The sun hadn't risen yet when Reven entered the communal dining hall.
He'd spent the night reviewing everything Haven's Reach had on Scorchwing Drakes—sparse notes from past encounters, rough sketches of their attack patterns, warnings about pack tactics and coordinated fire breath. Not much to work with, but enough to know what he was facing.
Seven drakes. One alpha. Fire-aspected. Fast. Aggressive.
And incredibly lethal if he made a single mistake.
The dining hall was empty except for one person: Mira, sitting at a corner table with two steaming bowls and a loaf of bread that actually looked fresh.
She gestured to the empty seat across from her. "Sit."
Reven accepted her gesture.
Mira pushed one of the bowls toward him. "Borin's spiced stew. He uses the last of the good seasonings for pre-hunt meals. It's tradition."
Reven looked at the bowl. The stew was thick, rich, with visible chunks of preserved meat and root vegetables. It smelled better than anything he'd eaten since arriving at Haven's Reach. Better than most meals he'd had even before the betrayal.
"This is too much," he said. "Rationing—"
"Doesn't apply to hunters before a serious engagement." Mira tore the bread in half and handed him a piece. "It's one of the few traditions every Aegis respects, no matter how desperate. You eat well before a hunt because it might be your last meal. You eat in company because dying alone is bad enough without having your last memory be sitting in isolation."
She dipped her bread in the stew and ate without ceremony.
Reven followed suit. The stew was incredible—warming, substantial, flavored with herbs he couldn't identify but that somehow made everything taste like home. The bread was dense, hearty, the kind that would keep you full for hours.
They ate in silence for a few minutes.
Then Mira spoke. "You ever do a real hunt before? Before... everything?"
"A few. Nothing serious. Mostly Apex-class threats when my guild needed extra hands. I was primarily support—maintain equipment, repair gear in the field, back up the actual hunters."
"And they never gave you a meal like this?"
"No."
Mira scoffed, shaking her head in disdain against Reven's old guild.
"Never lead?"
"No."
"Never tracked prey yourself?"
"No."
"Never made the kill shot?"
"No." Reven set down his spoon. "I know what you're asking. No, I don't have experience. No, I don't know what I'm doing. And yes, I'm probably going to make mistakes that could get me killed."
"That's not what I'm asking." Mira finished her stew and leaned back. "I'm asking if you understand what it means to hunt something that's hunting you back. Because monsters aren't like repairing equipment. You can't see their 'hidden properties' and figure out how to improve them. They're going to try to kill you, and they're going to be good at it."
"I know."
"Do you?" She studied him. "Because you've spent two weeks in a workshop. Safe. Controlled. Making broken things better. That's valuable work. Essential work. But it's not the same as standing in front of something with teeth and fire and the absolute certainty that it wants you dead."
Reven thought about Vyraxes. About three heads emerging from darkness. About eyes like cathedral windows made of blood. About five seconds where he'd been so certain he was going to die that everything else became irrelevant.
"I've faced worse," he said quietly.
Mira was silent for a moment. "Vyraxes looked at you and decided you weren't worth the effort. That's different from something that sees you as prey."
"So what should I do differently?"
"Don't freeze. Don't hesitate. And don't assume that because you survived a Calamity, you'll survive a pack of drakes." She stood. "Finish your meal. Then meet me at the armory. We need to talk about your loadout."
The armory was a generous term for what was essentially a storage room with broken weapon racks.
Mira was waiting when Reven arrived, standing next to a table covered in various pieces of equipment—leather armor, hunting knives, a few small vials, and a collection of monster parts from Haven's Reach's meager stores.
"Normally," Mira said, "this is where I'd help you select armor and weapons appropriate for the threat. But you don't work like normal hunters, do you?"
"No."
"I've heard you fuse with the parts directly, fusing their essence directly. Is that right?" She gestured at the materials. "So instead of picking armor, you're picking temporary abilities. Walk me through how this works."
Reven examined the materials with his Calamity Sight. Most were low to mid-grade—nothing exceptional, but enough to work with.
"I can integrate one, maybe two materials at a time depending on their essence concentration. The integration lasts anywhere from six to twelve hours, depending on quality and how much essence I consume. While integrated, I gain properties from the material—enhanced strength, elemental resistance, specific abilities."
"And the cost?"
"Hunger. The integration burns through my essence reserves. If I run out mid-hunt, I start consuming my own body to maintain the fusion."
"Lovely." Mira picked up a piece of thick, scaled hide. "What about this?"
[MATERIAL: RIDGEBACK WYVERN HIDE]
- QUALITY: MID-GRADE
- ESSENCE: MINOR PHYSICAL RESISTANCE
HIDDEN PROPERTIES:
Scales contain trace minerals that disperse heat Hide structure provides natural flexibility
[INTEGRATION POTENTIAL: +3 ENDURANCE, MINOR HEAT RESISTANCE]
"Ridgeback Wyvern hide," Reven said. "Would give me some heat resistance and physical durability. Good for tanking hits, but doesn't help with mobility or offense."
"What about offense?" She held up a curved claw.
[MATERIAL: RAZORWING TALON]
- QUALITY: LOW-GRADE (DAMAGED)
- ESSENCE: MINOR WIND AFFINITY
HIDDEN PROPERTIES:
Despite damage, core structure is exceptionally sharp Wind affinity enhances cutting capability
[INTEGRATION POTENTIAL: +2 AGILITY, ENHANCED STRIKING SPEED]
"Razorwing talon. Damaged, but the core is good. Would enhance my speed and striking capability." Reven considered. "For a pack of fire aspected monsters I need mobility to avoid getting surrounded, and I need to be able to strike fast enough to disrupt their coordination."
"So the talon?"
"And something for heat resistance. The Ridgeback hide would work, but..." He activated his Calamity Sight more broadly, scanning everything on the table.
There. A small chunk of what looked like volcanic glass.
[MATERIAL: EMBERSTONE FRAGMENT]
- QUALITY: BELOW AVERAGE
- ESSENCE: MINOR FIRE ABSORPTION
HIDDEN PROPERTIES:
Stone was formed in extreme heat; naturally absorbs thermal energy Fragment size limits effectiveness but integration is more efficient
[INTEGRATION POTENTIAL: MODERATE FIRE RESISTANCE, MINOR HEAT ABSORPTION (CAN STORE AND RELEASE)]
"This," Reven said, picking up the Emberstone. "It absorbs fire. Not much, but enough that their breath attacks won't cook me immediately. And if I can store the heat, I might be able to redirect it."
Mira raised an eyebrow. "You can do that?"
"I don't know. But I'm about to find out." He set aside the Razorwing talon and Emberstone fragment. "These two. I'll integrate them before I leave."
"What about weapons? You're not going unarmed."
Reven looked at his hands. At the crimson veins pulsing beneath his skin. "My hands are weapons. When I integrate materials, I can channel their properties through direct contact. I don't need a sword to cut—I just need the essence of something sharp."
"That's deeply unsettling."
"I know."
Mira pulled out a small leather pouch. "Take these anyway. Antitoxin vials. Won't help with fire, but if you get scratched and their claws are poisoned—which they usually are—you'll be glad you have them."
"Thank you."
"And this." She handed him a communication crystal. "Standard issue. If things go wrong, if you need to retreat, break this. We'll send whoever we can spare."
"You don't have people to spare."
"Then don't break it unless you're actually dying. But take it anyway." She met his eyes. "I meant what I said yesterday. If you prove yourself with this hunt, I'll take your Colossus plan seriously. But that means you need to survive this one first. Understand?"
"Understood."
"Good." Mira headed toward the door, then paused. "Reven? That meal we shared? That's not just tradition. It's respect. Recognition that you're risking your life for people who barely know you. Whatever happens today, whether you succeed or fail... that matters. You matter. Don't forget that when things get difficult."
She left.
Reven stood alone in the armory, holding two pieces of monster material that would either give him the edge he needed or prove insufficient against seven coordinated predators.
Either way, he'd know soon enough.
Reven returned to his workshop and laid out everything one more time:
MISSION OBJECTIVES:
Eliminate or drive off Scorchwing Drake pack (7 drakes, 1 alpha) Secure eastern supply routes Prove capability for larger hunts
KNOWN THREATS:
Fire breath (short-range, sustained, 8-second duration per drake) Pack tactics (drakes coordinate to surround and overwhelm) Dive attacks from above (targeting head and shoulders) Alpha is significantly larger and more aggressive
STRATEGY:
Kill the alpha first; rest of pack will scatter Use mobility to avoid being surrounded Leverage heat absorption to survive fire breath Strike fast, strike decisively, don't give them time to coordinate
INTEGRATION LOADOUT:
- Razorwing Talon - Speed and striking power
- Emberstone Fragment - Fire resistance and heat absorption
EMERGENCY MEASURES:
- Communication crystal (break if dying)
- Antitoxin vials (in case of poisoned claws)
- Retreat route mapped (Mira provided basic terrain notes)
It wasn't much. Barely even qualified as a plan. But it was what he had.
Reven picked up the Razorwing talon first.
The essence flowed into him. Sharp. Quick. The sensation of wind and cutting and speed made manifest. His arm tingled, then burned, then settled into a new configuration. When he opened his eyes, his forearm had taken on a slightly sharper contour, the skin harder, the movements more precise.
[INTEGRATION COMPLETE: RAZORWING TALON]
- DURATION: 8 HOURS
- EFFECTS: +2 AGILITY, ENHANCED STRIKING SPEED, MINOR WIND AFFINITY
- ESSENCE COST: 1.2% (ONGOING: 0.3% PER HOUR)
Next, the Emberstone. He held it against his chest, over his heart.
This integration was different. Hot. Uncomfortable. The stone's essence spread through his cardiovascular system, concentrating near major organs. His body temperature rose, then stabilized at something above normal but below dangerous. He could feel heat differently now—not as pain, but as pressure. As something he could push back against.
[INTEGRATION COMPLETE: EMBERSTONE FRAGMENT]
- DURATION: 6 HOURS
- EFFECTS: MODERATE FIRE RESISTANCE, HEAT ABSORPTION (MAX CAPACITY: 3 DIRECT ATTACKS), STORED HEAT CAN BE RELEASED ON CONTACT
- ESSENCE COST: 1.5% (ONGOING: 0.4% PER HOUR)
[CURRENT ESSENCE LOAD: 2.0%]
[COMBAT-READY STATUS: OPTIMAL]
Reven stood testing his movements. His right arm moved faster, smoother, with a precision that felt almost surgical. His chest radiated warmth, but not discomfort. He felt... ready.
As ready as someone at level one with corrupted class data and two weeks of actual combat experience could be.
He strapped the antitoxin vials to his belt, pocketing the communication crystal. Taking one last look at his workshop—the cracked anvil, the scattered tools, the space that had become his sanctuary.
Then he walked toward the eastern gate where the hunt would begin.
The sun was rising. The sky was clear. It was a beautiful morning.
The kind of morning where you either proved yourself or died trying.
Reven intended to do the former.
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
CODEX BRIEF - SCORCHWING DRAKE
Classification: Apex-Class | Wyvern | Volcanic Regions & Ash Plains
Confirmed Kills: 237 hunters (last 50 years)
Pack Composition: 4-9 individuals, typically led by alpha
ECOLOGICAL SUMMARY
Scorchwing Drakes are pack-hunting wyverns that inhabit volcanic regions and recently burned territories. Unlike most fire-aspected monsters, Scorchwings are not ambush predators—they are pursuit hunters that coordinate with disturbing intelligence to exhaust and corner prey.
An adult Scorchwing stands roughly 12 feet tall at the shoulder with a wingspan of 25-30 feet. Their scales are predominantly black with crimson undersides that glow when their internal temperature rises. Most distinctive are their wings—thin membrane stretched over elongated bone that produces a distinct whistling sound during flight, giving the species its name.
BEHAVIORAL NOTES
Scorchwings operate as a hive mind when hunting. Recent studies suggest the alpha emits subsonic calls that coordinate pack movements with precision that shouldn't be possible for creatures of their intelligence level. Hunters have reported feeling "watched from all directions" even when only one drake was visible—a sensation that proved accurate when ambushes occurred from previously empty airspace.
The species exhibits unusual nesting behavior: they build communal roosts on cliff faces near active lava flows, using the thermal updrafts for effortless flight. What's disturbing is their habit of arranging prey remains in geometric patterns around their nests. The purpose remains unknown, though some scholars theorize it's territorial marking while others suggest something closer to ritual.
Scorchwings have been observed teaching their young to hunt using captured-but-not-killed prey. They deliberately cripple targets and release them near juvenile drakes as practice. Survivors of these "training exercises" report the juveniles appeared to be learning strategy rather than just feeding instinct.
GUILD INTELLIGENCE
MATERIAL HARVEST PRIORITIES:
Flame Sacs (B-Rank) - Excellent heating fuel, alchemy applications
Wing Membrane (B-Rank) - Fire-resistant cloth, flexible armor
Alpha Talons (A-Rank) - Superior weapon crafting material, maintains edge under extreme heat
Scorched Hide (C-Rank) - Heat-resistant leather, common enough to be cost-effective
WEAK POINTS:
Not enough data
HUNTING STRATEGY RECOMMENDATIONS:
Guild Doctrine Minimum: 3–4 hunters (B-Rank)(Based on limited encounters; casualty rates remain high)
Required Equipment: Heat-resistant armor (minimum), tall shields (deflect dive attacks), ranged weapons
Optimal Conditions: Overcast weather (reduces thermal updrafts, limits flight efficiency), dawn or dusk (drakes are most active mid-day)
CRITICAL WARNING
Do NOT pursue wounded Scorchwings to their nests. The species has been known to lead pursuing hunters into ambushes involving 15+ drakes. If the target retreats to nesting grounds, disengage immediately.
Scorchwing fire breath doesn't just burn—it adheres. The flames contain oils that stick to armor and flesh, continuing to burn even after exposure ends. Water doesn't extinguish it. Smothering only partially works. Victims have reported burning for 10+ minutes after the initial attack. The smell of one's own cooking flesh while still conscious is frequently cited as more traumatic than the pain itself.
HISTORICAL NOTES
Several ancient texts reference Scorchwings as "Shepherds of Flame" and suggest they were deliberately created by pre-human civilizations as a means of "guiding fire to where ash must grow." The geometric arrangements of prey remains around nests have been compared to agricultural field patterns. Whether this is coincidence or evidence of engineered behavior remains hotly debated.
Recent ecological surveys have noted Scorchwing populations migrating toward regions with increased Calamity-class activity. Some scholars theorize they are drawn to areas where reality has been damaged, though the mechanism and purpose remain unknown. Following the Shadowpeak disaster, three new packs established territory in the surrounding regions—areas that had been previously uninhabited by the species.
FINAL ASSESSMENT
Scorchwing Drakes are a textbook example of why "Apex-class" doesn't mean "manageable." Individually, they're dangerous but beatable. In packs, they represent coordinated lethality that has ended careers and lives with equal efficiency.