Chapter 16:The Awaking (Part one)
Location: North/West of the Barrier Lands near Rock Fall village.
Six years later
Time: 14/7/2030
Lieutenant Kyl Dark Blood
“Tell me again why we’re here Captain Strong Heart?”
Kyl and Captain Strong Heart were walking down a dirt path to a nearby village called Rock Fall because of reports of strange things happening there. Kyl was a 26-year-old Unicorn battle mage with a dark grey coat, spikey black and dark red mane and dark green eyes. His eyes especially looked very wolf like do to the fact he is a quarter Wolven. He wore leather barding with a steel chest plate and a black mage robe. Captain Strong Heart was a lot older than Kyl but the Captain never said how old he really was. He was an earth pony covered in heavy dark steel platting but in no way was it Night-steel, just a darker shade of grey. His coat was an even darker grey and his mane was a light steel colour. Last was his eyes, he had such strong golden eyes that with just a glare it felt like he was striking you with an invisible hoof. He was also carrying a massive dual blade and both blades were sheathed while he carried it on his side.
He looked at Kyl with an unbreakable confidence, something Kyl admired. Captain Strong Heart spoke to Kyl in a deep rumbly voice. “I’ve been getting reports from our Legion scouts that something strange is happening up here.” He looked ahead and narrowed his eyes. “There hasn’t be any word from Rock Fall in over two weeks and when troops were sent to investigate they just went silent and haven’t reported back in four days.”
“Has anypony told the Prince about this yet?” Kyl asked Strong Heart.
Strong Heart chuckled at that. “The Prince has too much on his hooves at the moment to deal with the disappearance of a group of Legionnaires. That’s why we’re here.” They walked down the path for a few minutes longer till they could see the tips of buildings up ahead. “There it is.” Strong Heart pointed out to Kyl. “Come on lets join up with Raven Squad.”
“Raven Squad?” Kyl was surprised. “What are they doing here? I thought they were in the South.”
“They were.” Strong Heart confirmed. “But they were transferred and now they’re here aiding us.” He frowned. “Why do you ask?”
Kyl frowned as well now. “They’re a bunch of purists, they shun ponies like me.”
Strong Heart stopped and patted Kyl on the shoulder, keeping the same cool tone he always had. “Ah Kyl you got to stop letting them get to you. So what if you have Wolven blood in ya, you’re still a pony and a member of Special Operations.” He gave him a light punch on the shoulder. “Now quit ya belly aching and come on we got a job to do.”
He started walking again and Kyl followed. “Is Sun burst here too?” Kyl asked as he remembered his own squad mate. He was still new in Strong Heart’s squad and was still getting used to having a partner.
Strong Heart nodded. “That she is. She took it upon herself to scout ahead while I retrieved you.” He smiled at him. “You know she has taken a liking to you. Why not take the moment and ask her out?”
Kyl raised an eyebrow in confusion. “What are you talking about Sir? There’s nothing between us.”
Strong Heart chuckled at that. “I’ve seen the way she looks at you. You’d have to be a dim wit not to notice.”
Kyl frowned. “We barely know each other well enough for that and she is not my type Sir you know that.”
Strong Heart laughed. “Yeah I know but I sometimes wonder how you deal with it. I mean how hard it must be.”
Kyl rolled his eyes. “It’s not as hard as you think Sir but I guess since mares are your thing you wouldn’t understand.”
Strong Heart nodded respectively in agreement. “Yeah I guess I don’t but seriously she has a fine ass.” He burst out laughing and Kyl chuckled a bit too though not really with enthusiasm. “Ahhh whatever, come on we’re almost there.”
They went down the dirt path till they were at the entrance of the settlement and at that very spot was a Pegasus mare. This was Sun Burst, she had a golden coat and a long spiky mane that was an ever-lighter shade of gold, so light it almost looked white. She had been in the Spec Ops longer than Kyl and she had gained the rank of Squad Ranger. She was equipped with light-silver armour plating mixed with leather padding and she carried a mark III lever action crossbow. Unlike standard crossbows her one could hold three bolts that were held in a chamber under the weapon. She only had to pull the lever in the opposite direction to auto prime the firing string and load a new bolt in one go. Now what was mostly striking about her features were her eyes. She had an odd genetic mutation that made it so depending on her mood her eyes would change colour. The only reason Kyl knew this was because when he asked about it she gave him the whole story of how no doctor or medic could explain it, other than it’s very fascinating. When she turned her head to look at them approach, Kyl noticed her eyes were purple, meaning something was bothering her. However when she greeted them she sounded fine. “Captain Strong Heart, Lieutenant Kyl.” She gave them a salute and Kyl huffed at the gesture.
“What’s with the salute Sunny? We’re the same rank.”
Sun Burst or Sunny gave Kyl a half smile and her eyes changed to a shade of blue meaning she was feeling more at ease. She ignored his question however and made simple chatter. “Ah I see you’ve started calling me by my nickname. Guess you’re staring to settle in the squad then?”
Kyl nodded with a glum smile as he rolled his eyes. “Yeah I guess I am, I mean how could I not? Your jokes could make anypony feel better even though they’re terrible jokes.
Sunny giggled and as always her laughter made him feel better but the happy mood changed when Strong Heart ordered. “Ok, ok greetings aside now.” He addressed Sunny and his face was calm but aiming. “Sun Burst report.”
Sunny straightened up and reported as ordered. “Sir Spec Ops Raven squad are still scouting the area Sir.” She turned her head to the settlement and Kyl noticed her eyes were going purple again. “I did as you ordered and did some scouting for myself and…” She seemed to trail off.
Strong Heart raised an eyebrow at that as he asked. “And what?”
Sunny frowned and looked her Captain in the eye. “And that’s the thing Sir…I don’t know.”
Strong Heart narrowed his eyes as he asked. “Is that what’s bothering you?”
Sunny glanced back at the settlement then back at Strong Heart. “That’s not just what’s bothering me Sir…the settlement it’s…it’s also empty. There’s no pony around at all.”
“Empty?” Strong Heart seemed confused. “That can’t be right.” He paused as he looked at the settlement then he spoke once more. “I’d like to take a look for myself.” He moved forward so Kyl and Sunny followed in behind him.
While Strong Heart walked ahead Kyl took in his surroundings. The street they were walking into was wide and had room for many ponies to walk by each other. The ground itself was covered in hoof tracks and was very wet. Rock Fall was near the Ophlidite home land meaning it was warmer here, warm enough to rain. Kyl hated rain couldn’t stand the thought of the constant down pour a rainstorm would bring. As for the buildings they were made entirely out of wood and they had an almost mossy green colour to them. The one thing however that put him on edge was indeed the lack of ponies in the settlement, just like Sunny had said there was no pony settler in sight.
“Hay?” Kyl flinched when Sunny whispered to him. “What’s up?”
Kyl was confused. “What do you mean what’s up? There’s nothing up about…” He glanced around. “This.”
Sunny nodded in agreement, her eyes still being bright purple. “Yeah it’s so weird. It’s giving me the creeps, gah I hate the silence.”
“You and me both.” Kyl agreed. “Where do you think everypony went?” He asked Sunny.
Sunny looked unsure as she glanced through the dark open doorway of one building. “I don’t know it’s hard to say but I really don’t like this it’s too quiet.”
Kyl gave her a light bump on the shoulder and gave her a cheery smile. “Ah don’t worry there’s probably a logical explanation to all this, we just need to find the clues and figure out this…”
Out of nowhere something landed in front of them and Kyl along side Sunny took up a fighting stance on reflex. Kyl got his spells ready and Sunny wiped out her crossbow with lightening speed, taking aim. But after a moment Kyl realised it was a Pegasus in light black and red leather barding and he was with Raven squad by the gold eagle emblem on his chest. He had a dark brown coat, dark green mane and light blue eyes. He stood tall in front of them and smirked. “Oh I’m sorry did ah scare ya.” It wasn’t really a question since Kyl knew full well that this pony knew what he was doing and enjoyed it.
Captain Strong Heart was behind the Pegasus and he turned calmly. “Eh hem.” He huffed.
The Pegasus turned side on to the Captain and gave him a quick salute. “Oh excuse me Sir ah didny see you there.”
“I highly doubt that.” Strong Heart said dully. “How bout you tell me were your captain is.”
“Why I’m right here Sir Heart.” A feminine voice came from the shadows of one dark alleyway. Kyl turned and saw her emerge from the darkness. She was a rather tall yet skinny Unicorn with a grey coat, very bight turquoise mane that was mostly hidden by a black hood and her eyes were the lightest green he had ever seen. She wore the same gear as her Pegasus partner but unlike her friend she had a small black robe with a hood.
Strong Heart didn’t seem surprised at all and addressed her normally. “Ah there you are Zeara I was wondering where you were sneaking about.”
Zeara grinned smugly and Kyl could already tell he wouldn’t like her. “Oh the amount of times I could have ambushed and cut your throats by now, oh by the earth god, Strong Heart you’ve become so sluggish in your old age.”
Strong Heart seemed to ignore her blatant insult and continued on speaking like she hadn’t said anything. “So you’ve had a good look around here I take it?” He asked her.
Zeara chuckled a little and continued to smirk. “I see that will of yours hasn’t changed one bit since our last encounter so many years ago. Yeah Raven squad and me have searched this place from top to bottom and there is no trace of any settlers.” She looked at one of the lone buildings and frowned. “But there are signs of struggles like blood in some of the buildings and wrecked belongings.” She turned her head back to Strong Heart. “I’m putting my bits on Wolven, came in here, killed the settlers and dragged their bodies off.”
“I don’t think so.” Kyl decided to speak his mind. All eyes turned to him and he noticed Zeara was glaring at him but he ignored it. “There are no destroyed buildings, no fires, no bolts and what’s the one key thing you don’t see?” Everyone looked at him puzzled as he gestured to the ground. “There are no drag marks or paw prints. I don’t think it was Wolven cause this is not their style.”
Zeara narrowed her eyes at him and tightened her lips into a hateful expression. “Oh and I guess you would know, being the spawn of a dog after all.”
Kyl glared at her in anger but Strong Heart stepped in. “Actually his parents are both pony just one of them comes from a family that has Wolven in their blood line.” He stood up to her face and stared coldly into her hate filled eyes. “You can’t blame him for something his ancestors did long ago and since he is a part of my squad I want you to treat him with the same respect you give me. That is if you still have any respect for me left because I still do for you.”
They were very quiet for a moment, just staring into each other’s eyes. Then Zeara blinked and she smiled. “You’re right where are my manors?” She looked at Kyl blankly. “I apologise for my hash behaviour.” She then glanced at Strong Heart coldly. “It won’t happen again.”
“Good.” Strong Heart simply smiled, satisfied and looked back to Kyl. “Go ahead Kyl speak your mind.”
Kyl cleared his throat and continued. “As I was saying, I don’t think it was Wolven. There’s no prints or any damage I can see to the buildings.” He looked at everyone. “Any thoughts?”
“We can rule out bandits.” Sunny chimed in. “The result would be similar wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah.” The male Pegasus also chimed in. “Only difference is there would be bodies.”
“So where are they?” Strong Heart said, adding his thoughts.
“How do we even know there were bodies?” Kyl added. “Maybe we’re over thinking this.”
“No.” Zeara decided it was her turn to talk. “I looked in several buildings and all had pools of dried blood in them.”
“How much blood are we talking about here?” Strong Heart asked Zeara.
“At least 3 or 4 pints worth. Some are a little less but it looks like most bled out from what ever inflicted their injuries.”
“Then let me ask this question?” Kyl stated, frowning as he said. “What killed them?”
“Captain!” A lone stallion’s voice farther down the path shouted and all turned to see. It was an Earth pony wearing Zeara’s colours, was down by the corner of one building and was waving for them to come over. The Earth pony was dark green with blue eyes but his mane was hidden under his helm and just like Strong Heart he had heavier barding.
“What is it Iron Hide, what did ya find?!” Zeara demanded as she and the rest ran over.
“This.” He pointed around the corner of the building. When everyone came around the corner they saw a narrow dirt path leading away from the town and into the hills where a vast forest lay. There were many if not hundreds of hoof prints leading in one direction and the one thing that stood out the most was not only a blood trial but also a fresh one. It began as a large puddle of bright red blood and continued up the path. Kyl lowered his head and sniffed the puddle. A strong irony sent filled his nostrils and confirmed it was indeed fresh.
“It’s fresh.” Kyl said to the others. He looked ahead. “Can’t be more than a few hours old Sir.”
Captain Strong Heart stepped forward and so did Zeara. They both looked determined as they gazed up the path. “Well then what are we waiting for? Let’s get moving.”
…
It took them twenty minutes to get to the top of the path that led into the hills though it took less time for Sunny and the other Pegasus cause they have wings. The whole time they moved up into the hills Kyl got the eerie feeling of being watched. He kept on snapping his head to the side now and then when he thought he heard something but never saw anything in the underbrush. He tried sniffing the air with his heightened Wolven senses but all he could smell was blood. He hated the smell it, it made him shiver and tickle at his Wolven blood lust. He had to shake his head to clear his mind but when they reached the final stretch everyone froze and so did he.
“Dear gods!” The Pegasus stallion gasped.
No more than 5 meters in front of them was an entrance to an abandoned mine, and that very entrance was covered in blood. Hundreds upon hundreds of bloody hoof prints stained the ground and soaked the doorway in still fresh, dripping blood. The smell was so overwhelming that Kyl coughed and felt like he was going to puck but he didn’t. Sunny was covering her mouth with one hoof and just stared in shock, all the while her eyes kept shifting between orange and purple. Strong Heart was as calm and still as a statue. Zeara looked around angrily and the other two just glanced at each other in stunned silence.
Zeara was the first to speak to Strong Heart and she sounded uneasy. “Heart, what do you make of this? Cause to be honest this is creeping me the hell out.”
She had a point. There was something wrong here something...unnatural. “Maybe we should go back.” The Pegasus stallion suggested nervously, trying to stay cool. “Get reinforcements.”
“Is that wise?” Sunny interjected. Kyl could tell from her eyes she was worried but not enough it seems. “What if there’s somepony in there that needs help?”
“Are you not seeing this?!” The Pegasus exclaimed, pointing at all the blood, “There’s no pony alive down there, you’d have to be a foal to think there is even the slightest chance…” A low moan echoed out the entrance of the mine and it sounded like the pained sods of a filly. “Oh hell no.” The Pegasus stated, “Fuck that.”
“That’s a child.” Sunny said breathless. “There’s a child down there!” She turned to Strong Heart. “Captain we can’t leave we need to do something we must.” She stomped her hoof on the ground for effect.
Strong Heart kept on staring at the mine in silence as the Pegasus kept rambling. “No way oh no no no no, Captain Zeara we should go back, get back up and…”
“Oh shut up Whirlwind.” Iron Hide stated in his deep voice. “You sound like my Mother.”
Zeara looked at Strong Heart. “Heart what are you thinking? Come on you old coot talk to me?” She pushed him lightly on the shoulder guard but he stayed silent as he narrowed his eyes.
The moaning in the mine continued to sod. That lone painful cry sent shivers down Kyl’s spine. Why was there a filly down there in the first place? He didn’t know, his head hurt too much and he couldn’t think straight. The cry continued seeming to get louder and louder till it seemed like the child was right beside him screaming in his ear. Something touched his tail and he yelped out in surprise. He spun round, his horn glowing ready to attack but nothing was there.
“Am I the only one who’s sane here?!” The one now known as Whirlwind started freaking out. “Fuck this I’m out here!”
“You just try it.” Iron Hide blocked his path and grabbed his collar, restricting his movement. “I’ve always thought you were a twat but never a cowered.”
He shook loose and pushed Iron away. “I’m no cowered Iron never, but this is insane see re…!”
“Enough!” Strong Heart suddenly snapped. “We’re going in.”
“I agree.” Zeara stated.
“Me too.” Sunny joined in.
“Same here.” Iron Hide added, glaring at Whirlwind.
All four then looked to Kyl. He looked at the Whirlwind for a second then looked at his Captain. Then he looked at the darkness beyond the entrance of the mine. That crying, that soul retching crying, so what if it was a trap there was a child in need and he was no coward. “I’m in.” He finally said.
The Whirlwind waved his forelegs in disbelief. “You do realise there’s a 90% chance this is a trap right?!”
Strong Heart glared at him. “If there is even the slimmest chance somepony is alive down there I’ll be damned if I just walk away!” He walked forward with Sunny and Iron Hide behind him.
Zeara grabbed Whirlwind by the back of his mane and pulled his face to hers. “You are an embarrassment to my Squad and my reputation!” She glared into his quivering eyes. “If you want to stay in Raven you will stay out here and stand guard. If I come back and find you gone I will personally hunt you down and skin you alive.” She shook him in anger. “With a butter knife!” She let him go and looked at Kyl. “At least you got some balls wolf eyes. Maybe I was too harsh on you.” She gestured with her hoof to the mine. “Come on after you dog boy.”
Kyl huffed quietly and moved to the mine with Zeara right behind him. The five of them entered one by one, trying to avoid the dripping blood that dripped off the doorframe. Inside was even worse with the walls and floor of the tunnel soaked in flowing blood from outside. They had to be careful not to slip and fall or that would be an unpleasant experience. The smell was so strong Kyl had to make a real effort not to throw up and he noticed he wasn’t the only one. Everyone was snorting and shaking their heads to stave off the retched stench of decay. “I already regret this.” Sunny stated as she coughed. “What in the Earth god’s name is even down here?”
The crying was still going and Strong Heart spoke up despite his coughing. “That dos…doesn’t matter right now we…we got a filly in here and we to find um.”
All of this still didn’t make any sense. What was going on here? The tunnel they were in soon turned to black when they got too deep for the daylight to reach. Kyl and Zeara cast light spells and they light up the tunnel in a mix of red and green. It was now even creepier with the lights cause they could see the tunnel walls clearly now. They were covered in hoof prints, drag marks and bits of fur. The light’s ring of elimination was small and beyond that was just darkness. “Come on.” Strong Heart stated. “Let’s get a move on. The sooner we find that Filly the sooner we can get out of here and get to the bottom of this.”
They went further into the mine, staying tight together and keeping their guard up. Kyl’s head acted like it was on a swivel, looking behind himself nearly every ten seconds. Kyl couldn’t stop thinking about the thing that had touched his tail. Was it even a thing, had he imagined it? He was unsure but what he was sure of was there is something down here other than the filly. The filly sounded close, the child’s distressed cries were getting louder and louder, so loud it filled his head. Something moved in the darkness and he put his hoof up. “Everypony stop!” He whispered in an alarmed tone. “Did you see that?”
Everyone was silent as they squinted their eyes to try and see, till Zeara cast her floating ball of light forward till it hit the end of the tunnel. There was nothing it was completely empty save for something on the floor. The sobbing kept on going. “Move up, slowly.” Strong Heart whispered and they crept up to Zeara’s ball of light and found themselves at a “T” junction in the mine. “Set up a watch now.” Strong Heart ordered and everyone including Kyl looked down all three tunnels while Strong Heart looked at what was on the ground. The floor was slick with fresh blood and something else. Kyl glanced over his shoulder for a better look. “Zeara what do you make of this?”
Zeara came up close with Strong Heart and examined what was on the floor. “It looks like…skin?”
“Skin?” Sunny asked over her own shoulder, she was standing on two legs while she aimed her crossbow. She sounded muddled. “Skin from what?”
“It’s…pony skin.” Zeara said in a slow shocked manner.
“Really?!” Sunny said in disbelief. “That’s just disgusting.”
Kyl had turned sideways now and was looking right at the blob of flesh on the floor. It didn’t look like it had been torn off a body no, it looked like shedding like snake skin but in this case pony skin. “This is just getting more and more fucked up.” Iron Hide said adding his thoughts to the table. “What’s happening down…”
A high set of clicking could be heard somewhere down one of the tunnels and everyone froze. “What was that?” Sunny whispered in alarm. The clicking was similar to a bat’s but much louder and deeper. Each row of clicking lasted about five seconds till it stopped and all that could be heard now was everyone’s deep nervous breathing. Sunny’s eyes were a dull orange now and she just stared down her crossbow with a look of dread. “I’m not ok with this anymore.” Sunny said with fright in her voice.
Kyl gave her a quick bump of his elbow to her right hip and said reassuringly. “Hay buck up we’re still together and we’re still a team.” Kyl found that sentence rather funny since he was the one who said it and not her. He guessed she needed some support now and then and not just him.
She moved a little closer to him and nodded quietly. The sobbing from the filly somewhere down the tunnel continued to echo but Kyl and he guessed the others were starting to get used to it. It still sent shivers down his spine though. Captain Strong Heart straightened up and looked down the right tunnel. “The cries are coming from this direction. If we’re quick about this we can get out of here sooner so come on let’s move with some haste.”
Strong Heart and Zeara took the lead while Iron Hide, Sunny and Kyl took up the rear. They moved slow but steady, keeping constant vigilance. The floor was dry now with the exception of blood stained hoof prints. Kyl’s heart was racing and his adrenalin was making him twitch at the shadows. It was dark it was so bloody dark, he hated it. Sunny was no better, her crossbow was twitching left and right every five seconds and her eyeballs were wide open, constantly scanning the dark. Iron Hide was a little better the guy was a veteran after all but even he was on edge. Zeara and Strong Heart were the most at ease but Kyl could tell this place was bothering them, how could it not.
Sargent Whirlwind
“I’m not a cowered.” Whirlwind said to himself as he paced back and forth outside of the mine’s entrance. “I’m just not stupid. Ohhh damnit, damnit!” He stopped pacing and sighed deeply. “Well I hope their fine down there without me.” He took a look around, taking in the beautiful landscape. Being so close to the Ophlidite homeland the hills were covered in green forests and all kinds of bird life in different colours. It was also humid and since he was so used to the cold he was sweating in his armour. He had been flapping his wings to generate some air but after a while he got too tired and his wings began to ach. “I hate this place.” He groaned with a sigh.
Something cracked in the under brush around him and his ears pricked up. He lifted his head sharply, looking around for the source of the sound. There was nothing. Whirlwind shook his head and sighed again. “Just hearing things.” He muttered to himself and lowered his head again. This was so boring for him, he had half a mind to actually go off and get some legion troops, bring them back here and set up a real perimeter. “But nooo Zeara said to stay and guard the entrance or she’d eat me or something.” He said to himself in a bad imitation of Zeara. He heard another cracking sound in the underbrush and he looked up again narrowing his eyes. There was now rustling too so Whirlwind slowly stood on his back legs and unslung his crossbow, switch was the same make as Sunny’s. “Who’s there?” He called out, scanning the area. The rustling continued and it sounded like it was getting closer. “Knock it off!” Whirlwind growled as he aimed his crossbow from his hip to the long grass in front of him. “This is Special Operations of the Equestrian legion, show yourself right now!” No one answered or showed themselves. “I’m not bloody joking I will kill you!”
Something moved in the grass he could see it. It moved toward him at an alarming rate. He went into a low hover and aimed down his crossbow. “Stop I order you to stop!” It kept on coming toward him and he got ready to fire. Ten meters, six meters it was closing in fast. He held his breath, took aim and when it was just about to break the grass he pull on the firing lever and let loose a bolt. It shot through the grass and hit something. All movement in the grass stopped and he let out his breath. He pushed forward on the firing lever and loaded another bolt. He then landed and moved forward to the edge of the long grass trying to peer in. When he couldn’t see what he had hit he pushed into the grass till his hoof bumped something. He parted the grass and found a rabbit with his bolt sticking out of its skull.
Whirlwind let out a sigh as a wave of overwhelming relief came over him and laughed quietly to himself. “Oh buck haha it was just a rabbit. Maybe I was just too…” Something made a low clicking sound right behind him, sending chills down his spine. Whirlwind didn’t get a chance to look as his back legs were swept from under him and he was enveloped into the long grass. Something tore into his unprotected belly and his screams could be heard for miles.
Lieutenant Kyl Dark Blood
The tunnel had gotten wider now and they were now passing more and more new tunnels. Each time Kyl looked down one of the seemingly endless black tunnels he couldn’t help but imagine what might be lurking in their shadows. He thought he saw something move again in one of the tunnels and when he shone his light down that tunnel, for a split second he was sure he saw eyes. He gasped and managed to startle everyone else. “What in the moon goddess’s fine ass are you doing?!” Zeara snarled in a lone tone. “You trying to give me a heart attack?”
“I…I thought no I am positive I saw something…in the dark.” He pointed. “Just there down that tunnel.”
Zeara sighed and cast her ball down the tunnel. It went on and on through the dark and Kyl held his breath for what might be…
The ball fizzled out and reappeared next to Zeara. “There’s nothing there.” Zeara sneered. “You just imagined it or something.”
Kyl shook his head. “No I’m sure of it there was something there.”
“What did it look like?” Sunny asked with a head tilt.
Kyle looked at the tunnel again then back at the group. “I…I saw…I saw eyes, staring at me in the dark.”
“He’s losing it Heart.” Zeara sneered again. “And to think I thought you had guts.”
“That’s enough Zeara.” Strong Heart ordered. “Remember what I said before?”
Zeara glared at Strong Heart with hate in her eyes. “No fuck you Heart I’m tired of this.” She pointed at Kyl. “I hate Wolven and I most defiantly hate Wolven half breeds!” She then pointed at Strong Heart. “And you just want me to respect that just cause you told me to?” She shoved him. “Fuck you Heart.”
Zeara pushed passed everyone and trotted on ahead. “Wait Zeara stay in the group.” About three meters she stopped long enough for everyone to catch up. “Zeara now you listen to me we…” Strong Heart stopped talking. In front of them just out of the light meters away was a small figure roughly child sized and it was sobbing. In all the paranoia Kyl had felt he had drowned out the child’s cries until right now.
The child looked roughly three or four years of age but he still couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl, all kids sounded the same to him. He could tell the child had a brown coat and dark grey mane and was so skinny he could see the child’s ribs. What was odd though was the child was facing away from them and didn’t seem to be aware they were there.
“It’s the filly.” Sunny said with relief in her voice and Kyl noticed her eyes had turned blue. She looked at Strong Heart and he nodded at her to go and get the child’s attention. Sunny slid her crossbow to her side and slowly approached the crying filly. “Hay there sweet heart can you hear me?” Her voice was soft and quiet as she moved closer to the child. The child was still unresponsive and just kept on sobbing. “Kyl give me some light will ya?” She asked.
Kyl moved his ball of light forward slowly as Zeara started talking to Strong Heart. “Heart there’s something off here I mean just look at her?” Kyl wasn’t looking at Zeara at the time so he didn’t see her gesturing to the child. As the light got closer Kyl had to admit something was off. But before he could think the child suddenly stopped sobbing and went silent. That silence made a cold feeling in the pit of Kyl’s stomach, chilling him from the inside. Then the child slowly started to turn its head in the group’s direction and Kyl swore he heard stiff bone cracking. Sunny gasped when the child shakily snapped its head around and reviled its face.
Kyl’s heart seemed to stop when he gazed upon the child’s ravaged features. Its mouth was rotten into an inequinely large permanent smile, the flesh around its throat and chest were completely missing and its eyes were black and soulless pits. It made a low crackling sound with its exposed vocal cords and began to open its mouth till it had stretched four times the length of an average pony. “Sunny get away from it!” Captain Strong Heart ran forward and pushed Sunny to the side just as the child leaped through the air with startling speed and clamped its needle like teeth into Strong Heart’s neck. “AAAAHHHHHAAA!!!!” The Captain cried out in pain. “DAMNIT GET IT OFF ME!!!”
“Heart!” Zeara leaped over and Kyl regained his senses enough to do the same. They both grabbed the child, creature, thing’s legs with their hooves and begun to pray it off the Captain. Its upper teeth were completely broken on Strong Heart’s armour but its lower teeth had driven through the captain’s under clothing and into his flesh. After what felt like forever they finally got it off him and it began to emit a high pitched screech while trying to bite in the direction of Strong Heart. Zeara put a stop to it by slamming the creature’s head into the rock wall a few times till its head was nothing more than bloody mush. She dropped the tiny body and immediately turned to Strong Heart. “Heart are you ok?”
While Strong Heart kept saying he was fine, Kyl went over to Sunny who was laying on the ground with a look of pure horror and shock on her face. “Sunny are you hurt?” He sat down beside her and gave her a pat down. “Answer me Sunny.”
She blinked and shook her head, her eyes were pure orange now. “N…no I’m fine, I’m fine ok I’m fine.” She sat up with Kyl’s help and she stared at the headless body of the child. “What hell was that…that thing? It wasn’t pony, it wasn’t.”
Kyl gave her a hug to calm her down. She was physically trembling. “It’s ok you’re fine, we’re fine everything is ok. Right?” He looked to Strong Heart as he let go of Sunny, who’s eyes were still bright orange.
Strong Heart’s neck was bleeding and staining his chest plate. Zeara kept fussing with the wound till he firmly pushed her away. “That’s enough Zeara I said I’m fine.”
Zeara glared at him angrily and she snapped. “At least let me look at it you foal of a nag! There’s no telling what could have been in that thing’s mouth!”
Strong Heart shook his head and snapped back at her. “I’ve had worse!”
Zeara scowled. “This is because of the way I act isn’t it? You’re so fed up with me you won’t even accept medical help FROM ME!” She shook her hoof at him. “You selfish old bastard why I should just…”
Zeara didn’t get a chance to finish her rant when Iron Hide suddenly yelled out “Captains!?” Everyone looked at him and saw he had a look of terror on his face. He lifted one of his forehooves and pointed passed them. “Wh…what is that!”
Kyl and everyone else looked in the direction he was pointing. Kyl floated his light there and from the darkness hundreds of dead eyes stared right back at them. One stepped or more like shuffled into the light reviling their disturbing features. Like the child it had an unnaturally large bloody smile carved up and passed its cheeks, it also looked very rotten. Its eyes were black save for the centaur, which was pure white. The rest of its body looked very rotted, skinny and was missing a lot of flesh, some even looked to have been torn off with teeth. Teeth! That was the most disturbing part. Its teeth were not equine at all they were long and needle like, dripping with blood and saliva. It opened its massive mouth and let out a blood-chilling wale that sent the others behind it into frenzy.
Sunny was the first to react by levelling her crossbow and firing a bolt into the nearest monster’s neck. It didn’t even seem to notice when the bolt embedded itself in the rotten thing’s flesh. It lunged at her with its mouth wide open and extending not hooves but bone like claws. Kyl was quick to react by bucking it in the side of the head before it could even touch her. Kyl’s heart was pounding in his chest with fear as another came at his blind side but was incinerated instantly by a bolt of green lightening. More bolts of green energy blasted forward as Zeara shouted. “GET YOUR FLANKS MOVING YOU IDIOTS!!”
Kyl and Sunny backed up quickly to Zeara while she cut down a wave of the hellish monsters. “What in the name of Terrato are these things?!” Kyl yelled as Zeara kept them at bay.
More screeching sounds came from their sides and when Kyl looked more fo them were coming out of the side tunnels, charging, shuffling and even falling their way to the group. Kyl let out a jet of flame from his horn to keep them from getting closer but it didn’t seem to be effective ay all. Even while on fire they kept on charging toward them with an almost single minded drive to kill. Kyl’s mind was taking in too much to handle so he did the one thing that came to mind. He use a telekinetic push with the force of a bolder to send the rotten, flaming beasts flying back. It actually proved to be effective when all the burning creatures piled on top of one another and formed a burning barricade of screaming bodies.
“That should hold them.” Kyl thought as he took a second to catch his breath. That’s when he felt the ground shake and noticed cracks start to form on the walls. “Oh shit!” Kyl thought in alarm. His telekinetic spell must have made the tunnel unstable and now it was going to fall.
He spun around as the cracking went above his head and over to the group. They were all too focused on fighting that they didn’t notice the impending danger.
Strong Heart and Iron Hide were together fighting off the wretched beasts with their armoured hooves and Strong Hearts sword while Sunny and Zeara used ranged attacks. The cracking was right over them now and Kyl had to act. He ran for them as a single chip of rock fell and dinged off of Iron Hide’s helm. “Everypony watch out!”
Strong Heart and Sunny seemed to actually listen and move out of the way while Zeara and Iron Hide looked up at the roof. Kyl only had a split second to make one of them move and without another thought he used his magic to grab Zeara and pull her over to him. Iron Hide was only able to let out a single disturbed cry before he was horrifically crushed under a mountain’s weight of rock. “No nooo Iron Hide!” Zeara screamed as Kyl let her go. She looked mortified at the death of her squad mate and she began to take steps forward when the rest of the walls started caving in.
“Zeara RUN!!” Seemingly without a second thought Zeara came to her senses and began to run with Kyl as the tunnel fell in behind them. The burning bodies of the freaks where quickly destroyed by Zeara’s green energy as they ran as fast as their four legs could carry them. More freaks emerged from the darkness ready to tear them apart but Zeara was on point and vaporized all in her path. Those that she missed were ether zapped by Kyl’s own magic or were crushed by the collapsing tunnel. The falling tunnel was getting so close Kyl sped up till he was beside Zeara and when he timed it right he slammed her with him into a side tunnel where they now lay. For safety Kyl threw up a bubble shield to stop loss rocks from harming them till the ground stopped shaking. He dropped the shield and immediately inhaled a load of dust, causing him and Zeara to cough uncontrollably.
After some more coughing Kyl managed to ask Zeara. “Zeara you…ok?” And she responded by punching him in the face. She was then on top of him pressing her hooves onto his throat.
“YOU IDIOT!!!” She screamed, as she pressed harder. “YOU GOT IRON HIDE KILLED!!!”
Kyl gasped for air as he pushed on her chest plate to try and get her off but she wouldn’t move. After a few more seconds when he thought she was going to break his neck she released him, letting him roll on his side. He coughed violently till he got his breath back and looked up at her glaring intense green eyes. “What…you prefer it was you…under that rock?”
Zeara looked like she was going to hit him again but she didn’t after gritting her teeth. “Get up!” she growled.
He struggled to his hooves still coughing while Zeara shone her light to what used to be a tunnel. Now it was nothing more than a rock and rubble wall. Kyl had to admit in his mind they were very lucky they didn’t end up like meat paste, it’s not everyday you out run a cave in. He looked down the only way they could go. Sunny and Strong Heart were still alive he knew they were. “Come on.” He said to Zeara who was still staring blankly at the caved in tunnel. “Zeara we have to go now.”
“Give me a second!” She snapped, turning to glare at him once more. “Just…let me think!”
Kyl frowned at her and enforced the issue. “We don’t have time for that we need to find the Captain and Sunny. They can’t see in the dark without us so…”
“Shut up dog!” Zeara shouted and went to strike him. “Let me think!”
Kyl had, had just about enough of this mare’s attitude. As she swung her hoof for his face he moved to the side so her blow past him and then wrapped his own hooves around hers. He then twisted backwards and made her flip onto her back with a load thud. She grunted as her leg was held in a painful angel, locking her in place. “First off…” Kyl stated in an angry controlled manner. “I’m not a dog. Second, you need to pull it together. What would Strong Heart think if he saw you like this huh?”
“Piss off!” She growled. “You know nothing about me!”
“I know you and Strong Heart are close that much is obvious.” She went silent at that. “Come on Zeara help me find him so we can get out of this mess and warn everypony of what’s happened here.”
Zeara’s face went through several different angry expressions till she rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine ok just let me up already.” Kyl released her and she swiftly got to her hooves. She then brushed her self off and gave Kyl a dirty look. “This isn’t over wolf eyes. Now come on let’s get moving.” She then shoved past him and Kyl huffed in disbelief as he shook his head.
“There’s just no pleasing some ponies.” He thought and followed her through the darkness.
Lieutenant Sun Burst/aka Sunny
After the cave in everything went pitch black. The only thing Sunny could hear was her own heat hammering in her chest and her frightened sharp intakes of breath. A part from that there was no sound, which was terrifying in itself. “Am…am I dead?” Sunny said aloud.
“No.” A deep voice groaned. “At least…I don’t think so.” She felt Captain Strong Heart pat her left shoulder and ask. “Come on, get that thing out you like so much.”
Sunny shook her head and collected her shaken mind. She fumbled through her many pockets till she found a small metal case. She flipped it open and shiftily rolled a piece of flit in it till it sparked into a tinny orange flame. The ponies of the Heart Land called it…a lighter. “Sorry almost forgot I had this.” Her voice was shaky, still suffering from the shock of seeing Iron Hide get crushed into a sickening mess and the many faces of those things. The flame from the lighter was pitiful at best but in these dark lightless tunnels it shone like a beacon.
Strong Heart was lying next to her. “Good work Lieutenant.” He said getting to his hooves. “Now…question is…where the hell are we?”
Sunny was still shakily breathing as she paned around till she was looking at a wall of rock and rubble. Through the cracks in the rubble blood was seeping out and Sunny gasped in shock. She tried to move away but she found her tail was stuck under the rubble. She felt panic rise in her chest as she tugged to get free but it only caused her pain. “Captain help me please!”
Strong Heart gave her a pat on the shoulder. “Hay relax it’s no big deal.” He said reassuringly as he pulled a smaller blade out of a slot in his barding. “I’ll get you free in a jiffy.” He cut her golden white tail and she was free. “There that was easy wasn’t it?”
Sunny inspected her tail. She made a little “Ooohh” Sound as she saw her tail was now just a bristled stump. It would be a while till it grew back but she could live with it. Strong Heart put his knife away and began to make raspy coughs and he attempted to cover his mouth. “Captain?” Sunny asked in concern. “Are you ok?”
She shone the lighter’s flame in front of Strong Heart and her eyes fixed on his bit wound. The wound was still bleeding and was staining his chest plate. “I’m fine Sun…aahhh…Sunny I’m fine.”
Sunny wasn’t so sure, his face wasn’t its usual grey colour, now it was more pale. “Can I at least bandage it? It’s still bleeding.”
Strong Heart touched his neck and looked at his own blood in puzzlement. “Funny, it’s odd but I don’t even feel it.” He said in an almost daydream sort of way.
Sunny got out her medic kit and made him sit down. “We’re not moving till I dress this.” He made a soft huff as she handed him the lighter and let her get to work. She quickly unstrapped his neck guard then got a bottle of alcohol and a clean bit a cloth. She then cleaned the wound and Strong Heart winced. As she began wrapping a clean bandage around his neck she asked him. “Sir do you think the others are still alive?”
Strong Heart seemed to consider this for a moment then said. “I’m sure they’re fine, we just need to fine them is all.”
“What were those things? I…I’ve never seen anything like them before. They…they looked like…” Strong Heart interrupted Sunny when he said.
“The settlers, they looked like the settlers.” He grunted when Sunny was finished tying off the bandage and gave her back her lighter. “Come on let’s get moving.”
“I’m right behind you Sir.” Sunny replied with confidence. Since she had to hold the lighter and use her crossbow Strong Heart allowed her to sit on his back since she was the smallest out of her squad. “Not really behind him then huh?” Sunny thought to herself.
…
They had been going down tunnel after tunnel till Strong Heart started wheezing and he stopped. Sunny got off of him and tried to see what was wrong. “Captain what’s wrong? Captain?!”
Strong Heart was sweating a lot and when she put a hoof on his cheek it was burning hot. “I…” Strong Heart wheezed. “I just…need a minute…to catch my breath.”
Sunny wondered if this was her doing. “I’m sorry Sir I…I should have walked you shouldn’t have…”
Strong Heart put a hoof on hers, making her go quiet. “No no Sunny it’s not your fault I just…feel breathless all of a sudden.” He lifted his head. “Do me a favour and get this helmet off me please.” Sunny did as she was asked and unstrapped his helm. His steel mane looked all sticky with sweat and his already pale face was even paler now. He sat down with his head held low. “Why is it so…dam cold?”
Sunny was really worried now. What was wrong with him? He was completely fine thirty minutes ago. She checked his bit wound. The bandage was soaked in dried blood and when she pulled it down her eyes widened in shock. The wound was all black with black veins surrounding it. It smelled like decay and she wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Sir your…your wound I…I think it’s infected with something.” Was it venom? Sunny didn’t get a chance to think about it when she heard some clicking sounds in the dark. She dropped the lighter by mistake and it flipped shut, enveloping the tunnel in darkness. “NO, no, no, no!” She fell to the floor and fumbled about till she found it again. She opened it and franticly spun the flint inside. The clicking got louder and panic started to seep into Sunny’s mind as her heart rate quickened. She gasped and yelped till the lighter sparked, lighting up the tunnel with its flame and…there was nothing there. No creatures, no sounds. She was breathing heavily. She put the lighter on the floor upright and unslung her crossbow. It was empty so she got a new set of three bolts and shakily slid them in at the bottom. As she pushed the lever forward to load the first bolt she noticed Strong Heart had collapsed. He was twitching violently and his eyes had rolled into the back of his head. “Captain?”
Suddenly his skin started split in several places and began to bleed profusely. Sunny yelped in shock and terror as he began to scream. She had never heard a pony scream so loud before, not even ponies getting eaten alive by Wolven screamed so load or was it because of the small tunnel. Sunny couldn’t tell she was too focused on the nightmare in front of her. His veins started to bulge under his skin and his eyes, they were going all inky black. He suddenly sprang to his hooves and began to pound the rock wall with his hooves. Sunny was trembling as she took a step back and watched on, her mind blank with terror. She hugged her crossbow close to her chest as the Captain continued to pound the wall, taking chunks out of it till she heard one of his hoof joints break. She then hit the wall behind her and he spun around to face her. His eyes they were completely black now and his mouth. The skin around his mouth was had began to peel away and bleed. Blood. Everywhere on his face he was bleeding, his eyes, his nose and his ears they were all bleeding. “Captain…what…what’s happening to you?” She asked in a frightened whisper.
Strong Heart opened his mouth and some of his teeth fell out and hit the floor. From the gaps in his teeth new pointer teeth started to stick through. Then it all came to her as he slowly shuffled toward her as the skin around his mouth split apart into a gaping maw. He…was turning into one of them.
The Captain lunged forward and Sunny came to her senses. She dove out of the way and the Captain impacted the wall. She rolled onto her hind legs and took aim. “Captain don’t make me do this!” She screamed, tears running down her cheeks. The Captain pushed off from the wall and teetered a bit till he was looking right at her with a disturbingly large grin. He began to shuffle to her again in an almost single minded manner. Sunny tried to contain herself through her sobs as she fired a bolt and it struck him in the neck. He didn’t even notice and kept on shuffling toward her. She loaded another, fired it too. It hit the gap in his shoulder still no effect. She loaded the last one, shot his neck again but nothing worked. He lunged forward and Sunny screamed. She bolted for it in the dark leaving behind the lighted. She hit many walls but she quickly franticly felt her way and ran till she hit a wall again. She didn’t stop, couldn’t stop. She could hear him behind her his breath on her neck. She screamed.
“HELP MEEE!!!!!”