I stood motionless, unsure of whether I was back in reality or some kind of dream state. My breaths caught in my throat with the thickening of every dull thud my heart beat out. My wings felt preened of the dancing light which had guided my flight through the unicorn’s conscious mind. My magic, which had so freely flowed through my body was suspended; it was held back, clotting as I slowly rotted. It was all so...macabre.
So it was reality, at least. The thick slime from earlier still pinned my wings, as well as my magic. To my right there was a mass of bones glowing with faint orange flames. The vampiric pony I had seen earlier, I believe. Still stuck in that odd position.
Directly ahead of me were the skeletal remains of a unicorn, a faint violet flame providing hue to them. The remains of Miss Etherization, visionary and leader of education, laid so unceremoniously on the ground. At least her fate had finally been discovered.
On my left the two pegasus and the other unicorns had just regained their composure. The two pegasus were charging at me, flames flickering off of them as they flew. The strange ethereal light left faint traces of its presence in the wind. The unicorns were behind them weaving intense magic that was likely supporting the assault.
How could I avoid this? I was in a large, open clearing with a skeleton of a vampiric earth pony near me and singed ground around my hooves. I could not make physical contact with these beings as that led to burns. Plus, they had me outnumbered. My gaze was momentarily drawn to the rift particle on my flank.
I did not have magic nor flight, so what could I do? My magic had beseeched me, leaving me alone to combat the minions of Paradise as it looked on. The pegasus did several corkscrews and tricks. Their perfect synchronization and teamwork suggested they were stunt fliers, perhaps even having worked together at some point. Their movements looked similar to the tricks the Wonderbolts performed. Strikingly so.
I shot a glance over at the remains of the late Miss Etherization. It was so unbefitting that one who had given her life so willingly for another lay so uncouth on the ground, skeletal remains falling in every direction. Her skull sat in front of the pile, leaving a small impression on the dirt.
She did not give her life for me to die. No, she gave her life so that I could live. She did not become Dust in the Wind so that I could be pancaked between the enthralled remains of two grimy pegasi. Her life was given in the hopes that I could escape these mongrels and end the beast that consumed her. I would need a plan in order to scrape these scummy bones off my hoof. One that didn’t involve magic or flight.
Behind me was the large cave that had given me refuge earlier. IF I could make it to that cave it would be a slight, but still significant, advantage over my opponent. My natural vision would allow me to see through the dark shadows of the cave while my opponents would only be able to see as far as the light of their other-worldly flames carried. The stalagmites and stalactites in the cave would provide ample enough ways to trap the insidious beasts.
There were several flaws with transporting myself to the cave, however. First off, it was unlikely I would be able to run faster than these pegasus were flying, especially considering how close they had already managed to get. The unicorns behind them were casting a spell of some sort, likely one that was detrimental to my health.
Even if I managed to outrun these mad creatures Paradise and its green ooze sat on guard behind me. It was not likely it would allow its source of entertainment to pass it by so easily. Or would it? It was beginning to become hazy what its plot actually was.
No, there was no time to run and avoid the obstacles. I would have to stay in the clearing until opportunity showed itself to me. I would have to face down two unicorns and two pegasi without the use of magic. Also I could not make physical contact with the creatures lest they burn me once again.
So the only tools I had were hooves, my mind, and lots of dirt. A very large amount of dirt. My only constraints while in combat were that I couldn’t leave the clearing, touch my opponents in any physical way, use magic, fly, or receive any beneficial environmental help. So, in other words, I was attached to another object by an inclined plane, wrapped helically around an axis.
The two pegasus were dangerously close now. I could feel the wind rustle as they flew by (even with the chemical from earlier having been dispersed). They both performed controlled corkscrews and crossed each others line of flight more than once. Whether it was an attempt at being flashy or confusing me did not matter much.
I tensed my back legs up ready to spring in any given direction. There was little hope of avoiding the strike unless I deduced the method of attack before-hand. At the speed in which they raced and the speed at which I hopped I would need to jump around a quarter of a second before they began their assault. At the moment they were both next to each other, bonefied wings (somehow) carrying them through the air.
How did they even do that without any sort of cartilage?
While it had flare the maneuver they presented was rather simple. They were going to break away at the last moment and close in on my either side of my flank. A classic military move used by pegasi soldiers for centuries. I jumped a precise half-second before the supposed break would occur.
Some would probably refer to my success as blind luck, but in reality it was child's play. My knowledge of Equestrian military tactics dates back to several books regarding the subject within the Canterlot Library. Also skeletal thralls are rather unperceptive, being without feeling and whatnot, so most of the time they aren’t prone to cerebration. A feign that was not ordered was not likely to occur to them.
My jump left me airborne for an approximate two seconds before I landed on the ground a few feet in front of the skeletal pegasi. They had both backed off the assault in time to avoid a collision with each other, but not to avoid faltering. One had landed on the ground with a rather nasty thud while the other hovered a ways above the ground after having pulled up in a rather rushed manner.
I looked over to the other two unicorns. To my great displeasure I could see they had finished building up their spell. Apparently it was a conglomerate effort among the two. How wonderfully sweet, perhaps worthy of a friendship report. Well, it would be, if it was not a conglomerate effort at murdering me that is.
The strength of the bolt they had prepared was too large. There was no possible way I could avoid it before the initial blast. The radius upon contact with the ground would obliterate anything within a good twelve feet.
So I had failed after all. I had not survived the onslaught. All that effort resulting in nothing but loss. Failure is an experience that, on its own, is horrendous, but when coupled with the sacrifice of survival it is just plain abominable. My thoughts turned skyward, towards the celestial body I had spent more than half my life on.
So large and so wonderful it was. It sat there, a testament to my will. I suppose Celestia would have to raise it each and everyday as she had done for so long. Ha, and I was hoping to help relieve her of her work load. What a bitter moment. So glorious the Moon. We should all make an effort to remember it...wait...
Memento Luna...
Remember the Moon. There was something the Moon could do for me now. Well, maybe. Probably not. But maybe. I had spent so long traversing it that the innate magical connection I had shared with it had been strengthened. Upon my return to Equestria molding it and the Night were simplistic in nature. Mainly because the magic to control the celestial heavens rested not within the user’s inherit ability, but their connection with their astral sphere.
Perhaps I could harness the energy of the Moon and create a sort of shield. Something similar to the magic that affected my mane (although it lacked those wondrous qualities at the moment). Yes, I could use that connection and create a shield, or rather a mist, that could encase me and perhaps protect me from this beam. And it would not require the use of unicorn magic on my part, but astral manipulation instead!
I reached out to the Night. It was not hard to form the connection. I focused upon one image. My eyes involuntarily shut as the image became more pronounced. The image of a shield surrounding me, keeping me safe from the world, becoming a misty veil that wrapped around me. I felt cold air arising around my hooves. Hopefully it was not just my imagination.
I heard a blast, likely the bolt of energy being launched at me, and waited. It was probably just a second, but that moment felt like a century. Well, more like a minute than a century, but it’s the same difference really. There was a hissing noise, similar to the sound of steam, then nothing.
A strange sensation was going through my mane. Each clump of hair was whipping around, some even striking my closed eyes and mouth. A cold wind was beating on my back. Wait, wind?
I opened my eyes. I was no longer on the ground. Instead I was flying through the air with quite the scene ahead of me. The mist which had apparently wrapped around me was dissipating into the starlight while the ground around it had been seared by a lethal energy. The two pegasi who had assaulted me were there as well.
It appeared one of them had managed to extend himself outside the blast radius while the other had been struck by the blast of the energy bolt. The remains of her corpse were charred, yet still they exuded that supernatural flame. Three down, three left to subdue before I would have another chance at the game-master.
I attempted extending my wings, but they were apparently still restrained by the slime because, well, they were still restrained by the slime. I hit the ground on my side without even being able to use my wing to cushion the fall. I heard a sickening crunch and a dull pained lashed through my side.
I cracked a rib. At least I was not dead. I looked around trying to gather exactly where I was in the clearing. To my surprise, and I am sure Paradise’s, great surprise I was just ahead the mouth of the cave. In front of me stood Paradise, mouth hanging open just a centimeter at the sight of my “flight.”
The look on my adversary’s face was so intensely satisfying that I could not help but scream out a taunt. “And that, my dear Paradise, is how I made the Moon-bounce!” With that I rushed into the cave behind me...
The cracked rib was not nearly as serious as I previously thought it would be. In reality it would likely heal within a few weeks. That was, unless Paradise pursued me into the cave. Which, undoubtedly, it would.
The look it had given me as I descended into the darkness was one of disbelief and, furthermore, surprise. Though from what I had seen of this creature it found surprises entertaining. Very entertaining, in fact.
I backed up into a corner and allowed my vision to set itself on the entrance to the cave. Nothing would slip by me. I nestled against the cold stone surface of the floor, embracing the darkness within. There was a faint growl in the distance. I heard footsteps beat against stone. They were coming.
Three bursts of flame appeared at the entranceway of the cave. The faint glow that irradiated off of them was off putting, but it allowed me the advantage. They would only be able to see as far as the light allowed, and those flames of theirs were faint, very faint.
Outside, I thought I could hear Paradise giving the command, “Find her. Bring me her will.”
The three proceeded to split into two groups. The remaining pegasus landed daintily and walked beside one of the unicorns towards my position while the other unicorn headed in the opposite direction. Both unicorns cast a small illumination spells. I backed up further, into a small den of stalagmites that furthered concealed me.
I did not blend in well with the cave when illuminated, but I was quite hard to spot in any sort of darkness. Especially when my mane was not sparkling like a Hearths Warming Wreath. I had not an inkling of what I could or would do next. Everything seemed to kind of blur into a large mess now that I was given the chance to think upon events. Most of my plans had been improvisations, and while they were good improvisations they were still improvisations.
Here was a chance to plan though. Here I was in control. This was my element. Even if I didn’t have the advantage of magic or flight I had the advantage of stealth. A mastery of stealth is really quite essential to anypony who wants to be powerful. Now in my seclusion I could come to a decision.
Would I try to avoid the searing gaze of these mongrels and attack them from behind? If so, how would I go about damaging them? Should I attempt to take on the two groups individually or once they met up? Or, should I just walk out of the cave right then?
The best course of action was obvious. I would stow away and let the peering gaze of my stalkers pass over me, then I would follow behind them nimbly. From there I could trace a path out and set a rockfall trap or even wield some of the pointed stones as weapons. Perhaps I could find a large animal to annoy deeper inside the cave. Obviously, it would be far easier to take on these two groups individually, starting with the two ponies closest to my position.
The pegasus walked alongside the unicorn rather than fly, obviously trying to avoid being impaled by stalactites. That could be used as an advantage. A collapse of stones or my presence would force the pegasus into flight, thus putting her at another disadvantage. The unicorns magic would be easily avoidable within the confined area.
Of course, as soon as I presented myself I would be just as vulnerable as them. Unless I found a loose stalagmite or low-hanging stalactite that was versatile enough to be wielded. Summoners usually feel a partial part of what their thralls/golems experience.
This was my chance to put Paradise through some serious pain. That monster out there would suffer for consuming these ponies and using what was left as material for battle. It would endure a great amount of torment by the end of this Night.
A great amount indeed...
The footsteps and slight illumination of a spell drew me out of my thoughts and brought me back to the world of the living. I sat perfectly still, allowing for dust and dirt to collect on my flank. I held my breath in an attempt to keep any shadow I cast from moving. Doing such was agony on my rib, but it was a necessary means to a necessary end.
The animated dead walked past me, their eyes searching all the wrong places. Their gaze locked onto my position more than once, but there was not enough light for them to properly view me. The unicorn locked eyes with me once, but she turned away and continued along with the pegasus.
As they went forward I slowly crept out and searched my surroundings. If I was to follow these two beasts without incident I would have to restrict my pace and stance to a crawl. The cave tended to create an echo, something which could only be avoided by prevention. Thus my pace was slow and my steps careful, perhaps resulting in my dragging behind the two skeletal things.
It physically hurt to drag my body against the ground, but that seemed to be my only option unless I were to straddle the cave floor with my knees; hooves were simply to loud in this environment. There were no outside sounds to provide a visor to the clopping of hooves. The mutts ahead of me were oblivious to the sound their own hooves made, or more likely, they didn’t care.
Even so, I could not properly mask the sound of my hoofbeats under their hoofbeats. That was far too complicated and would just result in my being discovered. Then that would lead to my demise. Then that stupid creature would absorb my essence. Then, that would lead to further chaos once the creature took hold of my unique magic.
So I was reduced to slithering along a rock floor using my knees as traction. My ribs cried out in protest, but their calls fell upon deaf ears. I could hear something as I was following my stalkers (Obvious Irony is Obvious). It was a faint dripping noise. e Yes, we were coming upon a spring! Or, at the very least, we were coming under one.
I pulled myself to my hooves, and using the flowing sounds of the water as a silencer, paced instep with my targets. The flaming aura surrounding the two mongrels was giving off an iridescent glow that reminded me faintly of my own mane. Luckily my mane didn’t glow with its normal beauty, due to the binding my magic was suffering from.
Slowly I gained ground on the two things. Still, I had no real strategy as to attacking them. All I could really do was stalk them until an opportunity in which to strike presented itself. Then I saw it: a slope!
A small indent with a hill leading upwards, an elevation that would give me the literal high ground on the creatures. It was hidden from their sight. It was on the outskirts of the illumination spell the unicorn had cast and was fairly inconspicuous. Nevertheless it passed along their path, and if a cave-in where to happen to occur it was likely to originate from that sloped area.
I allowed myself to deviate from the path I had set on in order to reach the area. The dripping of the water was still audible, as was the footsteps of my quarry. I made no such noises, however. This was all a part of the game. I have to make them think they have the advantage until the very last moment.
The elevated area of the cave had a small hill carved into its side. Well, it was not so much a hill as it was a steep indentation. It was steep enough to go unnoticed by the untrained eye, but it was not so steep as to prevent ascension.
I climbed up the side, taking care to not lose my footing lest I be discovered. There were several crevices in which I could place my hooves so there was that. If not for my night-vision and the faint flames of my targets I may have lost sight of them.
Eventually I reached a point where the climb leveled off, leaving me along the sides of the wall and the large hollow. I sped my pace up just a little bit in order to gain ground on my targets. They were just below me now, and still searching. Their gaze arched over me several times, never fully taking in the shadow I had become.
I took a false step. I heard the crumble of rocks. I looked down. A few loose pebbles had made their way down the slope. Both of the beings whose gaze I had attempted avoiding looked towards me and the slope. I sunk deeper into the shadows and strategized.
If the two had seen me, or heard me rather, than it would make sense they stay in their current positions and investigate the cause of alarm. They would stay under that loose confection of rocks I had stepped on...
If I found a fault and proper leverage I could probably cause a cave-in on them. I scanned the various stalagmites around me, searching for one that could be wielded as a way to leverage the cluster of loose boulders onto my targets. My gaze fell on a tall knife-like one that was thin at the bottom: easy to brake off, easy to wedge into a gap or rupture.
I searched the ground for the fault first, considering that when I ripped the stalagmite out of the ground it would be rather...not quiet. I found it just along the base, near where I had made my misstep. I leapt towards the stalagmite and ripped it from the ground. The resounding snap it made sure my cover wouldn’t last.
Both of the suspicious mongrels stare penetrated me. They saw through me now! I could see the pegasus bracing herself to fly at me like a bullet while the unicorn appeared to be charging a spell. A few of the sharper stalactites were being jerked out, probably to be used as daggers.
I practically flew to the base of the fracture. I inserted the thinner edge of the stalagmite into the narrow gap, forcing it further downwards until I heard a thud. Then I pulled back, stalagmite gripped firmly between my teeth. I felt another crumble under my feet and jumped back in time to avoid the avalanche.
The supports of the adjoining cave wall crumbled away, releasing tall boulders to fly downwards towards my prey. The pegasus had flown half the distance already, managing her way up the wall much easier than myself. The unicorn had finally gotten a grip on all of her pointed stones. They flew off the ceilings in a great bunch, pointing themselves towards me menacingly.
None of that mattered as my boulders fell, though. One thing one cannot prevent is a force of nature. The pegasus was unable to break away in time. A larger rock smashed into her right wing, knocking her off balance for a moment. That moment resulted in her clutching to the edge of the caves walls as rock upon rock crashed down on her. Finally she could take no more and fell. She fell with and under the boulders.
The unicorn attempted to flee as well, but was also trying to concentrate her spell. A smaller, but still massive and dangerous, boulder she did not see fell on her hindquarters. She fell to the ground. No more rocks threatened her, though. She just sat half-crushed under the boulder.
Her horn still glowed, though. What spell could she still be attempting to cast? She couldn’t possibly have the energy to start a new spell so it had to be...uh-oh.
The stalactites I had ignored previously now became very apparent through all the dust. They floated menacingly in the air, a strange ethereal glow surrounding them. They shot at me like minuscule rockets, forming long picks that humbled daggers. At least they weren’t on fire, at least I was not being threatened by flaming stone picks of death. Just regular ole’ stone picks of death.
There were about half a dozen in all, though they were very threatening. I expected the unicorn to shoot them one at a time but I was, unfortunately, wrong. All were being hurled at once. The only redeemable quality was that the unicorn would perish soon, leaving me six acerbic weapons. They weren’t really acerbic. I’d just like to think that they were. If they talked I am sure they would probably be acerbic.
The attack itself was, surprisingly, not hard to avoid. Perhaps I had finally gotten used to the dexterity limits I was under, or perhaps the unicorn could not concentrate on the spell very well. Either way a deft jump to the left and a quick pull into the contours of the shadows proved enough to elude the stalactites.
The weapons themselves bounced off the walls harmlessly and fell to flooring of the cave a next to my hooves. The magic that held them ceased to do so. Death had ended the struggle of the unicorn trying to overcome me. So that was the last desperate attempt at defeating me, eh? Well too bad because I had lots of rocks, my wits, and stealth.
Enemies would do well to remember that I am practically invincible when I have the cloak of darkness and rocks. If anything ever threatens my country or those within it, I will have lots of rocks waiting. One thing Equestria is abundant in is rocks.