Monster Hunter Destiny X - Vulcan Versus the Yellow Slime Wyvern

The Jinouga was dragged, howling deafeningly, into its cage by a tired Bronton, huffing and puffing in his thick Uragaan armor. The Fanged Wyvern had been the subject of another training excercise, and it had just escaped death when the trainer decided enough was enough. Just before then, the still-enraged Ryka was about to sink her poisonous Sword and Shield into its eye.

Everyone was exhausted after the battle with the speedy, acrobatic wolf. Illeera had finally run out of arrows and needed to get more from Bronton. Taahnn's lips were sore from playing endlessly on his Basarios Rock, trying to increase his friends' agility to the Jinouga's level. Kiem's right arm ached badly after continous blocking with his massive shield. The others were in slightly better shape.

So far, almost all of them had been severely injured or killed since first arriving at the Military Bastion and the Arena Terra. Hornt and Kread had been fatally wounded, Mylie had been permanently half-blinded, Relcia had attained severe damage to one of her legs, and Illeera's leg had been bitten clean off and replaced with a metal prosthetic limb. Taka was nowhere to be found after he had gotten his arm bitten off.

Now, in the barracks that they shared, everyone contemplated about the adventures and losses they had in the Arena Terra. It was almost silent, but at the same time, everyone's heads were buzzing.

Illeera had perhaps the most disturbing thoughts of all of them. Recently, she had begun to suspect that Taka, a shapeshifter, had been trying to kill them in the guise of various monsters. She pondered endlessly; ''The Glauturna that became so furious at the sight of Relcia, who broke Taka's heart not a day before... The Frozen Agnaktor, which had rescued her from an accidental attack by Kread, and speared him through the heart in mindless rage... What about the Jinouga? Was that creature Taka as well?''

She got up without a word and headed for the now-empty Arena Terra. Only one way to find out, she thought grimly. I must inspect the Jinouga's holding pen, even if that mighty Fanged Wyvern is still inside.

-

Taka spilled out more of his feelings to his friend Vulcan, an injured Rathalos that he had rescued days before. Yesterday, he had come to Vulcan after he had blindly murdered Kread and cried his heart out. Vulcan had been most helpful, saying that it was a tragic accident and that yes, even monsters, the most honorable of creautres, do terrible things out of rage.

Now, after posing as a Jinouga in the Arena Terra, Taka told Vulcan more. "They're my friends," he said numbly, tears pouring onto the ground below him. "And Relcia... She's even more than a friend to me. Why am I still doing this? What good could come out of murdering my only friends?"

Vulcan growled softly, trying to soothe him. ''Remember, I asked you the same once. You told me that they will soon be hunters - beings that would threaten the existence of monsters all over the Central World. Are you telling me that you will go back on that? Will you neglect the safety of monsters in order to protect your friends?''

The Qurupeco-feather-clad being raised his tear-streaked face and looked Vulcan in the eye. "Of course not. I love monsters, but... I love my friends even more. You understand? Did you once, or still do, feel the same?"

Not anymore... Vulcan mumbled. ''Hunters took my friends one by one... And then my mate and children. I vowed to kill every single human being that lived. But then I calmed down. I remembered the prophecy made by the Elder Dragon, now long dead, and told myself that peace was the answer. But yes, I do understand what you mean. If I still had friends, they would come before anything... Even me.''

"But I'm your friend, Vulcan," Taka said hoarsely. "You don't have to think of long-lost companions anymore. You have a new companion. A new friend." The corners of the great wyvern's mouth tweaked upwards in a smile. ''You are right, Taka. We are friends - friends until, no, even after death. And together, we will find a way to end this ridiculous war. We will end it peacefully.''

-

Stealthily closing the doors behind her, Illeera entered the Arena Terra. Bronton was nowhere to be found. The arena had been modeled into a grassland, with a small pool of water and a single tree with vibrant pink flowers garnishing it. The Jinouga's cage, she knew, was straight ahead. And with a shock, she realized that is was wide open.

REST COMING SOON