Monster Hunter Destiny IX - Work of the Ice Worm!

The Frozen Wastes wasn't a place that you wanted to visit at the best of times. Even in the summer, it was frigid enough to freeze almost anything, given time. Its extensive network of caves were home to disgusting Khezu and Gigginox, and the vast snowfields and ice floes were dominated by monsters such as Barioth and Yian Garuga. In the winter, even the toughest monster could easily freeze to death.

Today, the skies were blue and empty, save for a solitary speck in the sky which rapidly grew larger. It was an airship, carrying eight humans - Bronton, Illeera, Kiem, Kread, Ryka, Taahnn, Relcia, and Mylie. They had been assigned another gathering mission, but with a twist - this time, Hot Drinks would be required to help combat the cold.

The first hour or so went by relatively peacefully. There was the occasional scuffle with a Baggi pack or a small Urcusis, but that was it. Nothing particularly worrisome for the most part.

Until Kiem, Kread, and Relcia decided to explore the cave networks. That's when hell broke loose.

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Kread instantly froze (figuratively speaking) when he heard a roar echo from deeper in the caves. Swallowing another gulp of Hot Drink, he tapped Kiem on the shoulder. Kiem turned to him, momentarily abandoning the sizeable stash of Isisium he had mined from the cave walls. "I heard it too," he said testily. "No need to jab me like that."

Relcia, from the other side of the cavern, hissed at them, "Shut up! You'll give us away!" Putting away her Iron Pickaxe and the lone Lightcrystal she had found, Relcia quietly crept in the direction of the noise. Kread, after considering for a moment, followed with one hand grasping the handle of his sheathed Siegemund. Sighing, Kiem reluctantly dragged behind.

The trio cautiously entered a great ice cavern, with beams of sunlight entering through small holes in the ceiling and illuminating the icy walls and floor. Stealthily creeping behind an ice-sheathed boulder, Kread gasped, then quickly clapped a hand to his mouth. Kiem and Relcia, now also hidden behind the rock, simply stared.

A solitary Popo was rearing and bucking in a panic, bellowing at the top of its lungs. The reason for this became apparent very quickly, when the floor suddenly cracked and out from it burst a mighty Leviathan. It was a Frozen Agnaktor, skin covered in thick ice and with a beak that could easily pierce the permanently frozen earth of the Frozen Wastes.

The great beast delivered a fatal peck to the Popo, slicing through its fur and flesh like it was butter. Then it began to feed, beak clacking noisily as it snipped off hunks of meat and swallowed them whole. Ever so slowly, its armor began to melt as it was exposed to the slightly greater temperature of the ice cavern.

Kiem moved over for a better look at the monster, accidentally pushing Relcia over. With a short scream, Relcia hit the ground, now in plain sight of the vicious creature which was not even 10 meters away. The Agnaktor's head snapped to the side, immediately spotting her on the cavern floor. By instinct, Relcia braced for the attack.

It never came. Instead of rushing forward, furious at having been disturbed, the Frozen Agnaktor simply tilted its head to the side, as if waiting to see what Relcia would do. It looked positively curious at her sudden appearance. She slowly got to her feet, all the while gazing at it in terrified fascination.

REST COMING SOON