It was quite a beautiful day outside. Or so it seemed. People in quite a large city where having a nice day. Merchants where selling there products. Blacksmiths welding armors, wepons, and everyday tools for anyone paying, and of course giving the right material. There are also cooks on the sides of the streets cooking there various foods. The site, sounds, and smells are definitely what a big city would look like, but something was wrong.
In the middle of the street are four hunters coming back from an amazing hunt from a Diablos. All of them where boasting about there skills and arts, except for one. He just looked around, shocked by his surroundings.
"Hey buddy, whats the sour face for!" One of the hunters said, wrapping his arm around the shocked hunter. "We just hunted an Apex Diablos! Not many hunters can say that you know?"
"Your not really here." The shocked hunter said. He then saw his surrounds, seeing the people happy and enjoying themselves. "T-This place was destroyed... Everything." He said, looking at his hunter partners.
The hunters, not losing there smile or attitude looked at him with a small cock on there head. "Good old Darius, talking about the honor of the hunt." The hunter laughed soon patting Darius back. "Learn to lighten up a bit!"
"Yea, not everything has to be so serious you know." A female hunter said from the group. She then grabbed his hand and dragged him to the citys Hunting Guild.
Darius eyes then grow wide, staring at the Hunters Guild that looked way larger then it was sapposed to. "N-No! We cant go inside!" He yelled at his fellow hunters, trying to stop them. But it was all futile. Nothing he could do was stopping them.
"Drinks are on me everyone!" The leader of the four hunters said as they entered the guild. As soon as the three hunters entered, the doors where slammed shut with a loud thud.
"No! Get out of there!" Darius yelled, slamming on the doors and trying to force them open. "Open up!" He yelled until a gaint ear shattering roar was heard from behind the building.
Suddenly the bustling city was now on fire. Whatever shops where left was now destroyed, there products left scattered everywhere. The blacksmiths shops now destroyed, the coals meant to burn there furnace was now burning there buildings. Wrost of all however for Darius was the guild he was just banging on. The roof now fully collapsed on itself. The front doors barricaded by whatever fallen debris.
"No! Sasha! Andrew! Gail!" Darius yelled, getting rid of whatever debris and trying to break in. "Please! Dont go, not again!" He said, tears soon start forming around his eyes. Coughing from all the smoke that was building up around him.
Suddenly, there was a loud cracking sound coming from inside the guild. Darius nodded no in a panic as he took a step back, falling backwards. Another loud roar came from inside the Hunters Guild as then a large, black dragon head came out. It was the most feared creature of all the lands. Fatalis.
Fatalis soon crawled out of the Hunter Guild and slowly crawled to the scared Darius, crawling back. Darius knew he couldnt do anything in this state, shocked, scared, and worst of all, hopeless. All he could do now way pray for a savior as Fatalis slowly opened its mouth, blue flames forming inside.
"Im sorry everyone... Im sorry I couldnt save you." Was the last things he said before Fatalis breathed his blue flame at him.
Darius woke up in a panic sweat, quickly looking around him to see that he was in his quarters. His Palico slowly waking up as well as he felt his masters distress. The Palico slowly crawled next to his master and cuddled up to him. Darius seeing this opens his lap to the Palico and slowly pat his head.
Darius let out a heavy sigh now just laying in his bed. He looked up at the ceiling for a second before looking over to his side, seeing his hunting journal. He stared at it for quite a while, thinking of all the adventures he had with his first group of friends.
He laid in bed for a couple of minutes thinking before letting out a small grunting sound. "Nows not time to think of the past." He said as he then slowly lifted his Palico companion up and off of him as he slowly got off the bed as well. "Come on pal. We cant stay in bed forever. We may not be able to hunt, but that doesn't mean we dont have work to do." He said going to get himself new clothes for the day. His armor next to his wardrobe, shining as he gives a small grin.
His Palico soon letting out a tired yawn, getting up and rubbing his eyes as he crawled out of bed. Soon coping what his master is doing, putting on some regular clothes instead of his usual armor.
Some time as passed as it was now late morning. Darius holding a supply bag behind his back as he was walking twards Fiorayne and Eric, there Palamutes standing next to them with bags on each side of them, standing by Elgado Outpost entrance ready to leave. However Fiorayne was listening off everything they could need for this upcoming task they had.
"Hmmm, we could possibly use some flash bombs, dont you think?" Fiorayne asked Eric. Fiorayne holding her chin, thinking of anything that could possible happen out there.
Eric let out a sigh, exhausted from Fiorayne questions. "No, all we are doing is checking out the site and possibly any more evidence." He said, ready to leave as he was already ontop of his Palamute ready to ride.
"Yes I know that, but what happens if we run into the monster that chased the Tigrex away. We need to be prepared." She said as Eric let out another sigh.
Darius seeing this little exchange happening infront of him couldnt help but chuckle at the site. "Be careful there Fiorayne. It is always wise to come prepared, but not too prepared. Youll then carry more then you need." He said as he then dropped the supply bag infront of him.
Eric turning around looking a bit excited asked. "You coming with me and leaving Fiorayne here?!" Then a rock was thrown at him as he then looked at the person who threw it, Fiorayne. "Hey! We could have left earlier if we hadn't packed more then what we need!"
Darius chuckled again as he saw them about to argue before stopping them. "Thats enough you two. No need fo start unwanted fights." He said as he then nodded his head no. "And no, im not here to replace Fiorayne. Instead I just wanted to bring you two lunch for your trip." He said, soon giving them both the supply bag he had brought.
"Oh, why thank you Sir Darius." Fiorayne asked as she then took the bag. "Although I got to ask, why did you do that?"
"Hey, im not complaining. As long as I dont have to eat stale jerky for another night im good!" Eric said with a grin on his face.
Darius smiled at both of them. "Well, its not everyday I get to say goodbye to some friends before they leave for an expedition. That and I wanted to help you guys anyway I can." He said with a genuine smile on his face.
"Aww, thats rather touching Darius. You may be an old hunter, but you got a heart of gold!" Eric said with a grin on his face. "Now! We finally ready to get going?"
Fiorayne was about to say something before stopping herself. Thinking about Darius words for a second before nodding no. "No I think we have everything now." She said before hopping ontop of her Palamute. "Thank you again Sir Darius for the food. Ill be sure to repay you later." She said with a small bow.
"No, no repaying needed. Now you two go off. We dont need a monster or something else disturbing that spot where the Tigrex was killed." Darius said as Eric and Fiorayne nodded. Both of them soon taking off with Eric taking the lead. Darius lets out a small sigh as he saw them take off. "Be careful you two." He said before turning away and heading back to the Outpost.
"Im not telling you shit! Or letting you touch me with any of your weird gadgets or hands!" The slime said, staying away from any of the reasurchers trying to get close to her or talk to her. "You freeze me, imprison me, and ask me questions about my biology?! Im a slime! Nothing more or less you need to know!"
"We know that already! We can see that, but we just want to know how a slime like you works! Or even stays alive." Bahari said as he then rubs his nose with a sigh. "Like, how do you produce adic to disintegrate a Tigrex scale?" He asked a little bit annoyed.
"Im not telling you anything! And your not having any of my slime!" She scoffed and turning away. "How about I ask you a weird question then. How does an elf like you even get born? There should only be females right?" The slime giggled, thinking she got the darkskinned elf stumbed by that question, but quite the opposite happened.
"Wait, elf? Is that what you call us Wyverians?" Bahari then chuckled as he had a smirk on his face. "This is quite fascinating! It has been my dream to encounter a monster that can understand me! Heh, whatever you think im called, im not. I know you may have been raised in the woods all your life but trust me, im not called an elf." Bahari then continued going on and on, lecturing the slime about Wyverians and there culture.
However the slime barely listened to any of it instead letting out a loud groan. "Ahh! I dont care! Let me out!" The slime yelled. "I want to go back home and mourn for my husband!" She demanded.
Just then a door opened to the reasurch lab they where in. In came Rose with her Palico, holding a stack of books while Rose was carrying some lab equipment. "Oh, Bahari! I wasnt expecting you to be here so early!" Rose said as she put the stuff she was holding onto a table, he Palico dropping the books on the table as well. "I have been up all night reading books and seeing what kind of monster she is. And, I think we may have a shocking discovery here." She said with excitment.
"Let me guess, we havent found any monsters like this ever before and thus far, is a completely new discovery?!" Bahari asked in a bit of an excited voice as well. Although the slime just scoffed and tried her best to ignore them.
"Nope! You are one hundred percent wrong!" Rose said, causing Bahari to look at her with a questioned look. "We may have a Relict on our hands!" She said with a huge smile on her face. "Only two Relicts have ever been discovered, so the fact that we found another one is mind blowing!" She said grabbing a book from the stack of books. The book cover having a blue star in the center of it.
Bahari then let out a dissipated sigh, looking at Rose. Seeing how hyper she is and seeing the dark circles around her eyes. He then looked at her Palico that was yawning and laying his head on the stack of books. "How much coffee did you have all night?" He asked, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
Rose then stopped jumping in place for a second before thinking. She then started to giggle and tried to look away. "You know. About the above average amount for someone." She said. "But think about it! Nothing about her makes sense!"
"But her coming from another word does?" Bahari said, trying to disprove her Relict theory. "The only proof we have that these Relicts excist is stories and some plants growing faster then usual. Besides, if she was a Relict then would the 'witcher' be here as well." He said with a sigh. "How about you get some real rest and you can start later."
"I dont need sleep! Its not just some stories! And they are true!" Rose yelled back as she then opened the book to show a monster with a dear skull with tree like antlers on it, walking on two legs made of roots and its hands like claws. "It also says here that they got a gift from this Witcher as well! A rune stone that can cast fire!" She said trying to prove her point.
Bahari sighed again as he slowly started to nod his head no, once again disprovung her theory. Although, the slime however listened to them bicker on about her being a Relict. "So we arent the first to come here hm?" She said with a grin on her face.
Just then, Bahari raised an eyebrow at her as then Rose smiled with glee, doing tiny bunny hops. "So it is true! Yes! Thats awsome!" She said screaming as she then ran up to the slime. "We must know more about your world and ecosystem! I want to know everything!" She said with a hyper voice, causing the slime to back up.
Just then Bahari put his hand infront of Rose and slowly started to push her away from the cage. "Hold on wait a second. Lets say if your statement is true and you are from a different world, why come here?" He asked, rubbing his chin thinking.
"Pfft, what made you think I would know? And why should I tell you all anything?! You captured me, tourtured me with your constant questions, and havent even left me time to mourn for my husband!" She yelled, giving them all an angry look. "I may be a monster, but at least I have a heart." She said angerly before the door opener.
Carmilla was the one to open the door, having an angry look on her face. "Was your husbands name James Everwood?" She said, giving the slime a death stare.
The slime looked shocked as she was taken aback, then soon giving her the same angry look. "How do you know his name? I never told you anything!" She said, gripping the bars to the cage. Although soon letting go do to the dragon element on the bars.
Carmilla, now knowing the awnser, looked at Rose. "Your coming with me Rose, I need to you look at the Tigrex body. Arlow found something strange about it." She said soon walking out the door.
"Hey! Dont ignore me! How do you know?!" The slime yelled as she then tried to break free of her cage, although usless do to the dragon element.
Rose looked at Bahari for a second, although Bahari just shrugged, not know what to do with the situation either. Rose then sighed, soon walking out the door Carmilla was at.
Bahari then let out a heavy sigh as he then sit down, rubbing his forehead. "Oh man, this is now gonna scream bad news." He sighed.
Carmilla was walking at a fast pace as Rose was trying to catch up. "Wait! Your to fast!" She said panting as the 5 cups of coffe was slowly starting to wear off.
Carmilla said nothing as she continued walking, soon going into a large building. She continued on as they then soon came into a gaint room with the dead Tigrex laying in the middle, his chest opened up and his organs laid about.
The reasurchers that where in the room was wearing lab coats, white gloves and a mask to make sure no blood got on them.
Rose smelled the air as she then almost threw up holding her mouth. "Oh man, thats gross. Why am I here again?" She asked as looked around for the closest mask.
Carmilla was about to open her mouth before someone in the corner of the room interupted her. "Have you ever heard of a hermaphrodite Tigrex?" Rose and Carmilla turned to the corner of the room to see Darius and Arlow standing infront of a blood covered blankets, covering what appears to be a body.
Just then Rose slowly nodded her head no, soon looked at the blanket that they where infront of. "No... Is tha-"
"One of the missing hunter's. Indeed." Arlow said, soon sighing as he then walked over to table. On the table was some broken peices of armor, a sword that was bent and chipped, finally a sheild that was broken in half. "The armor is low level Alloy Armor, with a sword and sheild to match with it." He said before looking at the hunters. "No journal tho. So the only proof we have that it may be him, is his red hair and his gear."
There was silence in the room for quite a bit. Then Carmilla broke the silence. "Alright everyone, we need to find out how that Tigrex turned into a Hermaphrodite. Next we nee-" Before Carmilla could continue, darius put a hand on her shoulder to make her stop. "What are you doing?" She asked angrily.
Darius looked at her for a second, showing no intimidation from her. "This is now a guild matter now Carmilla. The Kingdom can no longer get involved." He said.
Arlow looking down for a second before sighing. "He is right. Now that a Hunter has died in the care of the Kingdom, things may change here... by a lot." He said as he then slowly started to walk twards the exit. "Ill go inform General Galleus." He said before leaving.
Rose looked at her two partners and had a confused look on her face. "Wait, whats about to happen?" She asked as she was both confused and worried.
Darius sighed as he then took a second to think on how to awnser. "The Guild only helped the kingdom out first because they where worried some major monster may be behind the pits-" He was then cut off by Carmilla.
"Which there was, Gaismagorm. Now that hes gone, we dont need to be here anymore." She said in a sour mood.
"True, but some hunters wanted to stay. Our team, a couple of other Master Rank Hunters, and a few High and Low Rank Hunters." He said before letting out a heavy sigh. "So, the Guild and the Queen of the kingdom made a contract. This place may be hunting grounds for the Guild under the Kingdoms protection."
Rose nodded but then thought about the Qurio's. "Wait, what about the Qurio investigations? Arent they controlled by the Guild?"
Carmilla nodded her head no. "At first they where, but without a host for the Qurios they started dying off themselves. Aka, the became a low threat for the environment. The Kingdom has been the one hiring Hunters for those investigations. Even tho they will probably die out by winter."
Rose then sighed as she began rubbing her head. "So then, why didnt the Kingdom just leave it to my home village Kamura. They are technically protected by guild, and they could have taken care of it... Man, politics make my head hurt." She said ruffling her hair a bit, trying to make sense of it all.
Darius let out a small giggle before patting Rose back. "Its ok. You can thank Chichae for that." He then looked at Carmilla. "Ill look into the Hermaphrodite situation. Im one the oldest member of the Guild so they wont question me why I started to reasurch it. I suggest we should get ready for the Guilds arrival till then."
Carmilla let out a dissapointed sigh as she then looked at the Tigrex. "Could this be an Elder Dragon doing this? Only the can change the environment, but nothing this major." She said started thinking about the situation more and more.
"I suggest we wait till the Guild gets here. They would have more knowledge about this then the Kingdom." Daruis said as he then slightly grabbed her shoulder.
Tho, Carmilla just shoved his hand away and nodded her head. "So im supposed to just wait then till the Guild gets here?! Theres more questions then there are awnsers! And that slime monster still hasn't given us any awnsers yet! Somethings happening and I cant just do nothing and wait!" She said angry before walking twards the door. "Im going to the training grounds!" She said before slamming the door.
Everyone that was in the room was silent for a second before Rose was the person to break it. "Well, im gonna do what I can with the slime monster. That won't cause any troubles?" She raised an eyebrow looking at Darius.
Darius did a small grin and patted her shoulder. "Ill have your back if anything happens." He said as they both left the room.
"So, let me get this straight, in order for you to become a proper Hunter, you needed to hold your breath for about an hour underwater?" Fiorayne asked as she was ridding her Palamute that was following Eric.
"Yep. It was killer. Heh, that and learning to use my Switch Axe underwater was killer as well." He said, feeling exhausted just by thinking about his training. "My father said that if I cant do that, then ill never be a real Hunter."
"Amazing. Im glad training to be a knight wasnt like that." She said, thinking fondly of her training back at the Kingdom. "Heh, still, I wasnt the Cheifs son." She said before realizing something. "Wait, are you the Hunter that killed Dire Miralis?"
Eric looked at Fiorayne for a second before bursting out laughing. "Me?! Kill Dire Miralis?! Hahahaha!" He laughed, leaning back on his Palamute. "Holly shit thats funny!" He said catching his breath as Fiorayne just gave him a dissapointed blank stare. "No, no I did not. My oldest sister did. And if you thought I was a crazy hunter, you should have seen her fight." He chuckled.
"Hm, still, its impressive to know that your related to her." She said with a grin on her face. Soon she noticed a boulder with some slime all over it, around the boulder where tracts that appeared to be a large monster. "Are we here?"
Eric looked at the boulder for a second before tilting his head. He then got off his Palamute and looked at the tracks for a good while before moving to the boulder. Fiorayne tried to follow him but he took his arm out and told her to wait. After a minute or two of examining the tracks and the slime on the boulder, Eric looked at Fiorayne. "This is the spot where we met the slime monster, but a Pukei-Pukei was just here as well. He appeared to eat whatever slime was on the rock." He said flicking some of the Pukei-Pukei spit off his fingers.
"So thats it? We lost any evidence?" She asked worried.
"Not entirely." He said before looking at some Pukei-Pukei tracks. "I think if we follow these tracks it may lead us to that slimes den. Pukei-Pukei's have a gluttonous appetite. I doubt the slime on that rock could satisfy it." He said before hoping back on his Palamute.
"Excellent! Well, shall we get going then? Im ready for anything to come." Fiorayne said determined. Eric nodded with a grin on his face as they both followed the Pukei-Pukei tracks.
A Pukei-Pukei was currently sniffing around, trying to find that delicious substance that it had found earlier. It tasting better then any mushroom it has ever had before.
He soon found himself infront of a cave, smelling the air, trying to find any remnant of that slime smell from before, and he found it. It was strong, a large amount of it was in here as it roared in excitment.
The Pukei-Pukei quickly charged into the cave, its mouth salivating at the thought of tasting that slime again. He ran by some weird human made furniture at the entrance of the cave, destroying it and whatever tools or trinkets where there. Then he found a large slime covered wall that looked delicious.
He couldn't see well in the cave so he didnt know if the slime was a darker color or just the darkness from the cave. Either way, it must be the same blue slime he found from the rock and started digging in. Extending his long tongue and licking it all over, tasting the delicious slime.
It was heaven in his mouth as he licked up the wall. He licked the slime away and roared in glee as he chowed away. Until the wall started to move away.
The Pukei-Pukei then grew angry, feeling like his meal was running away, it let out a fearsome roar and charged at it again. Although what he didnt expected was the slime wall to fight back.
A large claw grew out of the wall and slapped the Pukei-Pukei, slamming him against the cave wall. The Pukei-Pukei dazed, slowly got back up, shaking its head. Although it was too late for him as the claw then grabbed the Pukei-Pukei and started to drag him into the slime.
The Pukei-Pukei then started to roar and scream for help fighting back as he was then absorbed into the wall. He felt his feathers, scales, and soon skin and eyes disintegrate as he tried to scream. Although nothing was coming out until he stopped resisting.
All that was left of the Pukei-Pukei now was some bones, being left behind as the slime wall moved closer to the inside of the cave.
"Stupid monster. Only my future beloved can lick me like that."
"Agreed."
"Second!"
"We need to find a better hiding place."
Another chapter down! Sorry it took so long. Just IRL and AWA planning with friends. Lots of fun.
Anyway hope you enjoy and see you till next time!