Project Haven: The snow

by Jakomi of the Rose

Chapter 3: Darkness

There was no way of telling how long they spent in the complex. Hours? It could have been days for all they knew. But Icy didn’t care. All he wanted was to find out what this building had in store. And who built it. For Mane, however, he was on edge and it showed; his head was down, his legs stiff and heavy and he held his sword in a grip that could almost made him bite it clean in two. Under his helmet his eyes twitched as he scanned the shadows. Behind him, Pansy and Gallant tried their best not to laugh at him.

“Cap, stop acting like a filly. There is nothing here.” Gallant chuckled.

Mane growled through gritted teeth, slightly hindered by the hilt of his blade. Pansy snorted and caused Mane to glance back. If they saw his glare they would shut up. But as it looked, she just laughed out loud.

“It’s the darkness here. It’s too quiet.” Mane muttered and felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment. “You never know what could jump out.”

That sealed it. Pansy grinned mischievously and winked at Gallant who smirked back. She sneaked behind Mane and took a quiet breath.

---

A floor up, Icy, Sparks and Light checked every door that they could open and each door met with disappointment the further in they got. Light opened a door and looked inside. Beds. Sparks opened another. More beds. Just as they were about to open the next they heard Mane scream echo all throughout the floor. When the screaming ended, Icy took a worrying step forward. His worry dissipated when a round of raucous laughter echoed.

“DAMN IT!!! STOP DOING THAT!!!” Mane’s extremely angered bellow sounded over the laughter, causing even more laughter.

Sparks and Light had their hooves pressed to their muzzle to keep them from laughing with the crowd. Icy sighed and shook his head.

“Earth-ponies.” Icy muttered and kept his walk until the laughter died down.

Even further into the corridor they were met with an odor that made Light gag. That reaction was switched to shock when they were met with a slumped body. The body was reptilian in appearance. And judging by the clothes, it was a researcher; Despite bloodstained it was white and covering black armored clothing. Its jaw was opened with dark red blood coagulated at its corners. The cause of death was clear; its throat was slit deep enough that it reached its spinal-cord.

Sparks checked it from all sides. Icy have seen dragons in all their shapes and sizes yet this confused him. It lacked wings and anything primal. Its tail was long; almost the length of its body and bony spikes colored gray protruded right till the tip. It showed no signs of it on the back. It did show some small spiky protrusions under its coat. Two fleshy mounds on its chest as well as the shape of the head gave them some idea. It… was a she. Five fingers that ended in claws and feet that had 3 muscular toes that gave some hint of a draconic heritage, muscles in the leg told them it was a predator despite civility in appearance. Scales colored forest green now paled and hardened. By Sparks estimate; she was dead for longer than their lives put together.

Light lit her horn around the left arm to get a look at an odd wired gauntlet that connected to a round metallic ring atop the hand. However, as she lifted it, it started to glow and shape up to a bright red thick transparent gauntlet. Shocked, she let go and stepped back.

What appeared was a rectangular shape and static. There was a male voice through the static but not enough to determine what he said. But by the tone of his voice Icy knew that it was panic and urgency.

“It’s trying to communicate… what do we do?” Sparks asked when he looked at the waves dancing on the gauntlet.

The message repeated and more and more words became clearer. It wasn’t alien. The “gauntlet” was damaged.

“...t has *kzzzt*…ficed! Ev-v-v*krrzt* the *brrst* now!”

Icy stood still, listening to the looping message. It was clearer but still left the question open: What happened here? His light-crystals lit the hallway to his left. Empty. His right, however; blood trailed and ended at the body. Something had attacked this place. And if something as strong as dragon-skin was cut it warranted caution. The gauntlet retreated into the device and died out. The siblings looked at Icy who still looked down the bloodied hallway.

“Commander. What do we do?” Light asked, snapping Icy out of his thoughts.

“Get the device to try and clear up the message. We should meet up with the others.” He spoke with a hint of worry.

They nodded and walked away. Icy’s eyes still trailed down the blooded path, as if it was calling for him. Luring him in.

“Commander!”

Icy started at the calling. Taking one more glance at the hallway he followed Light’s lead.

---

Inferno’s eyes were glued to the ceiling. Metal objects were attached and aiming at them… or they were aimed at something that was taller. They just hung there. Barrels, black with soot and judging by the holes on the floor and walls, it kept something away. Judging also by the lack of blood; they failed. Without moving his head he glanced around the corridor to his team-mates. Topaz and Shaker both scanned the doors and halls. Shaker picked up a small device that was slightly blooded at the handle… it looked like a handle at least. It was almost like a smaller version of the cannons on the ceiling. Shaker smelled the other side and grimaced.

When he threw it down, however, it shot a burst of metal just a whisker from Topaz’s nose. She let out a shriek and jumped back.

“Damn it, Shaker! Watch it!” She hissed angrily while Shaker just gave an indifferent shrug.

Inferno snorted a laugh and levitated the apparent weapon. It looked collapsible and just one poke… four pokes at different buttons finally “sheathed” the weapon. He placed it on his back and kept searching around. The doors were either shut closed or revealing nothing. He looked at a canvas revealing… Equestria? He tilted his head at this. It was like the paintings back in Canterlot but set up as a reminder or for aesthetic values. Perhaps to soothe while they worked. It was without a doubt the mountain which Canterlot was perched. The angle was set up that it was painted from the ground where the forest trees were made to almost reach up to the castle itself. Whoever made it was good… but then again: Why Equestria?

“Hey, Flamer! C’mere!” Shaker called out from the end of the hallway.

Inferno trotted to him and looked where he and Topaz looked. Down the corridor showed a door open enough for one of them to fit through. They looked to one another until Topaz removed her weapon and squeezed through. Shaker handed her the armor and as she promptly put it on Inferno lit his horn and shone it inside.

Just as she put the metal-plating on she turned around… only to backpedal into the door as she looked at the corpse of one of the reptilians. It was hunched over with its legs spread and claws limply grasping a miniature cannon. It was fully armored and a metallic helmet with a visor covered its face.

She was looking at it until she winced when a metallic grinding hurt her ears. She splayed them back, gritted her teeth and turned to the opening where Shaker pried the door open with the help of Inferno’s telekinesis. Once fully opened she scowled at them then turned back to the creature. The cause of death was a hole in the chest where the heart would’ve been. Its armor made Inferno raise his eyebrows. Then he lit up the rest of the room. Rows on rows of thin swords in thick metal scabbards and more of the smaller cannons stood snuggly against their racks.

One rack of long rectangular canisters with a single binocular stood in the innermost side of the room. Almost the length of her body. She grabbed one and looked into the binocular. It was surprisingly light but she didn’t like how it was designed to be held. Putting it back on the rack she went around the room until she came to armors. One section seemed to have undergarments that seemed to be made of a material they never seen. The armor on the other hoof was more advanced than their own.

Shaker looked at one set that had two circular objects protruding in a section but once turned around it had several gem patterns with black spots on selected areas. He looked at Inferno who seemed entranced by one of the swords. Unlike theirs; the swords on the rack was made to be attached to the armor through a metal arm.

*bzzzzt*

Shaker jumped at the sudden sound and turned to see Inferno over the corpse. The left hand glowed when a red transparent “glove” showed a rectangular box. They gathered around as lines waved.

“*kzzt*--ep it-t-t a-a-a*bzzzrr* M-m-us---le---*kzz*”

“What does it say?” Topaz asked when the message kept playing.

“*bzzt* ---th---ead-d-d*tzzz*-osed!”

Inferno glanced down at the message. It spoke Equestrian or something similar to it. They understood it to some degree. He looked around the room until his eyes stopped at metallic boxes in the next room. Unlike this one it was fully opened with another reptilian dead just at the threshold. Upon closer inspection it had a large gash between its back-spines. Its wound had severed its spine and tearing its armored skin deep enough to puncture its right lung.

Topaz walked into the next room and with her light crystals she looked around. Boxes. Rows on rows with boxes made of metal with color-coding. What they meant she didn’t know. A light metallic scraping made her look down. A metallic framing a surface made of glass brought forth her curious side. Tapping one of the buttons on the side, the screen lit up with listings. The language was unknown but if they spoke their language why wasn’t the text the same way?

“TOPAZ?!”

That yell made whinny and turn. Her helmet crackled and Mane’s voice sounded.

“Damn it, Mane! You scared the crap out of me!” Topaz scolded, her face warming up when she heard Inferno and Shaker snicker.

“We need you three down here. We found something.” Mane responding, oblivious to his teammate’s reaction.

Topaz growled and rolled her eyes.

“Yes, that’s all well and good but did you have to yell?” she asked with hint of anger.

Mane was silent for a while before sighing.

“Transmission is bad in here. Tried to contact you before but without response. Just get down here. Lowest level.”

Then, transmission ended.

Author's Note:

Well, this took a long time to write. Don't worry, I'll make up for it. Next one will be released next month. I'll make sure of it... I hope.