Chp. 2 - The Hunter's Trial
My home was dead quiet, every floorboard creaking as I pushed the door open. I had my iron sword and buckler strapped to my sides with my wings folded over them, the rucksack too filled with an assortment of tools I was allowed to bring with me aside from other necessities for the trip. Following the requirements, I wore a freshly bought set of hard-boiled leather armour, primarily to cover my legs, torso, and head though my hood covered it while I took a final look at the silent house with a sad smile.
This may be the last time for a while I'll be here, "Okay, you're the man of the house, Rath, counting on you - and no late-night parties," My determined eyes met the little plush of Ratholos I kept since I was a filly, the inanimate object sat with the photos of my family. Giving him a wave, I closed the door behind me. When the locks clicked my breath exhaled shakily, and my right-wing wrapped around my necklace. "When you guys get back, I can't wait to tell you about my trial, it'll be awesome."
My lucky charm was secure, I stepped forth on my journey alone.
The train to the golden kingdom of Canterlot took an hour but was certainly... uneventful, aside from the commotion from the numerous ponies who joined me on the same quest toward the Guild Trial held today. Absolutely nothing detailing 'what' we were to do was listed in the letter, only that we were to bring only the basics. Weaponry, armour, carving knife, whetstones, and other provisions. I spent most of my time digging into my hunter's notes.
Canterlot wasn't known for dangerous monsters outside its walls aside from those that resided within the many forests or atop the mountainous highlands. It wasn't packed with notes yet, but I was more than ready with tips and tricks to help in the field. Most of my fieldwork came from that Jade Barroth so I had a good general notion of what to expect depending on the contents of the Trial. The question was, would it be enough to pass?
The train whistled to a stop, allowing us to exit and proceed to the meet-up point outside the southern side of Canterlot, near the great forest known as the Forgotten Oak, a roofed forest crawling with an abundance of life and mysteries. Once off, I did my best to avoid running into ponies that didn't think kindly of me by flying ahead to a small park fountain just outside the station where a familiar aura tickled my own. My smile grew as I landed with haste.
"Argo!" I cooed, wrapping my hooves around the frowning unicorn stallion with a peachy coat and silver-white mane and tail sticking out at odd angles, revealing a set of smooth, reddish-orange eyes, his cutie mark obscured by his own leather barding akin to mine say for the pair of greenish-blue bracers attached to his forelegs, forged from a wyvern's thick scales in a jagged formation. "It's been forever!"
"We met like a month ago when you asked me to cover for your 'quest'," He flipped his hooves for air quotes as I recoiled with a bashful grin, copying him with my wings.
"My 'quest' worked out in the end, water under the bridge!" I shifted quickly to his side, following him. "I'm glad you're here." My sincere response made his held breath release, his frown lighter, he was happy he just doesn't show it.
"Ditto, though you know fine rightly it's because your sense of direction is terrible without that 'trick' of yours," He watched me trip and stumble while we walked, turning to face the road. "It amazes me you're still alive."
"Hey, I am too good at directions, thank you!" Huffing, I wanted to cross my hooves but didn't, brushing my bangs back. "Soooo... any clues-"
"Nothing," He revealed, waving a hoof toward the opposite end of the street where a certain silver-haired nuisance had a crowd of hungry mares stalking him. "My mom wouldn't be so careless to let me obtain an advantage, she's sharp,"
"And your head?" My tone shifted a little, seeing a strange haze of colours swirling around Argo, though his pleasant eyes reassured me he was okay, I still wanted to hear him say it.
"I have had fewer issues, thank you," His monotone response would make anyone worry but if he said so then it wasn't an issue. "I will be your collaborator as usual?"
My hoof bumped his shoulder. "Put the two of us together and we're unstoppable, count on me we'll pass this test."
"In that, I have no doubts." He mirrored my gesture.
Outside Canterlot's exterior walls we entered a large meadow that stretched in every direction that didn't lead toward a cliff. Down a particular dirt road, our hooves stepped under a redwood archway with a small picket fence bordering the encampment. Tents were erected and labelled with various unlit lanterns spaced apart by a cobblestone pathway splintering toward the tents and erected watchtowers facing a most ominous entrance to a dark forest. The second archway leading deep into the woodland forest ahead, the morning sunlight unable to break the treeline with various brambles and thorns snaking out from the darkness.
I and Argo glanced at one another for an answer until we noticed most non-hunters were converging nearest the forest entrance. "I guess follow the crowd?" I shrugged.
"You following the crowd? This world may end," That earned him a light jab as we stayed near the back, the various species, though the majority were ponies, stood in groups formed on the spot or awaited instructions alone.
"Attention Everypony!" Standing atop a small wooden stage to address us was an official of the Guild.
His body was concealed in a thick suit of armour. Sharp quills sprouting from his shoulders, gauntlets, thighs and combat waistcoat. A long yellow and red fabric from his groin, under his belt and up toward his collar bone. His helmet was a black dome with a sharp, teeth lining, those same quills protruding from the ponytail. While on his back was a massive green scabbard with the same quills, the surface looked like scales.
"You have all come here to test your worth, and to become official members of the Hunter's Guild, an expanding profession that puts you on the frontlines against dangerous monsters and the research and preservation of various ecologies they reside in," He slammed his hoof once. "We are not exterminators, we exist to keep a steady balance between our races and the world of monsters, refrain from confusing the two!"
After a steady pause for most to nod in agreement and murmur, his hoof rose to gesture toward the Forgotten Oak. "Your trial will start now, and last until the sunrise tomorrow, you are not permitted to leave the forest until that time unless your life is in jeopardy," The Veteran Hunter paced slowly. "You will be given four medicinal potions and four rations but that is it, for the remainder of your time you must use your skills, cooperation, and wit in order to survive in these woods teeming with monsters,"
I blinked, so this was our test, a matter of survival in the wild with only the bare essentials on us. The Hunter continued. "You have several objects to fulfil, completion of such activities will better your final score; Camp set-up, crafting, research on wildlife and plant life, and of course, the slaying or capture of wyverns if you can." His tone shifted as though to challenge the crowd.
Stepping toward the edge of the stage, he eyed the crowd, myself included from behind his helmet, the waves of energy I received gave off similar impressions of my Godmother, a wave of confidence and tranquillity yet a sharp understanding of his surroundings. Raising a hoof to the sky, he cleared his voice. "If any feel they may not be suited for the task at hoof, may you walk away now and let none judge you, this is not for the foolish or naive,"
Silence met the pony's question, he lowered his hoof, waving it toward the entrance. "Very well, go, take your first steps toward your legacy - and may the Sapphire Star light your way!"
"Ready?" I whispered in excitement to Argo, the studious unicorn adjusting his saddlebag holding his journal.
"Like you had to ask." He countered.
Within seconds, the floodgates were opened, literally. The various trial runners threw themselves toward the archway, barreling for various entrances into the Forgotten Oak like savages. Some, like us, waited until the way forward wasn't so hectic before chasing after the vanguard. Leading the charge, I dove headfirst through the bushes, clearing the path with my wings twirling me, creating a whirlwind with Quick Attack that shredded the path forward for Argo to pursue my warpath. Together, we'd become hunters by the next sunrise!
"For the Guild!" I hollered, sliding down a long, thick root, diving deeper into the dark forest with a silver glow atop Argo's horn following closely.
"Quick Attack!" I flung myself down from the winding branches above, slicing in a vertical corkscrew between two Jaggi, carving through their flesh with enough speed to ripple a burst of leaves and twigs from the earth, the resulting cuts dropping the weaker monsters like sacks of bricks. When the wind settled around me, I grinned while sheathing my blade at Argo's approach. "Route's clear!"
"Noted," He said while his magic jotted down the notes of our monster encounters. While he handled that I worked on carving a few noteworthy pieces from the corpses. It was a messy job but I'm more than used to it by now.
"Once we're official hunters we can make some equipment out of this stuff, Godmother Ren let me keep some of the Great Jaggi materials she carved from the one that ran rampant into Ponyville last week."
"She mentioned that, lucky you," Argo said in his monotone voice as he held up a small lantern filled with emerald green fireflies, collecting them from the area. "No sign of a monster or tracks yet, they must have retreated deeper when a whole flock of glory-seeking ponies ran headfirst into their territory."
"I would too, what a headache," I quipped, rolling my eyes as I stuffed the materials into my bag. "Where to, Handler?"
With his hoof pointing left, and muzzle buried in his book, I turned toward a natural pathway through the thicket. "There's a place I feel may provide us with a perfect campsite - also, green herb to your right."
"Eh?" Blinking, I turned my head to spot the blooming leaves caught in the few rays of sunlight that broke the ceiling above. Picking them carefully, I let Argo sort them away into my bag while I hovered in the air, squinting my eyes. "Doesn't seem to be anything important to collect, any mushrooms nearby?"
When I turned, I flinched as I found his head stuck into a tree trunk, teeth pulling out a large blue mushroom next to what appeared to be an antidote plant. "What was that?"
I sweatdropped with a sweet smile. "Nevermind, soul brother, carry on," Waving him away on his work, I again took the vanguard as he shadowed my hoof steps.
The forest was deep and layered with various hillsides warped by the trees whose roots twisted with vines to form archways and platforms amongst the trees. The various levels would catch anyone off guard had they not brought a map. Unfortunately, we were forced to document our own until that time. The chatter of wildlife felt as though eyes were everywhere, unfortunately, my aura can't sense as accurately as I'd have liked. So if its really small I'm out of luck.
"Speaking of which..." Murmuring, I paused to study a large footprint in the muddy trail, my fireflies, or 'scoutflies' as they're called, gathered around the circumference to highlight the size of the impression. "Argo, we should get off the trail soon, something's come through here recently."
"What monster?" He inquired, stuffing more materials into his saddlebags for later.
"Maybe a Brute Wyvern?" "I really hope not," My brief, nervous grin faded as I edged around the print, following the scoutflies that lulled us toward points of interest.
We continued to traverse the dark forest, passing over a dried-up river over a log toward our desired destination for the majority of our afternoon. Camp was our next priority, or it was, had something not slammed into my aura like a freight train. "Get down!" Grabbing Argo by the scruff of his neck, the unicorn blinked as I tossed him into the river bed, myself diving in after him seconds before a large foot slammed into the wooden archway.
Resembling something called a 'T-Rex' from Dad's world; it had a black and grey fur on its back which coupled with its flesh-toned scales. Its hide is primarily pink in colour, while a dark pelt covers its back which ends in a ruff at the neck, leaving the head bald. Large fangs protrude from the monster's lower jaw, giving it the appearance of an under-bite. It had a bulky tail, the underside of which is lined with quills with powerful hind legs, unlike its tiny forearms. The Fierce Jaw Wyvern, Anjanath!
"Woah...!" My eyes sparkled with stars as it stomped across the natural bridge, craning its neck back to roar tremendously at its attackers, forcing me to cover my ears with my wings. Before Argo could yank me down, its eyes locked to us briefly, releasing a sharp snort before a claw attached to a wire snagged against its jaw. "A clutch claw?" We never got those before the trial? My brow creased with a twitch.
"Hyah!" Of all ponies... Through the thicket came the greatsword-wielding Silver, his claw decoupling as he brought his greatsword high, slamming the massive object into Anjanath's cheek, dragging the slab of metal through the scales, forcing the brute backward to retaliate with a tail swing, continuing with its retreat. "After it!"
Behind him, Blue, and two other ponies gave chase, completely ignoring us as they tracked the large wyvern through the woods. When we pulled ourselves out of the river bed, I blew the bangs from my face, in short, I was fuming. "That cheating... graaah!!" I punched the trunk of a tree so hard it swayed back from the force. "He smuggled in a clutch claw, are you kidding me!? Of all the stupid, self-centered things he's done!! And just for some good marks!?!"
"Akira," Argo attempted to defuse me but I was too far gone into my rant to listen, stomping off in a random direction to find something to stem my anger. I hated him so much, it was one thing to mess with me constantly, but mocking my parents, cheating on the most important test in our careers - everything about him made my stomach turn! "Akira, the path - too late." His face deadpanned.
"What?" My hooves jerked down slightly. "Eh?" Blinking a few times, I found that the ground was gone, replaced with a mere bramble of twigs. "Oh... yah!"
Without the aid of solid ground, gravity sent me flying down a steep slope, tumbling constantly until the ground could level out. It did but I struck something that made a sharp gasp, the pellets of mud striking my face as I unfurled my wings, thankfully not breaking them in the fall. "Great, what now?" Today was already a wash, this was just the rock bottom. Shaking my head, I had landed inches from a shallow ditch of mud. How did I know it was shallow? Because of who I shoved into it. "Oh no... M-Myst!"
Said pony picked herself up out of the mud, shaking it off her barding sharply while attempting to discard the rest that clung to her mane and fur. The look on her face screamed 'you're dead once I'm out'. Looking around hastily I tried to help her out. "I'm so-so-so sorry, I-i-"
"Really!?" Myst was scarlet in the face and hatred brewed in her eyes.
"I didn't-" She swat my hoof away, kicking off the mud on her boots with a hesitant glare.
Unfortunately, snickering could be heard across the mud and up a sharp ledge. To my sinking horror, Silver and Blue were present, did they just ditch the Anjanath to gloat? "You know, Blue? You're right, this was much funnier than just waiting for that wyvern to return to its nest; seems you didn't listen to my warning, Vampire!"
"I know right?" The two hoof-bumped. "You're lookin' a little upset, Myst!"
Their snickering drew Myst's gaze for a moment, the realization striking the mare much more than embarrassment. "You two are the worst... And you..." She lost that anger for disappointment or confusion, I tried but I really couldn't place it. "I've been trying to figure out what your deal is; are you a poser? A nerd for monsters?" Myst shrugged, blue eyes downcast. "But I get it now, you're just a bully, Akira." Again, something sharp struck my chest.
"Hey, up for a pretty rewarding hunt?" Silver suggested with a sickening smirk.
"No thanks, I've got my own to fulfill," Her voice was empty, taking off as quickly as I had crashed into her.
"Myst!" She ran through the forest before I could catch her, the two above continued to laugh.
"Should've listened, Blood-sucker," His energy flickered harshly. "Leave, and quit wasting everypony's time."
I was embarrassed, upset, and importantly, fuming, "Says you! That clutch claw, you're cheating!"
Silver flexed his hoof, pushing his lips at the device before a malice glare was shot back down the ridge. "Oh? And what are you going to do about it, Vamps?" I opened my mouth but choked on my own breath. Hunters can't attack Hunters in the field unless it was self-defense. "That's right, nothing. Because that's all you are, Mutt."
Of all the insults and namecalling, that one stung the most to hear. I'm not a normal bat pony, I've never been, and Silver knew that. So when he called me 'Mutt', he was implying the fact my Mom had... Just the implication made my stomach nearly empty itself as I felt my heart explode with rage.
"Seeya, Batty!" Blue waved, following Silver back into the forest.
By the time Argo had scaled down to meet me, I was alone, facing the mud with an ashamed expression. "Akira?" His voice didn't change much but I knew he was concerned, I'm the best psychologist in Equestria, yet I suck at trying to make amends with one pony. His hoof nudged mine. "I... found a route to the campsite, we should recover before continuing our expedition."
"..." I just nodded, following him for a change with a dejected sigh. But my hoof made contact with a nearby tree, bringing it down by the roots with a single punch.
Poking my head through the vines, I gasped. "You weren't kidding! How'd you find this place!?"
Climbing a wall of vines along a natural pathway led us into a wide tree where the branches intersected with several others, forming a thick, stable base in the trees, surrounded by thick vines and walls of green with a few gaps in the forest to allow sunlight through to bathe a few colorful flowers that decorated the base. Argo popped through after me, scribbling something down in his notes.
"I had memorized the local map used by the Guild, they have several camps placed throughout the Forgotten Oak; that was when I noticed a large gap between two camps, and here we are," Argo rubbed his chin. "It provides us both with a secure campsite, both from other ponies, and a future locale to execute any quests within the Oak."
I waved my hooves wide. "You're the best Handler ever!" He nodded shyly, dropping his bags. "Right, compliments later, the camp now."
"Right," He concurred after a lengthy pause.
The 'setting up' portion took another hour off our afternoon but I was happy with the results. Two tents were pitched up, while bumpy without extra padding once we notified the Guild they'll return to properly construct a campsite in this location. A campfire was fitted in the center atop slabs of stone we gathered below the trees, sticks, and flint set aside for the cooler night ahead. Last, my personal touch, I hung a few crystals on the vines to catch the light, decorating the hidden camp in a few strokes of color, a banner of the guild hanging above the vine entrance, and a thick branch that worked as a slide exit.
"Not bad, the crystals are a fitting touch," Argo nodded, my hoof around his neck.
"We're awesome at architecture," His hoof met mine before we sat down to spend our afternoon crafting with the supplies gathered in the field. Many monsters roamed nearby so it was best to wait until the commotion settled. "Once night comes, we can't leave."
"Why's that?" Argo inquired, mixing herbs into a grindstone pot to make potions, a few honeycombs placed by his flank.
I worked on using some round blueberries with dark spots, Nulberries, to craft us some antidotes and soon herbal antidotes with the blue mushrooms, using the same make of pot as my hooves ground the plants into a paste, my brow furrowed. "Dad always said that ecosystems changed depending on the time of day and weather, and the Forgotten Oak's nightlife tends to bring out the tougher monsters to hunt; I'm pretty confident in our abilities but I'd rather not tempt fate, I've already done enough bad for one day..."
My deflated tone didn't slip by Argo this time, eyes cast to me. "You never did say how you and... Myst was it?" I nodded, "Right, you never told me how she came to hate you."
I blew a raspberry, tilting my head back up at the sky. "That's a story... I call it the 'Paint Incident' but honestly? I just wish I could forget I did that,"
It was two months ago before I came to ask about the Jade Barroth. I was helping to clean up the training grounds at Ponyville.
The arena constructed on the outskirts of Ponyville wasn't grand in design, a simple, football field-sized area with a white wall encircling the pitch. Stands placed behind the tall wall with the entrance shadowed by an overhang of wood for observation and weapon maintenance. The colors of the Guild hanging from the rafters of the overhang. Ponies and other races were inside the arena, practicing on dummies or with partners with their weaponry of choice, wooden of course.
I was flying above the entrance with a paintbrush and bucket. I said I'd help out in adding a new coat of paint since I had my own special training, primarily to spend the least amount of days near Silver and his 'friends', this was the only exception, plus it paid. I didn't mind the labor work, it builds character as Mom would say, though she admitted watching paint dry was not as exciting as it sounds.
*Tap*
"Hm?" I paused, looking to my left at the wall I continued to paint as it arched above the entrance to the arena. Nothing. "Must've been below." I continued with the next line, adjusting the abrading paint can on my hoof.
*Tap*
"Ah," Again, only now that sound made contact with the back of my head. I turned around but everyone was training, even the instructor was silent, back turned to me and near the far end of the arena. What could've - It was hard to make out from the sound of grunts and wood snapping against one another, but two ponies were snickering. I narrowed my eyes but slowly craned my neck, I see what's going on. "Do it again, I dare ya."
I continued my work slowly, listening to the two mares that were stifling their laughter, unaware I was preparing my hoof to send the pebble flying back with the force of an iron bat. I heard the pop of magic enhancing something before I caught the sight of the rock hurtling toward me. Turning sharply, my hoof did indeed catch the rock, frightening the mares I knew as it embedded itself in the dirt by their hooves. One fatal flaw in my plan, I struck with the hoof holding the paint can.
I winced as the can clattered to the ground, unfortunately, somepony was standing under it without my knowledge, judging by the smirks on the girls' faces, they had intended on this. The white paint had quickly smothered one of the top students when it came to... well everything; Myst in a new matching coat as her fur, the unicorn's shocked expression twitching bitterly when I landed in a panic.
"I'm sorry, I, wow, that's a lot of paint... I-I was trying to hit them, but I forgot about the can, I am so-so sorry!" Her eyes could set the world on fire, my throat felt really dry.
Her magic lit up the area in a purple tint, grabbing a towel to wipe her muzzle clean of paint though it did stick regardless. The two mares certainly had a field day, same with some others that tried their best to appear aloof. "Oh, wow, can you believe that? She waited for you this whole time just to give you a new paint job, really brings out the anger in your eyes," The one on the left snickered.
"That wasn't what happened!" I seethed. "I didn't even see anyone underneath the archway, who the heck stands underneath a place someone's painting!?" I realized it the moment I said it. "I, uh, w-what I mean is... I really should stop talking."
Myst narrowed her eyes, "Apricot; tell the instructor I'll be late, I have to clean up," She growled that last part in my direction, taking off with hoofsteps of white.
"Myst, wait-!" Her magic held a wooden longsword dangerously close to my eye.
"I better not see you here when I'm back," Note to self, finish the job, and run.
"But I-" She prodded closer than I thought was possible.
That last look shut me up, and Myst walked away while half the ponies present laughed, either at Myst's or my expense, I honestly think my face couldn't burn any hotter than this. "Mom's right, this isn't exciting at all..."
I finished grinding the plants into a thick, blue liquid, carefully pouring it into potion flasks for later use with a strained smile. "That's how it is; I've tried and failed to apologize to her; the second time I nearly impaled her with the training equipment because someone intended to get me in trouble for 'breaking' something but it almost hurt her, again, she hated me," I gulped at the memory. "Guess where my knowledge of monsters and wyverns scales my social skills do not, hehe."
"I see now," He looked around the camp. "And why do you persist? It would make sense if you just avoided her instead."
"Well, I-"
*ROOOAAR!!*
What was that? Something completely exotic just screamed across the forest, for an instant I felt a chill pierce my chest. We looked to one another before Argo shook his head. "You're going out there, aren't, yoooou..." By the time he followed my form, I was standing by the exit, waving my hoof.
"Get your flank in gear, we've gotta find out what made that noise!" Unfortunately, I didn't wait before sliding down the trunk toward the ground, hearing him close behind me. Looking left and right, the coast was clear. "I've never heard a monster roar like that."
"Nothing in my notes," He used his magic to shut the book. "We should take this cautiously,"
"Right, let's move!" Sprinting in the direction of the roar, we needed to get there before someone else found it, or the monster escaped. But worst of all? Something really worried me about that roar, like an impending threat or warning struck my chest. I didn't bring my scoutflies but thankfully, I saw Argo's emerald motes rushing past my cheeks. "They're gathering to the right!"
"Akira," His sharp tone brought me to a halt, turning to see... they were blue? "Look," His hoof prodded toward the side of a cliff, the rock was shredded and webbed with what appeared to be scales and a talon blade. But the fireflies had circled the ravaged mural in a bright shade of blue. "I've... never seen them turn blue before."
"Me neither," My voice whispered, reaching my hoof to prod the rock. "This is a sign of a turf war, and it's close judging by that roar."
"And you want to go after it," He nodded his head sarcastically, passing a flat glare in my grinning direction. "You seriously have issues."
"Says you," I rolled my eyes.
"Hm, touche," With a wave of his hoof, I took to the air to fly on ahead. "Go, I'll catch up, but do not engage, we can handle one monster but two is a step higher."
"Yes-yes, be stealthy, gotcha." I took off, diving under vines and between branches to make up for lost time. Still, those markings, and that roar, something in my gut screamed at me to turn away. And the scoutflies... why did they turn blue?
To Be Continued...
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Loving it~
Poor Myst just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Good to see someone getting along with Akira, but hate to hear about all the bullying.
Blue scoutflies are only used for some situations, and my guess is its a tempered monster. Stay safe Akira!
11237216
With one friend, one enemy, and two bullies, Akira's lucky streak is about as great as Zen's. And the blue scoutflies, I do wonder...
Happy you loved it! ^_^