The Master Corps

Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear belong to me, unless otherwise stated.

Edited by: dashboardgecko

Chapter 47- Birthright

Two years after the Battle of Tanzia…

A warm, gentle breeze swept over the plain Wes was traversing, rustling the leaves in the trees on the other end of the clearing and tousling his silver hair. He smiled lightly at the feeling as he continued along towards the treeline, a small bag full of Kelbi horns slung over his shoulder opposite the twin handles of Cryfder and Datrys. He wasn't particularly armored—apart from the blue-dyed leather armor that covered his torso and upper legs, he had on a pair of thick black boots and gloves, the left of which was tailored to accommodate the retractable blade strapped to his forearm. His arms and legs were covered by the sleeves of his white tunic and tan pants. It wasn't exactly the toughest armor, but considering the ease of the job, he didn't really need much better.

The apothecary had asked him to collect some to make panaceas, and since the village hunter was busy training his apprentices against large monsters today, he'd been more than happy to lend a hand for a small sum of zenni. He strode through the treeline and found the worn dirt path leading through the vibrant green forest, making his way towards the settlement on the other edge of the foliage. A few small woodland creatures skittered away as he walked by, some racing into their dens dug into the hollows of the tall pines and oaks while others scampered up towards the treetops. He didn't spy any creatures larger than he was though—certainly nothing dangerous.

It was nice being able to walk through the woods like this. It reminded him of the times he'd done so back in Moga. Of course, those woods weren't at all safe like these were. He'd have to follow the same paths and constantly keep an eye out for danger, but here, he could actually relax and let his guard down. That was a welcome feeling, one he'd grown very appreciative of during the last few months he'd spent around these parts.

His walk continued on for another fifteen minutes or so, during which the sky gradually began its shift of blue to orange and pink. It was growing late in the day, and soon the village would be covered in the shadow of the small mountain to the west, but one couldn't ignore the beauty of the daily sunsets here. The way the color of the sky changed, and how the light gradually shifted the hues of the grass and trees… he'd never really paid close attention to that in the past, but nowadays he couldn't quite look away from it.

He took a few extra minutes glancing up towards the sky through the canopy before taking in a deep breath and continuing on towards the village. The walls were already in sight; thirty feet tall and made of felled trees, shaved down and bound together to create a thick shield to protect the homes and buildings within from the world outside, yet meshing well with the nearby forest and mountain. The settlement wasn't out of place at all. In fact, it looked like it belonged there, nestled partially in the trees and with a large mound of earth visible not even a mile away. The taller spires making up the Misty Peaks region were visible far, far off beyond the forest in the direction he had just came from—Tal's Mount in the east and its sister peak Lute's Hill to the west on the other side of the woods were two early indicators that one was just beginning to approach the Yukumo region, yet remained far enough that nature hadn't quite shifted to the particular uniqueness of that area.

The village of Westvale certainly didn't resemble the village of Yukumo either. As he approached the closed metal gate the two men guarding the entrance called up to their companion on the walls, who quickly began to crank the mechanism to open the gate. The two volunteer guards, garbed in simple metal armor and wielding long lances and tower shields, smiled and welcomed him back, and he gave them both a short wave as he entered the village. Many two-story houses and buildings greeted him, each constructed in a simple-yet-efficient manner that offered both comfort and efficiency of space. Smoke rose from several chimneys across the village, which was maybe a quarter of a mile long in diameter—it was organized in a roundabout way, maintaining the same circular configuration as most towns while accommodating for the trees and rocks that the villagers either couldn't or refused to remove. One particularly large boulder rested in the middle of town, which he came to a stop by as he continued along his way towards the apothecary.

This rock was a pasty white color, like marble. It was rugged and not at all smooth, but still quite different from the darker grey stones across the rest of the village. Atop the ten-foot tall rock was embedded a rather ornate sword, Wyvernian is design. The village chief had said it was a symbol of protection, keeping the village from evil. It still kind of confused him, seeing as to how the sword's edge was completely flat and thus ineffective, but he supposed that if the people felt it guarded them, then that was good enough. Besides, it was a relatively pleasant landmark to look at. He felt that he actually preferred it to the Loc Lac Tower, which had constantly loomed overhead in the desert city and dominated the landscape for miles.

"Wes, Wes!"

He pulled his attention away from the blade and towards the trio of small children that scrambled over to him from a large grassy space between two houses. Each wore a simple cloth outfit consisting of dirtied white shirts and brown shorts that hung over their knees. They came to a stop in front of him as he turned, looking up at him with three pairs of glimmering, excited eyes. They were the smith Tiamat's kids—Oscar, the eldest, Aran, the middle child, and Leanne, the youngest. Considering how often he did work for Tiamat, he'd seen them all rather frequently as well, more than often enough to know them all by name.

"Didja whallop any big baddie monsters today?!" Aran asked excitedly, pumping his small fists eagerly.

"Hah, can't say today was that exciting," he replied, kneeling down to eye level with the kids with a smile. "I was getting a few things for Miss Sharon. She needed Kelbi horns for some medicine." The three kids made exaggerated blanching faces, simultaneous groans of 'ewww' expressing their displeasure at the thought of the questionably-tasting panaceas the local apothecary was known for making.

"Kelbi aren't nearly as cool as the stuff old man Oswald hunts," Oscar frowned, folding his arms and shaking his head. "Last week, remember that big whatchamacallit he and the other guys pulled in? The—the bird-dragon thing?"

"Peco! Peco!" Leanne repeated, raising her hand and hopping in place. "He gave me one of its feathers! It's so colorful and pretty!"

"Well, he's still training Edward and Caitlyn. He left most of that hunt to the two of them so they could get better and replace him someday," Wes explained, earning the looks of all three children. "I can't go out and tangle with everything, else there wouldn't be anything left for them to do!"

"But you're so strong!" Aran insisted. "You beat up that stinky Rathalos when you first showed up, and even Gramps said he was having a hard time with it! Ed and Lyn wouldn't stand a chance neither! Why don'tcha do it again, huh? Why?"

"Raths are rare around these parts, you know. They like to live around mountains where they can build nests high up. It's to keep their young away from predators. Their territory is big, sure, but we're far enough away that not many would ever come near here. The one that attacked here was an odd exception."

"Aww…"

"Now now, just because they don't come 'round here often doesn't mean I haven't fought my fair share in the past!" he grinned. "Next time one shows up, I'll be sure to send it packing just like last time. Until that happens, maybe I could tell you about a few scraps my old friends and I got into with a couple Raths instead."

"Right now?!"

"Er… maybe next time I visit your mom's shop. I gotta drop these horns off and get home before Sabrina starts worrying." The children all groaned in disappointment, leading to Wes letting out a short chuckle. "Tell you what, to make it up to you I'll try and whip up one of my Ma's homecooked meals, and you all can eat while I tell the tale. I've been getting a lot better at cooking! Sound like fun?"

The trio replied with excited nods and energetic cheers before saying good bye and racing off towards their home, while the silver-haired man simply laughed and shook his head as he pushed himself up. They, along with many other children of the village, were quite enamored with him and Sabrina, and had been since the day the village elder Delroy allowed them to enter and stay for a while during their travels. 'A while' quickly turned from weeks into months, though. The two of them enjoyed it here, and the people quickly warmed up to them in spite of their initial wariness towards outsiders. The village apparently had some trouble in the past regarding outsiders, though Wes hadn't yet tried to dig up the dirt on that—he felt it may still be just a little too soon.

Regardless, the kids had always been curious about the two new faces in the village, and would often visit or approach either of them in spite of the early warnings of their parents. Wes supposed it wasn't too far a stretch to say the kids probably helped the adults warm up to the two of them, as the surprise hushed drop-ins turned into full-family visits, and soon they had found themselves counted as friends amongst the villagers. It was a huge relief to them both—the first few weeks were nothing short of stressful, especially since the village hunter Oswald had been wounded by the Rathalos and Wes offered to pick up the slack while he recovered. Considering the people practically worshipped Oswald, he had some fairly big shoes to fill.

It was mostly small tasks, sure, but finding himself suddenly thrust into an assistant mentor role to the initially-abrasive apprentice hunters was… challenging. He certainly wasn't as good at it as his father had been. Still, after a particularly harrowing experience with a Nargacuga that he'd pulled them both out of, Caitlyn had warmed up to him tremendously (and according to Sabrina she was definitely crushing on him—as were several of the other women in the village already, since it seemed he just couldn't escape that no matter where he went) and Edward had at least grudgingly accepted him, adopting a more competitive attitude towards him instead of an outright hostile one. He'd even temporarily decided to take up the dual blades for the sole purpose of showing him up one day.

He let out a heavy sigh as he recalled that particular conversation. He'd almost immediately lashed out at the young apprentice, telling him to think of a better reason to use a weapon than to become better than someone else who uses the same. That had been the first time in Westvale Wes had actually lost his temper, and it had left Edward completely stunned until Wes apologized for his harsh delivery. He supposed that moment just reminded him too much of himself, and how he'd done the exact same thing towards his own father. He knew what that sort of attitude could do to someone firsthand, and he especially didn't want to be the cause of that kind of strife for anyone.

Shaking those thoughts from his head, the silver-haired man continued on his way towards the apothecary, knocking on the door before pushing his way in. The building had an earthy, flowery aroma that had nearly made him gag the first few times he'd entered, it was so powerful. Thankfully he'd grown somewhat more used to it, but the overpowering scents of all the various types of plants growing around the shop were still enough to make his nose cringe a little. He heard some rummaging in the back before a woman with curly red hair and a gaudy floral-printed green dress stepped into view. She was in her mid-twenties, only a couple years older than himself, though she maintained a number of youthful freckles on her face. She was easily one of the most… peculiar villagers, which one could usually deduce just based on her extravagant clothes and mannerisms, as well as her particular enthusiasm for her work, but they'd gotten along after the initial awkwardness subsided.

"I've got those Kelbi Horns for you," he greeted, pulling the bag off his shoulder and holding it up for her to see.

"You're a lifesaver Wes, thanks so much!" Sharon smiled, striding around the plant-covered table between them and taking hold of the bag, untying the drawstring to inspect the contents. "One, two, four, eight, perfect! Just what I needed! Oh, you didn't kill any of the little darlings, did you? No excess maiming?"

"Don't worry, I know how to knock them out without a shield. Those are all fresh as can be."

"Then I'd better get going on making that medicine ASAP! Don't want your efforts to go to waste now, and I've been looking forward to working my brand of herbal magic all day! Here, before I forget—your pay!" She reached behind the table and pulled a small bag of coins from a shelf there, dropping it into his palm with a cheery smile. "Keep the change, handsome. You'll need it."

"Thanks, I—wait, what do you mean by that?" he asked with a confused frown. Sharon simply smiled and waved a finger at him before retreating to the backroom, disappearing behind a cover of hanging ivy and leaving the silver-haired hunter standing alone in the main room with a puzzled look. After a few moments he shrugged and pocketed the zenni—a fair bit more than he'd initially been promised—and left the shop, breathing in a deep huff of fresh air before continuing on home.

He and Sabrina lived in a house situated by the western wall of the town. It was built very much like the others in the village; two stories, wood and stone construction, comfy and livable. It hadn't seen any use since the family that previously owned it had left long ago, and seeing as to how Westvale didn't have an inn the villagers were willing to allow the traveling pair to stay in the house for the duration of their stay. Of course, now they weren't quite sure if they'd be leaving at all, so he and Sabrina were left wondering if the villagers had just given them a house to live in free of charge. Cleaning out the cobwebs and such had mostly fallen to Sabrina since he'd initially been so busy handling jobs from the villagers, but she'd managed to pull the place together within a few weeks without many complaints.

He was glad that it hadn't been overly strenuous for her, at least. She still showed some signs of pain from her wounds from the battle against Dire Miralis, and though she did her best to mask it, he could tell that Sabrina still suffered if she worked herself harder than her body could handle. That happened more often than he liked, but he couldn't exactly stop her either, so he just hoped she respected her new limits enough not to seriously harm herself.

Wes cocked his head as he eyed a small piece of folded paper stuck in the frame of the door, plucking it out from between the wooden planks and opening it up.

Wes

Meet me in the grove outside the village as soon as you get back. It's important.

Sabrina

He furrowed his brow and glanced over the note again, thinking he might've missed something. Even flipping the paper over yielded nothing, though.

"I don't think I did anything wrong… did I? Ah, guess I'll find out," he muttered, pocketing the note in one of the pouches on his belt before turning towards the path once more and making his way to the northern gate.

He knew the grove fairly well. It'd been a sort of getaway spot for the two of them in the early days of coming here. It was secluded, full of flowers, often visited by docile animals, and all in all just a very peaceful and relaxing place to be. Sabrina would often sketch things while he practiced with his swords, and they often spent many nights there just chatting with one another, outside the earshot of the villagers. Thinking back though, they hadn't actually felt the need to retreat to the grove for a couple months at least, which only further puzzled him. Why now?

He supposed that answer would come soon enough.

"Ah, Wes!" one of the northern gate guards greeted as he strode past. "Going out to do some evening errands?"

"Not exactly. Did either of you see Sab walk past here earlier?"

"Yeah, maybe… ten, twenty minutes ago? She said she was looking for something for a drawing reference. I offered to come along in case something happened, but she said she wouldn't be going far."

"Good to know. Mind keeping the gates open a little later for us?"

"Of course, just try to make it back before dark. Don't need Oswald getting on my case after the Altaroth incident."

Wes said a quick thank you and departed the town, walking down the path before ducking away onto a path hidden in the underbrush once he was out of sight. Truth be told the grove wasn't entirely unknown to the people of Westvale, so there really wasn't much need for secrecy. Sharon collected herbs there with some regularity and was the one who told Sabrina of it initially. It was more to just retain some sense of privacy, considering some of the villagers' affinity for gossip. It only took a few minutes to move through the brush and arrive in the clearing.

The long, oval-shaped meadow was just as serene as always. Colorful flowers grew on the edges and in random spots in the lush grass underfoot, while tall trees of all kinds enclosed the space on all sides. A few large rocks were strewn about the space as well, around which many more flowers and herbs grew- the entire space was beautiful, tended by no hands save those of Mother Nature. This time, though, his eyes were entirely focused on a single figure standing in the midst of the large grassy expanse in the middle of it all. Hair long-turned gray, wild and unkempt rested atop his head, while his beard seemed to have grown out even more. His right eye was covered by the black eye patch as always, and he was garbed in his hunting robes, though his weapons and metal plates had been set aside somewhere. Wes blinked in shock, but stepped forwards regardless.

"Been a while, hasn't it?" his father smiled as the hunter came to a pause across from him. "Your letters weren't too far off. This is a nice place."

"Yeah… but I wasn't expecting a surprise visit from you."

"That's because Sabrina didn't tell you. She's been in contact with your mother and I. We've actually been planning this little trip for a couple months. They aren't too far from here."

"I see. Lemme guess, didn't think you could get into the village without her and I? That why you didn't just go to my house?"

"Well… I don't want to cause much trouble for you. I'm just glad seeing you well, son. Though I have to say, the hair and eyes are a bit concerning. Guess that must've been partly why you left like that."

Wes nodded silently. It had over a year since he'd seen his father. In spite of his own appearance, though, he couldn't say York looked well by comparison. Now that he was up close, he could tell that his aging had continued poorly on account of his use of Spirit Mode in the past. His expression was worn and weary, and new wrinkles had appeared on his face. Even his posture seemed somehow degraded. Still proud and tall, sure, but… tired.

"I know what you're thinking, and I'm not about to keel over just yet," York insisted with a short chuckle. "Still got a few things left to do. This… this was most important though."

"I could have come to you, you know. Saved you and Ma the trouble."

"Bah, and take you away from this new life you're finding for yourself now? I'm a lot of things, but I'm not heartless. Well, not completely, at least. But, I suppose I just wanted to see it all for myself, rather than read about it on a piece of parchment, or hear you tell me about it in person. You know me. Seeing is believing."

"I can understand that at least. Did you want to head back into town? I'm sure the others will be fine with it if I explain things. We'd just have to find Ma and Sab first… Where are they, anyways?"

"We'll head back in a little while. They're off having a little talk."

"Oh gods…"

"No no, it's not what you think, trust me. She's calmed down about you running off already. They've got their own matters to discuss now."

"Well that's certainly… cryptic."

"Perhaps, but that's their thing. We have ours here, right?" York let out a short sigh and folded his arms, narrowing his eye at Wes. "Tell me. What's one more thing you want to accomplish while I'm still around, Wes?"

The hunter's expression hardened somewhat, and he furrowed his brow at York. "I'm over it, Pa. I don't feel like I have to be better than you anymore. I'm doing things my way now, just like you do them yours. I've… already made peace with that. Don't tell me you came all this way just to-"

"No, of course I didn't. Like I said, I wanted to see for myself. But I guess that's not the entire truth… how long has it been since you and I sparred last? Three, four years now? Call it nostalgia, but I feel like I'm getting close to the end of the line… and I wanted to have one more chance to do that with you. I'm a fighter, Wes. This is the best way for me to understand how you've grown. You say you've made peace with everything, but I'm not too sure myself. So, what do you say? One more bout? For old times' sake?"

Wes slowly glanced left and right around the meadow in a brief moment of thought, then turned back towards his father. "Heh. I suppose we do have a decent enough space for it… Alright. For old times' sake. Let's just not get too bloodied up, alright? Ma and Sab might not appreciate that."

"You can say that again. We'll go till one of us decides they've had enough."

With a quick nod Wes unsheathed his dual swords and set them down against a rock some distance away, then unlatched the blade from his wrist and set it beside the twin falchions. Once he'd also set his pack down, the silver-haired man rejoined his father in the middle of the clearing, a tense excitement building up within him. It had been a long time… but he was looking forward to this now.

"You know, I said I was over it, but… don't be surprised when I win, Pa."

"You're gonna have to want it more than me, kid. Don't think I'll go easy on you now. I'm old, but I'm still me. In any case…" York let out a low breath and lowered into a combat stance. With a slight smirk, Wes got into a fighting stance similar to his father's, standing a little taller and with a different lead foot. The pair squared off against each other for a moment as another stiff breeze blew through the area. "Ready when you are."

"Showtime."

Wes made the first move, rushing his father to close the distance. Quick as he could he swung his arm at York's face, intending to stun the man with a jab. In the blink of an eye, the white-coated hunter blocked the strike and sidestepped, ramming his forearm into Wes' chest and twisting to the side, throwing the man into the ground in one strikingly fast and clean motion.

Wes rolled back to his feet undeterred, striking his combat stance once more. The pair stood off again, each making small, though sudden moves to keep the other guessing. The silver-haired man quickly lashed out with his foot aimed at his father's side, though York was able to raise his shin and block at the last moment, throwing Wes off balance. He swiftly grabbed Wes' shoulder and threw him into the ground with another twist.

"Come on, Wes. You're better than that," York said, taking a couple steps back as the silver-haired man pushed himself back to his feet.

Wes brushed the dirt off of his vest before getting back into his fighting stance, taking a deep breath as he did so. It was pretty clear that in spite of appearances York was as tough as always. Even though he knew better than to judge a book by its cover, he hadn't expected his father's reaction speed to still be so good. He'd have to be less hasty with his moves and counter more of York's if he intended to best his father, as well as take advantage of the older hunter's weaknesses. He took a few cautious steps towards the man, his grey eyes flicking rapidly over every little move he made.

York quickly lashed out at Wes with his left arm, intending to either grab him again or to strike his head. Wes blocked his father's strike by moving it aside with his wrist, sidestepping and catching his collar in the process. He turned around quickly, throwing York into the ground. The older hunter rolled over quickly and got back to his feet, striking out at Wes again with his right arm. The hunter caught his arm this time and twisted it behind York's back, pinning it and straining the man's muscle slightly.

The York retaliated by kicking at Wes' leg, striking him in the shin and pushing him away with the back of his arm. Wes recovered quickly, though York had rushed towards him again and caught his shirt, throwing him down once again.

Wes was able to stop his descent, though, planting both of his hands on the ground and twisting his legs around, catching York behind the knees and in the chest. With a twist of the lower body Wes tossed his father into the ground and rolled back to his feet, watching as York

returned to his feet.

"Haven't seen that one before," York remarked, brushing himself off and getting back into a fighting position.

"I've been busy, y'know," he replied simply before darting at his father, striking at him with his fist. York blocked the strike with the side of his arm, but before he could react Wes threw another jab at him, which he likewise deflected. Wes caught him off guard with a knee to the man's side, winding the one-eyed hunter, and he followed up by grabbing the man's shoulders and turning about and throwing him to the ground.

At least, that's what he expected to happen. York caught him by surprise by planting his hands in a similar manner to Wes' move from before, cartwheeling out of the throw and back to his feet in hardly a second. He darted towards the silver-haired man and caught his arm while Wes was off balance, pulling him around and throwing him once more. Wes attempted to save himself with a cartwheel like his father, but his positioning was off, and he collided with the grass-covered earth for the third time.

"And they say an old dog can't learn new tricks," his father grinned as Wes got up once again. He had to admit, he hadn't expected York to so perfectly copy that maneuver… He'd have to be ready for his own tricks too, not just what he knew York was already capable of. However, if he could use the maneuvers his father hadn't yet seen, tricks he had no counters for…

Wes' attention snapped forth—York didn't waste any time in closing the distance between them, striking out at him with a backhand punch. Wes instinctively blocked the strike, and grabbed his father's wrist at once. York expected that move, and acted as if to break his hold, but Wes surprised him by planting his free hand on his father's shoulder and leaping into the air. Using his father as a stand for himself, Wes flipped over York's head, dragging the man's arm behind him as well. The second he landed, Wes twisted his body around, throwing the older hunter into the ground a fair distance away.

The hunter laughed as he pushed himself back up, giving Wes a proud look. "I really felt that one! I can see you aren't pulling your punches. That's good, I was worried you might not be giving it your all."

"A certain someone always said that you should always give things a hundred and ten percent."

"I suppose so," he said, letting out a short sigh. "Alright, Wes. I'm pulling out all the stops here." The hunter unbuttoned his coat and pulled his arms free, throwing the hooded white outfit aside and leaving him with only the Rathalos webbing shirt and an arm brace for his left arm on his upper body. He got back into his fighting stance once again, and Wes did the same.

"I didn't realize you were going easy, Pa."

"I wasn't. The coat was just getting in the way."

"Never seemed to have that problem before."

"I never complained."

"True enough."

The pair rushed each other again, swinging their fists at each other in unison. Their punches were stopped by the others, their gloved fists connecting with each other with a light thud. Wes followed up with a jab from his other arm, though York countered with the same move, matching him yet again. The silver-haired man brought his leg around in a swift kick aimed for the side of the man's head, though he was blocked with the exact same strike yet again, and found the next kick he threw being stopped just like before.

"Not bad at all!" York laughed, jumping back a few paces to avoid a low sweep Wes had attempted. "You'd best be getting ready this time!"

Wes pushed himself up as York rushed him again, arms raised. Wes brought his own hands up as his father threw a punch at him, blocking the strike. Wes twisted his father's arm downwards and attempted to strike his face, though York was able to react quickly and deflect Wes' fist upwards with his free hand. York lashed out with his elbow and struck Wes's side, staggering him slightly, though Wes was able to stop his father from grabbing him again by striking the older hunter in the gut with his knee.

Wes attempted another grab on the man, but York was able to break his grip with his forearm. York struck Wes on the side of the head, causing him to flinch in surprise, and followed up by grabbing Wes' arm and chest, throwing the silver-haired hunter with enough force to cause him to flip over in midair before slamming into the ground, front first.

"That was a big one. Want to call it quits?"

"Not even close to being done," Wes grunted, rolling over once and pushing himself back up. His blood was starting to boil now—he couldn't let himself back down. Perhaps there was a part of him that still wanted to best his father, to say that at least for once that he was the superior. The reason didn't really matter. He just wanted to win.

"That's what I like to hear."

York rushed towards the silver-haired man as he raised his arms defensively. As York closed the gap between them, Wes threw his arm up to block a running punch from the man, stopping another strike with his forearm and kicking York's shin as he attempted to bring his leg up. The silver-haired man instinctively grabbed his father's shoulders and pulled his head back, delivering a powerful headbutt directly into his forehead and knocking York to the ground with a shocked yelp.

"You did always say I had a hard head, y'know," Wes said, taking a few steps back as his father pushed himself up.

"Not sure if I'd normally count that as a take down," York grinned, shaking his head clear and cracking his neck. "But what the hell, if it hurts, it works."

Wes replied by lunging towards the man, throwing a punch aimed for his gut. York blocked the blow easily, but Wes was able to avoid getting grappled by throwing another three punches and several kicks, keeping up the pressure on his father with a flurry of light, precise strikes. York was forced onto the defensive in order to keep up with the silver-haired man's speed, though he was grinning widely the whole time.

York suddenly turned and threw a roundhouse kick aimed at Wes' head in between his attacks, a blow that if he hadn't seen coming would've surely knocked the younger man down instantly. Seeing the strike coming, though, Wes quickly ducked and rolled to the side, coming to a stop on his father's right side just as the man finished his kick. For a brief moment York couldn't see him due to the blindspot of his wounded eye, which meant Wes had a split second to surprise him.

A split second he quickly put to use. Wes darted to York's side, catching him off guard with a swift kick to the back of his right leg. Wes grabbed the man's opposite shoulder and, with a loud grunt of effort, threw York hard, back first, into the grassy meadow. The man let out a pained grunt as he slammed down, but instead of pushing himself up he simply began to laugh.

"Alright, that's… that's enough," he chuckled, propping himself up on one arm with a wince. "I'd keep going, but maybe it's just my age catching up to me… ah, who am I kidding. You got me. This win is yours."

"One over a hundred," Wes shrugged. "We both know you could have stopped that one. You've done it a million times."

"Heh well… maybe I just have a light concussion from that headbutt. We both know it's not the aging, after all."

York grinned lightly, and Wes' own expression too shifted after a moment. How he felt right now was… strange. Satisfaction and pride amongst other things, but there was some sadness there too. After all these years of trailing behind his father's legacy, after finally catching up to him, now that he had finally achieved that… he supposed he just felt a little hollow about it all. He felt hollow because this had been the first match they'd had in so long, yet it might also be their last. He couldn't even quite call it a win—say what he will, York was much weaker now than ever. He just wasn't sure what the appropriate reaction to all of this was. He must've been debating it in his mind for a while, because his father let out a short chuckle of amusement.

"You gonna stand there with your head in the clouds all day, or are you going to give me a hand up?"

The silver-haired hunter blinked in surprise before reaching down and helping his father back to his feet. They exchanged a look for a few moments afterwards before eventually embracing warmly, and both men laughed in amusement before parting.

"Hah… You really have grown strong, Wes. I dare say I'm prouder now than I've ever been. Before I was proud because you said you wanted to be like me, but now… well, I think I prefer seeing you as your own man, with your own life. I'm certain your mother would agree."

"Yes, she would." Wes turned to the side at the sound of Rose's voice, catching sight of both his mother and Sabrina walking towards him and York. The two came to a pause next to him, and he glanced towards Sabrina with a raised eyebrow. She simply cocked her head to the side with an especially bright, cheery grin, returning his look with little else than a disarming smile. She looked as lovely as ever, her hair having returned to its natural brown hue, though she kept a few strands on either side of her head dyed blue. Her soft, smooth features on the late evening light captivated his attention for several moments, like they always did no matter the time of day. Wes had to shake his head clear to avoid getting mesmerized—she just had that effect on him. His mother let out a short laugh as well, clearly taking note of his affection towards the woman. "You don't have to worry, we were just chatting about things while you and your father had your fun."

"Pa said as much," Wes chuckled sheepishly, glancing towards the one-eyed man for a moment before looking back towards Rose. "Still, I should apologize in person. I'm sorry for worrying you, Ma."

"Apology accepted, sweetie. I know you had your reasons… I just hope you're ready for the other things life is going to throw at you now."

"That's… also cryptic. First Sharon, then the guards, Pa, and now you too? It's starting to feel like you all know something I don't."

"Maybe we do, but it's better if Sabrina tells you," Rose continued, glancing towards her. "Truth be told, it's part of the reason York and I wanted to come all this way, actually…"

Wes turned back towards his beloved, who glanced downwardly for a moment and nodded, then looked up to meet his curious eyes.

"I'm pregnant, Wes."

That single sentence hit him like a charging wyvern. So shocked was he that he had to take a short step back, wide-eyed and stunned into complete silence, then into incoherent stuttering. The others grinned wide while he slowly began to collect himself, and he eventually managed to find his tongue enough to think he could form a complete sentence… only to find that his voice had left him. He just decided that a dopey smile would have to suffice until he could fully process what he'd just been told. He was at least aware enough to step forwards and embrace Sabrina lovingly.

"That's… that's amazing," he finally said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I-I don't even know what else to say, but… but my mind is definitely only thinking good thoughts, I promise!"

"I'm glad to hear it!" she grinned happily. "After all the trouble I went through planning out how to tell you, I was still worried about how you might take the news!"

"Though frankly I'd have preferred you wait until AFTER marriage…"

"Rose, please. We weren't much better."

"That-! …Okay, maybe, but still. I just want to make sure these two are completely aware of what they're getting themselves into. Parenthood is a big responsibility, and-!"

"Mayhap that can be done in town?" York suggested, glancing upwards at the rapidly-darkening sky above them.

"Ah, that's probably for the best."

"Wes, you said you and Sabrina could get us in, right?"

"Huh?" The hunter blinked and looked away from Sabrina for the first time since his parents had begun speaking. "Oh! Yeah, yeah, let's get moving!"

It was a short hike back to Westvale, and while the guards and some townspeople were initially wary of York and Rose, once they learned of their relation to Wes they at least shifted to a more amicable attitude and allowed them both entry, albeit with most villagers' eyes glued to their backs regardless. Wes wasn't fully aware of all of that though. He was more distracted by Sabrina's news. He just kept repeating the memory over and over again in his head in a strange, yet oddly welcome mix of disbelief and ecstasy. Him, a father! He never thought that idea would feel so appealing… but here he was now.

Wes and Sabrina welcomed his parents into their shared home and gave them a short tour of the place. First through the kitchen, to the living room, then to the small sun-lit room Sabrina used as an indoor garden, and next upstairs, to the room the two of them shared along with the other three bedrooms—Wes used one to keep his armor and weapons out of the way, while Sabrina used the other as a workspace. The last remained unused, but Sabrina had recently decided to turn it into a guest room of sorts, likely in preparation for York and Rose's arrival. Despite how barebones the place was though, his parents seemed like they were impressed by the place. It was adequately decorated, decently stocked, and overall comfy, even if there was still some work to be done all around. Rose at the very least made it clear how impressed she was with his and Sabrina's ability to pull a cobweb-filled dirt hole into a respectable living space.

After the quick tour Wes began to make food for them all with some help from Rose—he'd been working on the craft since they had gone on the road, but having her around to give some pointers was far more helpful than burning steaks in the woods. York and Sabrina continued to chat in the living room about whatever came to mind. Soon enough the food was ready, and they ate and drank and made merry long into the night. It was the first time in a long, long while that Wes had done so with his family, and he hadn't fully realized how much he missed it until now. Needless to say, he enjoyed every last moment.

Still, with it came a sense of sorrow as well. His father's words from before stuck in his mind. York was growing old. Even if he was only in his late forties, the effects of Spirit Mode were more noticeable now than ever—York had always looked somewhat older than others around his age, but now Wes was actually aware of the reason. He wouldn't be around for much longer, would he? Would he even get to see his grandchild? And if that wasn't cause for concern already… what had Seraph Mode done to him? Did it go deeper than just his eyes and hair?

His thoughts seemed to have caused a small lapse in the conversation, and both Rose and Sabrina excused themselves to discuss something else in private, which shook the silver-haired man from his thoughts. York let out a short cough as the two women walked up the stairs, then shifted his gaze towards Wes.

"Worried this won't last, right?"

"Well… yeah," Wes sighed, looking up towards the ceiling. "You've always been around for me. You and Ma both. I guess I just thought that after everything we've fought for, there might not be any more troubles… some sense of completion, or peace, or something. But there isn't really a happy ending here, is there? Nothing's really ended at all. The world is still a mess, people are still dying…"

"Not really a moment for some peace and quiet. Hard to believe something that simple can take so much effort to get. But no, even after some great travesty like Tanzia, business goes back to the usual for people. It's a weird cycle."

"I suppose… you know Pa, I've done a lot of thinking since that battle. Since… well, a lot happened. Balestra wanted peace. He actually, genuinely did. His methods were extreme, sure, but in the end, didn't he want the same as us? Was he really wrong? People aren't all good. I've seen it time after time… liars, cheaters, thieves and murderers, people who don't act out of necessity, but malice. I can't help but think that… that maybe we actually would be better off if all those people just went away. Is it… is it wrong that I really can't blame him for what he did?"

"Hrm… Guess I'll answer that with a question of my own," York shrugged, sitting back into his chair. "Just because someone makes the wrong choices every now and then, does that really make them a bad person? Is it really okay to just let someone die because you or I feel it's right? I've taken more than my fair share of lives, and I'll tell you, that question has haunted me since the very first time. I'm just a man. What makes me able to determine whether someone else deserves to die or not?"

"Because they're trying to kill or exploit people first?"

"Figured you'd say that. But see, if you want to make hate go away, you can't use hate to do it. Balestra's 'perfect future' would have been built on an ocean of blood, innocent and not. People find that out, and it all goes back to square one before long. It's just not a permanent solution, let alone a perfect one. So no, I don't think his end goal was necessarily evil, but he did have to be stopped."

Wes nodded slowly, glancing towards the fireplace, at the flickering flames dancing along the blackened logs. That answer still didn't quite satisfy him, but he supposed that was just his father's thinking. York had good points, but there was no real answer in his words. That's what frustrated him… there had to be an answer, right? Some way to fix the world? York cleared his throat, drawing the hunter from his thoughts once more.

"There isn't an answer to that one, Wes. You aren't going to find one, so word of advice—stop looking, else you'll end up just like Balestra." York's expression shifted then, from stern to weary. "You won't change the entire world. Someone, somewhere is still going to do something evil. There's no stopping it. Or, if there is, it's far beyond what a single person can do. Take it from someone who's been fighting his entire life for a better tomorrow. You'll be happier settling for something a little smaller, son."

"So I just… ignore the problems? Think that helping a few people is 'doing my part'? I don't think I can settle for something that miniscule."

"It's not miniscule. Maybe to you, it doesn't seem like gathering Kelbi horns or bringing some Aptonoth meat to someone in the village is a big deal. It's easy for you to do it. But that medicine, that food, THAT could save someone's life. It means the world to those people. So don't try to change the entire world all at once—you won't get anywhere. Take it one step at a time, do things for people, and change their world."

"That needs a lot of hopeful thinking, Pa."

"And that's what everyone needs. A little hope for something better. So use your time, change people's worlds. Make your own kid's world great. Keep things running as smooth as you can in this crazy, stupid one we've got now, so that people down the line will look back and appreciate what people like you and me did. That's what I've wanted… a place where you can just look around and say 'this was worth it all'."

"I suppose that can do," Wes said after a few moments of deliberation. "But that does bring me back to my first concern… you, Pa. You keep saying you aren't going to be around for long, and even after all these years I still only feel like I got to know you better just before Tanzia."

"Then let me tell you everything, Wes. I'm still around, after all. No more secrets. I'll tell you whatever you want to know about me, about our family, the Brilliant Darkness, the Oath Keepers, whatever it is you want to know. Don't worry about what comes after for me. I've already left enough marks."

"I… alright. Then tell me everything."

My parents left a couple days after that night. Sab and I officially married within the month. We couldn't quite get the others to come out to Westvale since we didn't feel it was our place to ask that of the villagers, so we decided to have a second 'unofficial' ceremony in Loc Lac not long after. That was the first time I saw the others in two years. They laid into me for taking off on them at first, but they got over it quickly enough—we've all started to move along with our lives now.

Viper and Kathy got married literally the day after Sab and I got to Loc Lac. A little too quick if you ask me—sorta took everyone by surprise—but that's just how Viper is. The celebration was just as rushed. They basically went to a courthouse and paid a hundred zenni, and boom, legally married. Definitely not a lot of flare, but they both seemed very happy with the choice. Viper gave me a few new bits of news too. Firstly, he actually got accepted into the Guild Knights. He has a mission coming up already—he's supposed to help track down some rogue Master Corps scientist named Doctor Manelger. Secondly, he and Kathy are also expecting a child soon. I can't really judge him on that given my own position, but I'm happy for the guy. I hope our children get along as well as we have… scratch that, I hope they get along better. I don't want to hear any stories about who threw who off a roof.

Thankfully I was able to meet up with Snow too, even if it was only briefly. The Guild has been working her relentlessly—Hybrids are popping up just about everywhere now, it seems. I can't blame her for having a hard time finding a second to catch her breath, let alone explaining it all in the few hours she was given. I'm a little worried for her; I mean, it's partly my fault she's stuck doing this job now in the first place. Still, Snow's way more optimistic than I thought she would be. Supposedly her job is more along the lines of a diplomat or an ambassador in that she goes out and makes contact with the friendly Hybrids that want to integrate into human society, and helps them do just that. She's hoping that her actions might make Hybrids more accepted across Venatoria, but I can't help but feel like it's a long, long road for her. She left me off with one comment that really threw me for a loop, though. "Jack says hello".

Sab and I managed to catch up with the other Gems too. Ruby's working as a Guild defense strategist now, going around fortifying towns and villages to better prepare for monster attacks. It's easy on her arm, and it lets her put her talents to good use. I can't think of a better job for her. Apparently she plans on making Loc Lac's defenses on par with Dundorma Town's in Jaagazuela one day, which I'm actually looking forward to seeing. Ruby apparently has her eye on Trance now too—yes, that means exactly what you think. Trance has about three other duties aside from handling Snow, plenty of them putting the two of them in relatively close proximity, so the two of them are spending a bit of time with each other both in and out of the workspace. I suppose time will tell if anything comes of it. I'm just relieved that Ruby's temper seems to have faded… and that she isn't flirting with me anymore.

Unfortunately it seems Annabel's lower body paralysis is permanent, so she's stuck in a wheelchair now, but she's managed to find work as a writer. Yeah, I wasn't expecting to learn that either. The Guild trusts her enough to have her working on a chronology of the events surrounding the Master Corps and the Battle of Tanzia though, so I figure she must be good. She spends a lot of time reading if that's any indication. Emelia is still hunting up a storm—Viper mentioned that they still have shoot-offs from time to time, so at least that hasn't changed. She's taking it on herself to look after Anne, and apparently she intends for them to get engaged soon. I really have no clue why everybody is getting hitched for real all of a sudden, must be a popular age or something… more power to them, I suppose.

Lyle took up working as a mercenary for hire, since the Guild was getting sick of him and he wanted to start busting heads that weren't ten times bigger than his. At least, that's what Connor told me when we spoke. Connor himself is still sticking to his career, and made sure to give me as much information about caring for a child as he could. He had a lot of books on the subject. Dustin is still sailing the Forever Breeze for the Guild, but he was considering retiring within the next few years to spend more time with Sal and Kari. And who could forget Cass, Ilia, Aquila, and Jango? I hadn't heard much from them since the end of the Hunter's Exam: turns out they moved out to Jaagezuela to continue their hunting careers out there. They're making quite a name for themselves, it seems.

The rest of the Master Corps hunters have spread across the country. The entire organization was dissolved permanently, and while everyone was pardoned of involvement after a time, that didn't quite determine what lay ahead. So, we all just went our separate ways. Last I heard, Ishmael disappeared somewhere to the east, Tara stayed in Loc Lac, Kat and Harlin are living in Minegarde (and apparently they're a couple now too; seriously, what the HELL is getting into everybody?), and the rest either took up work as regular hunters again, moved directly to Guild work to aid with reconstruction, or retired early and went on to do other things. Seems everyone's found their own path.

After about half a year, I got word that Pa died in his sleep. Even knowing it was coming, it still hit me harder than I thought it would. Sabrina and I went to Moga for the funeral, and you would not believe how many people attended. He really did make an impact on a lot of people. I can only hope I'm remembered that fondly. Ma took it pretty hard too, so I had Sab go back to Westvale while I stayed behind to look after her, just until I was sure she could manage on her own. I got back about a month later, and I wasn't even in the door five minutes before Sabrina went into labor.

That was… about a month too early though. All the traveling around we'd done lately was the cause. We almost lost the child, but somehow she managed to pull through in the end. Sharon said the chances of that were one in a million, and right when I heard that, a name came to me—Mila. She's not the healthiest child, so I've had my work cut out for me taking care of her and scrounging up the zenni to pay for medicine. Maybe it's just the new fatherhood speaking, but frankly I don't mind breaking my back for her at all. Guess it's a weakness for those silvery-diamond blue eyes of hers, but I'll do whatever I have to do for her. I'm going to make sure Mila lives a long, happy life—I'm going to make her world the best it can be. She's a fighter in spite of everything, so I think she'll manage just fine.

Sabrina's finally begun her art career in full now, and let me tell you, she gets commissions from around the country. There was even a letter from some noble's house in Loc Lac requesting her work. Needless to say, she's bringing in zenni like no tomorrow, even if it does work her to the bone to do it. She's having a good time doing it though, and she's still making time for the family, so I have no reason to complain. If anything, I love her more for it. Seeing her so passionate and driven… it's inspiring. Reminds me of why I fell for her in the first place. So I'll do my part to make sure she doesn't ever have to want for anything.

And then there's me. I'm still taking hunting contracts and the odd mercenary job here and there, some even being direct requests from the Guild. They're trying to butter me up with titles like 'He Who Quelled the Black Flame', but I really don't need recognition for that. I didn't even step foot on the Tainted Sea. If anything, they should be calling Sabrina 'She Who Kicked the Black Flame's Ass'. Regardless, it's what I'm good at, and so long as it doesn't keep me away from her and Mila for long, I'm happy to help, titles or not. Oswald has me helping him train the apprentice hunters on occasion, and he leaves most of the high ranked threats to me since he's starting to get on in years, so I suppose the villagers are starting to see me as some kind of guardian or something. Maybe I'm not quite as popular as Oswald the Great and Powerful, but… I think 'Wes the Silver-Haired Swordsman' has a nice ring to it.

I live with new purpose now, as a husband, a father, a guardian… that's who I am. That's the answer I found. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

The End

Author Notes: Please review! At long last, we are at the end of the road with The Master Corps! Time to celebrate and pop open a bottle of champagne. Really, I've had a great time writing this story, even if it did end up taking a lot longer than I thought it would to finish. I really appreciate all the support I've gotten along the way from you, my faithful readers. I feel like I've grown a lot as a writer over the last… four years? Five years? I dunno, it's been a while since I started writing this… But still!

Since I'm in a gracious mood, I think it's also important for me to call attention to the one person that's helped me write TMC ever since day one: dashboardgecko. Ever the inspiration, he's sat through all the bullshit I've tried putting into this story, and he's been a great help all the while in setting things in line and helping keep the plot consistent. This story and the characters in it wouldn't be the same without him, and I most certainly wouldn't be the writer I am without his help. Gecko, you're a real friend. The fancy hat I'm not wearing but most certainly do own is off to you.

Alright, and now that I've gotten all the mushy stuff out of the way… I don't have a whole lot to really say about this chapter. It's an epilogue, just meant to see what Wes and the rest of the cast are doing with their lives a few years later, and give closure to a few important plot points. Perhaps most importantly, the Wes/York conflict. Yes, the final boss of TMC is Old York! *badum tish* The fight was based heavily off of a lot of Metal Gear Solid boss fights, particularly from Snake Eater and Guns of the Patriots. The idea was for it to seem like a final "test" for both characters. Wes "won" because he's grown as a person and stepped out of his father's shadow. York "lost" because not only did Wes just manage to outmatch him for once, but he's finally having to truly accept that he's running out of time and he just really can't push himself the way he could before now. Of course, there is some ambiguity here, hence the quotation marks—what if York wasn't old and weak? What if both were in their prime? Well, then the fight would be a lot closer, it'd likely have gone on for a lot longer, and deciding who would win would be a lot more challenging. I'll leave it up to you lovely people who would win that bout.

The song that inspired me while writing this fight was the Voicians remix of Celldweller's Birthright, which is also what the chapter is titled after. I like to think of it as Wes' theme.

Fun fact too—most of the inhabitants of Westvale are named after Fire Emblem characters, namely those from Radiant Dawn, which I was playing around the time I drafted this chapter. Tiamat is an interesting name here though, as that is actually the Japanese name of Titania—Gecko wrote a character into his current story with that same name already, so I decided I wanted to avoid any mix-ups or awkwardness there.

Also, I hope those of you who play Monster Hunter Stories appreciated the small reference I included. I actually really enjoy Stories' lore, so I plan to tie in a few aspects of that to my writing here and there.

And now for some additional news—TMC doesn't quite end here! I have a short DLC story in the workings right now that, while I won't say much about it here, should definitely catch your interest! For now I'll just say that the title is Whiteout, and that there's one notable line in this chapter that hints towards it.

So, into the world of gaming, Monster Hunter World is as hype as ever! I got a chance to play the beta at a friend's place, and lemme just say I'm probably going to fail next semester because of how awesome that game is. I definitely want to include aspects from that game in my future works, because who doesn't like dropping trees on Anjanath or siccing Jyuratodus on Barroth? I'm supposedly one of the few who will be getting the game for Xbox One, however… can't help it, that's the system I've had. I'd buy a PS4 for World, but I kinda already did that with the Switch and Breath of the Wild, so… yeah.

Anyways, now that we're at the end of the story, I feel like I should ask you, my faithful readers—what did you like about The Master Corps? What did you like the least? What characters were the most well done in your opinion? Were the antagonists memorable, or at least sympathetic? Which fight was your favorite to read? Could you follow the plot and various subplots well enough? I love love LOVE feedback, especially here at the end of the road, so anything you've got for me, good or bad, I'd love to hear it!

Well, that's about everything from me for now. Thanks so much for seeing this story through to the end along with me, my faithful readers! Be on the lookout for my next works—I've got some fun ideas cooking up already!

Thomas A. Hawk