The Monster's Hunter (On hold)

Prologue: The island's red sands

Astera...the new world, five fleets of hunters had been sent there a few years prior the commission's latest exploration assignment. A new island was discovered by a passing argosy and word spread quickly that many old world and new world monsters were seen near its shores.

Now after months of preparation and planning, the call was sent out allow the hunter's to explore this new area. Within the last week of sailing through the skies since the departure from Astera, the new airships that were delivered along with the orders from the commission, had their sights and three bands of very capable hunters headed for this new location.

The halls of the ship creaked as it swayed gently in the air, the occasional shouting of drunken hunters and staff alongside the shrieks of the birds the hunters used for travel echoed through the hull and the soft footfalls from the deck above shook dust loose of the boards overhanging the main area of commune for the passengers.

The smell of the various meats, veggies, stews and bread wafted through the dinning Hall had most hunters quickly finding a seat and placing orders as the banging of cups and drunken laughter was all in celebration, everyone and their palico's were attending except for two.

Just down below the main hardwood deck in the furthest room, a couple of newly wed hunters had been hiding from the festivities. They were known for being rather sociable, but today held news that changes them entirely.

If one were to close enough to the door, the hushed voices could be just barely heard from beyond the wooden door.

??: "Now, are you sure? If this is true then we could be expelled from the commission for withholding this!"
The young man dressed in leather, a full metal slinger strapped to his right arm and his sword and shield to his left, spoke hastily, keeping his voice down in case anyone were to come stumbling back to their bunks.

??: "I...I found out not long after we set sail! I swear I wasn't hiding anything, it's news for me too, but aren't you excited? We'll be parents!"
The brunet that sat across from him spoke with a soft, honied tone with a gleeful smile. The steel armor she once donned hanging on a mannequin next to the chest that contained her bow and quiver, alongside the various coatings that could be applied now dwelled.

??: "Tanya...this is big..and you and I both know it won't take long for the others to start taking notice. Once we land, I'm booking us a trip back I-"
Being cut off before the sentence was finished, Tanya gave him a glare that could cut through a Gravios's ore-like hide.

T: "Out of the question, they'll be asking why it is that just after landing, two of the guilds top assets needed to suddenly return home and they'll need more than a few words, you know this Maxon"
Opening his mouth to speak in retort, he could only sigh and nod his head, know she was right.

The two then sat in silence for what felt like hours out of mere moments before the sounds of heavy feet banged down the halls, spamming doors and screams from the top deck became louder and louder. The bell on deck was being rung like a furious rajang had gotten ahold of a hunters hammer, had Maxon not wasting time in rushing out of the room.

M: "What's going on? Why is everyone in such a hurry?"
He grabbed one of the newer blooded hunters bunked in the room across from them as he ran out.

Hunter1: "We're being attacked! Legiana...rathalos and rathian... they're everywhere! We're surrounded and the calls been made that everyone with ranged weapons is to report above deck and defend the ship!"
With that he shook free and ran off, stumbling and losing some his piercing ammo and cluster bombs onto the ground before vanishing around the corner.

Turning around, Tanya had already gotten her armor on and bow ready as she moved for the door.

M: "No, I'm sorry but your not going up the-"
Without hesitation, Tanya simply planted a quick kiss on her beloveds cheek and shoved past him, following everyone else above deck. Left standing alone in the hall, his heart kept into his throat as the sounds of the flying Wyverns outside screamed and shrieked.

Joining in the fray, Maxon kept his eye on the newer hunters while the rest had their own assignments. The battle that ensued would last for what felt like forever as the swarm kept replacing what they took down and their own numbers started to dwindle, however that's when the one they never hoped to see appeared in a flash of lightning and the clapping of thunder that rolled in.

The real battle for survival had now begun, as the ever familiar shriek of the full metal dragon Kushula Daora sent shivers down everyone's spine. The admiral giving shouts of encouragement as he loaded a wyvernsnipe into his heavy bowgun and taking aim at the beast and with the pull of a trigger, the battle had turned from a state of defence and survival into seeing which side would outlast the other.

--------several hours later---------

Admiral: "Get me a headcount damnit!! I didn't ask for a list of names, I want to know who's alive and isn't!"
The burly man, now beaten and bloodied along with several others that stood behind the helm of the now torn asunder ship that barely kept aloft in the air, one of the main ships to their west side had already been brought down into the water below, those who swam to the surface didnt last as lagiacrus, plesioth and many more picked them off one by one.

While the hunters scrambled to treat the wounded, the headcount had been made.

Hunter2: "Admiral...I have your report, we lost fourteen to the monster's and it seems that two are missing, nobody has seen them."
Running his hand through his hair, the hunter who gave the report could easily be mistaken for a palumu's fur with how pale he was.

A: "Sound the retreat, we need to head back to the new world and resupply and report this disaster, send word along to the other ship"
With that, the call was made and what was left turned around through the murky sky that remained and returned home. Down far below the fog bank, what they didn't realize is that the two missing, were floating directly to the islands shores.

The water stained red of both monster and hunter that had fallen, Maxon and Tanya would find themselves waking up against reddened sands of the shoreline the next morning. When they had and a shelter was made, they soon came to notice that they weren't alone...footprints belonging to an Anjanath lead just past their campsite and who knows what else might come along to greet them.

So begins the story of survival of three hunters that had been stranded and left behind by their fleets, only the Saphire star could be their guide now and they were hoping it's pale light would lead them in the right direction.