Too Much had seen a lot in her life. It happens when you pursue a career in the black market. Things get pretty strange from time to time. However, a sword wielding, fancily dress earth dragon barging through her window sprouting something about heresy took the freaking cake. “Who the hell are you?” She shouted in rage. Yes, she was surprised, but she wasn’t going to let it show to her underlings. Too Much had a reputation to uphold.
“I am Char,” the earth dragon proclaimed. “Lord Inquisitor General of the Pokemon Liberation Army. Student of our glorious savior, Sev.” He smirked and held his swords together in a vicious battle stance. “I am the fist of Arceus here and I decide who dies!”
Too Much snorted. “Decides who dies? You sound like a crazed fanatic,” she shook her head. “If you want to sign your own death sentence, then fine by me. My boys and girls are more than enough to skin your sorry hide. I may even sell it to the griffins. Oh how much they prize dragon hides, off the record of course.” Which was true. Griffins loved dragon hide. It was perfect for their armor and made for comfortable everyday wear. Of course, it was illegal in that country. ‘Didn’t stop me.’
“The words of heathens scares not the faithful,” the dragon quoted. “For they stand firm against the evils of the earth. Thrust upon me your sins and I shall cleanse them in holy fire.”
‘Oh he definitely is a religious nutjob.’
“Too Much,” Caballeron spoke, his voice wavering in fear. “Perhaps we should make a break for it.”
“It’s one scrawny dragon,” Too Much sneered. “My workers can take him. I pay them more than enough to do so. I mean, just look at him. He won’t last five seconds.”
“These creatures are more than they appear,” Caballeron said.
Too Much rolled her eyes and poke him harshly in the chest. “Just shut up, coward. My workers will deal with him and then you’ll pay up like you promised.” She hated the stallion and honestly thought about using his body to distract the dragon. Of course, she still needed him. He had deep pockets. They were deep enough that his death could stir up all sorts of trouble in the underground. ‘I am not dealing with that.’
“The heathens squabble amongst themselves,” the dragon started up again. He was sneering at her! “They know not compassion and comradery for their hearts are sick. Weep and be still as Arceus’s judgment is laid upon your beings.”
Too Much grit her teeth. “I’m going to let that slide, dragon. I’m not a cruel mare. I have mercy within this soul. Leave now and I’ll show you some. Stay and…” She smirked. “Well, die.”
“My death has already been sealed,” the dragon answered. “The lord will decide the moment, not I, nor you. To think yourself master over fate is folly and heresy. My blades will taste the blood of heretics this day, lest you tell me what I want to know.”
“And what’s that?” Too Much narrowed her eyes.
“Where is my master’s sister? Where is Lia?”
“I have no idea who this Lia is,” Too Much scoffed. “And I don’t care. You barge in here looking for the wrong filly, threaten me, and you expect me to just let this go? Hay no.” She held up a hoof and several ponies, griffins, and a minotaur or two, turned their gaze to her. “Last warning, lizard.”
“A lie or a truth the words of a heathen may be,” the dragon took a couple steps closer, swords at the ready. “The faithful will know the difference, for our lord sees all. He whispers in our ears knowledge that aids us in such times. The whispers I hear? Lies.”
Too Much could feel her anger boil over. “That’s it, dragon. You had your chance. Kill him.”
As quickly as she said it, a pegasus stallion flew up from behind with a spear in hoof. As quick as an arrow, he flew straight at the dragon. Too Much expected the slow beat to be dead in no time at all, but he surprised her. The dragon sidestepped the Pegasus and cleaved his head clean off his shoulders.
“Death has come to the sinners,” the dragon chanted. “First blood is spilt. My blade is dirtied with your deeds dealt. Speak mercy and you shall receive none. Speak freedom and the lord will grant it when he sees fit. Amen.”
Too Much grit her teeth. “Stop gawking,” she roared at the other workers, who were stunned at their comrade’s death. “I’m not paying you to gawk. Kill him or I’ll kill you myself.”
That got them into gear. With a mad dash, all the surrounding workers dashed towards the dragon with whatever weapon they had on them. The dragon leaped into the oncoming crowd and landed on a mare’s face, driving her into the ground. With a quick slash of his sword, he severed her spine. No sooner than he had done that, he spun around and stabbed a stallion through the skull. Pulling back, he blocked several blows from all around.
Too Much smirked. ‘He’s surrounded. They have him on the ropes. Oh, he’ll definitely be dead shortly,’ her musings were cut off as the dragon was, even though he had to fight at every angle, able to slice on of his attacker’s throats. Their death gurgles brought a frown to her face. ‘Or perhaps not.’ “Archers.”
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‘Pathetic,’ Char sneered as he battled these slavers. They lacked any sort of coordination and their weapon skills were sorely lacking. Still, he was right to be wary of the horned variety. They seemed to have more tricks up their sleeves. ‘Most likely their part psychic.’ He was thankful there were only a few of them here. Most of the ponies were of the ‘earth’ variety, with a few zebras here and there. He was a little surprised at that, but he surmised that even zebras produced slimy individuals. ‘Heretics are heretics no matter the species.’
So he fought on, easily blocking their slow, confused blows. Char was confident he could kill them all, but it would take too long. His target would get away.
“Archers.”
And there was that. He had to move quickly. So, without further ado, he performed a perfect and volatile ‘Flame Charge’. His body was enveloped in a large, ball of fire and with a simple twirl, the surrounding foes were either burned or forced to retreat. As well, the attack gave him a short speed boost, which he used to quickly run behind some crates to avoid the incoming arrows. Char could hear the ‘ting’ of arrows smashing into metal as he ran. ‘Perhaps I should have brought a crossbow.’
Ranged weapons none withstanding, he knew he could still make the most of this situation. He was a being of faith. Arceus would not let the faithful perish to such insidious wretches. “The wretched curs fear the fires of truth for it burns like no other. They try to smother it whenever their ungodly eyes gaze upon it and that is where they folly. Come, face the fires cowards.”
“That’s it,” a Pegasus mare wielding a bow and arrow flew up top. “I’m tired of listening to your inane…”
She never got to finish. Char inwardly chided the mare for not taking a shot. Speech was well and good, but not when it prolonged an opponents life. As quick as a Electrike, he breathed fire upon his sword and slashed it upwards. The fire scorched the mare, causing her to drop the bow and arrow. He sheathed his swords as he saw the weapon fall. Grabbing them, he jumped up top and without further ado, fired an arrow into one of the other archers, a unicorn stallion’s, head. Grabbing the rest of them, he deftly dodged an arrow for his chest. He knocked his next shot in seconds and fired into the chest of the attacking Pegasus, before silencing the screaming mare with a slash across the throat. ‘That’s better than what she deserved.’
He jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding another death arrow. Before he fell all the way, another ones of his arrows struck true. The Pegasus was dead before he hit the ground. As Char landed, he was unceremoniously kicked by a large cloven hoof.
“I didn’t think a whelp like you could fight,” a minotaur growled, holding a large hammer. He wasn’t armored at all, just wearing clothes you’d see on a docksman. “I was wrong, but let’s see you fight a true warrior.”
“A warrior of truth fights for the lord’s mission,” Char growled as he stood up. He could just kill the beast with a well-timed arrow, but the heretical cur had called himself a ‘true warrior’. He cast the bow to the side and unsheathed his swords. “A warrior of lies fights for not. Speak not as if you are a warrior of truth, for damnation follows the lie. Fall now. Be cleansed in fire and perhaps the lord will grant you salvation.”
The minotaur snorted. “Big talk coming from a lizard.” Without another word, he charged. Char found the creature’s form sloppy and hated how he kept his hammer so high. ‘I am a smaller opponent. Surely he must know it would be much easier to smash me with a low blow.’ Of course, he was a heretic. They knew nothing but folly’s.
Char’s body became surrounded in a bright, red aura. His ‘Strength’ move gave him just enough power to do what he wanted. He ran at his opponent, swords out wide. When the behemoth raised his hammer over his head and brought it down, Char jumped and double kicked the hammer on the head. The weapon flew out of the minotaur’s hands. The beast’s look of shock was replaced with pain as Char stabbed him right between the legs.
“The heretic breeds not,” he opened his maw as a ‘Flame Burst’ quickly formed and fired it into the minotaur’s chest. The beast flew through the air tumbled through a bunch of empty crates. “And the world rejoices. Amen.”
Char turned at the sound of hooves and saw a large wave of workers rush at him from around the corner. He smirked. “BURN HERETICS!” At that, he performed a perfectly large, ‘Flame Blast’. The fiery sign of ‘Dai’ rushed through their lines, burning the message of Arceus into their very beings.
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Too Much gulped as she watched her workers beings slaughtered. “How…the…goddesses?”
“I think this is where we make our leave,” Caballeron started back.
Too Much absentmindedly nodded her head as more screams pierced the air. “I…” she gulped in fear. “Think you’re right.” ‘What the hay did Caballeron get me into? That’s no ordinary dragon.’
“Face your fate, slavers.” Char jumped onto the platform several feet away on their right. His swords were drenched in blood. His teeth bared and fire played around them. His eyes shone with only one thought: kill. “The fate of those who tarnish the good lord’s name and take his children from his bossom. Face it and despair.”
“How about ‘no’,” Too Much shot back and the two ponies made a dash for it. They twisted and turned in an attempt to lose him. All the while, they heard him continue.
“I tread the path of Righteousness. Though it be paved with broken glass, I will walk it barefoot; though it cross rivers of fire, I will pass over them; though it wanders wide, the light of Arceus guides my step.” The dragon shouted as he ran.
“Come on,” Caballeron wasn’t used to all this running so he was already panting. “Don’t you have any more tricks.”
“Yeah,” Too Much smirked and ran into her ‘war room’. Inside were no less than five heavily armored ponies, three griffins, and a minotaur.
“Seems like it’s Tartarus out there,” the minotaur huffed as she hefted a large battle axe.
“Seems like it,” Too Much smirked. “Say, would you be a dear and kill the dragon after us? I’ll pay you triple if you do.”
“Sounds good to me,” the minotaur smirked and the rest of the group charged forward.
“That’ll keep him off our back,” Too Much smirked. ‘But for how long?’
“Oh how cute,” a sinister voice spoke up with a cackle. “You have your own little army. I wonder how long they’ll last.” Suddenly, a portal of dark energy appeared in the middle of the room and out walked none other than Thrist. “Perhaps two, maybe three minutes.”
Too Much grit her teeth. “Who that hay do you think you are barging in here and demeaning my workers.”
“I didn’t demean anyone,” Thrist chided, clicking her tongue. “They did it themselves. Now Caballeron, I think it’s time for us to leave.”
“What?” Both the ponies said in unison.
“Oh you heard me,” Thrist said. “This place is surrounded and I still have need of you.” She turned to Too Much. “Of you? Sadly no. In other time, perhaps I could take you for a sacrifice, but I have bigger ‘subjects’ to test on. You would be such a bore.”
Too Much didn’t know whether to be thankful she didn’t go, or spite her for leaving her to a certain death. “You….”
“Ah-ah-ah,” Thrist twirled a finger. “Let us not be so aggressive. This is business after all.”
“Of course,” Caballeron smirked and made his way to the portal. “Have fun with your dragon.”
Too Much’s jaw dropped as the portal disappeared. Outside she could hear the sounds of screams. So, the normally confident mare did the only thing she could do. She quickly hid behind some cans, curled up, and whimpered in fear. “I should have become a vet like mother said…stupid, stupid me.”
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Char could hear the soldier’s before he even got near to the corner. Their loud armor gave them away and he could literally count them in his head. ‘Nine opponents, heavily armed…Such a sad number, but perhaps favorable. Today, only nine more shall face death.’
As he neared the corner, he opened his mouth wide and released ‘Smokescrean’. A thick cloud of smoke travelled through the hallways and he could hear startled yelps and growls as his opponents were enveloped by it. Dashing around the corner, his fist glowed red as fire surrounded it. His swords had been momentarily sheathed again, so he could assess whether he truly need them. He could see perfectly through the smoke, given his keen eyes. His first victim was what they called a griffin. He was heavily armored, so Char combined Brick Break with Fire Punch. His fist smashed right into the enemy’s stomach. The griffin cried out in agony as fire tore its way through his insides. Leaving the creature to die in holy fire, he took out his swords and slashed through a pony’s neck.
Char could hear the others scream about, trying to get coordinated and attack. He smirked. ‘Confusion and fear come to those blind to the ‘truth’.’ He honestly love this about his job: Killing heretics.
Holding up his hand, he fired a ‘Will-O-Wisp’ into the face of a charging pony. The pony screamed in pain as the strange, blue-ish fire seared his unprotected flesh. Before he could make a killing blow, a griffin made its way to him and tried to slash him with his swords. Char and the griffin exchanged blows and he was honestly impressed with the griffin’s moves. He blocked and parried with just expertize.
Of course, he was still a heretic.
One of Char’s strikes caught his opponent’s wrist, slicing off his left hand. The griffin cried in pain, but kept on. It was noble, but foolish. Without his second sword, the griffin was unable to stop Char from stabbing him through the neck. As the griffin gurgled its last, Char looked over to see the smoke starting to clear. In the middle of the hallway stood three ponies and a griffin close together and a minotaur standing a bit aways.
He needed to get rid of the group first, before he could tackle the harder opponent. Concentrating, he lifted a foot and brought it down. He had been trained this move by one of the elders of the PLA. It was a powerful move that was honestly good for these situations: ‘Fire Pledge’.
Char brought his foot down and instantly, columns of fire shot out of the ground. It honestly looked more like lava. The flame pillars rushed around the group and formed a circle. The minotaur made a move to intercept, but she was too far to stop the attack. The pillars merged, searing all four attackers in one large column of fire.
The minotaur roared a battle cry and charged. She wasn’t stupid like the last one and instead moved the axe sideways in a downward angle. Unfortunately for her, he was ready. His tail glowed as he swung it to intercept. The axe met his ‘Iron Tail’ and they were even. The minotaur pulled back and tricked again, but he parried it with his swords. She was skill however and she kept at it.
Again and again she struck. She used her larger size and strength to her advantage and actually had Char stepping back. He wasn’t used to this and he momentarily thought he might be outmatched. ‘The faithful are always victorious. Arceus is will me. He guides my blades. He will find an opening.’ Of course, his thoughts were interrupted when she managed to punch him. The armored blow sent him into a metal wall, which actually dented it. He groaned in pain. That one blow, which had smashed into his side, had fractured a couple ribs and left a nasty bruise…all over. He coughed up a few specks of blood. “The heretic may land the blow, but they cannot finish the kill. The followers of the lord will survive.”
The minotaur snorted. “We’ll see.” She charged.
So, he thought up a plan. He didn’t lift a limb to block her next swing. Instead, he used ‘Protect’. A green shield formed around his body, stopping the axe. The minotaur stepped back in shock and Char made his move. He leaped forward, fist glowing yellow with electricity, and slammed a ‘Thunder Punch’ into the minotaur’s belly. The armor held, but she cried out in pain as she was electrocuted. She made a swing, but he dodged. Unfortunately, she cut through his favorite hat.
Char growled and opened his mouth. Quickly, blue flames burst forth from his maw. The ‘Inferno’ attack struck the minotaur, sending her screaming into a nearby room. He dashed in after her and surprised to see her stand up. The fire had melted parts of her armor and flesh and still blazed on her. She was shaking and trying to put it out, but wasn’t quite done yet with the fight. She yelled in both pain and anger as she rushed at him.
Char stood and sighed. He tapped the ground and suddenly large rocks jutted out and enclosed the minotaur’s body. Walking calmly to his trapped foe, he clucked his tongue in disappointment. “The efforts of skill are to be commended, if not for the putrid of wrongness that lies behind them. Know the fires that cleanse your skin are holy and blessed by the lord’s prayer. Know nothing more of this world, heretic…You’re off to meet your judgment.” He stabbed a sword right through a socket, finishing her off.
He pulled back and looked over his swords. “They are filthy, ruined with the blood of curs. It saddens my heart to see such fine instruments of the lord’s will like this.” He heard someone whimpering. He walked over the place and knocked over a few cans. Right there was the mare he was looking for, whimpering like a coward.
She gasped and teleported to another spot. “Get away from me!” She fired a blast of psychic at him, which he swiftly dodged. She tried time and time again to hit him, teleporting after every spell. She could have had something with that strategy, if she wasn’t scared out of her wits or her eyes clouded with tears. ‘Pathetic.’
Of course, he had forgotten something very important. An armored pony smashed into his side. He grunted in pain. ‘The one I hit with the Will-O-Wisp. I didn’t finish him off.’ He was going to have to pray long and hard for that mistake.
The pony punched his gut hard and fast, knocking the air of him. However, he still had his wits. His hand glowed brightly and he used ‘Power-Up Punch’ to smash the pony off him with a blow to his enemy’s chin. The pony flew through the air and fell to the floor, unconscious.
Char shakingly got to his feet and coughed up a little more blood. “Perhaps caution in the future is in order. These creatures are more sturdy then humans.” He twirled and around and gonked the mare in the back of the head as she teleported behind him. She fell to the ground and blacked out. “But not by much.”