Disclaimer- Still not an owner of Monster Hunter, just a fan.

Chapter 3 - A Faceless Friend

It would take a little over a week for Koryn to recover from his ordeal in the hills. His wounds had surprisingly not been very serious despite the amount of pain he had felt from them. The cuts and bites he had received, had made doing most things difficult, even with his ambidextrous abilities. What's more, he had earned a small bit of fame for his victory, something that had hindered the rest he needed. As the days went by he felt glad all the excitement behind his return had begun to wear down, though he still overheard a few other inexperienced hunters talk about it from time to time.

No one seemed to think he would have returned alive, many were simply more concerend about when the guild would put up the posting to have the velocidrome taken care of to consider that a nobody like himself would return victorious. When he had though, many gave him the congratulations he had earned. Old and new hunters alike seemed greatly impressed with his victory, and many had wanted a full recount of the experience.

Truthfully he had grown weary of telling the story after the first half a dozen times and was glad when he finally managed to get some rest back at Vul'kens forge. He was even pleased by the old mans lack luster remark upon his return, though he honestly had expected nothing short of a snide remark anyways.

"So your not dead eh?" the comment had made him chuckle despite the pain he was feeling at that moment. "It's good your mostly alright," the genuine care in the old mans voice was a bit surprising, and with a slight nod the young hunter agreed keeping to himself just how glad he was to hear it. The apprentice had learned to mostly keep any form of affection at a minimum, not because he resented his mentor, but more so to honor the professional relationship they had as student and teacher. He found it hard this time to hide the faint smile on his lips.

"Go get yourself cleaned up, leave your armor to me, I'll make sure you didn't damage it too badly," Koryn did as he was told without question, the thought of cleaning the sweat and grime off himself also sounded pleasant. After carefully removing the pieces of armor, he was able to see the full extent of his injuries for the first time. Several lacerations in his left arm seemed serious, but the stanched blood from the wounds told him otherwise. Perhaps if they had been a few inches lower, their might have been cause for concern. The fine lines of crimson from his shoulder, also told him how idiotic his final moments had been, but he was still a lucky fool. After carefully inspecting his injuries he silently left to go and wash himself off.

The watering basin swirled with clouds of dark red as he spent his time leisurely wiping away the caked on blood seeing the jagged lines of red from the parting of flesh along his limbs. In truth only his arms and shoulder seemed the worse for wear. He was certain if he had a mirror, he must have also be bruised in areas he could not see, but that was hardly the worst of it. The apprentice sighed gently, biting back a few sparks of pain as he dressed his hurt shoulder and limb to the best of his abilities. When he was done he returned back to his mentor, unaware of the nasty news he was about to receive.

"What do you mean I can't do anything?!" the young hunter asked flatly.

The blacksmith in training was displeased at being barred from being allowed to work, he knew hunting would have been out of the question as he would need recovery, but he felt his wounds were hardly serious enough to make him an invalid. He had been prepared to argue over the situation. His deep amber eyes regarded the elder with a predatory gaze. He had not meant to make himself seem fierce, but it had been a habit of his when he was trying to get his point across to his foster father-figure back in his village. To the old mans credit, Vul'ken did not back down, only returning with his own steely gaze. The youngster was about to protest, but before he could get a word in edge wise, he was cut off.

"It's for your own good...and mine," Vul'ken stated, the tension arose between the two as he continued "I can't be having my only help bleeding all over my shop, or getting yourself all banged up because you can't sit still," there was an edge to the old mans voice, the tone causing the taller yet inexperienced hunter to falter in his own resolve. "Your no use to me if your too battered to lift a hammer Koryn boy..." the wyverians voice had suddenly grown calmer, while still retaining some semblance of authority. "Get some rest...there will be plenty for you to do when your all healed up," once more the old craftsman allowed a slight bit of concern to be present, and the young hunter could do nothing but nod and do what was requested.

"Must have been one hell of a fight," his mentor commented seeing the remains of the velocidrome just as the hunter made to leave. "You cut the thing to ribbons," at the mention of this Koryns heart dropped, he had been hoping to use his first trophy as a means to augment his gear. The older blacksmith seemed to catch onto this and with a reassuring tone he stated he could still make due with that they had. With that the hunter felt a bit more at peace, and he would have to be patient while his body mended.

It was several days now since he had returned from the quest. Most of his wounds were closed and mending, save for the more extreme ones which had just begun to scab over, the young warrior sighed at how long his recovery was taking. Despite the assurance his new gear would be completed before he next set out, Koryn could not help but to try and sneak a peak into the shop from time to time during the next few days, if anything he viewed the childish antics as a means of training himself to stay hidden, something he knew would be valuable to him in the future. To say the least his "training" had mixed results.

Most times Vul'ken would catch him in the act of prying and shout for him to leave, which was usually followed by muttering and cursing about "Impatient youngsters". More recently, and on very rare occasions, the stealthy youth would manage to catch a few fleeting moments his master painstakingly fiddling with something, like thin strands of wire, small delicate rings, and even curing the vivid blue hide of the vanquished beast. Koryn never asked what all those things were for, despite his nagging curiosity, he knew better because in doing so he would only be admitting that he was spying and the result would most likely be painful.

Despite his best efforts, eventually he had been found out, and after a rather long stream of colorful language and a hefty lecture about listening to his betters, he had been barred from even stepping foot into the shop during certain hours of the day. The urge to continue with his prying had been strong, but the rebellious teen wasn't about to disobey such a strict order, not if he wanted to keep his apprenticeship intact. The hunter begrudgingly did as he was told and kept his distance from the shop when he had been told. He wondered around the town, mostly going towards the square to look at quest postings for the day despite being unable to participate with his gear being held hostage.

Koryn tried his best to only go during slow hours of the day, usually after the morning batch of fledgling hunters had set out on their missions. The recovering swordsman, had dreaded having to retell his story again, finding the attention he still garnered from time to time unsavory. The feeling was only enhanced by the fact he felt his success had mostly been due to some kind of luck on his part, even despite the positive opinion of others. The quest had made him aware just how unprepared he was for unseen circumstances, of course knowing everything was impossible, but he still felt like he was lacking. Usually after a few hours of this negative meditation, he would return, only to silently sit in the shop and say little. It was no secret the now dire mood of the apprentice, was even annoying Vul'ken, who at times almost missed the prying.

One morning, after inspecting the status of his recovery and reapplying fresh bandaged to his still wounded shoulder, Koryn had decided to go and see how the status of the new gear was coming along. He knew this early his mentor would have not started, and so it was safe for him to politely inquire on the subject. Once he was fully dressed in the casual thin attire most inactive hunters wore beneath their armor, he left the small room he had been allowed to bunk in beside the forge, and made to enter the welcoming work space.

Just as he ducked beneath the entryway of the small building the top of his head struck something hard and very solid. The hollow metal sound seemingly rung in his head just as much as it filled the small shop. The low din bounced around within his skull for a moment longer as he dared to open his eyes. Blinking away the subtle stars that danced on the corner of his vision, he contemplated if he had suffered a mild concussion, before he became aware of the larger figure standing before him.

"My goodness...are you alright?" the heavily armored hunter leaped back. The large grilled helmet and spiked collar of the bulky hunter was familiar, and he was rather surprised to see another hunter in the shop aside from himself. After a few more moments to recover from his shock, he was aware that the stranger before him, was not exactly a stranger at all.

"Uh...oh...yeah I'm fine...hullo...er...Zen?" the last bit was indeed a question as he managed to greet the larger hunter as his muddled mind was still trying to comprehend the situation. Luckily it seemed to distract him from his other wounds, though he very much preferred a sore shoulder then a sore head. After he regained his composure, he stood up carefully as to not cause another bout of dizziness, and regarded the armored individual with what he hoped was not a wince of continued agony. He realized how much larger the individual compared to himself, that bulky armor making the hunter appear like a giant compared to his slim frame.

"What...are you doing here?" Koryn asked curiously while trying not to sound rude. The young hunter regarded the hammer wielding warrior with a sense of deep appreciation. After all this was the same individual who had come to apparently assist him if he was still alive, or to have collected his remains had he indeed perished against the velocidrome over a week ago.

"Well...I was just passing by and wanted to see how you were doing," came the quick reply from behind the large grilled helmet. The slim hunter felt this was not all together the truth, but he did not pry out of courtesy. Before he could reply though the gentle sound of small feet announced that the two were not the only ones in the shop, and soon the old wyverian appeared behind the hulking armored hunter, regarding them both with a kind look.

"Actually I called Zen here..." Vul'ken stated in a matter of fact sort of way. The old blacksmith paused for a moment looking at the large set of armor. Koryn had been doing the same as Zen quickly turned around at the arrival of the master smith. The young hunter privately wondered what it was made of. He had before thought it was all metal, though seeing it up close and no longer in a state of extreme fatigue, he saw that along with metal it was composed of what looked like a grey monsters tough carapace.

"I see the Rhenoplos armor is holding together pretty well...Where was it again you came by it again?...very rare in these parts," the blacksmith said thoughtfully and at the same time answering Koryns unstated question.

"Er yes...It was my fathers," Zen replied quickly as if to put the matter to rest.

Vul'ken coughed gently and waved his palm "Anyways...I know you've been moping about boy," the retort was said with a hint of edge to it at the young hunter seemingly disappointing by the sad display Koryn had been for the past few days "and Zen here owed me a favor, so you'll be getting a nice tour of the village...even though you've been here for a few months now...you hardly have seen what there is to offer...and it will keep you out of what little remains of my hair!"

He nodded knowingly realizing that his sulking attitude had apparently struck some kind of nerve.

"Go and make yourself decent...and don't try to argue...just go...it's not everyday a higher ranking hunter agrees to look after a newbie, and besides," Vul'ken gave him an odd knowing glance "this could prove...lucrative for you," he added with a wink. Whatever hidden agenda the wyverian had went completely unnoticed by the now enthused apprentice.

Koryn quickly excused himself to return to the cramp living space he resided in, and pulled on a mostly clean tunic to hid his remaining bandages, and slipped on a pair of worn slacks. He new this did not really count as "decent" in any sense, but it was far less revealing than the under clothing he had been in before. After a few minutes, he found himself following in line beside the imposing presence of the Rhenoplos armored hunter. He did not say anything for a time, simply following beside his chaperon.

"I'm sorry you have to waste your time babysitting," he apologized as he finally decided to break the silence. He realized they were not walking towards the usual places he frequented. In fact he only knew of the shops in the square, the guild desk, the guild hall, and the forge. Those places where the only ones that concerned him, and as he walked he was beginning to realize he had indeed overlooked much that this town had to offer.

"It's nothing," Zen replied with a casual wave, the gentle thumping of armor followed before the hunter continued "by the way...does that hurt a lot?"

"What..my shoulder...no not really," the sense of worry seemed rather off coming from such a heavily armored individual, not to mention the two were not exactly friends, though he appreciated it none the less. "Though I guess having a nice big suite of armor for protection must be pretty nice," he said trying to break the awkwardness of there conversation while also giving a slight compliment to his companion.

He was mildly amused to hear what sounded like fruitful laughter behind the large helm.

"Yes, it has saved my neck once or twice," the larger hunter agreed enthusiastically. Hearing the mirth in his companions voice allowed the dark haired hunter to slowly relax.

There conversations continued as they walked, Zen seemed very interested it seemed in the ways of blacksmiths, and Koryn was all to happy to indulge his companion in anyway that he could. He was not as skilled as his two teachers, but it seemed to Zen that he was far more amazing regardless. The young hunter found himself feeling rather proud of himself, something he had not really felt for a few days now.

"Thanks again...you know for coming to collect me," he added as there conversation about his work seemed to slow to a crawl. The young hunter had not felt he expressed his gratitude enough beforehand. He had been rather worse for wear the last time he saw the hammer wielder.

"Oh...no...that was nothing," Zen seemed to brush it off, "I mean...I don't mean your nothing...er...your welcome," the hollow voice seemed to grow slightly higher from the exasperated reply.

"Why did you come get me anyways?" Koryn asked, trying not to sound rude once more.

"Well...you see I was mainly sent by the guild...though I had seen you around town, so when they reported about the Drome on the loose, I volunteered to go and get you...for better or worse."

"I see," he felt it better not to ask anymore, for fear of angering his guide. He let the information process for a bit. Koryn found it a bit odd the hunters guild would send anyone, though his guess was in was an act of self preservation. The idea a fledgling hunter died due to a botched listing most likely would have made the organization seem incompetent. Whatever the reason was, he honestly did not care all to much. His thoughts were quickly put to rest as he became painfully aware that he had not eaten anything all day. The sun was still up, but it was becoming midday.

"Do you happen to know where we can get something good to eat?" That moment a loud churning came from his gut, he felt his face grow slightly hotter from embarrassment. Zen only chuckled fruitfully again and with what he assumed was a nod lead the way.

They went in the direction of the town square, though before they got out into the open, they made a sharp turn into another crowded street. A large building was before them, the doors were open wide and he could hear a lot of laughter coming from deep inside. Before the swordsman could even ask where it was they were, he was already past the large oaken doors.

Inside he saw many hunters all crowded around large tables, many hard large tankards of what he guessed would be ale or other similar spirits. As the two lingered he could smell the aroma of nicely cooked meats and various foods. He was surprised he never took notice of the building, it really did seem he had a lot to learn about the village, not just where it was to buy hunting tools.

"Go find us a seat, I'll go and see about getting some food," his heavily armored companion announced. The fledgling hunter did not argue and so he went to find a place for the two to have a seat. The idea of privacy was nonexistent in this place, though as he made his way around to find a place to sit, he gradually felt more comfortable. It was hardly any different than the pub back home, though of course it was far larger and more crowded. This time he was a hunter though, so he felt less out of place than back then.

Getting a place to sit was like a game of musical chairs, except there was no music and not so much chairs as empty spots on large wooden benches. Once you found a seat though you quickly had to move, because if you were slow someone else would claim the spot. He found a place to sit where the two could be mostly comfortable, and once he did he simply waited. Thankfully he did not have to for long.

"Not bad...close to the stage too," Zen remarked after appearing from the crowd. "Food is on its way," he did not have time to ask about the mentioned stage, just then a girl appeared carrying two large plates. She wore a dress that resembled a traditional Dirndl, the skirt was very striking as a billowed out just a bit allowing him to see her long stockings and black polished shoes. He guessed many male patrons would appreciate the girls attire. The fragrance of flowers was about her, and he noticed she wore a wreath of small white and pink blossoms in her braided blond hair.

"Hope you enjoy fellas," the smiling maiden said as she left plates and two small metal mugs of cool water before them, she gave a small little curtsy and winked at him. Koryn felt his cheeks grow warm once more and managed a very awkward thanks, much to the amusement of his companion.

"Quiet the lady killer eh?"

He mostly ignored the remark and looked at his food. The spread was impressive, there were smoked sausages of some kind, and thick meaty ribs slathered in a savory sauce. For sides there were boiled potatoes and what looked like bread, though perhaps it was a stone of sorts judging by its rather odd shape and mild earthen color.

"This is pretty standard fare," the hammer wielding hunter remarked. "There are other options, but those are reserved for higher ranked individuals or for a bit of extra zenny."

"So...are you also a newbie hunter?"

"No...I'm in fact a rank three hunter...but I didn't feel the need to boast and eat a finer meal than you," he actually appreciated the sentiment,he was not new to the concept of a hunters rank as it had been explained to him before in detail during his training, he wasn't aware that aside from stronger targets, that a higher rank had other benefits. He had to admit was curious just how much better the food got the higher in ranking he was, as well as what other perks there may be. The questions would have to wait a few minutes though, as the gnawing in his gut reminded him that it demanded food.

Without another word the two began to dig in, mostly using there hands to eat the meal. The young swordsman grabbed a hold of a rib and bit into it with ravenous appetite. With a side long look he noticed his companion tearing small morsels of the food from the bone, and would insert it carefully into the large slits of his helm to not make a mess. Koryn wondered why it was his escort did not remove the impeding garb.

"It's to much a pain to take off...I'm fine though thank you," Zen replied casually, and with shrug Koryn went back to his meal, not one to voice his opinions on a persons life choices nor wanting to offend his pleasant guide.

The two spoke as they ate. The dark haired hunter decided to ask more what it meant to be a more experienced hunter. His companion seemed more than happy to share the knowledge pertaining to the subject. Somethings he already knew, like the basic reasons for being a hunter and what it was they did. As the subject of rank an elevation once more came up, his attention was fully focused on the armor wearing individual. As the subject seemed to turn back onto itself in a circle, he was nearly floored by another fact he had not been aware of.

"So...there is an academy for training hunters?" he was perplexed by the idea of an actual school of sorts for this kind of thing. The heavily armored hunter shifted, and he assumed that was a nod of sorts behind the bulky helmet.

"Yes...you see...before an aspiring hunter had to usually find a master to train under, much like you managed to do it seems," the dark eyed teen listened intently "that method though is a bit...for lack of a better word...dated."

"Dated?" Koryn asked, his tone held more of an edge then he had meant to.

Zen's hands went up in a placating manner before continuing "Dated as in hardly the norm any longer," with that the recovering hunter relaxed.

"So this academy...is it a new thing?" the fiery eyed swordsman ventured, though he had an inkling he would not like the response.

"To my knowledge no...I don't exactly know how long ago the hunters guild established it, but it was designed to overcome the few shortcomings the traditional had," the hollow sounding hunter replied.

"Shortcomings?" there was no hint of tension this time, only genuine curiosity. The bulky hunter was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking of a reply that would perhaps not cause any offense or misunderstanding.

"Like I said before...the old method required an individual to find a veteran hunter and to establish a master and apprentice relationship," after a brief moment Zen continued "the problem with that is, not all villages have a veteran hunter experienced enough to take on the role as teacher nor are they always willing to," Koryn nodded knowingly, it had been a chore in getting Ferrum to agree to his training after all, and he was fortunate to have lived with him for virtually his entire life. He sat silently as his companion went on.

"So that meant that an interested party would usually need to travel far to find an able and willing teacher, which usually takes time and would expose an aspiring hunter to many dangers," again as silence ensued the experienced hunter went on "If a fledgling hunter did manage to find a mentor, then they would of course be trained and accompany their teacher into the wilds for several years to hone their skills...this is probably what you went through no doubt."

"Yeah," the swordsman replied casually.

"Well in our line of work, mortality rates can be high, especially for an untrained or ill prepared trainee," there was a halfhearted chuckle behind the large hollow helm.

"That and usually a master hunter could only manage to take one or two, maybe on rare occasions three, students at a time," there was a pause long pause from the armored hunter "sad to say, success rates of becoming a hunter were usually very low that way." Koryn was slowly starting to see the bigger picture. He let himself mull over over everything he had learned in in a few short minutes. He felt like some country bumpkin rather than a hunter as he reviewed over his seemingly archaic means of obtaining his goals. After a few more moments he ventured to ask more questions.

"So how does the academy rectify these problems?"

Zen had continued with his meal as the slim hunter had been deep in thought. After quickly swallowing the mouthful of food before turning towards Koryn once more. There was a slow drawn out breath from behind the grill of the helmet, and the less experienced hunter knew he was in for a long another long explanation. He made sure he was comfortable in his seat before it began.

After another few minutes, the bandaged hunter was aware just how the guild had come up with an impressive solution. Rather than one singular complex, as he had originally thought, the guild had made a network of several academies for all hunters to travel to with relative ease. In addition the guild hired high ranking, and retired veteran hunters as mentors for the candidates. The amount of mentors allowed for larger groups of hunters to be trained, and they were taught in the ways of combat and survival against monsters in a controlled and contained environment. It was at that moment the captivated hunter found himself unable to stay silent.

"How is that even possible?" Koryn questioned with awe. The idea of a controlled hunt seemed odd and unnatural to him.

"Capture quests," Zen replied flatly.

"I don't follow," the dark haired hunter replied after a moment.

"At times the guild hires hunters to capture certain monsters out in the wild for the sake of training striving hunters," at this the younger hunter frowned mildly not to keen on the idea of this "training" he said nothing though and allowed his companion to continue. "The guild pays hunters nicely for the jobs of course, and the captured monsters are taken to a facility where they are fought in order for the fledgling hunters to gain combat experience."

"Isn't that like cheating?"

A deep laugh came from behind the large helmet, it did not sound malicious, though Koryn was unsure if it was meant for him, or just his words. The inexperienced hunter was quiet none the less.

"That is one way of putting it I suppose...though I guess if you had said that to any other academy trained hunter they might have knocked you flat on your ass!" Zen remarked, still chuckling softly.

The fiery eyed teen realized he had said something that could have been extremely insulting. As he made to apologize, an armored hand was held up before he could utter another word.

"Don't worry about it I'm not the kind to lose my cool over a harmless question, but keep in mind some may not be so level headed," at that the bandaged hunter ventured to look around at his surroundings, half expecting to see several pairs of eyes, staring dangerously at him for his remark. He was happy to see the loud nature of the mess hall had kept their conversation fairly private, though he would keep in mind to watch his words in the future.

"So your an academy trained hunter as well?"

"In a sense...I was mostly taught by my old man back home, but being an active duty hunter left him little time to really teach me anything but how to swing a hammer about, so I ended up finishing my final training at the academy," Zen replied in good humor.

"What was that like?"

"Well...it was mostly er...arena fighting...and even the final test is a fight in the arena," Koryn noticed the hesitation in his companions voice.

"What was the final test?" again their was a deep sigh behind the helmet, the young man had quickly learned that was usually a sign that he should have kept his mouth shut.

"We...have to fight a monster...usually something along the lines of a Velocidrome in a two or more person team."

To say he was floored was a bit of an understatement. Crushed may have been a more apt word as the younger hunter gawked at his helmeted host. He blinked a few times, unsure of what else to say.

"I see," he managed with slight downcast eyes.

"Don't let that take away from your accomplishments though kid," Zen quickly replied, seemingly aware of how the younger hunters pride took a hit from the reveal.

"Like I said we have to fight the thing with at least a partner in an arena, not an open field as you did," heavily gloved hands moved in a flurry of motion as the more adept warrior spoke " whats more the poor creature doesn't have a pack or anything to come to its aid...so what you did is still quite a feat."

The dark haired blade user could not help but grin at the almost comical way the other warrior so excitedly spoke and tried to dispel his doubt. He allowed himself a soft laugh and nodded in agreement. Koryn expressed his thanks, and had decided to let the subjects of the academy and hunting lay to rest for the moment. Instead he tried to change the flow of conversation to less related things, though it always would circle back towards hunting.

"So whats this about a stage?" the inexperienced hunter asked changing the subject, with a nod from his companion he looked to see a large theatrical stage not far to the left. He had not even noticed it in his awe of the place. The rest of the crowd also looked upon it just as a very attractive women walked onto the stage. Her skin was like caramel, but she wore similar attire as the other serving girl. Before he could ask what was going on she began to sing a very nice upbeat melody, something that seemed both relaxing, and very bright. He listened for a few long moments before he was reminded just how hungry he was and went to eat as the singer performed.

Even for what was considered the lowest of meals, he found the food very tasty, though as he ate he also began to grow thirsty and had long since emptied his water. As if by some magic or clairvoyance the same pretty serving girl came back with two heavy mugs of a deep amber drink. Once more with a charming smile and a wink she left them to enjoy their drinks.

Koryn looked into the metal vessel and saw the liquid was of a dark color, and it smelled rather pleasent. The subtle fragrance of alcohol was present though and he grew a bit hesitant. The young adult had not induldged in spirits since he was back home. Ferrum had insisted the two have a drink together when he had come of age and was a full fledged hunter. The strong brew back home had rerally hit him hard, and he had not really enjoyed it all too much.

Zen had no such misgivings though, and with a deft practice, the larger hunter lifted the tankard to the rim of the spiked armored collar and poured the sweet smelling liquid down into the helmet. There was no spillage of any sort, and his companion did not put the mug down until it was completely empty.

"It's not to strong...give it a try," his companion urged. Not wanting to seem like a coward, he lifted his own vessel and drank deeply from it. The mild tang of alcohol was there, but it was not as strong as the drink back home. In fact it had a rather fruity, honeyed flavor to it and he enjoyed it immensely. He did his best to drain the large tankard in one go, a little bit of the refreshing drink dripping down his chin. With a content gasp he slammed the cup down, a bit harder than intended, but the action got a nice response from the surrounding hunters who noticed the two of them.

"There ya go!" Zen shouted clapping him on the back, and with a motion made a gesture that must have been a signal for more drinks, because moments later their empty containers were replaced with full ones.

After two more he began to feel a pleasent buzz from the alcohol. His inhibitions also began to mellow out, and began to chat with not only Zen, but other hunters that shared the large table with them. He of course could not see how he was acting, though his voice at times grew loud. Zen on the other hand showed no sign of drunkedness, of course it was impossible to see in the heavy armor anyways.

"So...the damn thing charged me!" he exclaimed as he retold his story about his encounter with the Drome to the other hunters request. He was not sure if he said it right, but the others all seemed to enjoy it and did not question him so he assumed it was at least entertaining. Slowly the talking began to turn into a drinking competition. When it seemed everyone near by was finished eating, they began to all drink heavily and try to out due on another.

Koryn was awed by just how practiced a drinker his friend was. He tried not to be outdone, but by the end of it all he managed six full tankards, and most of a seventh before he began to feel his resolve falter. He laughed loudly and slammed his fist on the table with his good arm. He did not realize it had grown so late until they finally left.

"I'm so very sorry," Zen said with a slight stagger as they left. "Here I was...supposed to show you around...but instead...your as drunk as a Jaggi on nulberries!" there was a very high laughter in the air as the heavy set hunter walked beside him.

"I'm drunk!...You can barely even walk!" Koryn defended himself, though he was no better as he nearly stumbled even on the flat path.

"We must look like complete idiots!"

"Yeah...but we are happy fools!"

"Truer words have not been spoken friend."

The slim hunter did not realize it yet, but he had actually made a freind that day. In fact aside from Vul'ken, this individual was the only other person he felt completely fine around, and he had never seen their face. It did not really matter though, he was far to inebriated to care, and once they managed a ways, the two parted and went to their respective homes.

That evening as he slowly regained his senses, he hoped that today wasn't just some favor to an old man. The following few days proved to be what he had hoped for. He left the shop with Zen early in the monring, and the two mostly talked. Zen was very knowledgable of Minegarde, and proved to be a vast resevoir of hunting knowledge when it came to the areas nearby. Koryn also contributed, by expressing more of his knowledge on the subjects of weapon care and the like. The two even shared a bit more of their own personal lives.

He came to learn that Zen came from a place called Loc Lac, a place of mostly desert. He learned of the sand skiffs they used as travel, as well as other things. When the subject of family came up, he very casually stated that he had not known his, and that Ferrum was the closest things to a family he had. His heavy armored friend seemed a bit somber from the fact, but he had assured he was at peace with it. Zen on the other hand had a full family, a mother, father, and even a brother, though the subject did not come up much, he guessed in order to spare his feelings.

The days went by quickly and his recovery seemed to speed up with the change in his mood. He now had a friend to talk with, someone more like him and even the thought of seeing the individual beneath the armor became something of mild importance to him. He had made up some theories pertaining to the fact. Perhaps Zen had a large scar he did not want showing, or maybe even looked so frightening other hunters shirked away, whatever the reason it didn't really matter so long as the two could get along.

Koryn did take notice in a few things though, many times his friend seemed to act very much like any other hunter; loud, and at times overwhelming. However very few moments, his friend showed a far more gentler side, and he was surprised each time it showed, but he said nothing for fear of wounding his companions pride.

The days went by smoothly, and though he enjoyed his time with Zen, his mind did drift back to Vul'ken and the secret project he was working on. Fortunetally the need to know was not as compelling as before, and so he waited patiently and made little effort to try and pry further.

The recovering hunters patience would be rewarded in the end.

A few days after he made a full recovery and no longer needed to worry of bandages Vul'ken had called him over to the shop. Thinking he would be able to help with something, he had leapt from his resting place and quickly made his way into the small forge. His excitement was evident and the old man simply gazed at him with mild amusement.

"Theres no work for you boy," the master replied much to his dismay, but before he could pout he noticed a large tarp over the work bench he usually occupied. Without a word he made his way towards it, and with no hesitation he pulled the coverings off and gasped aloud at the items beneath.

His plate metal armor now had trapping of vivid blue and striking black integrated into it. Vul'ken had not held back from using the many claws and fangs Koryn had brought back to decorate the edges and select parts of his protection. He took notice in the faded crests of the lesser monsters used primarily on his left arm guard, and the claws that pointed from the gauntles.

His weapons also sported a similar make-over, the blue hide of the larger creature and its bright red crest decorated the sides and edge of his blade most likely for show rather than use. Koryn marveled at the work for a few moments before he turned to express his thanks, but before he could the elder blacksmith cut him off.

"You'll be needing this too," Vul'ken replied as he presented him with a shirt of delicately strung rings. He now knew what the wire and rings the old man had been tinkering with had been used for. The chainmail shirt had been made with painstaking effort, the woven rings would keep all but the thinnest points from piercing through.

"It will add a bit of weight, but it'll give most beasts a hell of a time trying to get past it," the wyverian announced proudly. Koryn did not doubt it would give him added porotection, and the thought behind the labor was not lost to him.

"Thank you," was all he could manage for now. His mentor nodded with a knowing look and sat down, lighting his pipe at the same time.

The urge to dawn the new set was overwhelming, and so he carefully peeled off his clothing down to his trousers and carefully put it all on. The newly added chainmail fit comfortably beneath the other layers of scaly metal armor, and he did not need a mirror to know it fit him well and made him seem all the more impressive.

"Well now...seems you've reocovered nicely," came a hollow sounding voice from the entrance of the shop. The young hunter jumped, and much to his surprise so had Vul'ken, as they both turned to the entry way. Standing there was the bulky, hammer wielding hunter. The large domed helmet and spiked collar was unmistakable.

"Oh...Hullo Zen," he replied, trying not to show his bewilderment. He was secretly impressed how his friend had even managed to sneak up on them with little noise in the cumbersome looking suite.

"What can I do for you?" the small wyverian asked, slowly exhaling a stream of smoke.

"I was actually here to recruit your uh...pupil?" the other hunter remarked. "That is...if he is ready to put a few scratches in that pretty new armor of his," there was a slight chuckle behind the slitted helm.

Koryn flexed gingerly in his armor, feeling his limbs were fine if just a bit stiff from lack of activity. "Bet your hammer I am," he replied before thinking how childish his reply had been.

Vul'ken took notice, but had mercy on the boy and said nothing, he simply excused himself so the two could go over whatever bussiness the larger hunter had.

"So what can I help with?" he asked when he was alone with the hammer wielder.

"Seems there is an Arzuros causing trouble for a honey farmer out in the misty peaks," the hollow voiced hunter replied. Koryn did not know much of the location that had been mentioned, but he did know of the target being discussed. The large ursine monster was not unknown to him, and he had a bit of a fondness for it due to its likeness in appearence to his caretaker back home.

"Is this a kill order?" he asked curiously, he was graced with another very soft chuckle but was assured it was not. It seemed the honey farmer only wanted the beast relocated, it was mutually beneficial to have around as it kept other more gluttonous monsters from eating every ounce of honey, but it was now over engorging itself on the sweet substance and so had to be removed or the farmers livelihood would be at stake.

"The idea is to scare it off...or capture it so the Guild can relocate it somewhere farther away from the clients usual gathering spots," the young swordsman nodded thoughtfully, glad he would not have to put down this particular animal this time. He was even more so pleased that it would most likely not end up as some fodder for the arena.

The two made plans to meet up the following day, allowing for him to prepare his supplies and make ready. He had never captured a monster alive before, and so he relished in the challange after being inactive for so long. He spent the remainder of the day and evening making sure he was fully stocked and ready for the quest. His flasks were refilled, and his items fully stocked.

Later that evening he realized he might need additional tools, and had decided to get up early before the agreed time and when the shops just began to open. His reasoning to try and beat any rush for the shops and to get the best supplies he could. That evening he wondered what it would be like to hunt with another individual, he supposed he would not have to worry so much about being alone, and that was a comfort he held onto as he settled down to sleep.

The following morning he left the blacksmiths shop even before the old coot was awake. He carefully put on his armor, and made sure his twin blades were secured to his back before leaving and making his way to where all the stalls and shops set up not far from the guild board. He went to one in particular, knowing it was open early and was manned but a very nice shop-clerk.

"Oh...well hello," the young girl at the shop counter had seemingly just set up shop. Despite this she seemed to brighten up as he approached, and gingerly batted her eyes as she greeted him.

"Hi," he said back with a small wave, missing the subtle attentive tone in the girls voice, Koryn may have been talanted in many things, but dealing with the opposite sex was not his strong suit much to Ferrums enjoyment back home. Often he teased the young man and his lack of skill with the ladies.

"How can I help you today?" she continued, she leaned a bit closer over her counter. He took some notice in the way she seemed to draw near, he assumed to get a closer look at the new gear he wore. He also took notice in the tiny little freckles she had on her cheeks, they looked very cute to him, but he did not make any mention and continued to name things from his mental list.

The young woman seemed to dash about for the things he requested, and was genuinely apologetic if she lacked anything he requested. Koryn was impressed by her costumer service and would reply kindly at the bad news, assuring that it was alright and he could make do without.

As he concluded his bussiness, he heard the approach of someone else. He made a quick glance over his shoulder to see the heavy set frame of his hunting companion.

"Bright an early I see...," Zen replied. The slimer hunter waved back and returned with a good morning. The girl behind the counter seemed to suddenly grow a bit tense. Her greeting was a tad less friendly then the one she had given him.

"What did you do to make her mad?" he asked as they left the pouting girls shop.

"I've not the slightest idea," his broad companion remarked. Koryn softly chuckled, guessing his friend was also not much of a "lady killer".

"The peaks are a few days travel, even by airship...hope you don't mind," the hammer user replied. Koryn had no issues, but he did hope that the long travel would not compremise the mission, though he supposed that was just a common risk in the hunting world.

Once they both were prepared they boarded the flying vessel to be on their way. It was very fortunate the day seemed to be nice and clear, a slight breeze blew and promised a smooth take off and he hoped a pleasent trip there. His energy seemed to spike as he watched Minegard grew smaller and slowly fade from view.

"Have you ever been there?" Zen asked after a few moments of silence. It came to his attention he had not spoken much at all to this.

With a gentle shake of his head he said he had not, and it seemed even his more experienced comrade also rarely visited the peaks.

"I guess this will be an adventure for us both then," he concluded with a grin.

He did not need to see his friend smile behind the large helmet to know they were both in agreement, and soon they became deep into conversation over what they would do in order to capture their target. They had a few days to plan it out after all.

-End Chapter-

A/N: Here it is at long last, Chapter 4, or 3 if not counting the prologue. Not a lot of action but we got to meet a new character.

I hope all my readers have a great Holiday season. Sorry I was a bit late on posting this one, life got in the way but expect another chapter soon, hopefully before Christmas.

Who else is excited for Monster Hunter: World coming up in less then two months, and the Beta next week?

I want to thank you all for your support, and also thank Reshkrom11531153 for favoriting my story.

Keep your comments coming, I really do appreciate it and if I missed anyone else I am sorry, just know I appreciate the support. Have a good Holiday season

Happy Hunting