Author:   Stabby Gonk Droid
Subject:   ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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I decided I'd make my own fanfic, comments are appreciated!



PRAISE FOR LEGACY OF SHADROTH: (Yes, I get praise. Woo!)

quote Dark Knight

snazyrific - my highest form of praise...you are only the second fanfic writer to receive this highest of praises so that just show how good this is...

PROLOGUE:
Silence. Darkness. Then, a low, throbbing roar that grew in intensity and echoed off the cavern walls, shaking debris loose from the ceiling.

A massive, featureless head writhed and twisted in the blackness, almost invisible in the dark. The Hunter sheathed his Long sword as the Khezu thrashed its last moments upon the hard rock floor. Panting hard, he wiped a large amount of sweat from his unhelmeted brow. Walking wearily to the freshly slain corpse, a small glint coming from the direction of its head caught the attention of the Hunter. Leaning in, he noticed a large purple gem lodged in the monster's forehead...

He tried to prise the gem out of the Khezu's skull with a hunting knife, but it seemed to be stuck in well and didn't budge. Taking the only other option available, the Hunter severed the Khezu's head, rigged up a harness out of some rope in his rucksack and slung the head over his shoulder. If he couldn't take the gem by itself now, he’d figure out how to do it later.

As the Hunter made his way out of the labyrinthine system of tunnels and caves that intertwined deep below the mountain, he began to reflect on his chosen occupation. Sure, the money was great and the respect from ordinary citizens was even better, but very few Hunters lived to see 35, and even the ones who did make it into old age were very frail and brittle from a life of hard work and hard knocks. He himself was approaching 30, with over a decade of battle experience. It had all started almost twenty years ago...

Living as the only son of a simple farming couple, the Hunter had enjoyed a peaceful childhood, the biggest worry coming every so often when a spirited Popo youngling found a hole in the protective fence and escaped into the fields. Every Spring his father would take him into the foothills surrounding their small farm and entertain him with the basics of hunting- ranging from slaying the ever-present Velociprey to survival training like how to cook a meal out in the field and gathering rare items from seemingly ordinary places.

The Hunter's father had been a top-class Hunter himself, in his day- the only one on the whole continent to face a Fatalis and live to tell the tale. In fact, he had shattered one of the Fatalis’s horns, and during the frantic escape from the enraged creature he had snatched up a splinter of shell from the ground. This was later crafted into the amulet that the Hunter now wore around his neck, as a reminder that there were always stronger monsters out there.
The Hunter's father had retired after facing the Fatalis, and moved far away from the town and villages, living almost as a recluse with his family.

"I've had enough excitement for one lifetime, my boy," he would say when the child asked why the family lived so far away from everyone else, "This old man just wants to settle down and enjoy life.”

Then, one bitter Winter evening, an eerie hush covered the farm. A gigantic, dark figure descended from the sky, the only sound the regular pounding of enormous wings. The Hunter’s father had been working late, mending the small fishing jetty, and so was left defenceless as the huge monster closed in…



CHAPTER I
Shouts of fear and cries of pain from man and beast echoed up to the house as the Hunter’s father put up a valiant effort, but all became silent as the sound of pounding receded. Cautiously venturing outside, the scene of devastation was too much- dead Popo, the crop fields shrivelled and burnt to the ground, huge gouge marks in the ground from monstrous claws.

“Aagh!” the sounds of scuffling came from near the river. The Hunter rushed over to find his father lying in the dust, breathing heavily and clutching at a large gash in his side.
“Ugh, son… it was…the … Faa…taaaaallliiisssssss…..” He slumped over, and passed away.
The funeral was no small affair, with over half the island turning out to pay their respects to the greatest Hunter of their time. The Hunter and his mother moved from their ruined farm to the coastal city of Mon Avanis, the main port town in the area.

Upon arrival, they were instant celebrities. People were always offering them gifts as consolation, and the Hunter and his mother never wanted for anything.

After a couple of years of living a comfortable existence in the city, the Hunter started becoming discontent with his easy life. He missed the days of Hunting with his father, missed the thrills and excitement.

Then, late one night, the Hunter slipped out of the house and made his way to the outskirts of the town, towards the Guard Outpost. The young watchman outside the post was fast asleep, not accustomed to the long hours on duty. The Hunter crept past him and into the low stone building. Inside, along the far wall, was a rack of weapons of all shapes and sizes. Greatswords, Lances, Hammers… even weapons the Hunter had never seen before, in particular a vicious-looking weapon, two large pointed blades connected at the ends of the hilts by a long, heavy chain.

The Hunter cautiously made his way across the room, glancing left and right to make sure nobody was around. Reaching toward a fine-looking Sword and Shield set, a flash of light made him freeze in his tracks. It had come from a simple Longsword, a utilitarian blade with no decorations. Gently, he ran his fingers along the shining side of the blade. Simple, yes, but possessing a grace and power far beyond any weapon he’d ever wielded in his life. Slowly, he removed the sword and its sheath from the rack...





CHAPTER II
“KREEEEEEE!!!” the shrill cry of a Kut-Ku rose above the low sounds in the cave. The Hunter turned around, quickly drawing his sword. The sound of heavy footsteps came from his left. He shifted to face the threat, a dim outline in the near-blackness.

“KRRREEEEYAA!” the Kut-Ku leapt forward as the Hunter rolled, barely avoiding the fierce attack. The Kut-Ku swung around and splayed its ears out. The Hunter quickly jumped in; delivering a savage upward thrust that gouged a great line across the Kut-Ku’s chest. He danced back as the Kut-Ku threw its head down, and swung his blade as hard as he could directly at the monster’s head.

‘I have to finish this quickly,’ he thought, ‘there’s no way I want a Kut-Ku on my back all the way home.’ The blade connected with the monster’s skull, stunning it momentarily. The Hunter took this tiny opportunity to duck down a small side passage almost hidden behind a great rock. The sounds of the Kut-Ku’s angered cries faded as he sheathed the sword made his way toward daylight…

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-


A short while later, the Hunter was making his way down the wide main road of Mon Avanis. Surrounded on three sides by desert, the bustling city made its trade in rare ores taken from desert rocks. These were shipped across the ocean to its sister city, Sal Sora. Many buildings in town were made of mud brick or stone, for structural sturdiness as well as for their effectiveness at keeping out the heat. Towards the centre of the city, houses and small stores gave way to public forums, taverns, and large businesses.

Throngs or people were out bartering for various goods, ranging from food and pelts to Hunting equipment and the latest weaponry. Children laughed and shouted as they ran about the street, kicking an inflated bladder acting as a ball. A merchant was cursing in frustration as he stood stuck, the crowd too thick to for him to get his Aptonoth convoy past.

Old men and women sat outside bars, shaded by the cloth canopies that protected the weary patrons from the sun. Most wore long robes, mostly in light colours, which protected against the heat. The Hunter continued down the wide, sun-washed road and turned into a shady side alley, strewn with boxes and crates.

The alley twisted and turned, but the Hunter moved quickly with confidence that came only from familiarity. He came to a small wooden door set in a wall, and hidden in shadow. He knocked gently, and waited. After a moment, the door was opened slightly by a small golden Felyne with white whiskers.

“Meow! You’re late!” it said to the Hunter. He grunted and waited for the Felyne to let him pass. “Don’t think you’re getting in looking like that!” cried the Felyne. “You’re covered in muck! Take that armour off now, or you’re not getting inside, nya!”

The Hunter looked down at his armour. It was filthy, so he shrugged himself out of it. The custom-made mail was uniquely designed for the Hunter, and instead of having large plates, it was made of thousands of hard, tiny plates that moved with the Hunter, fitting almost exactly to his body. Not quite chain mail, and not quite plate mail. It even expanded and shrunk when he flexed his muscles- truly a work of art. After removing the offending mail, the Hunter looked at the Felyne, who gave a grudging nod of approval and stepped aside. Ducking his head slightly, he moved into the house.

Stone walls lined the inside the large room, and a line of tall narrow windows ran along the wall to the right, casting bars of light across the small table and chairs in the middle of the room. Against the far wall was a large fireplace, currently unlit. In the corner, between the fireplace and the windows, was a modest stove and a food container, enough for both Hunter and Felyne. Scattered around the room’s wooden floor were large floor cushions, designed to be sat or lain on. Various animal skins made into tapestries decorated the walls. On the left was a door leading into a bedroom, slightly smaller than the main room. Against the far wall was the Hunter’s long bed, and at the foot of the bed was a sleeping basket for the Felyne. Along the wall to the right was the Hunter’s trophy shelf- containing various objects taken from strong monsters the Hunter had slain.

Next to the shelves was a large box, and the Hunter moved swiftly towards it. He opened the box up and took out a large Hessian sack, which he put the Khezu head in. he tied up the sack, and placed it back inside the box. “I’ll get to that later,” he growled. “Donny!” he shouted.
“Nya! What is it?” replied Donny, poking his head around the door.
“Don’t open this chest, Donny.”
“Why not?” said Donny. “I wanna see, meow!” The Hunter smiled as he walked out the room. He knew that curiosity would eventually get the better of the cat.
“I’m going out for a while, I’ll be back before dark. Don’t look in that chest!” He stepped back out into the quiet alley, and just as he closed the door…
“NYAAAA!! Oh no, meow! Yuck, yuck, yuck!!” Laughing, the Hunter turned down towards the main road again.








CHAPTER III:
Back in the bustle of the main street, the Hunter scoured the shopfronts, searching for his destination. Wedged between a noisy tavern on the left, and a Town’s Guard post on the right, was a little crafting shop belonging to Adonis, the best crafter (and most likely the oldest) on the island.

Adonis preferred to stay out of the way, but crafting weapons and armour was a noisy job, best covered up by even more noise, and the main street was perfect for this.
Stepping inside the cramped workshop, a wave of heat and noise washed over the Hunter, making him flinch. Steadying himself, he moved to the back room. Inside, a very short man with white frizzy hair and wearing the heavy leather apron and gloves of an ironsmith was bent over a large, open furnace, nimbly turning the shaft of a lance over and over, hammering at it every so often.

“A-hem.” The Hunter coughed. Adonis turned, flashing a smile that was missing quite a few teeth.

“Be with you in a moment, laddie!” he chuckled as he returned to his work. The Hunter took a seat on a stone bench next to him, looking around the darkened room.
Firelight glinted off an arrangement of tools on the large stone table in the centre of the room, and off the assorted weapons hanging on the walls or on shelves low down on the walls. In one corner, stood three mannequins which displayed armours in various stages of completion; one set was done, awaiting its Hunter’s return. Small beams of sunlight filtered down from holes on the roof above, the only natural light in the room.

The Hunter’s fingers moved to the amulet around his neck, tracing the contours in the smooth shell fragment. He sniffed, taking in the smell of dust and molten metal. “Aaahhh…” he sighed. To him, that smell signified everything about a Hunter’s life.

“Hurry up, old man, I haven’t got all day!” he jested.
“Oh, you made me lose my focus! Now I’ve ruined my work, and you’ll have to sit here while I make another!” they both laughed at this. Adonis pulled himself away from his work, stretching up to get rid of the cramps in his limbs. “What’s so important that you had to disturb an old man’s work?” he asked. The Hunter raised an eyebrow. “Don’t look at me like that,” Adonis berated. “I know you, boy, and I know when you’ve found something unusual. Now what is it?” a mischievous smile broke out on his face.

“Well… I can’t... show you, you’ll have to come to my house…” he looked over his shoulder to ensure his privacy. “I found a Khezu, and in its forehead was a crystal. I can’t get it out, and the head is back in my chest at home.”
Adonis looked thoughtful. “A gem, you say? I haven’t heard of a monster like that for a long, long time…” The Hunter stepped back in surprise.

“What are those things?” he said. Adonis shuffled over to a worn chest hidden under a pile of old weapons. Casting them aside, he opened the chest and gently removed an extremely weathered scroll. He slowly carried it to the table, and unfurled it carefully. The Hunter moved closer to see the faded pictures and writing.

“This is a text from almost one thousand years ago,” Adonis explained. “It is one of the original Five Prophecies of Shadroth that herald the rise of a supreme Hunter, one capable of slaying any beast.”

The Hunter browsed the scroll. Across it were arcane writings in a strange language. Dotted in various points around the page were powerful monsters, each with…
“All of those creatures have a gem on some part of them,” said the Hunter.

“Ah, I was hoping you’d notice!” Adonis smiled. “It seems that once upon a time, several powerful species of monsters roamed the land. These monsters all had those gems lodged in a part of them. Nobody knows how or why they appeared, but they were capable of taking down even the toughest ‘normal’ monsters around.

Soon, the entire island was overrun by these incredibly powerful monsters, and people lived in constant fear. Then, one day a Hunter with simple armour and weapons faced one of these Gem Monsters in one-on-one battle. This Hunter, Shadroth, slew the Gem Monster with one blow, and the people proclaimed him as their Hero.

He travelled the length of the island, wiping out every monster in his path. However, after the last of the Gem Monsters was supposedly vanquished, Shadroth just disappeared. Nobody has any idea where he might have gone. But the memory of Shadroth survived, and that is why we celebrate the Hero’s Day.”

“Wait a moment. Isn’t Hero’s Day the day the island folk thank the Hunters for protecting them?”
“Yes, it is… nowadays.” Replied Adonis. “But, the real reason we celebrate Hero’s Day is to find the next Shadroth. Or have you forgotten the Choosing?” He looked curiously at the Hunter.

“The… Choosing?” he queried.
“Oh my, you are extremely out of touch with things. The Choosing is the greatest ritual of Hero’s Day, when the best Hunter is picked from among all the Hunters on the island. These days, it is an empty title, the winning Hunter receives the title of ‘Hero’ and bears it until the next Hero’s Day, and the next Choosing. But long ago, the Choosing was the island’s way of picking the next Shadroth to protect them. Keep in mind that for a very long time after the Gem Monsters disappeared, people were afraid of their return. In fact, that fear lasted for generations.”
“And what does this have to do with what’s on the scroll?”
“I’m getting to that, boy. At the time, nobody actually knew if the Gem Monsters were really all gone or not. On top of that, it was about the time that Elder Dragon species began to emerge. And you know that the Elder Dragons have supreme combat abilities, probably more so than the Gem Monsters. So the Choosing was created as a means of ensuring that the masses had at least one strong Hunter they could turn to. Originally, several Hunters would have been Chosen, having passed the tests put in place for them. It wasn't uncommon for up to a dozen Heroes to exist on the island at any one time.

If you head to the nearest Guild Hall, you can see past Heroes and their exploits… if you know where to look.” Adonis looked up at the Hunter. “By the way, what colour is this Gem?”

“It’s uhh… purple. A purple Gem.” Replied the Hunter.
Adonis looked back to the scroll. He pointed to a stylised picture of nine Khezu in a line. “See here, there’s a series of nine Khezu, each with a different colour gem in its forehead. And there’s never just one Gem Monster. If one Monster in the series appears, then it is absolutely certain that the rest of the series has arrived elsewhere. Keep your guard up at all times, young one.”

“What about the Gem? What does it mean?” asked the Hunter.
“I’m glad you asked me that. The Gem is actually a focus of the raw power of the Gem Monster. Without it, the Monster would cease to exist. And just having it touch the Gem Monster is enough to augment its powers tenfold. Make no mistake; these Gems are extremely rare and powerful. You’re lucky to have survived that Khezu, as a matter of fact.
As an interesting note, it is said in the scroll that each time Shadroth killed a Gem Monster, he took the Gem and sealed it in a cave deep below the island so deep that one could see the molten core of the Earth from the back of the cave. Very few people know of the Prophecies, and fewer still know the existence of such a cave, so the location is unknown even to this day.

Now, you’ll need to keep that Gem hidden away, there are people out there who would kill to get their hands on one. I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave, as there may be vigilant ears close by…”

“Wait. What are the ‘Prophecies’ exactly?”
Adonis sighed. “I will tell you, but then you must leave, for I fear for your safety.” Running his finger along the text, he fell into a trance-like state.

“The Prophecies foretell the rise of a Hunter, destined to be more powerful than any other. Three times he shall face defeat, and three times shall he rise and overcome it.”
The Hunter looked closely at the scroll. Where Adonis placed his fingers, the text glowed a faint blue. He gently shook the old man awake. “Tell me,” the Hunter said, “who wrote this?” Adonis blinked and looked back up at the Hunter.
“An ancient sage, shortly after Shadroth disappeared, foretold of a future of woe and desolation. He put his visions into writing, and these scrolls became the Five Prophecies. As you can see, I only have the First Prophecy. The others are hidden across the island, either forgotten by all or in the hands of collectors. I believe that there-“
Suddenly, there was a loud banging at the shop’s front door. The Hunter and Adonis swung around.

“Old man!” Came a loud and authoritative voice. “Open up this door, under command of the Serpentblade Order!”
Adonis looked shocked. “The Serpentblade Order? They’re not meant to exist! Listen to me, you must escape from here! Tell nobody what you learned today!”

The Hunter shook his head as the hammering continued. “I’m not the type to run from a fight. Give me a weapon and I’ll sort this out.”

“Are you MAD?!” shrieked Adonis. “There’s likely an entire platoon out there waiting for us! You can’t just fight them, you’ll be killed!”

The Hunter heaved a Greatsword into position. “I’m pretty sure whatever’s behind that door, I can handle.”






CHAPTER IV
The door burst open, and sunlight from the late afternoon sun flooded the room. Squinting through the glare, the Hunter saw a vague silhouette almost filling the doorway. It stepped forward.
“You, boy. You have something we need.” Came a gravely voice. Slowly, the figure came into focus. He was a tall, powerfully built man, some way into middle age. His short, grey hair framed a hard, thick face, crisscrossed with scars faded with age. Deep blue eyes, almost black, roamed the shop, taking in every detail. He shifted forward, his heavy plate mail chinking as he moved.

He raised an arm, pointing directly at the waiting Hunter. “Come, we can make this as cordial as you like. Or, I could make you suffer…” The pointed hand turned into a fist.
“What makes you think I want to go with you? I think I’ll sort this out here.” replied the Hunter.

“Well, I’m certain you can fight, but can you baby-sit at the same time? I can see the little man from here.”
Adonis peeked from behind the Hunter’s leg. “Is that… Primo? Is that you?” A smile formed on his little face. “It’s been too long, old friend!”

Primo looked shock for a second, then recovered himself.
“..Adonis? Hmmm. That’s interesting…” He turned to one side, a thoughtful look across his face. “This is unusual. And it means that you urgently need to come with me.”
“What’s going on here?” cried the Hunter.

Primo looked back at the Hunter. “Come, boy, time is of the essence. And I’m pretty sure that Greatsword is getting heavy for you.” He gestured to the beads of sweat beginning to form on the Hunter’s brow. The Hunter rolled his eyes, and slowly let the sword down. Primo sauntered up to the Hunter. “Your father’s eyes… Hmph.”
“You knew my father?”
“Yes. If you want to learn more, you’d better move with me now.”

Adonis stepped forward, a sheepish expression on his face. “We’d better leave, Primo is usually right about these sorts of things.” He looked up at Primo’s face. “Just let me gather some critical items first, please?”
Primo shrugged. “Do what you need, but hurry. ‘They’ are coming, I can feel it.”

“They?” The Hunter turned towards Primo. “Who are ‘They?’”
Primo sighed. “’They’ are an unknown, faceless organisation, we don’t know where they operate from, but they’re after one thing. Well, more like five; the Prophecies.”
Adonis appeared at Primo’s knee. “I’ve got everything… I hope. Where are we going?”

“There’s an abandoned house in a residential area not too far from here. We’ll most likely stay the night, then head to the caves in the morning.” Primo started towards to door.
“Wait. Do we have an escort?” The Hunter narrowed his eyes.
“Heavens no, boy, we’d draw far too much attention to ourselves that way,” said Adonis, “We need to do this as quietly as possible.”

“Huh?” the Hunter scratched his head. Better to figure this out later, he supposed.
As they made their way of the small shop, Adonis ducked behind the counter. “Just one more thing to get,” he grunted as he shifted boxes of equipment. He resurfaced a moment later, an odd-looking knife in one hand. “This is the only thing capable of getting that Gem out of that skull.” He said.

Primo turned quickly. “You say you found a Gem? Damn it! We have to go, NOW!!”
The Hunter was about to speak, when a distant roar made him flinch. “There aren’t supposed to be monsters in the city!” He ran out into the darkened, deserted street, looking left and right for the source.

“Shhuuuuuuu…..” a low growl came from the northern end of the street.
And there, a creature the Hunter had never seen before.
It was deep purple, like a Yian Garuga, but it was much more powerfully built. It had a smooth surface, semi-reflective, and nimble claws sprouted from the wingtips. They glowed a faint blue, and then retracted again.
It stood on two birdlike legs, and had a line of spines running from the back of its head to the tip of its long, flexible tail.
It carried its scaly body very low to the ground, concealing potential weak points. Everything stayed tucked in, reducing the overall size of the monster, but the Hunter had seen that trick before.
It had four menacing green eyes, set deep in the skull. Two in the traditional spot and two under its chin. The eyes on the chin acted independently of the main eyes, swivelling around while the main eyes stayed steady on the Hunter.

The Hunter called over his shoulder. “Primo! Get me a Greatsword, or something!” Primo nodded, ran to the back, and emerged after a minute with a crystal Greatsword over one shoulder. “What is it?” he blurted. Taking the Greatsword in one hand, the Hunter pointed to the waiting creature with the other. “I don’t know what it is. I’ve never seen it before.”
“Damn it, I haven’t either. Must be a new breed.” The Hunter looked at him.
“No, there’s no time to explain. Aim for the head, it’s usually the weak point.” The monster growled, baring long fangs.

“Primo,” the Hunter whispered. “I don’t have any armour. Can you fight up front?” Primo looked at him.
“I suppose I can. Just give me a second to prepare.”
Primo settled into a close-quarters fighting stance. “What are you doing?” cried the Hunter. “Where’s your weapon?” Primo just shook his head.

As the strange wyvern started to walk slowly down the street, the Hunter shifted to a defensive pose. Primo began taking small steps toward the wyvern, judging the distance.
Suddenly, the wyvern broke into a loping run, coming directly at the pair. Primo cursed, then ran forward a couple of steps and leaped high into the sky. The Hunter watched him rise in shock, as the man cleared the roofs of the buildings and came down directly at the wyvern.

There was a flash of silver, and the wyvern stumbled in the dust, roaring angrily. “Wristblades, kid,” Primo shouted. “Never leave home without them!” he raised an arm, showing the thin blade that had slid out from his gauntlet. He then jumped back to a safer distance.

The Hunter braced himself as the wyvern rose, heavy black smoke filtering from its mouth. The main eyes stayed focused on the Hunter, but the lower eyes darted crazily from man to man.

Primo shouted. “Hey! Bird-brain!” the wyvern swung quickly to face him. “Now, kid!” Primo shouted.
The Hunter mustered all his energy, and swung the enormous sword at the creature. It smacked firmly into the creature’s side, but bounced harmlessly off. “Aim for the Gods-damned head!” Primo roared. He ducked in and delivered a quick uppercut at the monster’s neck. It reared back, but its wing lashed out and knocked Primo into the dust. The Hunter slowly swung his Greatsword, bringing it crashing down towards the monsters’ head…

It brought up a wing, and blocked the attack. Cursing, the Hunter staggered back under the force of the impact. Primo picked himself off the ground. “This isn’t going well. Are you sure you can handle this?” The Hunter shouted.

“Give me some time, damn it!” Primo yelled back. “Usually I’m all right at this sort of stuff, but it’s been a while.” The hunter sighed. Sensing his guard was down, the wyvern leaped towards the Hunter, knocking him off his feet. The Greatsword went spinning off into the darkness, tumbling over crates and tables before coming to a rest out of sight.

Primo reached into his tunic, pulling out a spiked Flash Bomb. “Hope this works,” he muttered. With the bomb in one hand, he leaped, soaring toward the distracted wyvern.
The monster turned quickly, sensing his approach, but Primo was too quick. He lashed out with his free wristblade, gouging one of the monster’s upper eyes out. It screeched in agony, flailing about madly in the dust. Primo bounced back to safety, then waited for his opportunity.

The monster stopped thrashing about, and Primo ran in, shoving the spikes of the bomb deep into the slash he’d made. The wyvern flinched, but began to rise from the ground. The Hunter saw what was happening and quickly scurried about in the dirt, looking for a good-sized rock. Cursing in frustration as his search proved useless, he settled for one of the high-backed chairs left out by the tavern owner.

The wyvern stumbled, and the Hunter rushed up to it. It staggered to face him, and shielding his eyes, he swung the chair at the monster’s head. The chair hit the Flash Bomb, igniting it.

“SHHREEEEEEE!!!” the monster’s shill cry echoed off the buildings, making both men cover their ears. The Hunter found the noise unbearable and dropped to his knees. The monster began stamping the ground, swinging its massive tail around, flapping its wings. Primo strode over and savagely stabbed the wyvern several times under the chin. Every impact was met with another scream, but Primo continued without remorse. The monster began to weaken, and fall, but he continued his merciless onslaught until the monster was completely still.

He made one last thrust, nearly severing the dead wyvern’s head, then wiped his wristblade on his tunic and retracted it.

He looked over to the Hunter, still kneeling in the dust. His face was filled with anger. “Come on, we have to go now.” The Hunter silently nodded, and picked himself up.




CHAPTER V

The three men moved swiftly down the alley, panting heavily. Primo was carrying Adonis, who had suffered the indignity well.

“It’s just up ahead,’ puffed the Hunter. “Give me five minutes to get everything.” Primo looked at him. “You just get your weapons and armour. I will keep an eye on proceedings here.”

They slowed to a jog, coming to a stop outside the Hunter’s house. The Hunter tapped Primo on the shoulder. “Is it alright if I bring my Felyne with me?” Primo looked thoughtful. He was about to answer, but hesitated. “Yes, I think that will be acceptable. The Hunter raised an eyebrow. “No, it’s nothing. Just get your stuff.”

The Hunter opened the door, and entered the dark house. “Donny?” he called. There was no response. He checked the cushions, but Donny wasn’t in the room.

The Hunter entered the bedroom, still searching. There, in his basket, was Donny. The Hunter sighed with relief. If anything had happened…

He knelt beside the sleeping basket and gently shook Donny awake. “Wake up, we have to go…” Donny stirred, opening her large eyes slowly. “Nya, it’s so late!” she murmured.
“I know, but something has come up, and it’s not safe here for us at the moment.” The Hunter scooped Donny in his arms, cradling her. “I promised I’d keep you safe. This is the only option for us.” He said. Donny yawned, and nodded.
He put the Felyne on the bed, and then moved to the chest. “Did you clean my armour?” he asked the cat. Donny nodded sleepily
“Yes, meow, it’s all in there. Yuck, gross disgusting Khezu head, nya…”

The Hunter smiled pulled on his armour, relishing the weight on his shoulders. He reverently lifted his Longsword out of the chest, taking it all in. Attaching the weapon to his back, he turned to the chest again. He lifted the head in the sack out, and tied it to his back. He spent a few moments making sure the head and its precious cargo would not slip, then gathered the slumbering Donny and left the room.

The Hunter moved to the food container, taking out a few steaks, just in case. He then walked to the door, moonlight illuminating his path.

Exiting into the alley, he turned to Adonis, who was sitting on a low crate nearby. “I have the Gem here,” he spoke. “Can we take it out now? I don’t want to have to carry this thing the whole way.” Adonis looked up. “Yes, I suppose we could, if we’re quick about it…” He slumped off the crate, and ambled over. The Hunter took the Khezu head out of the sack, the smell almost making him gag. Adonis produced his unique tool and began to prise at the gem, twisting and jimmying until…

“Gah!” the Gem flew out of the skull, landing with a chink in the dirt. The Hunter immediately rushed to it, checking for cracks or chips. Nothing.

He turned to Adonis, who was smiling widely. “I forgot to tell you, those things are nearly indestructible. Only a very powerful wyvern could even chip it, so you needn’t worry about damaging it.”

Adonis spoke to Primo. “I think we’re ready now,” he said.
“Good, I was getting tired of waiting. We aren’t exactly safe out here…”

The Hunter dusted the Gem off and placed it in his hip pocket. “Let’s go.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“There’s an old cavern behind a waterfall up ahead,” Primo called over his shoulder. “It connects to a system of underground tunnels, that we excavated ourselves. They run deep under the area, and there are loads of secret exits. But,” He paused to catch his breath, exhausted by the long climb. “We are going in by the main entrance this time. I have to make sure our presence is noted before we arrive, or we risk attack.”

Adonis, perched on Primo’s shoulder, peered into the thick blackness surrounding them. “This place, it’s one of the most depressing I’ve ever seen…”

“That’s because we’ve gone into the Badlands, east of Mon Avanis. It’s not like the Northern and Southern Deserts, There are more powerful monsters out here and food is scarce.

Also, there’s an ambush about one hundred metres ahead. So keep your guard up, and don’t let them see you bleed.”
“What!? Who else is after us?”

Primo laughed. “Relax, kid, the ambush is made up of my people, we’re just very cautious. Most likely, if you came out here without permission, you’d be confronted, then captured and thrown in a cell for a while. Maybe we’d release you, maybe not. Depends on whether or not you found us or we found you…” he trailed off.

The Hunter cursed, as Primo laughed again. Rising over a crest, they came into sight of an enormous mountain, its cap lost in the clouds. On three sides, it sloped away gently, but the side facing the group was a sheer cliff, with a simply enormous waterfall in the centre. Water at the top of the fall consisted mostly of ice chunks, which tumbled and fell through the air, and were melted by the time they reached the large lagoon at the bottom. Many herbivorous animals were gathered in the moonlight, taking advantage of the abundance of plant life near the water. But, something was out of place…

“The strange thing is, this mountain isn’t connected to a range or anything. It’s just this gigantic mountain sitting by itself in the middle of nowhere.” The Hunter looked at Primo. “What is this?”

Primo gazed lovingly at the vista. “This, boy, is the lifework of over one hundred generations of Serpentbladers. We created this mountain, out of the remains of a monolithic ancient monster. You know of the Lao Shan Lung?” The Hunter nodded. “A mythical Elder Dragon as big as a mountain, I’m familiar with the stories.”
Adonis spoke. “But, the Lao Shan was nowhere as big as that mountain…”

Primo nodded “That’s because eons ago, the first ancestors of modern monsters roamed the earth. They were enormous beings, a simple Kut-Ku then would have been a modern Lao’s size. And about ten times as vicious too.” He added.
“Early people co-existed with them, and gave them a name; Camulbas, meaning in today’s tongue, Titan. These people were nomadic, never staying in the one spot, as a Titan would simply walk on them in their sleep. These Titans, they gradually evolved into smaller, more efficient monsters, but some survived. They were extremely long-lived, but one by one they died out. In fact, most mountain ranges today are actually Titan graveyards, covered by millennia of soil.
“This particular Titan, a rogue Alpha Titan, was killed by a small band of Hunters close to three thousand years ago.
Those Hunters were destined to become the First Five, the founders of the Serpentblade Order. The Order is devoted to protecting the people of this land, but we never seek attention. We operate in the shadows, and take no credit.”
The Hunter looked at Primo. “What are you?”
Primo smiled.
“Ah, you say what, not who. We,” he paused. “Are the disciples of Shadroth.”





EDIT 1: Changed the colour of the Mysterious Wyvern in Chapter IV. i have a plan...

EDIT 2: If you could give it a score out of 10, that'd be nice

EDIT 3: Added the 'Praise' Section. I hope it gets bigger!

EDIT 4: changed the banner to include new characters. This will happen often in the future.


This message was edited by Stabby Gonk Droid on Apr 27 2008.

This message was edited by Stabby Gonk Droid on May 03 2008.

This message was edited by Stabby Gonk Droid on May 03 2008.

This message was edited by Stabby Gonk Droid on May 04 2008.

This message was edited by Stabby Gonk Droid on May 07 2008.

This message was edited by Stabby Gonk Droid on May 27 2008.

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Author:   The Kushala Kid
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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great work i'll be keeping an eye on this. keep up the good work and see where it takes you

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Author:   Stabby Gonk Droid
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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thanks, man, i appreciate comments

GOOD OR BAD, PEOPLE, IT'S ALL GOOD!!

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Author:   Caboose1520
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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Wow this is real good, i have no complaints.

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Author:   Farrize
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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This is very good,no complaints from me

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Author:   Stabby Gonk Droid
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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nobody hates it?

Sweet.

Chapter V should come in at least a couple of days.

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Author:   Dark Knight
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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snazyrific - my highest form of praise...you are only the second fanfic writer to receive this highest of praises so that just show how good this is...

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Author:   Stabby Gonk Droid
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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quote Stabby Dark Knight

snazyrific - my highest form of praise...you are only the second fanfic writer to receive this highest of praises so that just show how good this is...

yay me!

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Author:   Dark Knight
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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I warn thee though, whilst thou hast earned the highest form of praise known to man or god, this praise will be withdrawn posthaste if you don't write to your current exceedingly high standard or if more isn't added regularly...the dark hounds of hell are always hungry...

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Author:   Stabby Gonk Droid
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth: CHAPTER V OUT NOW!
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>_<

i shall appease thy gods of write, and partake in the epicness.

(Crap, now i have to write some more...)

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Author:   Shadow Dragon450
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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its pretty good. no complaints here

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Author:   Shadroth
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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Yes, it's me, Stabby Gonk Droid...

CHAPTER VI

As the three made their way toward the enormous artificial mountain, drenched in moonlight, the Hunter began to take in the little details of the area. The ground was loose and dusty underfoot; not very stable. Sparse, weak shrubs dotted the gently sloping ground. The whole area seemed pretty flat; no great changes in elevation. Every now and again, the Hunter would hear a snuffle or a grunt from some unseen creature. Then, a faint rustling. He snapped his fingers, and Primo grunted in response. “Did you hear that?” he hissed. Primo hunched his shoulders to mask his search for the sound.

“It’s…” he stopped. The rustling stopped, then out of the silence, a low bird call. Primo suddenly stood up, threw back his head and roared with laughter, making the Hunter jump and reach for his Longsword.
“Axel, you old fool,” Primo called out. “You can’t hide from me! Show yourself!” Silence. Then, a shadow materialised from the dusty ground. Up and up it stretched, shifting into a human shape. A lean, graceful warrior approached, his armour nothing more than treated hides. Archaic tattoos adorned his face, and on his back was a simple Longbow made of bundles of bones. He was bald, but wore a thin bandana that circled his head. The moonlight reflected off it slightly. He began to stride toward Primo, and his eyes narrowed as he made out the Hunter and Adonis. “I thought we agreed, no more ‘visitors’,” he said in a smooth, dangerous voice.

“I know what I said, but they’ve found something critical to the Mission” Primo’s voice was filled with apprehension. The Hunter got the impression that Axel was not a man to cross, even if you were his friend.
“You mean…?” Axel started. Primo grabbed his arm.
“Not out here. The hills have ears, remember…” Axel narrowed his eyes at Primo for a moment, and then nodded. “You two,” he said gesturing to the Hunter and Adonis. “You two stay close, and stay silent. We may live here, but even we don’t know of every beast to enter the area.” Adonis looked wildly into the darkness, quaking slightly. “C-c-can we p-p-pick up the pace?” he stuttered. A twig snapped in the darkness, and he yelped in fear.


-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-



The roaring of the massive waterfall grew louder as the group approached. Various Neopteron hovered near the lake’s banks, feeding on the abundance of mushrooms and mosses that grew on the wet rocks. A narrow stone ledge circled the massive lake, lost under the massive spray kicked up by the waterfall. As they walked along the stone ridge, the Hunter peered into the water. There, a murky shape shifted in the depths. “What’s down there?” he asked Primo.

“The lake is full of monsters. What you saw was probably a Plesioth, or an Leopleoth.” The Hunter did a double take.
“Leopleoth??” Primo turned around and looked at the Hunter.
“The Leopleoth is a recently discovered variant of the Plesioth family. It’s a lot smaller, and can move with great speed. It looks more like a tiger or a lion, it has dorsal and pectoral fins, and a fishlike tail, but it also has strong arms that end in paws, and a ‘mane’ or frilly fins surrounding its face. Not as aggressive as the Plesioth, but when it is angered…” he trailed off.

The raging waterfall blocked out the moonlight as the group passed behind it. They stepped into a large, torch-lit cavern, the rough floor dotted with rocks and boulders. The roof arched high overhead, lost to the shadows.

Axel gestured for the rest of the group to follow him. The marched to the end of the cavern, then down a narrow, twisting tunnel. They moved down the tunnel for so long that the Hunter became disoriented, losing track of where he thought he should be.

Finally, they came out into a spectacular hall, filled with crystal columns gleaming in blues and greens. On the ceiling, hundreds of captured Thunderbugs let off a soft glow that filled the enormous chamber with a gentle golden light. People of all shapes and sizes moved busily between the crystal columns and various siege weapons scattered about the floor.

“We’re currently in the middle of increasing our defensive measures,” Primo explained. “Usually this place is used as a public forum, where many people can come together and discuss different things at leisure.” Axel motioned to Primo, who nodded. “I will see you soon.” Axel said. Then, he hurried off into the dimness. Primo grabbed a passing woman by the arm. “Is the General available?” he asked her gently. She thought for a moment.

“I believe he is, but he’s not in the greatest of moods…”
“Thank you.” With that, he pointed to a spiralling staircase just visible at the other end of the hall. As the group weaved between ballistae and cannons, they overheard snatches of conversation.
“…nothing was left alive…”
“…and then it just vanished…”
“…they say it’s returned, but how…?”
As they reached the bottom of the staircase, the Hunter saw that it had been carved out of the same crystal that the columns were made of. It seemed to let off a faint glow. The ascended the case, up an up until the floor was lost to blackness. They emerged in a large, wooden walled office, decorated with lavish paintings and fine furniture. At regular intervals along the walls, torches flickered and swayed in a hypnotic fashion.

“Wait…” the Hunter started. This room is closed to the outside world, where is the draft that’s moving those flames coming from?” He narrowed his eyes, scouring the room. What…”
Then, out of the empty room came a soft chuckle. It had an eerie echo to it, which could only mean…
“Show yourself!” cried the Hunter.

“Oh, you take all the fun out of an old man’s day,” came the unseen speaker. “You young ones should learn to respect your elders, you know.”

At the other end of the room, behind a large wooden desk, a shape began to fade into view. A distinguished gentleman, dressed in the clothes of an officer, materialised out of the air and stood up. He floated through the desk, and silently came to a halt directly in front of the Hunter, who took a step back.
“A ghost…”
“No, not a ghost, you foolish boy! I am a spectral imprint, much more important than some silly old ghost. I have independent thought, memories and a personality. Now enough about that. I can see your little trinket boy, give me a closer look.”

Hesitantly, the Hunter took the Gem from his pocket and held it uncertainly in his hand. “Do I, give it to you, or..?”
“I can still manipulate objects, you bumpkin, give me that!” he snatched the Gem from the Hunter’s outstretched hand, and began to examine it closely. The Hunter looked quizzically at Primo, who shrugged. “The General is not the type of person to wait for fools.” He leaned in grinning. “And I believe he’s under the impression that you’re pretty foolish.”

“Hmmm…. Interesting…” The General leaned close in to the Hunter’s face. “Where did you find it?”
“It was in a cave, under a mountain in the South.”
“I see…” The General floated back to his desk. Primo stepped forward, gesturing.

“We fought a Dread Wyvern on our way here… the same colour as the Gem.”

The General frowned. “What did this wyvern look like?”
Primo went on to explain the details of the mysterious wyvern, its behaviour and attack patterns. When he had finished, the General spoke.

“Let me tell you something about these wyverns. Nobody else outside this room knows this little secret.

“Every Dread Wyvern is tailored to the Gem that corresponds to it. Black Dread Wyvern, Black Gem. Purple Dread Wyvern, Purple Gem. Tell me boy, did you notice anything very unusual about that wyvern?”

The Hunter thought for a moment. “It did have four eyes… but what does that have to do with-“

“Quiet! You got it in one. It had four eyes. It could keep an eye on all aspects of a battle at once. And that Gem has the powers that the Wyvern does. Merely having it in your presence is enough to give you awareness of things you shouldn’t. Primo!” The man lurched forward. The General leaned in close, and whispered in his ear. Primo nodded, and returned to his position.

“Now, Primo will hold up some fingers behind his back. I want you to hold the Gem, and try to guess how many.”
The Hunter looked doubtful. “What is this?”
“Never mind, just do it!” the Hunter took the Gem from the General, and motioned for Primo to begin. He closed his eyes, and was shocked at what he saw.

The room was clearly visible, except everything the Hunter could use as a weapon shone with an intense yellow glow. He looked towards the General, and saw a billowing aura of red surrounding his form. Adonis’s aura was green, and Primo’s was a deep blue. However, he could not see his own aura.
“Now we begin,” said the General. The Hunter looked towards Primo once more. Through his chest, the Hunter could see that faint outline of…

“Three fingers.” Primo and Adonis were shocked, but the General merely clapped his hands.
“Bravo, and again!”
“Two fingers. Five. Four. One. Seven. One again.”
“He’s right! Every time!” Primo sat down in a nearby chair. “How…?”
“I told you, the Gems have special properties.” The General floated close to the Hunter. “This one gives the user enhanced battle awareness. You keep that in a safe place, you hear?” the Hunter nodded.

The General glided back to his chair once more, settling himself in it.

“Now that we’ve gotten that out of the road, let’s discuss the other matter. He looked at Adonis. “Show me the Prophecy.”

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Author:   The Kushala Kid
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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great work again
i cant wait for chapter 7 now
now i see why you changed the colour of the wyvern in the earlier chapter

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Author:   Dark Knight
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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hmm...it is adequate...for now...nah just messing with ya its bloody good...

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Author:   Shadroth
Subject:   re: ***FANFIC*** Legacy of Shadroth:Oh my god, sorry for the wait.
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Chapter VII should be out in the next few days... probably before the end of the week.

PROBABLY.

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