This is it… The penultimate chapter of Sky Render and the whole series. There is one final chapter after this one, that will be the climax of this story, then we have a couple chapters of epilogues.
Chapter 28 WILL be a behemoth, by far the longest chapter I will have written… You thought 25 was long with 8k words? 28 will be 20k at MINIMUM. Thus it will be a long read for sure.
Anyhow, here is the last setup chapter, where I give the final details and reveal for the final chapter. I am certain all MH players know already what it will be about, but for those that don't… Enjoy the ride!
Thanks to The Chronomancer and AysaMetric for betaing.
Safi'Jiiva's help did not stop at simply carrying the Alatreon's carcass out of the Secluded Valley. The Elder dropped it a fair way out of the mountains, and stayed there with them. Raphaëlle quickly explained why.
His presence out of the Secluded Valley made sure that no monster would dare attack the Airship, ensuring that they could load the body in it. Aiden flew out ahead to report the news and explain the arrangement the Elder allowed them to take. Sophie was delighted to be able to study the body while they waited at least, quickly confirming facets of the Elder's physiology that they had previously theorized about, marveling at the sheer durability its scales presented, and the fact that even in its death, it still radiated energy.
A few hours later, the Airship arrived, and Sophie had to reluctantly pause in the dissection so that the crew was able to load it on the deck using the onboard cranes. The sun was starting to fall once they were done, and Raphaëlle had a quick discussion with the Elder before they all boarded in the Airship and flew back towards Astera.
"This is worrying indeed," Arcos confirmed. "The fact that it explicitly told you what path you should take is much more than what Elders usually do. The greatest constant that we have gotten until now is that they seldomly interfere directly or offer direct advice. So for Safi'Jiiva to do so…"
"Means that something big is coming," the Admiral continued. "Something that makes all Elders afraid. You should heed its counsel, it is a good thing that Zyges is already here," he finished, looking at the smith that was among them.
"Ah!" Zyges laughed. "A monster of Alatreon's caliber? You would for sure want to do new gear with it, even if there was no Gem, if only to give you more options!"
"I already know what I want," Aiden said, then looked at his fellow hunters. "As much as we work well together, we know that we struggled when Lukas was here. There is a reason most teams have a ranged user among them… So that's why I want to make a Heavy Bowgun out of Alatreon materials."
"Good idea…" Valen said. "I will probably do something similar, but I don't expect to use the new weapon, my style relies too much on the unique properties of my weapon to use anything else."
"And I will simply get a new Glaive… I may still have Nergigante's, but we know that it was barely enough for Alatreon. If this new threat is even more powerful…"
"Then I'll light up the forge for you! These will be some great days of forging waiting for us!" The Second Fleet Master boomed and retreated from the council.
Arcos waited for the Smith to leave before speaking up.
"Hunters. I suggest you all stay at the ready. Chances are that whatever threat is emerging… is back in the Old World. However the truth is that we cannot just send you back. Especially you Valen, given the unofficial reason for your presence. But if they require our aid… They will certainly send a ship here. If the threat is as great as it is suspected to be, you will certainly be asked to help. After all, the three of you are currently among the most powerful Hunters of our time, doubly so after your most recent hunt. There are currently only Five Elder Named in service. And I am certain you all are aware who is the fifth, especially you Aiden," the Commander finished, Aiden nodding in confirmation.
Even after all of these years, it still surprised Valen when he was reminded that he was considered among the Elite of all Hunters. It was a far cry from the situation he had been in when he had met Nikki. It was the thoughts that Valen had when a gruff voice that rarely spoke these days said:
"I am too old for this… We are lucky that somehow we got so many great hunters among the Fifth. It is an anomaly… Or is it because of the tides of change the Sky Piercer brought with him. Only the future will tell, but knowing this, it is all but certain that the Guild will come to request your help, the three of you. They will put together the best team they can afford. At least I will still be here should anything happen in the New World while you are away."
"Thank you Blue Flare," Arcos said, then turned to the trio of hunters once again. "Go forge your new weapons and get used to them. We do not know what the time frame is, so assume you need to be ready to leave every day. May the Sapphire Star light your way. Dismissed!"
The group then headed towards the forge, ready to begin on the forging of their new weapons. It was a process that would require all of their participation. One benefit of slaying a monster as a group was that the Bioenergy would attune to every contributing member, instead of rejecting them, thus requiring them to forge together. It was why even if Valen would likely not use his new weapon, it would still give the option to the other two members.
The forging process took several days. In the end, Valen had decided on a Bow. The group alternatively worked on each weapon, working with the exceptionally tough materials of the Elder. It reminded him of when he worked with Aki, but this time the mood was more somber, more tense. Thankfully Zyges relieved it with his booming personality, providing a welcome distraction from the tasks ahead.
And so they continued on, helping craft the finished products little by little, the contained power of Alatreon still radiating out, even several days after its demise, a clear demonstration of how powerful it was.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, their weapons were finished, and the trio of hunters could admire the results of their work. All of the newly-forged pieces of gear were radiating a vibrant purple glow, one that belied how dense the Bioenergy contained within was.
Valen's Bow was elegant, with shapes that evoked the reverse scales that had once covered the Elder.
Raphaëlle's Glaive exemplified the viciousness of its claws, with sharpness to rend and tear the rock asunder, and it would greatly assist her in her aerial maneuvers.
Finally, Aiden's new Bowgun was all the raw power and adaptability that Alatreon wielded, the only one known that could fire all kinds of elemental ammunition, providing its wielder the ultimate adaptability in its fights.
All weapons actually only contained Dragon element, as it seemed that it was the true element that the Elder naturally generated, and had perfected the ability to convert it thanks to its horns.
The three hunters were happy about the results. And now they knew that they were as prepared as they could manage for the upcoming threat.
Several weeks passed… And while they should be ready anytime, Arcos had conceded that they needed every advantage they could muster. It was for this reason that Aiden and Raphaëlle visited Safi'Jiiva weekly, so that the Elder could infuse as much of his Bioenergy as he afforded in their armor and weapons. Valen did the same with Nikki daily, once he was able to inform them of the situation and the decisions that had been taken… It was her reaction that he did not expect though.
'I… Help you,' she signed, to his immense surprise. 'Threat, to all. Humans, Monsters, Elders. And strong. Very strong. You require every help. So I will.'
Valen was speechless. He did not know how to answer, but for Nikki to promise to fight against another Elder? It showed how great the threat was if she felt that they needed her. And it scared him. But even so, he also knew he had to be among those who went. Because he was one of the greatest chances they had as well.
'Thank you. Not easy… I know.' He sighed then smiled. 'We fight, together.'
'Together,' she replied, leaning in for a hug with Valen.
Her promise lifted Valen's spirits, and he felt like a knot had unwound within his belly with the knowledge that she would be by his side at the most dire moment of his life. He returned the hug, doing his best to show her his appreciation for her support.
The increased agitation noticed a while ago only increased marginally. It made the hunting grounds riskier to traverse for the other hunters, but they only needed to be more cautious, and was relatively manageable.
Alatreon had released a large quantity of Bioenergy when it expired… But Raphaëlle reported that it was far less than it should have been, and was definitely because the Elder had been severely injured when they fought it for the second time. It had to spend a considerable amount simply to stay alive and make the trip back over the ocean…
All of these facts combined were what made Valen wary about what challenge was coming for them… Still they waited, they prepared, and their best way to help was by being in the best fighting shape they could be.
Then one day a ship was spotted approaching Astera, and not an ordinary one.
"You are certain?" Arcos asked the sailor.
"I am, the defining features and flags are there. It is a Warship."
Valen stiffened, the Guild only had a few Warships, and those were used rarely. Normally to assault heavily fortified poacher bases, but there was a deeper, much rarer reason: when a state of emergency had been declared, and they needed to announce it. This fact meant that the situation was dire back in the Old World. Especially since no trade ship has come since several weeks, the last one that arrived having reported that everything was fine.
The Commander paused, and then after exchanging a nod with the Admiral, he shouted.
"Ready everything for their arrival! I want every Hunter available here at the Tradeyard. We are going to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible!"
A chorus of agreement resounded from everybody in earshot, and a flurry of activity started at Astera. Then Arcos turned towards the Trio of Named.
"You three go prepare as well. Doubtless you three are the ones they're coming for… Make sure you have everything you need. Once you depart, you won't return until the mission is completed."
The three Hunters nodded then headed towards their rooms. The ambiance was solemn, serious. They knew they were about to be part of something that one day would be in the history books. So they had to put every chance on their side, there would be no do overs.
It was for this reason that Valen gathered the highest quality supplies he had. He had brought most of them for the battle against Alatreon, but he needed to go the extra mile there. He had a couple of extremely pure phials that he had once distilled not with Nikki's blood, but the concentrated fluid that powered her flight, which was even more potent than her own blood. He decided that there was no better occasion than the present to make use of them. There were also a couple Max Potions that he managed to buy one day that he believed he should use.
These were extremely regulated, as using more than one in your life was a huge risk to your future health… But if the other option was to die, he knew what he would choose. Apart from that, he brought a few Whetfish fins, their natural oil helping a blade stay sharp even longer, Might and Adamant seeds, the extra edge they would provide maybe could make the difference… Then the rest of his hunting kit was what he usually brought. Mega Potions, Nullberries, Rations. Finally, he also picked up the new Bow that he had made. He would more likely not use it, but he preferred to give the option to his companions than to not have it.
With the help of Adem, he made sure he did not forget anything, and once he was ready, he went back to the Tradeyard, waiting for the Warship to arrive with Arcos and the Admiral. Eventually Aiden and Raphaëlle had finished their own preparations and joined him. They simply watched as the craft steadily navigated towards them.
As they waited, Valen then remembered an important fact.
"If I do not have the time to see Nikki before I leave, is it possible to alert her that I have departed?" he asked the Commander.
"I will have somebody sent to her. Probably one of the ecologists, given that other Hunters are on edge with her, but the ecologists aren't," Arcos replied, reassuring Valen's worries.
It was the only exchange they had until the Warship finally arrived, its massive size almost too much for the regularly sized dock of Astera. Once it dropped anchor and was secured, the gangplank was installed and a squad of Guild Guard with their bulky armor walked out, escorting a man that could only be a General, with the decorations that he was wearing.
He walked up to Arcos, the three officials looking at each other before the General nodded.
"Commander Arcos, Admiral, I am General Iadec, I guess you have an idea of the reason for our coming?"
"I can guess…" Arcos replied "Something's happening in the Old World?"
"That would be an understatement," the General sighed. "The entire ecosystem is in a frenzy. Monsters are more agitated than ever, Turf Wars are constant, all villages are having regular attacks, and almost all hunters are required to just defend the village… We know what is causing this, and given the magnitude, we need to bring in everything we have."
"If they are sending you, that means the Guild is leaving nothing to chance," the Admiral commented, clearly familiar with the General.
"They did not indeed, as you are going to see." He then looked towards the ship and shouted. "Come down now!"
A few seconds passed… The first thing they all saw was the tip of a Lance. Then the hunter came into view, drawing a shocked gasp from Valen. He immediately knew who that was… He expected it, but for this Hunter to be here confirmed his worries.
Two blue horns adorned his helmet, pointing straight up, leaving his face visible. The rest of the armor was a radiant white, with patches of colors reminiscent of a butterfly's wings spread around, the tips of the gauntlets and boots the same blue as the horns on the helmet, four long pieces of cloth hung on his back, almost fluttering like a cape.
A giant shield was strapped on his right arm, large enough to cover the entirety of his body if he crouched, and finally, the large lance on his back, as tall as he was and some, was tipped by a small trident, while its main body looked like a banner.
Every hunter had heard about him, about his legendary exploits in ending the Frenzy Crisis. He was the Frenzy Vanquisher, and considered the strongest and most skilled Hunter before Valen was declared as the Sky Piercer, being the successor of the Blue Flare legend.
He walked down the gangplank, knowing that every pair of eyes was turned on himself, but not letting that fact shake his confidence. He walked up to the side of the General, then looked over the four Hunters that were standing near Arcos, the four that made up the legend of the Research Commission. Valen matched his gaze when he looked over him, knowing that as much as a legend he has been made in stories and history, his own feats also were something that he should be proud of.
"Sky Piercer, Gale Breaker, Sapphire Star…" the hunter began, acknowledging their status as equals. "I congratulate you for your Names, having not been able to do so until now."
"Thank you," Raphaëlle replied, not needing any other response.
"And I do as well. I know that the burden of fame is not an easy one to bear," Valen answered respectfully.
"Well, I'm not Shamos-less, so thanks! I am glad to see you again though, Nogar, it has been a while." Aiden replied, confirming that he did work with the legendary Hunter before.
Nogar chuckled, smiling at the pun.
"Never change Aiden… However I believe you can guess that I am here for a purpose?"
"Indeed," Arcos confirmed, then looked at the General. "We have the stage ready if you need to address all Hunters."
"That would be great. There is a lot to explain. Lead the way," the General replied.
The Commander directed the General, now surrounded by his personal guards as they headed towards the stage, the crowd parting before them. Nogar followed, and so did Valen and his two friends, as he believed that they would be the focus of the discussion that was about to happen. Though when they climbed on the stage, Arcos subtly tilted his head towards the sides of it, so the three of them stood on the sides, leaving the General and Frenzy Vanquisher as the focus, as his guards stood at the other side of the stage.
The General raised his hand and the quiet discussions that were happening when they walked faded, leaving a pregnant silence in its wake. He looked over the room, his gaze seemingly being able to focus on each of them individually, before he spoke with an assured voice.
"Doubtless you can all guess that something major is happening at this point… And indeed, the situation is dire back in the Old World… The entire monster population is in a frenzy. They are more agitated, turf wars are constant, the rate of attacks on villages have drastically increased. But that is not the worst of it. From the region of Schrade, there is an unending tide of monsters coming, all afraid, all fleeing. And that includes Elders." Gasps resounded at this, for something to scare Elders themselves… It was unheard of.
"The situation is such that all Hunters we have are required to stem the tide, and especially all Named. It is a fight for our survival, as the monsters are truly desperate to flee, and will fight to the death. We have however pinpointed the origin… And it is the Castle of Schrade." A complete silence followed this, the Castle of Schrade was known as a forbidden zone, a place where nobody was permitted to enter, Airships were ordered to make large detours to avoid it, and failure to respect the rule was punished by death. Not even poachers dared to break that law. And for good reason.
There was a legend surrounding the ruin of Schrade, told to each child, of a monster that has destroyed its castle in one night, exterminating it completely in its wake. No traces of the monster's existence had been found, only the result of its fury. When the castle was found in ruin by merchants centuries ago, the decision to prohibit all entry was made instantly, and has stood until now… Only a name was associated with the monster associated with the legend: Fatalis.
"You all are aware of the legends. You all know the song. We do not know how powerful this monster is, but given the reactions of the monsters… The legend might not be exaggerated. There is nothing known about how the Ruin of Schrade occurred, only that it involved an enormous quantity of fire." The General took a deep breath. "However there is a great chance that Fatalis, responsible for Schrade's Ruin, is involved in that crisis… And we have no choice than to respond."
"Which is where I come in," Nogar said, walking forwards. "If we have to face, and slay Fatalis, nothing less than the best are required to overcome this trial." He looked at the trio of Hunters standing at the side. "Thus I, the Frenzy Vanquisher, ask that the Sky Piercer, the Gale Breaker, and the Sapphire Star come to join me to put an end to Fatalis, to prove that the legend can be slain, that we have grown past its shadow!" He spoke louder and louder, with conviction, until almost shouting.
"And I will follow!" Aiden immediately replied, raising his fist in the air.
"As will I!" Raphaëlle followed, not missing a beat.
All eyes fell on Valen… There really was only one option for him, and thus without hesitation, he continued.
"SO WILL I!" Valen roared, raising his weapon high, under the cheers of the crowd, quickly followed by Raphaëlle and Aiden, who used their freshly forged ones, Then they were joined by Nogar crossing his Lance with them, making the cheers grow even louder. It was a momentous occasion, as the four greatest Hunters of the era had pledged to fight together against a myth. The applause lasted a long time, giving the gesture the respect that it deserved. Then once it died down, Nogar spoke once again.
"And thus the four of us will fight together to end the threat of Fatalis once and for all!" They maintained the pose for a moment more, before sheathing their weapons.
"We have no time to waste," the General announced. A small smile could be seen at the corner of his lips. "Grab whatever you need and our ship will depart."
"They already are ready," Arcos then said. "Once we sighted your ship, we knew what to expect. Also…" He exchanged a look with the Admiral, and they both nodded. "Me and the Admiral will join you, not to fight, but to help organize the operation," he announced, to the surprise of everybody present. "We need to get every chance on our side, and we believe our experience will help greatly."
"We trust the Analytics Director to keep things running while we are gone," the Admiral said. "When we return, it is only once our mission has been completed!" he promised, pumping his fist high in the air.
The General looked at the both of them, having clearly been surprised by the turn of events as well, but found his composure quickly.
"In that case… We leave now. The more we delay, the worse the situation in the Old World becomes. I thank you all for your trust, and your help!"
Applause followed these words as he walked out of the stage, his guards forming up around him, the Admiral and Commander following behind. Meanwhile Nogar exited on the other side, Valen, Raphaëlle and Aiden joining him, and together, they made the group that promised to fight together, a group that would certainly be spoken about in legends. Their handlers eventually joined them as well, Ikari visibly nervous but yet following them. Adem and Flighty also walked behind them, their presence unnoticed by most. Every person in the crowd encouraged them, being more forward with the three natives than with the newcomer, due to the familiarity.
Valen welcomed the good luck wishes, the pats on his backs and the simple nods. He knew that they believed in them, to achieve their task, and he promised himself that he would not disappoint them, no matter how wary he was of fighting Fatalis.
Finally they boarded the ship, and at once, all of them leaned on the railing, as the sailors worked around them to prepare it for departure. Valen happened to find himself next to Arcos, who leaned to him to whisper.
"I tasked one of the ecologists to inform Nikki. He will be departing immediately after us."
"Thanks… I know she promised to help, but I'm still not sure if it's a mistake… If she will get out of it alive," Valen confessed.
"Remember that it is her choice, and that in that matter, every help we can have counts."
Valen paused to think, then only nodded in response. He knew that the Commander made a good point, and that in the end, she was the one to offer the help.
As the ship departed, and the whole of Astera cheered for them and their mission, he knew that no matter what may be his fears, this was something that needed to be done.
The trip would last a couple weeks, and it did not take long before they fell into a routine, where they spent evenings playing cards together, or just chatting. They had started with tales of the adventures that Aiden and Nogar had together, and the events that would contribute to his status. Then Valen told about his own, the fight with the Valstrax that he had slain so long ago… He originally wanted to edit out Nikki's involvement, but then he was stopped by Aiden.
"Valen, I know that he is technically a stranger to you… But trust me in this, he needs to know." The serious tone when he said this told Valen how much he believed in this.
Valen paused to think, then nodded.
"You are right… Before I continue, you need to know something. Would I be right to suppose that you looked over my files?"
"I did. Something felt off about how you survived the Seregios ambush, but I never could figure what."
Valen took a deep breath.
"That is because I had help, of a kind I never expected from."
And so Valen told him about the manner Nikki had saved him, how she nursed him back to health, of his paranoia that he eventually dismissed. The trust he extended to her, and that she returned, the realizations about her intelligence and the way he built a language with her. The spars they have done together, that they continued even though his punishment. And finally, the fact that it was her who asked him to slay the Valstrax, and her role in grounding him.
The silence stretched for a long moment as Nogar thought, before he nodded.
"I am not surprised… A lot of people are questioning the fact that all Elders are supposedly threats to the Ecosystem after the tale about the Primordial Malzeno spread. Even I had my doubts… And that comes from Shagaru Magala against all odds." He sighed. "You have to understand, I fought it several times, as a Gore, while the Frenzy Virus spread around, every time it was a hard fought fight, that always ended with it escaping. However, when it metamorphosed into Shagaru Magala, and our final fight ensued…
"During the whole fight, it felt different, it was not only a fight to preserve the ecosystem, it was a clash of wills. It was a fight that I enjoyed, that I found pleasure with, even though the stakes were great. And I had the certainty that it was the same for Shagaru… And once I managed to pierce its chest, the wound unmistakably fatal, in its dying moments, I was sure that Shagaru respected me, that it knew that the reason I fought him, was right. Once it expired, I had this strange pull and I carved the Gem out of its body."
Raphaëlle and Aiden exchanged a look. Then Aiden spoke up.
"I had the exact same pull… I did not have the same feelings though, but it was more like the Kushalah respected my spirit, that I did not break against it."
"And Xeno'Jiiva… It knew that I fought because of the threat it posed to the New World," Raphaëlle explained. "That I pressed on because I was the only one who could stop it before it was too late."
"However," Valen interrupted. "I did not have this pull, but it was Nikki who directed me to where I needed to carve out the Gem. Might be why I did not get it, because he must have known that she would."
The group was silent after this, until Nogar mused.
"That explains things about Named… Monsters must be able to discern those that fight to safeguard the ecosystem from those that fight for selfish reasons." Then he looked at Valen, a questioning look on his face. "Does your Valstrax friend know about the threat we are about to face? And that you have left?"
"She does, and Arcos promised that somebody would inform her. She even promised that she would help fight it…" Valen said the last part quietly.
"You know, that reminds me of the poem that Master Hojo of Kamura made…" At the confused looks the others shot him, he continued. "You did not hear about them? He made poems for each monster that the group of Hunters that was sent to help against the Rampage fought. And that includes the Crimson Glow Valstrax that they vanquished."
"We did not. Most news we get are fragmented, and we only get the most notable ones. Not many merchants dare go to the New World,." Raphaëlle explained.
"Then I will recite it," Nogar affirmed. "Fair warning, the Crimson Glow Valstrax was a maddened Elder, as you may be aware, and Master Hojo's pieces about the Elders focus more on their mystical status and power." He closed his eyes to focus and intoned.
"Gaze up at the sky in fear
The crimson comet draws near
The light of the stars
Burns the earth to ash
Rends heaven in twain
With a final flash."
The group paused as they digested what he just said, then Valen commented.
"Rends heaven in twain… That is a good way to describe what they look like when they fly," Valen mused. "It is kind of dark and ominous indeed, but given Crimson Glow Valstrax, I understand the intent. Nikki had confirmed to me that it is a tormented experience for them, when they become Crimson. The pain is constant, and eventually they lose reason. The Valstrax I slew was becoming one, and was already at the point of no return."
"That explains why she asked you to do that."
"Besides… As you are all aware I believe, he kind of lives on," Valen said, looking towards his armor, on one of the stands in the room, next to the others. "And while I don't think Gems contain their mind, something is still left behind in them…"
"You make a good point," Nogar answered. "Doubtless you all know that your armor feels like they answer to your movement extremely fluidly, even when they should restrict at least part of it…"
"And that is even more true for me," Valen pointed out. "When I forged it with Aki, we spent a lot of time designing the controls that are contained in the gloves… I never had to use them, the thrusters always responded how I wished them to. They almost feel like a natural extension of my body, as if I had real Valstrax wings."
"I also noticed that strong winds never affected me, even in that tempest a few months ago." Aiden said, chuckling. "Also one day a Paolumu seemed to be having a bad day and attempted to take it out on me. When it realized that its blasts of air had no effect on me, it suddenly decided to just book it."
The group laughed at the anecdote, Aiden had told it multiple times, but the mental image never failed to be ridiculous to Valen. When he noticed that Raphaëlle did not laugh with them however, he realized that she did not talk since Nogar recited the poem.
"Raphaëlle? Everything is right?" Valen asked in concern.
She looked at him, then sighed.
"Something has been nagging me in the poem, sorry… But I am not entirely sure why." She said, then shook her head. "Must be distracted because of the task ahead, Fatalis is—" She suddenly stopped, a wide look of realization appearing in her face, and she whispered. "Heaven and Earth are yours…"
Nogar and Aiden suddenly looked at her, becoming serious. Valen was puzzled, but also paid attention.
"Is that…" Nogar began.
"The Legend of the Black Dragon…" she said, nodding, and asked. "Remember it?"
"I do… Valen, you did not hear about it then?" Nogar asked, to which Valen shook his head. "It is supposed to be a children's song, and has a lot of superstition around it. However, one thing that has been constant… Is that if children start to sing it, then Fatalis is about to return, as they would be the first to sense it, until everybody would do it." He sighed. "And before I departed, I had heard a couple of them singing it in the street."
"I have never heard about it, and I was confused when the General talked about it…" Valen replied, and that was the truth. "However the fact that I was adopted by a retired Hunter once my birth village was destroyed in my youth may have contributed. He was more focused on making sure I could defend myself than in fairy tales."
"Then allow me to recite it as well. There are numerous versions, but they all have the same underlying content. Here is what is believed to be the closest to the original." Nogar cleared his throat then sang.
"When the world is full of wyverns
The legend is revived
Meat is eaten, Bone is crunched.
And blood is sucked up dry
He burns through the earth
And melts through iron
He boils the rivers
And mows down trees
He awakens the winds
And lights an inferno
He is called Fatalis
The wyvern of destiny
He is called Fatalis
The wyvern of destruction
Call for help
Run for your lives
And don't forget to
Pray to the skies
He is called Fatalis
The wyvern of destiny
He is called Fatalis
The wyvern of destruction
Fatalis, Fatalis
Heaven and Earth are yours
Fatalis, Fatalis
Heaven and Earth are yours."
Once Nogar was finished, the group paused in silence. Then Aiden stood up and proclaimed.
"Legends or not, prophecies of doom or not, we will triumph! Mere words will not deter us!"
"Well said. We are committed, and together, will succeed!" Nogar replied.
Valen nodded then with a grin, added his own take.
"Besides… Fatalis does not own the Heavens… I only know of one deserving of that honor, and we have her help! Not only are we the best humanity has to offer against Fatalis. We also have an Elder at our side!"
Then Raphaëlle raised her fist and let out a shout.
"For the Red Comet!"
"For the Red Comet!" they all replied, as they all made contact with their fists. And with that, Valen knew that he could not ask for better companions to face the threat of Fatalis.
On the evening before they were set to arrive, they were all gathered in the lower deck. Their Handlers were all together, while the General, Commander and Admiral were occupying another third of the table.
"Now it is time to explain what we know," the General started. "Due to the status of the castle as a forbidden place, little is known about it. However, once I have received the authorization to go ahead with our task, I have managed to retrieve the old maps of the castle."
He unrolled a large map on the table, which looked like the main courtyard of the castle. There were some symbols drawn on it but Valen did not know what they represented.
"This is the main courtyard of the castle. It is also the most favorable place to fight Fatalis in. Most notably because of this." He tapped something at the upper portion of the map. "A Dragonator. It may not be able to outright kill it, but it will definitely be a valuable tool for you. There is no certainty about the state of it however.
"So once we arrive, I will task an engineer team to work on it from inside. As long as Fatalis is focused on fighting you, they will be safe. We do not know if it will instantly fight you or if we have some time. The scouts I have tasked to keep a watch on the castle have not been able to sight it so far."
"There is another tool you should be aware of however," the Commander continued. "There is a large metal gate right above the Dragonator. As the only thing we know about Fatalis is that it used fire, it should hopefully be able to shield you from one large scale attack. You just need to pull the lever to raise it."
"And there should be siege equipment such as ballistae and cannons, but you should not count on them. We doubt their effectiveness and their ability to function after so long, and the fact that they survived when Fatalis last attacked," the Admiral warned.
"As to how you will reach the fighting area… We brought some Wingdrakes, the only ones we are certain will fight through their instincts to flee from the Castle. But once Fatalis is present… We believe it would be best to believe you cannot rely on them," the General finished. "This is as much as we know, until we arrive and can inspect the place. Due to the lack of information, any plans that we make are unlikely to be realized, so the best we can provide is the options you will have available. Am I clear?"
"Understood!" the four hunters replied.
"So much is at stake… So I hope you will do your best to make sure that you do not fail!"
"And we won't!" Valen assured. "Because we know we are the only ones that have faced similar odds!"
"The number of legends would make us believe that Fatalis is more history than a monster… But history can be rewritten!" Aiden exclaimed.
A large cheer accompanied this declaration. Then once it died down the General finished.
"We arrive in the morning, go rest and steel yourselves."
Valen nodded and headed towards his room. Once the door was locked he was about to start on a final check on his armor, but then Adem caught his attention.
"Valen? I… Don't think I can do it, and I talked with Flighty, and she can't either. I wish I could but… My instincts are screaming at me right now, and once I am right next to it? I—" The trembling Palico stopped when Valen put a hand on his shoulder.
"I understand Adem… And to be honest, I don't blame you. Now knowing that you may not be as effective? I believe it is for the best that you stay behind indeed…" He sighed. "I am also scared, you know. Yet, I know it has to be done, somebody has to do it, and it is best that I am part of them. At least I won't be alone, rest assured in that."
Adem managed to get his shaking under control, and even to lightly purr.
"Thank you."
Valen smiled, then looked at his armor again. Before working on it, he picked up his weapon, and looked it over. There were three slots for phials near the handle. Two regular sized ones, one that powered the thrusters, the other the discharge mechanism of the sword mode. There was however one between the two, bigger than the others, and when he had been asked for its function, he always replied that it was for emergencies, but never had to use it so far.
He activated the release mechanism, allowing him to pull it out… Revealing it to simply be an empty phial, made to look like one but in the end having no function. It looked like a sphere, contrary to the cylindrical shape of the other two. Valen then simply placed the decoy phial on the ground and disabled the release mechanism. If anything required him to use that function Aki suggested he have, he believed Fatalis would. Nothing else did until now, and that worried him.
I wonder if now people can guess why I chose Sky Render as a title…
Two things before I leave you:
First I updated a couple chapters, not much there is less than 500 words added/changed, but I had some lore change/ideas while writing chapter 28, and they needed a couple changes so that they make sense. I won't tell you where to look however, you will have to find out for yourself! I'm certain you'll know where to look once you see what I talk about.
Second, I won't post chapter 28 next week for sure. Not because I won't have it done by then or my betas, but because of something else. I am not saying what it is. But that means it'll be posted either in 2 weeks if we are lucky, or maybe 3. But at least it gives you time to get excited for 28 and reserve some time to read it ^^
Anyhow SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR THE FINALE!