The heavy clanging of a hammer rang out amidst the constant churning of the forge as the forge master worked away at a chest plate, the metal was steel, but inlaid was the thick fur of an ursine monster. The forge master had worked with countless materials like this, he was one of the few experts in the craft. While weaving animal fur into metal didn’t do much for the quality of an armor piece, using monsters resulted in much more protective results, a craft the forge master had learned from his first master.
The forge master was reaching for a set of clamps, but was interrupted by the slamming down of an axe on his counter. The axe was massive, forged using green crystalline structures from a Brachydios, it had been forged by a professional, likely upgraded by one as well.
The forge master looked up to the axe’s owner, knowing before he saw it was a Hunter. He wore a deep green cloak woven from thick scales, Slagtoth, with a matching hood pulled up over his head. The hood, however; only partially covered the mask the hunter was wearing, a strange piece of armor that resembled an Arzuros’ face, yet friendlier, as if for children.
The forge master set aside the armor he was working on to address the hunter, “Need something makin?” He asked, tartly. The hunter removed a satchel from his shoulder, leaving it on the counter, the forge master flipped it open, finding a set of enormous teeth inside, coated with the same crystalline green he had identified on the hunter’s axe.
“I need an upgrade.” The hunter said in a low voice.
The forge master nodded, hefting the axe. “You’re with the guild? I accept guild credit as well as coin.”
The hunter shook his head, “Coin will do fine. I’m not with the guild.”
The forge master chuckled, “Then you shouldn’t be hefting around a weapon like this, should you, boy? Guild frowns upon hunting without a license.”
The hunter ignored the accusation, “I’m here looking for something, I heard reports of an Afton wyvern.”
The forge master stayed silent. Afton Wyverns were a new class of monsters popping up all over the world, stronger than other monsters and with a particular craving for humans. They ignored all other prey, heading straight for settlements and cities, preying only at night. And one had been spotted in the next town over. That entire town’s population was dead by the next day.
“The guild won’t do anything about them, will they?” The hunter continued.
The forge master shook his head, “They say these wyverns can’t be stopped by any hunter, and by the time one arrives, it’s too late anyway.”
“Upgrade the Switch Axe, I have to speak to your elder.” With that, the hunter left for the Elder’s house. As he walked through the peaceful town, the hunter found it hard to appreciate the beautiful location of this village, nestled at the base of a great waterfall and overlooking an even greater falls, situated right on the shelf between the two. He found his thoughts too intruded by the confirmation of the rumors he had followed, and his memories of the first Afton Wyverns, and what they had done to those children.
The Elder’s house was a tall structure, with a terrace on the second story overlooking the village. The hunter let himself in uninvited, finding the Elder with his back turned to him, leaning over a round table. “I was wondering when the guild would send someone. The Afton Wyvern is expected to reach the falls by nightfall.”
The hunter approached the table, ensuring his cloak was fastened properly. “I’m not with the guild. I’m here for personal reasons. What do you know about the Wyvern?”
The Elder didn’t press about the hunter’s lack of guild membership, instead content with any solution to the problem. “It’s an arachnid wyvern, from the reports we know it uses sound as a weapon. Are you skilled, hunter? I pray that you are not simply hopeful guild prospect, doomed as we are.”
The hunter stayed silent for a moment, “I have dealt with Afton Wyverns before.”
The Elder didn’t seem fully satisfied with this, but continued, “Do you have a name, hunter?”
“Jeremy.” The hunter answered.
The Elder nodded, “Then return with the Afton Wyvern’s corpse, Jeremy, and you will have your reward.”
Jeremy nodded, turning back towards the door. Before leaving he paused, “I am not here for zennies, Elder.”
He left and returned to the forge, where the forge master returned to him the upgraded switch axe. Jeremy hefted the axe into its sling and returned to the gate of the village. He checked his satchel to be sure he had enough potions, then gave a sharp whistle.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“Puppet. Time to go.” It was a moment before the strange Melynx drifted from her hiding place outside the village, still wearing her ghostly mask she never took off. The Melynx had a dislike for people, only seeming to feel safe around children. Jeremy had found the Puppet amidst the burning ruins of a restaurant, weeping to itself, the ghostly Melynx had been curious of Jeremy, and had followed his quest. Even for something as intelligent as a Felyne, Jeremy felt there was something unsettlingly human yet, supernatural about the way the Melynx behaved. She referred to herself only as The Puppet, though she didn’t ever speak.
The Puppet followed Jeremy as he descended the scaffolded ramp situated to the side of the great falls. Beyond the bottom of the falls was an expansive forest of towering trees with roots and branches so large they could be walked on by Elder Dragons. Jeremy lifted his mask, exposing his nose to the humid air of the evening. The sun was getting low, The Afton Wyvern would be on its way soon.
The ground was wet and sunk slightly with each step, the moisture wasn’t getting through Jeremy’s boots, but the uneven ground was difficult to keep pace with. The Puppet gracefully clambered up his arm and onto his shoulder to avoid the forest floor.
Jeremy followed the winding paths of the roots, diverting to a different route to avoid a pack of jagras, he’d need all his energy and couldn’t afford to waste it on something that wasn’t even a threat.
Soon the roots began to climb upwards into the trees, Jeremy had to light up a lantern to be able to see now. He slowed his pace, listening to the forest around him. As he crept along the thick branches of many trees, he felt the ground begin to shake. Barely noticeable at first, but gradually it grew and grew.
He pulled down his mask.
His target was coming.
Quickly Jeremy clambered up the side of a tree, taking hideaway among its branches. The rumbling grew and grew, whatever this Afton Wyvern was, Jeremy could tell it was huge.
Finally, the creature came into view. Eight long purple legs with yellow stripes stabbed into the ground as it lumbered forward across the floor, each leg was taller than Michael. The legs joined together into a massive arachnid body, with an abdomen growth that resembled a large drum.
The beast’s face was out of a nightmare, with pale white flesh and large hollow eyes, with a mouth that stretched into a wide, unsettling smile. On either side of the face was a growth that looked like a brass horn.
Jeremy’s eyes bored into the creature with contempt, there was no doubt this was an Afton Wyvern. Nothing about it seemed natural, all of them appeared as if designed by a human, it was always notable. Jeremy held his breath, silently drawing his switch axe.
With a single push, Jeremy lept from the branch he was perched on, falling through the open air, axe reared back for impact. Rapidly the gap of whistling air began to close as he fell closer to the beast. He rotated himself, presenting his axe to land first, and with all the force of his velocity, the axe made contact.
The heavy blade split through the rough carapace of the creature, eliciting a guttural screech from the monster. A screech that echoed through the forest. The beast whirled on its legs, searching for its assailant. Jeremy stayed firmly attached to its back, driving his axe into the thick chitin. Drawing a knife from his back he began to stab the monster in the wound he had already opened, again and again thrusting his knife into the exposed flesh.
The beast thrashed back and forth, screaming in pain, its legs maneuvering wildly across the forest floor, stumbling over roots and rocks. Jeremy switched targets, grappling the creature with two hands and deftly climbing across its body onto its head, jabbing his knife into the thick chitin on top of its skull. The monster screeched and reared its head.
As Jeremy clung to the creature, he felt its body begin to vibrate, a low rumbling rushed through the monster, then the air was filled with the consuming blast of music emanating from the monster, throwing Jeremy from the monster’s back.
Jeremy slid across the ground, clutching the dirt to stop his skid, using his free hand to spring open his axe. He grunted, getting to his feet and charging for the monster. Without slowing his rhythm, Jeremy slid across the dirt, slashing the axe across the creature’s legs, causing it to scream in pain.
As he pushed himself to his feet, the beast stabbed a leg toward him, catching him in the chest and throwing him backward. It had not pierced Jeremy’s armor, he slammed the ground with a fist and got up again, charging the beast down. Dexterously he pushed himself into the air, as he whirled he flicked the hilt of his axe, depressing a switch and letting the mechanism do the work as the axe flipped forward into a sword blade. He came to face with the beast’s leg and slashed the sword across the chitinous skin.
He spun back as the monster reeled and attempted to stab him with another leg, Jeremy dashed underneath, running the sword across the legs and ripping skin from the creature’s appendages. The Afton Wyvern howled in pain and scrambled backward, putting distance between itself and the hunter. Its body rumbled and unleashed another blast of roaring music, which funneled through the horns on the side of its face and shot at Jeremy like blasts of wind, throwing him back into the thick trunk of a tree. As Jeremy’s body made contact, his switch axe fell from his grip, flying to the side.
He tried to regain his footing, but the monster had him in what felt like a wind tunnel, keeping him from moving forward. Struggling against the breakneck wind, Jeremy reached to his belt, grabbing a small wooden boomerang. Taking careful aim, he threw the tool to his right, watching it arc through the air and loop back to smack the beast across the face, breaking its stance and allowing Jeremy to move freely again.
Quickly he rushed for the switch axe, grabbing it from the ground and turning to the monster again. He dashed for the monster’s side, leaping and thrusting the sword into the beast’s skin. He clicked another switch and the sword began to unleash its stored-up energy, letting forth a series of explosions into the beast’s underbelly. With each blast, the explosions grew bigger, until Jeremy couldn’t hold it anymore and let a blast send him flying backward.
He rolled along the ground, springing to his feet. The monster roared out a pained cry, enraged and covered in blood. It began to rapidly stab the ground, attempting to hit Jeremy. The Hunter dodged between each spindling leg, darting back and forth and rolling to avoid the long spikes. A leg struck the earth in front of him and he lept into the air, spinning as he flipped his sword back into an axe which he stuck into the leg, forcing it through the chitin until it came out the other side. The beast screamed as it stumbled on its severed leg, but Jeremy did not slow.
As another leg slammed before him he lept onto the side of it, using it as a step to jump even higher, slamming his axe into the shoulder of another leg, using his momentum to swing around with the axe’s grip, severing this leg as well. At the monster’s back, he switched his axe into a sword, which he drove into the monster’s back, unleashing another barrage of explosions. The Afton Wyvern’s screams echoed through the forest as Jeremy relentlessly assaulted it with explosive blasts directly into its insides.
Jeremy used the final blast to thrust himself into the air, slamming his sword back down into the monster’s neck, forcing the heavy blade through the thick chitin, severing the beast’s head from its body. With a final echoing cry, the beast’s body and head fell to the forest floor. Shortly after Jeremy landed next to it. His body racked with heavy breaths as he sheathed his axe.
Exhausted, he leaned against the dead Afton Wyvern’s corpse, breathing in his victory. He lifted his mask, his face dripping with sweat. Exasperated, he breathed out two words. “Who’s next?”