A figure in a long scarlet cloak stumbled through the Dragonian village of Wyverburg in their clutches they held a black mass of scales and pin prick hairs. The rainy night halted the usual festivities, but the local guard patrolled regardless. The Dragon Knights eyed the individual and the thing they were carrying but noticed no obvious threat in their haggard form.
Some attempted to welcome them to their fair homestead, but their presence was unnerving. A rolling chill ran up their necks when they would reach out to them, and it felt as if the bones of their spines were twisting in place. The thing in the long cloak didn't even notice. The crystal eyes gleaming beneath the shadowy hood never strayed from the path ahead. Its clawed hands burned with light beneath the scales.
The figure walked without a limp, but it would stumble in ways that were unnatural to the eyes of the guard. Their gait was strange, the guards were too unnerved to approach them or to even call out to the creature. It was as if the thing in the long scarlet cloak was not of this world; it didn't belong.
They smelled of fire, nothing as foul as brimstone, but the hairs of their noses burned in their nostrils the closer they were. The ground in which they walked left boot prints that would singe the grass and turn the gravel to glass. Yet the freezing cold of a rainy winter night remained. To the Dragon Knights, the figure was wrong, perhaps warped was the word if they would try to describe it.
The figure eventually came to a stop beside the village well, at the epicenter of the village as a whole. And placed the mass of scales and pin prick hairs on the ground. Taking the bucket from the well they leaned down and allowed the mass to drink from it, whilst sprinkling gemstone dust for it to swallow.
The figure then reached into their cloak and procured a slab of raw meat, still bloody, and laid it by the mass. Whatever the mass was, it dug into the fresh morsal. The sound of bone crunching and meaty sloshing unnerved the guards, but none would approach the figure or the mass.
"What in the name of Hel are we looking at?", One asked another.
The other grimaced, "Don't know, I kinda just want them to leave… whatever they are."
The figure turned to them, and for a moment they thought they saw a smile in the shadow. Their grips on their weapons tightened, but it would go back to caring for the mass of black scales and pin prick hairs. Whatever the figure was doing it took some satisfaction in unnerving them.
After the moment the figure stood and stumbled away from the village, until their gait turned into a normal steady walk, and then eventually into a blur of red as the night rain obscured their vision. A breath of air collectively escaped from the guards as they went about their routine quickly moving to forget the figure ever entered the village to begin with.
Only one guard however took notice of the black mass laying by the well. It neither stirred nor made any audible sound. Cautiously she approached it, leaning close to the mass with her visored helm and claw outstretched to prevent whatever it was from attacking her. Gently she touched the mass, and from the darkness of its form did a wing reach out and grab her claw.
The wing grasper was small, small as a baby's hand, and as she brought her own claw back the wing moved with her. From the creature's dark form, revealed a small child, approximately newborn by the looks of it. Pale while skin covered by scales so dark that they obscured their violet color, and a pair of horn like feelers stretched out from its head as a wave of hairs began building up on her shoulders.
Confused by the appearance the Dragon Knight could only assume it was some sort of uncanna baby. The child had no eyes that she could see. Gently the knight caressed the infants cheek. The baby recoiled at first but would eventually grasp the dragon's hand with their actual claws. It was cautious of her, but showed no sign of attacking from what she could tell.
Using her wings as an umbrella the Dragon Knight picked up the child and held it close to her bosom. The baby did not move to suckle on her breast, but it did remain still in her arms. It would eventually wrap itself back up in its wings without a peep. Carefully the guard crept back to her post and began the wait for her shift to end before she brought the baby home.
The torchlight irritated it and it didn't seem to mind the rain, but something about the baby drew the knight's wonder. With caution she stood the infant up in her lap, the baby did not hesitate to stand, but it would go back to laying into the self-swaddled position. Gently she took the wing claw that covered its form and moved it to the shoulder where it would remain as she inspected it. She then moved the other claw and the baby's feelers stood upright.
Its head faced her and her alone, it did not move its head around to study. Little pin prick hairs fell upon her breastplate before dissipating fully. The feelers fell and the baby went to move its arms back into place, but the gentle resistance of the knight kept them strapped to their shoulders.
Checking the baby's sex was difficult with how dark it was, but she could only assume she was holding a baby girl. The child didn't resist her prying, but she would try to go back to swaddling itself as soon as she got the chance. Finding her curiosities sated the Dragon Knight laid the head of the baby against her breast.
"What should I call you now?", She hummed to herself.
The baby did not respond but the voice of the woman did alert her.
"So, you can listen at least," the knight shrugged lightly, "let's see… pale white, purple black scales, and feelers for eyes... This would be easier if you babbled a little, ya know."
The baby lifted her head from the swaddle to stare at the knight but said nothing. Temptation overtook the knight and she reached down to caress the baby's cheeks. They were both soft to the touch, but in a way that unlike a normal baby's. It was soft like fuzz against fingertips, but she felt no barrier between herself and the skin.
"So quiet," she bit her lip in thought, "quiet, blind, and pale… jeez if I were your mama this would be so much easier."
It was during her musing that one of her fellow guards would come to take her place, "Hey, Jess your shifts up and… what is that?"
Jess the Dragon Knight paled for a second and the baby tucked its head back into its wings at the movement of her coworker. Blinking she turned to her and said, "Just an uncanna I found while on shift. This little girl was left by that red cloak person."
"It left a baby," The dragon Knight blanked, "and you just went and picked her up?"
Jess grinned, nervously, "Well I went to go check what it was… to see if it was dangerous or not, and well it turned out to be this thing-bundle of j-joy."
"Well," her coworker knelt next to her to look closer, "what kind is it?"
Jess shrugged, "I don't know, but she's really furry… and scaly," she brought the claw around for her coworker to see, "shy too, I wonder if we're scaring her or not."
"Does she have a name?"
-0-
Dundorma was a busy place, filled to the brim with ambitious hunters and clever entrepreneurs, with the sky port and the docks bringing and taking people to and from far off lands to see the capital of the Hunter's Guild. Today was the day the Capital C Caravan was to come in, after issued a request by a long-time friend, there was little reason for their airship, the Arluq, to remain docked at port.
To Ace and Tatsuo it was joy to see the great red whale descending from the clouds above. Mersé and Mia could only stare wide eyed and shocked at the whale with wings suspended by a blimp balloon with a giant spiked propeller sticking out the front. The dragonator lance sticking out the toothy mouth only really topped the bafflement cake.
As the ship came to dock, the outstretched wings folded and contracted onto the deck. Revealing the crew aboard. The first was an older man with a wide smile and an aged white beard and hair, his most notable apparel being his red hat and jacket vest. The Man next to him was a tall wavy haired Wyverian with a darker skin tone in craftsmen clothing. Next to him was a young woman that appeared to be his apprentice; she had long blond hair, blue eyes, and wore baggy yellow clothes. The last person was a small wyverian with wrinkles as far as the eye could see. He simply waited on a cushion to be pulled by a pair of poogi while he fixed his blue and pink trader's wear.
"Great jumping Jaggi," the bearded man exclaimed, "Ace… Tatsuo, you're looking different! Did I miss something or did you two grow a foot or two?"
Ace shrugged, "Nothing much old man just a change of scenery and some weirdo magic from the other world."
"The other world is a strange one indeed," Tatsuo clarified, "we we're changed to the furrms you see now after traversing the rift. Besides the new height we are mostly the same."
The man cupped his chin in thought as he analyzed the two, "Fascinating! As soon as I get the chance, I'm going to get the clearance to head there myself… Speaking of adventures in the other world, where's Dawn I've been missing that boy?"
"He's at the arena with the new people," Ace beamed, "you'll like 'em!", Ace pulled Mia close to him, "Mia this the Charles, Charles this is Mia, be friends now."
Before Mia could even say anything as she was still staring at the airship in awe. Charles took her paw in hand and shook it graciously, "The name is Charles, but most people call me The Caravaneer! Pleasure to meet ya little cat lady."
"Um uh, I'm Mia," she stumbled, "the pleasure is all mine."
"And who is this?", Charles turned to Mersé, "She looks like a lady Dawn if I were to guess."
Tatsuo nudged Mersé back into reality. She blinked twice before taking his outstretched hand, "I'm Mersé, Guard Captain of Lescatie, well former captain… I suppose you are the leader of the Capital C Caravan."
"In the flesh," The Caravaneer turned to the felynes, "we'll set up shop and then we can get to work on that project you mentioned Tatsuo. The Man said he wanted to get the lady's measurements."
"Why would you need measurements for a weapon?", Mersé asked.
"It's not for your weapon Mercy," Ace clarified, "Tatsuo and I had something in mind with that hunt in particular. Your weapon, as agreed upon, will be forged by The Man himself."
Mersé gave him a quizzical look, "The Man?"
It was then that The Man in question stepped forward, towering over the hero. He eyed her carefully, his size was comparable to Dawn's, and his demeanor just as stoic. She supposed that the hunter had taken after this blacksmith in more ways than one.
He sized her up before extending a gloved hand. The hero took his hand in stride, despite its size being nearly three times the size of her own. He was gentle with her, which she found amusing, but it was unlike his appearance for someone with such large arms and hands to be so precise with their strength. The Hunter was not so gentle from her memory, but he and the smith before her were becoming more and more alike in her mind.
"Friends call me The Man," he spoke quietly and steadily, "as well as strangers, and the rest… I will make your weapon."
Mersé didn't know what to make of the giant Wyverian, he was unlike any smith she had met before, but she supposed it didn't matter much what or who he was as long as he was skilled. Calmly, she nodded, and the unease ended there.
-0-
Wilmarina held aloft the hunter weapon, a long-curved blade that curved back again at the tip before scaling down with divots in the back. The guard was wide but comfortable, however the sword was heavier than any sword she had ever carried. The shield in her off hand was ovular, but had a pointed end and had a circular cut at the top to allow her to see over it. A crease down the center pushed outward to help deflect blows and a set of monster fangs lined the outer edge.
To say the weapon was unorthodox by Order standards was an understatement. Wilmarina much preferred her own blessed steel sword over it, but there was something about the weapon that attracted her. It was normal here, in this new world of monster hunters, this was a normal weapon, and her longsword was out of the ordinary.
The hunter, Dawn, sharpened his Great Sword. In her world a great sword was never heavier than ten pounds, whilst still being as long as the wielder was tall. Yet the Great Sword of this world would have required two unblessed men of her own to even carry it.
She swung the hunter sword in her hands, and a shallow whish of wind followed it from the divots. She mused, 'I see why it's called a Heavy Bang.'
She placed the weapon back into the hunter's chest, and sat quietly with Shizuka. The bunyip instinctively flinched at her presence, but relaxed soon after. The furry lamia was nervous around her, Wilmarian understood why. It was her duty to slay monsters, mamono, whatever they called themselves, but Wilmarina herself had never taken a life before.
The mamono she had hunted in the forests of Lescatie were always let go in the end. The girl had never had the heart to kill them, she supposed it was their appearance that stayed her hand. Mamono took the form of beautiful women with monstrous features after all, her men never faulted her for that, but she would be chastised by her father when she returned home "if" he bothered to ask how their mission went. Patriarch Noscrim never asked for details, so in the end she kept the details to herself, or lied if one of their guests asked what it was like.
The guilt was always there in the back of her mind, but in the end that was weight that came with being a hero of The Order. Only a hero wields the strength to conquer monsters, and she was the one to blame for her weakness. Wilmarina could see clearly now, she could never have defeated Druella if given the chance. She would have been corrupted and would have been converted into a dark hero. The thought of it alone boiled her blood, but for now she would keep those thoughts to herself. She had to be strong.
A door opening above her brought her out of her thoughts. Ace had returned with Mersé and Mia in tow. The werecat had scamper up to Shizuka and took her place beside her, purring to herself as she got to rest her aching legs and tired body of the lamia's soft tail. The lamia to her credit ignored the fact she was being used as bed, and greeted the palico.
"I see the hunt was a success," she beamed, "how'd it go Ace?"
Ace grinned, "Well enough," before tossing Mersé a mocking thumb, "had to carry the newbies though… Not gonna lie I was expecting better from a hero."
"Shut it cat," Mersé sighed and took a seat next to Wilmarina, "I would have stretched better if I knew we would be climbing giant trees!"
Wilmarina snickered at that, "Mersé it would have been wise to assume the worst. I doubt Ace was going to take it easy on you of all people."
"Bah," the hero leaned back and rested her arms on the back of the bench, "I wouldn't have wanted it any other way… oh yeah where's that minotaur? Ace needs to measure her or somethin'."
Shizuka raised an eyebrow at that but pointed in the direction to the arena proper, "Estrid is watching Dawn and the elven woman in the arena."
"Primera versus the hunter?!", Mersé energy returned with that, "Now that sounds interesting."
Shizuka deadpanned at her, "If you remember correctly that elf woman had asked to learn his people's ways. Dawn is teaching her how to use a hunter's bow."
"Then why are we here?!", Mersé roared, "Let's go watch!"
The hero scampered out of her seat, falling flat against the cold hard stone, before then jumping back to her feet as she ran to see the training in progress. Wilmarina sighed before she and the rest followed after. Shizuka sighed to herself as she became the de-facto mount for Ace and Mia as the Palico himself took to sitting on her tail on their way there.
The arena was massive, a great fighting area with benches made from stone, and ruin-like structures in the center where a retractable gate was situated. The sun in the clear sky shown down on the sandy dirt field. Dawn and Primera took aim with practice bows upon a monster on a rampage.
It was a Great Jaggi, armored in light plate metal along his sides and legs, and he was wearing a cushioned helm forged to fit the shape of the canine like skull. The raptor's purple scales were barely in view, but his main of white fur along the spine and tail popped through the crevices in the plates.
Dawn pulled back a rubber arrow, half the length of an Orderite's lance, and let loose upon the monster. The hunter himself had changed to the same training gear Primera was equipped with, just with fitting for a man. Shizuka recognized it as the same armor the rookie hunter they had encountered on their first trek to Reinhold.
Whilst, the practice unfolded below, Estrid watched from the benches. She was staring intently at Dawn, but her expression was unreadable. Her usual glare was set but it wasn't angry, and she wasn't frustrated as she was calmly relaxing with her palms upon the safety rail. She eventually took notice of the party of cats, Shizuka, and heroes before brushing them off to go back to watching.
Ace walked up to her, measuring strap in paws, before yanking on her tail. Estrid gave him a sideways glance, before turning to rest on her elbows with her back to the rail. She asked, "What do you need Ace?", Her voice was quiet, but not dispassionate, simply distant.
"Just lean down here would nya," the palico beckoned her head down, "me and Tatsuo got something planned for meou."
Rolling her eyes at the intentional punnage, she lazily kneeled before him, and he wrapped the strap of paper around her head. It was difficult to tell exactly where he was supposed to measure. The tape was meant to get a scale on a human head, and though Estrid was remarkably human in appearance, her horns were an oddity to get around. He eventually settled with measuring beneath her horns and above her ears. It was perfect despite the tape having to tighten on Estrid's button nose.
"What's this for anyways?", she asked.
Ace grinned, "That's for me and my conspirators to know and for meou to find out."
She pinched his cheek affectionately and then went back to watching the practice, still intently watching Dawn. Shizuka joined her, using her tail as a cushion. The bunyip smiled down at the man, before turning to Estrid who seemed lost in thought by this point.
Wilmarina joined as well, though her sights were set on the practice as a whole. Her gazed moved from the hunter, to her companion, to the slowly tiring monster, to the engrossed Mersé, and then finally to the arena's architecture. She cupped her chin in thought before moving to follow Ace as he was moving to leave out the way they came.
"Tell me Sir Palico," she began, "are there other Hunter's Guilds or is this place the home of the monster hunters as a whole."
Ace shrugged in turn, "This is the Guild, it governs all business when it comes to hunting monsters… Are there people outside of the Guild that hunt monsters, yeah, but they're not in our lands. You'd be hard pressed to find a village in the old world not affiliated with us though."
"What of the nobility," the hero continued, "I'm sure some wealthy merchants play a role somewhere?"
Ace hummed in thought and sighed, "We get dick head nobles who want a trophy every now and then, but most wasteful hunts like that are postponed until one of those monsters actually becomes a problem. As gross as it sounds, we do need the money to run things smoothly… aaaaand it does help the newbie hunter with how much zenny those quest tend to earn."
"Ah, so our worlds are not so different," Wilmarina thought aloud, "would it be bold to assume that criminals serve within the Guild as a form of punishment? Or perhaps have there been scandals of fraud and slander?"
"Geez," Ace scoffed, "you make it sound like the Guild is some corrupt poaching company!"
Wilmarina eyes went wide in shock, "Oh forgive me, it was wrong to assume that?"
"Nyaaaa well," Ace sighed, "you're not wrong we had a case or two of bureaucratic popo-shit in the past with regulations and the occasional conflicting interests. And criminals do get the offer of serving their communities as hunters… that's why we have the Guild Knights after all."
"I heard the Guild Knights deal with criminals during our travels," the hero said, "do you think they could be…"
"Nope," Ace cut her off, "not for a second do I think they can be bribed or turned or whatever you were going to say! Guild Knights are the greatest and the most trusted hunter elite. Theres no way in hell they'd be anything but pure and honest!"
Wilmarina opened her mouth to say more, but instead decided to digest what he said. Guild Knights were akin to the greatest heroes of the Order from the way he put it, but she knew all too well that heroes could fall no matter how great they were. She would have fallen too if the fourth daughter of Lilith was to be believed. Maybe these knights of the guild were of a different breed.
"Sorry about that," Ace apologized, "I'm a little defense when it comes to them."
"Oh no I should apologize," Wimarina nodded back, "I shouldn't have questioned the Guild's integrity so blatantly to one of their members. That was certainly uncalled for."
"Please, you don't need to be miss perfect around here, Will," he grinned, "I get the concerns it's just that my master was a Guild Knight, so I kinda take an attack on them as an attack on him."
She smiled at that, "That's sweet… was he your hunter before Dawn?"
Ace smiled to himself, fondly remembering his early years, "Yeah, I was left to Dawn to help him as my former master had worked with the Capital C Caravan before being conscripted into the knights. I was told to protect and lead the man that would replace him."
"Considering Dawn is still in one piece I'd say you did a good job," she added, "where's he now?"
Ace's mood soured slightly, "He's okay, recovering from some old wounds nya know," he rose again, "I'm sure he'll visit soon… but where did that come from? All that talk of scum and villainy seems out of left field, nya?"
"Just having thoughts of home," Wilmarina answered honestly, "the Order isn't exactly what I thought it was. I thought that maybe the Hunter's Guild might be too similar."
The palico shrugged, "Don't worry your little head about it," he elbow jabbed her, "that's how you girls get the wrinklies so quick."
"Oh, hush you."
-0-
Deonora returned to her royal chambers exhausted but pleased. She had gotten closer to the aloof Old One Eye and had learned much about the other world. She was lucky Udephilis was so beloved by the nobility that they didn't mind complaining to her in the queen's stead. Lying her aching muscles upon her bed she stretched her body out, before curling up in her sleep. Dreaming of sharing her bed with her chosen.
It was then that the doors to her chamber were thrown open and for Udephilis to come in in a panic, "Your majesty there have been reports of an unknown plague in the town of Wyverburg! What do we do!"
And like that she was up again and storming to her throne as her dear friend told her of a horrific affliction that only afflicted non-dragons, and how the uncanna would drop dead in the streets before rising once more with frothing fumes of black smoke in their lungs and a madness to match.
Kushala and Pluck were the first she had called upon. This plague was of their world she knew it had to be, and she hoped to the gods above they knew how to stop it.
The elder of the two was quick to realize what it was before taking flight without a word, and Pluck followed after with the griffon hanging on for dear life as she attempted to help her guards prevent them from leaving. Frustrated, she sent Alto-Eris after them, and a contingent of Dragon Knights to contain whatever this affliction was.
In the end her plans had worked, but now she sat in her throne, eyes red with tiredness, and determination to find out what in Lilith's name was happening in her kingdom. Her only solace was the silence in the streets below her castle, knowing this illness hadn't reached the capital would alleviate her panic for the time being. Though the roar of her counsel was pushing it.
It was then a scarlet cloaked figure stepped into the throne room and moved to the stands of screaming nobles and governors. In the panic the figure went unnoticed. If one were to look upon it, they would have seen a grin as the panic consumed the room, and they would have seen that freakish grin widen when Deonora screamed for order in her presence.
AN: I'm tired and don't have a lot of time to write so here's a chapter to know that it's not dead.
Review Response:
Bucio:
The aside chapter "White" takes place at the chronological time it was posted. So Druella wouldn't know that White even exists despite the fact that he is with her mother.
undefinedforever:
Well, this chapter answers that question, but I want to focus on lesser monsters for a bit. Having two of the main characters be Elders and a good portion of the other monsters be high rankers. I think it would be nice to spend some time with the raptors, or lower brutes, or maybe some crab time. I don't know I'm still thinking about it.
MortalitasBorealis:
I plan to do more interesting things with Dawn so that he isn't just a "fuck you strong human", but all of that will come in time. For now, he's mostly a foil for the stranger members of the main party, and meant to be the more down to earth guide to the world of monster hunter. Seeing as he and Shizuka have pretty much switched roles in this chapter.
Glad you like palicos change, the catboy thing turned a couple new readers off, but it was never really planned as some weird degenerate thing as much as consistency result with what I had planned later.
As for the scaling when it comes to speed. I don't really have any excuse other than there isn't much information on how fast the mamono are. We know Minotaurs charge and are super humanly strong, and Bunyips are impressively large for lamia. So, I took the idea that Bunyips would be roughly equivalent to Wurms and would therefore be fast enough to at least keep up with Estrid.
That's all-head cannon, I try to be faithful to the source material as best I can, but we only have so much to work with. This is a hentai setting after all.
The Elder's old forms aren't gone but yeah, they are changed mostly for character interaction. Dragons in MGE can shapeshift into their original forms cause they're just that strong, so don't worry about Elders and some of the stronger MH monsters not being in their original form.
As for the transformation speed, that's due to the environment the individual starts in. Both Kushala and Pluck popped up in human realms and were thus much slower to change. Druella only really gave it a push. The uncanna in Dragonia are dropped straight into a Demon Realm and thus are immediately vulnerable to Demon Energy.
The portals have been going for a while, I left it ambiguous at the beginning because I didn't know exactly how long I wanted it to be.
I'll leave the rest to be explained later as that would be spoilers, so I hope you guys have a good one. Till next time.