Chp.8 Conflict of interest
Kyles viewpoint
Okay wherever the fuck that thing came from I have no idea! It freaking huge!
The thing that pink pony shouted pretty much explains it. I’ve never seen anything like it. Its like a dragon but with 5 heads that more resemble a snake. I look in awe as the thing tries to attack the group of ponies I was monitoring.
They seem to put up a good fight especially the purple Allercon who sends out a devastating amount of magic but to no effect. The others piped in trying to tie down the thing, but even though holding it down for a few minutes it breaks free and actually gets a hold of the yellow pegasus. who for some reason just stood there trying to reason with a wild beast!? Was she out of her mind!?
Now shes being flung around in the jaws of one of the serpents heads. Screaming that chills me right to the bone. There is no comparison to the sound of innocence screaming. A flashback of flames comes to my mind and I start to hyperventilate. I look on seeing the pony blanding just to the edge of the forest opposite their camp. All of the group run towards her as the beast starts to untangle itself biting away at the ropes that bind it. I can’t exactly see the group now as they are out of the light of the camp fire. In response I put on my helmet on and switch on the starlight night vision.
I can now see them all crowded around the body of the injured pony. They all seem to talk I can't hear them at this time but the Purple leader seems to get them organised. She starts to heal the Injured pony and the others spring into action trying to delay or distract the beast. It seems to work as she is trying to heal them.
I think i should help them.
‘No you will compromise your position.’
‘Yes but If I don't help they will be killed!’
‘Its not your mission to save them! They are the enemy, they will kill you as soon as the fight is over. Plus it was their mission to search for you!’
‘Yes but I can outrun them these don’t seem military and you heard that poor thing scream! Now its on the brink of death we can't just let a civilian get killed!’
‘You know its not our concern of the civil…’
‘Thats the exact attitude that got us into this mess in the first place! Always blinded by the future rather than the torture of today! Fuck this shit Im going in!’
With that mind argument over I grab my rifle , load it with armour piercing rounds and ready it. I sprint out of the trees heading straight for the thing that is about to strike at the purple pony. I skid to a halt and raise my rifle flicking the marksman setting on.
I can feel the rifle’s parts move as the extra barrel part moves into place with the sound of motors and seals coming to life. In that moment time seems to slow down. It always does in moments that count, you only have one chance to make a difference. Its either try and fail or not try at all.
I Take my memories on how to make an accurate shot. Steady breathing to reduce weapon sway and increase oxygen in the blood stream. Squeeze the trigger to the firing point and hold. Take aim down the sights and align them. Calculate where the shot will land, take into account the environment that could affect the shot. Take one last deep breath, pick your aiming point and exhale. Pull the trigger.
The weapon fires and the muzzle flash releases the bullet out landing straight into the head of the striking serpent. Silence hold for a second as the head lands on the ground with a heavy thud. All the creatures look towards the head in shock, even the beast looks to its fallen limb?
I try to think of a good comeback to the event “Hey beasty!”. The thing looks towards me now, moment of truth.
“Why don’t start with the main meal first before dessert!”
Oh cmon brain could of come up with something better than that! You had one job!
BRAAAAAAAAAW!
Okay now I have its attention good, also it is now pissed fuck!The towering beast runs towards me making the ground quake as I try to take more shots. I just have to keep its attention while the civilians can get out.
The thing starts to get within striking range so I high tailed it backwards but this thing is fast thanks to its colossus legs, praise it doesn't have wings. The thing tries to snap at me with its head as we sprint right into the middle on the field. I glance back to see the rest of the ponies try to help the yellow one, a few still looking at me. I then come to a stop looking straight at the monster I may of killed one head but still have another 4 to deal with. only way I can take this thing out is taking out the other heads. A blade can’t make it through its body armour I saw that.
It stops a few meters away but just out of its reach weird. It just looks at me and then looks towards its down sibling. Even I look at it, is it me or is it shaking? It is its shaking. I watch in curiosity at the head its like its having a fit, that could be due to me hitting its brain but I can't tell from here.
The head then opens its eyes and starts to heal itself at an alarming rate. What kind of creature is this? It then starts to split in 2 like a cell devising making 2 heads from one. Then a memory hits me form one of the books I read.
Its a Hydra a mythical beast that has multiple heads from greek legends, kill one head 2 more will take its place fuck! How can a creature from ancient myth on earth appear on another world!? Logic be damned!
It then looks at me, I swear all those heads are smiling at me! Cheeky bugger! Okay so shooting its heads won’t kill it. So what can? The Hydra then runs towards me hissing, recoiling its heads to strike. I let off a few rounds it may not kill it but I know it can hurt it. Once it was in range I dove to my left as 2 of the heads slam into the ground burrowing its teeth. Eat my dust mother trucker.
We keep repeating this action multiple times I let out a few rounds it tries to strike I dive out the way. Like a dance that was never ending. I did throw in different directions in the dives to throw it off a pattern. It must of learnt what I was doing as once I dived another time the tail whacks me and sends me back into the spot I just dive out of. All I see is a head coming down towards me, reflex takes over and I draw the boltgun and slam a few rounds into the head stopping it right before me. Great now I have 7 heads to deal with!
“Aw cmon!” I shout out “how the fuck can you have that many heads and stay alive!?”.
There has to be some sort of way to control all those heads. Each one can’t have a brain It would cause chaos in the main body...Wait thats it its brain is in the body! The heads are just limbs not heads, thats why its body is so well armours to protect the brain!
Now I have the problem of trying to get to the brain.
I come back to reality as another head moves to strike. I roll out of the way just in time. I realised I’m now too close to roll to the side or another head will take me out. So I get up and run towards the body, last thing this thing will expect. With the bolt gun still in my hand I land some lead point blank into its body. It must of hurt it as the heads scream in pain with a godzilla like raw. I smile as its left a few dents in the armour of the belly. Looks like its not impenetrable after all. Before I could switch to bunker buster rounds a head lingers above me drooling all over my armour nice.
I run towards its hip which was a bad idea as I get thrust kicked by one of its legs all the way across the field. Has pretty powerful legs that thing has. I lay there dazed trying to get a hold of the spinning world, gathering my senses. I get up with a pounding headache coming on. I look back to see the Hydra walking towards me knowing I’m easy pickings. Guess again motherbucker. I pull out the boltgun pressing the bunker busters and aim. I smile as this things has no Idea what it has coming. I line up a shot into its chest smiling like a cheshire cat. when a flash besides us blinds us. Im not sure what it is but its blinded me through the night vision on my helmet, temporarily preventing my shot . It must of affected the hydra as well as the thing is shaking its head trying to shake off the effects. I look to where the flash came from seeing the group of ponies I’m trying to save, minus the purple one and the injured one. Don’t know what's caused it but its now the rest look towards us mouths open, except the pink one who is eating cotton candy. I turn back to the threat in front of me, seeing it eyeing up its original meal. It must of thought I was too much hassle as it makes its way towards the pony civilians. Oh no you dont.
With a surge of adrenalin I come back to reality more focused and buzzing. I reach into my rucksack, to the grenade compartment anything will do at this stage. I pull out a red incendiary grenade, that will do nicely. I scramble up grenade in hand, with one swift throw I land the grenade between the hydra and the group of ponies. The grenade explodes in a wall of fire that spits out other smaller fire that light up the entire area. It was like the gates of hell suddenly exploded, this stuns the hydra and the ponies. I smile in amusement, least they are safe more good done.
The field is now on fire with all the fuel the grenade spat out making a fire barrier between the predator and prey. With that done they hydra returns to look at me.
“Told you you need to finish your tea first!” Best recovery I can make from earlier.
I raise my boltgun again just as before aiming right for his chest. The thing lets out a roar in anger, I just let a smug smile at my small victory. It starts to walk towards me murder in its eyes. Just a little closer so you're in range beasty. I squeeze the trigger in anticipation.
BANG
BOOM
The round lands in its chest with a second explosion to penetrate the armour. Now wait.
Tick
Tick
BOOM!
The round explodes in its chest sending out tissue matter everywhere with blood. I look at the mess in front of me from its now gaping hole in its chest. There is no cry in pain from the monster, it just stops in its tracks and falls over towards me.
THUD
All its heads are now lifeless no twitching nothing and they eyes have stopped glowing. I think I killed it quickly if I hit the brain, no pain just a quick death. I keep staring at the eyes still open in front of me, drained of life. I can only hear the sound of the of wall of fire to my left cracling lighting up the area. I turn towards wall of fire looking through at the ponies I saved.
They look at me in a mixture of fear and shock, like I was the hydra. They can’t see my face behind the visor. If they did they would see a friendly smile. They must only just see another human soldier. Ready to kill them now. At that they take a defencive stance and turn to anger .
The Orange pony pulls out a rope and swing it in her teeth. The Blue pegasus appears to crack its knuckles, even though it has hooves not hands. They two unicorns light their horns up charging up magic. As for the Pink one she has drawn out a freaking cannon out of no where. But I still can’t see the Purple pony or the wounded yellow one, that worries me.
I count up my chances and decide the best chance is to avoid conflict. Two unicorns I can’t deal with. We have a staredown all of them not even flinching as the flames dance between us. Fed up with this and the cramp building in my legs I proceed to remove my helmet making all the ponies flinch. I pause for a second and resume once they settle and move more slowly. Pulling off my helmet and letting the natural light of the fire light the area. All of them look at me in the same way as before in fear and anger.
“A simple ‘thank you’ would be nice, ya know” I shout over.
They all seem shocked at me for talking. Its quite comical looking at their faces, I think I can actually hear the cogs turning in their heads.
“Why’d ya help us?” The orange one asks in some sort of southern accent.
“Simple, you looked in trouble so I helped. Your friend looked wounded and you had a hard time fighting off this...thing” I gesture to the now dead corpse. I decided not to explain all I know and that I had been watching them for a while not a good subject to start off on.
“I have a feeling you have been looking for me. Probably to capture me, I know you want me alive because; A you have never captured a human before so I’m a high value target and B If you wanted me dead I would be dead now. However I must advise against that If you capture me I will not break, I’m not like the other soldiers you have encountered. I am a different class of them. If you come after me, I will kill you.”
At this point I am trying to hold all the cards, maybe scare them off. I don’t want to kill them it would just cause more harm than good, plus I doubt I would get out alive against this group.
“I suppose you found me by the two guards I left alive huh?”
The white unicorn nods slowly but I get the message. I expected this “Then you know If you leave me alone, I will leave you alone. I know you have a job to do but I mean no harm. I am no killer.” I try to lie through my teeth.
“Liar!” The orange earth pony screams at me. “Ah know liars and I hate them!” she spits on the ground, how the hell she work that out? “And I definitely hate murderers of ponies and fillies!” Thi seems to affect the others as all of them tense up and look even more angry. Okay so talking is not working.
In one swift movement I take to one knee just as 2 magical bolts fly over my head. I drag my rifle from behind me and take up an defencive stance. But I can’t fire, I still have lethal rounds loaded! I can only do this as a last resort.
“HEY!” They all stop their attack, well the unicorns do still a wall of fire between us thank god.
“Yes I have killed but only out of necessity! I know killing is wrong hence why I am giving you a chance to just walk away. If you carry on I will have no choice but to defend myself, as I have with the ponies I have killed before. It was all in defence!” This seems to hold them, even the fiery orange one. “Look no need for death here just let…”
Just as I am about to finish a white flash appears between them, blinding me as I am the one looking directly at it. I regain my vision, (dam not putting my helmet back on). Looking back I see that the purple pony is back. She looks like she was about to say something. Her mouth is open but her eyes just stare at me, I simple return the same gesture.
One minute no pony, then flash and ta dah pony! Something even Derren Brown would be proud of.
We just stay in a locked battle of confusion. Me in one corner wondering how the hell she just appeared. Her in the other probably wondering how she is looking a live human.
She then looks around seeing the wall of fire, her friends all angry and the dead hydra next to me. She returns to look at me now even more confused and shocked from before. I just smile sheepishly. I am so fucked.
“Erm Twi if you would come out of your daydreaming sugar, we could use some help capturing this human” the orange pony states to the purple one, still looking at me.
Well I outlived my stay here. The purple one then seems to come back to reality, and starts to charge up her horn.