Kyros pov
" So any plans for today," I ask as Zelda finishes her breakfast as we sit in the shiekah Tower. Mineru bites into the last of the jaggi steak we had as Zelda ponders the thought. " We could go for the last shrine but then we would run into the rathalos as you called it. Or we could finish gathering supplies and finding a source of gems or something just in case we run into any habitable village or traveling merchant," says Zelda as she strokes shard's fur.
" I agree with the second option as well as exploring the plateau just a tad bit more. Never know what's up here," says Mineru as she finishes eating as well.
" There's a walking stone in the big forest over there," says shard pointing at the forest of spirits, " but there's also a hiding meownsters as well. Big, red, and a huge tusks. It reeks something meowful."
" Hmm four legged or like a crab," I ask as shard looks at me and says," mreowts a crab?"
" I'll take that as four legged," I say looking at the felyne as I get up. Pulling out a iron sledge that we collected in the last shrine I fuse a piece of the tetranadon carapace on it giving the hammer and spiked and mossy sledge.
" How about this, you and Zelda get the last shrine today and I'll deal with the stone Talus and the other monster in or around the woods. If you see the rathalos avoid it for now and come straight back to the tower or one of the other shrines to be protected," I say as I hand Zelda my bracelet for her to get me the rune. Pulling out some arrows and a boko bow, along with a boko reaper and travelers shield I'm prepared for this battle I'm about to face. Zelda nods as her Mineru and shard disappear in blue light streams towards the last shrine we completed. Sighing I start my climb down the tower and heading off into the forest of spirits.
Walking through the forest once again, since my last time was interrupted by a jaggi pack, I collect the mushrooms and herbs as well as hunt some boar and jaggi. The serene woods filled with life and ruins fill my views as I walk trying to find the grotto where the stone Talus was in the games but I'm coming up short since everything is scaled up. I met a pack of wild moofas and gowngoats, as well as some apotnoth families. I sigh wiping my brow as the day is starting to heat up, envious of Zelda in a cold climate right now. Funny how one could be in a freezing climate and the other in a sweltering heat not even three miles away from one another in Zelda. Oh fuck gerudo valley and desert are going to suck, well probably not as bad as faron region jungle. Humidity is fucking awful.
Anyway walking through the forest I come across the giant fallen tree and I see the korok flower. Following it until I find the korok in it's game of hide and seek.
" Yeha you found me. Wait your not hetsu... Ow well if you seen him give him this. He's really bad at playing hide and seek." Says the korok as Im suddenly holding a poop shaped golden seed. He's about to disappear when I stop him asking," hey do you know where I can find the stone Talus?"
" Oh sure, big boulder is over there a bit down the stinky grotto. Be careful leaping red frog likes to be there as well." Says the korok pointing towards his right, as I nod and leave towards the direction he pointed. Leaving the korok to do what ever I pocket the seed into a small leather satchel I found earlier, probably the bastard King's, and I make way for the stinky grotto.
" Uhhh. Now I know why they called it stinky," I say finally arriving at my destination as I smell sulfur coming up from the grotto. The walls starting to yellow as they descend into the foggy entrance. Walking into the fog I almost slip as it descends straight down not even sixteen feet from the entrance. Climbing down the vines further into the grotto I find myself inside a giant cavern system under the plateau but still above the depths. Damn how far are the depths really now that I think about it.
Finally reaching the bottom of the climb I look out and see what amounts to the starting area of the sunken hollow from monster hunter 4 ultimate. Apotnoth families, sulfur water, the stone Talus launching a genprey straight into the air with an upper cut and slamming another into fine paste. " Well that was easy," I say as I make my way around the talus and find an opening for my bow and arrow to strike the large gem on its back.
Letting loose the arrow it finds its mark staggering the talus to where I rush over and climb its back and smacking the ore with the mossy sledge. The sledge hits the ore causing cracks and spreading water with each hit, I make some good progress until I have to launch myself off of the Talus. Landing in the sulfur water that trickles further into the grotto I dodge a giant stone fist and roll out of the way of the other before I face the Talus once again. Looking up I hear it rumbling with its stone body before slamming its arms into the ground and pulling up two large boulders covered in red shards that glow like fuses.
" Oh shit," I say quickly dodging a launch of fizzing shards that explodes upon impact. " Oh come on, everything going to get an upgrade," I say dodging what amounts to exploding powder before firing another arrow at the ore staggering it. I rush up the body and start smacking it with the sledge again and I jump just as the talus goes up in a fireball of its own creation.
I land on a ledge this time but I'm definitely not safe as it launches the boulder shards at me and I dodge by jumping off the ledge which goes up just like a bomb. Landing roughly I do a quick look around and curse my luck as I see magnesium dust all over the floor. "Why me," I say running away from the dust as another set of shards sets it off causing a large fireball behind me.
Looking at the talus again as it resets the exploding shards I fire the next arrow striking the ore again and rush towards the Talus again. Climbing up I start wailing on the Talus once again and finally I break the son of a bitch's ore destroying it as I jump and it explodes into malice. Looking around I find several large chunks of ore as well as two large boulders that looks like hearts. Walking up to them I start putting them in my inventory and checking what I got.
Sapphire x 1
Topaz x 1
Amber x 5
Flint x 5
Talus heart x 1
Talus fuse heart x 1
I sigh as I start walking away back towards the exit when I feel something. I immediately dodge to my right when a giant red and blue horned frog jumps at me with its giant tusked mouth open dragging rocks and dirt with its open mouth. It chomps down creating small sparks from the flints it picked up and turns right towards me.
" The horned toad, tetsucabra," i say readying the Mossy sledge as it burps at me and I wrinkle my nose at the putrid smell. Guess I have to fight the toad.