The sheer distance to the Guiding Lands meant that Valen would need to take the Airship to get there. While Wingdrakes had tremendous endurance, they still had their limits. Ikari had boarded the Airship not long after him. He hadn’t wanted to join at first, but changed his mind after admitting he was wary of meeting a new Elder. Even though he had gotten better, Ikari still had the meeting with the Teostra in mind. But before they could go to the Guiding Lands, Valen had to meet with Nikki, so he had instructed them to drop him off at their meeting point, and was currently waiting for her.

  Their schedule was more refined now with the frequent visits by the scientists, so it did not take long before she arrived, and after their customary hug, he explained his newfound task to her.

  ‘New task. Found Elder Mixed Island. Passive, I meet,’ Valen explained to her.

  She took a bit to ponder what he said before she responded.

  ‘I met him. He important. Will understand.’

  Valen raised an eyebrow at the partial response, but he did not begrudge Nikki for the vagueness. She preferred he understood the intricacies of the world by himself instead of being given all of the answers. And honestly, Valen preferred it that way too, it made him appreciate the world that much more.

  They did not have much more to say, and after scratching her under her beak, she took a few steps before taking off. Her ridiculous speed meant that matching the Airship’s speed would just waste her time, and she simply would join them once they arrived at their destination.

  Valen called the Airship that was hovering nearby. While their pilots were wary of Nikki at first, due to Valstrax's reputation of ramming into them, they quickly understood that she took great care to not do so. She had explained to the scientists that the eyelids that she had for high speed flying blurred her vision greatly, but she rarely accelerated to those speeds, so she would always be able to spot them from afar.

  Once he was back in the airship, they turned North and headed towards the fantastical island of the Guiding Lands.

  Valen was waiting at the prow of the ship the following morning. They had flown through the day and the night, and the captain said that they would soon arrive, prompting Valen to decide that he wanted to see how the island looked. Ikari soon joined him, for much the same reason. They were curious to see if it looked as fantastical as the reports from Sophie claimed.

  It was dawn, but the sun hadn’t started to rise yet. But yet he could see the solitary landmass on the ocean.

  The island was much larger than he expected… Somehow he kind of believed it would be comparable to the size of Zorah Magdaros, but what he was seeing was far larger. He was certain that the Capital of the Guild, Dundorma, could fit several times over inside the island. Which made it that much more fantastical and unusual.

  He could also immediately see the anomaly. From the ship alone, he could see no less than four different environments close together. One side of the island was home to a dense forest similar to the Ancient Forest, another was a miniature copy of the Wildspire Wastes. At the exact opposite was the most mountainous part of the island, large peaks, entirely covered in snow and ice… The last part was the unique environment of the Coral Highlands. In the spaces between the biomes were transitional zones that were a blend of the surrounding areas. And finally… At the center of it, there was a collection of small but thin mountains, obscuring what was inside. It was there that they found the Elder’s nest.

  It was eerie for Valen to see an arctic environment so close to what was essentially a desert. And this more than anything was the proof of the involvement of an Elder… And for it to be that big and unusual, showed that it had tremendous power and control.

  If they were to have to fight it? He wasn’t sure he would be able to come out of it unscathed.

  He also knew from the reports that it was not the end of it. On the inside were also an environment composed of the Volcanic parts of the Elder’s Recess, as well as the decayed graveyard of the Rotten Vale.

  What was also quickly visible for Valen as well, was the sheer number of monsters in this island. From the reports that he read from Aiden and Rapha?lle, it was the densest amount of monsters ever recorded, and even then, the previous records were mostly made of a singular, social species that lived in groups. So the fact that it is extremely diverse added to the uniqueness.

  All of this, Valen took note of while they soared towards the island. They would drop off Valen by Wingdrake however, as after some of the local flying monsters attempted to assault the ship, only repelled by Aiden and Rapha?lle, it was decided to not let any airship get too close to it.

  It was the reason the mapping of the Guiding Lands was moving at such a slow pace, since aerial reconnaissance by the Airship was impossible, they relied on the hunter and handler pair to draw the maps which was limited by their traversal ability. However the Seeker had also been exploring on his own, and had reported having found the new Elder’s nest, which was the reason Valen had been sent out to figure out its status.

  The ship finally slowed down and came to a stop, at a reasonable distance from the island. The Captain then talked to them.

  “This is as close as we can get. You all know where the Camp is?” Valen and Ikari nodded. Rapha?lle and Aiden had established a safe camp in the Guiding Lands since it was extremely risky sleeping outside due to the sheer density of monsters. “There has been a change of plans, you have to go in the mountains at the center, they assured me they would be able to spot you…” He sighed. “I wish you good luck, and hope that you bring back good news. We will stay at the shore, fire the special flares if you need a pickup.”

  Due to the isolated nature of the Guiding Lands, Valen had gladly given the blueprints for the special flares that Aki crafted for him, though they changed the colors it burned into, so that they aren’t confused with the ones he used for signaling Nikki.

  Valen checked his gear one last time before nodding to Ikari, then he lifted his faceplate and whistled for his Wingdrake. Ikari followed right after him while Adem jumped on his shoulder. He fired his grappling hook at the attachment point and thus they headed towards the mysterious island.

  Flying on a Wingdrake allowed Valen to simply see the sheer density of monsters that inhabited the island. But it also allowed him to realize that it did not stop at the monsters… The plant and animal life was also teeming everywhere, providing a food source for the bigger fauna. There were entire colonies of rodents, huge herds of Kelbis… It was like every single corner of the island was populated.

  And the monsters were not inactive. There were constant turf wars, monsters establishing their territories and defending it from invaders. Giving ground to stronger foes, bullying weaker ones. It was a constant struggle for survival, but it was undeniable that they were all stronger than those at the mainland.

  Some monsters noticed them, but they all backed off when they sensed the power that Valen constantly exuded. He made sure that his ‘aura’ was constantly on, silently thanking Nikki for teaching him how to do so. That allowed the monsters to realize that he was a powerful foe for them and that it was an impossible fight for them.

  He even noticed a Kushala that definitely sensed his aura, looking at Valen directly. But even when it realized that he was just a Human, it did not attack, realizing that he had the right to be an equal. So it resumed its patrol of its territory.

  Finally they exited the forested part of the Island and reached the center mountains at the center of it. It did not take long for them to fly in it before a flare was fired in the distance, in a valley between two of the spires. It was not a request for help, since it was a blue one, and simply was there to help two Hunter groups to reunite.

  The Wingdrakes had immediately corrected their path, having been trained to seek out these flares. Then finally they saw the group of six waiting for them, Aiden waving at them. Once they landed, Rapha?lle nodded.

  “Glad to see you three. We really needed you for this, Valen.”

  “That is what I have heard… What more have you found since you sent your report?”

  Rapha?lle looked at the Seeker, who nodded and started explaining.

  “We confirmed that no monster approached the Elder’s nest at all. It clearly showed that they knew that this area was completely off limits to them… And that includes Ruiner Nergigante.”

  “Ruiner as well?” Valen exclaimed. “Given we know it attempted to take on Shara Ishvalda… That speaks of the strength of this Elder if even it knew it was completely outmatched.”

  “So you understand why we are wary. We needed you to make sure we had a strong enough team to at least retreat should it prove hostile,” Rapha?lle said.

  “Are you certain it is not hostile at least?” Ikari questioned. “Do you believe it is a threat to the Guiding Lands?”

  “This is where it becomes complicated… Ejam has a theory.”

  “I believe this Elder is the reason the Guiding Lands themselves exist… While the nest may look barren… It is also where the Bioenergy is at its highest concentration. It is from this nest that the power of the Everstream diffuses throughout the Island.

  “You have to understand, the Everstream normally spreads its energy evenly throughout the whole of the New World and the Hinterlands. But here? It is channeled through a well… I also believe that it is where the spiral ends.”

  “Which would mean all of the leftover energy that the New World did not use… Is directed here,” Valen realized.

  “Exactly… And since we have slain Xeno’Jiiva, who had diverted a large portion of the Bioenergy for itself… All of that stolen energy has now been added to here. I have been able to confirm this, since there is a noticeable amount of young growth… Which would confirm that it had been accelerated since a few months ago. And even more in recent weeks, which correlates with Shara Ishvalda’s slaying.”

  “And given it originates from the Elder’s nest… There is a reasonable assumption that it has a major role in the Guiding Lands' existence.”

  “Which brings us to this!” Sophie exclaimed. “Since there is a major risk that this Elder may be responsible for the whole existence of the Guiding Lands… Slaying it may upend the entire stability of the island.”

  “That makes sense…” Valen said. “Good thing that Nikki is somebody we can ask help from then, that gives us the option of communicating.”

  “Speaking of which, when do you think she will be here? We can’t start our task without her,” Rapha?lle asked.

  Valen checked the position of the sun, then nodded.

  “Not long. She told me that she would circle the island, and have a good enough view of the sky.”

  “Most clearings have monsters occupying them,” Lea pointed out. “However, there are strangely fewer monsters in these mountains… And the few that are there are the most powerful that we have seen, so we should stay alert.”

  “Another point towards the Elder here being powerful if he can scare most of them off,” Ikari mused.

  “I have some suggestions as to how we proceed while we wait for Nikki,” Rapha?lle interrupted.

  She started to detail to them as they waited for the rest. She first said that it was a better idea if they entered the nest without Nikki at first, and with Valen leading them, since he had the most experience with manipulating his aura. Then, once they made sure that the Elder would not attack, he would signal to Nikki to land so that they could start the discussion proper. From there they hoped to understand what the Elder’s relation to the Guiding Lands was.

  Just as she finished explaining the course of action, Valen spotted Nikki flying by in the sky. He immediately lit up a flare, but did not send it skywards, keeping it in his hand. His armor was strong enough that the damage was negligible. Nikki made a ball of dragon energy explode behind her in response, signaling that she had spotted him and was waiting for their signal.

  He dropped the burning out flare on the ground and kicked a bit of dirt over it so that it would extinguish itself.

  “She is ready, lead us to the nest,” He said to Ejam.

  The Seeker nodded, and the group followed his direction. They would normally have used the Wingdrakes for this, but he had assured them it was not that far, and it was best to use them as little as possible, they were on edge, and they wanted to not have to worry about them panicking.

  He led them through the treacherous mountains, noting that they were heading towards what looked like the exact center of the island. The Seeker explained that it took that long for him to discover it because he had to explore carefully because of the strong monsters that roamed in the mountains.

  Ikari quickly noted that the vegetation that they saw was becoming rarer and rarer… but that the few that existed were extremely healthy. He attempted to pluck a ripe Nullberry that grew from a crack in the ground, but jumped backwards when the fruit exploded the moment he touched it.

  “The plants are so full of Bioenergy that most of them just cannot contain it… And you can see that the few that grow barely can,” Ejam explained.

  “That explains why it is so bare despite being the source.” Lea noted.

  “Just as the vegetation grew in the Forest part, I confirmed that there was more vegetation a few months ago… And it seems it will recede for a bit still.”

  “Do you think that means that there might actually be too much Bioenergy coming to the Island? Do we risk a collapse of the ecosystem?” Valen worried.

  “It looked like so at first… But it seems it is starting to regulate itself.”

  “We are about to find out how,” Rapha?lle assured.

  They concluded their discussion, simply following their guide through the increasingly barren environment. Valen occasionally glanced towards the skies, confirming that Nikki was still circling above them. She most likely knew where the nest was, but he knew that she was worried about them first of all.

  It was well in the day when the Seeker stopped, raising a hand in the air.

  “We are here.”

  Valen joined him at his side, and gasped.

  There was a huge chasm right in front of them, of a depth he could not judge. All around its edge tall mountains jutted from the ground, almost making a protective ring around it. He could see Nikki lazily circling above.

  When he looked down, something immediately jumped to him. Everywhere he could see, there were what looked like big clothes waving delicately. He was puzzled by the strange occurrence until he realized that it was some kind of membrane. Then finally he realized.

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  “Is that shed skin?”

  “It is,” The Seeker nodded. “As you can see by its presence everywhere… It seems to have accumulated here over the course of numerous sheddings. Which speaks to the age of the Elder that resides below.”

  “That somehow looks familiar…” Rapha?lle mused, before she shook her head.

  “We will have to use the Wingdrakes to continue,” Ejam said, then patted his hip, where several Exciteshrooms were hanging from. “This is the reason I have these, you know how much they love these, and it is the only reason they are still there.” He retrieved one then cut it out in chunks, distributing it to the group.

  Valen took a deep breath, before looking at the rest of the group, who nodded. Rapha?lle might now have been the leader of the Fifth Fleet, but for now, they would follow his lead since he still had the most experience. He picked up the chunk of mushroom then lifted his faceplate and whistled for his Wingdrake, holding the treat high with his other hand. The Wingdrake seemed to hesitate for a moment, but soon enough decided that the food was worth the foreboding feeling it was having.

  Once he hooked on it, he guided it to descend. The wyvern resisted for a bit before relenting. Behind him, the rest of the group did the same, hooking on one at a time. They seemed to have less struggle than him, as they were emboldened by the example of the one carrying Valen.

  They descended as a group, there was a platform not far down, but they knew that it was not where they needed to go, so they went a bit deeper. Valen was worried that Nikki would not be able to see them, but he could still use one of their special flares if he needed.

  A second platform was present a bit deeper in the chasm, and he noticed that there was far more of the shed skin there… And that the shed was present in larger pieces as well. One caught his attention and he directed his Wingdrake to land nearby. Behind him the rest of the group did the same. The moment they landed, the Wingdrakes immediately flew away, not wanting to stay down in the chasm longer than they needed.

  “Wait… This is…” Rapha?lle said from next to him, and Valen looked at her, she was staring at what caught his attention: a single whole piece of shed skin… That included the head of the monster.

  “Xeno’Jiiva!” Sophie exclaimed. “So there was another after all.”

  “You’re certain?” Valen asked.

  “I am, there is no mistaking this shape… However, this skin looks quite old.”

  “It has shed countless times…” Ejam remarked. “Maybe it has reached its mature form. You did say that Xeno’Jiiva was a newborn.”

  “And it would fit its ability… It had been able to divert part of the Everstream flow for itself while in its cocoon form,” Ikari remarked. “So it would stand that its adult form would have a more developed ability.”

  Valen was about to answer, speculating on what their mystery Elder was capable of, when he heard the beat of a pair of wings. Immediately on alert mode, he looked around, trying to locate their mystery Elder, Aiden and Rapha?lle doing the same, though it was Adem that pointed out where the sound came from, pointing towards where the chasm went deeper.

  The Handlers and the Seeker backed off a bit, making sure that they had a way to retreat should the situation turn sour. They all clutched Farcasters in hand, that would hopefully call their Wingdrakes to them should the Elder turn hostile towards them.

  Another beat of wings resounded through the chasm, louder. Then another. And on the fourth, something large soared from the chasm and hovered a bit over the platform.

  Valen immediately saw one thing: it was huge, quite a bit bigger than Shara Ishvalda, though still nothing compared to Zorah Magdaros. His second impression was red. The Elder was almost entirely covered in those scales, with the exception of its belly and the underside of its wings. It had the same body plan as of a Kushala Daora, with four legs and two wings, which was roughly standard for an Elder, for all that the word “standard” could be applied to the Elders. Two black horns sprouted from its head, pointing straight backwards and giving it the impression of a king. Deathly black claws tipped its forelegs, which strangely looked quite dexterous to Valen. Finally, two eyes were staring at the group, not with hatred, not with gentleness, but simply to dispassionately judge, to evaluate them.

  The Elder’s wings beat once more before it descended, touching down on the platform a fair bit away from them. It looked over the group, inspecting each of them, though it seemed to pause a bit more when looking at Rapha?lle, before finally its gaze settled on Valen, since he was at the forefront, guessing correctly that he would take the lead, at least for now.

  He relaxed a bit, focusing deep on himself, then made sure to project the feelings he believed were necessary right now, being of respect, non-hostility and curiosity. He also made sure to convey the certainty that they acknowledged that it was the Elder’s territory, and they had no desire to take over it. It requires a lot of focus from Valen, but he knew it was necessary.

  The Elder stared intensely at him, tilting its head slightly, however he was certain that it was deciphering the meanings he was projecting. And finally, after a moment that seemed to stretch in eternity, it pulsed a feeling of acceptance… A pulse whose power slammed into Valen, startling him with the sheer power behind it. He almost stumbled at the overpowering feeling, and he heard the others gasp next to him and Ikari whimpering behind.

  He exhaled a long breath before focusing once again, now he knew it would be the tricky part… He focused on conveying the fact that it was not a threat, not a challenge, but a needed ally. He had no hostile intentions at all by the action that he was about to perform.

  Once he emitted this new pulse of intent, Valen waited for the Elder’s response, which still looked at him. One rather telling fact was that it was still standing up, it was not even sitting on its haunches, which was the main proof of how wary it was of the group. It was not letting its guard down and still believed that they were a threat for now. However the fact that it did listen to Valen and not immediately attack them meant that it was inclined to hear them out… At least for now.

  Then finally, it pulsed another feeling of agreement… Though this time it was tinged with the tone of warning, that should it have been a deception, it would rescind its prior agreement. Valen simply nodded and only gave another feeling of acceptance and understanding, before he turned around, showing his back to the Elder. He knew that it was a risky move, each species tended to interpret such a gesture differently, but he hoped that it was enough of a proof of trust, to show such a vulnerability to the Elder. He also trusted Rapha?lle and Aiden to warn him of any danger.

  Picking up the flare gun on his hip, he ejected the high powered firework-like flare for a more conventional blue one. He just needed the extra reach the gun would give compared to his Slinger. He aimed at the entrance of the chasm that was a way off above, then fired, the gunpowder cartridge propelling the flare far enough that it would be seen from the entrance, the flare itself out of sight of the group, but the glow reflected on the chasm walls still.

  And then, not long after, the loud noises of Nikki’s wings echoed from the cavern’s entrance, her red glow mixing with the blue glow of the flare for a moment, turning it purple, before she appeared from above the platform, her sight immediately fixing on the unknown Elder. She shifted sideways then descended at a steady pace, making sure the exhaust of her wings was not directed at anybody of the group.

  Then finally, she landed, and she fixed her sights on the Elder. She showed no signs of aggression, nor submission. She would simply respect the power the Elder wielded.

  Valen looked at the staredown. It felt like the red-scaled Elder had narrowed its eyes, studying Nikki for any signs of treachery, though it seemed also puzzled by the fact that she did answer Valen’s call. Finally it emitted a quick pulse demanding of Nikki to explain herself.

  To which Nikki responded, with a rapid burst of differing intents, mixed in with some vocalizations, some of which he never heard her do. She seemed to explain something, but the speed at which she was doing was completely out of Valen’s capabilities, and he was lost in the flickering intentions.

  It took her a bit, before she finished and she stared at the Elder, who simply tilted its head in response. However Valen saw something that internally made him smile. The tip of its tail was twitching, and he could see one of its front paws scratch the ground a bit. He saw some similar signs in Nikki when she was deep in thinking. Which meant that this unknown Elder was most likely doing the same.

  Finally it seemed to have come to a decision, and emitted another series of rapid-fire pulses back at Nikki. Valen expected to have a headache out of it… But surprisingly, he only was slightly overwhelmed by the information overload. It seemed that the unknown Elder was still being considerate of them, and probably picked on the clue that Nikki did it so.

  Nikki thought for a bit, before finally turning towards Valen.

  ‘Accept you. Explained role bolstering Everstream.’

  Valen nodded in answer before asking.

  ‘Not angry kin death?’

  ‘His Error. Too close heart Everstream. Not able interfere. Become threat.’

  Looking at the Elder, who Valen now knew was male, he noticed that he seemed curious at what the two of them were doing, clearly intrigued by the way they were able to communicate. Valen thought for a bit before asking.

  ‘Creator island? Goal?’

  Nikki nodded before she turned towards the Elder and translated Valen’s questions into a pulse. The Elder paid attention, then seemed to be surprised by the content of one, and looked sharply at Valen. He stared the hunter down before looking again at Nikki and gave his answer.

  ‘Yes’ Nikki translated. ‘End Everstream.’ Then she seemed to ponder, she usually did so when they lacked the words to convey the exact meaning. ‘Allows stream flowing permanent. Not accumulate. Immense quantities. Dangerous if accumulating.’

  Valen parsed her answer before he understood. The Guiding Lands was in essence made as a safety release. To take in the excess energy that flowed through the Everstream, so that it did not accumulate over time and kept flowing constantly.

  Adem was translating for his fellow Hunters, and he knew that Ikari was doing the same for the Handlers. And it was when they did so that Sophie immediately asked.

  “But then… Doesn’t that mean that the increased quantities since Xeno’Jiiva and Shara Ishvalda death would cause an issue?”

  Valen immediately agreed with her concern and translated to Nikki, who relayed to the Elder.

  Who seemed surprised once again by the accurate question. And he noticed his posture shift. While before he was still guarded, and wary of them, now? It seemed that the Elder seemed to respect them. That he did not expect such concern about the stability of the New World.

  The Elder looked at Nikki, and asked another question to the Valstrax, though he caught the connotation that held an interrogation in them. Nikki answered in kind, and there was a back and forth between them until the Elder relaxed fully and looked at the group in turn, seemingly with new eyes. However his gaze lingered the most on Rapha?lle. He studied her for a while before he seemed to be approving. Then he looked at Nikki once more, and sent a short pulse of agreement and acknowledgment.

  Nikki finally turned to Valen and explained what just happened.

  ‘Respect concern and worry for stability. He needed keep island stable, able change flow and nature Bioenergy. Energy flow once high like now. Steadily decreased. Required changes. Recent increase fast. Too fast. Worried about high concentration. Other Elders seeking source. Strong enough fighting most. Not all. Focus needed stabilize.’

  That surprised Valen. He immediately understood the danger. The slayings of Xeno’Jiiva and Shara being so close together seemed to have increased the flux of Bioenergy too fast. The Elder might have been able to handle it if there was more time between them, but the surge made it so that the carefully crafted ecosystem of the Guiding Lands was at risk. He could still stabilize it back, however it seemed that the Elder was worried that the high concentration of Bioenergy that was accumulating would attract more Elders, most of which would not stand a chance against him, but a few of them might be able to overpower him. And he needed to focus on using his abilities to keep the island stable.

  The Elder tilted his head a bit before sending another pulse of information at Nikki, which she translated immediately.

  ‘Flow decrease slowly safer levels, when continent adapts. Island adapts faster, but unsafe levels.’

  So the New World would slowly intake more of the increased Bioenergy in time, but it would take time, as it was slower to change. Valen thought for a moment longer before nodding. Then suddenly, Aiden suggested something.

  “What if… We offer our protection? We make sure that he is protected and can focus on keeping the Guiding Lands stable while we make sure that any invader won’t be able to reach him?”

  Valen thought it was a ridiculous idea at first… Then he thought a bit more about it. Their issue was that the Elder was worried about another, possibly stronger one. But did they really have the ability to deal with it? He still relayed the suggestion to Nikki.

  Once she transmitted it, the red Elder immediately seemed to be indignant, before he seemed to catch himself, then he was pensive. He looked at the trio of Hunters, focusing mostly on Rapha?lle. Then finally, after he seemed to have reached a conclusion, he talked once more to Nikki.

  ‘He accepts. Knows each proved themselves. He needs security.’ Then strangely, she looked more directly at Rapha?lle. ‘Emperor chooses you. You fought Everstream’s Star, won. Alone. He believes worthy of this gift.’

  It was then that Valen realized that the Elder had walked closer. And he was now right next to Rapha?lle. She seemed to be trying to not panic and to not draw her weapon. However the translation that Adem was making for them seemed to have tempered her fears, if only just. The massive head of the Elder came closer to her. It only highlighted the massive size difference between them. But the motion did not carry any hostility. It was gentle, and cautious.

  The Elder stopped at arm’s reach of Rapha?lle. He paused and was looking directly in her eyes. However it seemed to also be waiting, encouraging. The Huntress seemed to be puzzled for a moment, before she understood, and she reached a hand to the Elder, resting the palm of it on his snout.

  The moment they made contact, Valen seemed to stop breathing, however nothing happened immediately, and it would like it would not… Then everybody gasped when suddenly a brilliant flow of Bioenergy started flowing from the Elder to Rapha?lle. The Elder had an internal glow coming from him, however the most unusual thing was that its wings lit up like they contained a multitude of stars… Rapha?lle’s hand had started to glow, and the light soon spread to her arm, and from there, to the rest of her body.

  But that was not quite right… It was not focusing on her body as much as her armor. And through the glow, Valen could see it start to change under their very eyes. The armor was morphing directly on her. It was like before it was a stunted version of it, only having a fraction of the potential it could hold… And now, it was realizing all of this missed potential all at once, becoming what it should have been.

  Then finally, after what felt like an eternity but was not more than a couple minutes, the glow faded from Rapha?lle, which revealed the transformation that had just occurred.

  While before her armor was made out of Xeno’Jiiva skin, which had faded into an ethereal bluish white, and was almost cloth-like, flowing around her… It had completely turned into the same red as the Elder’s scales. The armor had noticeably also bulked out, her shoulders being noticeably more protected, and all features that looked like Xeno’Jiiva now were transformed into the equivalent of the new Elder. It incorporated spikes at the forearms, some ridges at the feet and her hood-like helmet was now a full helmet protecting her head.

  However the most noticeable part was her Gem. While it was previously slotted at the back as it usually was… It was now prominently in display at her waist, emitting a steady radiance that proved the power contained within.

  Rapha?lle raised an arm to study it, then moved around, inspecting the change, and checking that her armor moved smoothly without any issues. She seemed to be satisfied with it however when she looked back at the Elder, and nodded in thanks.

  The Elder exhaled, making the few loose cloth on her armor reminiscent of the shedding around flutter. He then looked at Nikki, and emitted a final few pulses of information, before walking backwards a few steps, then took off, heading towards the depths from where he came.

  ‘Gift. Armor fixed, shaped as should be.’ Nikki translated.

  The silence continued for a bit before finally Aiden finally spoke up.

  “I don’t know what any of us expected coming here… But it sure wasn’t this.”

  “Indeed,” The Seeker replied. “I think this display also proved how powerful this Elder is. However, I think this also proved its benevolent nature and its crucial role.”

  Rapha?lle finally was able to find her words.

  “I think he is worried. He might be powerful, but he would not be able to fight at full power out of concern of not destabilizing this ecosystem. And we all know some Elders are not to be underestimated.”

  “Then we must transmit this information to the Guild immediately… However, one of us should also stay here. If he is that worried, we must be able to respond as fast as we are able to.”

  “Then I will stay on the Guiding Lands,” Rapha?lle replied. “He gifted me with this… So it would be best that I am the one that is able to respond and hold the line.”

  “And I will stay at your side!” Flighty, Rapha?lle’s Palico, exclaimed. “No matter what, we fight together!”

  Sophie seemed to hesitate for a moment before she nodded.

  “You know my job, Partner! While I may not be able to fight, I would never leave you!” She smiled. “I trust you to do what needs to be done.”

  Valen smiled, then he looked at Nikki.

  ‘Thanks. Not possible without you.’

  ‘I know. Chose well.’

  Then she nodded at the group and took off, carefully flying outside the cavern.

  The group then prepared to fly outside the chasm, and return to the guild… Then suddenly Ikari spoke up.

  “Valen! Nikki called this elder ‘Emperor’ right?” The Hunter nodded in response. “And we all know that it is the mature form of Xeno’Jiiva… I believe I have the perfect name for him.” He paused, waiting for their reactions.

  “Which is?” Lea asked.

  “Safi’Jiiva.”

  YEP, this is a thing now, and I am really proud of the Lore that I just decided for the Guiding Lands and Safi’Jiiva… I am now interested to know what you think about it!

  Keep in mind this is my personal interpretation that makes sense in this world. Not everybody has the same opinion regarding MH lore, and there is no “correct” view, we just have to make do with the few scraps of official information we have!