//------------------------------// // Chapter 16 - Violet Skies // Story: Artemis // by gcsmith //------------------------------// Ok a second chapter for today, I really hope its rather epic. My attempt at a bit more action. It is another short one, but I don't want to do too much on these guys yet. Violet Skies looked at the battle forming around her, many shadowlings and ponies lay injured. She smiled, they were doing well. Unfortunately, Chaos was fast approaching, and with him was a vast army, an army ready to quash Equestria and all that stood. The six of them were the lands last hope, she knew that. But, if they weren't ready to face him before he arrived, then all hope was lost. They would be overwhelmed and that, would be that. Despite being just an earth pony, the element of loyalty was hardy and her legs packed a punch. Working down mines would do that to a pony. She ducked under another clumsy shadowling, really where did their master get these, and bucket him in the face. Dispelling the creatures skull into the vapors, and leaving the rest to fall to the ground, shadow like blood exuding from it's neck. If you had told her six months ago she would be fighting for her life, and killing creatures no less, Violet would have laughed herself to sleep. However, time has a funny way of presenting less than shall we say. perfect, choices. Slowly the enemy around her started to dwindle, she was only one pony, and was cut off away from her five friends. Because of this, the enemy were sending less and less of their forces still alive or capable of standing, after her. Sadly, she was tiring, and despite her best efforts it wouldn't be long before they could over power. They really needed an ace up their sleeves, something to finish this now so they could regather themselves before Chaos arrived. Looking up, she smiled, they didn't have an ace up their sleeves, but they had an aerial ace. Far above the battle, she could see Coco Bell, her friends form coming to the top of an ascent, wings held close to her body. Studying closely, she could just about see Coco's element glowing. It looked like she might just be performing a move which could really end this fight. -x- Coco Belle looked down at the field below, seeing the dark shadow in the distance, she knew the battle had to finish soon. Despite, all her friends power, she knew she had one way at hand to finish it right now. She swallowed and bid a silent farewell to her friends, the move she had was experimental. If all went right, it would work. If all went wrong, it would probably still work, but, she wouldn't walk away. Reaching the top of her ascent, she tucked her wings in and dived, summoning all the power in her element as she fell. -x- Light danced across Violet's eyes, her head throbbing with pain. She paused a moment too long, gazing at her friend above, and suffered the consequences. A large club to the back of the head. In her weakened state, she doubted she could stand, maybe with the power of her element... She gazed down, her neck was bare, the element must of fallen off when she was hit in the head. Of all the things to happen, that was the worst possible thing. Without her element, and with her head ringing, she felt helpless. Laying on the dirt she began to close her eyes, when a shadow fell over her, a shadowling to be more precise. She felt its breath on her face, the rotten stench of decay filling her sinuses. Did these creatures never hear of toothpaste? Not that it mattered, as it raised its club over it's head she closed her eyes, it would soon be over. They, had, failed. She drifted off into a sleep, brought on by exhaustion and her injury, just as a flash of light over took their field of battle. The shadowling, caught in the lights path, dissolved into thin air. It's club falling to the ground with a thud, but Violet, was not longer able to register the sound. -x- The land was fast approaching, Coco felt the air around her buzz, static causing her hair to stand on end. The element at her neck was glowing brightly, the light getting more intense with each passing moment. Closing her eyes, to avoid the light, and the end of her journey that was rushing towards her, she began to spin. Counting reverberated through her skull, how she knew what to count, she did not know. But count she did, down from 10. As soon as she hit one, her wings spread out, arching her body up as they did so. She collided with the ground, energy discharging around her. A light she couldn't see was emitted from her body, but she was gone.