot…." Dreigul, whimpered.
The captain narrowed his eyes at him and asks "Where?"
Dreigul points to his eye, and the crew stares at him jaws agape.
"Kid, what'd mew say your nyame was?" The scout asked excitedly.
"D-Dreigul,"
"Dreigul? You're Tingravord's kid?" The captain asks in surprise. Having traveled to the El De district for years, he'd be amiss to forget the goings on of the only Wyverian Hunter in the village.
He nods once more.
The crew sans the captain hoisted the boy on their shoulders, hearty laughs escaping their maws whilst the scout roughed up his hair.
"Good going, Dreigul! That's a feat only ace hunters get to relish in!" The first mate exclaimed.
"That meowst've taken a lotta courage to do! I tip my hat to mew, sir!" The scout added.
"Gentlemen, Gentlemen. Let's not overwhelm our young hero." The Captain chimed in. "Unfortunately we got paperwork to do back at home, since we've lost a full day's quota and a vital trading neighbor. I'd like to come home before trouble befalls us. All ahead full, man your stations gents."
"Aye, Aye cap!" they all say, before placing Dreigul down on the deck and heading for their designated work areas. The captain turns to Dreigul, noticing his eyes tremble in between his drooped eyelids.
"Son, you're free to use any of the cabins. You look like you haven't had much shuteye. The scout will show you the way."
Dreigul nodded as the scout pulled onto his tattered shirt, and followed behind the spry Feyline into the crew cabins.
"Feel free to choose a hammock. It isn't meowch but it's safe in here, purromise." the scout happily said.
"Thank you." Dreigul said as the scout returned to his duties.
The boy picked a hammock in the corner of the room, and climbed in. He lay in the hammock, swinging slightly before satisfied enough to pass out.
Dreigul woke up, startled after hearing intense snoring from the crew. A cold chill from and an eerie teal light from an open door told him that it was nighttime. A figure enters, making its way to him.
"Are you awake?" the captain asked.
Dreigul merely nods, not wanting to wake the crew.
"Come with me..." The captain ordered, walking to the ship's bow.
Dreigul followed behind the captain, who led him to a secluded area. He put his arms on the ship's railings, and gestured for Dreigul to do the same. After a deep sigh, the captain spoke.
"Is it dead?"
Dreigul glanced at the captain once, and shook his head in a disapproving fashion.
"You're not the only person here who's survived an attack like that, kid."
"It happened to you?" Dreigul asked, piqued in curiosity.
"The Black God. Damn thing attacked the caravan I used to be a part of when we went to Ingle Isle. Before it had the chance to do severe damage, I ran into the fray and whaled on it with my Dual Blades until I carved off one of its tusks."
"Did you kill it?" Dreigul inquired.
"Not at that point, no. Due to our lack of Cool Drinks, we fled to the mainland and things went quiet for a time. Weeks passed by, we're about to head home from a Uragaan hunt, and we get blindsided. Good ol' One Tusk obliterated my company in a matter of minutes. I'll never forget how fast their skin peeled off from that ear-piercing roar."
Dreigul's eyes teared up to the captain's tale.
"It did its best to devour me, but after my two blades skewered the roof of its maw, One Tusk went down. I'm lucky I jumped out before the jaws hit the ground, definitely helped that I removed broke that tooth of his. Only reason why I'm alive today is my trusty scout, who notified the guild for extraction. One Tusk is now the soul of this very airship, a constant reminder of my failure."
He slapped his palm on the ships railing, turned to Dreigul and continued.
"Do you understand what I'm trying to say, young man?"
Dreigul looked at the captain, puzzled. The captain continued.
"You've practically painted a target on your back. If the black god came all the way from Ingle Isle to the mainland seeking me out for vengeance, could you imagine the lengths a Crimson Fatalis will go once it's gotten used to one eye?"
Dreigul's heart sank as his body did the same.
"No, no, no you don't! Stand back up, son."
The captain said, trying to get the terrified boy back on his own two feet, if you could call them that.
"It's coming back...It's coming back..." Dreigul shuddered.
"Yeah, it's gonna! Not a doubt, but as long as you are alive, you have a chance if you fight to survive!" the captain reassured, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"What do I do?"
"The zenny Quilena gave you, still got it?"
Dreigul nodded.
"Good, I strongly advise against staying in villages often. The first thing I want you to get is a weapon, any weapon will do. Then get yourself a barbecue spit and potions, you'll need 'em to brave the great outdoors. Always be on the move, and only head into villages to restock and improve your wares." The captain instructed, giving the boy a stern look. The captain gives him more zenny and an unlit torch.
"Just in case Quilena didn't give you enough."
"Why would you go so far just for me?" Dreigul asked, feeling terrible of the amount of charity given. The captain merely smirks at the question.
"Please lad, this is the least I can to do without risking my men's lives. Though a nightmarish evil yearns to tear you asunder, I and many more like me will want more than anything to see you overcome such a fate."
The captain pats Dreigul on his shoulders, about to head to his own quarters before turning back to the boy. He opens a small barrel that was concealed in his coat and tosses Dreigul a piece of meat that lands right in his palm.
"Mosswine Jerky, I figured you'd be hungry. Should hold you over till we reach Jumbo Village...Good night, Dreigul." The captain says before entering his chambers, leaving the boy to his thoughts.
Dreigul fidgets with the jerky piece until finally deciding to consume it. He sheds a tear knowing that he'd have to remain in seclusion till the end of his days, restraining himself from making ties with people. Until he could get used his new lifestyle, Dreigul took comfort from the creeping sun just over the horizon, allowing him a slight glimmer of hope as dawn arrived.