Flame of Disparity

by Cinders of War

Chapter 2: Theiros, City of the Lost

Sunset cut off the transparent cloth of her dress, seeing as there wasn't any point to it for the time being. She carefully tied it around her hand and arm, bandaging up her wounds and securing them tightly. Parts of her jacket and jeans had torn a little from her adventure today, but at least she herself was still mostly intact. All set, the fiery haired girl left the little alcove under a bridge, heading along another street, looking for a way into the sewers that the strange man had told her about.

Every single step, Sunset Shimmer expected something to jump out from a corner, trying to tear her face off, but so far, she was still alone. The occasional roars and screams could still be heard somewhere in the city, but she couldn't pinpoint their exact location, though a few sounded too close for comfort.

“I just want to go home…” Sunset muttered under her breath, wishing her words could take effect and send her home. Whatever this dream was, it seemed to go on forever. She just wanted to wake up now and forget it all. “Just get up, Sunset. It’s just a dream. It’s just a dream…”

The next corner was filled with crates and empty cages, stacked past Sunset’s head all along the pavement. A group of people stood all the way on the other side of the street next to a fire, watching the embers dissipate out into the sky.

The girl quickly ducked back behind some crates, observing the men ahead. They looked like the strange man that told her where to go, but he did tell her that most of the people here would kill for her ‘flame’, or whatever he meant. Sunset didn't want to take her chances, so she edged around the crates, squeezing herself through to a small alleyway, filled with fog and murky puddles. The path led straight ahead, but when she was almost halfway through, something walked out from the fog just in front of her. It looked like a crow, but it was fat and slimy, dragging its bloated self along the ground towards her.

“Stay back!” Sunset yelled at it, pointing her sword tip towards the crow creature.

It didn’t show any signs of understanding her, continuing to edge its way forward very slowly. Sunset really didn’t want to do it, but she swung her sword, trying to perhaps chase it away with her sharp weapon instead. It halted for a second, allowing Sunset a single moment to breath, just before it launched its body toward the surprised girl, its beak aiming straight for her heart.

“Ah!” Sunset screamed and swung the sword instinctively.

There was a sickening sloshing sound, followed shortly by a thud on the cobbled ground. Sunset inched an eye open, noticing the crow’s lifeless body by her feet, its head over to the side, still staring straight at her.

“No no no no…” Sunset placed a hand on her head. A wave of dizziness hit her, forcing her down on one knee. All her life, she had never killed something like that. It felt wrong, but Sunset just kept telling herself it was all a dream. None of this was real.

Dusting her jeans, the fiery haired girl stood back up and wiped her forehead, flicking the droplets of sweat onto the already wet ground. She pressed on, keeping her eyes open for any kind of sewer entrance. If this city was like any other city, there would’ve been nanholes on the streets to allow her to get down into the Thieves’ Passage the man had told her about, but until now, Sunset had yet to find one.

“Over here!” a voice sounded from a foggy street to her left. “I saw something. A flame!”

Oh no. Sunset Shimmer began breathing anxiously. Someone had definitely seen her. She had to find the sewers fast, or at least someplace to hide.

Forgetting any sense of staying out of sight, Sunset took off, her black boots clacking against the stone ground as she raced out to the main street. More footsteps echoed between the buildings behind her, along with the gruff voice of a man.

The girl turned right first, then left, then left again. She passed through street after street, looking for anything she could use to take shelter in.

She couldn’t find any.

Three men showed up behind her, not too far from her position. One had a shaggy mane around his head, covering almost all his facial features. The second one had a top hat over a shaven face, and the third man had a moustache over a mouth with missing teeth. Each man looked like they’d died and come back to life.

The three of them slowly advanced, each one carrying a weapon of sorts. One had a club, while the other two had shovels. Each man also carried a wooden shield, like the strange man Sunset had met earlier.

Sunset Shimmer turned her front to them and flashed her sword ahead, hoping to scare them off. The first two men stopped, wary of her blade, but the third one wasn’t convinced she could use it. He pushed past his comrades and walked towards the girl, shield raised, just in case.

Sunset took a few steps back, looking once behind her shoulder. She could always keep running. Surely she could outrun them. She didn’t have anymore time to ask questions as the three men broke into runs, dashing straight for her, their weapons raised to attack. Sunset immediately turned on her heel and ran, not looking back. Three against one was out of the question, and she didn’t know if she was good enough to face even one of them. It’s been a long time since she had her hands on a sword.

The fiery haired girl kept running, turning corners to try and lose the attackers. Somehow, those three shambling men kept up with her, never straying too far out of sight. Whether it was good luck or bad, Sunset found the main street, along with a river flowing under a bridge, its water dark and murky with trash and destroyed objects.

She turned her head back over her shoulder once; the men were gaining on her, still on her trail. Not thinking anymore, Sunset ran straight for the water edge, climbing over the stone railing. She grabbed ahold of a lower piece of stone, dropping down a few feet, slowly making her way down to a platform below.

The schoolgirl only let herself breathe when her boots touched the slippery floor below. She pressed her back against the wall and crouched down, holding her breath to the best of her ability. She could hear the men above, slowing to a stop on the bridge just over her. Sunset Shimmer shimmied herself into the shadows, out of sight from the edge of the bridge.

“She got away…” one of them wheezed, gagging and coughing.

“Look around! We mustn't lose the flame!”

“But the beasts-”

“Then hurry up! Either we find the flame now, or…”

“Or what?” Sunset heard another voice. “Oh no…”

Then a scream pierced the air around her, echoing across the space under the bridge, forcing Sunset’s hands to her ears. It sounded very beast-like, but more disturbing than any animal the girl knew.

“Get back! Run!” one of the men above called out.

There was the sound of boots on the pavement again, but not even three seconds in, there was a new sound of something slicing its way along the ground and then a scream from one of the men.

Sunset’s heart was in her throat as she listened to the voices of the men, disappearing one by one, along with the bestial scream from before.

Then it was silent.

Sunset almost forgot to start breathing, but remembered to do so when her face began to change colour. The streets above were quiet. Much too quiet. The girl was sure she didn’t hear the creature leave the area after it finished off the men chasing her, but she didn’t want to go back up there to find out.

Inching along the path below the bridge, Sunset Shimmer almost failed to notice the large shape, hanging just directly above her, waiting. It’s gleaming eyes gave it away, allowing Sunset one extra second to dodge to the right, narrowly missing a set of razor sharp claws.

“What…?” Sunset gasped as she rolled to a stand. Before her stood a creature more gruesome and disfigured than she had even seen before.

It had a panther like head with teeth that stuck out from its lower jaw, though it looked like some sort of demonic figure straight from the depths of Tartarus; its black fur was matted in several spots, along with cuts and scrapes along its entire form. What scared Sunset the most were its golden cat eyes, staring right back at her as if it could sense her fear. It stood on all fours, pawing at the ground with its claws, watching the schoolgirl.

Raising her sword, Sunset swiped to the left as she ran past the creature, parrying aside one of its claws. The panther demon dashed for her, clawing straight down for Sunset’s head. The fiery haired girl fell to her bottom and blocked up, knocking its brown claws away before rolling away from another slash.

She cut out with her sword, watching it swish through the air and a few of the demon’s whiskers. It roared at her and bounded after her, taking a bite out of the air where Sunset’s head had just been a few seconds before. The girl rolled from under the demon after cutting it with her sword, standing up next to it, hacking at its side. The panther demon suddenly circled around, avoiding her attacks.

It was much faster than she was, but somehow, Sunset found herself able to block its strikes, moving along the path as she did so. The panther demon roared at her, releasing the high pitched guttural scream that Sunset had heard earlier. It bounced a step and then leapt to the ceiling, latching itself on the concrete above her. Sunset turned and ran, heading away from under the bridge, back out into the open.

You need to get out, Sunset. You have to run!

The panther leapt down from its perch and swiped out at Sunset’s legs, knocking her against the wall on her left, winding her.

“Oooh…” Sunset groaned, clutching at her right leg. Blood was trailing down from a cut across her thigh and it hurt a lot. There was no way she could beat this beast here.

She traded blows with the beast, all the while defending herself from its deadly claws. Sunset couldn’t remember how many times her blade sparked off against the panther demon’s claws, but she was glad and a little surprised that she was still alive. It jabbed a claw toward her again, but this time, Sunset stepped to the right and cut down with all her might, cutting a huge gash into the demon’s left paw. It howled with pain and rage, but continued to attack Sunset. The girl attacked and blocked when necessary, trying to keep herself on her feet. The cut on her thigh stung, but one wrong move was all she needed for it to be over.

Sunset bent down as another claw cracked into the concrete just where her head was, lodging into the wall as she stared into the eyes of the demon. Screaming, Sunset thrust her blade straight into its mouth as it took the chance to try and bite her, feeling the tip of the blade sink into something soft. The panther demon snarled and choked, pushing towards Sunset, pushing the blade deeper into its mouth. One arm raised to strike the girl down, but it dropped lifelessly to its side as it slumped down, dead at Sunset’s feet.

The fiery haired girl shook with shock and fear, her sword still in the demon’s mouth. This was all too much for her to take in in just a single day. She curled her knees up to her chest and wept again, releasing all her built up stress and emotions.

What is this dream? Why? Is it even a dream? I want to go home… Girls, help me…

Author's Note:

Well, this chapter didn't turn out to be as long as the first, but hopefully y'all still enjoy it! Cheers!

Achievement unlocked: Panther Demon - Defeated the Panther Demon

Comments

[Wanderer D]

I mean, why would it be a dream if she keeps getting hurt? You don't feel pain in dreams.

[Jakomi of the Rose]

9261518
You don't? Huh... Guess I'm one of the special ones.

[KiwiFreakinBlitz]

Liking it so far, but I'm having hard time believing Sunset taking this long thinking it's still dream. She's too smart and used to magic/monsters/interdimensional-hijinx/etc. Sure it'd be shocking and scary, but she's shown to keep a cooler head than that.