The Lost Civilization: Driven

By: Thomas A. Hawk

Edited by: dashboardgecko

Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The rights of the game belong entirely to Capcom. This is a fanwork taking place in the setting of The Lost Civilization, another fanwork of the Monster Hunter games. The world and its characters, aside from those newly created for the sake of this story, are property of dashboardgecko

Chapter 7- The Renewal

Several years after the death of the Alatreon…

"You sure that's the place?"

"From what I gathered from the other traders around these parts, yeah. The owner of Geisel Sundries lives there with her husband. Sure is out of the way…"

"They've been trying to keep a lower profile, I guess."

"Doesn't really surprise me. They never sounded like the glory-hogs some of you hunters make yourselves out to be, eh, Rosie?"

"You're making it seem like we don't earn that glory, cutie. Don't you remember the story I told you about that Agnaktor I fought last month? Or do you need a refresher?"

"Heh, you know I remember 'em just fine. You make it a point to tell me all about 'em anyways. Multiple times, too."

Lloyd stared ahead at the house before them. It was a nice, cozy looking home, fit for a small family at best. It stood close enough to the town that it wasn't a complete chore to travel between the two by foot, but far enough that the place seemed relatively uninvolved with the going-ons of the nearby village. The structure sat at the top of a small hill, giving it a very quaint feel. He'd probably have taken a picture if he had his camera on him.

"…Do you guys mind waiting back at town for me? It shouldn't take too long."

"Are… you sure you don't want us to stay?"

"Yeah… I think this is something I'd prefer to do on my own. Don't think they'd appreciate a full group knocking on their door either."

"C'mon Sel, there's no point arguing with the guy. This was his idea anyways, so let him do what he thinks he needs to do."

"Oh… Oh, alright… We'll be waiting for you at the tavern. I'll make sure these two don't get into any trouble. Take your time out here, okay?"

"Sure thing."

Lloyd watched as Selipa, Rosa, and Zack began to make their way back towards the small settlement known as Perir Town off in the distance before returning his gaze back towards the Geisel's house. He let out a short sigh before ascending the hill towards the house, supporting his bad leg with a three foot long cane, the head of which was decorated with a silver bird's head. He'd been a little slower ever since the Alatreon's attack on Loc Lac and his near-death at the vicious dragon's talons, but now, he just considered himself lucky to even be alive, especially after seeing what had actually happened to the city after waking up several weeks after the attack. At the time, though, he'd been… preoccupied with other things.

Despite his hobble it didn't take too long for him to crest the hill and come to a stop before the house's door. The wood was scratched and jagged in several spots, like something sharp had been dragged across it several times, probably by accident. He lightly rapped his knuckles against the door, hearing a few footsteps come from somewhere within the house, and after a few moments the door opened, revealing a noticeably pregnant woman of average height with light brown hair.

"Can I help you?" she asked with a quizzical look. "You're not from the carpenter, are you? You don't look like you're delivering anything..."

"What? No, I'm… not here about any business stuff," Lloyd said in reply. "You're Ellie, right? Or do you prefer Eleanor?"

"Yeah, I'm Ellie. Or Eleanor, I don't really mind either way. And you are?"

"I'm Lloyd. Lloyd Tyrfen."

"Tyrfen…? That's… familiar. Do I know you?"

"We met once. A long, long time ago. That's beside the point though," he continued, twisting the bottom of his cane in the dirt below. "I was wondering… is your husband home? Is Levin here?"

"Yeah, he-" Ellie cut her words short, her gaze sharpening into an untrusting and scrutinizing look. "Why?"

"I… was hoping to talk with him about something."

"He doesn't really like unannounced drop ins like this, Mister Tyrfen. Neither do I, for that matter. If you're looking for a story or you want to meet the 'famous hunters' or you want to thank us or… something else, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave. We live out here for a reason: we like our privacy and try to keep it. You want to talk to Levin about old stories, try and catch him at the tavern one of these days, but even then you'll be lucky to get anything out of him. Now if you'll excuse me-"

Ellie made to close the door then, but before she could, Lloyd stuck the base of his cane between the frame and the door, keeping it open just a crack.

"Wait, please… It'd be a lie to say that some of what you said isn't the reason I'm here, but there's more to it than just that. Much more. But… I just wish to talk with you both a little."

Ellie gave him a sour look through the crack of the door, but looked down at his cane, then back into her house for a few moments, and once more back to him, this time with an ever so slightly lighter expression.

"…I'll consider it, but on one condition. You tell me where we met before first."

"It's not anything really special. Your father hired me to take your family photos back… back in our time. The tip you all left me helped me get some new equipment for my studio. You… also laughed at me when I knocked my head against the ceiling."

"Did I…? How can you remember that? Even without the crystals, that would've been at least… maybe eight years ago, before the attacks started..."

"The wait was a little shorter for me, but I… well, like I said, your father's tip really helped my business along. Plus, you had a rather nice home. There was a painting above the fireplace I used as a background for all of you. Your parents were on either side of you for that shot. That was the one they liked the most, actually… Probably because I spent so much time trying to get the lighting right."

"I… Hmm. It sounds familiar, but still… I think I'll have to ask Dad about it just to be sure."

"Daniel, right? He runs the printing shop in Perir." Ellie's expression shifted slightly at his words, and she opened the door a little more to get an easier look at him. He breathed a short sigh of relief before pressing on. "I live in Nastre now, so word of Geisel Printing wasn't too hard to catch, considering how big a deal it is. And… well, I recalled 'Geisel' being your family's last name. So, I went to your father and asked if he could point me in your direction. It took some effort, but... Well, here I am. He says hello, by the way."

"That's… How do you remember a single surname, of all things?"

"If there's anything I still remember from our time, it was my job, and the people who showed me kindness. Please Ellie, I know you and your husband wish for your privacy, and I'm truly sorry to be hassling you like this, but… I would just like to talk with you both. I'd be thankful for even five minutes, really."

"Well… Alright, fine. Come on in."

Ellie stepped to the side, and Lloyd made his way into the house after making a grateful bow towards her, glancing around at some of the decorations on the walls. It was about as cozy on the inside as it seemed on the outside. The brown-haired woman led him down the hall and into a small sitting room, where Lloyd saw a man with darker, rugged brown hair, sitting with his legs propped up on a short table. He had a very muscular build befitting a monster hunter, though curiously his right arm and leg seemed a touch thinner beneath the sleeves and pants than the left. The right side of his face was covered with some sort of half-mask as well, leaving only a single brown eye visible to him. He glanced up at Lloyd and raised an eyebrow before turning towards Ellie.

"Who's this?" he asked, nodding towards Lloyd. "Someone from town?"

"No Levin, this is Lloyd. He said he wanted to talk with us about a few things."

"Sorry for the interruption," Lloyd said, extending a hand towards the hunter. "I don't mean to stay too long."

Levin studied Lloyd for a moment, glancing once at his wife before reaching forward to shake his hand. His gloved hand was slightly cooler than Lloyd had been expecting. He didn't mention it, though, instead lowering himself into a chair opposite the hunter while Ellie took her place beside her husband.

"You will not believe how hard it was tracking the two of you down," Lloyd began, glancing between them. "I guess that's a good thing though. If it wasn't, you'd probably have fans knocking on your doors every day."

"That's the idea. It was bad enough in Boma, and that was a small village, not like Perir," Levin said. He motioned towards Lloyd's cane. "You have any trouble getting up here?"

"No, it wasn't too rough. My leg isn't really that bad, but it gives me trouble after a while without some support. Besides, I always wanted a cane sword, so it gave me an excuse to have one."

Levin digested the words for a moment before nodding. "That's as good a reason as any, I guess… How exactly did you find us though? The Guild and most of our friends in town wouldn't tell people where we live just like that. So if you figured it out… then others might too."

"Like I told Ellie, it's actually kind of simple. I've been trying to find you two for… a couple years now I'd say. The entire time I was asking for Levin or Ellie, and I kept getting the 'dropped off the face of the planet' response. You two are really well known by your first names. But… then I remembered Ellie's last name, which her father kindly decided to put up on the front of his printing business. It was easy for me to connect the dots from there, but I don't think it would be that simple for anyone who doesn't look for your last name."

"You knew Ellie?"

"Barely. I took pictures for the Geisels back in our time, nothing else. But I suppose that's enough about how I got here… I guess I'll be frank: you two are the ones that slew the Alatreon, right?"

"Yes, but… if you're asking for a story about the hunt-"

"I'm not interested in that, to be honest," Lloyd cut in with a wave of his hand. "I was wondering… did you have a link with the Alatreon? Like a… mental connection or something?"

"Yeah, but most Lost did. Especially the ones in Loc Lac during the riots."

"But yours was a little stronger than that."

Levin nodded slowly. "Unfortunately."

"What… what was it like?"

Ellie gave Levin a concerned glance while the hunter shifted uncomfortably in his seat, glancing towards his right arm before returning his gaze to the photographer.

"Probably as bad as you can imagine, and then a little worse, I'll tell you that much. But why do you want to know?"

"It was painful, wasn't it?" he asked, feeling his grip tighten on the head of his cane as he turned his gaze to the floor. "Having that dragon tormenting you without really having a way to fight back… Never really knowing when it was going to happen next. Fearing when it would happen next."

Levin was quiet for a long moment, frowning as he stared down at his own hands. "I… yeah. Yeah, that's… that's just about the jist of it. How do you-"

"Levin, first off, I just want to say thank you," Lloyd said, closing his eyes and taking a long breath. "It was because of you that I didn't have to do what you did on that mountain."

"What do you mean?" Ellie asked.

"The Alatreon… it didn't just single Levin out. It targeted other Lost too. Ones who… who were supposed to take Levin's place if he died. Ones who were supposed to keep its game going a little longer, you could say. And… I was the first one the Alatreon picked after you."

"You… you were? I see. I knew… I know the dragon said that once it was done with me it would… it would move on, pick out another Lost and start the cycle over again. Someone like me, who had enough rage and hate in them to…" Levin paused, looking up at Lloyd. "But I didn't know it already had someone in mind. I thought that… I thought it would've just picked someone out at random."

"It probably was random. I don't know how many others there were, just that I was next. As you can probably tell, I'm not nearly as impressive as you are. I could hardly use a hunter's short sword, and you were swinging around one of those giant great swords earlier on in your career, right? And I hear you use the switch axe now, which probably isn't much lighter. Point is… I know I'd never have lasted if it had fallen to me. So thank you for making it so that I never had to."

"Oh, jeez, how many times… Look, just because I was the one who finished- Hold on. The way you were talking about the bond earlier… If you were the Alatreon's next target, then… did you…?"

"I did. There were a few weeks that it enjoyed mentally torturing me to vent its anger. You were really good at pissing that thing off, huh?"

Ellie winced at the words, and Levin's expression shifted slightly as well. Clearly they were both very familiar with that nightmare... He didn't blame them at all for not saying anything though. Even now, some of the images the dragon had sent him all those years ago were still fresh in his mind. Some more than others. Even Lloyd didn't want to bring up those painful memories again. Still, he couldn't stop now. After he had said those words, an uncomfortable silence had hung in the air. He had to get this all off his chest while he had the chance.

"It threatened the lives of my friends- both my old ones whom I spent my first few weeks in this world searching for, and the new ones I made on the way. It… it had some kind of sick pleasure in trying to make me buckle under the weight of those threats. I couldn't tell anyone I was traveling with about it, or else the dragon would come and slaughter us all. I guess it was so ticked at you that it was trying to regain some kind of control with the next best thing... Me."

"You make it sound like it was hard. It was like a child throwing a tantrum. I told it I didn't want to play its game by it's rules anymore, and it… well. But if it did that to you, why are you thanking me of all things? Most people in a situation like yours would hate me for what happened, would be out for revenge or something like that… You wouldn't be the first."

"Levin…"

"Ellie, you know what I mean… The Alatreon was at its worst when I told it I wasn't going to try and fight it anymore. It didn't speak to me for months. That's when it probably went after Lloyd…"

Before they could argue the details, Lloyd let out a short cough to gain their attention.

"Honestly, I was angry at first," Lloyd admitted. "For the longest time I wished that you could've taken the brunt of that thing's fury instead so that it would've just left me alone. But… you've had your fair share of hardships too. What I had to deal with was just a fraction of the shit the Alatreon probably put you through. You'd been dealing with it for years, and I just had to for a couple weeks. I didn't have much room to complain.

"Besides… Back in Loc Lac… I was there when the Alatreon attacked too. I was one of the first to charge the thing, because… because I was angry. I was furious, in fact. So much of what I had been working towards since the day I woke up in his world had been ripped away from me, all because of that dragon… It ruined my life. It took so much from me… And it left a scar to remind me of that."

He undid some of the buttons on his shirt and pulled the cloth down a short ways to reveal a portion of one of two long, ropey scars running diagonally across his torso and abdomen from where the dragon's claws had torn through his body. The two winced slightly at the sight, but he knew they had likely seen worse wounds than that.

"I was so angry that I forgot about everything else that mattered," he continued as he buttoned his shirt up again. "Everything the Alatreon hadn't taken from me. I spent so long being so angry… And I never really knew that I was just mad at myself the entire time. I was weak. I was afraid. I… I couldn't protect the people I wanted to keep safe. I'm tired of it all. I'm tired of being angry, Levin. Least of all at you."

"You sound like you've had a really rough go of it, huh…" the hunter mused after a few moments of silence. "I know what it feels like to be that angry too. I eventually came to terms with things, and I'm lucky I managed not to lose anyone I loved, but… hah, that only led me to turn my back on the Alatreon, which led to… well, you know the rest. Guess we're similar in that regard, if nothing else."

"I had a feeling we were," Lloyd replied with a very slight smirk. "I guess the Alatreon must've had a type or something."

"So… you lost someone close to you during the attack on Loc Lac then?" Ellie piqued in.

"...No, and that's what made it so frustrating for me… She died before I even came to in this world. I… I won't bore you to death with the details o-over what happened, more so for my sake than anything…" The two nodded solemnly, and Lloyd wiped his eyes quickly before continuing. "I just thought… I thought she would be there at the end of the road. That somehow things could go back to the way they were before, or at least something like it. I… it's a pain that doesn't go away easy. Cuts close up, bones heal, but that? It never really stops hurting. The pain of truly, actually losing someone you love, and never being able to see them again… Never even having the chance to say good-bye, or to do anything that might have saved them... That's a pain no one should ever have to feel."

"That's a lesson I've learned the hard way myself," Levin nodded, glancing quickly towards Ellie.

"I sort of figured as much, so my apologies if I was just being redundant. I just felt like I had to say that. But anyways, I've said what I wanted to say, so I should probably get going…"

"You're leaving already?" Ellie asked. "You've only been here a few minutes… I may not have been very welcoming, but you can stay for a bit longer…"

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I have some people waiting in town for me," Lloyd replied as he pushed himself up with a light grunt. "I should really be getting back to them. Thanks for the offer though. We'll probably be in town for another day or two, so maybe we'll see each other again. I hope everything goes well for the both of you moving forwards."

The pair saw Lloyd to the door, waving as he left the cozy little house and began to make his way back towards Perir Town. Before he was more than a few yards away from the door, though, he stopped and turned around once more.

"I almost forgot to mention, I set up a business of my own in Nastre. Tyrfen Studio. If you ever need a picture taken, maybe a photo album of some kind… Feel free to hit me up anytime. You won't be disappointed."

With that, Lloyd turned back towards the town in the distance and began to make his way back through the grassy fields and hills. It felt like a heavy weight had finally lifted from his shoulders, one that had bogged him down for years now. And now that he had, there was one more thing he felt he needed to do…

A couple weeks later…

The mountains of Nastre were a welcome sight for Lloyd as he and the others rolled into town. The journey home had been pretty uneventful, save for the large airship they had seen soaring overhead a few days before. To them, it was more of a 'welcome home' sign than anything.

After climbing down from the wagon, he told the others he was going to head out of town for a short while. Normally he would stay and help unload the wares Selipa kept there, despite her insistence that he shouldn't put much strain on his leg, but this time he felt he couldn't really wait. He finally felt some clarity in his mind, like a sense of calm he hadn't known in years. It was because of this clarity that he needed to go now.

He made his way out of the gates and walked a short ways into a nearby clearing, one that was surprisingly lush for terrain as tough as the mountains of Nastre. Colorful flowers bloomed in several places, and a few Kelbi often grazed here as well. At first they would bolt whenever he came here, but after a long while they had grown accustomed to his visits, and would merely eye him as he walked towards the square stone marker towards the back of the clearing.

He had visited the grave many times before. Maybe even too often. He couldn't really help himself. He felt like there was something he could have done to save her, even when there just wasn't any way he could have. Fala's death was something that was out of his control, and it had infuriated him for so long... But not now. Not anymore, at least.

Lloyd grunted lightly as he knelt before the headstone, lying his cane beside his leg as he stared intently at the words etched into the rock's surface. He had read them so many times now that they had been etched into his memory; for years they had flashed into his vision whenever he closed his eyes, acting as much of a reminder of what he had lost as the scars on his chest did.

'Here lies Fala Wakis
A great friend to many
A hero to some
A loss grieved by all
May she rest in peace'

He let out a short sigh and rested his hand atop the grave before he began to speak his mind.

"Sorry I haven't visited in awhile, Fala. The trip took a little longer than I expected. Hope you aren't too mad that I was late. I finally managed to track Levin and Ellie down like I told you before. I'm glad I got word of her sundries shop, or else I might never have been able to locate them. I still can't believe they were that close this entire time… It's amazing how easy it is to disappear without much of a trace nowadays, I tell you.

"Zack's doing alright. He's still complaining about his arm- or lack of one, I suppose- but what can you expect? It's a miracle he doesn't complain more. You know how he is. He and Rosa are still getting along pretty well too, which... I'll be honest, I really didn't expect them to last this long. Considering Rosa's track record and Zack's... Zackness, I thought it'd be done and over within a month. I'm sure if we had made a bet over this when they started, you'd have won by a mile. You always did know these kinds of things better than me.

"As for me... I feel a lot better after that talk with Levin and Ellie. I didn't even really know what to expect at first, let alone what I was going to say, but it just sorta came to me as I spoke. Kinda glad they let me say my piece at all. For once, I feel like... Well, like there's a big weight off my back. Levin was probably the only one who could actually understand what I had dealt with... Perhaps not the pain of it actually coming true, but still, I don't truly know him that well. But hey, being able to actually meet the guy who slew the Alatreon also means I win our old bet. Remember? Whoever meets a celebrity first wins a night of drinks from the loser. I… guess I'll let that one slide, though. I've had enough alcohol over the last few years anyhow…

"So, m-my studio is still doing pretty well. I've already gotten a few requests from the Guild to try and get some pictures of monsters to use for ecology books, and a couple letters came in asking about apprenticeships too. Who would've thought, right? A local craftsman helped me put together a working camera prototype too. I'll admit, it's a really crude design, and I used to really hate working in the darkroom- digital always seemed so much easier- but there's a sort of charm to it all too. I'm pretty excited to see this thing take off... Silas' airship company seems to be at least. Pun intended.

"Selipa agreed to help out with securing the supplies I need for cameras and developing film. I know you probably hate how much I bring her up, but I hope you can forgive me for it. She's been a real good friend to me, y'know? ...alright, so maybe that isn't entirely true. I do like her. A lot. Might seem kinda dickish to say, but I'm glad that 'curse' of hers has kept her from getting with anyone else while I was moping around all this time… Heh, I probably seem like the biggest moron in the world right now, huh? Talking with the first love of my life about a potential... probable second. It's not like you don't know about all this already though. I've been so busy missing you that I never even attempted to find someone else.

"…It's been years since you died, and not a day has gone by where I haven't missed you, Fala. But... you've been there for me this whole time, haven't you? I never really believed in supernatural mumbo jumbo like that, and after everything that's happened I'd be hard pressed to say I feel particularly religious anymore either, but for some reason I get the feeling you've been helping me through this however you could. Maybe even since the day I awakened into this world... And maybe in helping me find something- someone- that could actually make me happy again. Or maybe I'm just getting even crazier than I already was. Us Lost are like that, aren't we? I wouldn't be surprised, but… I think I prefer the former, to be honest.

"So... I don't really know how you feel about all of this, but I want to thank you all the same. For everything. I promise, I won't ever forget you, Fala. I have to move ahead now and keep living my life, but that doesn't mean I'll leave you behind. I'll still visit and let you know how things are going on my end, even if you probably see everything that's going on from wherever you are. I'm not really the religious type, but who knows, maybe we will meet again someday. But, until then...

"I'll keep moving forward. And I won't stop moving until that day comes. Just know that the reason I'm so driven now, is you."

Lloyd pushed himself back up, wiping away the fresh tears that had been streaming down his cheeks and taking hold of his cane to support himself as he glanced around. It had gotten a lot later in the day than he realized... Then again, it usually did during these visits.

"I'll see you next time, Fala," he said quietly before turning and heading back towards the town. It took a few minutes for the gates to come into view, and when they did, he saw Selipa, Zack, and Rosa all standing there waiting for his return. He waved lightly as he approached, smiling as the sun began to set over the mountains surrounding the village. The land was cast in a deep orange glow, and long shadows stretched across the ground. The sky was a pallet of colors, orange and red and yellow and pink, while the clouds seemed to frame the sun setting behind the mountains perfectly.

The land, the sky, the village before him, and the people Lloyd cared about standing there waiting for his return… It was truly a picturesque sight, one that would probably make for a great photo, even if it was impossible to capture everything he felt was important to the scene within the lens.

Lloyd was glad he got to see the whole of this one through his own eyes.

Author Notes: Please review! And that's the end of Driven! Certainly a more somber, bittersweet tale than most of my previous stories, despite initial appearances. I set the ending up specifically to leave where they go from there relatively ambiguous, aside from the relationship between Selipa and Lloyd. That one DOES end up working out, and they have a son named Caius not too long after Driven's conclusion. Whether Zack and Rosa work out is left up in the air, of course, but it is implied that this is the longest one of Rosa's many, many relationships, so there's a chance. Rest assured, if Zack has any kids, they would be extremely good friends with Caius. Actually, based on what I came up with for Caius' character, it'd be hard for someone to NOT be friends with him. He's a very nice fellow.

But I'll move away from the shipping stuff now (sorry, been playing WAY too much Fire Emblem for my own good) and onto actual plot stuff. I really wanted Levin and Ellie to make an appearance in Driven beyond just a simple cameo or something, or worse, Lloyd actually doing something to directly help them. This story isn't meant to steal the show after all, but rather tell another tale altogether. So having Lloyd go to them to find some actual closure was the most logical way to handle it. Special thanks to Gecko once again for coming up with the dialogue of those two so I didn't end up getting the characters completely wrong.

Still, Lloyd does get credit for being the guy who actually brought photography back into the world, so I think it would be fair to say that any photographs that appear in Gecko's story were most likely taken by Lloyd or someone working for Tyrfen Studio. I did realize as I was writing this chapter that Nastre is really taking off as a city now, what with having the big airship company and the photography business all operating within its walls, and with the Compound being not too far off either… A lot of factors really came together here.

Anyways, enough about all of that stuff. Tell me; what was your favorite scene from TLC: Driven, my faithful readers? Favorite characters? What were some things you liked, and what were some things you hated? Did you like the plot and pacing, taking into mind that this technically is a short story? Please, tell me all the details; I'd love some input, since it helps me know what to do better next time.

This story has certainly been a breath of fresh air for me, though. I'm used to writing more action based works with those sort of over the top moves and scenarios you'd expect to see out of an anime, but Driven wasn't exactly like that. I actually had to write more realistically, despite taking some very small liberties here and there (I case in point the car crash from the first chapter). It was certainly something I enjoyed, though, especially considering I get the pleasure of knowing that my original characters are running around the world of Gecko's story now, living their lives as canonical characters.

As for my gaming, I'm still playing too much. I just got Twilight Princess HD, and I cannot convey through words how hyped I am for Breath of the Wild. I've also been playing the Monster Hunter Generations demo for a while now, and I'm very excited to hold the full version in two weeks! As if my free time wasn't spent enough already. I am going to try and become more consistent with my TMC chapter releases, though on top of my games and all my other personal projects, it won't be an easy time. I'd like to finish it out by the end of this year though. Reader support would definitely help speed that along, so let me know what you like about my writing or anything else, really!

Playing: SSB4; MH: Generations Demo; Hyrule Warriors legends; Twilight Princess HD

Watching: Game of Thrones, Black Bullet, Noragami, Assassination Classroom