Dragonhearted

by Slendy

Chp. 5 - Trinity of Blades

"Resources,"

"Hunting,"

His snout creased against mine, expression never changing. "Resources,"

I pushed back just as much until our foreheads connected over the table. "Hunting,"

Our staredown lastest a hot minute until we separated. It was the first day of our Hunter lives, ponies, and creatures alike took off in doves to perform quests, leaving us as one of the few new groups to be left debating over it at the canteen outside, out breakfast ate. Running a hoof through my mane I breathed into my connected hooves. "Okay, this is getting nowhere, compromise?"

"Shoot," He waved a hoof.

"We do a hunt quest, ah-p-p-p," He held his tongue as I sat back with my hooves out wide. "And afterwards we'll stick in a gathering quest, both in one day."

Argo hummed, using his amber magic to scourer his notebook carefully, "I suppose... that will suffice, however-" He snapped the book shut, levitating it back onto his belt, pointing his jagged gauntlet at me. "-tomorrow I choose, deal?"

"Deal, soul brother," We shook hooves as I left for the Guild Hall to pick a quest, though our ranking left us limited I was certain we'd find something that could offer a sweet reward of resources along the way.

---

"Uuuuuuuuuh..." My voice drawled on as I scanned the Quest Board; did you know you can get Quests from the Quest Board? I know, shocking! That is what I rolled my eyes at when I passed a group on my way here, I think my brain cells started committing suicide one by one after that. "Okay, hunting Jaggi," My tiny smile fell. "Baggi..." Then my gaze deadpanned. "Groggi..." Followed by my posture slumping. "Seriously? All these quests a blind pony could do backwards..."

"Why not this one?" I saw a hoof tap a pinned scroll to the bottom left. Turning, I was met by that same pegasus from yesterday that enchanted our guild cards, the Guild Mare of many blues, Dew. Like the day before, she wore a red sash around her flank with the guild symbol, another as a bandana against her forehead. She passed me a soft smile, one eye squinting back at me. "I've seen many hunters express their dislike of the lower rank quests, but work is work, we can't pick or choose."

"Except when you're trying to climb the ranks..." I sighed, rubbing my nape with a wing. "L-look, I get it, I have to start somewhere, I just wish... it didn't take so long to prove I can do this."

Dew smiled, then shot the board a look for me to follow and pluck off the requests. "Wait... is this...?" I had to squint and reread a few times to make sure my eyes weren't being funny.

Assignment
Trinity of Blades⭐
Main Objective
*Slay 6 Izuchi

-Note; Sightings of a Great Izuchi in the area

Forgotten Oak | Reward 240 Bits | Fee 50 Bits

"It's on the tougher side of the One-Star quests but ponies already took the other big monster quests except for this one," Dew explained. "If you're willing to do it-"

"-Yes-Yes-Yes! One hundred percent!" I practically glowed, drawing a few eyes again. Dew simply blinked with a giggle.

"-Please offer me or another Guild Mare the fee and consider it done," She gave a little bow of her head. "I'll see you shortly, hunter."

I may have to work my way up from nothing but if I can work in a few large monster kills alongside the basic quests then that'll surely get me up to the assessment test for Two-Star in no time at all. Rolling the scroll up, I happily ran out to tell Argo the good news. Or until Dew yanked her tail back. "Huh, what's up?" I cocked my head.

"Before you run off, head over to the blacksmith; Anvil should not only have your new iron weaponry but your clutch claws up to scratch," Then she flapped a wing to hide her knowing grin. "Between you and me, adjust the trigger bolts twice if you want to avoid becoming a pony-sized slingshot, he's not usually the one who adjusts the grapple claws," As she said this, a pony flew between us as his claw sank into a beam above, slamming his muzzle into the first wooden beam.

"I'm okay...!" He groaned, collapsing to the floor between us, wheezing.

"I'll... keep that in mind," Dad's right, these things are tricky without a controller... whatever that was.

---

Returning the to scene of the crime, I gave my clutch claw the tuning it needed in the air, patting the device as I landed before Argo who was reading through his notes, eyes forever glaring. "So you took this quest in an effort to slay a Great Izuchi? I see several holes in this basket."

"Oh, don't be such a worry-wart, It'll be fine!" I waved with a laugh, clipping my hooves. "I've got bones of literal steel, what can an overgrown raptor do to me?"

"Alot of things, actually, maiming, gutting, shredding, maul-" I plugged his muzzle with my hoof, giving him a flat look as I removed it. "...you know this is dumb."

"So was fighting that Not an Elder Dragon, Gore Magala, and yet here we are," My hooves flung themselves to the air as I left the edge of the southern camp, giving him a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, I promise, if I slay the Izuchis without running into their pack leader, I'll call it a day,"

"And if you do?" He lowered his book again before the fire.

"Then you'll need to prep the cart to take it back to Kalao - byeeee~!" I sang with a wave of my hoof, diving through the nearest hole in the treeline as his worrying aura left my senses shortly after. I get he's worried, mainly because he isn't a fighter, and I am very reckless, but this wasn't something I couldn't handle, I know I can handle this!

My journey alone wouldn't always be the same, but Argo had to do his own prep work for the future quests so that meant I had no real second opinion, just my own. Tracking was a little tricky since the scoutflies only react to larger threats so I used the map of the Forgotten Oak to pinpoint the sector they'd nest in most frequently. That being section eight east of me.

Prowling the forest, I gathered the materials needed to grind up some health potions, with some pre-made mega potions in my backpack. A few rations to keep up my energy with a pouch filled with stones to use in my clutch claw. Not long later, I found my first three targets. Stalking them from the treetops, I let them pass under the arching branches that made up a natural intersection in the forest, leading east, south, and northwest toward the rising forest.

The bird wyverns had short orange fur throughout the body with some patches of white fur on the head, the base of the neck, back, and tail. Most notable were their unique, scythe-shaped tails. The trio prowled through the forest, colourful fruits stuck on two of their tails from gathering. Drawing my sword and shield, I let my senses flow to a heightened point, arching my body with my wings stretched.

"Quick Attack!" Declaring it startled the Izuchi as I spun down like a silver whirlwind with my blade, slicing the left and right wyverns with the force of an iron bat to their napes, effectively killing them in a single blow. The third avoided me, cawing in terror as the bushes behind it rustled, revealing two more without fruit impeding their tails. My shield met my muzzle with a groan. "Why do I keep saying my moves out loud? It totally ruins the surprise..." But it sounds so cool when I do!

The new two lowered their bodies, whipping their tails close to spin and slash at the open-air while I dove over them, bringing my shield down to crush the third under the weight of the buckler, using my freedom of flight to twirl and toss it into the forth while parrying the fifth's tail, slicing in a criss-cross before tackling it into a tree seconds before my move cancelled out. It growled but flopped against the forest floor.

Using the tree behind me, I pivoted and spun into a helix, blocking the tails with my blade and buckler, landing in a skid down the sloped eastern pathway. The Izuchi gave chase as I slid down on my wobbly hooves, using my clutch claw to fire a hook into a large overhanging bridge made of the trees and vines. Swinging with the added velocity of my wings I flew into a dark canopy aglow with bioluminescent fauna. Behind me, the Izuchi were quick to use their tails as hooks, flinging themselves onto the uneven ground before the steep slope knocked them down.

"Wow, you guys are good at this," I praised though the tail nicking my cheek said otherwise. Doubling back, I bucked the sneaky Izuchi with my hooves, dazing it as another dove over my roll, the face of my shield smashed into the jaw of the new Izuchi. So far, there were three of them, technically four but I silenced the one I battered with my shield quickly. "Nighty-night."

Focusing my feelings into my sword, two more charged me, screeching as a new illumination basked the undergrowth of the trees in a violet pigment. "Night Slash!" The streak of amethyst tore through the leaves and flowers, and the two descending Izuchi collapsed behind me, a hiss ringing off my sword as I turned to meet the remaining two wyverns, themselves stepping backwards timidly. I tisked despite my victory close at hand. "Man... I really wanted to fight a bigger one, but beggars and choosers and all that..." Can't whine, I made a promise. "Let's wrap this up," My fur shimmered silver.

My exasperation stalled as well as my move. Something was behind me, moving fast. Using my wings I flapped sharply to just barely avoid spit-covered rocks striking the ground. I crinkled my nose at the stench, swivelling in the air to find... nothing? The ambience of the forest tickled my ears, and those rocks made my nose useless, a good thing I had perfect eyesight. Unfortunately, whatever was masked by the bushes along the rim of this canopy was smart, avoiding my gaze.

Closing them, I let aura sense expand to my surroundings, the two Izuchi behind me were hissing at my flight advantage, and the larger body of light became visible, as in, it had leapt to attack me kinda visible. My eyes shot wide and I dove back painfully, my face reflected on its scythe as I spun in the air a little from the whiplash, meeting the monster's gaze upsidedown, the two smaller Izuchi flanking it with their tails risen at the ready.

Unlike the smaller Izuchi, this monster was three times as big. Under the matching fur, its cream-coloured scales become dark indigo toward the arms and legs. It has a long and slender snout, with cobra-like fangs on the top and bottom jaw, and orange eyes with very narrow pupils. Its underbelly is clad in large grey plating with smaller plating lining the back. The arms have three digits with the middle finger elongated, becoming hook-like. The most distinctive feature is its tail, which ends in a bony, scythe-like blade, much bigger than its counterparts. The Great Izuchi.

It roared, bringing its body up and around to swipe at my body again, the two smaller Izuchi copying the alpha, diving in an attempt to bring me down. I flew back and landed, releasing my energy into another Quick Attack as I slashed the left one with a horizontal slant, drawing my shield sideways to daze the right while bringing my body backwards to drop-kick the Great Izuchi that recoiled from the strike, slashing at my breastplate with its hooked tail, spinning me around.

"Yah!" I felt a smaller, sharp object slice across my clutch claw that blocked the direct hit to my leg. the weight tugging my left hoof down. Rolling away from the Great Izuchi's tail that swept through the ground I rolled back and swatted one of the Izuchi aside, blocking another with my buckler. These two were just as good as their leader, I think that's why they didn't attack me, they can fight smarter. "Tch, Dark Pulse!" I evened the playing field, releasing a dark wave of my frustration on the two Izuchi, the blast sending them flying back, killing one while paralyzing the other.

"Rawr!" The leader released its howl, spinning toward me as I blocked the second spin, the third slashing close to my flank had I not dived forward, a few hairs shaved from my tail. The Izuchi growled, leaping toward me to hook its claws into my shield, plucking it down against my own strength. Grinding my teeth together while my hooves sunk down into the mud from the force, small sparks scratching at my shield.

"Tch!" I twisted my right hoof down, slicing across its cheek before thrusting the buckler against its face with a mighty 'clang', then a second time with the edge of the shield, and a third that I used to hoist myself over its body with a rising slash, flapping my wings to afford me a little more time to twirl and bring my shield down on its skull, knocking the wyvern down with a wail. With the Great Izuchi immobilized, I hacked and slashed its underbelly, splintering a few of its claws while it attempted to stand.

*Bam!*

I was so fixed on the larger Izuchi that the underling that survived kicked me away, using its tail to pin my shield against my chest. "Get off!" I grunted, the wyvern distracting me long enough for its alpha to stand, a wave of anger and spite bubbling from its chest, it was enraged now. Using the force of my back hooves, I struck the smaller Izuchi in the stomach, flinging it up and over my head while flying haphazardly to avoid the slam of the massive tail, tumbling as I did.

The bleeding Great Izuchi chased after me, using that spiralling attack to sweep the area, forcing me to ascend into its jaws so I swatted it with my buckler, only for the tail to tear from the ground, backhanding me across the cheek. I rolled slightly, coughing up fur before raising my shield, seeing the large sickle-blade pierce my shield, nicking my hoof and stopping an inch before my forehead, sweat snaking down my face.

My face was beginning to turn red, trying to keep the pressure from gouging out my shoulder as I struggled to push the tail back this time. That's when my hood's collar fluttered aside, giving me a perfect view of both my coral necklace and one I wore beside it. "M-my moon opal..." I ground my teeth, pressing my shield against my shoulder, keeping the tail from pricking my fur as I pressed the opal against my chest to crush it. "Come on! B-Breaaak!!" I screamed, feeling it split and fold against my barding, the pale blue dust trickling out from under my hood. "M-Meditor - aH!" I felt blood draw from my shoulder.

The cloud of dust expanded to cover us both, my clutch claw sinking into a low-hanging root that flung me from the expanding cloud in time, a long but not deep cut across my shoulder from moving so abruptly. Swaying in the air, the Great Izuchi stumbled out of the cloud, colliding with an old, hollowed trunk of a tree, bringing dry, deadwood and fauna atop its body. Gulping down my mega potion, I swung my body and fired my clutch claw again, the hooks biting into its nape as I descended upon it.

Rotating like a buzzsaw, I tore across its nape, spraying blood from the gash that didn't quite dig deep enough. The orange eye rolled up to my glare, the pupil slit as it recovered, shaking off the bark as it lunged into another spin. Flailing my wings wide I did the same, spinning with my blade wide, clashing with its scythe-like tail once more, deflecting it while bringing my shield down, my foreleg bathed in dark purple. Night Slash scarred the air, shattering hardlight splitting scales and shredding fur with enough force to break a portion of its weapon as I flew overhead.

"Is that all you got!?" I cried to its roar, diving down vertically, slicing down the length of its face and neck, avoiding the tail that swept the sky again, only with a sluggish weight behind it. "It's succumbing to its wounds?" That flash of hope burnt up any anxiety in my chest, my hooves leaving a small impact in the dirt as I spun on my hind legs to meet the monster's wide jaws, jamming them with my buckler, the Great Izuchi recoiling in protest, attempting to pluck the obstruction from its jaws.

Unbuckling my leg, I flicked my right hoof forward, seeing the grapple hook cling to the bloodied scales, throwing me against its face as it thrashed and flailed its tail. Slashing twice, I dug my blade deeper, locking my clutch claw to its face with every stone I had collected in the slinger. With one angled twist of my hoof, the mechanism fired, releasing buckshot of stones into its face, sending the Great Izuchi flying into the nearby wall, breaking a few fangs.

"Now's my chance!" Pressing the final attack, I dove backwards from its tail's final attempt to gut me, flying high enough that my hooves touched the tallest branches, seeing the sunlight above before I propelled toward the surface with a dance of several swords around my body, sharpening my blade with its scarlet light.

There was a flash of light, a crimson halo expelled between us as my blade's glow fizzled away against the sunken chest of the Great Izuchi, the eyes glazed over with its tail flopping behind me, again, so very close to taking my life. For a moment, in my reflection against my shield still trapped in its jaws, I thought my eyes were red, huh, weird. Letting out a dry laugh, I fell onto my back, panting heavily after I exhausted my strength.

"My second monster slain, how was that, Mom, Dad?" I coughed, expecting no answer from the chirping forest as I rested my sore, and injured body. Groaning, I pushed myself to sit upright. "No rest for the wicked," Putting my sword away, I exchanged it for my carving knife, if I was to make it anywhere in hunting bigger monsters, I needed better equipment. Even Great Izuchis were tough, so I needed to be tougher. "Sorry, big, bad, and bloody, I'll be taking your armour; thank you for the donation, hehe," Spinning the knife, I sunk it deep into its scales.

<><><>Quest Complete!<><><>

To Be Continued...

Author's Note:

Out of all starting large monsters in Rise, Great Izuchi is by far my favourite to fight, just something about it I love to combat with my own trio team. Akira's determined more than ever to climb the ranks, so long as Argo gets to along with her.

I'd also like to take this time to explain that the monsters our characters face will not be prolonged fights unless it's story-driven, as I can't find myself writing every encounter with monsters as the same, hit and run we've come to expect from Monster Hunter, just adds more inventive flair when I can.

I hope you enjoyed, appreciate the support as always; seeya in the next chapter, Hunters!

Chp. 6 - Bitter Sweet
Honoring her word, Akira takes Argo out on a lovely date through the woods for a gathering quest. But they're not the only ones out gathering...

Comments

[Veo Skride]

Oh my, that was a close one huh? Argo is going to be so upset haha~
I love the transition from her saying her moves out loud to just the visual effects being described of the swords dance and the night slash. Added much more effect to the battle, if making a little bit harder for me to understand everything. (don't worry, that's just a me problem, I have bad mental fog) I understood with some more careful reading tho.
Glad to see our little hero in the making is getting help from the guild as well~
Always love to read updates and hear from you, hope you're doing well!

[Slendy]

11278805
I try and mix and match how combat moves are described, and yeah, small steps toward greatness like all Hunters. And always a pleasure to hear from you too, and I'm doing good, thank you.