//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 - Dominance and Hunger Part 3 // Story: The Dragonborn Chronicles: Part 1 - Ponies in Skyrim // by Barix123 //------------------------------// Dominance and Hunger - Part 3         Barix had returned to Markarth. Taking a quick look he didn’t see Logrolf but knew exactly where to find him. Barix enters the abandon house and hears the sound of two people having a talk. But it sounded more like a corrupted face off. As he descended into depths of the house and into the cave he saw the priest, only he was in the demonic cage with Twilight nowhere to be seen. “You forget, I’ve played this game before.” “Yes. But this time I have a champion of my own.” “What?!” “Come closer warrior.”         Before the dragonborn could make a move the mace on the pedestal teleports to his hand. He looks at it, then to the priest who was looking back at him in, an evil grin slowly spread across his face. Knowing that none of his new companions were there to see him in such a devilish and brutal state he would have no trouble unleashing his kill hungry desires to calm them for a time.         Oblivion bent on smashing the poor mans leg in half Barix uses all his might to swing the daedric mace so it would go right through the bars entirely. Barix finds out a little too late that the mace didn’t have a problem with that as the mace traveled right through the prison-like bars as if they weren’t even there, completely decimating Logrolf’s leg. That one blow left him laying on the ground writhing pain with only one leg still attached. Barix was ready to let it all go.         Again and again he swung the massive weapon hitting the defenceless priest. He was getting such a thrill off the attacks. His eye’s were a glowing dark green. His breath was quick and exhilarated. But all too soon it was over. The former priest was dead in the bottom of the tiny prison in little pieces with blood smeared all over the floor. Barix was a little agitated that it was over so soon. Before he could ask for more, Molag Bal spoke up. “Ah ha ha. Why must you mortals have such frail and weak bodies. Try again.”         The dead body that was Logrolf came back to life. Barix was all too willing to finish the job again. This time he took a little more time smashing the lowly human into submission. Plea upon plea was spewd from the dying priest but time after time they fell on deaf ears. For the second time he lay dead on the chamber floor. While the first round of strikes left a small coat of blood on the mace, this time it was entirely enveloped by the bright red liquid. That didn’t last long as the blood was beginning to be absorbed by the mace. The mace then shown a bright green aura, the rust cleared away, and it felt so much lighter. “The Mace of Molag Bal! I give you it’s true power mortal. Use it to break your enemies and leave them helpless as they beg to you for salvation. Know that I will be watching.” “WAIT! What about-”         Before Barix could finish his sentence a flash of dark light beamed in front of him. He had to shield his eye’s from it. When it subsided he saw that the body, what was left of it, was gone as well as all of the blood on the stone floor. What did remain however was a lavender unicorn that wore a light purple robe and was completely void of any kind of burns or cuts from past events. Barix couldn’t hold back his joy. Dropping the mace and losing all the negative emotions that clouded his mind, he crouched down, giving the mare a strong hug. “Twilight!” “...clgh...can’t...breath.”         Barix relented a few seconds longer and released Twilight from his grip of death. He looked back to her with normal eye’s in slight embarrassment. “Sorry, sorry. Come on. Lets get out of here.” “That’s a great idea. The less I see about this place the better.” Twilight takes a quick look around noticing that it was only the two of them. “Say, have you seen Pinkie, Rarity, or Fluttershy down here?” “No it was only me that came down. ...Why?” “They said they were going to bring down some food for me while you, Rainbow and Applejack went off to find a way to free me.” “Don’t worry just yet. Let’s see if something happened to them first then go from there.”         Twilight agreed that would be best. The two walk out of the creepy house, heading for their own house. Little did they know what was in store for them back home. --------------------------------------------------------------------         Barix and Twilight stood at the end of the hall in complete shock. Blood spotted the interior, none of their friends were left around, and Argis laid dead on the stone floor, his body partially eaten by something. Barix wasn’t in the mood to try to identify the animal now. Twilight herself was frozen, not knowing what to do her brain shut-off. “...” “...Twilight...” “I...how did...” “There’s someone else in here.”         Twilight subconsciously took a few steps closer to the dragonborn in question. “Where are they?” She spoke in a whisper similarly to the one creature he was smelling.         He walks into the bedroom looking right to a closet upon entering. He slowly approaches the wooden container. He grabs the handle swinging it open faster than a flying Rainbow Dash. Twilight was about to fire a magic bolt when nothing was in the closet besides the normal cloths. “There’s nothing here.” She lowered both her guard and her magic energy before getting tackled to the ground by an invisible force. “Oh I’m so glad you’re ok!” A teary faced Fluttershy began to take shape holding on to Twilight for dear life. It wasn’t that tight considering. “Yes I’m fine but what about you? What happened here?” “Oh it was terrible! Me, Rarity, and Pinkie were about to set out for the scary house with the picnic basket...” Fluttershy couldn’t hold back some of her tears “and then we were attacked by some monsters. I couldn’t tell what they were because I hid in the closet.” “Must of been bad. It reeks of human flesh in here.” “Are they ok?” Twilight asks the still crying mare. “It sounded like they were.” “They might have just taken them as hostages. This doesn’t look random, so they must have wanted them as bait or food for later. We can rule out troll’s, atronachs, or anything that can’t use their brains.” “What do you suggest we do?” “Follow these things. The scent is fading so I will need to track them while I’m a werewolf, lets go.”         Not long after leaving the house Barix gave his armor to the two mares for safe keeping. Barix transformed into the ever terrifying beast, summoning some ice wolves to carry Twilight and Fluttershy. Together the five four legged creatures set off, following the smell of dead and rotting flesh. Barix, in his new form, was getting rather excited from the smell and the new bloodlust that was creeping up fast.         Some way’s into the forest he stops before continuing. He growled to the two ice wolves before looking to the two mares. Fluttershy all but understood what was just said and spoke up not letting Barix get a word in. “What do you mean stay here? If our friends are in trouble there must be something we can do to help.” “No,” Barix spoke with his signature deep tone, “whatever is in there is very hostile. I can’t risk the two of you getting hurt in the process. Stay here and you’ll be safe.”         With that Bartix was off. As he ran through the forest a cave came into view. Going inside he was greeted by the stench of, not only human flesh, but the remains of different animals, as if he was struck in the face with a warhammer. It was intoxicating.         Making his way further inside the cave Barix could hear something going on in the cave. Getting closer the two mares, Rarity and Pinkie Pie, were yelling at their captors. There was another sound, one that almost sang like a rehearsed chorus. Chanting...it was a ritual. Upon further investigation he saw Rarity on an alter. She was gagged and tied to the sacrificial alter with the cult members around a large table. They even went through the trouble of putting a magic inhibitor on her horn. Pinkie Pie was trapped inside of a small cage off to the side. Both had their respective armor and weapons missing.The ring leader was holding a knife above Rarity, ready to make the killing blow on the crying mare. “Namira, we make this sacrifice in honor of your magnificent power. By your will grant us the honor of preserving our great calling so we may yet serve you further.” “Please don’t do this! It won’t end well for you!” “Quiet you!” One of the grunts hits the side of the cage making the scared, pink mare retreat away from the side. As he goes back to his seat Pinkie looks directly at Barix who was suspended on the ceiling. Even in his state of mind, being that of a blood thirsty beast, didn’t want to know how she of all creatures knew he was even there. The ritual was continuing. “Namira, take this gift as a sign of our loyalty and bestow upon of your gift of hunger.”         The leader was about to cut the mare open like a fish caught by a butcher. Rarity tried her best to scream and kick but it was all in vain. Pinkie hid her face in her hooves knowing what was going to happen but didn’t want to see it. The cult members cheered on the ring leader, ready to feast on the their freshly killed prey. How warm and moist her blood would be and how delicious she must taste being such a unique creature. That, however, never happened.         For Barix, time slowed down instantly. Jumping from the ceiling to the ground right behind the leader took now longer than a quarter of a second. Then, using all the strength in his right arm, he plunged it into the back of his target. As it snapped her spinal column and tore at her organs, she was lifted from the ground. In the span of less than a second, Barix skewered the cultist with his arm, who was now elbow deep into her chest. The only thing that she could let out was a low, painful groan before falling limp. Some blood had splattered on Rarities partially dirty coat, but she didn’t care about that in the leased. All she could focus on was the werewolf in front of her holding up the deceased cult member, staring half in fear and half in relief.         Once the cult members themselves realized what had happened they all went into panic getting up and running out of the cave. Try as them  might Barix was there to slice open their throats and rip their limbs off before they could leave the main room. The blood coating his body as he slaughtered them. That was the final tipping point. As the cultists fell before him, he ate them, devouring all that he could. Two dozen dead bodies later, not including the five he consumed, he walks over to Rarity, cutting her binds and gag and removing her inhibitor. As soon as she was free, Rarity ran up to her pink friend. “Oh my goodness dear! Are you alright?” “...Yeah, I’m fine. What about Barix?”         They both took a quizzical look at him waiting to see what he would do. Seeing what he did to the others they weren’t sure how to act, if he might strike again. “Let’s move. They won’t wait for us forever.” His deep tone making his already bloody appearance seem that much more frightening. “Who do mean?” “Twilight and Fluttershy. They are outside with some of my ice wolves. Get your things and we will be on our way.”         On his way out Barix saw a ring on the altar where Rarity was seconds away from being sacrificed. It looked strange with a twisted shape to it. Giving it a second thought he realized it could only be one thing. He grabs it and hinds it for now, wanting to get in some research before revealing too much.         The entire way back was dead quiet. Quiet to Barix at least. Once Rarity and Pinkie saw their friends, they couldn’t be happier. Pinkie’s mane even reverted back to it’s poofy afro style as before. The conversation was cheerful all around with the four mare’s as they caught up with the latest events.         Before moving on, the group had to meet up with Rainbow and AJ back at the house. Having eaten a considerable amount, Barix wasn’t going into Markarth anytime soon. Twilight volunteered to go in along with Rarity and Pinkie. Fluttershy got busy with cleaning the blood off his fur. Getting back the three mare had nothing but bad news. “What do you mean they’re not there?” Barix was half surprised and half scared. “They have to be.” “The only thing we found was the mess that left behind and your...um...” Rarity was uncomfortable saying the last part. “Yes...my housecarl. It is sad but there’s nothing we can do for him now. He was the Jarl’s once so I know they will give him a proper farewell. No sense in worrying about him. We need to find our friends.” “Where do you think we should start?” “The last place I saw them. We’re heading into forsworn territory.”