It's become a habit of yours to feed crows. While their dark feathers are far from beautiful compared to doves, most people underestimate the intelligence crows possess. Not only do they remember someone by their faces, but they also display a sort...
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Along the afternoon, I found myself wandering the No Hunt Zone just west of Linkon City. Not to feed the crows, but to investigate several reports of a strange metaflux that occasionally appears from time to time.
After scavenging the area for over an hour, I found myself back by the entrance of the No Hunt Zone. The lonely stump became a lively place as three crows perched on top, eating away at the mixed berries I had left earlier this morning.
"Have you guys seen any Wanderers around here lately?" I eyed the crows with a quirked brow. In return, they stopped eating and gazed back at me with their curious gazes. "Wanderers?" I speak more slowly, emphasizing every alphabet.
One cawed. The other began to caw along with it. With an exasperated sigh, I sat beside the stump, making the crows jump back to make a slight distance between us. "I feel like it's pointless. I've been here several times and I've never come across any Wanderers, like ever."
One of them cawed in response. I'm not sure what it said, but it sounded like some sort of approval. "I know, I could've just skipped this mission if I knew it was pointless. But, I figured I'd go out of formality."
"Oh, also," I fished out the pendant I found yesterday, letting it sway as I held the silver chain. "Which one of you gave this to me yesterday?"
Two of the crows cawed as they took a step closer to awe at the shiny object. But, before either of them could steal the pendant, the other crow cawed and stepped forward, pecking the two crows. This crow was the only crow you named, as it had the most distinct feature out of the rest. It looked like something out of a steampunk fantasy with its metallic wings and head.
"Nathan, was it you?"
Nathan, the metallic bird, cawed and merely pecked on the pendant. It somehow triggered the lock, opening the oval shaped pendant to reveal an unusual object.
"A protocore?" I held it carefully in between my fingers. There's clearly something different from this protocore — it also felt like it possessed an energy more powerful than what an ordinary Wanderer would drop.
"Did you know about this?" I lowered the protocore for Nathan to see, but it simply shook its head. "Might as well take this back to HQ."
I stand up, stretching my back. Checking my Hunter's Watch, I notice that it's nearly 5 PM.
Suddenly, the air grew colder. A mist began to shroud the No Hunt Zone, followed by a series of caws coming from the crows on the tree stump. As they flew, I notice the Hunter's Watch began to detect some fluctuations nearby. No— In fact, without moving a single muscle, it seemed like the metaflux is heading straight towards my way.
"Just my luck," grabbing on to my pistol, I aimlessly point it around, waiting for a Wanderer to appear.
But, even after minutes passed, there was no sign of a Wanderer's appearance. I was about to report back, but it seemed like the watch began glitching.
A soft poke abruptly stopped my entire movement. With an aimed gun, I turned on my heel, ready to attack whatever had poked me earlier. There was nothing.
"Hell no," I kept my gun aimed, my feet slowly backing away towards the No Hunt Zone exit. "I'm a Deepspace Hunter, not Ghostbusters. I'm out of here."
I declared to myself thirty minutes ago.
I was supposed to be standing just a few meters away from the No Hunt Zone border and yet after sprinting, crawling, walking, hell I'd cartwheel my way out of this creepy place, it felt like I'm only going in circles.
An idea struck my mind. Carefully, I began to shoot some dead trees. It revealed nothing at first, until my third shot revealed a gap between time and space. It wasn't long after the gap was revealed when a Wanderer appeared from inside the gaping hole between time and space.
The Wanderer resembled a wyrm as it glided across the air, screeching loudly. It's terrifying gaze bore through my eyes, challenging me to a fight I doubt I'd win with the amount of power it exudes from within itself.
With its screech, it threw an ultrasonic wave my way, which I managed to dodge in time. But, dodging wouldn't lead me to victory, so I had to defeat this creature quick if I wanted to get out of here alive.
Taking cover behind a sturdy rock, I started shooting on the Wrymlord. My effort seemed to hurt the Wanderer, but it seemed be more aggravated than in pain. Screeching, it aimed for my current hiding spot as I rolled away from the rock, the ultrasonic wave exploding it to pieces.
"God, this is not the lore I want," I continued shooting several rounds towards the Wrymlord. It seemed like it's charging its energy.
Among the chaos ensuing on land, the crows from earlier was cawing loudly — either rooting for .e or calling their fellow kind to watch the spectacle unfold. They were probably pitying my fate. A Hunter that regularly feeds them daily was about to be devoured by a vicious Wanderer.
A sudden attack brought me back from my daydreaming, nearly hitting me if I hadn't acted on reflex. The range or the ultrasonic wave still caught on to me, making my ears ring incredibly loud to the point it caused a severe headace.
