This chapter's quality is all over the place, so I apologize in advance for any unsatisfactory parts…
This entire COVID-19 mess has left me unable to write and formulate ideas, hence the long break between chapters. This chapter serves as my way of getting back to writing so once again, apologies for the low quality.
Also, this chapter focuses entirely on our two main leads…
Chapter 11
"Kokoto huh…" Siegfried muttered with a sigh. He chastised himself for absentmindedly agreeing to go to Kokoto, wondering why on Minegarde did he agree. He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. I do wonder if things have changed back there…
A couple of loud knocks on his cabin door snapped him out of his reverie.
This better be important… "Who is it?"
A feminine voice responded, "We're needed on deck."
Siegfried rolled his eyes, "What for?"
"I do not know."
"Then go ask!"
Eris stifled the urge to snap but held back. "You stubborn- Look, I don't what we're needed for, but we owe this person our lives. It is best we repay it lest we get kicked off this ship."
"Why both of us? Why not only you?"
Eris shook her head in exasperation. She didn't have the time nor the energy to get in another argument. "…Just get out of your room."
With a sigh, Siegfried closed his journal and moved towards the door. He opened it to find an irritated Eris standing in front of him, with her hands on her hips and frown upon her pretty face. She was already in her armor, though she didn't use the white coat that came with it. Siegfried guessed that due to the cold-resistant nature of her armor, it made her feel incredibly warm. "What the hell is it?"
Eris glared at him and jabbed a finger to his chest, "Wear your armor."
"Why?"
"We were told to. I was never told specifically why, however."
Siegfried dragged his palm down his face, "Ughh fine."
"Good. Once you're done, go to the deck."
"Yeah, yeah…"
After changing to his armor, Siegfried exited his room and went towards the ship's deck. Outside the ship, the sky had already begun to darken, signaling the start of a tranquil evening on Minegarde. There on the deck, he found Eris leaning against the steps leading to the helm with her eyes closed. Just as he opened his mouth to say something-
"What took you so long?" she asked in an irritated tone.
"Oh, I don't know. Probably the fact that I had to wear the pieces individually and that I had to make sure that each piece is properly strapped to my body? Yeah, absolutely no clue."
Eris shook her head at his sarcasm. "Dumbass."
"Tch. Speaking of dumbass…Where the hell is the captain?"
"…!"
Eris chuckled and pointed her thumb at the ship's helm, "There is your answer."
Siegfried frowned at the Stranger, "I would take it back if it wasn't true! Now, explain to us why you called us both out here?"
"…"
Eris raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Well, that's good news. We have been flying for nearly two days now. It's about time."
Siegfried, however, was less enthusiastic. "…Yeah, good news."
"I've only visited Kokoto once, back when I was little. It's a nice village. Peaceful, tranquil, and not filled with any sort of disturbances or annoyances. I wonder how it's faring now…"
"Right…"
"…You don't seem very excited about this. Why is that?"
"None of your business."
Eris gave him a skeptical look but decided not to pry into it any further. She sat on the stairs of the ship's helm and waited as the airship approached the northwest part of the world, a region known as Schrade.
After a few hours, the Stranger spoke. "…"
Awakened by the voice of the captain, the two hunters yawned as they opened their eyes and stood up, moving towards the ship's edge. Grabbing hold of the railing, Eris gazed down at the land below them.
Eris pointed at a visible patch of land down below. "I see it. That must be Kokoto."
The Stranger nodded and proceeded to steer the ship towards the designated location.
Several minutes later…
Following the signals given by the village watchtower, the Stranger slowly landed the airship onto the landing pad. The two hunters breathed a sigh of relief for the safe journey, not keen on encountering any "rocket-powered-dragons" during the entire flight.
"How much should we pay you for this?" Siegfried asked the Stranger, pulling out his pouch in preparation to hand the Stranger the necessary Zenny.
However, to their surprise, the aforementioned person shook their head. "…"
Siegfried sighed in relief. "Really? Well, that's great!" Thank goodness. I'm already broke as it is and I sure as hell won't needlessly pay anyone!
The two thanked their savior before heading towards the gates to Kokoto. On the way there, they passed by quite a few merchants and hunters, but oddly enough, not once did cause the people to back away. It was as if they weren't recognized.
"Huh, these hunters aren't reacting the way others do back in the other regions."
Siegfried shrugged, "Well I did hear that the Guild's influence isn't very big here, hence the lack of guards."
"That's good. Now, let's not waste any time, shall we?"
The moment they arrived at the front of the Kokoto Village gates, however, Siegfried abruptly stopped in front of the entrance. Confused, Eris turned to face him.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, it's just…it's oddly empty here. Kokoto is a fairly popular tourist town but I don't see a lot of people here…"
Eris glanced around the area and quickly realized how empty the village was. Aside from the villagers, there were only a handful of hunters currently walking about and it felt as if there was no life in the supposedly tranquil village.
The two soon arrived at the village center, otherwise known as the village market. Eris couldn't help but admire the place as she attempted to recall that time, she visited Kokoto. "I don't ever recall there being this much…technology here."
Siegfried's eyes glazed over the many mechanical contraptions by the smithy. "A lot can happen when you introduce New World technology to a mostly traditional village." It almost feels as if I'm in a different village.
Suddenly, Eris stopped walking. "Wait a minute. What exactly…are we going to do now?"
Siegfried facepalmed his helmet. Oh shit, we didn't think this through! "Damn it…Uhh, let's just talk about this tomorrow." I just don't want to meet any familiar faces.
"Oh, for Gog sake…"
"Whatever. You go do your thing while I find a place to bunk for the night. It's really cold tonight and I happened to spot a nice inn right that's begging for me to reserve a room." Just as Siegfried turned to leave, a hand grabbed him by the collar of his armor and pulled him away.
"Oh no, you don't! You are coming with me to meet the village chief!"
"H-Hey!" Siegfried cried out as Eris dragged him away with a surprising amount of strength. Their little performance quickly attracted the attention of quite a few bystanders, who watched the two with a mixture of confusion and amusement.
Siegfried quickly yanked himself free from Eris's grip and walked beside her. "I can walk just fine on my own," he grumbled irritably.
Not after a minute of walking and the two found themselves standing in front of the main village building, presumably the home of the Chief. However, the Chief was nowhere in sight. Siegfried was beyond relieved. However, his relief was cut short when a familiar voice called out to them.
"Hello!"
The two turned around to find a twin-braided woman in a red and white dress approaching them. Her attire easily identified her as the resident village Sweetheart.
"Are you two looking for the chief? He's asleep right now due to an illness. In the meantime, I was ordered to be the substitute chief of this village until he recovers. So, if you're looking to ask questions, feel free to ask me!" The woman then flashed a pretty smile at the two, a typical Sweetheart thing to do.
Eris sighed in disappointment and began to push Siegfried away. Her face, however, hid the slightest faint of suspicion. "Ah, I see. Well, in that case, my partner and I would be going now."
"Wait, you're not going to ask me anything?"
"Sorry but, we're a little tired. Anyway, I think we should be- "
"You two just arrived here right? By an airship?
"…What?" How does she know that?
The woman still flashed her smile. "Both of you must be new here. If you want, I can show you two around."
"…Right. Well, we'll be heading towards the inn now. Goodbye- "
"Surely there's no harm in talking to little ol' me, right?"
The two hunters turned around and began to walk away. Eris forced a smile as she pushed Siegfried towards the direction of the inn. "Apologies but we must be going- "
Suddenly a brief gust of wind against their side and all of sudden, the women had disappeared from her spot by the house. She was now standing right in front of them, blocking their path to the inn.
"I'm afraid you can't just leave like that without saying goodbye."
How did she move so fast?! The two hunters inwardly gulped. Sweat dropped off Eris's head as she nervously fidgeted. "G-Goodbye- "
The woman then extended her hand to them, interrupting them. "My name is Becky. Kokoto's very own village Sweetheart. What's yours?"
Siegfried mentally screamed, looking desperately at Eris. SHE'S BAD NEWS ERIS! WE NEED TO GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!
Almost as if she heard Siegfried's mental screams, Eris shot him a knowing look. I KNOW, I KNOW!
Becky tilted her head as she continued to smile. However, this time, her smile is anything but friendly. It was…sinister. The two hunters shuddered as they stared at her, desperately thinking of a way to escape.
"You know, if you're going to keep silent like that, then you leave me no choice." The two were frozen in their spots as Becky approached them slowly, her smile still plastered upon her face. She reached into the pocket of her dress.
"Prepare to- "
Boop!
"OUCH!"
"…Eh?"
The two hunters stood speechless at the scene before them. The terrifying woman who was most likely prepared to kill them…was now reduced to a pouting and hurt looking woman who held her head with her hands. Was a simple chop to the head all it took to reduce her to a pouty adorable mess? Apparently so.
"How many times have I told you, Becky?! Don't scare away our visitors!" chastised a blonde-haired woman in blue and white attire, contrasting Becky's red and white.
Becky frowned and puffed up her cheeks. "Doris!"
"Honestly, this is why the Chief never opted to elect you to substitute him. With you around, this village would be empty and devoid of life!"
"But I'm just doing my job! Besides, these two are incredibly suspicious. Heck, I don't even know their names!"
"Your job is to provide quests to hunters and generally be nice to everyone. It's in the job title. Guild Sweetheart. Start acting like one!"
"Tch. You're always like this…" Becky muttered, turning away like an immature child.
Meanwhile, Siegfried and Eris had watched the entire exchange with their own two eyes and were left wondering what had just happened in front of them. Lucky for them, the blonde woman whose name was Doris stepped towards them and bowed down apologetically.
"My sincerest apologies for that display. My name is Doris and I'm the real acting Chief for this village. I'm also the other Sweetheart but I only work during the day."
"T-That's alright…"
Doris smiled at them, only this time it felt and looked genuine. "I overheard you two were looking for an inn. If you want, I can get you a room for free as compensation for my…colleague's actions." She glared at Becky, who huffed and crossed her arms.
Eris quickly nodded, "That would be wonderful."
"Any time. But before you go, however, there is still a matter of utmost importance."
"And that is?"
Doris raised a finger. "We would like to know your names please."
The two hunters raised an eyebrow. "What for?" Eris asked warily.
Doris took out a feathered pen and wooden clipboard with a piece of parchment paper attached. "Oh, nothing much. There were some…circumstances that happened which led to this. Please, it's only for documentation purposes. Nothing scandalous I assure you."
Eris looked to Siegfried, who simply nodded his head slightly as if he understood her intentions. "Alright then. My name is…Harmonia and this is my…h-husband Sigurd."
"And…done!" Doris tapped her pan onto the board. "Now then shall I- "
"Stop," Becky interjected. "I want to hear it from his own mouth. Oh, and take off that helmet of yours. I can't identify you with a helmet."
Siegfried gulped. Shit, shit! If I reveal myself, we're going to be in big trouble!
"W-Wait! For your information, my husband has…uh…suffered an h-horrific injury to his face! It also damaged his vocal cords, rendering him mute!"
"Really now?" Becky said, holding her chin. It was clear as day that she did not believe them at all.
"Uh…"
Doris slapped her colleague on the arm, "Becky cease!" She pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "I'm getting too old for this…" she mumbled.
"Grr…Damn it!" Becky cursed as she stormed off.
"Some sweetheart she is…Anyway, allow me to escort you both to the inn."
Eris smiled, "By all means."
She is a true sweetheart! Siegfried thought dreamily as he and Eris followed Doris to the inn. It's too bad that she's well above thirty at this point but hey, a man can dream…
Inside one of the rooms in the inn…
"Spill," Eris commanded him as she sat on one of the two beds. The scene in the room effectively looked like an interrogation, dimly lit by a single candle on a single table in the room.
Siegfried sighed and settled down onto one of the chairs in the room. "I suppose you leave me no choice. Well to make things simple…Becky is a Guild Knight and a hunter like us."
"…Excuse me?"
Siegfried shook his head. "This is not a lie. How else do you think she moved so fast at that time? It's hidden in plain sight but underneath that outfit of hers are heaps of muscle. Just wait till you see the weapon she uses. Oh boy…"
"How do you know of this?"
"I…can't say."
Eris frowned at him, frustrated at his bouts of secrecy. She, however, decided not to push it any further. "Fine then. You can keep your secrets," she said, taking off her armor and lying down on the bed. I, however, will find a way to pry out those secrets. In time…
"Putting that aside, I'd suggest we lay low for now. I do not intend on attracting any more attention than we already have," Siegfried suggested as he too began taking off his armor, leaving both hunters in matching black gambesons – the customary inner clothing of every hunter. After a quick shower (separately of course) the two settled down onto their respective beds.
"Good night…I guess," Siegfried said absentmindedly, not expecting a reply as he quickly drifted to sleep.
"…Good night to you too."
The next morning…
Being a diligent and responsible woman who adhered strictly to a self-made schedule, Eris immediately woke up in the wee hours of the morning. She slowly sat up and kicked the covers off her body, rubbing her eyes to ward off her sleepiness. After a quick stretch, Eris was already ready to head down for breakfast. Her eyes glanced at the window beside her, noticing the condensation on the windows. Huh, temperatures must have dropped even more while we were sleeping. Well, …it is winter after all. Not that I'm complaining.
"Hm?"
She soon noticed a missing presence on the bed beside her. It would seem her companion had woken up earlier than her. Never thought he'd be an early riser. His armor was still neatly placed against the wall, however. He was surprisingly organized for someone with such an unkempt appearance and rough disposition she mused before quickly erasing that thought. Feeling a slight tingle on her forehead, she soon realized just how messy of a bedhead she had acquired. She was thankful that Siegfried was not here and immediately grabbed a brush from her pouch. Not a minute later and she was done. After tying her hair in her signature ponytail, she proceeded towards the door.
Dining hall…
She wasn't surprised to find him already there, sitting on a lone table far from the others and currently in the middle of eating his breakfast. She shook her head with a smile and walked over to him, ignoring the stares of the men (and women) around her.
"Good morning," she greeted, to which he replied with an equally bored "good morning". She then noticed the other large pile of food opposite to his.
"I saved you seat and got you food," Siegfried said as he bit onto a piece of steak. "Figured you must be hungry, though I don't know what you like so I grabbed whatever was available."
Unbelievable… "Of course, you did," she replied with a frown as she took her seat. Looking down at the food on the table before her, she raised an eyebrow. In front of her was a messy, yet elaborate meal consisting of a large bowl of oatmeal, grilled fish, cooked vegetables, fruit juice and a side of Moofa skewers dipped in cheese. An unorthodox combination to say the least when most hunters would have gone for a more protein-rich meal involving lots and lots of meat with the occasional rice or porridge. But that wasn't what surprised Eris.
What surprised her was rather how Siegfried had managed to grab her favorite food combination.
Unlike most other hunters who preferred meat and carbohydrates to boost their strength, she favored fish, carbohydrate filled foods, and other nutrient-rich foods. It was the perfect meal combination as she leaned towards speed and endurance over raw strength. How this man was able to pick out her favorite meal combination was beyond her, but she decided not to dwell on it for too long.
"Is something wrong?"
Realizing that she had been staring at her food for too long, the huntress coughed. "Nothing. Thank you for the uh…food."
He grinned as he cracked a large loaf of bread in two. "Your welcome."
Not willing to embarrass herself any further, the huntress quickly dug into her food.
Looking up from his soup, Siegfried observed the huntress in front of him happily devouring the grilled fish in front of her. Though subtle, his keen eyes immediately noticed the way she looked at her food, the sparkle in her normally dead eyes, and the almost animalistic way she ate. It was quite the contrast to the normally prim and proper way she presented herself. It was quite obvious that she enjoyed the food. And to think it's simply because I overheard her mumbling in her sleep. This woman can be rather endearing at times. He couldn't help but chuckle lightly at the thought of this.
"What's so funny?" she asked, momentarily stopping.
"Oh, nothing…You seem to really enjoy your food though."
At his words, the huntress turned a shade of red and hastily wiped off the crumbs near her mouth with a napkin. To his amusement, she immediately straightened up and assumed a prim sitting posture. "Y-Yes. The food is excellent. Thank you." Curses! I let my guard down! In front of him no less! Emphasizing her frustration, she once again gave him her signature ice-cold glare. The people around them yelped and averted their gazes the moment they saw her glare, but much to her frustration and confusion, the man in front of her was completely unfazed. The hunter simply smiled before returning to his own meal.
"Good to know."
Eris scowled at him. What is with this man? Most men cower in fear when I simply look at them, that is unless they're staring at me with those perverted gazes of theirs. On the other hand, this man is not afraid of me at all… Her expression softened and she broke into a soft smile. But then again, this is Siegfried we're talking about. He is no ordinary man.
She shook her head one last time before picking up a fork and knife and going back to eat her meal. Properly this time.
…
"I've got my eye on you two…If you two try to do anything suspicious, there will be repercussions got it?"
Eris rolled her eyes, "Understood."
Becky wasn't finished, however. "And for your information, I still need to see your husband's fa- "
Once again, a chop to the head was enough to shut the woman up. "Doris!"
"Stop threatening our visitors. You're a Guild Sweetheart damn it!"
"But I'm just doing my- "
"Your job is to greet visitors to this village. And my job is to provide quests for our visiting hunters, something you fail miserably at. Now, go back to your post at once!"
Frustrated, the red-dressed woman grumbled in defeat and stomped away.
"Apologies for that," Doris said, shaking her head. "Now, back to the matter at hand…" She gestured towards the large wooden board beside them. "Please pick a quest from the board right here."
Unfortunately for the two, finding a quest suitable for hunters of their skill proved to be difficult. Most of the available quests were simple escorting requests and the occasional slaying of a low to a mid-tier monster. None of them paid that exceptionally well either. Except for one. A lone piece of paper stuck pinned near the edge of the board, oddly separated from the rest.
Siegfried quickly grabbed the quest paper, "This one pays a lot," he whispered.
Eris blinked twice at the paper he held. It was a quest…to slay a Rathalos. She could only stare blankly at him. "You're kidding me, right?"
"Look at the reward."
The moment she saw the reward money, she stifled a gasp. 36000 zenny?! For a Rathalos quest?! "Is this a joke?"
Siegfried shrugged. "Whatever the conditions, at least it pays a lot. So…?"
The huntress took one last thorough look at the quest board before she eventually relented. I suppose we have no choice…
Eris took the paper and placed it on the reception desk. "We would like to take this quest."
Doris took one look at the paper and her expression darkened, much to Eris and Siegfried's confusion. "Is something the matter?" Eris asked the woman, who stood frozen on her spot.
"…Are you sure you want to take that quest? There are other, far more suitable quests than that particular one," Doris said with a slight edge in her voice.
Eris gave the woman a quizzical look. "Is there anything wrong with this quest? It's just a slaying quest. We've done tons of those before."
"Y-Yeah, but perhaps I can interest you in a far better alternative? Perhaps a dual monster quest? Or perhaps a hunt-a-thon? I heard you hunters love those…"
"Uhh, if there's a problem tell us. Why shouldn't we pick this quest? It pays the most and is relatively simple enough. Any hunter would have done it."
"But you'll die!" Doris suddenly exclaimed loudly, catching the attention of the people nearby. Flustered, the older woman twirled her bangs in embarrassment and fell silent, not knowing what to say after that.
"…What do you mean by that?" Eris finally asked, intrigued by her outburst.
Defeated, Doris sighed and spoke, "There is a reason why that quest is isolated from the others…and why the village is rather empty." She pointed at the piece of paper, her voice laced with both rage and fear. "This Rathalos…this damn demon…has killed so much of our people already. Men, women, children…have all fallen victim to it." The woman hesitated for a moment before continuing to speak. "We have enlisted and sent dozens of hunters to take care of it, but none have ever succeeded in taking it down. Those who do survive, are too traumatized to give us the details."
The two hunters looked at one another and back at the now trembling Guild Sweetheart. A Rathalos so powerful that no hunter has succeeded in slaying it. Something definitely feels off about it… Siegfried thought.
"Do you understand why I'm worried?! We've already lost too many hunters to it, so I don't see any possibility of you two taking it down without getting yourselves killed!" A strained smile appeared on the woman's lips. "Now a little more than half of our villagers evacuated and none of the hunters here are brave enough to partake in this quest…"
"But we are not like those other hunters," Eris stated confidently.
"Oh yeah, what makes you think that?" Doris asked her angrily. "Can you guarantee that you two won't suffer the same fate as others did?"
"If you must know, the two of us happen to be G-rank hunters. So, we're fairly confident in our skills."
Doris frowned. "…That's exactly most of the hunters who had died said. Just because you're high ranking hunters doesn't mean that you can- "
"Just give us the damn quest woman," Siegfried suddenly said, surprising both women.
"Your husband…can talk? But I thought- "
Eris quickly attempted to diffuse the situation. "O-Oh that's…H-He can actually only barely speak a few words right my dear?" Eris said as her hand squeezed the hunter's waist hard, digging her fingers into his armor. Siegfried could only nod meekly through pained grunts.
"Right…" The blue dressed woman sighed and took out her feathered pen. "Fine. But don't blame me if you die or get injured alright?" Not that they can if the former happens…
"Thank you."
After the signing of the quest and a quick trip to the market, the two were ready to depart. However, there was one thing they needed to confirm before leaving.
"What can you tell us about its appearance? I assume a Rathalos this powerful must be different in some aspect?"
Doris looked up from her paperwork. "You're really serious about this aren't you?" She groaned and pressed her fingers to her forehead. "As I said, there is almost zero information about it. So, I can't say- "
"You said almost," Eris interrupted. "That means there is some."
She sighed in defeat. "Nothing gets past you huh…Well, there is that one time I overheard a survivor mention something about yellow streaks on the creature's wing? But I dismissed that as simply hallucination caused by a near-death experience."
"Anything else?"
"Unfortunately, no. That's all the information I have."
"I see." I guess we'd have to make do with what we have then. "Then we'll take our leave now."
Doris could only watch with a defeated look on her face as the cart carrying the two hunters disappeared around the corner. Quietly, she pleaded towards the Gods above.
"Oh Sulvana, please grant them safety…"
Siegfried let out a loud yawn as the cart stopped before a small path leading to their camp. He stretched and wore his helmet before hopping off the cart to bring the camp supplies over to the designated spot.
"I haven't hunted here in a long time…" Siegfried mumbled as he took note of his surroundings. Their target apparently made its home deep within the Verdant Hills near Kokoto and only ventured out to hunt. The last time the hunter had hunted here was a couple of years back during the early stages of his solo career and he had almost completely forgotten the layout of the area.
"What in the world are you staring at? Help me unload!" Eris commanded as she hauled numerous supplies over her shoulder. Siegfried rolled his eyes and followed suit.
It was almost noon when they finally finished setting up camp. They had a full 48 hours to complete the quest and for hunters like them, failure was never an option. For now, they needed to prepare for the hunt.
Somewhat exhausted from hauling the supplies, Siegfried took out a barbecue spit and began grilling some meat. The protein-rich flesh would be perfect for giving him the boost of energy he needed. Nearby, Eris quietly chewed on a piece of jerky while her other hand currently held her hunting journal where she reviewed her tactics and other hunter know-hows. However, the scent of delicious grilled meat had begun to distract her from her studying.
She coughed, grabbing the nearby hunter's attention. "Do you mind? I'm trying to read here."
Siegfried ignored her and lifted a piece off the spit, "You want one?"
Eris shook her head. "No thank you. The supply rations are enough for me."
"You sure? It's good for your strength and stamina."
"I fail to see why eating just right before a hunt is beneficial when we've already eaten our fill back at the village."
"We hunters have increased metabolism, thus increasing the need to fill our stomachs. If you don't sustain yourself, you'll collapse mid-hunt."
"That's still a resounding no from me."
Siegfried shrugged, "Suit yourself. Don't blame if you run out of energy."
"I won't."
Eris soon realized, however; just how difficult it was to for her to resist the temptation of freshly grilled meat. She couldn't help herself from sneaking glances at Siegfried, who was busy grilling yet another batch of meat, having finished his first. Both the scent and sound of the spit proved to be too much for the woman, something Siegfried had quickly noticed. He let out a laugh and handed her a piece.
"Take it, before you end up eating your own book."
Eris stopped herself from snatching it hungrily from him. Instead, she straightened her back and politely accepted the piece with a huff. "Hmmph!" She sniffed the meat before taking a small bite. And she couldn't help herself from taking another. And another…and another.
Siegfried smiled as he watched the huntress dig into the meat, her eyes subtly sparkling with delight. The face she's making right now is…cute. Wait, the hell did I just think?
This is better than the jerky I was eating before! Still, though I feel like its missing something… Eris stopped eating momentarily to process the flavors within her mouth. Hmm, it's probably the meat.
"Siegfried, what meat is this?"
"Hm? Oh, it's Aptonoth."
"Might I suggest an alternative next time? Perhaps Kelbi or dare I say Bullfango? The former's meat is a little tough but are delicious when seasoned and cooked properly. The latter is a bit more difficult to acquire but for a hunter of your skill, it shouldn't be too difficult."
He grinned. "I'll keep that in mind."
…
With one day left to complete the quest, the two took this opportunity to scout their surroundings. It had been quite some time since neither of them hunted in the Hills, mostly attributing to the fact that it was deemed a beginner hunter's training grounds. There weren't many strong creatures worth hunting in the Hills, especially for G-rank hunters of their caliber. As a result, they had largely forgotten its layout, though this won't deter them from venturing out to explore. Fortunately, they had plenty of time to do just that.
"Let's go."
The two had soon found themselves standing amidst a small grassy plain bordered by the flowing river that cut through the hills and forests. A few Aptonoth and Kelbi roamed here, grazing peacefully on the green grass. They paid no heed to the passing hunters, who simply admired the rather pretty view.
"Do you know where to go?" Eris asked him suddenly, interrupting him from his reverie.
"O-Of course I do! We should…" He looked around the area before turning back towards the impatient woman. "Head through the forest."
Eris gave him an exasperated look. "…You have no clue regarding the layout of this place don't you…"
Siegfried was about to retort back but soon realized he had nothing to say. He groaned in defeat. "Look can you blame me, woman? It's been years since I've stepped foot on these hills…"
Eris shook her head. "I suppose I can't blame you for that. It's also been years since I've hunted here as well." She glanced around the current area they were in. "I guess the forest would be a good place to start. Agree?"
"Yeah."
Not long after they had begun moving through the forest, danger immediately presented themselves…in the form of a pack of hungry Velociprey led by a large intimidating Velocidrome.
Alone, a Velociprey stands no chance against an experienced hunter and even a small pack is not enough to take one down. However, when led by a Velocidrome, a pack of these small but dangerous Bird Wyverns could pose even a challenge for all but the best hunters.
The raptor pack quickly formed a circle around the two hunters, blocking off any chance of escape. Surrounded by enemies from all angles, the two pressed their backs against each other, weapons drawn.
"What a great way to start off our hunt…" Siegfried murmured under his helm before the Velocidrome barked loudly, signaling the beginning of the attack.
A raptor pounced towards Eris, baring its razor-sharp claws and teeth at the huntress. A single slash from her freezing cold katana easily sliced the poor creature into two, splattering red against the soil. That should be enough to warn them…
Much to her surprise, the raptors were unfazed by the gruesome death of their own. The Velocidrome hissed at them before raising its head and barking loudly once more. This time, four raptors immediately jumped at Eris, ready to disembowel the huntress with their claws.
"Move!"
Siegfried swerved to his right, stepping the front of the huntress while swinging his massive sword horizontally across the air, cutting through the four raptors with ease and bathing them in their blood.
"You didn't have to do that you know."
"Shut it, woman."
With more of its members killed, the Velocidrome was undeniably enraged. It jumped down from its position above a moss-covered rock and joined its pack in the attack.
"About damn time!" Siegfried pointed at the pack leader. "Come at us!"
The leader let out an uncharacteristically terrifying howl before the raptors attacked once more. Two easily fell to Eris's katana while another two met the same fate at the ends of Siegfried's large sword. However, the raptors immediately followed up with another wave of attacks.
"Back off!" Siegfried shouted as he swatted away another few raptors.
"They are unusually aggressive," Eris pointed out as she decapitated two. Immediately after, another wave of raptors moved to pounce on the two. They were also swiftly cut down; however, the onslaught of attacks had quickly begun to outpace the swings of the hunters, who found it a struggle to keep up with how fast and frequent they attacked. The seemingly endless wave of attacks continued for another few minutes before the attacks finally halted…
"What is with these bastards…" Siegfried muttered, fixing his helmet.
Eris wiped the blood off her face, "I have no idea."
Covered head to toe in blood, the two hunters readied themselves for another attack. And without warning, the Velocidrome pounced.
"Shit!"
The two quickly dodged out of the way before the large raptor could sink its claws into them. It growled in frustration before turning its attention to one of the two.
"Oh, fuck me…" Siegfried cursed as the Velocidrome now turned its attention to him. A quick and loud bark and simultaneously, the remaining Velociprey all focused on the huntress on the other side while two moved to accompany their leader. With the pack leader's attention on Siegfried and its pack cornering Eris, there was no escape. Separated from each other, they had no other choice but to fight on their own. It was do or die.
"This is…most unfortunate," Eris quietly said as the hungry Velociprey pack began to close in on her. At the same time, Siegfried had quickly been backed to a corner by the alpha and two Velociprey as they eyed the hunter hungrily. The kind of coordination these creatures had pulled off was unheard of amongst their kind and it greatly worried both hunters.
Suddenly, a Velociprey lunged forward towards the huntress, intending to bite her. With expert grace, she leaped over the raptor and slashed downwards at its back, landing right behind it. The raptor stumbled forward onto the ground and fell dead, causing the rest of the pack to slightly back away. Soon, however, they encircled the huntress, ready to initiate another attack as if unfazed by the death of their own.
Eris clicked her tongue and poised herself once more. "Tch."
Nearby, the Velocidrome and its two aides moved to attack. Siegfried quickly sheathed his sword and leaped out of the way of the two Velociprey. He, however, had no time to catch his breath as the Velocidrome swiftly followed up with a pounce, forcing the hunter to draw his sword to shield himself.
"Ack!" The weight of the creature knocked the hunter onto the ground as he mustered all his strength to shield himself from the Velocidrome's bites that were just a few inches away from his face. His sword was the only thing keeping him from getting his head bitten off as he desperately held off the creature. Damn you!
He gritted his teeth and pushed the raptor off him, before quickly sheathing his sword and sprinting away. He desperately needed a moment to catch his breath and find a suitable time to adjust his strategy. At this rate, with his heavy and slow weapon, he wouldn't last long against the raptor's onslaught of attacks.
"Stay away!" Eris yelled loudly at the encroaching Velocipreys. A number of their own lay dead around them, yet it did not deter them one bit. Eris had never seen this kind of behavior within these raptors as normally when a few of their kind are killed, the rest would immediately flee. This pack, however, was unusually focused as if they did not fear death. It was unnerving.
Another attack…and yet another raptor fell to the ground dead. A single slash was all it took. However, it felt as if there was no end to the number of Velociprey and the huntress had run out of options.
"Damn it!" Eris exclaimed as she frantically turned here and there, eyeing the raptors warily while occasionally swinging her sword against the air to ward off any that strayed too close. There's no end to these guys! Her partner was nowhere to be seen but she guessed he was having trouble as well. These normally easy monsters proved to be an exceptional threat. They left no breathing room for the huntress.
But that wasn't what worried her the most. What worried her…was the distinctively familiar feeling once again resurfacing within her. The huntress knew what it was, and she didn't like it one bit.
"M-Must control myself…!"
The sensation and smell of blood soon began to disrupt her senses. The huntress quickly found herself succumbing once again to the dark feeling inside her. If this keeps up, I'll lose control!
Another raptor pounced towards her, only to be met with the same fate as its other brethren. The creature's blood stained the huntress red from head to toe, seeping through her armor, arousing her body. She gritted her teeth and trembled, unable to move from her spot.
Damn it, damn it, damn it!
She failed to realize the raptors slowly closing in…
"AAARGH!"
With a single horizontal slash, the two raptors fell dead, their entrails spilling onto the soil and staining the ground red. Left on its own without its two aides, the Velocidrome snarled at the hunter standing before it.
"Damn bastard…" The hunter began to back away, holding his sword in front of him in preparation for an attack. However, at the corner of his eye, he spotted Eris. His eyes widened. She did not move from her spot.
"Eris!" he called out to her, noticing the circle of Velociprey slowly closing in on the seemingly unresponsive huntress. Ignoring the alpha before him, he sheathed his sword and rushed towards the huntress.
"ERIS!"
He reached into his pouch and immediately threw a flash bomb towards the pack. The blinding flash of light promptly stunned them, saving the huntress in the nick of time.
"Out of the way!" he exclaimed as he plowed through the raptors before coming to a stop in front of the huntress. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her furiously.
"Snap out of it!"
"I-I c-can't…" Must…not…succumb!
"Damn it, woman, I can't do this alone!" He cradled her cheeks, wiping the blood off her pretty face and looking deep into her eyes. They were empty…blue and empty like the ocean. Siegfried could have sworn he saw storm brewing within them.
"N-No…" I cannot lose control!
"What is wrong with you?! Wake up dammit!"
Around him, the raptors had slowly begun to snap out of their dazed state…
I guess I have no choice… He clenched his fist and pulled back his arm, before landing a hard punch against the huntress's cheek. The force of the hit was enough to knock her to the ground.
Almost like magic, she snapped back to reality, placing a hand on her bruised cheek. She looked up from the ground to find her partner standing over her with a closed fist.
"S-Siegfried?" she meekly said, uncharacteristic of her.
"Glad you're back! Now, pick up your weapon and help me fight!"
The huntress took one long look around her before quickly realizing the gravity of the situation. She grabbed her weapon off the ground and readied herself for combat once more.
"You okay now?" Siegfried asked her, chugging down an energy drink.
"Never felt better."
Eris had recovered just in time before the pack broke free from their dazed state. Their alpha quickly joined the attack once again as the bird wyverns cornered the hunters against a large boulder.
"Dammit! Never thought that we G-rank hunters would get cornered by weaklings such as them."
Eris watched the alpha warily, "They are not normal. I have never seen such coordination and ferocity within these things. Something is off…"
The raptors closed in all at once, with the Velocidrome at the center. With their backs against a corner, the two were at the mercy of the voracious wyverns. They had already run out of options.
As if realizing this, the Velocidrome growled and raised its head, letting out a loud howl. A single order was all it took for the entire pack to launch themselves at the two.
Holding their blades in front of them, the hunters prepared to intercept the attack…that is until a shrill and piercing roar echoed throughout the area as a large and dark shape descended upon them…
Probably the worst chapter so far…really not happy with it. But I feel like it does have its good points as well. Still suck at choreographing fights though…and writing good cliffhangers.
That said, with this, the plot can now start to kick in. Some revelations would be made and there would be quite a few twists. I hope you readers stick around long enough for them to happen.
Until then, hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. Please leave a review/comment on what you thought about this chapter. Any criticism is wholly appreciated!
No trolling or toxicity, however.