Monster Hunter: Stars of Hope

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Recuperation

"Were you four not listening to me during my address? I very explicitly stated that I would accept no protest", Haldys noted with a hint of annoyance in his voice as he turned back to face Nia and her friends, who had finally managed to catch an opportunity to speak with him on one of his morning strolls across the side of the city walls connected to the guildhall. They had waited nearly a week for this, mostly on account of the commander being busy arranging funerals and attending other meetings that they did not wish to impede on, mainly with the families of people lost in the Shrouded Rift and with hunters who had also ignored his decree. However, those hunters were far less stubborn than this group.

"We were listening, sir", Sariko was quick to rebut, though still speaking with as respectful of a tone as she always had when talking with him, "We just disagree that it's necessary at all". Perren was quick to speak up afterwards, "Yeah, no one could have planned fur a meownster like THAT to show up, so it just doesn't make sense to beat yourself up over it!", followed swiftly by Bucket stating, "Besides, we all would have probably still been standing there like Kelbi hit by a flash pod right up to when it blasted that place all to hell if you hadn't given the order to retreat". Though she was the last to make her point, Nia seemed most impassioned against his decision, making her plea, "What happened wasn't your fault, Haldys. You don't deserve this. Please, don't do this". They were certainly a lot more coordinated with their protests than those who previously sought the same goal.

Their efforts would still be just as fruitless.

"That is where you are wrong, Nia. It was my fault", Haldys responded firmly, "Between your own intuition on the Nergigante's presence and the existence of bioenergy dead-zones across the region, the clues should have been obvious to me. I should have been able to see the signs and realize what I was about to get us into. Instead, I let years of efforts to try and keep such a monster out of my thoughts dull my senses to its very existence, and that cost people their lives. That is not a weakness that is at all tolerable of someone with the kind of responsibilities that come with my position". Nia was quick to respond, clearly exasperated, "Even if we knew there was a Safi'Jiiva out there, we didn't have time! The Well was going to poison everything, and we couldn't have relied on some Elder Dragon to-", before Haldys cut her off sternly, hoping to spare her the effort in this losing cause, "Enough, Nia. I appreciate what you and your friends are trying to do, I really do, but this is how it must be... I will accept no protest. Do not make me say so again, that's an order... Besides, I've been leading this guildhall for nine straight years now. I'm tired, and just plain getting too old for it at this point. A change of pace should be good for Granport". Nia was at a loss for words now, even though there was still more she wanted to say. The old man simply didn't want to hear any of it, having already made peace with his decision long before any, including her, had a chance to convince him otherwise.

A few moments of uneasy silence passed, the four hunters here struggling to find a way to change their commander's mind without going against his order to not try to, before the old man let out a long sigh as he leaned himself against a nearby battlement, and declared "On to other matters, I am glad you four are here. I have a few things to bring up with you all". Still somewhat dejected by their failure, all listened as he began to elaborate, "I have received news that the Guild found where the Safi'Jiiva flew off to: a remote island chain, with nothing really in the way of other large monsters or vulnerable settlements on it", to which Nia, her interest clearly piqued, responded, "Just... just an 'island chain'? No name or-", only to be cut off by Haldys as he clarified, "No, it has a name. I may be getting old enough that my mind might be starting to fail me, but I still know better than to give you all anything you can use to go behind my back and go after it yourselves". She couldn't help but feel offended by such a notion, even though she knew he had a point; That was information Nia understood that she couldn't be trusted with. "Besides, the Guild can't get any vessels close without the red dragon intercepting them, so they're stuck trying to figure out a way through. Overall, the situation remains difficult, though... much more stable than it was initially, which is good, given that this is one of the most powerful monster species known to the Guild".