The Mantari

Griff sat crossed-legged on the warm stone of the Well lit chamber, her closed eyes allowing greater access into the inner focus of her mind. Animo burned against her skin, boiling her blood and setting her brain aflame with energy, but the Mind glyph was not the only one that she had ignited.

As much as she hated to admit it, Creation was the only Glyph of the Four she possessed that she had not mastered. Despite considering herself plenty creative, the Glyph of Creaturae required a certain flair for understanding that she did not naturally take too, and so she sat in that dark room, digging through Her memories to scoop out any of the small details that she could recall from her time in Haphestia... She wondered what Nero would think of The City of Steel, according to him, The Extremis People were not all that different sounding from the Gaians? She could imagine his fascination, that wonderous look he got in his eyes when He saw something new-"Fuck." Griffin cursed.

In her distraction, Griffin had misplaced a pin in the breathing apparatus, snapping the whole thing in twain and ruining the entire inner contraption... save for the Mask, let Creation rest, Griffin watched the Mask of Wood and Metal fall to the ground, the other half of the Helmet disintegrating into dust. She rubbed her eyes with frustration, How the Hell was she going to get Nero through the Red Sea without a Helmet! Son of War or no, one good rust storm would suffocate him and tear the skin from his bones... but that wasn't why she was angry, not really, she knew why she was really angry.

"50 years of smooth unattached operation ruined... and it had to be the Son of War that You develop a Crush on, huh Ila?" She grumbled to herself with annoyance, taking the poorly made mask into her hands and huffing "Hmmm... fuck. just, focus on the goal, nothing else matters, even if he is the most handsome and intelligent Male that You've ever seen just-" Griffin sat the mask down, reaching for her Silver Helmet with her left hand.

Attrahunt Ignited suddenly, the Silver Helmet flying towards her face like a bullet, dodging swiftly out of the way, she spun, lassoing the helmet with her mind and pulling it more carefully and skillfully into her hand. Griffin sat shell shocked for a moment "What the piss was that!?" She considered Her arm, watching the Pull Glyph's light die out as she let it rest.

It had been a very, very long time since she had used a Glyph unintentionally... was the situation getting to her that badly? She found herself, reaching around her waist, unclasping the Sheath for the Blade that was strapped tightly there. She pulled the Dark Crystal sword free, considering it with sad eyes that longed to well with tears. Why did she give it to him, what was Her game? the fact that she didn't know was painful enough, but looking at the Broad, curved blade's dull surface, she knew that it meant something important and until Griff could prepare for the coming storm, she knew that Romance wouldn't be an option.

Huffing, She got to her feet, Maybe going on that hunt was a better idea than brooding, not to mention... she was worried for Nero, even if she knew that she shouldn't be.

Nero followed Fiore like a shadow as the group of 12 Litchen Hunters weaved through the desert of Red sand. Carrying a borrowed Spear-headed Rifle, He moved silently with the pack, noticing the natural camouflage that the Litchen and, to a lesser degree, Nero possessed, darting in a crouched run across the dunes that rose and fell like sandy waves under the Warming sun.

"Stay low and silent, follow Fiore's lead." He reminded himself, watching Fiore's long silver mane flow gracefully behind her, her eyes enraptured with complete focus as Her hand's examined a huge pair of tracks, starting just off to the left of a field of jagged stones that littered the landscape for miles.

Those tracks, clearly belonging to something very large, seemed to tell stories to Fiore as she traced her fingers around one of the paw print's rim "What made those tracks?" Nero whispered, looking in awe as the creature's Paws couldn't have been any smaller than a Meter in length and width

"Mantari Okku-Fioremika." one of the other Hunters whispered, Fiore, nodded in agreement gravely, calling the other hunters in

"I'm gonna guess a Mantari is bad?" Nero asked as Fiore checked with the other hunters

"Very Bad... Mantari are powerful beasts, sharp of claw, strong of wing and jaw, they could tear a Litch in two with ease, Warwolf." Nero swallowed at the dark look in her eyes, seeing a focus and seriousness that He had not seen her boast before "If a single Beast is this close to Fallgrim, then it's pride cannot be far."

"This is Wrong, Okku-Fioremika." One of the other hunters said, fingering Her blonde braid nervously as she continued "Mantari have not been this close to the Hoard for many moons, their ilk should be further South at The Sky-Heart!" the Sleek hunter said in a panicked whisper, though another Darker-skinned Litchen Hunter with Midnight Black hair rested a hand on her shoulder comfortingly

"Calm Yourself, We are Okku of the Hoard, The Chietan's greatest hunters. Now the Pride has been driven Northbound and there must be a reason." She assured, the Blonde hunter nodded steadying her breath and tightly gripping the barrel of her spear. Fiore considered the Print for a couple more seconds before standing resolutely, her eyes ablaze with resolve

"The reason does not matter right now," Fiore spoke in the voice of her mother, strong and packed with such authority that the other hunters immediately held fast.

Nero was surprised, this was a completely different person than the exited Girl he knew "It's the Hunt isn't it, that's what's got You so focused. Ever since we set out You've had that fire in Your eyes." He thought, watching as Fiore planted the stock of her rifle in the sand "If a Full Pride of Mantari are heading North to Fallgrim, then they must be dealt with if even a single Beast makes it into the Valley then many lives will be lost. Okku-Kasha, Okku-Misa." She said, pointing to the Black haired and Blonde haired Hunter's respectively.

"These tracks lead into the belly of the God's fangs." Fiore said, pointing to the huge field of tall jagged rocks that resembled hideous red teeth jutting out of the landscape "The Alpha will likely be in the Pride's heart, roughly near the Maw. Kasha will take Five and head around the Westside, Misa will take Five and take the East, place our Screamers, then swarm into the Maw and flank the Alpha after it's ****, the Pride will scatter." She directed sternly, Misa and Kasha immediately stood to round up their separate groups as Fiore took Nero's arm, holding him close.

"What about You, Okku-Fioremika?" Misa, the blonde Hunter inquired, Fiore's eyes softened a little, Nero could tell she was smiling a little now

"The Warwolf and I shall take a direct path into the Maw, lay some traps to scare off the other beasts. Keep to the lower paths, don't make a sound and attack only on my signal, Sovereign Follow You." Fiore said a little more lightheartedly, patting Misa on the back before pulling Nero along the Jagged path, following the large Mantari tracks into the God's Fangs.

"Hey... is this a good idea, it's broad daylight, if we are infiltrating a pack of beasts then shouldn't we wait for the cover of night or something?" He asked as Fiore pulled him along, the long belt of clinking metal shining brightly against the Sunlight

"Usually that would be an amazing idea, Nero. But it is wise to strike a Mantari during the day, they are Nocturnal Beasts, they will no doubt be slumbering as we speak, oh but You still look worried, do not threat, as long as we stay quiet than we will get to the Alpha, no problem." She said confidently, Nero's eyebrow remained firmly raised

"Okay, but what about being seen, it's not exactly going to be easy to hide."

"Oh! right, You don't know, silly Fioremika... Mantari have terrible eyesight, Nero, they are practically blind while the sun shines above. Listen, their Ears are very sensitive, so we make Screamer traps, very loud, scares the rest of the Pack away and we swoop in, kill the Alpha and the Valley is save, simple." She said with a smile, Nero relaxed a little, his instinct rumbling inside as He took a focusing breath

"Alright then, Let's go." Nero gathered his courage as Fiore nodded happily, the two crouching down as they crossed the threshold from warm sand to crimson stone, carefully and quietly winding through the jagged stone structures, cautious of any sign of danger.

It was eerily quiet in that rocky pass, You could cut the tension with a blade so it was surprising that Nero's rifle had not sliced into the air, the way His Spear blade whipped around corners as He stared down the sights, carefully guarding the area where Fiore had stopped to set up Her first trap, his heart thumping in his chest... though, He found that it was no fear that ruled him in the silence, but a strange kind of fiery determination, his instincts screaming inside to feel the heat of battle, a scream that He tried his hardest to ignore.

He jolted slightly as a hand touched his shoulder, then immediately felt dumb as Fiore's mask face peaked around at him, gesturing silently for him to follow. He saw that she was drawing a near-transparent string along with her, the reel of silver-white cord spinning soundlessly as she led him through the deafeningly quiet maze, not a single sign of life among the Stone and dust, the gentle whooshing of the slithering breeze echoing through the arches and dips in the path as Fiore stopped once again to assemble another Screamer from the components in her fur pouch.

Nero's Intense throbbing drummed lightly in his chest for the next seven stops, though He did manage to calm himself enough to relax slightly, his eyes flickering to Fiore's assembly of the Screamer.

Fiore fiddled with a circular ring that she had rooted into the floor below with the conjoined spikes that encircled the base, removing a second smaller ring that curved on its axis, this one shone a greenish tinge, the thick liquid substance that coated it sprinkled with an ashy grey power "what is that stuff, black powder sprinkled on some kind of sap?"

Fiore placed the powdered ring inside, strung her silver cord around neatly so that each end connected to the strange Gooyer circle and finally, removed a wooden disk with many holes around its rim. Fiore pulled the inside of the Wooden disk, Nero watching it extend upwards into what looked like a hole punched cone "Ah, I see... The bottom circle allows the air to flow inwards, the Middle ring burns, shooting the air out of the Cone's holes, making a sound, Primitive My ass, these guys are crafty as hell." He thought with a smile as Fiore gestured Nero onward silently, looking around cautiously as she unravelled her line further inside the God's Fangs.

All had gone well so far, but Nero's guts were rippling in warning, scuttling breath creeping up his spine, Fiore's arms struck out in front of Nero, halting him from moving forward and He saw why, the both of them freezing on the spot at the heart-stopping sight.

It had not made a single sound, it's breathing was empty and without presence. Just like Fiore had said, it was very clearly asleep, a giant Crimson shadow whose slow breaths brushed aside the rock dust falling from the cracked stone above.

Nero could not properly examine the Beast, partly because He was so close, inches from the tall crimson spire of its wings, these Wings, draped in huge dark Scarlet bat-like membranous wings that it had drawn over its head and upper body, it's massive Oak Brown back end covered in a thick hide with short fur.

Fiore turned her head slowly to Nero, reiterating the need for quiet with a silencing gesture. Pressing his lips together and taking in a chill breath, Nero followed Fiore around the Beast, being careful to step over it's long, Mahogany brown tail that was ridged and thick with bone-like material, tipped with an extremely sharp, shiny stinger the size of a spear.

Nero couldn't help but adopt the thought that this was not, the first of the Mantari that they had passed, it camouflaged so well into Crimson stone that if not for feeling its breath on his back, then Nero wouldn't have noticed it at all.

Moving passed the First Mantari, Nero had begun to notice more and more moving formations of 18-foot tall breathing stones, Fiore moving slower and even more carefully, the deeper and deeper they went, the ground beginning to dip slightly as they came closer and closer to what Nero could only guess, was the Maw.

The Mantari kept a good distance from the Maw, the Tall stones around it curling inward, forming great arches and covered cave-like structures, the grandest of these Arches was tall enough to block out the afternoon sun above, it's jagged walls climbing a good Ten or so meters upwards, it's very top smoothing out into smooth red stone that glimmered in the light.

This formation, though littered with diamond-shaped arches and holes, had a huge, wide mouth that led to its interior, the inside shadowed and dark... though, Nero did spot something within, a smooth wall of midnight Black membranous wing that nearly matched the Maw's cave in size.

Whatever was in there, was the biggest of all, Nero knew this not because He could see it well, He couldn't, but because of one feature that lay along the surface Maw's clearing in front of the cave. The Tail was monstrous in size, smoother than the others, Black as sin and covered in incredibly thick round Scales that shone like polished Iron, it's tip, easily the size of a Car, was smooth and curved, wide like a wrecking ball with a scythe blade on the end.

Fiore careful pulled Nero behind an arch, carefully checking Her rifle with skilled hands before pricking our her ears, closing her eyes for a moment before looking to Nero with determined eyes "The Alpha is in that Cave." Fiore said in a voice even lower than a whisper "The Hunters surround him, to the East and West, look." Fiore pointed by Nero had already noticed, the light glint of spearheads poked out from arches on the left and right side

"Okay, alright, anything I need to know before we attack?" He whispered, his chest thundering in his chest, his Instincts burning like wildfire in his guts. Fiore nodded

"Aim for the Neck and Chest, it's back half's hide is thick and the Bolt shot won't pierce it, the Wings are thick but can be torn, the key is to go for its blind spot on its sides... umm, oh yes, stay away from it's front, it's Horns are like pointed warhammers and its Claws... well, You won't survive even a single swipe. But it's the tail You have to look out for, keep an eye on it if this is a Male then it will be able to fire it's quills at us." She explained quietly. Nero bit his lip

"Well, shit, I'll try to remember all that." He said, without the confidence that He meant it to carry, Fiore patted his shoulder

"You will do well, It won't be able to track us with the Screamers and it's Pride will flee in tandem." She added, Nero checking his Rifle's glowing ammunition vent, more hoping than knowing that nothing would go wrong, dammit... He could do it, He could Hunt, he was going to win this battle and get back to Griff.

"Let the Hunt Begin." He Growled, gritting his teeth as the flames of raw instinct bitting at his ribs. Nodding resolutely, Fiore peeked around the corners of the arch, raising the barrel of her rifle high and with a squeeze of her trigger, letting off a shot that shattered the silence around them, Fiore scrambling to Light the cord that led to the line of 20 screamers that she had rigged for the distance.

Fiore's eyes widened at Nero "AH, I FORGOT TO TELL YOU, COVER YOUR EARS!" She cried, Nero quickly slapping his palms over his ears as the sound of sizzling accompanied the echoing shot, the rumbling growl of many gigantic Beasts slipping into the God's Fangs and the Maw. Let the Hunt Begin.