MHD: The Darkness Within III - Into the Great Forest

Tenris found Vulcan and Zin hunting for food in the Idyllic Ocean. She had volunteered to serve in Hydra's place as a member of the Central World Patrol, as they called it. This was her first assignment - to travel through the Idyllic Ocean region and report back to Mediatas Village if she saw any suspicious activity.

The Rathalos and Jinouga were busy dining on a freshly killed Aptonoth on the beach. It was Zin's first time dining on Aptonoth, and he was really enjoying it, it appeared. Tenris walked up to them, and they both stopped eating to greet her.

Taka's gone, Vulcan replied when she asked. He went with Relcia to the Great Frontier, for whatever reason. Tenris mulled this over, then murmured, "So the rumor is true? Taka and Relcia have gone to the Frontier in search of a Fatalis Scale?"

Zin nodded rapidly. Yep! he yelped. The Jinouga pup was barely as tall as Tenris - he still had much to grow. I'm certain that Relcia will be alright, he continued. When Taka sets out to do something, it usually gets done, believe me.

The girl nodded, long black ponytails whipping in the ocean breeze. "I just hope they come back safely..." she muttered, but the wind carried her words away, and the two monsters couldn't hear her.

Meanwhile, the couple in question were cautiously walking through the magnificent Great Forest, on the edge of the Great Frontier. Taka in particular was nervous, and he struggled to remember everything that he had been taught about the vast region.

The Great Frontier was a harsh place, and monsters and humans alike competed with one another for space. Perhaps that was part of the reason the war was raging more ferociously there than in any other region. But Taka definitely knew the other part - the monsters were so powerful, it was a wonder that the humans hadn't been wiped out by now. Some monsters, usually older, more battle-experienced ones, had learned devastating new tricks to use in battle, and were referred to the hunters as "Hardcore" monsters. Taka dreaded meeting - and battling - one.

"Where are we going?" asked Relcia softly. Taka checked the map that he still carried and examined it for a second or two. "Hmmm..." he mused. "If we head south-west, then we'll be out of the Great Forest and very close to Castle Schrade."

Relcia nodded silently. Taka was also quiet - after all, it was best not to attract attention in a wild forest teeming with bloodthirsty monsters. Remember, Taka thought, ''the war is still going on here. If we cross paths with a monster, we'll have no choice but to fight.'' He worriedly wondered if the legend - the one about him, the shapeshifter destined to make eternal peace between humans and monsters - was told here.

Then the time for wondering and hoping was over. Neither of them had realized it, but Taka and Relcia had been stalked by an unknown creature ever since they entered the Great Forest. Now, the creature charged out of the bushes behind them with a shriek, hoping to ambush them.

Taka expertly dodged, and he saw that Relcia also managed to avoid the monster's pounce. Then they got their first good look at their assailant - a colorful Bird Wyvern known as a Hypnocatrice.

MORE COMING SOON