//------------------------------//
// Tundra's Terror 
// Story: Ice Crushing Wyvern 
// by Slendy 
//------------------------------//


Assignment Accepted! 
Winter Rumble ⭐⭐
Main Objective
*Hunt Brute Wyvern

Highlands | Reward 2400 Bits | Fee 150 Bits 






"Come ooon, where are you..." This was getting old at record speed if I'm being honest. It was a calm, frigid day nestled in a makeshift tent covered in snow, surrounded by snow where my little lookout poked above a small ridge overlooking a large selection of caves home to your standard cave-dwellers and occasional tundra-inhabiting creature, other than that, it was really, really boring, so much so I faceplanted the packed snow I used as a windowsill to keep my portable telescope and journal handy, it was cold but the confined space and snow layering the top of the tent and tree helped to insulate my little hut.

I should be formal, huh? My name is Akira Amadeus, yeah, a very unique name for a Bat Pony or just about any resident of Equestria, but I like it, uniqueness builds character, that's what my Dad would say. I'm currently bordered near the village of Snowfall, it was the nearest town or village to the mountains and Frozen North. The place is nice and the ponies living there aren't the kind to shrug off newcomers, especially those willing to lend a hoof to a cause. 

That leads me to why I'm freezing my flank off in the snow, they've got a bit of a pest problem. I'm putting this mildly given this 'Pest' has been causing small avalanches and disturbing the wildlife in the area, and it's gotten dangerously close to the village recently. So, with my expertise in this form of 'Pest Control', I accepted the job and came out here to not only help the ponies but prove myself a capable Hunter! 

I groaned again into the snow, ears flat under my hood. "Oh yes, 'prove myself' with what exactly? Snow-fort building?" It was a pain, I've been out here for nearly two days and still nothing, not even a small instance of a skirmish over than tracks that led to and from the caves, indicating it used it as a nest. "How does Dad put up with this stuff, it's so boooring!" I wanted to just curl up by a fire and sleep but the arctic breeze and need to complete this assignment were nagging like a rooster crying out at the break of dawn. "Bet Mom's having more fun than me..." 

That brought my mood down, one underlining issue I neglected to mention, I didn't exactly... tell either of my parents I'm out here... yeah, that'll bite me later. In a way, I get it, this isn't some treasure hunt or spectating their work, I was out here, with a weapon, ready to do battle with whatever monster was causing havoc, and once a fight broke out there was no turning back. A part of me is doing it to prove I'm capable on my own hooves, but another... can't stand not helping ponies in trouble, call me a softy but it just rubs me the wrong way leaving somepony to suffer while I prance about without a care in the world.

Flicking through my journal, I sat back against the tree bark to overlook my notes. First sightings of the monster indicate it to be a 'Brute Wyvern' but the official Equestrian Hunter's Guild, they're quite territorial as seen when it left several walls lining the village either damaged or toppled over. Footprints are big and stubby, and it had jade-colored scales. Other than that, I had no other information to work with, fantastic...

Huffing, my head slanted to a mirror I had placed to help reflect the sun to warm me or my cloak up. It was white with a matching fur lining to keep me warm, hiding my bored, amethyst eyes, my messy mane a shade of charcoal with a single, lilac stripe just off to the left. The same could be said for my bedhead-style tail. My coat was like my Mom's, only my wings were a dark tint of grey, nearly black. You couldn't tell by looking at me but I'm not a normal Bat-pony, heh, I haven't been normal since the day I could fly.

Managing a small smile with my aloof gaze, I nodded to myself. "You look like you'd punch someone if they looked at you funny," Then I blinked, ears flicking upright. "And I'm talking to myself - I really need out of this te - huh?" Again my ears flicked, now I was certain I wasn't crazy... probably. "What in the what?" Scrambling to my lookout, I peeked out only to immediately throw my hood back, gawking at the creature swaying through the treeline. "No way...!" Bubbling excitement, dread, and anticipation rolled up into one as my heart raced.

Stepping into the sunlight, a glistening body shoved a tree aside with ease, toppling it over. A large, bipedal monster covered in rich, jade-colored scales with bronzy ones lining the spine. The underside thick, leathery yellow skin, the thick, powerful legs coated in deep blue scales. I noted its large crown structure atop its skull. Its body is also covered in rigid plates, most like its crown, stubby arms, and tail smothered in packed snow. The wyvern also possessed a pair of small red eyes and a mouthful with numerous long, peg-shaped teeth.

"Hang on..." Pulling out my scope I observed its movements, itself sniffing the air while it shook off some loose snow. That's when I drew the connection, wing rubbing the nervous sweat off my brow. "That... a Barroth? No... it's different from the one Dad fought," Now I feel I've dropped myself in the deep end, but if this thing's getting aggressive near Snowfall village then I can't let it slip away this time. Pouting, I grabbed my bag to fish through my supplies. "I did not just camp up here, freezing my butt off just to let you leave."

From within my rucksack I procured my two weapons of choice, perfect for the best offense and defense, or in my Dad's words, 'Sword and Shield are the Gods among a Hunters craft' or something, he's weird with those one-sided references of his. Both were a pair, made of the same, black metal with a silver crescent moon on the face of the kite shield and guard of the sword. Both had a silvery sheen to their edge, and the buckler was thicker for added endurance. The good thing is I can fly so that meant I had an agility advantage. 

*Roooar!*

My hooves quickly flung to the wall, bracing with a small 'eep'. The tent trembled at the sharp cry from the brute, quickly looking down I saw it was smashing its head against a large boulder outside the caves, this was good, I can sneak up this way! Steeling my quaking nerves I gathered my rucksack and slung it between my wings, slipping my hood on. "Let's ante up."





Dropping from the sky I rolled behind a small boulder, keeping my head low as I heard the Barroth sniff sharply, obviously, it heard me zip down from the ridge. Poking my head out I spotted its head looking the opposite way, this was a good chance to get the first hit in! My grin fell when I slapped a hoof to my temple. "Idiot, don't rush into this, gotta plan this out," This was a Brute Wyvern, not exactly a pushover given its appearance. "Fire's my best choice but I don't have anything like that, and my moves aren't as fleshed out... maybe Shadow..." It was a tough call, it looks like a Barroth but it isn't, instead of sticky mud it's using snow as armor.

Let's pro-con this. Pro, I have the element of surprise, I know roughly what it can do and how to avoid it, duh, wings. Con, I have to break away the snow first and chip its scales for my sword to cut through its thick armor, if this was a Piscine Wyvern that would be a piece of cake, sadly I lucked out. Tapping a wing to my chin I felt like I was forgetting something. "What was... eh? Where did the sun go?"  Blinking widely, I shot my head to my sides, then a nervous lump was swallowed at the low-bearing snarl hanging above me. 

With a wary, sweet smile I tilted my head up to the right, peeking just above my bangs to see a single, scarlet eye leering down at me, drool dripping between its teeth. Leaning toward my cloak, I sniffed, picking up the faint scent of the elixir I dosed on my body to bolster my strength before I flew down here. I still smell like the contents... "Poor eyesight means its sense of smell it greater, hehehe... oops." With a furious, ear-raking roar, the Barroth swung back its head, before the shadow came crashing down toward my petrified eyes.

Add that 'Con' to the list.

To Be Continued...