Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

At a tavern in Fonsa Myma, a Wyverian and a human sat at the bar. The human, Yew, was dressed in Wroggi armor, with a Light Bowgun strapped to his back. As he drank, his companion, Zuo, was reading up his notes. Zuo was dressed in a modified version of Anjanath armor, with less armor on his upper arm and no helmet. His weapons, a pair of Duel Blades, rested between their seats.

“Can you believe we had to do another errand yesterday?” Yew asked him. “I’m tired of picking mushrooms or going after small fry.”

“I’m not complaining. Money is money, after all. And besides, someone’s got to go out into the wilderness. Not just anyone can go out into the swamps or coral fields without getting hurt.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know. But I want to go after something different, ya know?”

“Well I guess today is our lucky day!” A hearty voice came in from upstairs.

“Something came up, Boss?”

Descending from the stairs was a burly Wyverian, dressed in Berserk Tetsucabra armor. Like Zuo, he lacked armor on his shoulders and was helmetless. With his face and part of his chest exposed, scars from old fights are in plain sight, most noticeably the “X” shaped scar from his encounter with a Seregios. He handed his buddies a signed piece of paper with his name on it: Vandham. “Yep, and it’s an interesting little quest. Folks have been saying that some kind of monster not from around here showed up recently and is causing a bit of trouble in the north.” The paper reads:

Client: Royal Scrivener (anonymous)

Locale: Cobalt Cliffs

Info: A strange, electrical Bird Wyvern has taken roost near the seaside. It seems to draw its power from sunlight. We fear that Garfont Village might be in danger should it start preying on the livestock there. Please do something about it!

Reward: 20500 zenny

“Wow! That’s certainly different,” Yew exclaimed.

“Yeah. Our district doesn’t quite have info on what monster it is, but I think I’ve got a good idea based on some info an old friend of mine told me,” the leader said.

“That would be?”

“It’s called a Toridcless. Big, white and blue Bird Wyvern. It likes to take sunbaths in order to charge itself up. Beak looks kind of like a hawk, and its body’s more on the bulky side. They usually hang out in dry, high elevated regions. Not really a fan of water, you see. The real question is, why did this fella show up in Uraya?”

“You think it has to do with what’s happening with the Elder Dragons?” Zuo asked.

“Could be. We can’t say for sure, but everyone’s looking into this mess. Us, Mor Ardain, Indol, Gormott. We’re all uneasy by their rising disappearance. But for folks like us hunters, we have to keep on helping others and leave this kind of stuff to the big wigs. So grab your supplies and let’s take the airship up north.”

“We’re getting an airship?!”

“This is from the Royal Scriveners. They’re treating this as a serious issue in case it does involve the Elder Dragons. Cause of that, we got a free ride.”

“Well if you say so,” Yew said, finishing the last of his drink.

At Garfont, they were given directions to the monster's stomping grounds. Garfont is different from other parts of Uraya. Here, Hunters and Riders coexist without a clash of ideals. It felt like a second home to Vandham. The team was told that, in addition to the Toridcless, there was a Nargacuga prowling about nearby. As Vandham and his team scaled the cliffs, they started to see the nest in sight. Bright pink coral stood next to the wall, with flat, lime colored coral jutting out in front of the nest, making a natural barricade.

Vandham turned to his right and saw something. “Yew, Zuo, take a look at this.”

“What is it?” Vandham pointed at something white and faded: what remains of a large Bird Wyvern. Hardly anything else remained of the beast.

“Something doesn’t add up. Shouldn’t the bird we’re looking for be alive?”

“Maybe that Nargacuga took care of it,” Yew suggested.

“I don’t think it’s that simple,” his companion replied. They got closer to the nest and saw their target taking a nap. This Toridcless looked smaller than the remains outside, but it also looked like it was guarding something. Zuo was taking a look around using a pair of binoculars until he spotted something.

“Boss, take a look at this. Underneath its wing.” Vandham took the binoculars and looked where he was told. He spotted something round with a distinctive white and blue pattern. Additionally, it looked as though the Bird Wyvern was injured, as indicated by the scar on its beak and ruffled feathers. But from what?

“I think I see what’s going on here,” Vandham slowly said.

“What’s going-“ before Yew could finish his sentence, a loud feline-esque roar echoed in the air. The Toridcless woke from its sleep, spotting not only the intruders, but also the source of the noise.

“Looks like we’ve got company.” Vandham turns to see a jet-black wyvern stalking towards them: a Nargacuga. “Yew, Zuo. I need you two to defend that bird and its nest. I’ll handle the Nargacuga!”

“But-“

“I’m sure there’s something he’s got in mind. Let’s move!”

“Ok!” Yew got out his Bowgun, ready to assist his boss, as Zuo tried to calm the Toridcless down.

Vandham drew his Hammer. “Come on! Bring it!” The Nargacuga readied itself to pounce at Vandham. It launched itself, swiping with its wingblades. Vandham rolled out of the way and smacked the Nargacuga in the jaw. It let out a sharp whine, before growling at its opponent. It leapt behind Vandham and slammed its tail down on him. Vandham was launched back to the nest.

“Here, I got you.” Zuo drew out some Lifepowder, scattering it into the air. Lifepowder is a crucial item for a group hunt if you want your teammates to stay healthy.

“Thanks, mate!” The Nargacuga was going to jump on top of the Wyverian, before falling down onto the ground in a paralyzed state. Vandham turned to see Yew’s bowgun still steaming from the shots. Vandham swung his hammer upwards into the Flying Wyvern’s chest, knocking it over. Recovering from the attack, the Nargacuga shook its head and turned tail to wherever it came from, jumping from platform to platform, realizing this was too much effort for one meal.

“Whew, that’s one blighter dealt with,” Vandham said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. “Now, what to do with you, big fella?”

The Toridcless didn’t attack them the whole time, due to how weak it was. It was merely screeching at Zuo and attempting to bite him the whole time, but to no avail. When it saw Vandham approach it, it looked at him with curiosity. Vandham got onto one knee and told the Bird Wyvern, “Hey, it’s ok, mate. No one’s going to hurt you and your little ones.”

“So that’s what this was all about,” Yew said, rubbing his neck. “So what do we do? You think the Guild would be ok with leaving it alive?”

“You know, I don’t think it’s too late to save them. Zuo, head back to Garfont and tell them the situation. Tell the Guild representative that we want to relocate to Garfont Village.”

“You sure about that, Boss?”

“Yeah. Call it a gut instinct.” All of this is what Aetos would have wanted. Give the bird a second chance. “Big fella, no, that won’t do. I can’t just keep on calling you that. Big ol’ bird…I got it! How’s Roc? You like it?”

The Toridcless looked puzzled at first, but decided to walk up to Vandham. It rubbed its face against him. “Take it easy! Those feathers kind of tickle,” Vandham laughed. “Roc it is then! Yew, help me get the eggs, why don’t you?”

“Sure thing.” With their father off the nest, they could see that there are only two eggs in the clutch. “When we get back, I’ll treat you to some grub and give you a good cleaning, ok, Roc?” The wyvern made a noise that can only be described as a whistle. “That’s what I like to hear! Hahaha!” Still, I wonder why you and your mate were doing out here. Spooked off by something back home and now you can't go back? Vandham wondered as they took the road back to Garfont.

Chapter Text

At Hardhaigh Palace, an Ardainian woman named Mòrag Ladair was gathering her notes together at her desk. She was dressed in a specially tailored version of Lunastra armor, customary of people of her ranking for generations. Her outfit was asymmetric, with a small cape underneath one of her shoulder plates. Soft, blue fur lined the tails of her coat, as silver, gear-shaped ornaments decorate some of the joints in her armor. Being a special case from her predecessors, her helmet had an almost crown-like appearance reminiscent of the Flame Empress’s horns; her black hair poked out from in the form of a bang, while the rest was tied up in a bun beneath her hat. Being held up near her desk was her weapon of choice: an Azure Rathalos Lance, well polished and clean. As she was finishing up the paperwork, she heard a knock at her door. “Come in. I’m only wrapping things up before the expedition.”

“Well, that was certainly easy, wouldn’t you say, Pandy?” a man’s voice said.

Mòrag turns around and saw a familiar face, though she wasn’t amused by his arrival. “May I ask why you're doing here, Prince Ozychlyrus? I’m in the middle of preparing for a very important trip.”

The people who stood before her were a silver haired man with an eyepatch and a green haired Wyverian wearing glasses. The man, better known as Zeke, was dressed in Fulgar Anjanath armor, a reminder of the land he hailed from. The way it was styled was almost like a coat, with white feathers running down to the bottom of the coat and his chest exposed; orange and white striped belts made of the Brute Wyvern's leather covered his lower torso as a cheaper means to protect himself. His eyepatch had a symbol resembling a Ukanlos, a flightless wyvern found in cold environments. Parts of his arms were exposed, revealing powerful muscles capable of lifting the Charge Blade on his back, while his lower arms and the legs on his pants were armored.

His companion Pandoria was dressed in an outfit made from Tobi Kadachi material. It resembled a Guild uniform, having a somewhat formal look to it. Her style, however, was more suited for traveling around in the outdoors, with sky blue scales protecting parts of her body and insulating fur keeping her warm in colder places.. She also carried an Insect Glaive on her back, though there was no Kinsect in sight. She was holding a medium-sized box with holes in it.

Trailing behind them was another Wyverian lady that tried to stop them from interrupting. She was dressed in a royal purple Guild uniform, though her outfit was more of a more formal dress. Despite this appearance, a pair of Brachydios Dual Blades were at her hips, their obsidian blue contrasted by the molten red inside the swords, hinting at the explosive power they contain. Her hair also gave a slight fiery tone, resembling a sapphire flame as it went from purple to blue. “Lady Mòrag, I tried to tell them you were busy, but they wouldn’t listen.”

“Ah, c’mon Brighid, lighten up will you? Zeke and I just wanted to tag along on this expedition.”

“Pandoria, this is not a field trip.”

“She’s right you know. This isn’t just some pleasant hike or anything. You guys are going to track down an Elder Dragon just to see where it’s heading,” Zeke pointed out.

Mòrag sighed. “If you know that much, I might as well let you on board.”

“Yes! I mean…yes, let’s hear more.”

Mòrag simply rolled her eyes. “Zeke, this isn’t a date. This is important research for the Guild as a whole, not just Mor Ardain. You and Pandoria will be accompanying Brighid, the rest of Mor Ardain’s Guild Knights, and myself. We will be searching though Temperantia to see what’s happening there.”

“Temperantia? Isn’t that place uninhabited?” Pandoria asked.

“By civilization, yes. But after it fell 500 years ago, it became a rather unstable ecosystem. Because of how wild it is, it makes for a nice buffer between ourselves and Uraya’s continent.”

“So what exactly is happening?”

“There are reports of an unusual Elder Dragon. Our researchers have identified it as a beast called Nergigante; otherwise know as the ‘Extinction Dragon’. It possesses an array of spikes on its body that it can regenerate at an accelerated rate. To sustain itself and its abilities, anything is prey to it.”

“So, it’s like a prickly, winged Deviljho? A Prickly Jho, if you will,” Zeke commented. Pandoria gave him the side eye, while Mòrag pretended that she didn’t hear that. It was at that moment that Brighid left the room to attend to other things around the palace. “…Moving along then. Our report also mentioned that a Teostra from Mor Ardain is heading in that direction as well. Whatever is causing all these Elder Dragons to arrive there is worth investigating. Now that I’ve concluded the report, are you absolutely sure about joining?”

“I’m game if you’re ok with that. Pandy, you’re alright with that, right?”

“Well someone has to keep you in check. Although, I’m not sure if it’s safe for Tetra to go…”

Mòrag raised an eyebrow and said, “…Tetra?”

“Oh right. Here, give me a moment.” Pandoria placed the box onto the table, and then removed the lid. “Say hello to our little buddy, Tetra!” She was holding up a juvenile Tetranadon, a duck-billed Amphibian with a turtle-like shell on its back.

“Pandoria?”

“Yeah?”

“Where did you get that Tetranadon?”

“We found an egg while we were in Gormott. It was all by itself, so we decided to bring it along with us. Later it hatched and we decided to name them.”

“I see... And what you’re suggesting is that we either bring it with us…or have someone babysit it here. Is that correct?” Mòrag was not amused by the idea of keeping a monster in the palace. Mor Ardain for ages has held great respect for monsters, especially Elder Dragons. But Mor Ardain was not really a nation known for keeping monsters; that was more neighboring Gormott’s thing.

“Please…? I don’t want to see him get hurt.”

“Mòrag, Pandoria is-“

“Fine! I will talk to His Majesty. Aegaeon can probably keep an eye on him. This better be the last thing you two try to beg me for,” she grumbles.

“I can assure you this would be the last thing we’ll beg for. If things were normal, we’d send him back home, but you know how it is.”

“I know. I’m not a fan of Tantal’s isolationist policies as much as you are. It’s understandable, though I don’t know why you two keep on insisting on coming here.”

“Indol get’s kind of boring after a while. While some of the company there is nice, it doesn’t beat seeing the sights from the rest of the world. Besides, I’m a hunter first, envoy second. There’s loads of people out there that could use some help, so we head out to solve their problems.”

“And we all appreciate the work you do put in.”

“Thanks, though you aren’t too shabby yourself.”

“Thank you. I must say, we should get ready to depart in the morning.”

“Alright, so where are we staying?”

“Unfortunately, you two will have to return to the hotel, given your late arrival.”

“Ah come on…”

“If you wanted arrangements to stay, you should have arrived earlier or be invited to join.”

“That’s a little harsh, but I get it. Not sure if Zeke does…”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You know…” Pandoria looks at Zeke, then to Mòrag, back to Zeke.

“Oh, now I get it. Yeah, wouldn’t want word that the Crown Prince of Tantal was staying over with the Special Inquisitor, especially on my terms rather than yours or the Emperor’s. That would be a scandal in and of itself.”

Mòrag nods. “Much as I would like to discuss the specifics about our mission with you, I’m afraid it’s getting a bit late. Goodnight, Zeke. You too, Pandoria.”

“G’night, Mòrag. You want us to come by here in the morning or go somewhere else?”

“If I receive His Majesty’s permission, I’ll send Aegaeon over to the hotel to pick up Tetra. He’ll inform you of our plans regardless.”

“Thanks, Mòrag. I owe you one. Take care now!” “You too.”

Once the two of them left, Mòrag sat down at her desk and lets out a sigh. “As much as I love that man, he can be exhausting sometimes. But the two of them would be of use for this expedition, between Zeke’s fighting prowess and Pandoria’s field skills. There’s no telling what we’ll find down there, so we’re going to need all the help we can get.” She resumed going over her notes on Temperantia and its wildlife, eventually falling asleep from tiredness.

The next morning…

*knock* *knock* Someone was at Zeke and Pandoria’s hotel room. “Zeke, can you get it? I’m still getting ready.”

“Fine…” Zeke said, still groggy from his sleep. “Yes? Can I help you?”

At the door was a sharply dressed Wyverian, with silver-blue hair tied in a ponytail. An ancient longsword was sheathed on his back. His suit had sleek armor on the shoulders, along with similarly styled gauntlets and greaves, indicating he wasn't just a mere servant of the Emperor. He had an air of professionalism and calmness. “Prince Zeke, I presume?”

“Hey, not so loud! But yes, that would be me. You’re Aegaeon, right? Brighid’s brother? I recall we passed by each other once or twice before.”

“You are correct. Lady Mòrag wanted me to deliver this message to you.” “Thank you.” The letter read as follows:

“Dear Zeke,

            I want to start by saying I’m sorry it felt like I was unwelcoming last night. I wasn’t expecting you to arrive at the palace unannounced and, as you know, I was busy working on the plans for our expedition. That said, I appreciate your help. You and Pandoria are going to meet Brighid, Perceval, Perun, Godfrey, and myself at the harbor. We’ll be using a private vessel to depart from Mor Ardain. This may take us a few days to reach the island, so bring what you need with you. His Majesty will also allow Tetra to stay at Hardhaigh Palace; just be sure to inform Aegaeon how to take care of him.

-Yours truly,

Mòrag Ladair”

“Alright, wait here for a moment,” Zeke told Aegaeon while he went to get Tetra. He handed him the same box Pandoria was holding last night. The young amphibian poked its head out from the lid of the box to see what's going on.

“So this is the monster you’re keeping?”

“I wouldn’t really call him that, given how small he is. He’s not particularly picky about what he eats, but he prefers fish.”

“Makes sure he gets plenty of water or his skin starts to dry out,” Pandoria pokes in the conversation. “Also, hi Aegaeon! Been a while, huh?”

“It has indeed. I trust you didn’t bother my sister too much last night?”

“I didn’t, but Zeke was insistent we go to the palace cause of the rumors about the you-know-what.”

“I see. I’ll take your pet out of your hands and promise to take care of him. It’s not often you see monsters raised by people in Mor Ardain.”

“It’s somewhat of a thing back home, but this is new to us. Pandy, you ready to go?”

“You betcha! Sorry we can’t chat for long Aegy, but maybe once we get back we can.”

“It would be nice to hear from you and Brighid about how your trip went. I wish you all safe travels.”

“Thanks, Aegaeon! Hope Tetra doesn’t give you too much trouble.”

At the port, Zeke and Pandoria spotted a military vessel bearing Mor Ardain’s symbol on its sail. The ship was equipped with cannons and ballistae mounted on its sides, a hunting gong at the back, and a Dragonator, a large drill-like spear, pointed towards the front; it was certainly built to deal with any potential sea beasts that might try to attack it. “Woah… That thing looks like its ready to fight,” Zeke whispered.

“I see this Cetus vessel has caught your attention,” an unfamiliar voice said to them. Approaching them was a Wyverian man wearing a red armored captain’s hat. He was wearing a variation of Ebony Odogaron armor; a dark blue cloak came down from his shoulders, hiding the swirling, skintight armor plating underneath. He wore a facemask reminiscent of some sort of demon, with jagged teeth and tusks, while his amber eyes remained visible. A flask of what can be assumed to be alcohol was among the items he had at his waist, while a Stygian Zinogre longsword was sheathed on his back.

“And you are?”

“My name is Perceval.”

“What, like THE Perceval? As in the Guild Knight?” Pandoria exclaimed.

“I didn’t realize I had a fan.”

“Oh, no. She just read the letter your captain sent us.”

“Oh, not that it matters. Based on what you said, I don’t think I need any introduction from you two. Zeke and Pandoria?”

“Yeah, that’s us. I take it everyone else is on board?”

“That’s right, though we are short on one pers-“

“Hey, Boss!” another voice called.

“Godfrey, you’re the last one to arrive. Any later and you would’ve been left behind.”

“Sorry, Boss. I almost forgot it was today, so I slept a little late.” Godfrey was a man in his early 20s, a little bit younger than Zeke. He wore Zamtrios armor, with his helmet being more like a visor with a pair of fins jutting out to the side, giving the illusion of horns. To contrast with his ice-blue armor, he had bright red, almost fire-colored hair. Unlike his companion, a hammer was his choice of weapon, more specifically the Frozen Core hammer.

“So, you’re Prince Ozychlyrus?”

“I thought only people from Tantal or the head honchos from elsewhere knew that.”

“Well I’m certainly the former,” he said, moving part of his visor to show his face markings, one of the hallmarks of the Tantalese. “I wanted to go out of Tantal and explore the world. I transferred from one guildhall to another and eventually, I’m here in Mor Ardain. Boss here saw my potential, so he enlisted me as the newest Guild Knight. Since then, I’ve helped out him and Perun with all sorts of stuff.”

“I see,” said Zeke. “Not all that different from me,” he mumbled.

“Your Highness?”

“It’s nothing. Anyway, good to see you’re doing well. We should get going; it’s better not to keep them waiting for too long.”

“Ok.”

“Lady Mòrag, everyone has arrived,” Perceval announced.

“And right on time,” his captain responded.

“Perun’s getting things together downstairs?”

“Yes, she’s just making final checks on our supplies.” Mòrag turns to see Zeke and smiled. “Are you still sure about this? Last chance to head on back.”

“Aegaeon’s already got Tetra. No point wasting his time from this morning.”

“Then I have no objections. Let us set sail for Temperantia!” The bridge was withdrawn into the ship as it began to leave the port, heading out into the waters between Mor Ardain and Uraya.

Mòrag and Brighid, being the heads of the operation, had everyone pick out their roles, which they’ll cycle out every few hours. As everyone settled into different parts of the ship, Zeke was busy looking out at sea. “What are you looking at?” Mòrag asked as she walked up beside him.

“Just seeing if there’s anything swimming about. Haven’t seen much besides some Epioth. How’s the rest of the crew doing?”

“Pandoria and Brighid are together, exchanging notes as per usual. Godfrey’s currently on lookout duty up top, Perun’s resting after all her hard work, and Perceval is probably drinking somewhere.”

“Let’s hope he doesn’t drink too much. It’s his job to look out next.” Mòrag gave a small laugh.

“I wouldn’t worry about it. He’s always been like this. I think the reason he does so is because he starts thinking about when he was younger.”

“How come?”

“As a Wyverian, he’s lived much longer than any of us; he’s actually a few decades older than Brighid. At one point, he took on a life of crime.”

“He sort of looks shady, but he didn’t seem like a bad guy.”

“Perceval was born into a poor family. Eventually, they grew desperate and started to cause problems for the rest of society. One day, he went out to raid a caravan making its way through a trading route. But as he was about to steal the goods, things took a turn for the worse when a monster arrived and attacked him and the merchants. Realizing both his and their lives were in danger, Perceval tried to fend off the monster, emphasizing tried. If it weren’t for Sir Briareus, Aegaeon and Brighid’s father, the lives of both him and the merchants would have been lost. After that day when he was on court, Sir Briareus convinced them that he would take Perceval as his student.”

“So I guess this is his way for paying back for what he did before.”

“You can say that. By the way, I don't think you properly introduced yourself to Perun. You should chat with her in a bit.”

“I think I will. By the way, I’m sorry about barging in last night. It was a risk if the rumors weren’t true, but I thought you guys would’ve needed some help.”

“It’s fine. In retrospect, I could have extended an invitation to you beforehand, as it was mostly just the five of us. But there is something I do have in mind: why do you think all these Elder Dragons are arriving in Temperantia?”

“Do you have an idea?”

“I’m asking you.”

“Well, could be that there’s some sort of monster graveyard there. Alternatively, could be breeding grounds for them. But, to be honest, I’m not sure.”

“What I think is that something is either drawing them there or scaring them away from elsewhere.”

“What makes you say that?”

Mòrag pulls out a map with all sorts of arrows on it, all in different colors. “Can you take any guesses as to what this is?”

“Migratory map?”

“Yes, each one of these is an Elder Dragon moving from one place to another. But do you notice something off about them?”

“This cluster of arrows were all heading to the Cliffs of Morytha two months ago,” Zeke said pointing at the region with black arrows. “And this cluster here all came to Mor Ardain a month ago, and the cluster over by Uraya about two weeks ago… I don’t think any of this is a mere coincidence, Mòrag. Especially when you have it marked that it’s different species of Elder Dragons heading to each location.”

“We have recorded some Elder Dragons that have been responsible for mass migrations in the past. But multiple dragons of different lineages showing up at the same place and disappearing without a trace, and in multiple locations at that? This is unheard of.”

“Well whatever’s going on, we’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“That’s what I like to hear. And once we finish our case, we’ll send our info to the other Guild districts,” Mòrag reassures him.

“Not sure if Tantal would be open to it, but I’ll try. Anyways, I’m going to drop by and see how Perun’s doing.”

“I’ll leave it to you then. I’ll see if I can find Perceval’s whereabouts and tell him it’s his turn for lookout duty.”

The two went their separate ways, with Zeke entering the mess hall. There he found Perun, who just got done with her nap. Perun wore Legiana armor, with its diamond patterns matching well with the Barioth Lance she had lying on the table, creating an icy motif much like Godfrey.

“Hey, Perun. How are you doing?”

“I’m doing well. Lady Mòrag suggested that I should take a nap after staying up all night making sure everything was in place and that we had all of our supplies.”

“Wait really? Did you get assigned to supply duty or-“

“No, I volunteered to go last night. Lady Mòrag and Sir Perceval both suggested I wait until earlier this morning to make final checks, but I insisted I do it last night, just in case we were missing something.”

“I see. Well, I’m glad to see you’re well rested. Depending on how the weather goes, we might get there sooner or later.”

“Let’s hope so. Say, Prince Zeke?”

“Yeah?”

“Why did you volunteer to join us?”

“I figured you guys needed the help.”

"Is that all?" “I’m not convinced that’s all there is to it,” Perun thought.

“Yeah, that's about right. I've known Mòrag for a while now. Brighid too. Ever since me and Mòrag started our careers, we've just kept on running into each other. So when I heard rumors you guys had this big trip coming up, I knew I had to help out.”

“What's your story, Zeke? You’re from Tantal like Godfrey, but you’re also the Crown Prince. Did your parents let you go or did you leave on your own terms?”

“I left on my own terms. Or rather, I was kicked out.”

“Oh, I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“It’s alright. Been about 8 years now? I’m over it by now. Besides, I’ve got plenty of new folks that I hang out with. Well besides Pandoria; I've known her for a while.”

“Now where does she fit into all this?”

“She’s a family friend. Her family has been advising the Tantalese royal family for a while now, along with the Guild branch there. But it might as well be its own separate Guild, given how tied off from everything else it is. But back to Pandy, she didn’t want me to go by myself, so she tagged along. Though, I’m sure her folks are probably worried about her.”

“You two have been through quite a lot…”

“Like I said, we’re doing fine now. We’ve got each other, folks from other parts of the Guild, and you guys.”

“That’s very kind of you.”

“Thanks. So what about you? I've heard about your teammates, so I'm curious how you ended up in this merry band.”

“My story? Well, I didn’t always live in Mor Ardain. I used to live in a fishing village in Leftheria. My parents were some of the top hunters, always trying to protect the rest of the villagers from monsters that stray too close. One day, a representative from the Guild wanted to promote them by having them join the Ardainian branch. They declined the offer, saying that this village was too important to them. At the time, I was still undergoing training, but I wanted to see the rest of the world, outside Leftheria. So I asked my parents if I joined instead.”

“What did they say?”

“At first, they were against it, but they thought it over for a while. Eventually, they told me that I should follow my dreams. So I moved to Mor Ardain and become one of Sir Perceval’s students. I still write back to my family at home and come visit every once in a while.”

“So that’s how you became a Guild Knight.”

“Pretty much. It's kind of a tough job, but it's nothing I can't handle." Perun looked at the clock to see what time she needed to go help out with other things. "I should probably get going. Just going to check everywhere to make sure no one decided to sneak onboard."

“Sounds good. I guess it's my turn to take a rest. Don’t know what we’re in for on the way there, so best be prepared.”

“Well goodnight, Zeke.”

“Night, Perun.”

Zeke went to the room meant for him. He decided to go lie in his bed, taking off some of the armored pieces. He pulled out a charm from his coat pocket, resembling a blue flame, with a jagged edge to one of its sides. “Everyone seems like they’re doing fine. Still, this Elder Dragon predicament is really bizarre. It’s not like the Black Blight, Rage-Rays, or anything pulled off by certain Elder Dragons. It’s definitely going to be a long trip, but at least we’ll be doing it together. Right, Mòrag?” he thought to himself, before drifting off to sleep.

Few days later…

Zeke was currently doing lookout duty. In the distance, he found something: a glimpse of a jagged-looking landscape. “Is that, Temperantia? It looks so…dead, even from here,” he thought. “Oi! I think I found Temperantia from up here!” he called down to the rest of the crew down below.

Mòrag got out her telescope to take a look in the direction Zeke mentioned. She saw a barren field, lined with ruins. Its mountains were sharp and twisted, almost like claws or horns coming out of the ground. “That’s it alright. Perceval, turn the ship towards Temperantia.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He took control of the ship wheel, while Godfrey made some adjustments below deck.

Zeke climbed down from the perch. “So that’s the place. You know, I’ve heard a few stories about this place. How the people of Indol were originally from here.”

“I’ve heard about that too. Records indicate that the old nation of Judicium was destroyed during the Aegis War 500 years ago, though some scholars speculate that it was probably earlier than that. Regardless, it has turned this land into a hostile battlefield for both nations and creatures alike.”

“Do we know what exactly happened here?”

“Not entirely, no. Research is still ongoing. But, we’re not here to do archeological fieldwork today. Our current task is to track down the Nergigante spotted here. Now get your gear together as we’re about to set foot in a dangerous environment.”

“Alright, see you in a bit.”

The ship docked at a beachside. Black sand and the remains of long dead organisms line the shore, almost like an ill omen of the interior of the island. There was a base camp already established by some of the Ardainians on one of their earlier expeditions here, much farther than the main camp located near the ruins of Judicium itself. The camp they were heading to was protected by a rocky formation that was hard for anything larger than a human to squeeze through. There was a split in the rock at the back of the camp that had a view of the ocean, too small for any wyvern to go through. When the team arrived, they decided to split into two teams: one consisting of Mòrag, Brighid, Zeke, and Pandoria, the other of Perceval, Perun, and Godfrey. Traditionally, hunters will join together in teams of up to four members; any higher than that is considered bad luck after an unfortunate accident where a renowned hunter’s fiancé perished when they were fighting an Elder Dragon in a party of five. The only time more than four hunters fight together in a hunt is if the target is during emergency situations. As this was a research operation, they decided to split up. Perceval’s team will search near the base camp and Judicium, while Mòrag’s team will investigate towards the mountains.

Mòrag and her party trekked across the plains of Temperantia, ready for anything that might show up. Temperantia’s plains, while mostly barren, still had some plants growing, a testament to how resilient life was even in harsh conditions. A herd of Apceros, armored herbivores closely related to the Aptonoth, ignored them for the most part, with only a few members grunting at the strangers.

Pandoria spotted something as they were taking a break near some rocks. “Hey guys, take a look at this!” A collection of black and white spikes embedded in the ground, along with some tracks of a four toed beast with a dewclaw on the inner part of its foot.

“I think we can take a good guess as to what made those,” Zeke said.

“It’s the Nergigante we’re after. And look, the tracks keep on going towards that crevice over there,” Brighid points out.

“They don’t look old either, so let’s get a move on,” Zeke replied, gesturing the rest of the team to follow him.

As they followed the tracks, they spotted more spikes and signs that the Nergigante was on the move. As the moved deeper into the crevice, the walls started to change, going from striated walls to having crystals jutting out in all directions. Traces of other Elder Dragons, ranging from metallic scales to scorched fur, were also found, leading further credence to all of them coming here for the same reason.

“So far, we haven’t run into anything. I’m kind of surprise we haven-“

“Shh,” Brighid covered Zeke’s mouth.

“Did you hear something?” Mòrag whispered. She nods and points towards some pink and blue crystals. Standing proud was the Teostra that was also spotted; his red mane crackled with fire as he observed his surroundings, unaware of Mòrag’s party. Two curved horns pointed towards his tail, while his wings shook off some red dandruff. It looked like it was setting up a trap against would-be attackers, ready to ignite the dust in a large explosion. The leonine Elder Dragon then proceeded to walk deeper into the crystal-filled canyon.

“Should we follow it?” Pandoria asked.

“At a safe distance, yes.”

The canyon slowly started to shift to a more cavernous appearance, with larger, more complex crystals adorning the chambers. Mòrag took notice of some of the crystals, noting that there was some sort of fluid in some of the ore. Other than the Teostra, they still didn’t encounter any other monster. Suddenly, the Teostra stopped, like it sensed something. Then, a blue light started to emanate from the deepest part of the cave, as all the crystals began to shine. The Teostra roared in anger, with an unnatural blue glow starting to envelop its eyes. It thrashed around the place, trying to destroy some of the crystals around it.

“What in Alrest is going on?!” Mòrag wondered.

“Dunno, but here it comes!” Zeke said, charge blade at the ready. His comrades also drew their weapons as the Teostra rushed towards them. It tried to swipe at Pandoria, but she vaulted into the air using her glaive. Mòrag thrusted her lance into the beast’s stomach, trying to injure it from underneath. The Teostra let out a jet of fire from its maw, with Zeke and Mòrag raising their shields to protect their teammates.

“Gah, where in the world is it getting all that power?!” Zeke struggled, feeling the intense heat rushing past him.

“It is an Elder Dragon. Don’t take it lightly!” Mòrag responds, also trying to stay her ground. When the Emperor of Flames was finished, Brighid jumped from behind the shields and slashed the dragon’s body with her dual blades. The Teostra was still not letting up, with its face and mane gaining their signature orange glow: a sign it has begun its countdown towards the infamous “Supernova” attack.

“We have to stop it before it takes this whole cave down in a giant explosion.” As they ran to stop it, another roar echoed, much different from the Teostra’s.

Swooping in and tackling the fire Elder Dragon was a black dragon with a more brutish physique. Two large, white horns protruded from the top of its skull, almost like a bull, while a cluster of spikes ran down its back up until the tip of its tail. These spikes also covered the back of its wings and the lower part of its legs, seemingly growing longer at an alarming rate. Its underside ranged from yellow, to orange, to pink depending on the body part. Jagged fangs lined its mouth in an nonuniform fashion.

“It’s the Nergigante!”

“Jeez, ugly blighter isn’t he.” The two dragons clashed in a brawl, as the Nergigante tried to chomp its opponent.

“Lady Mòrag, look!” Brighid spotted something unusual about the Nergigante. Strapped to its back between its wings was what appears to be a saddle.

“Why does it have a saddle on it?” she thought. “Its eyes aren’t glowing like the Teostra’s,” she mumbles. The Elder Dragons wrestled across the ground, until the Nergigante smashed one of the crystals as it rolled around, which temporarily caused the blue glow around the Teostra’s eyes to disappear. The Teostra realized what it was doing and tried to flee from the Nergigante, but not before its opponent ripped off a good chunk of its mane with its jaws. The Teostra flew off away, back towards the entrance, with his foe chasing after him.

“Everyone alright? What in the world was that?!” Zeke exclaimed. “A Teostra’s eyes shouldn’t be able to glow like that, yet somehow it did. And what was the deal with all those crystals glowing? It's like there was some kind of reaction happening.”

Brighid picked up a fragment of the smashed crystal and examined it. “…I think I got it.”

“Really?”

“Do you know what this is?” Zeke and Pandoria shook their heads. “This cavern is full of Kinship Ore.”

“Wait, isn’t that the same stuff that Riders use to make those Kinship Stones they use to bond with monsters?”

“Indeed. But why did the ore cause that Teostra to act that way? It’s not exactly like the Black Blight, as most Elder Dragons weren’t affected by that when it was around,” Mòrag recalled. “And unlike the blight, there haven’t been any sightings of monsters displaying unusual activities outside here, which makes it more like Rage Rays where the monster affected by it are mostly found near the source. We’re going to need to report this back to the rest of the team and the Guild. If we can get a full investigation going, we might be able to figure out how the disappearance of Elder Dragons and the sudden light that appeared in the Kinship Ore are connected. And Zeke, Pandoria.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m going to ask you to bring this information to the other Guild branches, except Gormott. We have that covered.”

“Got it, leave it to us!”

As they started to head back to camp, Mòrag couldn’t help but have a bad feeling about this. “Is there something causing this to happen, like the other incidents? And did the Nergigante used to have a Rider? Why wasn’t it affected, but the Teostra was? We are certainly going to need more research on this subject…”