//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Fallen From Grace // by Conrad //------------------------------// Sometimes something happens that's so ridiculous that there's is no way you are able to react to it. That's what I was feeling right now. The sun was beginning to set in the distance, slowly covering the land in shadows, yet I stayed laying here, half due to the remaining effects of the paralysis spell, half due to the fact that a gigantic wolf made out of shadows was literally sleeping half-way on me. That's all it did after it scared the ponies away, it walked around me a bit before settling down and laying next to me with one of its legs and a part of its body draped over me. Just ridiculous. Even if I had full movement of my body, there's no way I'd make it out safely. I could move most of my upper body at this point, but the fear was I'd stand up and be forced to awkwardly wobble away from the wolf with legs like stone if I decided to take my chances at getting away. I strained my neck to bend up and look at the wolf once again, it was still asleep. I didn't want to risk waking it by moving, but that was the only way I was getting out of here. Then again, it was do something or wait around for the wolf to wake up... That's when I realized my wooden wolves were watching the scene from the treeline. My wooden wolves! They could somehow help me, that or distract this wolf long enough for me to get away somewhere. There was no way I could take this thing on without my gem anymore, but they could last a bit, hopefully speaking. With this thought I began calling out to the wolves. "Tobi! Mizzy! Chrissy! pssst, come on help me out here!" I yell whispered to the wolves, lightly tapping the ground with my hand for emphasis. For the most part they seemed to ignore me, instead choosing to stare at the giant wolf that sat halfway on me. Well I guess they're scared or something. Leave it the goddamn wolves to be too scared to help me. Freaking useless puppies. I slowly pushed myself along on the ground, ignoring those wooden wolves, they weren't any help to me. Doing this I was slowly able to inch myself away towards freedom. Progress was slow, but it was progress none the less. My body slowly moving away from underneath the wolf's paws and body. And then, somehow, I gradually was able to work it to the point where my body was mostly free. The wolf for the most part didn't seem to notice as I forced the transfer of its weight from atop me to the ground, the only part now remaining atop me being it's paws. Moving my hands, I gently grabbed the limbs and slowly lifted them up off of me, then awkwardly shifting the remainder of my body from underneath them, I laid the paws back onto the ground gently. With that, I was now in the clear. Another victory for Keith, as always. With that, I stood myself up on shaking feet, and decidedly flipped off the three wolves who were still watching me. I didn't need those assholes' help. With that, I was clear, now I just had to leave before the wolf waked up and go on to find another artifact to steal, I did it once, I could do it again. With that optimistic outlook, I took my first step forward towards my next objective. Within seconds I was laying on the dirt, my face making itself acquainted with the ground. Goddamn Twilight Sparkle and her paralysis spell, and those damn wolves, I could swear they were laughing at me at this point. I pushed myself up with my arms, spitting some leaves out of my mouth along the way. I stood back up, my legs shaking more now, feeling still like stone. Okay, breathe, I can do this. Just one leg, in front of the other. Following this mantra, I took my first step forward again, lifting my right foot and extending it. I made it, my legs still feeling frozen and shaking, but I made it. Okay, now the next step. With this I began taking the next step, lifting my left foot and placing it in front of the right. I fell over again, my face once again meeting with the dirt of the ground. And damn those wolves, I could hear them laughing now. Freaking assholes, why the hell don't they help me with this. I lifted myself up off the ground with my arms once more, looking furiously over at my wolves, I prepared to tell them to stop laughing and help me. Looking at the wolves, I saw that they weren't laughing, they were still intently staring at the wolf who I had just escaped. The same wolf that was now laughing. It was a feminine laugh, yet gave off the distinct flavor of only coming from the pain of others. Well shit. I blame the wooden wolves. "Please keep going, I'm enjoying this" The wolf said in a raspy yet feminine voice. Okay, don't freak out. I'm just being laughed at by a giant wolf made of shadows while my legs are practically paralyzed. With all the courage I could muster, I spoke out, still lying on the ground save for my upper body which was being held up by my arms. "N-no, I'm uh fine just staying here" I said, my voice nearly shaking, while I still laid there, facing away from her. "Oh, well that's a shame, the fun is in the chase" She said, obviously knowing what I was feeling. Okay, breathe, there's no way I can run, I just have to keep to distracting her by talk for... however long it takes me to get out of this situation. Easy. "Oh yea, the uh chase, yea, so uhm, fun" I said, trying to scramble how the hell to distract her. Of Course leave it to me to agree that being chased by a predator is fun. "Glad to see you agree with me, mortal." She said. Damnit it all to hell. I slowly turned my head in order to look at my wolves, giving them a pleading look to try and save me, but no, their stare was still focused on the beast behind me. I tried making some discrete motions at them, trying to get their attention, yet their gaze remained on the wolf behind me, the same wolf that then spoke up. "Don't even think that it's a possibility, mortal, what do you think prompted them to follow you?" She asked, taking an almost serious tone, yet one that still felt like she was about to pounce and maul my face off any second. "Uhm well... My amazing skill at using magic?" I asked, almost hopefully. She let out a small chuckle before continuing "You mean my amazing magic? And above that maybe the fact that I made them?" "Huh?" I intelligently retorted, showing nothing but the utmost skill at figuring things out. "Ugh, didn't think you were this dense." She said, almost in mock drama "All the magic you've been using didn't come from the statue, it came from me, infact the statue is technically just a prison for me." She continued, before turning her tone into an accusing one "You're just a small little human who decided they can try and use my magic, I just went along cause I thought it would be fun." "So, this whole time I've just been using your magic" I said, almost unbelievingly, still facing away from her and partially lying on the ground. "Indeed, master detective, now then, have anything to say relating to what you have done?" She said, accusingly. My mind, instead of answering just went blank. I got myself into this crap. Standing up from where I was and still looking away from her, I almost went to speak when she instead started. "Not a single thing?" she said, her voice continuing on now taking a turn into becoming friendlier "Because, I may perhaps allow you to use it once more, if you beg." "Wait, seriously?" I asked, at this I turned around to face her expectantly, instead I was faced with... well she was gone. Thats when her voice started up once again, this time right behind me, almost speaking right into my ear. "You want power, I want something similar, but I also want to remain on the low-key." She said as I turned my head to face her, but instead she began talking into the other ear, staying hidden. "The ponies had no clue I was trapped in that statue, I want to kill and maim, but they have ways to beat me, but you on the other hand, they don't know you, if you just use my powers to do my goal, then its the same to me." I thought over the proposition, for a moment before asking one question. “You said your only goal was to kill and maim?” “Yes, what do you think was driving you on your little blood fest? And that was very satisfying to me, if I do say so. Just supply me with that level of constant bloodshed and my powers are all yours to use.” I pondered this for a moment. On one hand, I could have all the magic I could ever want once again, and possibly even a teacher for the small price of a steady stream of corpses. That or I deny her and risk having her kill and maim me instead. I looked at where her voice was, and once again she disappeared. Okay this was getting a bit annoying. “First things first, before I agree to anything, can you stop avoid my eyesight, and second, shouldn’t we first exchange names before signing a pact?” I said, looking around for where-ever she disappeared to. “Well, for the name, you can either refer to me as ‘your greatness’ or ‘Vera’, whichever you prefer, as for seeing me, fine, I guess since you’re implying that you agree to the contract, I will allow you to gaze upon my greatness.” With that the shadows transferred in from of me, coalescing into a vague form that slowly took on the general shape of a human female, complete with the glowing blue eyes she had as a wolf. I just stared at her for a moment. “Don’t you like? I thought you would, seeing as you’re all alone away from your species, plus these ponies never heard of your kind before, so now I think taking the form of your kind would now be even scarier than that of a wolf, seeing as you agreed to my plan.” She said, ending it with a bright white sociopathic smile that completely clashed with the rolling shadows that made up her human form. I just kept staring at her. I’ll admit it, she was creepy as hell, and so I let her know. “You look creepy as hell.” “Why thanks deary, now then, about those powers, mind keep your body completely flaccid for a second here?” She said as she quickly extended her hand towards my face. Reacting involuntarily, I tried to move my head back away from her, but was too slow to stop it from connecting. In that instant of contact, her whole body dissipated and flowed into me, making my vision go blue and swirl for a second before returning to normal. I just looked at where she had been beforehand, dumbfounded. “Did you just…. go inside me?” I asked, almost not expecting an answer. ‘Figuratively, yes’ I just didn’t know what to think at this point, then again, if she controlled the statue, maybe she technically was like this the whole time? Okay, just calm down, get used to it, this is how my life will now go, with a passenger along for the ride. Even with this attempt to calm down, I couldn’t help but feel completely freaked out. One step at a time. ______________________________________________________________________________ I sat, back against the wall, wolves sitting across at the opposite side of the wall, after being told by Vera that I needed to act as the Alpha now and sleep alone. Plus those wolves were ass-holes and didn’t even think of helping me out. Outside the sun was beginning to set, I had spent most of the remainder of the day getting used to the fact that there was the freaking equivalent of a goddess of the hunt in my head right now and planning with said goddess what I should do next. Tomorrow would be a big day: get revenge on some ponies who had both seen Vera’s true from, for how little time it was, then conquer the world. It was a simple yet ingenious plan. Plus it paid the blood debt I would owe Vera for a little bit. At first I was hesitant, but at this point that feeling was dying faster and faster. It was like I was slowly getting more okay with slaughtering some things for the heck of it, strange as that sounds. Adjusting myself in order to try and fall asleep, I finally decided to ask Vera the one thing that was still bugging me. “Hey Vera?” I asked out loud, feeling a bit silly about it. ‘Yes?’ “...Why did you fall asleep on me?” ‘.......Have you ever tried sleeping while being trapped in a gemstone?’ She replied “Well no, but-” ‘Exactly, its literally impossible.’ Well, that settled that… Adjusting to become more comfortable, I went to sleep for the night.