Hey everyone! I wanted to go with a more symbolic style for this chapter so I apologise for both the long wait and the low quality of the fight scenes. Please leave a review so I know what to improve!
Krillshadow: Thanks! I try to give my stories as much detail as possible, even if the details are a little dark. I'm glad I'm providing an interesting story in the Monster Hunter world (pun) and I'm also glad the premise hasn't been too wierd. I really hope you will stick around for future chapters, especially now that Iceborne had been released.
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"What was your fight with Fatalis like?"
Hether asked, her mug and plate held firmly in each hand. Eclipsen gave her a glance from the corner of his eye, having been in the middle if taking a drink when she posed her question.
Nergigante perked up upon hearing the name of the Black Dragon, her posture stiffening.
She had heard of the infamous Elder Dragon, with many of the stories stating that it's wrath was meant to be feared by both man and monster alike. Even her parents had claimed that it was beyond even their prowess.
The humanized Elder Dragon looked over at Eclipsen with wonder in her eyes. This Hunter, a human, had bested the great Fatalis? It was simply unbelieveable. Fatalis was meant to be the ultimate human slayer, a creature possessing enough destructive power to level all of the New World if it wanted to.
Eclipsen met Nergigante's stare with one of nonchalance.
He had faced the Black Dragon in his early days, when his bloodlust and desire for fame were at their peak. He had not realized the respect he was meant to give the creatures he fought. Until Fatalis.
Fatalis had been the monster to instill true fear into him, also blessing him with the image of true wrath. That image of rage was the one he tried to replicate in battle, to grant the level of fear he felt on that day on the monsters he faced.
"It wasn't what you would imagine."
Eclipsen said as he set down his mug. Hether pouted slightly. She herself had heard the stories about Fatalis as a child and to meet the Hunter who had actually fought and defeated it was a dream come true. She simply had not had the time to ask.
"Please? I was raised on the stories about Fatalis. Are any of them true?"
Eclipsen sighed. The stories were always the same. He himself had recited his tale of battle to children of many ages, but it was always watered down. No blood, no horror, not even the trauma of fighting such a creature was conveyed in the tales.
It simply didn't give the Black Dragon the respect it deserved.
Eclipsen looked over at the two women. He saw in their eyes the same wonder that the children of the Old World had. The legends around Fatalis had given them an image of the stereotypical monster. The beast of death that destroyed anything and everything. An unstoppable force that had no immovable object to oppose it.
It was then that he decided that he would crush that sense of wonder. Just like Fatalis had crushed his.
-Transition-
The sound of footsteps could easily be heard through the stillness of Castle Shrade's air, as well as the faint sound of wing beats. The sky was a sickening mixture of blood red and dark purple, with clouds of swirling dark matter hanging in the sky like vengeful spirits. The soil around Shrade was dark and infertile, being acidic to any plant life that touched it.
A lone Hunter strode into this broken kingdom alone, ignoring the warnings and tales that other hunters had told him. His sword and shield rattled in their places, and the armor he wore made even more noise in response to his unbreaking stride. The dirt moved beneath his feet as if to guide him away from the cause of its deathly condition, hoping that another life would not be taken by the beast within the ruined Castle Shrade.
The Hunter did not stop, instead pressing his way forward with solemn determination. The gates of Castle Shrade were old and deteriorating, just like the rest of the land and stone. He passed the gate with little trouble, as the chain door meant to keep things out was drawn upwards in a sort of grim invitation to challenge the horror within.
The Hunter stopped, allowing his white hair to cease its swaying. His crimson eyes scanned the area before him, holding a youthful rage that could have rivaled the creature before them. His face was young, undamaged. He still had no idea of the challenges he would face later in his life.
A black shape slithered it's way across the sky, the sound of a dragon's roar and the beating of wings following close behind. The snake-like figure circled the area once, twice, three times before beginning to lower itself closer to the ground. It eventually came to a stop in the middle of the castle courtyard, allowing gravity to slam it's body into the earth.
The Hunter watched as the figure revealed itself, a pair of pitch black wings spreading outward and a maw full of fangs stretching and letting out a screech that made the very dirt around it to shake with fear. The Hunter stood steadfast, waiting for the beast to finish it's display.
The beast, Fatalis, closed it's mouth upon the ending of it's roar, returning the gaze of the human before it. Two sets of crimson eyes stared each other down, refusing to falter on either side.
The Hunter slowly drew his blade, being careful not to excite the Elder Dragon's ire. His eyes became sharper, searching for any weakness in the creature's armor. There were none. Just the pitch black steel scales of a beast said to melt the armor of others onto it's own hide.
The Hunter felt fear run through him. This was the beast he had worked his way up to. The ultimate challenge. And it was every bit as terrifying as the stories had stated.
Fatalis radiated an aura of pure murder, it's crimson eyes filled only with the desire to put an end to the life that had stumbled into it's Kingdom. The air seemed to writhe and shift around it, as if it was trying to escape from the beast.
Fatalis then lifted it's great maw and let out a roar that carried enough hatred to set the world ablaze.
The Hunter recoiled upon hearing it. His body shook and his will began to waver.
Then a fire lit itself within his soul. His eyes narrowed, locking onto the Black Dragon with fierce determination. The fear remained in the back of the Hunter's mind, but his goal was to face this beast of legend, and he wouldn't let his efforts go to waste.
The Hunter rushed forward, his sword sharpened and ready to face the beast of legend.
Fatalis finished it's roar just in time to slam it's front feet downward, shaking the ground and knocking the Hunter off balance. Fatalis lunged forward, it's fangs itching to taste the blood of the Hunter. The human managed to jump backwards, barely dodging as the mouth of Fatalis came clamping down on thin air.
The Hunter rolled to the left, dashing towards Fatalis' leg in an attempt to find an opening. The Elder Dragon easily countered, sending it's tail slamming into the young man. The Hunter flew through the air, gasping as he hit the ground and rolled. The roll was lucky, as Fatalis had come crashing down where the Hunter had landed.
The Hunter righted himself as fast he could before bolting to the right, this time being smart to the Dragon's tricks and leaping over the oncoming tail, managing to step on the appendage and carve a slash into Fatalis' back. The Elder Dragon gave a roar as it craned it's neck and bit at the Hunter, but failed as he leapt through the gap in it's mouth before it slammed shut.
The Hunter rolled again as he landed, turning directions and heading straight for the black beast. Fatalis righted itself and sent a stream of fire downward, being a second too late as only the back of the Hunter's armor was stained black with soot. The Hunter was quick to jam his sword in the creature's back leg, making it screech and fall onto it's side with a thunderous sound.
The Hunter sent his sword flying into the belly of the beast, scratching four more marks into the beast before it rolled over and smacked him away with it's arm. Fatalis sent another stream of flames towards the Hunter, chasing him as he sprinted away from the heat. Fatalis crept forward on all fours, chasing the Hunter slowly but steadily.
The Hunter looked backward before making a hard right, inciting a quiet snap from his ankle. He stumbled a bit before regaining his stride and rushing his way towards the side of Fatalis once more. The Dragon continued to follow him with it's flames, but was slow to stop it's breath before the Hunter held his sword backwards and stabbed it into Fatalis' leg. The young man used his sword as leverage, leaping up onto the back of the beast and grappling onto one of the spikes that lined it's back.
Fatalis thrashed about, attempting to dislodge the Hunter from it's back to no avail. The Hunter held on steadfastly, unwilling to let the Elder Dragon win in any aspect of the battle. Soon, Fatalis tired itself out enough for it to slow it's movements, allowing the Hunter to raise his sword and plunge it into Fatalis' spine. The Elder Dragon let out a howl before falling to it's side once more. The Hunter let go of the spike he was holding onto and let the beast lower him to the dirt.
He unleashed another barrage of strikes, this time with twice the anger and force behind them as the last chain of attacks. He slammed his shield into the back of the Dragon, seemingly angering the creature and prompting it to right itself and slam the side of it's head into him. He flew through the air, slamming into the side of the courtyard painfully.
Fatalis watched as the Hunter slumped down the wall, believing it's battle to be over. Another set of armor to sear onto it's damaged hide. Fatalis craned it's neck upward, letting out a triumphant roar that shook the stones of Castle Shrade. A loose brick fell, slamming into the Hunter's shoulder and drawing a pained groan from the nearly dead human. Fatalis stopped mid howl and locked it's eyes onto the Hunter, now wise to the human's unconciousness. It crept forward, it's teeth bared and ready to finish the Hunter with a final blow.
As Fatalis' mouth curled around the Hunter, a glint of light caught the edge of Fatalis' vision before the sight in it's left eye went dark. The Hunter twisted his sword viciously, jamming it further into Fatalis' eye and ignoring the stream of blood from his head invading his own right eye. The Hunter quickly lifted himself upward, using Fatalis' nostrils as footholds for the creature's thrashing. He twisted the blade again, this time in the opposite direction and coaxing out another pained screech from his opponent.
The Hunter leaned in close, making sure that Fatalis' remaining eye locked with his own.
"How does it feel? Feeling the same amount of pain you've inflicted on so many others?"
The Hunter gave another twist.
"Guess you've never thought that you'd feel the same pain."
The Hunter quickly tore his sword from Fatalis' eye, instead lifting his shield and sending it crashing down on the Dragon's horn and breaking the feature from it's head. Fatalis howled and let out a whirlwind of fire, forcing the Hunter to dislodge his feet to avoid them being seared beyond repair. He was knocked forward, but managed to grasp one of the black dragon's remaining horns. He wasted no opportunity and plunged his sword into Fatalis' neck, drawing out a splash of crimson liquid.
Fatalis thrashed about again, making the Hunter's hand slip from it's horn. Fatalis lunged, burying it's fangs in the Hunter's left arm and slamming him down on the ground, bringing out a painful snap from the human's body. Fatalis allowed itself to fall onto all fours while it watched the Hunter push himself onto his own hands and knees. The Hunter spit up a reasonably large pool of blood, following with a ragged sounding chain of coughs. Once he had cleared the blood from his throat, the Hunter looked to his right, locking eyes with Fatalis once more.
Their eyes only held anger. The rage of the forsaken and the anger of the wounded. Their combined malice could blot out the entirety of the Old World's skies, and then some.
Both were bloody and beaten, one more so than the other, but that didn't matter. This was a battle between hunter and hunter. No, a battle between man and force of nature. A mere human versus a raging hurricane of power, and the human was standing his ground. He was rooted to the ground just enough to stare down this whirlwind, and cut into it's winds like a mountain in it's path.
The Hunter stood shakely, careful not to draw pain from his surely broken ribs. He bent over, lifting his sword from the ground and shaking off the crimson liquid that stained it. Fatalis simply took a breath and a step forward, it's lungs beginning to fill with air in preparation for it's next burst of flame. The Hunter straightened himself, putting his sword at the ready and holding his shield in front of him.
They stood for a moment, each readying themselves for the second round.
The Hunter rushed forward, his shield held aloft to deflect any deadly attacks. And deflect it did as it held steadfast against the river of flame that Fatalis sent spiraling towards the Hunter. He endured the flames for a moment, pushing forwards despite the sensation of his lower armor heating up to dangerous temperatures. He leapt to the right at the last moment, avoiding any further heating and stifling what heat there was by rolling in the dirt.
He quickly righted himself and dashed forwards, once again leaping into the air to avoid Fatalis' tail and landing smoothly. He turned to the right, burrying his sword in the Dragon's backside. Fatalis roared and kicked like a bull, dislodging the sword and sending the Hunter flying into the air. The Hunter flipped around, managing to angle his feet towards the ground and preparing to pierce Fatalis' hide once more.
Fatalis craned it's neck in a spiral, spotting the descending Hunter with some effort. It opened it's mouth and unleashed another torrent of flame. The Hunter lifted his shield, deflecting the flame but sending him off course slightly. It didn't matter as he still plunged his sword into Fatalis, but this time he stabbed into the wing of the beast and nailed it to the ground. Fatalis howled as the bones in it's right wing snapped under the pressure of being stomped into the ground.
The Black Dragon quickly let loose a wave of flames, but missed as the Hunter ripped his sword from the wing and rolled forward, just barely singing the Hunter's boots. The human rushed to the left this time, jumping forward just in time to dodge as Fatalis lunged forward to bite him in half. He landed hard in the dirt, but lifted himself quickly enough to continue his run without being crushed by Fatalis' front feet. The Hunter turned around, slashing into the black dragon's left forearm and drawing a yelp from the Elder Dragon.
The Hunter did a flip backwards as Fatalis attempted to bite at him again before restarting his sprint to the right. He circled Fatalis, this time managing to cut into it's tail as he leapt over it. Fatalis did another sweep with it's tail, slamming head on into the Hunter's back and sending him spiraling through the air. He landed face first, but used the momentum gained to roll forwards and restart his run.
The Hunter quickly withdrew something from his armor, stopping dead in front of Fatalis and whipping the object at the Dragon. It hit Fatalis square in the face before exploding in a flash of light, giving the Hunter enough of a window to rush forward and plunge his sword into it's chest. Fatalis recoiled, lifting onto two feet and screeching. The Hunter pushed his blade deeper into Fatalis' scales and gave a twist, drawing another pained howl from the creature.
The attack was apparently enough to make the Dragon's legs give out, sending it collapsing to the earth with a thundering boom. It made no effort to writhe as it had before, instead laying still on the ground, with the only motion from it being it's pained breaths. The Hunter slowly lifted himself from the ground, having been slammed into the dirt with the Elder Dragon.
He walked forward, ripping his sword from the chest of the beast. Fatalis gave a small whine as the blade was pulled from it's body, supposedly reached it's limit in pain. Blood pooled around the Dragon as it slowly bled out, no doubt from the neck and chest wound. The rest of it's form was stained a bloody crimson like the sky, with the untouched parts being just like the swirling purple clouds.
The Hunter was not much better. Blood streamed from his head and his lip a was an ugly broken red. He also bled from his temple, as it had met with the dirt painfully. His armor was stained with both the blood of his opponent and his own, along with the black soot that had clung on after Fatalis' first flame attack. His shield bore hairline cracks and was also stained black. His sword was now dull and had tiny bends in the blade, with the only sharp part being the point.
The Hunter walked forward, circling around Fatalis' head and stopping at it's remaining eye. The Dragon only heaved and flopped onto it's stomach, giving the Hunter the courtesy of looking it in the eye once more.
They stared once more into each other's crimson eyes. This time, all that remained was a tiredness and a respect only an archnesmesis could bare. Fatalis' eyes held a sorrow, one borne of a life filled with hatred and malice, and a desire to be free of that inborn hatred. The Hunter's eyes held a sorrow that came from a lifetime filled with fighting, and a desire to no longer have to fight in order to prove himself.
The Hunter lifted his hand and set it upon Fatalis' head, giving the Dragon the first touch from a human that was not meant to do the Elder Dragon harm. Fatalis breathed heavily, it's body seemingly reaching it's limit. The Hunter leaned forward, setting his head on Fatalis' snout.
Then, as the Hunter's hand met the Dragon's scales, he realized that he was no better than it.
He had gone across the Old World, slaying and skinning and killing without any regard for the monsters he hunted. Their plights, their offspring left to die without a parent, even the mate of the Monster who had now lost their only chance to bring about a legacy.
He realized that hunters were cruel creatures, and that Fatalis was the one who was truly right in it's ways. To eliminate a hunter is to prevent a great many deaths.
The Hunter gazed into the Dragon's eyes, finding that he understood the creature. It looked back, also knowing that it's great goal had reached beyond the limitations of species and the line between Human and Monster.
Fatalis let out a sigh, it's body finally starting to give in to the wounds it had sustained. The Hunter closed his eyes, content to wait with the Black Dragon until it's final breath. To give it some form of comfort.
The Hunter sighed, keeping his eyes closed. Fatalis' breathing became shallower, eventually slowing to one near death. The Hunter waited for the end of the Elder Dragon, even maintaining his patience until the Dragon's last movements.
Suddenly, Fatalis drew in a great breath, it's body lifting with the effort. It opened it's mouth wide, allowing its tongue to fall out of it's maw.
Upon the pink appendage was a black sword, made unlike any other. The blade was shaped strangely, bearing a crescent point and a rune embedded guard. The black metal of the sword glistened like Fatalis's blood-soaked scales.
With a small movement, Fatalis sent the blade tumbling to the ground. It landed with a clattering sound and Fatalis closed it's maw once more.
With that, the Dragon fell silent and the body of the creature stilled. The Hunter kept his hand on the Dragon's body, feeling the warmth drain from it's corpse. The Hunter sighed, lifting his head from the Dragon and returning his hand to his side.
He looked down at the sword, watching as the blade glinted in what little light was around Castle Shrade.
The Hunter bent to pick up the sword and as he touched it, he felt the remnants of what Fatalis was flow through him.
And he knew that his journeys were not yet done.