An Encounter with Terror
Just past the snowy mountain ranges of the Furahiya Mountains, there lies an old settlement named Pokke Village. Its trademark symbol is the gigantic blue Machalite ore jutting out at the pathway towards the village. This is a sure signal for travellers from afar that they've reached the famed village.
No one knows for sure when the village was established; but what the locales do know is that the founders were of ancient blood, dating back to the days of Old during the Great War. When they saw the giant blue ore, they saw great potential in building a settlement surrounding the area. It has since become a hot spot for mining, herbal, and wildlife resources.
Merchants and hunters from various corners of the globe come there to make trades, hunt wildlife-and most importantly,-hear tales of adventures. Numerous listeners gather at halls to hear all the stories from old seasoned hunters about their achievements at the hunting field. You'll hear tales about the fiery wrath of a Rathalos and Rathian pair, the dreadful and slimy appearance of a Khezu, and the brute strength of the Tigrex.
It is no surprise that Pokke Village has a lot to offer, but the main highlight is still to be mentioned. If the village calls for help on extremely difficult hunts, you may catch a glimpse of the top hunters of the village, the pride of Pokke Village. Some names include the Dragon Decimator Koros, the Wyvern Slayer Dragos, and Pleos the Diver. These famed individuals help place Pokke Village on the map. They are seen by many as symbols of valor and heroism. Their accolades are great storytelling materials for folks of all ages and races. They are recorded as such in hopes of inspiring generations to become Monster Hunters.
These first-person accounts culminated into one tale that you are about to read is one of many legendary tales told of such valor and heroism. It is a tale about a young boy who had nothing transform himself into a legend among hunters.
Shizuko-I
It was a good thing I stole this armor set from the local blacksmith, though I wouldn't call it exactly as "armor." It was mostly made up of fur and leather with a decent amount of metal for a body frame to contour the shape of the wearer. It doesn't do much for defensive capabilities. Regardless of that, it was more than enough to combat the icy cold winds of the mountains.
I was standing at what I thought was the summit of the area, surveying the area for signs of a settlement. Behind me was a wide tall face of a cliff covered in snow. At the foot of that cliff were small clusters of herbs growing amidst the harsh climate. Thankfully, there were no Blangos in the area to threaten me.
I was trying my hardest to squint my eyes to see signs of human activity, but to no avail. It didn't help that a blizzard was enveloping the whole area, and that it was nighttime. After half an hour, I finally gave up and sat at the foot of the wall with my back against it. I slumped my shoulders as I relaxed in the warm embrace of my coat.
I checked my bag to take into account my stocks. Inside was a vial of green liquid, two pieces of cooked steaks, and a necklace. I was unfamiliar with the first item in my inventory. I never asked for details when I stole it from a merchant. The only detail that I knew of is that these were used by Hunters in their quests for rejuvenation.
I took the necklace out to inspect it. It isn't eye-catching or anything. Its braid is made of ordinary rope, and the ornament is a 4-inch clean white tooth that looked like it belonged to a dragon. At the base of tooth was an engraved symbol that I don't know of.
It was given to me by a Hunter when I was a kid back at my hometown. I can still remember vividly his words to me before he left. "Come find me at Pokke Village at your 20th birthday, and when you see me, show me the necklace."
Ever since that day, I worked hard for that goal. I reached out to as many sources as I could find about the whereabouts of Pokke Village, researched the wildlife of the area, monitored the weather patterns, and taught myself on the basics of using a Hunter's Bow for protection.
His words were my getaway from my home. I finally found a reason to escape from that place, and start anew on a new town. I've always wanted to become a Hunter, so maybe he'll take me as his apprentice...
My thoughts were cut short by a roar that echoed loudly around the mountains. I shoved the necklace back into my bag and stood up. I scanned for the source of the sound. I slowly reached for my bow at my back, and drew an arrow from my quiver.
The bow and arrow felt awkward on my hands. The bow was nearly as tall as me, and the arrow head was longer than the actual body of the arrow. If it weren't for my self-training, I would be stumbling around by their weight. It took all of my efforts to stay upright as I prepared a stance to nock my arrow readily.
A few minutes passed after the roar, and I've yet to hear it again. All I could hear was the eerie howling of the icy winds. My body was shaking in fear and anticipation. I could hear the fast thumping of my heart resounding on my skull.
I racked my brain for information about the source of the roar. The basis of my study about the monsters of the Furahiya Mountain ranges was from children books read for scaring off kids into sleeping early, so there wasn't that much intel I have that can help me identify monsters except for crudely drawn portraits that are supposed to resemble the monsters. I crossed out herbivores and Blangos, since the former obviously don't have the vocal range to make roars; the latter are too small for them to voice out roars that echo throughout the whole area, unless their species had a large alpha...
The worst-case scenario would be a wyvern or a dragon in the area. I've heard few tales of Elder Dragons that love tundra climates, and most notably, the most prominent wyvern of Pokke Village...
The blizzard then subsided, dispersing the snowy winds. The eerie howling turned into a soft hum, and my surroundings became clear. I could now see the beautiful starry night and the full moon shining upon the area, coloring the pristine white snow of the area with its light bluish glow. The wall of the cliff on my back turned from dull grey into the moon's color, making it seem as if the whole cliff was one giant Machalite ore. The view in front of me was breathtaking. Lush snow-tipped coniferous trees form temperate forests below me. A smooth lake surrounded by these forests mirrored the night sky. Ahead the horizon was a lone mountain capped also with snow. The scenery was mesmerizing that I forgot what I was doing. I was brought back to reality by the audible snarling.
Now that the icy winds were gone, nothing was blocking the sound of the snapping of giant jaws and snow crumbling. I swiftly turned my head to look at the cliff behind me just in time to get smacked at the face by and explosion of snow. I cleared out the snow on my face and I was met with the worst case scenario.
Standing 20 feet away from me was a large orange quadrupedal wyvern covered in blue streaks. Its forearms are spread wide for an intimidating show of its large wingspan. Its snapping jaws reminded me of the sound of ripping wooden floorboards in half. Its snarls conveyed sheer ferocity and lust for blood. Its long barbed tail scraped the wall of the cliff, creating sparks that ignited some of the clusters of herbs. It looked at me with anticipation, as if waiting for my next move before gobbling me up as a midnight snack.
The Tigrex was a lot more scarier up close and is much larger than I expected. My estimation of a 50 feet long wyvern was blown apart by a staggering 60 feet of length. From the looks of it, its jaw strength would turn most armor into scrap metal. Its claws were the size of carving knives, and I don't need to experience how sharp they were unless I have a death wish. My study on children's books didn't have any useful advice for this thing in front of me.
I immediately nocked my arrow and aimed at the monster. I tried to look unfazed, but it probably made me look stupid in front the Tigrex. My whole body was shaking intensely, and with it I couldn't maintain a straight aim at the creature. It felt as if I was naked, as coldness started creeping up my body and making it numb. My teeth were chattering and I've lost the feeling from my fingers. In my state of fright, I unintentionally let go of my arrow and it sailed pathetically and landed 4 feet away from me.
I cringed inwardly as I slid my bow behind me. Finally, my legs gave up and I landed on my butt on the snow. I crawled as fast as I could away from the wyvern. Sensing my retreat, the Tigrex stood tall with his winged forearms as it let out an ear-splitting roar, and then it charged at me with its jaws wide open. Each step it took shook the snow. As it was about to pounce me, it suddenly stopped its assault and jumped backwards away from me. I felt the ground beneath me crumbling. Too late to realize what was about to happen, I tried to jump out, but I was caught by the avalanche.
All I could see was white, and all I felt was the bruising I got from the rocks as I continued my downward descent. I could vaguely hear the roar of the Tigrex from above. After a while, I slid through a rock like it was a ramp that sent me flying, crash-landing on the trees. The branches cut and stung my arms as I protected my head. I tumbled around the branches and then fell hard on the forest floor covered in snow.
I laid there motionless, battered and wounded. I was drained of energy from my encounter with the Tigrex. I did my best to assess my situation. I could feel the pain from my broken ribs and dislocated right shoulder. I looked beside me at the left side of my abdomen and saw the snow colored in crimson red. I was losing blood. Thankfully, I felt my weapon and bag at my back.
I fought the pain as I moved my body to the right and with my left arm, reached for my bag. I laid on my back again as I got what I needed. I opened it to find the green vial, and I drank it. I could feel the alleviation of the pain of my body and the bleeding slowing down. After finishing it, I dropped the vial and just stared at the night sky. If it weren't for my dire situation, the falling snow and night sky would've been relaxing to me.
My eyes were getting heavy. I tried to fight it. It would be dangerous sleeping in this place and at my current state. I was still bleeding continuously. My armor would not last long at the cold, given that it was heavily damaged and most of the fur was teared from the avalanche.
"I ca-can't die here... I have t-to live. I ne-need to f-find h-him." I mustered what little ounce of my energy left in me to convince myself. It looked like a useless effort to me as it came out as a weak whimper. My voice was weakening from the cold.
The heavy feeling of tiredness finally overcame me, and my eyes drifted to a close. The last thing I saw was an orange tinged light before my eyes closed.
I was woken up by the chirping of birds and sunlight streaming down on my face. I was laying upright on a comfy bed with a pillow below my head. On my left was an open window showing daylight and clear skies. A pair of birds perched themselves on the window sill, singing songs to each other.
I tried to shield my eyes from the sunlight, but I couldn't for some reason. I then felt that my arms were covered by something, as well as my legs. I assumed that it was casting. I felt bandages surrounding my abdomen. I attempted to sit upright, but stabs of pain from my right shoulder made me wince.
"I wouldn't try doing that if I were you." A female voice gave me a warning. I swiveled my head to meet the person.
Sitting on a chair a few inches from me was a woman who looked like my age, wearing armor. She had a long braided cream colored hair that looked well-kept and clean. She had round turquoise eyes, and her facial features were delicate but held a stern stature that told him you wouldn't want to argue with her. Her armor was one of the best he had ever seen. Starting from the bottom, she wore pointed grieves with red-striped cuisses. She had her waistline covered with faulds accompanied with short tassets, and clipped on them were two small leather packets that were full of items. Covering her upper body were long vambraces, sturdy pauldrons, and a breastplate that accentuated her athletic and fit form. On her lap was a helmet with a face of an austere goddess that made it feel like it was staring at my soul. The whole armor set was colored in bronze with blood red motifs like her armbands and the Mohawk of her helmet.
She was undoubtedly beautiful, almost like a princess. Her intricately designed armor served to amplify her intimidating demeanor. If the intended effect was to flabbergast, terrify and smitten me, it definitely worked.
"You were found at the forest near this village just a couple of hours ago. Your condition is critical, so you'll need lots of rest." Her voice was also lovely with a hint of authority. Her statement didn't leave room for any excuses. I only nodded in response. She then stood up from her chair. "Good. Well, I'll be leaving for a quest today. I've postponed the request far too long to wait for you to wake up. See you around."
She put on her helmet and reached for something besides the corner of my bed and strapped it into her back. It was an oddly-shaped metallic grey Long Sword that looked like it was made with the same material as her armor. The place where the sharp tip was supposed to be was a blade bent like a half-finished ax head. The whole thing resembled that of a hybrid between a halberd and a katana.
"Sleep well. I bid you farewell." She then left through the door and closed it. I immediately drifted back to sleep.
I woke up to be greeted by the same view as the other day, only this time the woman wasn't there. I then felt another difference from before. My body felt light and relaxed.
I sat upright without difficulty and inspected myself. I was now wearing a short wool vest and shorts that exposed a lot of my body. The casts from my arms and the bandages on my abdomen were all gone now. My right shoulder felt wonderful to move. The only souvenir left from that night was a long scar on my abdomen on the left that stretched from my heart to just above the waist.
I now had a clear view of my residence. It was a normal-sized room with a single giant window held open by a stick. Beside me was a small drawer with books on top. The entrance and exit was at the right corner of the room, and near it was a massive storage chest that must weight a ton. There was also a small bonfire right next to the chest, keeping the place cozy and warm.
I repositioned myself to sit at the foot edge of the bed with my feet on the floor and stood up. As I walked around the room for a bit, I also saw that there was another section inside of this house. It was behind some cover, so it might be off-limits. With nothing else left to note, I went to the chest to open it. Surprisingly, the lid was lightweight when I opened it with ease.
Inside it were two compartments unequally divided. The smaller side contained my bag, and the bigger side contained all sorts of weapons, including my Hunter's Bow. Most of them were a mix of bone and metal, though there were a few that were really just bones. I only recognized the Great Sword and Lance.
"Oh, you're awake now." I turned my head to the door. A tall man with armor was leaning on the door frame. He had a rough and rugged voice. He had ash-colored hair and an eye patch hiding an eye with a long scar running on it from forehead to nose. Carrying under his arm was the armor I had on last night. He threw them at me and I catched it.
"Good. I'll let you prepare yourself for a few minutes before giving you a fun tour of this place. It would be rude of me not to do so, am I right?" He gave me a small grin. "Uhm, sure thanks." I said. He gave me a thumbs up and was about to close the door when I stopped him with a question. "Wait, where am I? What is this place? How-" He cut me short with a palm on my face. He laughed loudly. "Whoa there kid, slow down with the questions. I know you are pumped up to start as Pokke Village's Hunter, so have no worries that you'll get a taste of being one soon."
"Oh that's great, tha-" I stopped mid sentence at the last statement. "Wait, what did you say?" The man stopped laughing and stared at me with a now big grin. "I said you are the bona fide Hunter of Pokke Village." A few seconds passed and my eyes widened. "Eeehhhhh?!". The man chuckled at my reaction. "Now I know you are confused, but all will be revealed at our tour. Anyways, I'll leave you now for your preparations." He slammed the door with a thud, leaving a confused young man speechless.
I stared at my armor for a few minutes before shaking my head to clear it. The man said he'll answer my questions, and I'll have to take his word, so I might as well don't keep him waiting for too long. I then put on the armor. As I inspected it, I gave a silent applaud to the one who fixed it. With the damage I took that night, the armor would've been useless, but now it looks perfect in condition. I grabbed my Hunter's Bow and bag from the chest. After strapping both to my back, I looked at the mirror attached at the back of the door.
Thankfully there were bands that I could use to make a single braid on my long dark hair. As I stared at myself, I began to reflect on just how different I looked now than before. Staring at me was an assigned Hunter of a famed village. Everything was happening too quickly for me to process, and it was starting to make me nervous. Things did not happen according to plan. The blizzard, the Tigrex, and then the bombshell of an announcement. All of it was too much for me to take in.
Even so, I have to move forward. Anything is better than to go back to my hometown. I've already come this far to reach my destination, and I'm not stopping. Even if this all became a big misunderstanding and I was the wrong guy, I'd try my damn hardest to prove them otherwise.
I took a deep breath and exhaled. I forced a nervous smile and looked at the mirror. "Alright, let's do this." I opened the door and sunlight poured into me. I saw the man was waiting for me outside. He smiled and raised his arms on the side. "Fellow Hunter, welcome to Pokke Village, your new home. My name is Crag, and I'll be your tour guide. Let us begin."