//------------------------------// // Light // Story: Jackal // by Gallants //------------------------------// A bright light, Jackal wasn't sure what she was expecting, but the light was comforting before she rotated and saw a green-blue mixture, "So this is hell," she said to herself locking her armor once more. The water quickly surrounded her after the solid smack she made and the shockwave created by her mass, "or maybe this is purgatory?" she questioned herself as she closed her eyes and sunk. Never noticing the glowing tendrils that slowly started to curl around her armored form. "What was that?" Princess Celestia questioned her tired eyes gazing at the pillar before it quickly receded back into the water. "Helmsman Rover, change course to the bearing of that pillar," she commanded the stallion next to her, who nodded and changed his bearing. "Princess, I hope you understand I can't risk this meeting being discovered," a mare said stepping next to the alicorn, "If she discovered I was here, I shudder at the method of execution she would pick," she continued looking about, thankfully trusting of the princess enough and her own guard to even accept this meeting in the first place, but a mysterious water pillar added too much risk for the mare, "We will have to reschedule Princess Celestia, I do hope we will be able to make this treaty work," she said motioning to the two cloaked stallions flanking her as they approached the rope connecting their boat to the royal ship, before looking over her shoulder, "however that medicine from the Griffin Empire will be distributed, and keep your borders reinforced, the griffins are planning something." Celestia bit her lip and gave a thankful nod as she watched the mare walk away, "I hope so as well, a treaty between our nations would be greatly beneficial," she told her as they spread their wings and flew to the tethered boat. "And I truly hope, this is worth our poor diplomatic first impressions," she muttered as she cast her first spell to locate something, anything of what had created the pillar. Deep below the waves but not deep enough for the current to catch it, she found it, an ancient magic, a remnant of when wild magic was common, a more dangerous time. Jackal fought against the tendrils, at least she tried as they seemed to interface with her armor, penetrating it in a way she didn't think possible. A cooling sensation overran her body as the tendrils made contact with her supple skin, it was calming, then the burning came, every fiber of her being ignited, her HUD turned off, her helmets COMM system deactivated as she screamed, and no other creature could hear it. Her nervous system couldn't take it anymore and she blacked out, the tendrils dissipating into the water, vestiges of wild magic dying off, now a purpose had been fulfilled. "Just a little more," Celestia grunted out as she drug the body out with her crew, many ponies thought an Alicorn had the strength of a thousand earth ponies, but that was false the truth was controlling the sun drained the sun princess more than she would ever admit, but she trusted this crew with her life so they knew her deepest secret. They got the thing up, it was bipedal, 'perhaps some sort of cursed ape,' Celestia thought to herself, "Well armored," she remarked unable to see anything which matched their current weaponry as one of her crew tried and failed to perform chest compressions, "Get it to my quarters, after being drowned I'd like a good bed as well," she chuckled before looking at the Rover, "Take us to shore, our new exotic here may be of use to us!" she called, a little life returning to her eyes, getting a stiff nod from the stallion the ship took a hard turn. "Princess, there isn't much we can do other than to monitor the creature," the doctor said, happy the princess was willing to wear a mask, "and with the plague, I'm not willing to put the resources towards trying to help this potentially dangerous creature," he told her waving his hoof over the soldier, "the only reason we know it's alive is we can see it's chest rising." "I understand Doctor Crow; the plague and wellbeing of my little ponies takes priority," Celestia's wings drooped as she watched a gurney, stained red and brown be pushed through the once great royal throne room, "the mages have made progress in finding a potential arcane source of the disease." she continued looking back at the creature, feeling as if it was watching her. Jackal looked into the eyes of the alien, her breathing steady, hoping to not alert the 'ponies' that she was awake her HUD notified her sidearm was still present, along with the energy sword. 'I don't think I can fight out of this, should I be diplomatic?' she thought to herself. "Celestia, I am most sorry to disturb you in these dire times, with even worse news," a feminine voice piped up from a unicorn, a silk band covering her eyes, "but we have discovered without a doubt that this plague is magical-" her voice wavered, "-and was woven, with a small contingent of guards I could potentially track the warlock who designed this spell and discover or write a purifying spell," she offered Celestia looked at her and gave a grim shake of her head, "I'm sorry Archmage Sight, but guards we can't spare," her head hung low, "I've been informed that the griffins may be planning an invasion in our weakend state, instead of helping us." her voice grew more exhausted with each word. Jackal knew what she had to do and she sat up getting a yelp from the doctor, "might I offer my services?" she asked getting out of the bed, "I can escort and protect your archmage, and my part of the deal is housing within your borders." she told the group while she stretched and made sure her armor functioned correctly. "Only upon a success and Second Sight is returned alive," Celestia told the massive creature a blush crossing her features as she looked up at it, "and I require your name." she commanded stamping her hoof and straightening her back. "Spartan Commander Jackal, United Nations Space Command, Princess Celestia," Jackal introduced with a stiff salute, "I would also like to know more of your planet when we return." she struggled to stay neutral, 'is this my afterlife?' noticing her rifle laying next to her bed she picked it up and checked the chamber and magazine. "I willingly accept the offer from this 'spartan commander', princess," Second Sight said giving a deep nod of her head to the tall woman, "I am ready to begin our travel when you are prepared as my field pack is prepped and standing by." Second Sight seemed giddy at the thought of traveling with Jackal. "Then let's get additional rations, and water, and move out," Jackal said securing her carbine to her back, before handing the Archmage a simple reflective card, "keep it on you so I don't shoot you," her footsteps echoed and drowned out the various moans from the injured, "Doctor Crow, put this on my chart please, Human, Female, 22." she told him before following the archmage out. "I have a good feeling about this Doctor Crow." Celestia said, letting a smile return to her face. Jackal tossed the manticores corpse to the side, "have we found the warlock yet?" she asked kicking a tree and felling it creating a bridge over a ravine, "because it's been two weeks and you haven't given me an update." her head twisted as she watched the mare cross the makeshift bridge. "We are practically on top of the lair, do not worry friend," the archmage told her, "Soon we will bring an end to this horrid plague and prevent the invasion of Equestria by the Griffin Empire." the archmage's mane started to blow in a magic breeze before she smiled and pointed out a small hill. "And how is ending a plague going to bring Equestria back from a weakened state?" Jackal asked getting a confused scrunch to cross the mare's face. "A metaphorical bridge we will cross when we arrive." she said using another spell to reveal an entrance leading into the earth. The pair walked through the winding halls, avoiding various traps laid throughout, slowly voices could be heard. Activating her active camouflage module, muffling the sounds of her armor as they approached a central chamber. "Your spell is working wonderfully," a griffin, dressed up in fine silks, told a young stallion, "When our military, forces surrender from the princess you will be greatly awarded," he told the stallion, as a few of the large number of armored griffins approached the smiling stallion from behind, "After all, you don't want anypony to know you destroyed their country." he chuckled as one of the griffins drew a dagger. "Keep me out this, you're 'alone' here," Jackal whispered drawing her M6C/S and firing a round, the SAPHE round causing the griffins head to pop like a grape, "Move in." another suppressed round flew through the air, creating a scarlet ribbon out of the neck of another guard. Second Sight ran in, casting an incendiary spell on one of the griffons, Jackal held her breath as she heard the screams; the griffins quickly dropped their weapons and surrendered. Jackal pressed herself to the wall, taking ragged breaths as she heard the screams die off and Second Sights' voice, "There are more mages like me," a flash of light and crumbling of stone resounded through the tunnel, "Go to your king and let him know, an invasion will only end in griffin bodies feeding our plants." Second Sight finished her voice was followed by the scrambling, panicked sounds of steel and talons. "They were going to kill me." the stallion venomously said, Jackal slowly looked over, avoiding the burned corpse. "The counterspell, give it to me or I'll take it," Second Sight said, getting a deep laugh from the stallion, Jackal watched as the mare snarled and lit her horn pressing it against his, the stallion zoned out before collapsing, "I warned you." was all Jackal heard as the mare left his body behind.