Three mares suddenly get torn out of their world and thrust into a land that could only be described as a nightmare.
Gabriel is torn between right and wrong as he attempts to find a way a home for three mares mysteriously casted into his life. The journey will be long and unforgiving, it will test their strengths and wits. Luna, AppleJack and Rainbow will have no choice but to trust this Brotherhood Knight. But at what cost? Original Cover Art
______________ After thinking for about a month on writing this, I've decided I will, seeing as there are very few Castlevania fictions out there. (I have school, exams and all that crap, so don't expect chapters until breaks or holidays.) There will be some grammer errors, so keep that in mind. Leave a comment as to why you like the story, or dislike it. Getting feedback is good to have.
The test has shaken him. I see the doubt in his eyes has he heads towards the lake. So Pan is helping him now? Thats good. Perhaps it bodes well. I wonder if he knows what awaits him here, in this place where the dead can contact the living. It is cold now, a chill wind blows through his heart and I can see it. Feel it! He needs help now if he is to succeed. He must not fail, he will not fail; not yet. Not if I have anything to do with it. -Zobek ------------------Year - 1047 A.D----------------- He trudged through the snow covered land; icy winds hit him like needles, stinging his face. In his right hand was his trustworthy combat cross, saving his life more times than he could count. His left hand shielded his face from the unrelenting, freezing winds. He saw a clearing up ahead, with his objective within it, Oblivion Lake, a place where the living could communicate amongst the dead, a place where only the most pure of heart are gained entry. The lake was small, easily two-hundred meters in radius. Around the area was a forest of snow covered trees as far as the eye could see, the snow defiantly going above the stumps. He walked until he reached a small stone pier.
Gabriel stopped, lying ahead was a body of a brotherhood knight, two pikes jutting out below his ribcage, dried blood stained the knight's armor, and speckles of the red liquid were dotted around him. Gabriel walked solemnly towards his fallen brother; he kneeled down, and made a silent prayer. Gabriel looked ahead, the lake was iced over. But it looked hard enough to endure his weight. He stepped off the stone pier, walking ever so slowly on the icy surface making sure not to slip, or crack the ice underneath his feet.
Gabriel began walking faster than he was before, the ice felt solid enough to him. He walked ahead for which he was sure was a few minutes. Gabriel looked around, he looked to his right and saw nothing but trees and the lake bank, but as he looked to the left, something caught his eye, he saw an old structure. It looked run down, snowy moss and vines going up the columns along the sides, with chunks of rock missing in few key points of the building, with sharp looking icicles hanging around the edges, it looked ready to collapse within a few days. Gabriel began walking towards it, to investigate further.
*THUMP!*
The ice beneath Gabriel shook violently, making him stagger.
*THUMP!*
The ice in front of him cracked and jutted outward, sending pieces of solid ice in every direction. This made him fall over on his backside as large chunk flew over his head.
*THUMP!* *CRAAAACKKK!*
Gabriel turned his head around to be met by a giant stone arm making its way out of the ice beneath; the arm was followed by a head, then a body, and finally its upper legs. Gabriel looked at it in awe, surprise, and a slight trace of fear, but that fear was soon replaced by utmost confidence. Nothing was going to get in the way of his set objective, and that task was to communicate with his recently deceased wife, who was murdered in cold blood, by the Lords of Shadow.
He looked up at the Ice Titan, in sheer determination. The Titan easily stood 30 metres, above him, counting out its lower legs as they were still in the ice beneath. He was an ant compared to it. Gabriel began running up to the titan, planning to climb it. The titan brought its arm back, its hand forming into a fist, and brought it down lethally upon Gabriel. Gabriel thought quickly and dodged just in time as it landed in the ice where he was standing only moments ago, but the force emanating off the punch-zone sent him slipping backwards. He saw a bright flash in front of him as he was getting up onto his feet. Gabriel was temporarily blinded for a few seconds. He closed his eyes to make it subside.
When he opened his eyes, he saw three technicolor midget equines in his field of vision, their backs were turned to him as they looked around, they had looks of confusion before being turned into looks of awe and fear as they laid their eyes upon the stone behemoth, this surprised and alienated Gabriel in a lot of ways on what he was seeing....
Gabriel was snapped out of his trance as the Titan brought its arm back, ready to strike the equines below it.....
Gabriel thought quick, deciding to help them, as they obviously were not normal equines, and haven't proven to be hostile...yet. He sprinted over, grabbed them all at once, and barrel-rolled out the strike zone. He felt the force of the attack on the ice as it made him stagger a bit. Gabriel set the equines down gently, as he put them down he got a quick look at them, one was orange with a blonde mane and tail, emerald green eyes with three apples on its flank, and had some strange form of head wear.
The next was cyan with a rainbow mane and tail, with cerise colored eyes; it had wings, thus making it a pegasus. Gabriel had heard of pegasi before, they inhabited Greece and surrounding areas. On its flank was a storm cloud with a rainbow colored lightning bolt shooting out of it.
The next one piqued his interest, it was black, with a wavy mane and tail which had a midnight blue colour to it, with what looked like tiny stars glistening within, it had teal colored eyes, with a tiara on its head, it also had horn and a pair wings. It had a crescent moon emblazoned on its flank. Gabriel didn't know what to make of it. The other two managed to reach up to his waistline, the black one managed to reach his chest, with the horn. The expressions on their faces were the type that read "Shocked to comprehend". Gabriel turned around after his quick inspection, ready to face the stone giant once more.
Gabriel looked up at the Titan, a few hundred yards in front of him. He did a quick inspection of it as the behemoth was heading towards him, with the ice being crushed as it was dragging itself forward. Gabriel sprinted up to it, a plan formulated in his head.
He was now a couple of hundred feet from it now. The Titan got ready to turn Gabriel into a sticky red pile of gore on the ice. It brought it's arm back, and formed its hand into a fist. Gabriel dodged out of the way as it brought it's fist crashing into the ice; the attack was stronger than the others before it, as the giant was struggling to get its arm free from the solid water.
Using this to his advantage, Gabriel sprung his Combat Cross into action; he activated the mechanism as the chain flew out of the weapon, the hook at the end of the chain latched onto the Titan's arm like a leech to skin. Gabriel proceeded to climb the arm of the construct. The frozen water on the giant was numbing Gabriel's hands with the cold as he was ascending up its limb.
Gabriel nearly lost his grip several times as he was climbing around the appendage, due to the Titan trying to shake him off as its arm was still stuck in the ice. Gabriel stopped as he laid his eyes on a peculiar magical essence carved into the limb, it was circular, and had a purplish hue with a faded blue mist around it, with strange symbols within. Which he recognized instantly; he was facing off one the last few remaining Titans of the Old World. They once protected the now ravaged and ancient city of Agatha. The Titans were either destroyed or corrupted.
Gabriel proceeded to stab at the glass rune with a silver dagger. The titan tried to shake him off more violently. Gabriel held on to the edge of the rune for dear life, refusing to let go as he repeatedly stabbed at the glass rune; trying to destroy it.
*CRACK....*BOOM!*
The rune exploded, turning into hundreds of pieces of shattered glass as blue mist poured out of the once magical rune. Gabriel winced in pain as shards of glass were embedded into his skin, making him bleed. The pain in the Titan's arm was agonizing, it was so much that the force it pulled back at was enough to get its arm free from the ice. The Titan brought its arm up, now looking at Gabriel with fire in its emotionless, unmoving eyes, and used its right arm to try and knock Gabriel off. Gabriel was faster, as he dodged to the right when the Titan brought its hand down, hard, on it's left arm. Gabriel used this split-second chance, to climb onto it's right hand. -------------- The equines were terrified, confused and angry. They were angry that the were brought here against their will. One minute they were proceeding with their day to day tasks, and the next they were whisked away to Celestia knows where, on a frozen lake with needle like winds stinging every inch of their faces, and nearly got killed by a stone giant in the process. Someday this turned out to be. They were grateful that... whatever that thing was, saved them. Now that 'thing' was fighting off the behemoth alone. It was obvious that it was concerned for them. But why was it?
"Should we help it?" asked Applejack, worry and concern evident in her voice.
"We s-should help it, I'm not the Element of L-loyalty for n-nothing!" Rainbow Dash replied, trying to sound brave, but reduced to stuttering fearfully as the size of the giant was intimidating enough as it was.
"We'll see if we can help it, but right now it looks like its handling itself fi-" Luna was cut off as the Titan brought its hand to its head, and sent their savior falling down. Fast. As soon as Dash saw this she proceeded to fly as fast as she could towards the falling creature.
"I got ya!" Rainbow said just as she grabbed it under the arms with her fore-legs.
It was heavy, but light enough to be carried. --------------- Gabriel's mind went blank for a second after he heard the flying horse that saved him from impeding death, talk. He quickly crossed the thought, as he heard and saw stranger things in his lifetime. The cyan pegasus glided down to frozen lake and laid Gabriel down on the ice. He sat up, and looked at the cyan pony.
"Are you okay?" it asked with concern, the voice was raspy, with some other accent Gabriel couldn't place.
"Ye-" Gabriel was about to reply, but was quickly silenced as a large shadow loomed over them. He looked up and saw the Titan's hand, prepared to squash them like bugs, Gabriel and the pegasus backed away quickly, but they weren't fast enough as the giant's hand was meters away. ---------------- Applejack and Princess Luna could only watch in horror as the giant was about to crush Rainbow and their savior. Suddenly, another one of those ape-like creatures sprinted up from behind them, and took out, what looked like a sword to them, and stabbed the titan's hand whilst hanging onto hilt of sword. The titan brought its hand up to see what was lodged in it's stone limb. ---------------- The man let go of the blade and jumped onto the shoulder of the behemoth when its arm went past it. He ran up to the rune on the side of its head. Gabriel noticed immediately that it was a brotherhood knight. "Give me the dagger! Quickly!" The mystery figure roared so they could hear him through the unrelenting winds
"Can we trust him? The sky blue pegasus asked Gabriel with suspicion.
"I hope so...." Gabriel trailed off as he proceeded to take out the silver dagger from his belt. He then threw the dagger into the man's general direction. The dagger flew in the air at high speeds until the man grabbed it by the hilt with extreme precision. With one strong forceful stab, the rune on the side of the titan's head was now broken and shattered. Blue mist started to pour out of cracks on the stone construct, like gas leaking from a pipe. The titan began stumbling forward still determined to destroy these pests, but it was too weak, and the pain it was suffering was too much. The man now jumped off the titan, and landed skillfully in front of the cyan creature and Gabriel. He turned around to look at the titan, as its death was inevitable. The titan landed on the ice with a thud, and let out a few dying groans before it went to sleep for eternity.
Gabriel and the cyan pony looked at the Brotherhood knight standing before them. "Who are-" The rainbow-maned pegasus was cut off, as strange orbs started spiraling about before them. Gabriel got up onto his feet, and looked at the energy around the trio. He knew spiritual energy when he saw it. A specific orb beckoned Gabriel over to the ruined structure. "Marie!" Gabriel shouted in a concerned and excited tone. Gabriel began jogging hastily towards the ruin. He climbed up the steps to the structure and waited for a few seconds as his wife's spirit began to appear before him. Gabriel moved his arm up slowly making sure he wasn't just seeing things. He went to touch it, but, his hand went right through. Gabriel collapsed onto his knees, tears brimming in his eyes. "Forgive me. I was not there to save you." Gabriel had a tear making its way down his cheek as he said this in sadness.
Marie looked at him, a smile on her face, as she was able to look into her husband's eyes once more. "There is nothing to forgive my love. I am so happy to look upon your face again." She began with a sad smile.
"And I yours." Gabriel said as he got up from the cold, stone floor." My love, the Elders of the Order hope that you can help to understand what is happening. The world has been isolated from the Heavens. Some believe God has abandoned us. Can it be true?"
"I feel that.... the spirits are trying to talk to me... They whisper things to me... It is hard to understand them all... It is so dark, so many people crying. I cannot find them in the blackness.. I'm scared..." She said sorrowfully. "There is something else... A shadow is on my mind. You must help us, Gabriel."
"What are they telling you? Who are 'they'?" He asked.
"They are the spirits who founded your order... And that the power of the Lords of Shadow is the key. They talk of a prophecy... I don't understand what they mean..." She said, her voice beginning to turn desperate. "I can feel myself fading.... I can hardly see you... darkness is closing around me. I love you, Gabriel." Marie began to dissipate.
Gabriel began to panic. "No... Marie don't go! Marie... I love you too..." ----------- The man and the equines were looking at this spectacle with mixed emotions. The knight had a look of sympathy on his face, whilst Rainbow and Applejack were looking at it with a hint of sadness. Luna, witnessing this type of ordeal a few times in her subjects dreams was looking at it with a tearful yet hardened expression.
"I'll go talk to him." The knight whispered, loud enough for the ponies to hear. ----------- Gabriel looked at the spot where his wife once was with a melancholic expression plastered on his face. Gabriel heard the sound of metal on stone. He turned around to be met with the Brotherhood knight. "Why are you here? Who sent you?" Gabriel asked a bit harsher than he intended.
"I am Zobek." He began. "A warrior of your Brotherhood; Pan and I are old acquaintances. He felt you would be in need of my assistance.
"Hmm... I have heard of you. I am sorry. My name is Belmont."
"I know who you are." Zobek stated, he then asked. "Was that the spirit of someone you know?"
"Yes, it was... " Gabriel hesitated a little. "My wife."
Zobek turned around and looked at the equines, who's eyes widened after hearing this new piece of information. He turned back to Gabriel.
"Forgive me, I couldn't help but overhear what she told you." He started." It sounds like the spirits who founded our order are trying to tell us something very important." Zobek paused briefly. "Through her."
"What do you mean?" Gabriel asked, his voice that of a whisper.
"Only that the founders of the order seem to be using the dead to communicate with us... The prophecy has been secret for many centuries, it is known to only a select few. There is no way she could've known it, unless.... THEY managed to tell her somehow. Praise be to God!"
"What prophecy?" Gabriel asked curiously.
"It is written that a pure hearted warrior will claim the power of the Lords of Shadow as his own and use it in order to overcome all evil. It is said this warrior would become God's vessel on Earth.. supremely powerful... He could do anything. The founding spirits have not abandoned us, Gabriel! Thanks to your Marie, we now know there is some hope." Zobek was smiling on the outside, on the inside however, was jumping for joy. "We have to enter the Lands of the Dark Lords, your new companions and I. We must reclaim the power they hold and unite the Heavens with this world once more and..."
Gabriel interrupted. "New companions?"
"Yes." Zobek said. "Those equines you managed to save. I saw how they arrived here. I know a teleportation spell when I see it. They have nowhere to go now. They are strong, the alicorn especially. They would prove good allies to have...and... don't you see Gabriel; you can bring your wife back, and maybe even get them home!" He exclaimed, the realization hitting Gabriel like a cart rolling down a steep hill.
Gabriel stared at him, his eyes narrowing. "If what you say is true..." He began slowly. "Then we need to work quickly, and in secret. The Lords of Shadow must not suspect we are on their trail or they will turn all their attention towards us. We should take different routes you and I. We will head for the Land of the Lycans. You will leave for the Territory of the Vampires and prepare the way. Then, we all go onto the Lord of the Necromancers together... his realm lies furthest. Our enemy must suspect nothing."
Zobek nodded, reaching into his satchel. He then took out a gold medallion with blue crystals emblazoned on it; with this in hand he proceeded to give it to Gabriel.
"Take this. It will allow you to absorb spiritual energy and will help cure you and your companions wounds sustained in battle. Good luck my friend, may we be granted victory."
Zobek reached his hand out half-way between himself and Gabriel, to shake on it, which Gabriel kindly took.
"Thank you brother. You have given me renewed hope." A ghost of a smile was present on Gabriel's face.
"I will now be on my way." Zobek said, bowing his head, and set off on his trek, far east.
Gabriel stood there, with mixed emotions on his person. He heard voice coming from in front of the ruin. He began making his way over. "-hope what he said was true."
"Ah' don't know Rainbow, something about Zobek seems... off."
They turned around as soon as they heard the clanking of metal on stone. Gabriel stood before them, looking down at them. "What are your names?" Gabriel asked simply.
They, all of course, were hesitant. A silence reigned and Gabriel frowned slightly. The alicorn took this opportunity and spoke up first. "I am Luna, Princess of the night." She spoke in a regal manner. Gabriel bowed his head politely.
"I'm Rainbow Dash! Fastest flyer in Equestria!" The multi-coloured pony said with a hint of brashness in her voice. 'Equestria? Might be were they live.' Gabriel thought with curiosity. The brash attitude didn't sit well with the man, he didn't like big headed people.
"And Ah'm Applejack." She spoke kindly in an accent that was most unfamiliar to Gabriel.
Gabriel nodded his head towards the two, a very, small smile on his face. "I am Gabriel Belmont." He stated. "We will discuss soon, as of now-" Gabriel looked towards the setting sun."- We make camp and rest up for the night, we head east tomorrow morning. We have a long trek ahead of us."
"We need to set up a place of rest for the night." Gabriel told the three ponies. "Applejack, you and me will go into the forest and collect some firewood." Applejack nodded in approval. "Luna and Rainbow, ye will try and look for a decent form of shelter. It is already sunset and I don't want to be around when the lycans are roaming across the land."
"Since when did you start giving orders?" Rainbow asked in a demanding tone.
"I started giving orders when you were made my responsbility."
"Stil-" Rainbow was cut off a second time that day.
"T'is okay, Rainbow Dash. We- I could use the walk anyway." Luna said, desperate to end the rant before it got out hand (hoof?). Rainbow sighed in defeat and Gabriel nodded in thanks to Luna, she let off a small smile in return.
"Ah' have a question." Applejack spoke up.
"Yes?" Gabriel waited for an answer.
"What are Lie-cans?" she asked. She, Rainbow and Luna looked at him expectantly. It was around a minute before Gabriel answered.
"Creatures with no emotion, bred for a sole purpose, and that is to kill, and pray that you don't encounter a whole pack." He replied vaguely. "Come Applejack, we must find the wood for the fire." Gabriel turned around and began to walk toward the snow covered forest. The farmer was trying to process what she and the others just heard. 'Creatures only bred to kill.' She zoned out for a few seconds, until she realized Gabriel was heading toward the forest.
"Hey! Wait up!" She called running after him. Rainbow and Luna just looked on at them.
"Well." Rainbow sighed inwardly. "I guess that's our cue."
"Indeed." Luna said. "Let us search!"
The forest was dark and gloomy. The occasional piece of snow falling off the pines made Applejack jump slightly. The animals of the forest were wandering back to their homes, the wind had died down, making it not only easier to see, but hear as well. The rustle of bushes every now and then was enough to put the apple farmer on edge. Gabriel just looked through and around the foilage picking up sticks or the occasional dead log if he was lucky.
Applejack was having a hard time trying to spark a conversation with the man. The silence was killing her. The only sounds being the snow crushed underneath her hooves and Gabriel's armoured boots. Gabriel glanced at the ground every few seconds, making sure they didn't stumble upon a specific paw-print in the snow. "Let us head back, Applejack." Gabriel said finally breaking the long dreaded silence.
"Probably be best, we'll see how Princess Luna and RD are doing with their shelter search." She replied.
It was now late dusk, and the nocturnal creatures were waking up from their day-time slumber.
Gabriel and Applejack made their way back after around half an hour in the sea of pine trees, to see Rainbow and Luna with defeated expressions on their faces. They perked up when they saw Applejack and Gabriel walking towards them, the latter carrying two armfuls of wood. "We couldn't find any form of shelter out here." Rainbow said with frustration in her voice.
"So we came back and waited here for you, to see if we could use this structure as a source of shelter." Luna added with a wisp of hope.
Gabriel thought about this, as it would make them light up like a beacon of light in the darkness, but also the fact that the structure could collapse at any given time, seeing as it was ready crumble in ruin, but it'll be a roof over their heads during the night. It was a ratio of 1:2.
"Gabriel, it would be easier to set up here, an' judging from the look of it, it'll collapse in around a few days at most." Applejack said, now weighing out his options to 1:1.
Gabriel sighed and spoke. " It's probably for the best." The three mares returned him a smile and Rainbow sighed in relief.
"Let us start the fire." Gabriel said to them as began climbing the steps up to the building. The trio followed up after him. Gabriel began setting down the wood on the stone surface; he luckily managed to pick up a piece of flint in the forest, making the fire procedure, easier on himself. He used bark off of the dead branches he had collected for makeshift tinder. Taking out his knife, he began to strike at the flint. Sparks bounced off the flint, landing on the tinders. He tried again and again, but the bark would not light.
The mares sat themselves down two or more meters away from him. The princess of the night was watching Gabriel in amusement. She was silently giggling to herself after watching Gabriel fail for the next five or so minutes, but she decided enough was enough and proceeded to go by his side. "Anything?" Luna asked trying to hide her smirk and stifle her giggle.
"None." Gabriel said gloomily.
"I could cast a spell to start the fire." Her smirk now showing.
Gabriel huffed and turned to face her. "Why didn't you mention it?" he asked with a slight glare.
Luna was unphased by the glare she was receiving and replied simply. "Thou never asked." Luna failed to hide her giggle this time. Gabriel sighed in defeat and sat down on the cold ground, and proceeded watch her cast the spell. He looked at the fire with a smile of relief plastered on his face.
"Thank you." Gabriel sighed out.
"T'was no problem." Luna replied with a smile in return. Applejack and Rainbow stopped their talk and looked up at the fire, smiles of gratitude being shown to Gabriel and Luna. They scooted closer to the fire for the extra warmth and sat close around the flame, an awkward silence was now a brewing. Gabriel zoned out while staring into the fire, most likely thinking of his recently deceased wife. Luna was staring off into the sky, star gazing. Applejack was glancing around, waiting for a conversation to light and Rainbow Dash was in imaginary land because of boredom.
"How did you three get here?" Gabriel asked out the blue.
The trio were knocked out of their trances by this sudden question.
"We- I don't know how we got here, but it was definitely magic that brought us." Luna answered. "And from the magical signatures, it was something from this world. Not ours." Gabriel was trying to wrap his head around that. A magical force was strong enough to summon beings from another realm, he never heard of such power. He sighed, might as well keep this conversation a float. "What did you do? Before you got here, I mean." Gabriel asked while getting a tad bit closer to the fire, trying to keep the silence at bay.
Applejack was first to answer this, just beating Rainbow by a few milliseconds. "Ah' was working on an apple orchard just off the town of Ponyville-" Gabriel almost snorted in amusement at the ridiculous name. Almost. "- with ma' family." She left it vague, knowing they didn't fully trust each other. Yet.
Dash spoke up next. "I was working on weather duty." She left it at that. Gabriel was wondering what she meant by 'weather duty'.
Luna was last to answer. "We were in the dining hall consuming the breakfast with mine sister." She paused. "Can you tell us a bit about yourself Gabriel?" Gabriel thought about this. They practically heard the conversation between him and Zobek. Like what they did, he's going to keep it nice and blunt. "Knight of the Brotherhood of Light, we protect and defend the innocent from supernatural threats." Gabriel answered, looking up at her. "My wife recently killed by the Dark Lords." Gabriel kept his serious expression. "I am now hunting them down, in the name of vengeance." Gabriel decided to leave it at that and stared off into the cackling flames once again. The ponies eyes widened as he said he was hunting them down, hunting down another being was something punishable by banishment from the land. They held their tongues, not wanting to get on the bad side of their potential ally. Silence took over once again.
It was a few minutes before Gabriel spoke up.
"I'm surprised I made it this far." He said staring off into the fire." I have done..... questionable things... I was depressed. How I have not committed suicide is simple, because it is easy to answer-" The girls looked at him in shock when he mentioned suicide."- I have hope. Hope drives me on-ward. And I have faith. Faith that I will succeed. And return ye home." The mares looked at him expectantly. "The journey will be long and unforgiving. But hope always shines in the darkest of times, if you have that, then you will strive." The girls looked at him with a new sense of respect, Luna especially.
The mares were processing the wise words of Gabriel. 'Have hope and faith and you will strive.' Whilst the man himself was still looking at cackling flame of the fire, thinking.
The night was peaceful, the stars glistening downwards, the new constellations, this was like a playground for Luna. She was looking up at the skies in childlike wonder. She took her gaze off the stars and cast her vision downward. She began investigating the forest from her spot on the ruin. The wind was blowing gently along the pine needles and foilage. Snow lazily drifted down from the moonlit sky and onto the ground. The occasional hoots of owls were heard flying above. There was the sound of barking in the far distance. Which meant wolves were around. This worried Luna.
Something caught her attention. It was red glow off one-hundred meters in the distance, and it was moving closer to their position. Soon, more and more pairs of glowing red orbs started appearing. The barking was also coming from that direction.
"Gabriel?!" She asked in a worried, loud whisper.
"Huh?" Gabriel could not get to sleep even if he tried, there was too much on his mind.
"There is something over in the forest and it's moving towards us!"
Gabriel got up and fast walked over to her position. When he looked in the direction she was facing, what he saw made his blood run cold; several dozen pairs of red eyes getting closer to their area at an alarming rate.
"Get Applejack and Rainbow up. Now." He said hastily yet sternly. Luna did as she was told, seeing as there was no other option because their lives most likely depended on it.
"Huh... What..?" Rainbow asked groggily.
"What's goin' on?" Applejack asked.
"Lycans." He stated; no sooner than those words left his mouth, he was jumped on by one of them. He fell, trying to keep the werewolve from biting into his neck. He was struggling, as it got the element of surprise on him. His struggles were cut short as the lycan was blasted by a bolt of lightning. The lycan spazzed out due to the electrical shocks it was recieving; it collapsed, and ceased to move. Gabriel looked to the left and saw Luna with a horrified (if I put shocked there it would have been a pun, I hate puns.) expression chiseled on her face.
Luna couldn't believe what she did, she had killed a living, breathing creature. She zoned out and thought back to what Gabriel had said. "Creatures with no emotion, bred for a sole purpose, and that is to kill." Luna's face hardened, these creatures do not deserve mercy, not from her anyway.
"Let us fight back these spawns of Tartarus!" she ordered Applejack and Rainbow. They were currently thinking to what Gabriel had told them as well. They put on their battle faces and ran up to aid Gabriel.
Gabriel took out his Combat cross and flicked the chain mechanism on. The howls of the lycans were heard from all around them, there was definitely a few dozen or so here. He saw the ponies at his side with battle-ready faces. "Luna, can you illuminate the area around us?!" Gabriel asked, throwing a dagger into a lycan's throat.
"I'll try!" Luna replied. Her horn was glowing as it set off sparks of magic. Soon the whole area was illuminated by a dull light. Gabriel's heart skipped a beat. There was at least forty or less of these beasts staring right back at them.
"We have to fight: there is no chance we can out run them." He stated.
Gabriel got into his combat stance. He picked up a lycan that got too close for comfort, by the throat, and smashed it face-first into the ground. A sickening crack was heard, making the girls cringe in disgust. The lycan tried to get back up, but Gabriel was having none of that. He stood over the beast and brought his boot down, hard on its head. Blood, skull and grey matter was now splattered against the stone floor. The sight of it made the girls gag; Rainbow's face a light shade of green.
"Have faith." He said, dodging an incoming claw. "And you will succeed." He finished that sentence by grabbing the lycan's arm and snapping it upwards, shattering it. Its howls of pain were cut short as Rainbow quickly flew over and delivered a swift buck to the face, imploding it's skull.
"Have hope." he said preparing to swing the chain of his Combat Cross. "And you will strive." He finished the line by swinging the cross' chain in a full 360 degree turn, giving around ten lycan's deep lacerations in their throats, making them gurgle on their own blood for a few long seconds, dropping dead on the spot.
These words rung once again in the ponies minds. Their faces hardened for the last time that night. There was at least twenty of the malformed wolves left standing.
Applejack turned around and gave a lycan a devastating buck to its shins, breaking them instantly. It immediately collapsed onto the cold, snowy ground. It tried to crawl. Applejack proceeded to knock it out cold with a (hoof?) punch.
Rainbow was flying around one of the beasts, confusing it every so often, when she got the chance, she smashed into the beast's stomach at super-fast speeds, knocking the wind out of it. It was panting heavily, clutching it's stomach, but its eyes still held malicious intent, she grabbed the nearby flint Gabriel used earlier that evening and jabbed it in its eye socket, killing it instantly.
Luna was on her fifth lycan, seeing as she was a magic user; it was nearly a walk in the park. Nearly. She used her telekinesis to pick up her fifth; it was struggling in the air, trying to break free from her spell; no such luck. Luna turned her head to the left and spotted a jagged branch on an old looking tree. She proceeded to impale the lycan in the chest with the branch on said tree; it squirmed for a few seconds before going limp on the branch, now being soaked with its blood.
Luna felt something warm and wet going down her right side, she turned. Time seemed to have slowed down around Luna. A lycan was standing next to her. Her fresh blood on its claws. The lycan swiftly dug its left claw into her hind leg, cutting through her flesh like a hot knife to butter, destroying nerves and tore along the artery vein. She screamed in which was the most physical pain she had ever received. She collapsed onto the frozen earth.
The others immediately noticed this. Gabriel sprinted to her side in a matter of moments, stabbing her would-be killer through the back of the head with his combat cross, scrambling its brain. Luna was now on the ground in a small puddle of her own blood, she had a long cut going along her side and down her leg. Gabriel was near to panicking, he took out the amulet Zobek gave him from his satchel, remembering his words. 'It will heal you and your companions wounds sustained in battle.' He put the medallion around her neck. Gabriel was silently praying to himself. Applejack and Rainbow were defending them from the attacking lycans.
A few moments passed and the amulet began to glow a dark blue color. Gabriel saw her wounds sealing, veins connecting together, flesh joining back, her blood flowing back into her body and her fur regrowing a top the wounds, bringing back her midnight blue color. A few minutes passed before the medallion stopped glowing blue, a sign that she was healed. He took off the amulet and put it back into his pouch. Luna got up slowly, but surely she was fine.
"How are you doing?" Gabriel asked with concern, the sounds of battle still going on in the background.
"We-I feel like.... I'm five-hundred years younger!" She gave Gabriel a heart-warming hug . "Thank you." Gabriel was taken aback by this, hesitantly he returned the gesture. A moment passed and they broke up the hug.
Gabriel and Luna returned to the battle, to fight off the remaining lycans with Dash and Applejack. There were now five of them left, and they looked like they weren't going to be backing down any time soon. What a stupid mistake that was.
The Princess of the Night used a spell on one of the last remaining lycans, incinerating it in a matter of seconds, leaving it nothing but a pile of ash. Gabriel used his cross' chain to give deep cuts on the bodies of two, making them bleed to death.
The last two lycans looked at each other and growled at their prey, fuming with anger for destroying their pack so easily. They proceeded to flee but that was stopped as Gabriel threw a silver dagger into the skull of one beast, blood gushed out of the wound like a tap. It died instantly. He then used the hook on the end of cross' chain to grab the last one. The hook impaled itself through the lycan's shoulder, torn pieces of flesh and hide hung limply on hook. He dragged it closer, leaving a trail of blood on the ground. He gave it a free stab to the face with the other end of the cross when it got close enough; it lay motionless on the snow. The snow now being dyed a shade of red.
Rainbow saw movement upon the bodies. The lycan Applejack knocked out was crawling away, desperate to live another day. Like that was going to happen.
"Oh no you don't!" Rainbow yelled as she flew over to the creature at supersonic speeds and broke the hell-spawns head against a rock, crushing the skull; it was definitely asleep for good this time.
The mares and the man looked around at the carnage, letting off a few chuckles and then full blown laughter, for escaping death so easily. This carried on for a few more minutes, until it died down to low chuckles.
Gabriel glanced at Applejack and Rainbow, minor cuts and bruises were located around their bodies, nothing too serious. They made their way back to the structure, lying down amongst the dying embers of the fire. They were all paranoid now. The lycans were only a taste of what this world had to offer. Trying not to think of the other horrors they would have to face.
None of them had any success.
No one slept that night.
Well... everyone except Rainbow... after awhile that is.
An icey breeze was cast upon her being. Making her shiver with the cold. Her feathers blew gently along with the draft, touching her sides, giving off a ticklish feel to her left, making her uncomfortable in the position she currently was in. 'Why is it so cold?!' She opened her eyes slowly, her vision set downward; blinking her cerise eyes to get the sleep out. She let out a tired yawn, her body ached all over. 'Why do I feel sore?' She didn't do any practice sessions yesterday or crash... the only thing she could guess was her dream...
'Oh... please no' She hesitantly looked to her left.
Her blood froze on the spot, her breathing was becoming sharper with each intake of air. That creature... 'Gabriel' she came to know it as, was standing not only ten feet (hoofs?) away from her. His back turned to her, his gazed fixed upon the rising sun. She began to hyperventilate.
Rainbow glanced around. Applejack was at the opposite side of the ruin, her gaze cast downward, her eyes were bloodshot with bags under them, from the lack of sleep, and the boundaries between life and death the night before, her hat was torn in a few places.
Rainbow looked at Gabriel again, the blur in her vision became less and less vague with every passing second. She saw Luna standing to the right side of the man, her vision being casted upon the waking ball of fire. Dash thought all of this was some messed up dream, waiting to be woken up from. Fear and panic was taking over her commen sense. She should be in her bed at her cloud mansion, not in this damn place! She cast her vision upon Gabriel once more, she gritted her teeth in anger. The panic and fear now being reset with another emotion.
It was rage.
The rage began to overtake her being, coming up with far-fetched accusations against the man. 'He's the reason why we're here!' 'He's the reason Luna's hurt!" 'He wants to gain our trust so he can use us! Not me!'
She got up from the cold, stone floor; quaking with rage, ready to pound Gabriel into the ground. She stretched her wings out, to get a feel for the limbs, her eyes remaining locked on the figure of the knight. She sheathed her wings back, and flared them back to life. Dash got ready to fly at speeds so high it'll make mach one look like mach two.
Gabriel was having a conversation with Luna on the ways of his world. "So the sun and moon rise and fall by themselves? Luna questioned, her eyes gleaming with curiousity that would put Curious George to shame.
"As far as I know, they d-" *BOOM* *THWAK* Gabriel was cut off as he was sent soaring through the air at high speeds with an explosive pain in his centeral spinal region. He crashed into the once alive and dangerous Agathian Titan. Cracking a several ribs in the process. ( What can I say? He's a tough guy.) He winced in pain as he moved. Not the most agonizing thing he's suffered, but was definitely up there in his top one-hundred list.
Gabriel turned around to be met... nearly with a cyan blue hoof to the face. He looked up slightly to see Rainbow's cerise eyes glaring at him with abominable rage. There was a blue aura engulfing her entire being. Gabriel saw Luna and Applejack running ( strutting?) over, Luna had a look of anger on her face while Applejack had a look of pure confusion.
"Let me at him!" Rainbow screamed in un-quenched fury.
"Rainbow Dash! What'st thou think your doing!" Luna roared in her Royal Canterlot voice, scaring every animal in the viscinity; making Dash stop her struggles and making Gabriel wince slightly at the shear volume. He's heard louder, but that made his ears ring slightly. Applejack was covering her ears. The ringing in her ears must have been un-bearable, seeing as equine ears are more sensitive than a humans.
Gabriel limped over to Luna's side, he stood there breathing heavily in pain. "I have not interfered with your lives in anyway, I do not have any magical capabilities." He stated through clenched teeth.
"How do I know your not ly-"
"THAT IS ENOUGH, RAINBOW DASH!" Luna used the voice again, but much lower this time. "He has no magical essence emanating off of him, except from that amulet he used to heal me."
Rainbow stopped her struggling, looking at Applejack with a back-me-up expression. "Ah'm sorry R.D but, Ah have to go with Gabriel and the Princess on this one-" Applejack nodded toward them. "-They're telling the truth, and Ah'm the element o' honesty remember?"
This seemed to have gone through Rainbow's skull, give or take a few seconds. The rage-fueled expression drained from her face, it was replaced with a fearful look. Luna gently lowered her to the ground, the aura encompassing her dissipated. As soon as she was set on the ice covered lake, she began shaking un-controllably. She was left stuttering with eyes brimming with tears.
"I-I-I'm s-s-s-orry, I-I-I d-d-d-didn-t-t k-n-" Gabriel just shook his head and walked up to her. Rainbow looked up at him expecting the worse. Gabriel kneeled down to her eye level, and looked at her, a small smile on his face.
*SLAP!*
A faint hand print was left on Rainbow's left cheek. (Not her butt! Get your minds out of the gutter!)
"What was that for!?" She yelled in his face.
Gabriel was un-phased by this. "You were hyperventilating," He stated simply. "Did it work?"
"...Yeah."
"Good."
Gabriel kneeled back up and walked towards Luna and Applejack, with Dash in tow.
"What was that all about?" Applejack asked confusion plastered on her face.
"She was hyperventilating." Gabriel anwsered. "I slapped her to knock her out of it." Applejack let off a small 'oh'.
"Will we continue our talk?" Luna started, she glanced over at Rainbow. "Before we were.... so 'graciously interrupted'?"
Gabriel turned to her. " We don't have the time, we need to head out. East. And after the Lycan attack last night, I doubt ye would want to stay in this land any longer than ye have to."
"I'm sorry.." Gabriel heard Rainbow mumble beside him. He turned to face her.
"It is O.K Rainbow. You lost controll." He looked at her, his expression was saddened. "I have had it when my wife was murdered." He then perked up a little. " But next time you go off like that, make sure I'm not the one getting hurt." He chuckled faintly at this. Rainbow let out a small laugh.
"Heh hehheh... yeaaah."
"Let us go. We now head east."
They walked their way toward the forest path. Luna nearly slipping on occasion, but Gabriel, Applejack or Rainbow were there to catch her. The forest was abundant with life. Birds flew by, and rabbits hopped along across the forest path, which was laden with foot-prints, paw-prints, and a few bird droppings. Insects buzzed through the trees, bees collected necter off of the flowers. The forest was tranquil. But something, far more sinister lurked among the shadows of this forest. Watching... waiting for it's next meal to come by.
The journey was slow for the group, especially for Rainbow Dash. She was just glancing around, not listening to whatever Gabriel and Luna were talking about. Gabriel was in front of the trio. Followed by Luna, Applejack and Rainbow. The forest path was getting thinner with every step they took. They kept walking onwards, the foilage grew more dense, and the tree branches were becoming more frequent on the central regions of the trunk, nearly wacking Gabriel in the face if he wasn't careful. This continued on for what seemed like hours at a time.
Gabriel stopped abrubtly, with the trio skidding to halt behind him. They crashed into eachother. Gabriel was unmoved by the crash, he stood as still as a statue. He investigated the sight in front of him. It was a massive abyss going along for what looked like miles on each side. In front of him, the path was at the width it was originally at, except laden with cobblestone. Which jutted outwards and upwards, a tripping hazard if they weren't cautious.
An old stone bridge going across the abyss, with moss and vines hanging lazily by the sides. The stone was cracked, and the edges collapsed into the abyss below, frozen over puddles of water were made going along the middle foremost region of the bridge.
Rainbow began to walk up to Gabriel. "Why did we-" Fate decided to play with her, and let her get cut off by Gabriel's hand. Fate loved cutting her off.
"The Bridge is frozen over, and their is no other way across." Gabriel said looking over the bridge.
"I can fly." She stated in a matter-of-fact voice, rolling her eyes.
"I know." Gabriel narrowed his eyes at her slightly. "No other way across for me that is."
"Can't we just pick you up and carry you over?" Luna butted in.
"No. Ye're strength is needed, I am too heavy, Ye'll need to carry Applejack over."
"I can just teleport us over." Luna said, becoming frustrated.
"I know but-" Luna sighed and rolled her eyes. She closed her eyes set all of her concentration on the teleportation spell she was about to cast. Her horn sparked and shimmered, until a blue aura engulfed the four beings. Gabriel felt the very atoms in his body break up, his vision was blinded by a blue light. Gabriel began to feel dizzy and a headache was forming, a bad one mind you. He felt the ground under him reduce to nothingness, until it felt like he was floating in midair.
Seconds later, he collapsed onto the ground. He looked up and saw that they weren't across the bridge. Nowhere near the bridge for that matter. He glanced around him, he saw Luna and Rainbow, but where was-
*THUD!*
Gabriel grunted in pain as an orange being connected with his spine.
"Do you mind getting off?" He asked in a dull tone.
"Oh sorry partner." Applejack sheepishly said proceeding to get off Gabriel's already damaged spine. They seemed unaffected whilst Gabriel seemed dizzy and sore to the stomach, with a migraine coming along.
"Where are we?" Gabriel managed to grunt out, slowly getting onto his feet.
"I do... not know." Luna answered him. "I do not know. I must have lost concentration." She shook her head, her vision casted downward.
Gabriel got up and streched his legs, hearing the cracks of joints whilst doing it. He looked around, the place was riddled with webs. The sticky substance going all over the cavern, with a generously sized hole that could fit three men standing on top of eachother. The only light source was the various cracks and tears going across the earth above, letting in the sunlight.
Gabriel began to investigate the web filled cavern, looking for anything that might be of use to getting out. The roof of the cave was no-go seeing as there was no way in getting without alerting the spider that lurked around in the shadows. The only and probably the most craziest, stupidest option was going through tunnel.
Applejack began searching around the area for anything of use. She casted her gaze around the viscinity, she could hear something, it sounded like quiet scuttling. She settled her vision across the upper levels of the cavern. She stood there, not even blinking. She stood there, mouth agape in terror.
Gabriel looked at Applejack. She stood as still as a statue, with a horror struck expression plastered on her face. He walked over to Applejack, he looked down at her.
"Applejack?" He asked. "Are you okay?" Applejack didn't even answer.
Gabriel followed her gaze. His body temperature fell below freezing. He stared up.
And eight great, hungry eyes stared at him back down.
