The streak continues… And I believe I may keep it up until the story is finished, chapter 26 is done as well, and will be up next week!

In the meantime, Mizutsune is now out in Wilds, and she is magnificent! I hope you enjoyed her fight just as much as I did!

Anyhow… This chapter is more than 8k words long! So I heavily suggest you find someplace comfortable before starting it, it is a huge one folks!

Thanks once again to The Chronomancer and AysaMetric for betaing!

The Wingdrakes had flown away once they dropped them off, but once the Seeker dropped a Farcaster bomb, they quickly came back, all of them picking the group up. Then they flew away from the chasm, which the group decided to name the Secluded Valley later on, and arrived at the camp that they settled in the Guiding Lands.

They did not call for the Airship immediately, deciding to take the rest of the day to collect their thoughts and write the report that they would give to the Commander. They knew that with the discoveries they had made, highlighting how important Safi'Jiiva was to the stability and existence of the Guiding Lands was crucial.

So they all settled around the campfire, the three Handlers taking notes while the rest of the group debated with the conclusions of their findings, and the theories that emerged. It was only when they were tired that they stopped and went to sleep.

Astera was back in sight, and Valen was nervous. He knew how important that meeting with the Commander was. While the fact that Nergigante did not attack them could be concluded as an act of pragmatism, the gift that Safi'Jiiva gave to Raphaëlle, and the explanations that the Elder provided could not be denied, and so they knew they had to leave no doubt about his benevolent nature.

They fired the flare for the Airship early in the morning, then waited the agreed upon time before the group flew on their Wingdrakes, Raphaëlle, Flighty and Sophie staying back, as was their agreement made the previous day.

Once they boarded the Airship, they requested a quick way back to Astera. The Captain sensed the urgency in their posture, so they set out as fast as they could manage.

Valen exchanged a look with Aiden, and they nodded. They knew that in the absence of Raphaëlle, they had the duty of delivering the report to the Commander. They whistled to their Wingdrakes, and as a unit, flew to the center of Astera. It was an unusual landing spot to be sure, but he believed the showiness of it would be proof of the importance of their report.

The group dismounted at the reserved landing zone in the Tradeyard, which attracted the attention of everybody that was working near it. Then they headed towards the meeting room, so that they could deliver their report. Ikari and Lea pulled out their notebooks full of the sketches they had made of Safi'Jiiva, while Valen and Aiden just stood to attention. It did not take long for the Commander, as well as the Admiral to come, having been alerted of their arrival.

"Hunters. I suppose your unusual arrival means that you have figured out something important?" The Commander asked.

"We have." Ikari answered. "The new Elder is non hostile, and with the help of Nikki, has provided us crucial information. More than we expected given our experience with Nikki."

"Nikki has always been… Cagey with her information, she usually lets me figure out the information rather than giving it to me," Valen explained. "However I believe that the new Elder shared it so freely because he is in a precarious position and needs help. And given what we have received, I understand why."

"Here is what it looks like," Lea said, pointing to the sketches. "Remind you of something?"

"Xeno'Jiiva?" Arcos looked straight at them, with a serious look. "You are certain that it is the same species?"

"The mature form we believe. There were countless shed skins all around his nest. Including one of his head, which looked exactly like a Xeno'Jiiva head," Ikari confirmed.

"There was another fact that confirmed it for sure, but we will come to that later…" Valen said. "The more important information is that he confirmed that the Guiding Lands have a rather crucial role in the New World. It is placed at the end of the Everstream spiral, which does not go further than this… So all of the leftover Bioenergy that flows through ends up there."

The Admiral leaned forwards, immediately guessing the problem.

"And we confirmed that slaying Xeno'Jiiva and Shara Ishvalda increased the flow…"

"Which is more than what the Guiding Lands can currently handle," Valen confirmed. "The Elder assured that it can solve this issue so that the ecosystem doesn't collapse. However, that also presents another issue. Such a large concentration of Bioenergy will not go undetected… Or unchallenged."

"Thus the Elder asked us if we could provide protection so that he can focus on handling the current crisis," Aiden finished. "Which is why Raphaëlle is not here, she has stayed back there to fulfill this promise… And because of the gift he has provided to her."

Arcos and the Admiral immediately went stiff.

"He has changed her armor… Which is the confirmation he is of the same species as Xeno'Jiiva, after what Nikki explained to us a while ago. Only the same species of monster can change the Bioenergy inherent to them," Ikari said, then pulled out another sketch from his notebook. "Here is what it looks like now."

The sketch of Raphaëlle was very detailed, since she was able to pose for them. It pointed out the main differences compared to her old armor, as well as how the Gem changed. They confirmed it had completely changed, instead of just changing hue.

"She couldn't figure out all of the changes yet, but she probably will in time, as she will test herself against a couple of monsters local to the Guiding Lands," Lea said. "However, with this information… And the particular word Nikki used to call the Elder, we decided on a name."

"She called him 'Emperor'," Valen explained, then chuckled. "She knows the meaning of this word because I once explained to her that we call Rathalos the 'King of the Skies', however I reassured that she was nothing less than an Emperor. Still, we agreed that this Elder should be called Safi'Jiiva."

"Leaving no doubts that it is the same species, but that it is too different to be the same… It fits." The Admiral said.

"With this information… You are certain that this Elder is essential to the Guiding Lands ecosystem?"

The group all nodded at once. And Ikari replied.

"We are. Slaying Safi'Jiiva would cause the Guiding Lands to collapse, and it would have repercussions on the whole of the New World. I would even say that he is a Keystone of the New World."

The Admiral and Commander looked at each other, then nodded.

"Then with the powers that have been granted to us by the Guild…" Arcos said, as if he was reciting a text. "We declare Safi'Jiiva, guardian of the Guiding Lands, as a keystone species. All attempts to distract him from its role will lead to immediate exclusion from the Guild and the death penalty. All hunters witnessing any monster threatening its role are required to immediately attempt to slay it, without any permission from a Handler required. Thus the Star shows."

Valen immediately stiffened. Few monsters have ever been declared as Keystone species. They are those that were to be protected at all costs, else an ecosystem depending on them collapses. The most famous one being Jhen Mohran, which keeps the desert near Moga a thriving environment. Vaal Hazak was not one, but probably would be in the future, given the importance of the effluvium in the Rotten Vale.

There was a long pause that everybody respected, integrating the important declaration that has just been made. Then the Admiral broke into a grin and laughed.

"You are full of surprises. Every time we believe you have done the most outstanding act you could do, you manage to surpass yourself. The fact that this time you have managed to secure the cooperation of another Elder, and of such a caliber, is the greatest proof of your conviction, Valen." He then turned serious, and even a little somber. "I am not sure that we would have been able to reach the same conclusions had you not been here. We probably would have made a mistake and we would have paid greatly later down the line."

Valen did not know how to answer, and he agreed, he wasn't sure how the expedition to the New World would have turned out without his presence… But before he could ponder on it more, the Commander interrupted.

"Hunters. Now that this decision has been made, we need to agree on how we will handle this danger. If Safi'Jiiva is worried about the possibility of an Elder matching his strength, we need to make sure we are able to respond to this threat as fast as we can." He turned towards Ikari and Lea. "Do you have a timeframe for the threat?"

"We aren't sure… Safi'Jiiva did not tell us for how long he would need to work on the Guiding Lands, but we have to assume at the very least, months, if not years. Possibly even decades, given the lifespan Elders have and their relation to time…"

"Which makes a permanent posting at the Guiding not as feasible…" Arcos mused. "We aren't alone in this however. Valen, how cooperative would your friend be in this?"

Valen almost jerked in surprise, he did not expect that they would broach the possibility of direct cooperation with her… Though given the possible repercussions that they just discussed? It made sense.

"I believe she would actually help. Given that she was the one that translated the discussion between us and Safi'Jiiva, she is just as aware of the danger as we are. Maybe even more given her nature… What do you have in mind?"

"The idea is that she would be our messenger in this case. She would literally allow us to get the information instantly, and so be on site on the same day. Would she be amenable to that?"

"She would." Valen nodded. "I will explain that plan to her tomorrow, and she will also probably explain that to Safi'Jiiva, which will make sure that he attempts to stay safe for at least a couple days."

"Then we are in agreement." The Commander concluded. "I will arrange the schedule of both Airships, so that at least one of them is on standby to travel to the Guiding Lands at all times… And maybe also request that a new one from the Old World is assigned to us, one of the rapid response ones. In the meantime, I will confirm Raphaëlle's new assignment at the Guiding Lands while the two of you take over her duties here. All of this should be enough as first measure, I will start thinking of more long-term ones once we are certain we can at least respond to a possible threat."

Valen nodded his agreement, they may seem heavy handed for some, but given the nature of the possible danger, they could not afford to take any risks.

"Then this meeting is over! Lea, Ikari, immediately share your findings with the Chief Ecologist, the rest of you, dismissed!"

Valen then did so, leaving with Aiden and wished good luck to the Handlers before they left. The two of them, with Adem walked towards their rooms, then once they were out of earshot, Aiden asked.

"Well… I did not know what I expected from the Commander, but it sure as hell was not this!"

"I think that now that he has multiple proofs that Elders can work with us, and that some have roles that help the ecosystem flourish. The truth is that we only are aware of part of the Elders that exist, and a vast majority are those that do not care about the consequences of their actions, which have created a huge bias. I hope that once the findings of the New World are released to the public at large, the mentalities start to change."

"I am certain it will! You just have to keep working and being awesome!" Aiden exclaimed, clapping Valen on his shoulder.

"You are probably right… Thanks Aiden."

"You're welcome!"

They separated with high spirits, and Valen opened the door of his room and exhaled. He had been tense since he met with Safi'Jiiva, and was only now allowed to relax. Adem offered his help getting out of his armor, and he readily accepted it, glad that his companion was always at his side.

It has been a few weeks since they met with Safi'Jiiva, and he was back in a routine. Nikki had readily agreed with the request from the Commander, and made sure that she flew around the Guiding Lands at least three times per day, being visible from anywhere in the Island so that Raphaëlle could signal her if needed.

Seliana was also now properly settled, and Lukas was now able to occasionally visit Astera, having properly delegated the regular day to day life workings to those he could trust. Given he was one of the highest skilled hunters besides the four Named, it was welcome news.

However Valen had received the information that there had been recent news from the Old World that he should hear, so he was walking towards the Tradeyard, where the captain of the currently docked merchant ship had gathered a crowd. He spotted the Hunter then immediately exclaimed.

"Sky Piercer! I have news that I believe you should hear. It concerns the whole of the Guild, but you Named should be among the first here to get it!"

"That is what I have been told… Something important happened in the Old World?" Valen asked the jovial captain.

"That it had! Listen all of you, we have not gotten a new Named, but something maybe more impressive happened! First of all, it has finally been confirmed that the Elgado crisis is now over!"

Cheers resounded at this proclamation. And Valen was glad, when it had been announced that there was an ecological crisis that had the potential to become as bad as the Frenzy virus crisis, a lot of people were worried. The turbulent period of the Frenzy Virus was still fresh in everybody's minds. The details were scarce as a lockdown of information had been instated right after it started.

"The Guild revealed that it had started because an Elder named Gaismagorm went into a rampage after having been confined to the underground for centuries… However when it was slain, a symbiotic lifeform called Qurios were ravaging the ecosystem in search for a new host. It also had agitated a lot of monsters and a few Elders, and even a couple were powered up by this lifeform… There have even been reports of an attack from an Amatsu, but thankfully it has been repelled."

Everybody gasped at this. Amatsu were considered one of the most dangerous Elders, due to the unparalleled control of the wind that they possessed.

"The way it finally has been handled is the most impressive… The Qurios finally all gathered at an Elder called Malzeno, which was actually the only one that has been able to form a symbiosis with them save Gaismagorm… However this Malzeno has been untouched by them, and was even unwilling to do so. The Qurios though, were desperate, and attempted to force the symbiosis, as much as Malzeno rejected it."

The Captain paused for dramatic effect, while everybody, Valen included, waited for the rest of the story.

"They caused the Elder to go into a frenzy, and it was even retaliating against the Hunter group that were attempting to eradicate the swarm. Malzeno's fighting prowess was tremendously bolstered by them… However it eventually managed to break the symbiosis. And what happened next was something that has never been heard of before… He has fought with the hunters to finish the Qurios swarm, recognizing that they had a shared enemy!"

The captain spread his arms wide, waiting for the reaction of his public. He was immediately the one surprised when the public did not react as he expected to, no gasps of surprise or denials, but instead just a quiet murmur of agreement. Valen could not stop himself then and laughed.

"Sorry captain. But this is old news for us. We have gotten several proofs that Elders are not as hostile as we believe. Most are just content to be left alone and not destabilize the ecosystem. I am certain that given the reaction you expected, you can understand why the information is not public yet. Though if such news circulates more, maybe that will change."

The captain looked around, seeing that everybody was agreeing with what Valen had just said, then sighed.

"That makes sense… You are the first that did not react wildly since I started spreading the story…" He paused, then said with a more subdued tone than before. "The Malzeno, of which species has been designated as Primordial Malzeno, even though it is the first Malzeno that is a variant, has then visibly thanked the hunters once the swarm was eradicated, and flew away. It has been spotted having settled his nest near the Elgado outpost, where the hunter team base of operation is. It is occasionally seen flying around, without engaging the hunters."

Valen smiled. The fact that such an event happened in the Old World filled him with hope that maybe the opinion of people about Elders would not stay such forever. And maybe one day they recognized that only a few of them needed to be feared. He went to sleep that night with a lightened heart.

The skies above the Guiding Lands were not clear. A thick cloud cover spread miles around, and the occasional flashes of lightning illuminated the group.

Nikki had landed next to Astera early in the morning, as the cloud cover above Astera prevented them from seeing her flying above. To Valen's surprise, she had a message that had been tied on her tail, secured with a thick loop of leather. In it was a quick sketch of an Elder… One that has been only previously known in legends. The only elder known to be able to wield all elements: Alatreon. And one that was believed to be among the strongest monsters known.

Valen and Aiden immediately boarded the airship, joined by Lukas, who happened to also be at Astera at the time, and being the strongest Hunter available, as well as his dragon attuned gear being the best against Elders, he was tasked to join the group that would face the Alatreon.

The airship captain had ordered them to push their engine as hard as they safely could, without caring about the fuel consumption. They all had been informed about the importance of the Guiding Lands, and thus they would make sure the Hunters could join Raphaëlle in time.

However, it rapidly became clear something was off, as they travelled, the whole sky above the New World gradually was covered by a thick cloud cover… One that became more and more turbulent as they approached the Guiding Lands, as if the continent itself knew of the intrusion, of the stakes that the upcoming fight rested on. And now that they were in sight of their destination, it was a maelstrom of lightning, lightning bolts snaking inside the clouds, though strangely, never striking the ground.

Once they were close enough, the group attached themselves to the Wingdrakes and flew the rest of the way. Their Handlers would stay at the ship however, as even they were worried about the turbulent weather, and did not want to take any risks. Thus the three Hunters flew in silence, tension building up as their Wingdrakes carried them to the Secluded Valley at the center of it.

Valen could see that their ride looked extremely agitated, however paradoxically they also seemed to instinctively know that they needed to carry them to their destination, as much as their instinct told them it was dangerous… Probably because they felt that the Hunters were those that would solve this upset.

Finally, they saw Raphaëlle, Flighty and Sophie at the lip of the chasm, waving at them. They directed the Wingdrakes towards them then dropped near the group.

"Glad you are here that fast… I have been able to sight Alatreon flying in early this morning, and it would have been hard for me to miss it, given the powerful aura it emitted. It is definitely interested in the Bioenergy that is concentrating here. But for what goal, I have no idea."

"I confirmed that Safi'Jiiva has not fought with it. I do not know where he is residing, but I believe he is just as aware of the danger as we are," Sophie added.

"Then we have a necessary fight ahead…" Valen sighed. "There are few reports about Alatreon, which is strange given that the Commission took a full copy of all monster reports before departing, and what they managed to scrape together before we left was only legends."

"I may not have ever been to the Old World, but from what I know, the Guild is really obsessed about keeping records about everything, and I was certain that there had been at least a few confrontations with an Alatreon, even if it was only to help a village or convoy escape the vicinity," Lukas remarked.

"We will have to do without, then," Raphaëlle concluded. "The only thing we know for sure is that it supposedly is able to wield all elements. We just do not know if there is a limitation or to what extent it can control it."

"That means that we must all be careful with this, and to always be vigilant for anything unexpected. Still, I guess we will all be Alatre-on our guards!" Aiden cheerfully said, to the groans of the others.

"I now officially grant you the permission to safeguard Safi'Jiiva from Alatreon, no matter what it takes," Sophie said, taking a serious tone, uncharacteristically from her usual easygoing demeanor. "You all are aware of the stakes, so make it count."

The group of hunters nodded, then they whistled to their Wingdrakes, which miraculously, did not fly away. They took a split second before taking off, yet dutifully answered the command. The four hunters descended towards the chasm, flying over the first level, then into the second one, which had no Elder in sight. However they could feel the air around them steadily becoming colder, even glacial, as they descended.

Raphaëlle directed them towards a particular pit, which was also the one where Safi'Jiiva departed towards after their meeting. Given that the temperature continued to plummet, they believed that it was the right way.

The air also grew thick with a strange fog, which almost seemed to light the surroundings by itself, despite the lack of any natural ways or bio-luminescent flora anywhere. Their Wingdrakes were becoming more and more tense, yet still pressed on… Until finally they arrived in sight of a final platform… That was clearly the end of the Everstream itself. Valen could feel the sheer density of Bioenergy that suffused the air. It was also why there was light, the Bioenergy was so intense that it generated a sourceless light everywhere. A gigantic tunnel that he could feel the energy come from stretched into the horizon.

However he barely had time to register all of this, and he was certain there were other important elements in the cavern, but they all fell to the wayside compared to the real anomaly.

An Elder was pacing at the center of the platform, its scales a softly glowing blue, the light emanating from the space between its scales… That all felt like they were in reverse order, interlocking themselves in a way that felt alien compared to the neat way other monster scales did. There was a legend that all Elders had a reverse scale that was not like any of the others, that jutted out from their regular coat, and that would send them into an unmatched fury if touched. This Elder felt like it was entirely coated in reverse scales.

It bore an impressive crest of solid scales at its chest, as if it wanted to display them proudly when it raised its head. Protrusions emerged from its elbows, almost reminiscent of the ones that Nikki had. Its tail was long and meaty, a trio of spikes emerging at the end, following the line of it that covered its entire back. It spoke of power, and left no doubts that anybody struck by the tail would not emerge whole. Two large wings, their edges tattered, were folded on its back, the membrane shifting hues like a rainbow, as if the power coursing through them did not know how to express itself.

However the most prominent feature of all were the two spires on its head, bristling with power. They emitted a soft blue glow through the cracks, but there was no doubt that it was a key part of the Elder's power, that they were important to it… All of this left no doubts that there was a reason for the legends behind the names. That the fire behind the smoke was real. That the Blazing Black Dragon, Alatreon, was real.

It only turned its attention to the group when they dropped from their Wingdrakes, as if they were of no consequence to it, that it was so assured of its superiority that it allowed itself to disrespect the intruders in its domain. Its eyes, a thin black pupil inside a yellow oval nested inside a sea of red, looked at them in turn, pausing longer on Raphaëlle than on the rest, recognition glinting in it. However it did not immediately react. It did not need to, at least it believed. Alatreon paced lazily sideways to them, a frost mist leaving its wake, then it paused. And everything changed around them.

While before the air was frigid cold, it suddenly turned searing. The pale white glow suffusing everywhere turned orange… But the most noticeable change was when the light between Alatreon's scales turned from blue to that same orange. And the frost that was starting to cling to the rock was vaporized in an instant. The Elder unfolded its wings wide and beat them once, taking off in an instant, a light gust of hot air running over the group. It ascended in a spiral with a couple other beats, then spewed a fiery ball of fire, its glow temporarily overpowering the lightning all around, casting moving shadows until it exploded when it impacted with a large tendril of shed skin, that connected to the ceiling like a silk thread. It was immediately blown apart, the fire spreading through them and greedily devouring its remains.

A couple other fireballs impacted similar threads, spreading the fire burning around, then the Alatreon exhaled a long plume of fire, directing it upwards and setting a collection of shed skin ablaze. It spun in the air to engulf the entirety of the ceiling, then finally let gravity take hold of its body, only lightly flapping its wings right before impacting the ground, displaying some sort of unnatural grace. Then finally it stared straight at the group, its gaze oozing superiority, daring them to match the tremendous power just displayed. Daring them to defeat a legend.

Valen looked at the others beside him. He could feel that Lukas was a bit apprehensive, Aiden was wary, a bit afraid, but quickly exuded an aura of confidence. The Palicos were trembling, but had the hunters to help them brave their fear. And finally Raphaëlle… She stared straight at Alatreon, challenging it in kind. Valen hummed, attracting their attention. Then he nodded, signaling that he was ready, and all of them nodded in kind, though Lukas was a bit delayed, but they showed that they were ready.

Thus, as one, the group drew out their weapons, save Lukas, who only wrapped his hand around the hilt of his massive Greatsword. The meaning of their actions was clear: they challenged the Elder back, believing that they were a match for its power. It seemed slightly surprised by the answer, then immediately reared back on its hindlegs and roared, the sound something transcending the means by which it was carried, as if it was acknowledged by reality itself.

The fight had begun.

Valen immediately ran forwards, followed by his teammates, Adem running on all fours besides him, Raphaëlle closing the distance before pole-vaulting in the air, intending to be a major nuisance for the Elder. Aiden holding his shield in front of him, ready to deflect any attack thrown at him, and finally Lukas following close behind, intending to only engage when he was sure to get a safe opening.

Valen found himself on the left side of the Elder, Aiden on its right side and Lukas hovering around while Raphaëlle was in the air, allowing each of them enough space to swing their weapons around.

Alatreon immediately raised its right claw, which immediately was clad in a gauntlet of dragon element, the red-black lightning sparking menacingly, and attempted to stamp on Aiden, who backstepped out of the way of the attack.

Valen attempted to uppercut the opposite leg, which struck, however his weapon completely failed to pierce through the defenses, only denting a few scales. This action immediately caused a response though, and the Alatreon swung its massive head, the horns coated in dragon element this time; the attack was surprisingly quick, and he had to activate the thrusters in his weapon, blasting him backwards out of range, causing the horns to only slice empty air.

The Palicos were staying at range, throwing their boomerangs from a distance at the Elder, not daring to get closer.

Raphaëlle had now begun her assault, attempting to swing her weapon at the wings, helped by her Kinsect darting around. Her attack was still as ineffective as Valen's, her weapon failing to even penetrate the membrane of the wing.

However when Aiden attempted his own attack, to stab the leg that had attempted to slice him to ribbons, something different happened. It found a gap between the scales, but also the impact left a hissing sound, though what else happened, Valen could only guess, since he was on the opposite side of the monster, his view blocked by its frame.

Alatreon's reaction was immediate however, and the Elder immediately snapped his attention to Aiden, its horns engulfed into a brilliant corona of lightning, and it swung them sideways, immediately after, Aiden could immediately feel that something dangerous was coming, sensing the static electricity build up in the air, and he rolled backwards… Which was the correct decision, as immediately after, a lightning bolt impacted where he was standing before. Alatreon swung its horns once again, electing the same reaction from Aiden, who once again narrowly missed being struck by the wrath of the heavens.

Suddenly Alatreon spat a fireball, instead of going for a third attempt at Aiden, who however was still a bit destabilized by his roll, he managed to angle his body and put his shield in between however, the attack exploding on it, but most of the energy being deflected at an angle, and the few that was channeled into Aiden pushing him back on a fair distance.

Now sure that the Elder was completely focused on Aiden, Valen squeezed the lever of his weapon, morphing it into its sword form, and then slashed on the leg as a sideways motion, releasing a burst of draconic energy on it. He did not stop there however and pushed his assault, his goal being to attempt to divert the attention to himself, continuing a series of slashes on that leg.

It was also at this point that Lukas finally engaged, drawing his Greatsword out of his back and slammed it on the elder's head in the same motion, stopping the firebreath it was going to spew at Aiden. Alatreon reeled back from the hit, though it was immediately clear it had no effect, barely scratching a few scales of its neck. But the goal of this attack was achieved, which was to stop the assault on his fellow hunter.

In the meantime, Raphaëlle was still probing the Elder's wings to attempt to pierce them, so that its aerial mobility would eventually be impaired. She was having no luck though, the Bioenergy inherent to the Elder too strong to let their attack through. Which meant they would have to wear it down until it was weakened.

When he saw that Alatreon was now focusing on Lukas, Valen stopped the assault that he was doing, waiting to see how it would respond. And when it reared on its hindlegs, flames a few flickers of fire escaping its maw, he knew that it was about to unleash another of its attacks. Lukas backstepped and the fireball impacted the ground where he was standing, However when the ground started glowing red hot and it was brightening, concentric circles spreading out, Valen knew that staying on top of it was ill advised. Lukas was already running away and Valen quickly leaned sideways and activated his armor thrusters, rocketing sideways.

The glowing ground then erupted, a plume of fire projected upwards, showing that should they have stayed, the result would not have been pretty.

Alatreon however was completely unperturbed by its own attack, the fire and concussive force simply washing over its scales. Valen noticed that the dragon energy from his assault still clung on its scales however, red lightning sparking occasionally. He wasn't sure what kind of effect it was having, but he did not really have the time to worry about it.

Raphaëlle was not idle however, and she made herself known by managing to land on the Elder's back, while it was distracted by the attack it made on the hunters that dared to stop his assault on Aiden. She managed to hold on a spike and was attempting to slash at the membrane still with her glaive, her Kinsect biting with its sharp mandibles.

Alatreon responded by attempting to strike her with the spike jutting out of the edge of its wing, but her location at the base of the join made it impossible for it to get the leverage, and when her attack still proved ineffective, it seemed to simply decide to ignore her and focused on the others.

Valen had recovered from his controlled flight at this point, and was now rushing back in, his weapon back in axe form. It was on him that the Elder focused next however, and when the corona of lightning once again sheathed its horns, Valen had to focus on self-preservation, and juked sideways to avoid the resulting lightning bolts. It was only when Aiden managed to slip past the Elder's attention and was hacking at its leg that Alatreon refocused on him, immediately rearing back on its legs to attempt to slam on him with all of its weight.

Thus this was the dance the group entered, where Valen and Lukas struck big blows on the Elder so that they could attempt to distract it so that Aiden could strike, as while it was only having a slighter effect on their foe, it was still more than the rest of the group could do. While all of this was happening, the Palicos occasionally threw boomerangs at the Elder, with no more effect than pebbles, but at this point there was nothing else they could contribute.

Raphaëlle eventually dismounted from the Elder, as her efforts proved futile, and she joined the group in creating distractions for Aiden.

However over time, Valen had the feeling that something was shifting on the Elder… But he had no idea what, he felt like something was different, but he couldn't put his finger on what. Then after he had a moment to catch his breath, Raphaëlle on his side, she commented.

"Its horns are definitely what it uses to use its powers… I can see them glow when it uses any attack. It hasn't displayed any ice or water attacks yet though."

Her comments about the horns then finally made Valen realize what was odd to him. He then looked at them, and they seemed to glow with power, but it was distorted, not the same as the uniform red that it had when the fight started. He also noticed that the light glowing through its scales was also different, being brighter and there was some sort of ripple pattern flowing through them. The residual dragon element from Valen attacks was also clinging on it, occasionally sparking. However the most noticeable aspect was on the spots where Aiden had attacked the Alatreon, where the glow was actually faded.

"I think its elemental control is destabilizing! And our attacks are helping," Valen exclaimed. "But what will happen then, I have no idea!"

"Let's keep at it, then!"

Once they spotted an opening, they jumped back in, reinvigorated that their efforts were having an effect in the end.

Alatreon did surprise them when it took flight for a bit and spat out large globs of water that formed a collection of oily puddles, which they avoided, as they had no idea what would happen if they stood in it, which was then demonstrated when one of Alatreon's fireballs impacted one, lighting it in fire that burned for a long time, though it eventually extinguished when the puddle ran dry.

The more the fight progressed, the more the Elder looked unstable, random sparks of dragon element jumping through its scales, its scales glowing brighter and brighter, and even the membrane of its wings was starting to be affected, the orange glow having streaks of purple running through them.

It was after Aiden had managed to land a series of slashes on Alatreon's leg that suddenly the elder stopped. It then immediately had an intense look of focus on its face… And large tendrils of dragon element started sparking through the entirety of its body. And they were visibly intensifying.

"BACK OFF! Something is happening!" Valen shouted to the others.

They instantly listened, running away from the Elder. They did not know what was the safe distance so they did not stop.

The crackling of the discharge intensified, similar to when lightning ran through its horns, yet also completely different in a way Valen could not place. It lasted for several seconds, most of the crackling focusing on its horns, until it all exploded.

A gigantic detonation of dragon energy emanated from the Elder, most of it grounding in the rock nearby, and the rest fizzling in the air after some distance. However he noticed that it was also accompanied with a wave of heat and even small ice shards that were propelled everywhere. Though it passed through the hunters without any effect.

Alatreon had changed once again, in the same way that it had when it displayed its power. Its scales now glowed with a purple light, same as its wings… Valen immediately noticed something.

"All of the residual elements are gone!" Valen warned, as they still did not know what it meant.

"Must be some kind of purge, then," Raphaëlle suggested. "It does look like it is dragon element that imbues it now though… Given that it was fire before, I do not know if that is a good thing."

"We still have to push on regardless," Lukas said. "We cannot falter."

"Then let's give our best shot!" Valen exclaimed, running towards Alatreon, the others following close behind.

The Elder was still focusing on Aiden, knowing that it was its greatest threat to its defenses. So when it spat another fireball, he used the opportunity to strike at its leg, still expecting to be just as effective as before.

Which was why he was completely surprised when instead of just denting the scales as before, they simply split. His weapon did not dig far in the flesh though, but the completely different result was still unexpected.

And so, for the first time Alatreon roared in pain, also not expecting that, and its attention immediately snapped to him, and the wound on its leg. He immediately saw what felt like uncertainty in its gaze. As if it wasn't as sure of the outcome as before. However that feeling quickly passed for anger, and Valen immediately activated the thruster on his weapon, narrowly dodging the fireball that was sent his way.

However the surprises did not stop here, Raphaëlle also found that her weapon was now starting to cut into the wing's membrane, though not completely through. But it was still a stark difference compared to before. Lukas also had the same result as Valen, a Greatsword swing managed to splinter some scales, though not as effectively as Valen's weapon.

Valen's mind immediately worked, and he realized that the weapons the three of them wielded were dragon element infused. Deviljho and Valstrax being obvious. It was only minor for the Nergigante weapon Raphaëlle wielded, but given it did not use any type of elemental attack, it was only the lingering element that was present in the blood of all Elders that was present.

It also explained why Valen's was the most effective. There was no monster that was as attuned to the dragon element as Valstrax, so it was even more concentrated in his own weapon… And it was further bolstered by the fact that Nikki had shared part of her own Bioenergy when delivering the message.

The others seemed to realize that fact… But Alatreon as well. And now it seemed the Elder knew that he was the biggest threat as well…

Thus Valen was barely surprised when it spewed out a large lance of ice towards him, sidestepping the projectile. It did not stop there however. As immediately after its horns started sparking with lightning. And so he had to focus on avoiding the lightning strikes.

Valen did not know how long the dance lasted. Alatreon threw everything at him. Fireballs, flamethrowers, globs of water, lightning strikes, it even attempted to run him through. Even against Aiden it sometimes switched back focus on the others, but there, even though Raphaëlle and Lukas were wounding it, Aiden also having found out that his weapon still had an effect, Alatreon did not switch his attention away.

It almost surprised him when it spewed out a large cone of cold that froze the very ground itself, but he managed to rocket away from the danger thanks to his armor, however immediately after, Alatreon took to the air and exhaled a fine mist of ice crystal… Which did not bode well, cause even though it did not seem it exhaled much, Valen could sense the large quantities of Bioenergy that the Elder was releasing in the air.

And he was immediately proven right when pillars of ice started crystallizing at record speed in the air above, then fell, impaling the ground.

Alatreon pursued its assault from the air, spewing out fireballs at the hunter. Raphaëlle followed him, dancing around the Elder, continuing to damage its wings, which eventually caused it to land, the holes in them multiplying and visibly affecting its flight.

It still wasn't enough to detract its attention however, as it resumed its assault on Valen, still intending to keep him at bay. A couple fireballs, a lance of fire, a glob of water, a couple lightning strikes, and it was about to throw another fireball when suddenly Raphaëlle shouted.

"VALEN! BACK!"

He immediately dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the pillar of ice that impaled the ground right where he was… But this also meant that he was on the ground… And a perfect target to the fireball that soared towards him.

An explosion of fire engulfed him and he spun in the air until his side slammed into another pillar that was nearby. His breath caught, and the shock of the impacts prevented him from breathing, and while he was pained, he also knew that he had nothing major broken thanks to his armor, the Bioenergy infusing it having protected him from the worst of the damage.

Lights danced in front of him, and Valen did not know how long he stayed there on the ground. It felt like an eternity, but he knew that it couldn't be more than a few seconds… Then suddenly a warmth rushed through the whole of his body, and he felt his entire focus sharpen. The pain was still there, but it was just set aside, it was nothing that he had to worry about for now. Valen pushed with his left hand, that wasn't gripping his weapon, and put his legs below him, and managed to stand up.

He glanced at the fight, seeing that Alatreon finally had switched its focus to the rest of the group, now believing Valen was down for the count, knowing he did not have much time before the Elder realized that it wasn't true, he checked his weapon for damage, but was instantly distracted by something else.

Arcs of dragon energy occasionally sparked through his arm, and looking down he could see that they occurred on all of his armor… He worried that the Elder had managed to inflict him with Dragonblight… Before he remembered that his armor completely protected him from it. In all of his spars with Nikki, she had never been able to inflict him with Dragonblight ever since he wore the armor. And he knew she could, since he had occasionally contracted the ailment when he was blasted by her wings when using his old Plesioth armor.

However what was sparking through his armor also did not feel the same… It wasn't hindering him in any ways, but it felt like a warm blanket, snugly enveloping him. The most surprising fact was however that he felt stronger, not by much, but still significantly so. And his weapon…

His Switch Axe was humming with power, feeding from part of the energy that covered him and glowing with a dangerous crimson red light on its edge. Dragon energy was also sparking through it, reinforcing the fact that it was even more infused with it.

Valen wasn't exactly certain what was happening, but he was sure of one thing… He knew what he had to do. He noticed that Alatreon was about to attempt to slam his companions, rearing up on its hindlegs. So he waited as it was committed, bending forwards… And right as he saw it put all of its weight down, Valen felt the thrusters of his armor ignite.

He rocketed forwards at incredible speed, the acceleration faster than he had even experienced, though the thruster stopped almost immediately as well, burning out through their power and now having to recharge, but it was enough.

None of his companions were hit by the attack, but the tremors destabilized them a moment, however his armor was nothing but subtle, when the thrusters ignited, everybody heard them.

And so when Valen hit the ground, he ran, preserving the momentum that the thrusters gave him, it cut his speed a bit, but he was already close enough. And so he could see the fear in the Elder's eye when he swung his Switch Axe in sword mode with both hands.

Initially he had aimed for the neck… But he had received the feeling he needed to aim higher, as if even with his powered up state, it wouldn't be enough… But it would be for something else.

So it was with a loud shattering noise that Valen struck Alatreon left horn, the blade digging deep into it, but not quite through. It immediately swung its head back with a roar of pain, dislodging the weapon out of it, which revealed the damage.

A large cut went into it up until a bit more than halfway through. It wasn't completely cut off yet, but it was clearly visible that it wouldn't take much more to do so. However what was unmistakable was how unstable it had become. Small sparks of dragon element, flicker of fire, puffs of frost and moisture and some errant lightning sparks all started to origin occasionally from the cut.

The Alatreon backed off several steps, looking at Valen with fear. It stared at him, and the certainty of superiority it previously demonstrated before the fight was now completely gone. It knew that Valen could possibly take it down. That it had made a gigantic error of underestimating the group. It seemed to especially focus on his sparking armor, as well as the dragon element coursing through his weapon.

The other hunters spread out behind him, having realized that the tides had turned in an instant. And thus presented a united front to the Elder. It still seemed uncertain about what to do, even in the face of this threat. And in the spur of the standoff, Valen did something that he would otherwise have considered reckless. He felt for the Bioenergy contained in his armor, and projected a single command to the Elder, not really expecting it to follow, as they would never bow to one they perceived weaker.

Leave.

The Elder flinched, and it seemed that it would not go through… Then suddenly the Alatreon spread out its wing and took off directly upwards, towards the exit of the chasm. The flight was a bit erratic, which spoke of the sheer terror that the Elder must have felt, having for the first time of its life, found something that could kill it.

Quickly enough, it disappeared in the tunnel above, and the sounds of his wing beats continued before becoming too faint to be heard.

The fight was over. Alatreon had admitted defeat.

I frigging loved writing this chapter, figuring out how to make Alatreon's fight make sense… Was satisfying (also it is very hard to justify Escaton in writing, so it is kinda phased out.)

Reminder that I have a squad in Wilds for those interested! I play the game on weekends, especially the Saturday, so if you are interested to join me, here is the ID: HQ63V4R4.