"Another day writing in this journal, Velo has finally grown enough to where we can get to the next part of me becoming a rider. Dan promised that I would be getting my first taste of combat and what we do tomorrow. Not to boast but being raised by Dan came with the awesome gift of a set of brand spanking new Leather armor. Not going to lie, it feels a lot better on me than the previous armor, I felt like I was wearing a Moofu rather than armor. Guessing I'll just have to see how well this greatsword will work alongside if Velo will be obedient or not. Only time will tell."
It was a rainy day in Hakun, and it was no case of it sprinkling, this was a downpour. Sig put his hand out to figure out what he would be dealing with when out in Pondry hills.
"Yeah it's coming down all right. Making it all the better. Best check up on Velo." Sig muttered putting on his new armor. Which was easier than he had expected. It was light, compact and gave his skin room to breathe.
Then there was the fact today was his first day as a Rider. His Velocidrome was grown enough to support him in battle. And he had gone through loads of training with the Greatsword that Dan had gifted him. And even with the rain he went to the stables in an incredibly good mood. He felt unstoppable like nothing could get in his way. And even when he got to the stables Velo poked his head out letting out a bark at the sight of Sig, trying to get out of the stables to meet his partner but to no avail.
"Easy Velo, we gotta wait for Dan to get here. We'll finally be able to go out into Pondry hills and show 'em who's boss! Think of it Velo, we are going to become big around here. And, oh crap." Sig turned to see Dan coming his way, immediately becoming a little more humble. "Within reason of course, after all I still have a long way to go." Not wanting to get scolded and getting the same speech every rider in the village had gotten.
"Sig get on Velo, we are going to be heading out to the hills. Make sure your weapon is sharpened and Velo is ready to do his part!" As the larger rider went to get his own Velociprey handling it as if the two of them were brothers.
"Guessing we'll have to do this with a little extra to my usual one hundred percent. Need to do good if I want to be recognized, doubly so if I can get a ticket outside of the hills. See what is out there in this world of ours." Sig thought as he went in bringing Velo out of the stables, the Bird Wyvern excitedly looked around the village,letting out quick barks at the nearest passerby "Down boy, we don't have anything to worry about. Now then save the energy for the hills. Today we both have to work, me to be a full fledged rider, and you for food. Any meat I don't need goes to you. Now doesn't that sound good?" Sig whispered to Velo as the Velocidrome seemed to get excited about the concept of food.
"Good to see you know what can get Velo going. But remember Sig, only hunt in moderation. We seek to Balance nature, not send it into chaos."
"Only hunt for what is needed, excess can lead to waste, and when there is waste no one benefits from it. Right from the Elder himself. You have nothing to worry about Dan, I'm not going to be using Velo to slay everything on site. We act in the interest of Hakun and the greater good." Sig sighed getting onto Velo. "I don't get why you always remind me as if I'm one of those hunters from the stories. I've been raised here, so I know how things go and what not to do."
Dan smiled looking at Pondary hills. "Then let's go, we have a lot to go through and I intend on you taking notes."
Riding on Velo was exhilarating to Sig. His partner was fast, much faster than he was used to. The terrain blurred as the two followed Dan up a large hill. Eventually stopping as Sig took in the sight that he never got to see before.
Great stone spires dotted Pondary hills casting shadow to the lands below almost making it seem as though there were two worlds to this place separated by stripes that were all over. And the ground was dirt and ankle high grass for the most part, all forms of useful herbs, berries, bugs, and even a few mining outcrops dotted the land. This was a place that took Sigs breath away.
"I can't believe we were next to something this big! Where do these hills end? Is this what the world outside actually looks like!?" Sig was assaulting his mentor with question after question. Which he could not help, Hakun was the only thing he knew before coming out here. And it got his mind going of what else was waiting for him outside of these hills.
"Sig we aren't here for Sightseeing, remember this is still training. We just have to get your feet wet. Now then let's pick a good target for you to go after." Dan mumbled as he pulled out binoculars to observe the hills for a moment. "Aha, got a good target for you. Here take a look." Dan said handing the binoculars to sig.
Sig looked in the direction seeing a lone Aptonoth in the distance. "Really, you want to beat up a defenseless cow?"
"Don't underestimate them, they may seem weak but they pack a punch. After all, it will give you an important lesson." Dan gave Sig a mischievous smile.
"Well Velo, let's show this thing what we are made of!" He shouted Velo as both Rider and Monster rushed at the beast. Sig had no idea what Dan meant by this thing giving him a challenge. Probably something to get his blood pumping, but he hardly had time as Velo had reached the creature. With Velo slamming right into it, but rather then it toppling over Sig was sent flying off of Velo finding a face full of dirt upon landing.
"Good job Sig I think it was tickled by that one!" Dan roared in the background barely holding back laughter at the sight of Sig getting to fly for a few seconds.
"Right, let's try that one again! Velo, keep hitting it with everything you got! I'll be backing you up now!" Sig shouted as he drew his sword and Velo charged at it.
The Aptonoth on the other hand had enough of these two. Lifting its body up until it was temporarily on two feet, all before slamming on it's two opponents who had found themselves under it. They mustered a lot of power but not enough before Velocidrome and Rider were swiftly crushed underneath it's weight.
"It handled both of us at once!? I thought Aptonoth were hardly that strong! How in the world is it doing this!?" Sig was trying to find an answer to the situation at hand but nothing came to mind. Until it hit him remembering a phrase from Dan. "Watch a monster when fighting, brute force is not always the answer. When all else fails, get creative, look for a weakness to exploit." And in a single moment Sig shouted to Velo "Get out of range! We need to figure out a weakness!" and with a swift strike he smashed the Aptonoth on the stomach causing it to reel back as both Sig and Velo escaped it's smothering wrath.
And the Aptonoth tried to slam again at the pesky Velocidrome that would not sit still. It was confused as to why a Velocidrome could not topple it but it was more upset that it's grazing was interrupted. Until Sig saw it, it was brief but there was a brief moment of unbalance for the beast right before the slam.
"That single moment right there! Right before it slams it seems a little unbalanced, probably enough to get it knocked over, we can't meet it with brute force, we have to hit it right at its feet as fast as we can." Sig waited when the Aptonoth raised itself again and he took the opportunity, he prepared his greatsword to sweep the aptonoth right off its feet. And if what Dan told him was true Velo would follow up.
It was as if Time slowed down for Sig, the Aptonoth was beginning to falter. And as soon as Sig let his greatsword swing hit the beast leg he felt it, the weight of the beast was upset as it plummeted to the ground, immediately greeted by Velo who jumped onto it with a single jumping strike. And the beast stopped moving as Sig realized it. He won.
"See, they are defenseless and easy to kill. When they aren't standing on all four legs. That is how most monsters here manage to make them prey. You knock them down and finish them when they can't get up." Dan clapping as he got close to the two victors.
"Wait I knew that would happen. But how did Velo understand the second part when I had not even uttered a word? He shouldn't have known." Sig looked to Velo, and for a moment he saw a look of understanding on the monster. A look that he learned something from Sig.
"Because of the bond you and him share. That bond is powerful Sig, it allows us and our monster to be as one on the field of battle. The moment he saw the maneuver to knock the Aptonoth down he understood the intent behind it. You can shout commands all you want but in the end your actions dictate your monsters actions, not your words." Dan crossed his arms looking expectantly at Sig hoping the boy understood.
"Look for a solution, go for it, and Velo will follow. Wow, being a rider is weird but awesome! The fact that me and Velo can be in sync based on my actions. Would that mean that the inverse could be true. Like Velo figuring something out before me, would I get the same deal where I would understand what he is doing?" Sig looked to Velo with a smile and gleaming eyes.
"Hey Calm down kid, that was just an Aptonoth, there are going to be scarier things out there. Now then get carving."
"Oh right carving the most important part of this all." Sig grabbed his carving knife and approached the Aptonoth "Sorry pal you know how it goes, none of this is going to waste."
After Sig was done he turned to Dan. But the older Rider spoke up first "You are correct that is not it. Just needed to make sure that you could handle an Aptonoth. You understand how we fight, so I need you to take this." And with a flick of the wrist Sig found a beautiful blue stone landing in his hands. "To the north is a cave system, go in and wash that in it."
"A kinship stone, this is my final exam isn't it? I just gotta go and bring this back when it's been activated. Well Dan now that I have an idea of how to fight I will be taking Velo here and getting back to Hakun before sunset!" Sig had the belief he could do it, he just had to do what he did before, read the monsters and knock em down, or up. Whichever way it needs to happen.
"Hah! Listen to you, sounded just like another rider that took this test. If you are late however I get to have you play Ruins and Basarios with me!" Dan shouted
"Oh no, not Ruins and Basarios. Anything but that!" Sig screamed internally remembering that rulebook. But shaking it off as he ventured towards a set of waterfalls, he heard the location in passing, a labyrinth of stone and moss with dangerous rolling creatures threatening to knock a rider off their monster in a matter of seconds.
At least that was the plan, but right as Sig reached the waterfall he was greeted to an odd sight.
A couple of Velociprey had cornered an odd masked humanoid that was using a small club as some form of defense.
"You get back from Alto, you b-big brutes! Me have big moves!" The masked creature screeched at the surrounding Velociprey.
"Velo you have an idea of what we are looking at?" Sig looked down to his partner only for the Velocidrome to shake his head, clearly confused at what was going on too. "Uh hi, little masked guy, you need a hand at all!?"
"Gasp! The gods of thunk have saved me! A h-hunter has come to save Alto!" Though this worked out badly for all of them. The Velociprey taking note of the masked snacks yelling and spotting a human and one of the servant monsters. Both barking before they split their attack, one charging for the snack, and the other at the duo.
It was a blur as Sig was quickly knocked down from Velo as the Velociprey jumped above his companion, it's claws ripping past Sig's armor in a painful yet graceful pounce. But that made Velo not the least bit happy with his smaller counterpart. Trying to rush the little blue bird wyvern with a powerful charge.
Yet the Velociprey saw what was about to happen and hopped over Velo before delivering a nasty kick from above. Causing the Velocidrome to yelp in pain and surprise. Sig looked on in shock at how the Velociprey outsped Velo. He picked himself up and attempted to rush the bird wyvern, but this time trying to use a more nimble slash to attack the beast, yet the beast managed to slide past the swing taking minimal damage and hitting Sig once more. This time he felt blood seep from this new wound.
"I don''t get it, Velo tried strength, it hopped over him in a blink. And I tried speed and it managed to barely pass my strike and hit me in exchange, what am I doing wrong?" Sig thought to himself as he was trying to assess the situation. The beast was fast, incredibly so in comparison to the Aptonoth before. And unlike the herbivore this bird wyvern could cause serious harm.
"Hunter watch Alto, look at Alto's flow and Rhythm!" The masked person began to dance around his opponent, the Velociprey becoming angry and rushing at the smaller humanoid, yet it found itself missing and getting smacked by the club it's prey held. One moment it was right in front then the next rolling to the side and hitting. "No take beat fast, go with the flow. Battle like rhythm for song!" dodging yet another swift strike from it's opponent before following up by striking it once more.
"Hey music boy I don't understand, but guessing it's worth a try. Hey ugly try and pick on someone with a big blade!" shouting at the top of his lungs to his enemy, quickly turned around. Slowly bending back as it's legs take a position looking for the right moment to pounce at the rider. And Sig taking his greatsword raising it behind him, waiting for the beast to charge. Time slowed, and it felt as if both were at a standstill. Then Sig moved the blade as if swinging, the Velociprey seeing it's moment and rushing forward, it was sure it could get the hunter before it.
However in a single movement Sig rolled to the side swinging his greatsword upward and slamming right into the bird wyvern with a mighty blow. It was enough to send it right into a stone wall. And with a death yip it stopped moving. And it's already injured partner upon seeing it's companion die fled. Knowing the encounter was no longer in its favor.
"Wahooo! Take that. you blue menaces, Alto's friend has rhythm worthy of Shakalaka culture! Hoo you good hunter. Me Alto, Shakalaka searching lands for a song to make his own. Call it Pilgrimage." The little Shakalaka ran up praising Sig, only before noticing Velo. "Wait you not hunter! Hunter no use monster to fight, who are you?"
"Uh I'm a Rider, I'm from a village past those hills. I am in the middle of a test of some sort. See that cave over there, the one with that is flanked by two waterfalls on each side." Though Sig wanted to keep going he dropped down for a moment, remembering he just got hit by a Velociprey, his armor dampened the blows but did not stop them. "Ok that hurts a lot. Good thing I at least have a spare potion."
"You no need potion! Alto can heal you with dance!" The Shakalaka ran in front of Sig before doing something odd. At first he raised his club to the sky jumping up and down as he began to chant in some odd language, suddenly dropping his club as he jerked in two directions each one with a thrust, one from the front and the other from the back. But as he chanted his club glowed green. In the finale he dropped to the ground and spun to Sig before jumping to the riders wound with a loud "Yambah!" his club connecting with Sigs chest and the wound closing. "Shakalaka dance of healing! Your wound now causes you no issue!"
"Wait what, how on earth did you.." Sig unbuckled his chest piece to find that the wound had indeed closed up.. Even the Velocidrome seemed to perk up at the sight of the dance. "Holy crap Alto you can heal just by dancing! I have to bring you back to Hakun when I'm done. Plus it would only be right, you helped me. And you could use a place to stay. Not many people from the village come out to Pondry, too many monsters. Oh right, my names Sig, I'm a rider from Hakun, and the Velocidrome is my partner, his names Velo."
"Good to meet Sig. And good to meet Velo too! You Alto's heroes, and I cannot let this aid go unanswered either, Alto accompany Sig on test, it may inspire Alto to have new Song." The little man climbed up onto Velo waiting for Sig's answer.
"OK then, Velo let you get on without much fight. Believe me that is more of a feat then you can imagine. Welcome to the team I guess. You will be on watch when we go into those caves." marching onwards he felt OK with his new ally. This alto was odd and clearly not from around here. He knew hunters, but not riders. There were so many questions he had but he would save them for another time. After all he still had a test to complete.
The cave was an odd one, When Sig thought of a cave he thought dark, dank, not much to them. But the moment he entered he heard one thing that was off. He could hear water rushing, and a lot of it at that. Inside of the cave he could see well due to odd blue crystals that shined brightly. The walls were narrow but not as narrow as he imagined. Going single file with Velo there was enough room for all three of them to walk down these pathways.
"Ooooh this cave gives Alto good feels. Very deep, I hear hum further back." The Shakalaka hummed almost jittering with excitement. "Alto make good decision following Sig. Me may find good inspiration for song!"
"Wait, he can feel it too? There is something further back. I can feel it, something is calling for me." Even his Kinship stone was pulsing in his hand. The air was thick, and even the few monsters in there were docile and slid by the group.
Something was up, the caves stretching forever. It was a miracle both Alto and Sig were in here. The odd force was almost leading them. Like some invisible rope was wrapped around them and it was pulling them to its source. But the pulling ended when the three entered a room that was clearly odd. It looked out of place, pillars lined the room with symbols on all of them. Showing humans and monsters co existing, and the water stuck out the most. It glowed in here, causing the room to be cast in a baby blue light, casting shadows that danced around as the water rippled with each step the trio took. And at the back a waterfall was pouring water into a basin.
"Approach Rider of old blood. Bathe your stone in the water. Be witness to a truth that is so closely guarded." A voice rang in Sig's head. It was new, he never heard of other riders experiencing it. And what did it mean by Rider of old blood. But even still he was being pulled to the basin in the back. Every step filled him with adrenaline fueling him to move further. And it was not long before he found himself facing the basin.
"Go Sig, embrace the Basin. Find your answers."
In a subconscious move Sig took not only his stone but his own head and went right into the glowing water. At first nothing but silence, but in moments he was assaulted by many visions. A dark mist covering the land, a monster clothed in darkness as if it were a fallen knight, an armored figure on top of a Rathian, a girl trapped in ice. And a sky being parted by a purple star. But as quickly as they came Sig saw everything go black. And nothing, only darkness and single male voice.
"Find your way Sig, it is no your duty, and responsibility."