Phew! Another early chapter.
This one was really fun to write as well. Probably my most well written one yet.
Anyway, without further ado, please enjoy...
Chapter 12
Somewhere in the Verdant Hills…
"Oh, hell no- "
Without warning, something crashed into the raptor pack in front of him, kicking dust and dirt everywhere. The only thing Siegfried could hear were the distressed cries coming from the pack, followed by an eerily familiar low guttural growl.
When the dust settled, the hunters found the pack split. However, what caught their attention was the dark-colored shape around the corner. It was massive, towering over every single one of them. When it spread its wings however, the hunters recognized the shape. Large, fiery red-colored wings, crimson plated shell along with a clubbed tail.
"There's no way…" Eris muttered, swallowing her saliva.
The creature turned towards them, revealing its identity…along with the Velocidrome pinned under its claws.
"Rathalos…" Siegfried said quietly, realizing that things had just taken a turn for a worse.
"It's a Rathalos but don't you think it looks…different?"
Siegfried could only nod. "No shit."
The Wyvern's abnormal size wasn't the only thing that made it stood out. Along its back, ran a series of black spikes that were much larger than normal. The spikes on its clubbed tail were noticeably larger too. But what was most striking about it, were the cream-colored fire-like markings on wings, something the regular Rathalos didn't have.
Eris switched to a different sword stance, "Looks like we found our target."
The moment it opened its mouth and let out a shrill, distorted version of the Rathalos roar, the hunters knew they were in for the fight of their lives.
Before the hunters could make their move however, the raptor pack rushed towards the Wyvern in an attempt to save their alpha. A raptor leaped onto the Wyvern's back, digging its claws into the armored plating. It was knocked off seconds later, unable to pierce the armored hide of the Rathalos.
More raptors moved in, attacking from multiple sides.
The Rathalos growled and spewed out flames from its mouth, covering a wide-angle around it, preventing their approach. It swatted two from behind it with it's clubbed tail before grabbing another in its jaws and tossing the creature against another, all while keeping a tight grip around the Velocidrome under it. The raptors backed off, hissing fiercely at the enemy.
As the intruder kept the raptors busy, the hunters sensed the opportunity to escape.
Eris sheathed her weapon. "Let's get out of here."
Siegfried nodded in agreement. "Agree."
With the monster's attention focused on each other, the hunters made their escape, quietly sneaking around the battling beasts and back towards the direction of the camp. They took care not to draw any attention to themselves, especially for any Velociprey that may notice them in the midst of battle.
As soon as they exited the forest and arrived at the small open plain that led to their camp, the hunters collapsed onto the ground in relief. Around them, the Aptonoth spared a quick uninterested glance at them before promptly resuming their grazing.
"I don't know what the fuck just happened, but holy shit am I glad to be alive right now…" And speaking of being alive… Siegfried's expression morphed into a frown as he turned towards the huntress beside him. "Care to explain what that was?"
"What?" she replied, not looking at him as she squeezed excess blood off her coat.
"You know damn well what I'm talking about. Why did freeze up? Care to explain that?"
"…I have no idea what you're talking about."
Frustrated, Siegfried moved forward and grabbed the collar of her coat. He stared down at her, eyes glaring with anger. "Don't give me that shit woman. You nearly got yourself killed! The hell were you thinking?!"
"Siegfried let go of me."
"Not until you explain yourself."
"Let. Go."
"Then tell me what happened."
"Oh, so now you want me to reveal my secrets?! After you repeatedly brushed off my attempts at knowing you better, you decide to ask me something personal? Some hypocrite you are! Oh, I'm sorry but I can't. Now-" She held the hand holding her collar and tightened her grip around his wrist, slowly crushing the metal and causing the hunter to wince slightly.
"-unhand me you bastard."
Siegfried glared fiercely at her, "And what will you do if I don't?"
Eris replied with an icy stare. "You want to do it here? Right now? Because I'll be glad to teach impudent morons like you a lesson."
Siegfried pulled her closer till their helmets touched. "Is that a challenge?" he threatened, gritting his teeth.
"Only if you take it."
Silence.
If the Aptonoth around them could speak, the first thing they would have said was for the two "apes" to "take their mating ritual elsewhere".
The two continued to stare angrily at each other for a few minutes before they promptly broke apart, faces red and flushed. They turned their backs against each other, not intent on looking at one another.
"Tch," Siegfried uttered with noticeable disdain as he rubbed his sore wrist. Who does that woman think she is?!
With an indignant huff, Eris proceeded to fix the collar of her coat. What an insufferable man…
Simultaneously, the two glanced back at each other before immediately jerking their heads away the moment their eyes met. Tension filled the air as the two hunters refused to look at one another, let alone apologize. After all, they had their feelings of pride to maintain.
Minutes had passed and not a single word came from neither of them…that is until one of decided to finally break the silence.
Siegfried was the first to speak. "I think its best we head back to camp for now. Does that sound agreeable to you?"
"…I can live with that."
Keeping a respectable distance from each other, the two proceeded to walk back a short distance towards their camp. When they arrived, the two immediately split off, with Siegfried going straight towards the mini pier and pond and Eris settling herself inside the tent.
Breathing in the air, Siegfried took a moment to calm himself. He sat down crossed legged and took off his helmet. Some partner I am… He gazed down at the reflection of himself against the water's surface. I suppose, if she didn't want to partner up with me anymore then that's fine. He scratched his scalp in frustration. I told you, Siegfried! I told you this won't work! It was bound to fail! The hunter sighed and absentmindedly threw a piece of chipped wood at the water. What a fucking disaster…
Inside the tent, Eris was in a somewhat similar inner turmoil. I knew it wouldn't work out…Our personalities are just way too different to ever coexist. And worst of all… The huntress couldn't help but cover her face with her gloved hands in shame. I nearly lost control and I ended up freezing on the spot! We both could have died because of it… The huntress collapsed face-first onto the soft bed.
At that moment, a single thought crossed both their minds. That perhaps…
Maybe this was a mistake…
Somewhere in Dundorma…
"You know that this isn't necessary."
"It is."
Hilda rubbed her temple, "For Gog sake Hanzo, I'm a grown woman who can damn well handle herself. Plus, it's not like there are any men who dare make unwarranted advances towards the leader of the Fated Four."
The humorously still helmeted man spoke, "But you're going in without armor- "
Exasperated, the huntress pinched the bridge of her nose. "I told you I'm fine. I won't need you for this one. It's just a visit to the library? What could go wrong?"
"But- "
Hilda interrupted him by patting the taller man's shoulder. "It will be fine. Besides, I'm wearing my chainmail underneath, and let's not forget our enhanced healing abilities. In the event that I do get stabbed, the wound will heal in a matter of minutes." She made sure to hide the chainmail and knife especially well under her dress, in the case of an emergency. She had quite a few jealous haters, who envied her success.
"That's not very reassuring."
"Just trust me on this one, will you?"
The large man narrowed his eyes at her before letting out a defeated sigh. "I suppose, I can let you off the hook this time."
Hilda grinned. "Good boy."
"…You know I'm older than you right?"
"Oh, hush you."
After waving goodbye to her overprotective teammate, Hilda couldn't help but utter a triumphant 'Yes!' She found it extremely relieving that she was able to persuade him to allow her to visit the grand library alone. As much as she loved the big guy, he could be incredibly overbearing at times. It didn't help that he had essentially been around her ever since she was a little girl.
With him gone, I can finally enjoy myself without the constant watchful eyes behind my back. Contrary to what people thought of her, the normally strict and unapproachable leader of the Fated Four was an avid reader of books, especially those pertaining to the epic fantasy genre. She would always find herself smiling like a giddy young girl whenever she came across an exciting scene within the story. Only Hanzo knew this, but she secretly kept a large library filled with many different books behind a secret compartment within her house.
Today, the huntress felt especially giddy. She had learned that the library received a new batch of books and she was itching to get her hands on one. She couldn't care less about the whereabouts of the rest of her teammates. Pip was probably hanging out with his female Felyne admirers and Luca had promptly vanished. Hilda wouldn't admit it, but sometimes, she wished to be alone, preferring to spend her time without the company of her teammates. This is especially true on her day off, where she wouldn't be called by the Guild whenever there would be urgent matters to attend to.
After a brief jaunt, the huntress arrived at the front of the Dundorma Library. Built decades ago, during the construction of the great city, the library hosted a wide array of books, ranging from novels, encyclopedias, religious texts, and other pieces of writing. It was also her main source of knowledge for whenever she went hunting. But this was her day off. She didn't come to educate herself on anatomical and strategical quandaries. No, she came here to indulge herself in her favorite past time.
She moved past the guards and entered the large building. Soon, she found herself standing in the expansive lobby of the library. Crowds of people gathered here, either to discuss knowledge or to simply read.
"Why if it isn't Hilda!"
The huntress turned to find a short-haired woman approaching her with a smile on her pretty face.
"Hello Courtney," Hilda respectfully greeted. The brown-haired woman happened to be the librarian's assistant, and a close friend of hers no less thanks to her frequent library visits during her free time.
"I haven't seen you for over a week. Guild related stuff I presume?"
"Yeah…There's been some concerning matters happening recently and my team and I are frequently called over to deal with it. Nothing too big I assure you."
"I see. Well, since you're here now, the usual then?"
Hilda smiled. "You know me so well."
As Courtney led the huntress towards the fiction section of the library, Hilda attempted to look away from the people staring at them as they walked by. She supposed they might be wondering what the leader of the Fated Four was doing in the library when she could be out hunting. She sighed and ignored the stares as they arrived at the designated aisle.
"Have fun."
"Thank you."
Before Courtney walked away, Hilda remembered something. "Um, I heard that the library received a new batch of books? Can I assume that…uhh…?"
The woman chuckled, "To answer your question. Yes. There are quite a few of those."
…
Hilda had a rather goofy grin on her face as she headed towards the reading area, three books in hand. She had been elated when she discovered that some of the newer books were written by her favorite authors. She couldn't wait to sit down at her favorite spot and read them. She had accidentally discovered a small opening between the shelves when she pulled out a random book for curiosity, and as far as she was aware, only she and the library staff are aware of the room's existence.
That is until she found someone else sitting there.
Excuse me? Why and how did someone find this place?
"Ahem," she coughed, hoping to gain the intruder's attention.
The person looked up from the book they were reading and stared at Hilda with a rather annoyed expression.
Both their eyes widened.
"H-Hilda?"
"R-Rowan?"
The brown-haired man closed his book and stood up. "What are you doing here?"
Hilda had her hands on her hips. "I'm asking you the same thing. This is my spot by the way."
"I come here to read from time to time. Oh, sorry but do you want me to leave?"
"No!" She shut her mouth immediately and looked away. "I mean, it's fine. I don't really mind…" Nice one Hilda…
"If that's what you want…" Rowan then picked up his own pile and books and moved to a corner of the room. He plopped down onto the ground and resumed reading.
Shaking her head, the huntress moved to her usual spot and settled down onto the red armchair. She placed her stack of books on the nearby desk and opened the one she held. Before she began to read, however, a question still nagged her mind.
"Sorry to interrupt you but, how did you find this place?"
Rowan looked up from his book and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well…I sort of, discovered it by accident. I pulled a book off the shelf and the next thing you know, this room popped up. I figured, why not make use of it anyway as I wait for my brother to finish his business."
"Your brother is here?"
"Unfortunately."
"I'm surprised that man even visits the library in the first place. No offense, but he doesn't seem like the type of guy to spend his free time reading."
"No offense taken. You'll be surprised at what types of books he even reads in the first place- "Rowan immediately covered his mouth. "Shit."
Now Hilda was interested. She leaned forward with a hand under her chin. "Oh? What kind of books does your brother like to read?"
The hunter briefly glanced out of the room before letting out a defeated sigh. "Romero made me swore that I wouldn't tell anyone but…" He let out a devious chuckle. I suppose this can be my way of getting back at him for all the trouble he caused for the past few years. Sorry, brother…
Hilda had a smug look on her face. "Yes? What is it?"
"…ance"
"Hmm? Speak up."
"…Romance."
Hilda could only blink. "…Seriously?"
"Yeah, like all those really sappy soap opera styled ones. It's quite unexpected and funny until you realize my brother's own situation regarding his love life. Now it's just sad."
"Ouch."
Rowan chuckled. "He's a good man, if not a little odd. Just needs to find the right one for him."
Hilda smiled at the thought. "I see."
A comfortable silence enveloped them as they went back to reading their books.
…
Hilda stretched for a bit before she placed the book she was reading on the nearby pile. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 6:00. The library closed at 7:00. It was time for her to head home.
"I'll be taking my leave then."
Rowan looked up from his book and towards the clock. He let out a quiet yawn before standing up and picking up his own pile of books. "Guess I'll be leaving too."
Hilda then noticed the titles of the books he held. The Lord of Swords…Of Monsters and Men…The Desolation of Fatalis? Are those...
"Say, are those part of the new batch of books delivered to the library?" Hilda hesitantly asked the man, pointing at the books he held under his arm.
"Indeed, they are," he replied with a grin. "Why ask?"
"O-Oh nothing…It's just, I never expected you to like those kinds of books."
"Are you kidding? I bloody adore these kinds of books! They have some of the best world-building, characters, battles, and narratives this side of Minegarde. I'm talking about betrayals, mysteries, discoveries, and many more! Like that time Barbro Bargins- "He suddenly stopped and blushed. "Apologies, I didn't mean to go off the rails for a moment there…"
Hilda giggled softly. "I don't mind. In fact, I love those kinds of books as well. Particularly those by Jorge R. Marvin."
"Oh, that guy. A Contest of Powers, right? I heard that a play based on the first book is being discussed as of now."
"I've heard of it. Though, I'm a bit concerned about it. Transferring such an expansive and detailed book to a theatrical play could only go so well. Remember The Golden Sundial? Despite the impressive props, it outright failed to capture the true essence of the novel."
"I remember that. They cut so much from the original material and toned down the controversial stuff. I'm also still rather miffed about the dumb title change though. Her Shadowy Elements sounded way cooler than its new one. But hey, at least the props and costumes were really well done."
"Can't argue with you on that one."
The two continued their chat even as they exited the library. They were so engrossed in discussing their mutual love for fantasy, that Rowan had even forgotten about his brother, who may or may not have left the library already. Hilda too had completely brushed aside the thought of Hanzo worrying for her.
Still chatting, the two failed to notice the two people calling out to them from outside the library.
"Hilda!"
"Brother!"
A man with an obvious appearance to Rowan as well as a tall, helmeted man approached the two.
"You were in there for two hours and didn't inform me? What happened?!"
"I couldn't find you at all brother! Where were you?!"
Then they stopped the moment they realized that their respective partner happened to be with someone else.
"Hilda is that…Wait, Rowan?"
"Brother, you were with Hilda?"
The man and woman blinked. "Yes. What's wrong?" Rowan answered, not understanding the confused looks his brother and Hanzo were giving him and Hilda.
"Nothing. It's just, odd to see you two together," Romero said, looking back and forth between the two.
"Especially you Hilda," Hanzo said, a hand on his hip. "I thought you told me a day ago that you didn't want to see Rowan anymore."
"Huh?" Hilda and Rowan uttered out at the same time. They turned to each other.
Rowan had an obvious hurt expression on his face. "You…hate me?"
Hilda was flabbergasted. She waved her arms frantically in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "W-What?! T-That's not true! It's just…"
Rowan simply furrowed his eyebrows. "I didn't do anything to offend you did I?"
Hilda shook her head. "Nothing of that sort I assure you! I was just…"
"Was it that time on the ship when I talked to you? Or was it during the Bherna festival? Tell me, Hilda. Did I offend you in some way?"
"Stop it okay! You didn't do anything!" Damn it, the hell was I thinking saying that to Hanzo?! Now, look at him. He thinks I hate him when in fact I like- She clapped both her cheeks momentarily, surprising the three men around her. It's no use. It won't work out anyway…
Suddenly, she grabbed Hanzo by the wrist and dragged him away. "We're leaving Hanzo."
"W-Wait, Hilda?!"
As the two moved farther away, Rowan could only stare at them with a mortified look. He clenched his fist and promptly walked away, as his brother quickly trailed behind him with a concerned expression adorned onto his face.
"Rowan?"
"Sorry, but we're skipping dinner. You can go ahead and buy some food if you want."
They never bothered to look back at each other that night.
Somewhere in the Verdant Hills…
The smell of freshly cooked soup awoke Eris from her nap that night. She stretched briefly peeked out of the tent. Sure enough, he was there, sitting on one of the logs and stirring a big bowl of stew. She felt a growl under her chest and realized it was her stomach. Curse this body of mine! As much as she wanted to come out of the tent and eat, a part of her held her back. Ever since that afternoon, things had become awkward between the two of them and she couldn't muster the will to face the man that she called her partner.
Unable to resist the smell, the woman put on a poker face and stepped out of the tent.
"Sleep well?" Siegfried said, eyes still glued to the pot before him.
"I did."
"Good."
Eris remained standing there, unmoving and undecided. I guess I have to talk to him. Resolve this dumb problem t-together… She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak when the man promptly cut her off.
"I saved you a bowl," he said, showing her a wooden bowl filled with the viscous brown liquid. "You may get some more if you wish." He then stood up and faced the area leading outside the camp. "I'm going to get some fresh air." And then he was gone, leaving Eris alone at camp.
Eris seated herself on one of the logs and held the bowl of stew. She moved the spoon to her lips and tasted the dish. It's delicious…I wonder what he made it with. She briefly looked over the pot, noticing the obvious chunks of meat and other ingredients. He's a good cook that's for sure.
She finished her bowl and neatly placed it on the ground. The hot stew reinvigorated her body, freeing her mind, and calming down her heart. Needless to say, it was a much-needed element in allowing her to rethink what had happened a few hours ago. She remembered getting into a verbal spat with Siegfried, over her supposed carelessness in battle.
She would not admit this to him, but the huntress knew that she was to blame.
She had her reputation to keep after all. What sort of Ice Queen apologizes to someone who was clearly in the wrong? But then again, it's just a name…and both of us are to blame. Titles were almost meaningless after all. They were just honorifics, bestowed upon those who earned it. They didn't mean shit.
She looked at the direction her partner left. Over the past hours, she had come to actually enjoy his company. Sure, they argued frequently and insulted each other openly, but it had since died down to some occasional teasing. He was also admittedly endearing whenever he grew flustered. It was a rare side of him only Eris had the pleasure of exploiting.
Siegfried was also a skilled hunter and she knew it. In battle, he complimented her own skills quite well. He was the force to her finesse and together, she felt like they could take on almost anything. But today was different.
They were overwhelmed and unprepared to face the enemy. Worse of all, she had almost succumbed to it…and he had called her out for it. It was mortifying for her. But dwelling on it for too long won't do any good. They had a job to do and they couldn't afford to stay distant for too long. The villager's lives were on the line here and only they could save them from the claws of the Rathalos.
She steeled herself and stood up, ready to finally talk to her partner.
The huntress stopped herself when she found him standing before her as well, an equally surprised look adorned onto his face.
For the moment, the two couldn't muster a single word. They just looked at each other awkwardly, fidgeting in their spot.
And then Eris spoke first. "I think it's time to talk. About what happened."
He looked surprised at first before nodding briefly. "Yeah, I've been thinking as well. Perhaps it's time we fess up. A partnership like this won't work. It can only work on- "
"-one built on trust and friendship. I know, I've read it already. Hunter's Manual 3…We both have secrets to hide, don't we?"
"Yeah…"
Eris smiled softly and went seated herself on one of the logs. "Well, shall we?"
After the two got comfortable in their seats, it was time.
"First off, I would like to apologize."
If Siegfried was surprised before, then he was speechless at this point. Eris apologizing to him… The haughty, narcissistic woman who treats everyone around her like her loyal subjects apologizing? It certainly caught him off guard.
"It was my fault we both nearly got killed back there," she confessed. "If I hadn't frozen up, we could have gotten away." She looked down at the ground, face completely red from embarrassment. "I understand if you want to call off this partnership as soon as we are done with the job. I have no qualms about that- "
"Stop that. You're not the only one to blame here you know."
Eris looked up to see Siegfried sporting an admittedly dashing grin on his face. The huntress found herself turning red and her heart beating slightly faster. What is this feeling inside me? It couldn't be…
"I would also like to apologize. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I was just…frustrated. Frustrated at you for almost jeopardizing the hunt and frustrated at me for not being skilled enough to get us out of the situation. I was selfish for pushing you to fess up and selfish for not telling you anything about myself." He looked away, his face reddening and almost matching the color of his hair. Holy shit that was so out of character of me! His eye briefly glanced at Eris in front of him and sure enough, he couldn't help but turn even redder when she gave him a forgiving smile. Shit, what sort of spell has she inflicted me with?!
"I guess we're both guilty of it I suppose," Eris said, lightly chuckling. Her soft and beautiful laughter made Siegfried's heartbeat even faster and the man wondered if he was going to die of a heart attack soon enough.
"A-Anyway, with that out of the way…" It's now or never. Can you tell me what happened before?"
His question was blunt and demanding but had a hint of gentleness. Eris knew she could not hide it any longer now. I had really hoped it would never come to this… The huntress closed her eyes and breathed in deeply before facing Siegfried with a determined look on her face, albeit with a hint of shame. But when she opened her mouth…nothing came.
"I…I uh…"
The look Siegfried gave her definitely did not help her state of mind. No matter how hard she tried to speak, her voice refused to give in. "Siegfried I…" The huntress looked away. Damn it, woman, why can't you just say it?!
She glanced at Siegfried, who continued to stare blankly at her. His expression practically screamed 'bullshit'. She gritted her teeth and spoke. "W-What happened was- "
"I suppose that it's something really personal then." Siegfried interrupted. "I can't force you to spill, and that means I won't have to tell you anything either."
"…Look, if you want to call off this partnership then by all means- "
"That I cannot do."
The huntress scowled at him, perplexed at his words. "What do you mean?! It's obvious we can't work together like this! I'll only hold you back!"
"Aren't you forgetting that we have a quest to complete?"
Eris fell silent. She should have known.
"What will the villagers think if we were to stop now? Doris placed all her hopes on us, and how would she react if we just gave up like that all because of one little spat?" He crossed his arms. "She would be devastated. All of them would be. And worse of all, the killings won't stop. You've seen what that thing looks like. I cannot stop now, not when lives are on the line…And neither can you."
Eris hated to admit it, but his words resonated within her. "I- "
"Besides aren't we partners? And partners help each other." Siegfried covered his mouth with one hand and averted his eyes away as his cheeks began to redden. "S-So, if you w-want, I can h-help you with whatever it is y-you're dealing with h-here…that is if y-you don't mind…" It felt as if he mustered all his strength just to say that. GOD DAMN SIEGFRIED! THOSE ARE SOME TRULY SMOOTH WORDS RIGHT THERE! He couldn't bear to look at her amidst his own inner turmoil.
He expected her to act disgusted at him but what he didn't expect was to hear soft laughter. Siegfried glanced at her to find the woman giggling softly at him before giving him that smile that caused his heart to beat erratically.
"You can be surprisingly sweet you know that. Almost as if I'm talking to a different person."
At her words, Siegfried turned away once again in an attempt to hide his reddening cheeks. If I stare at her for too long, I'll explode!
"Don't take it personally dammit. I was just…concerned that we wouldn't get paid," Siegfried replied gruffly, trying his best to hide his embarrassment. Unfortunately for him, Eris had already seen through him. The woman shook her head with a smile.
"Whatever you say…" she said before picking up her bowl and reaching for another helping of the stew. "Oh, and by the way, your stew…It's delicious."
Siegfried's face lit up. He puffed out his chest triumphantly. "See! I told you I'm perfectly capable of cooking delicious food!"
Eris rolled her eyes.
…
The next day…
All it took was a single slash from his sword to bring down the lumbering Aptonoth. Immediately after, the rest of its group scattered and made a mad dash for the hills over the river. But Siegfried paid no heed to them and focused his attention on the task at hand.
"Ughh got blood all over my armor again…" Siegfried muttered as he proceeded to carve into the dead herbivore.
It was early in the morning on the Verdant Hills and Siegfried had ventured out to grab him and Eris meat for their breakfast. While the huntress stayed behind to prepare the equipment and cooking materials, Siegfried took it upon himself the task of fetching them the main course.
They had only a day left, and they didn't want to waste any more time. The two of them had sworn to themselves that they would come back to villagers with the Rathalos' head in tow.
Finished with his task, the hunter proceeded to walk back to camp with two large pieces of meat in-hand. As he slid through the narrow entrance to the camp, he came across the sight of Eris walking back to the campfire with…a fish in tow?
"I hope you don't mind. I caught a lovely fat sushi fish over by the pond and couldn't resist bringing it over."
Siegfried chuckled. "It's fine. More protein for us anyway."
As Siegfried began mixing the meat chunks in with some leftover vegetables onto the pot in the middle, Eris moved to prepare the bread and fish. A fish kebab would go nicely with the stew and bread. She grabbed the spit from the camp chest and set to work on grilling the fish to perfection.
A little while later, they were done. The fish had been grilled, cut into the chunks, and placed onto sticks and the stew was ready to eat.
"You were right when you said bread and stew work quite well together," Siegfried said as he took a bite out of a piece of bread dipped into the stew. "And the fish works surprisingly well as well."
"I'm flattered by your praise. But really, this is nothing more than commoner food. I know far more intricate recipes than this."
"You sound like you're a noble…" Siegfried absentmindedly remarked, biting onto the fish kebab.
"As a matter of fact, I am."
Siegfried almost spat out his food. "You're a noble?"
"Yes."
He placed a hand under his chin before letting out a sigh. "Now that I think about it, it's not too surprising, I mean considering your speech patterns and your rather formal disposition…"
Eris frowned. "I'm more surprised that you aren't aware I was. I mean, the Havencrofts are rather well known are they not?"
"Never heard of them," Siegfried answered as he swallowed the rest of his bread.
Eris sighed. "Of course, you didn't…"
"But more importantly, what the hell is a noble like you doing out hunting? What made you sacrifice such a life of luxury for something as dangerous as hunting?"
Eris laughed, "Believe me, being a noble isn't as fun nor as relaxing as you think." She stirred her spoon around her bowl. "But to answer your question, I guess the best way to describe it is that I wanted something different. A life of luxury wasn't something I wanted."
"That sounds incredibly cliched." His response was straightforward and would have offended anyone if they weren't Eris. Not like Siegfried cared anyway about insulting other people.
The huntress gave him a deadpan stare before shaking her head. "Leave it to you to ruin everything with your bluntness…"
"Hey, can't help it alright. That's just me. Get used to it woman."
The huntress stifled her laughter. "I suppose this is one thing I need to take note of if I were to be partners with the one and only Fire King."
"Right back at you Ice Queen."
Dundorma…
"My lady, he's here again."
"Tell him to wait for a bit. I'm not done yet."
"As you wish…"
As her guard closed the door to her chambers, Carla let out a rather exasperated sigh. Over these past few days, the same man had repeatedly come over to acquire the latest information on something she frankly didn't care about. If you're going to visit me, then make use of it for crying out loud! The first few visits weren't that bad. The man was handsome, muscular like all other hunters who visited her, and he was polite as well. She still vastly preferred him over this man, but he didn't need to know that. But over the subsequent visits, she was beginning to get frustrated. During these visits, he wouldn't even have sex with her at all. He would instead talk and talk about Guild Knight stuff that Carla didn't give a damn about. That or he would ask her if her spies had seen a certain red-haired hunter and a silver-haired woman walking around. It pissed her off knowing that he was paying her a ton of money just to neglect the perfectly sculpted example of a female form right in front of him.
At some point, Carla had begun to think her sexual prowess had decreased over the years. It made her incredibly insecure about her own body, despite still being ripe of age.
If you're not going to have sex with me then might as well just invite me out on a date dammit! Not like I'll accept an invite like that anyway…Hmm, maybe if it's that guy I'll-
A few knocks on her door promptly interrupted her reverie. Startled, she almost dropped her pocket mirror before she hurriedly fixed her hair.
"Yes?" Shit, shit, shit I'm not ready just yet!
"They are waiting for you by the door."
"Alright tell them to come in- Wait, they?"
Before she could react, the door opened, and three people entered her room. She immediately recognized the black-haired man that she was scheduled to meet. However, accompanying him was a man and woman whom she didn't recognize.
"Who…are they?"
"Oh, I guess I haven't introduced these two to you. This is- "
"Wait just a moment…C-Carla?!" The blonde-haired man turned to Carla's client with a dumbfounded expression on his face. "This is the woman you want us to meet?!"
Edmond took a step back, "Umm yes? Is there a problem?"
"N-Not necessarily but…" He sighed. "It's just- "
"Oh, you're that guy!" Carla interrupted, face brightening up with a subtle mischievous smile. She finally recognized him. "The one who asked for an extra hour just because his "asshole" friend didn't show up to their reunion. I remember that. You were rather rough at that time don't you think?"
Edmond burst out laughing while Amber had a disappointed look on her face.
"So, this is the woman you've been screwing all this time?" Amber asked her mortified brother, whose face had turned completely red.
"Dammit! I told you it's not a good idea to associate with her!"
If these are who I think they are… An evil glint appeared in Carla's eyes. I'm gonna enjoy messing with her. "Miss if you must know, he and the guy you're looking for are my clients as well. Especially the latter whom I-" Carla noticed the woman's expression turn dark. "-happen to enjoy his company far more than the rest. We have a rather…fulfilling relationship after all."
Amber snapped. "Why you- "
"Alright let's just get down to business before things turn even more awkward than it already is," Edmond interjected as Jason held his sister back. "As you can see, we- "
"Let me smack this bitch!"
"For the love of Virtuna calm down!"
"-we've come here to do business."
"Oh." Carla's expression grew annoyed. "So that's how it is." She leaned back against the red sofa in her chambers, one of the many gifts given to her by some of her wealthy clients. As the top courtesan, she had been blessed with numerous luxuries given to her by her clients, who range from hunters, knights to the occasional noble.
"Well go on then. Spit it out. What do you want now?" Carla said, tapping her fingers impatiently on the armrest.
Edmond looked at the siblings, who gave him a single nod of approval. He turned to face the woman and spoke. "Are you aware of a group called The Revenants?"
Almost immediately after he finished speaking, Carla rushed forward and clamped her hand over the man's mouth. "Don't say it too loud!"
Edmond removed her hand, "Then I assume you know of them?"
Wordlessly, Carla walked over to the door and opened it slightly. "Make sure to not let anyone come in this room. That is absolute," whispered Carla to the two men guarding her room. They nodded in understanding before Carla gently closed the door. She sighed and turned towards the three people.
"This is extremely dangerous information you're dealing with here. Are you sure you three want to get yourselves involved with them?"
Amber was the first to speak. "My brother and I had dealt with them before. These…bastards ruined our lives, and many others as well. We can't just sit here and do nothing, not while there is a huge chance that they're still out there." Carla looked at Edmond next, as if asking for his own reasoning as well.
"I'm a Guild Knight and it is my job to maintain order within this nation. And I've heard…rumors that the very Guild I've dedicated my life to is involved with those people. If I can stop the corruption within them, I can restore the Guild to its former glory."
Carla looked back and forth between them before shaking her head. "I guess it's impossible to persuade you to think otherwise huh… Fine, I'll share with you what I know."
Verdant Hills…
Siegfried looked back at the huntress currently fixing her helmet. "Ready?"
Eris pulled the visor down on her helmet and walked up to him. "Yeah. Let's do this."
The Aptonoths on the field scattered the moment they saw the hunters. Not wanting a repeat of what happened last time, they once again ran over the river and into the safety of the herd grazing by the hillside.
Eris opened her map and scanned her surroundings, "I think its best we avoid the forest and go through the cliff areas. We don't want to waste any more time fighting other monsters." Siegfried nodded and the two set off towards the top of the hills, where they would hopefully run into their target by the nesting area.
The walk to the nest was anything but peaceful.
"Dammit, we can't waste any more time here!" Siegfried exclaimed as he cut a raptor in two mid-leap.
"I know!"
Not long after they had ascended the hills, a pack of Velociprey ambushed them from over the rocks. Thankfully, they weren't led by their alpha, but the raptors proved to be a nuisance.
"Incoming!" Eris shouted as she threw a flash bomb towards their attackers. Siegfried instinctively looked away as a bright flash engulfed the area, blinding the raptors. The two then made their escape.
They quickly found themselves facing their next obstacle. A troop of Bullfango, irritable Fanged Beasts resembling pigs who charge at the very first thing they see. One was already annoying enough but easy to dispatch. A group of them, however, can prove themselves exceptionally dangerous, especially if a Bulldrome is around.
"We have to find another way around…"
As Siegfried kept an eye on the Bullfangoes, Eris looked around the area for an alternate path. Her eyes quickly landed on the ledge above them that looked like it led into the forest.
"Up there!"
The two quickly and quietly climbed the ledge and onto the path leading to the forest.
"We have no choice but to go through there."
"Beats fighting a horde of those bastards…"
As the two entered the forest, a sense of worry enveloped them. They couldn't afford to get into a fight with the same raptor pack that attacked them the day before.
Thankfully, however, the forest had been surprisingly empty. Not a single raptor attacked them and the only creatures they encountered were some harmless Mosswine. Despite the relief that had washed over them, the fact that no carnivores attacked them sent a chill up their spine. If something was indeed this powerful that all other carnivores practically evacuated the area, then the Rathalos must be incredibly strong.
Soon, they had found themselves standing on yet another open plain area. A small herd of Aptonoth could be seen grazing, not paying attention to the two hunters.
Eris pulled out her map, "According to the map…We're somewhere around here," she said, pointing to a largely drawn area on the map. "This means the nest is just somewhere around the corner over there."
"Let's go!"
With renewed determination, the two ran over towards the direction of the nest, intent on finishing the job once and for all. As they ran, they reached into their pouches and chugged down vials of strengths drugs, namely demon drugs, and armor skins. Eris herself, popped a might seed into her mouth while Siegfried gulped down an entire vial of energy juice.
They soon arrived at yet another open plain, surrounded by the cliffs. Numerous Vespoid inhabited the area and there were a number of bushes to hide. It was the perfect natural arena to fight their quarry.
Eris pointed at a large opening in the cliff, "There's a cave over there. If that's what I think it is, then we must head there immediately."
Most of the Vespoid wisely gave them a large berth, though a few were brave enough to try to sting the two hunters, only to be shattered from a single strike from their weapons. The two leaped onto the platform above and proceeded towards the cave…
As they entered what was supposedly the Wyvern's den, a pungent stench immediately bombarded their sensitive noses.
"What in the world is this pungent odor?!" Eris said, covering her nose.
"The hell?!"
Cautiously, the two moved deeper into the den, until they came across what looked like a large mess of bones and rotting flesh. When they looked over the pile, the hunters couldn't believe their eyes.
Bones of various creatures laid on the ground. They spotted quite a few raptor skulls, Aptonoth parts, and other unidentifiable bones but what really caught their eyes was a distinctive skull amongst all the bones.
The skull of a human. And there were more of them scattered amongst the other bones. The previously mentioned victims of the Rathalos.
Eris clenched her fists. "This is…unnerving."
"All the more reason this bastard needs to go down," Siegfried growled, gritting his teeth. His eyes then spotted something amidst the numerous bones. Making a mental note to wash his gloves, later on, he carefully stepped over the pile and bent down to pick up the object of interest. He wiped the shit off the object and quickly pocketed it before the huntress near him noticed.
Eris stifled the urge to vomit from the sheer smell alone. "We're at its nest, but where is the monster anyway?"
"Beats me. Let's just- "
They froze the moment they heard the flapping of wings.
Their heads slowly turned towards the middle of the cave where a large draconic shape descended slowly through an opening in the ceiling. The two looked around frantically for any way to hide but found none. Then an idea struck Siegfried. Forgive me for this Eris!
"Go, go, go!" Siegfried whispered furiously as he pushed Eris towards the direction of the dirt pile. Before she could say anything, Siegfried pushed her down directly onto the pile – face first. Eris mentally blessed her reflexes as just seconds before her face collided against the ground, she had moved her arms to support the fall.
Hey, what's the big deal pushing me down like that?!
Siegfried ignored her completely as he too crouched onto the ground, albeit not as forcefully. He sent her a quick apologetic look before gesturing her to be quiet. Eris complied and together, they hid their bodies behind the bloated rotting corpse of an Aptonoth, dropping to a prone position and allowing the corpse to conceal their bodies as they peeked over to watch the monster. The two cringed in disgust as they felt the rotting flesh against their armor, and both made mental note to take a nice long shower after all this is done.
The intruder quickly revealed itself to be a Rathian, much to the two hunter's relief and confusion. They watched as the female Wyvern landed on the ground, a dead Velociprey in its mouth. Their bodies tensed as the creature moved closer, seemingly unaware of their presence.
Suddenly it's face perked up. It let out a growl and dropped the Velociprey in its mouth and moved… directly towards them. Almost as if a malevolent force compelled them, they quickly pressed themselves closer to the rotting corpse they were hiding behind as the Wyvern moved even closer. Its growls came closer and closer…until they felt its hot breath directly above their heads.
They held their breaths as their hands slowly began to reach for their weapons, anticipating the inevitable…
And then they heard a familiar shrill roar.
The Rathian stopped and turned back to face the newcomer.
The two peeked over the corpse to make sure their ears hadn't deceived them and sure enough…
Siegfried gulped. It's the Rathalos!
The abnormally large Wyvern descended upon the ground and landed with a loud thud in front of the Rathian. It growled and the Rathian growled back, albeit rather meekly. The larger male Wyvern snarled and the Rathian lowered its body, dropping to a submissive stance with its wings tucked against its body and its tail curled up. The hunters watched with a mixture of curiosity and anxiety as the Rathalos nudged the Rathian with its snout before promptly biting it on the back of its neck.
Eris had never heard of this behavior before. Woah…
After a few seconds, the Rathalos released it, as the Rathian immediately took off to the skies as the Rathalos watched with what appeared to be a satisfied look on its scaly face. Then it turned around and began eating the dead Velociprey on the ground.
As it ate, Siegfried and Eris slowly and cautiously stood up, taking care not to alert the gorging beast. They quietly tiptoed towards the darker parts of the cave; eyes glued on the beast in case it notices them.
"We can't waste any more time. You grab its attention while I move around it for a sneak attack."
Siegfried nodded quickly, knowing that arguing would only spell disaster. "Alright. Be careful."
The hunter watched anxiously as his partner quietly maneuvered around the Rathalos, who was still busy feasting on Velociprey. She soon positioned herself on the other side of the Rathalos before signaling for Siegfried to make his move. It was a classic tactic, one utilized by many hunters when hunting with others.
Here goes nothing… He stepped out of the darkness and shouted, "HEY HEY!"
Sure enough, the Wyvern ceased its eating and turned to face the hunter. It growled threateningly at Siegfried, who attempted to hide his growing fear.
"WATCHA WAITIN FOR YA BIG BASTARD?! I'M RIGHT HERE!"
The Rathalos simply continued to growl, but it didn't attack. Siegfried bit his lip and glanced at Eris, who was still waiting for the chance to strike. Dammit!
"WHAT'S THE MATTER?! SCARED?! YOU SCARED OF A FILTHY HUMAN LIKE ME?!"
Once again, the Rathalos didn't budge, opting to instead bare its teeth against the hunter. It didn't appear to be fazed by the hunter's taunts.
Oh, for fuck sake! Can't you just play along?!
"OI! I'M RIGHT HERE!" Siegfried said, waving his arm about.
When the Rathalos still didn't make its move, Siegfried mentally screamed. STOP MAKING THIS HARDER FOR ME DAMMIT! ITS ALMOST AS IF YOU'RE DOING THIS ON PURPO- Wait… He looked at the Rathalos once more, who began scraping the ground with its claws. There's no way it can do that! Rathalos aren't able to do that…can they?!
And then the Rathalos' maw lit up with flames. Is it gonna shoot a fireball?! He instinctively raised his sword to block what should have been an attack.
Only it never came, for the Rathalos simply roared at him.
And then he saw Eris rush towards the Rathalos.
"NO! It's NOT GOING TO ATTACK!" Shit, she must have interpreted the roar as a sign to attack! Siegfried sheathed his weapon and rushed forward as fast his legs could carry him.
"ERIS IT KNOWS! IT KNOWS!"
His cries were heard too late. Eris slashed at the Rathalos, only for the beast to somehow jump out of the way and causing her to cut the air. He watched in horror as the Wyvern, immediately following its jump, shot out a large fireball aimed at the huntress.
"ERIS!" he screamed out before leaping forward.
Please Review!
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Note: Deviants are monsters who survived previous hunter encounters and gained new abilities. From this, it can also be assumed that they gained a degree of intelligence and knowledge of hunter tactics, hence why the Rathalos knew Eris was waiting to ambush it from behind as it is a fairly common tactic used by hunters.