//------------------------------// // Chapter Two: The Road Ahead // Story: Marked for death // by shadowfoxr //------------------------------// Chapter two: The Road Ahead God damnit he could have just told me the bloody name of the town or even how far it is I thought not for the first time. I walked along the rough track just like I had been all week, every bone in my body hurt from the intense amount of walking I had done over the past eight days. My feet dragged along the rough pebbles on the track. I was sick of all of the walking and I knew that I was nowhere even close to where I had to be. After about an hour I came to a stop. I fell onto my back and inhaled as much air as my body could take. I meant to only stop for around fifteen minutes but I soon fell asleep. Memories flooded through my head, my first day at military academy, the day it all started... * * * Several years ago "Blaze, Lightning?" an orange Pegasus stallion called my name "Present sir!" I nearly shouted, my excitement clearly showing I was in a big, circular room somewhere in cloudsdale, several dozen rookies like me were lined up waiting for what group we got put into "I want you to go to squad C, they will be your new team from now on" he said in a harsh tone, showing no expression on his face "Yes sir!" I said before pushing off the ground with my wings rushing down a hallway to a door, I pulled it open and rushed inside. Now, it's important to have a good first impression, but it's generally not good if you fly through the door and slam into your future teammates head on, yeah, I stuffed up big time there. As soon as I went through the door I ran into a cream mare with a red mane who in turn fell into the other three ponies in the room. The room was a square with beds and footlockers being the only furniture, there was a large window at the end of the room just above a lone bed. I looked around me and saw all of the ponies I had knocked over "ummm..hi?" I said, getting up, I nervously laughed but immediately stopped as I realized all eyes were pointed towards me "what the hell do you think you're doing?" a grey stallion with a brown mane asked, clearly annoyed by the strangers sudden -and destructive- appearance. The cream mare rolled her eyes, "whats your name?" she asked, as if nothing ever happened "Blaz- Lightning B-Blaze" stuttering for a reason I couldn't quite understand 'Mines Arctic Heart pleased to meet you Lightning Blaze" she said with a warm smile. A black pony with a black mane from across the room sighed "I'm Dark Night" he said, sounding almost as if he were too lazy to do anything else. Another pony, this one with green fur and a yellow mane piped up "My name is Dancing Chance! Happy to meet ya!" he said cheerfully, holding out a hoof, I shook it. The last pony, the grey stallion stated his name "My name is Sword Slate, now I hope that next time before you come slamming into us you'll look at whats in front of you" he said, still annoyed. The lights suddenly turned off and we quickly realized that it was light's out. In room there were five beds, a bunk bed on the left and the right and a bed at the end of the room, I climbed onto the top bunk of the right side, above Chance, while Night and Slate slept on the left and Heart, being the team leader, slept on the lone bed. As much as I tried the excitement of the day would not let me get to sleep. About an hour later, still not able to sleep, I saw her staring out of the window and into the night. as the rest of the group was asleep I started thinking of excuses to get me out of my bed to talk to her. oh hello i'm sorry that I am talking to you in the middle of the night but I really needed to go to the toilet and I decided instead of going I would talk to you I thought, sarcastically. I sighed Well...I guess i'm gonna just have to wing it. I slowly climbed down from my bed, trying not to disturb anyone, and stood there gathering my courage. Eventually I managed to speak. "Can't sleep huh?" I asked her, my voice sounding a lot calmer then I would've thought, she rolled off her bed faster then I've ever seen anyone move, grabbed a knife with her wing and pointed it towards my throat "wait! I just wanted to talk that's all!" I pleaded. She sighed as she put the knife back on the other side of the bed "what do you want Blaze?" she said in a tired voice, not unkindly "I umm couldn't sleep and I umm noticed that you couldn't so I err thought that we could y'know talk and stuff" I mumbled, nervousness getting the better of me She laughed "sure we can talk" * * * Several hours later we were still talking, sitting down on her bed. "So do you ever miss them?" she asked me "Who?" I in turn asked her, confused "Your parents and your siblings" she said with a look of home sickness I averted my eyes "I uhh I don't have any family, I'm an orphan" a ping of sadness for what I would never have ran through my body, tears slowly made their way to my eyes. "Oh i'm so sorry" she said apologetically before giving me hug. I hugged her back before crying onto her shoulder. After years of sadness and sorrow I had finally found someone I could talk to, her soothing words helped me more then I could ever have imagend After what had seemed like an eternity I finally stopped crying. "I-I'm sorry" I said between sobs "It's okay, there's no reason to apologize in fact its my fault for even bringing the subject up" "No it's not it's just that" I paused "I've never had anyone to talk to about it I've just always been alone" "Well" she said, smiling "now you've got us" I smiled back "Thanks" I said, getting up "I think I might have to go the sleep now, I'm exhausted" "Okay goodnight Blaze" she said, happy that I was once again happy "Goodnight" I said before climbing into my bed. Sleep quickly overtook me * * * Wake up Blaze A voice said, far away Wake up the voice started changing Wake up yer lazy prick My eyes shot open as I took in my surroundings, Five earth ponies surrounded me, weapons facing me huh? what the fuck? "Give us all yer bits boy and no one needs to get hurt" One of them said, he had white fur and a scar running down his face "Look fellas I don't want any trouble I just want to get somewhere and I won't make it without my bits" I said cautiously "I don't think yer understand" the earth pony started again "you're getting robbed lad, you don't get to choose what happens here" Aghh shit I can't take this many on at once, especially without my wings "Is there anything I can give you apart from my bits?" I asked desperatly "we're taking anything else with your bits! Do you not understand how this works!?" he was clearly getting annoyed "Okay then do you need anything done for you then?" I asked him "NO I DON'T NEED ANYTHING BUCKING DONE FOR ME!" he said, anger seeping out of his body "now last chance boy, hand over the bits or 'yer dead" facing a knife towards me with killing intent There's no way around it, I've gotta fight these guys "Well I tried" I sighed, getting up and unsheathing my dagger from under my cloak "whatya-" he was cut off as I lunged forwards and plunged the dagger into his chest, the others turned in surprise, I ducked a lance and used my left hoof to throw it upwards while making my way towards the pony using it, I stabbed him with the dagger and kicked him in the chest, grabbing the lance as the injured pony fell to the ground. "This ones skilled!" one of them yelled, lunging towards me. I threw the lance towards him, impaling him in the left shoulder, the last pony faced a sword towards me, I bent my legs, getting ready to doge, he swung his sword at my legs, I jumped to my right and threw my dagger at him, it got him in the right foreleg. "you're not getting outta here alive!" he screamed "I'll give you one last chance" I said calmly, surprised I was still alive "fuck you!" He lunged towards me and I jumped backwards as his blade missed my head by inches. He continued his onslaught as I continuously dodged every attack he threw. I can't keep this up much longer! My eyes fell upon the dead bandit captain, he was slightly behind and to the left of the opposing pony okay I've got one chance at this! I sprinted towards the swordsman, he threw me a mad grin as he swung his sword, at the last second I jumped towards the left, his sword sliced against my right foreleg and torso, a pained yell escaped me, I managed to land next to the dead captain and I quickly grabbed his knife with my left wing "My turn" I threw the knife towards him and it buried itself in his neck, and screams were immediately cut off as his limp body fell to the ground. I panted and looked towards my wound, it was deep. not good I thought I turned as a groan was heard near me, the pony that had been it by lance had pulled it out and managed to stand "If you want to live, run" I said, panting "run and get a real life" "Well then" he said, a humored smile on his face "at least tell me your name" "My name?" I asked, confused "Unlike these dogs" -he spat on the swordsman's limp body- "I have honer, so tell me your name" "My name is Lightning Blaze" I said "I will spread word of your victory sir Lightning Blaze and hope that we can meet in combat again, this time with a little less lances though" he said, turning away "Good luck" he started walking After awhile I started walking again, trying to forget the events that had taken place. I had taken the bandits bits and a sword before leaving. After about an hour my wound started paining, I looked towards it before my vision suddenly turned black, I felt pain somewhere far away and the sound of my body hitting the ground. I felt death surrounding me. No...no... "what the!?" I felt my strength leaving me I just...need a little longer...I need to....stay...alive... "Come on load him up, fast!" I...can't...die...here!... Death enclosed me