The Mountain Dragon. It was the howling wind that woke me. I made the mistake of walking straight to the door of my rental flat and opening it to see what was happening. A blast of scouring sand drove me back in, so I quickly pulled on my armor and a mask to protect my face then headed outside. I've never seen, much less stood in the middle of, a sandstorm. The only people out in the street were other hunters, a stream of bodies heading towards the tavern. I added myself to the flow and learned that an elder dragon called Jhen Mohran had attacked the outskirts of the city.
Apparently this beast, or others of its kind, laid siege to Loc Lac periodically. Now the call had gone out to all hunters to crew the dragon boats and repel the giant. With a cheer of mixed defiance and enthusiasm, we raced to the docks and swarmed the sand ships waiting there.
The hunt was on!
Sand ships are remarkable things. Their hulls are constructed from the hides of desert wyverns and thus resist the abrading effects of the sand and grit as they slide across the dunes. Powered by the wind, they sail like ships on the sea. I found myself aboard a boat with three other hunters. There was Amelie, a chatty young woman around my own age who cheerfully told me this was her first time on such a hunt. Ed, who didn't say much but wore the most demented grin, and a fellow the others just called Hotshot.
Hotshot said he'd sailed after Jhen Mohran many times before and directed us on the use of the dragon gong and the ship's other weapons. No sooner did he tell us to keep a look out when a roar of such volume and depth rumbled across the dunes that I felt it through the soles of my feet. To our left debris from one of the small scout ships exploded into the air, its tattered sail fluttering like a leaf on the wind. The boat had been flicked into the air by a careless toss of the monster's head.
Darkness fell upon the ship and I looked up, catching a glimpse of the passing shadow that blotted out the sun. How a creature of such mind boggling size could heave its body clear of the sand and leap through the air like a dolphin is beyond me. The world trembled as it landed and dove, only to reappear beside us, swimming like a fish. I was so transfixed by the sight that I nearly jumped out of my skin when Ed yelled "yee-haw!" and leaped off the ship, right onto the monster's hind flipper. He ran across its back and attacked its fins directly.
Hotshot manned the ballista, firing round after round at the near side tusk. I scurried back and forth across the deck with Amelie, hauling cannonballs and firing them at the impossible to miss target.
The monster pulled away, and Hotshot yelled out, "it's going to ram us, sound the gong!" Amazingly, the ringing sound of the huge metal disc stopped Jhen Mohran mid charge. I could see Ed still high atop the beast and took this opportunity to join him. Either being a monster hunter causes one to develop a touch of insanity, or insanity is a requirement to become a monster hunter in the first place.
Some of the scales on the dragon's back were cracked, and I joined Ed in hacking away at one. It didn't seem like we were doing much damage but apparently something got through. With a thunderous cry the dragon arched its back and bucked, sending Ed and I flying. We hit the sand in a tuck and roll and were dragged along behind the ship by our safety lines. It was a struggle to climb the rope, but we both made it. Once back up on deck, I returned to firing the cannon.
The battle raged on, with Ed taking every opportunity to ride the back of the dragon like a thrill seeking ant. Amelie kept up a steady stream of encouraging chatter, unperturbed by the looming giant and the shuttering of the ship as it weathered the dragon's blows. Throughout the fight, the ballista had steadily pounded the dragon's head, and with a loud crack, the near tusk finally shattered. That spelled the end. With a roar and a shake of its head, Jhen Mohran dove beneath the sea of sand and did not resurface. We did it, we repelled a dragon the size of a mountain!
As the ship turned back towards the city, I knew I had found what I was looking for. During my time in Loc Lac, I'd met many hunters, fought many monsters, and now wore armor made from their scales, and used weapons crafted from their teeth and claws. It was time to return to Moga Village and hunt the Lagiacrus. I'm finally ready.
Apparently this beast, or others of its kind, laid siege to Loc Lac periodically. Now the call had gone out to all hunters to crew the dragon boats and repel the giant. With a cheer of mixed defiance and enthusiasm, we raced to the docks and swarmed the sand ships waiting there.
The hunt was on!
Sand ships are remarkable things. Their hulls are constructed from the hides of desert wyverns and thus resist the abrading effects of the sand and grit as they slide across the dunes. Powered by the wind, they sail like ships on the sea. I found myself aboard a boat with three other hunters. There was Amelie, a chatty young woman around my own age who cheerfully told me this was her first time on such a hunt. Ed, who didn't say much but wore the most demented grin, and a fellow the others just called Hotshot.
Hotshot said he'd sailed after Jhen Mohran many times before and directed us on the use of the dragon gong and the ship's other weapons. No sooner did he tell us to keep a look out when a roar of such volume and depth rumbled across the dunes that I felt it through the soles of my feet. To our left debris from one of the small scout ships exploded into the air, its tattered sail fluttering like a leaf on the wind. The boat had been flicked into the air by a careless toss of the monster's head.
Darkness fell upon the ship and I looked up, catching a glimpse of the passing shadow that blotted out the sun. How a creature of such mind boggling size could heave its body clear of the sand and leap through the air like a dolphin is beyond me. The world trembled as it landed and dove, only to reappear beside us, swimming like a fish. I was so transfixed by the sight that I nearly jumped out of my skin when Ed yelled "yee-haw!" and leaped off the ship, right onto the monster's hind flipper. He ran across its back and attacked its fins directly.
Hotshot manned the ballista, firing round after round at the near side tusk. I scurried back and forth across the deck with Amelie, hauling cannonballs and firing them at the impossible to miss target.
The monster pulled away, and Hotshot yelled out, "it's going to ram us, sound the gong!" Amazingly, the ringing sound of the huge metal disc stopped Jhen Mohran mid charge. I could see Ed still high atop the beast and took this opportunity to join him. Either being a monster hunter causes one to develop a touch of insanity, or insanity is a requirement to become a monster hunter in the first place.
Some of the scales on the dragon's back were cracked, and I joined Ed in hacking away at one. It didn't seem like we were doing much damage but apparently something got through. With a thunderous cry the dragon arched its back and bucked, sending Ed and I flying. We hit the sand in a tuck and roll and were dragged along behind the ship by our safety lines. It was a struggle to climb the rope, but we both made it. Once back up on deck, I returned to firing the cannon.
The battle raged on, with Ed taking every opportunity to ride the back of the dragon like a thrill seeking ant. Amelie kept up a steady stream of encouraging chatter, unperturbed by the looming giant and the shuttering of the ship as it weathered the dragon's blows. Throughout the fight, the ballista had steadily pounded the dragon's head, and with a loud crack, the near tusk finally shattered. That spelled the end. With a roar and a shake of its head, Jhen Mohran dove beneath the sea of sand and did not resurface. We did it, we repelled a dragon the size of a mountain!
As the ship turned back towards the city, I knew I had found what I was looking for. During my time in Loc Lac, I'd met many hunters, fought many monsters, and now wore armor made from their scales, and used weapons crafted from their teeth and claws. It was time to return to Moga Village and hunt the Lagiacrus. I'm finally ready.