ItsQuarters

  I?a and I took our time with the corpses of the wyverns, absolutely tearing into them with reckless abandon. Blood and scales flew as our cws and teeth worked in tandem, savouring the taste of fresh kills. Dragging them back to our nest had been exhausting, but the reward was more than worth it. Every bite felt like raw power surging into my body, the bioenergy coursing through me with a vitality I hadn't felt in years.

  As we settled into the feast, I couldn’t help but notice the Odogaron woman hovering near the edge of the nest, her crimson eyes fixated on the eggs she had been tasked with guarding. My protective instincts fred, and I let out a low, guttural growl, rising to my feet. How dare she linger so close to my young? The thought that she could have done something—anything—while I was away made my blood boil.

  Before I could confront her, I?a’s hand pressed gently against my arm. Her voice was steady and soothing. “Hanna, she didn’t touch them. Look.”

  I gnced at the eggs, perfectly intact, their smooth shells glistening in the dim light. Not a scratch, not even a sign of disturbance. The woman remained motionless, her gaze meeting mine with something close to submission. She had done her duty and nothing more. My anger simmered down, though it didn’t fade entirely. With a sharp breath, I turned back to I?a, who gave me a small, knowing nod.

  "Fine," I muttered, my voice heavy with reluctant acceptance. "Let her eat."

  The Odogaron woman hesitated, her movements tentative, but eventually, she approached the remains of the wyverns and began to eat. Watching her gnaw on the meat, I felt the st vestiges of my anger subside. She had guarded my eggs, and for that, I owed her some degree of trust—even if it was begrudging.

  From the sheer mass of the meal, I?a and I consumed enough bioenergy to fuel us for centuries—five hundred years, by our estimation. It was staggering, a clear indication of just how powerful these two wyverns had been. Their strength wasn’t just physical; it was embedded in their very being, potent and raw.

  I wiped the blood from my lips with the back of my hand and turned to I?a, who was licking her cws clean. “Something’s off about this,” she said, her voice thoughtful. “I’ve seen Rathian and Rathalos variants before, but never like these. This isn’t normal.”

  I nodded, agreeing with her assessment. “The Ancient Forest has been stable. My hunts keep the bance. For two wyverns like these to suddenly show up…it doesn’t make sense.”

  I?a tilted her head, her sharp eyes narrowing in thought. “We need to find out what’s causing this. If they’re this strong, it might not just be a fluke. Something’s changing.”

  I clenched my fists, my cws digging into my palms. The idea of another disruption—another threat—grated on my nerves. “Then we go back to Astera,” I said firmly. “We’ll see what the hunters know. If something’s messing with my territory, I’m going to deal with it.”

  I?a smirked, her teeth glinting in the fading light. “We’ll deal with it together.”

  The moment we entered Astera, it was clear something major was happening. The entire base was a flurry of activity. Hunters rushed past with hurried steps, smiths hammered away with an urgency we hadn’t seen in months, and the air was thick with tension. I could sense it even in the handlers, who usually prattled on with cheer—they were subdued, speaking in hushed tones as they passed updates between groups.

  I?a and I wasted no time, making our way straight to the council chamber at the commander’s summons. The crowd of hunters and researchers parted for us, eyes flicking over our draconic features, mostly eyeing up I?a. The unease was palpable, but none of them said a word. They knew we weren’t the enemy—not today, at least.

  The chamber was bustling with high-ranking members of the commission, their faces marked with concern. At the centre of the room stood the commander, as solid and imposing as ever, alongside the chief ecologist and field team leader. A massive map of the New World dominated the table between them, dotted with new markers that hadn’t been there the st time we were called in.

  “Ah, Imperialis. And...I?a? You're ah... just in time,” The commander seemed to be put off by my mate's situation, as when st he saw her she was just a normal human...elf...person thing. I really need to grill someone about lore or something. “We’ve got a situation, and we need every able body on this.”

  I crossed my arms, standing next to I?a as she scanned the room. “A situation like two powerful wyverns tearing through your hunters?” I growled. “You could’ve warned us about the Pink Rathian and Azure Rathalos.”

  The chief ecologist stepped forward, adjusting his gsses. “That’s actually what we’re here to address. Those two weren’t normal. Their presence is tied to something much bigger.”

  The commander gestured to the map. “We’ve been tracking Zorah Magdaros. After weeks of following its trail, we finally have its location. It’s in the Elder’s Recess.”

  I?a tilted her head. “And what does that have to do with the variants?”

  The chief ecologist pointed at the map, tracing the path Zorah had taken. “Zorah Magdaros is a unique phenomenon, a living furnace of bioenergy. Its migration has destabilized the ecosystem far beyond what we initially predicted. Residual energy from its passage has been seeping into the nd, creating hotspots where the natural order is disrupted. This residual energy is drawing in powerful monsters from outside their usual territories.”

  “Like the Pink Rathian and Azure Rathalos,” I muttered.

  The ecologist nodded. “Exactly. These variants are highly attuned to bioenergy. It’s no coincidence that they appeared so close to Zorah’s trail.”

  The commander’s expression was grim as he crossed his arms. “This isn’t just about those two. The trail Zorah has left behind is a beacon, and we’re starting to see more signs of monsters converging on the New World. If we don’t act, the entire region could be overrun.”

  I?a narrowed her eyes. “So what’s the pn? Let us guess—you want us to deal with it.”

  The commander’s lips twitched, almost a smirk. “Not quite. Zorah itself remains the priority. We need to study it, understand it, and see if there’s a way to mitigate the damage its presence is causing. Your role is containment. If more monsters like those two show up, we need them stopped before they threaten the base or disrupt our efforts.”

  The chief ecologist chimed in. “We’re also investigating ways to neutralize or disperse the bioenergy Zorah leaves behind. If we can do that, it may stop attracting these variants. But until we have a solution, we’ll need to rely on strength in the field.”

  I clicked my tongue, irritation bubbling under the surface. “Containment. Right. You realize we’re not exactly known for subtlety, right?”

  The commander’s eyes locked with mine. “We don’t need subtlety. We need results.”

  I exchanged a gnce with I?a. She gave me a slight nod, her golden eyes gleaming with anticipation. “Fine,” I said, my voice a low growl. “But if another one of these things shows up, don’t expect us to drag it back in one piece.”

  The commander didn’t flinch. “We’re not asking for trophies. We’re asking for survival.”

  As the council began discussing logistics and preparations, I leaned closer to I?a. “Looks like we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

  She smirked, her fangs glinting in the light. “Good. The fight against the Pink Rathian has me itching for a proper fight.”

  And to be honest? I can't bme her. We stagnated, or it feels like it. And damned if I'm not feeling hungry when I think about a proper battle.

  I'm so excited I don't see the chief ecologist write something down in his notepad.

  "Imperialis seems to embody the aspect of Dominion. It has mutated Junior Researcher I?a into a new member of its species."