//------------------------------// // Chapter 22 // Story: Subject to evolution // by Dramize the Salamander //------------------------------// Day 120 I was in the training cavern getting some more practice with Reap Whisper my Echo Light against some of the corrupted creatures we forced here as hunting and target practice dummies. I was dodging the claw swipes of an armored bear while Reap was hanging back waiting as I instructed until I ducked in to deflect a claw swipe. Reap went in right on que blasting the beast right in the face completely destroying it's head as my left claw tore into its chest and through it's heart with ease. "Sharpening you're fangs Drasa." Said a familiar voice. "Well I can't just let them go dull Discord." I said as I pulled my bloody claw out of the headless beasts chest before turning to the chaos god who was floating in the air on a red smokers chair. "So what brings you to our humble hive?" "I just came to confirm a suspicion and tell you about a powerful creature that was roaming around in Equestria." Discord said before he snapped his talons causing a screen to appear showing princess Twilight fighting a giant centaur with horns and from what I saw I was interested. I had Reap get the lords together so we could be ready to take the tunnels to Equestria and get ready for a hard hunt. "Thanks for the info Discord. Oh and that suspicion you had, I'm curious did you confirm it?" I asked honestly curious. "Yeah but it doesn't matter now. What matters now is how your going to deal with Tirek?" "The same way we deal everything kill it and eat it it's that simple." "I see well then have fun tracking Tirek down." Discord left without another word vanishing without a trace allowing me and the lords to head for the tunnels we made for Equestria ending up at our old hive which was full snarling chitin covered werewolf like beasts that were charging at us but Acid moved up with a smile on her face as she pulled out an interesting black battle axe that's blades started to glow bright white as she changed the creatures and swung cleaving through the ones in front of her like they were water not breaking her charge as she moved on to the next group cutting them down with equal ease until our path was clear but littered with ash and burned body halfs as we walked forward until we reached the old hives exit to see the night's sky and deciding to start tracking and heading into Ponyville in the morning. Day 121 We got an early start scanning the forest before heading for Ponyville to find an invisible barrier over the town which took a while for us to destorynefore we got inside and saw an interesting sight the ponies were moping around their colors dulled their eye lifeless. The ponies ignored our presence as we walked through the town only running if we looked at them in anyway as we headed to the castle and found it empty except for a purple and green baby dragon trapped in a dark red bubble in the library. After a few minutes of trying to break the bubble Velger and Elytra had started consulting the books around the library while I and everyone else took the time to search the rest of the castle and town. After walking around for a few hours I was surprised see Light sprinting at me carrying a giant case on her back. "Master I'm sorry I have taken you and your Lord's weapons without permission but using pieces of your and the others chitin and corruption I have hopefully upgrade them to your liking." Light said taking the case of her back and opening it revealing eight different weapons one of the being my katana which I picked up and unsheathed revealing a purple blade with a red edge. As I held the blade I felt it come to life as a hellish flame burst out from the edge before I turned to a building and swung diagonally then watched in suprise as the top half of the building slide off the bottom half with no resistance at all. "Light I'm impressed no punishment for you, but ask next time ok?" I said as I sheathed my katana. "Of course master I'm happy to be able to please you." Light said closing the case and putting it back on her back. "Now I must return the others weapons." "Then come with me I'm curious to see if Velger and Elytra have popped that bubble." I said walking back to the castle her following behind me. But as soon as we entered castle Light fell over howling in pain as she was being engulfed in light from the castle walls. Using my tail I knocked Light out of the castle and then covered her in corruption sludge. "Light are you ok?" Light got up the sludge slipping off her body revealing several burn marks that were slowly healing. "Yeah I'm fine I'll just give you the weapons I don't wanna enter the castle again." Light said dropping the case of weapons at my feet before I sent her back to the hive to rest while I grabbed the case with my magic and walked back inside the castle to find everyone watching Velger and Elytra who were meditating I'm the middle of a mountain of books their magical auras circling the bubble which was starting to crack so I took the time to hand out everyone else's weapons telling them they should get some practice with them soon before they cracked the bubble open. They nodded as they took off to test out their new weapons while Acid and I kept watch. Buzzelga was the first to come back carrying his dark silver great sword which had several emeralds floating around it as he sat down. Next was Whisper her new purple longbow that was slung over her shoulder as she sat down cutting the old string and restring it with her silk. Then Jinx and Glyph walked in covered in shallow scratches Jinx sat on one side of the room her dark blue arm and tentacle blades dripping acid from their edges while Glyphs daggers were floating around her as she found a good hanging spot allow all attention to be on Cadaia as she slithered in carrying a net full of fish on the end of her sapphire encrusted pearl white trident. We were starting to be comfortable when suddenly the bubble popped dropping the baby drake on his face before he quickly got up. "Thank you for freeing me." The drake said with a bow as I handed Elytra a gold and white glaive that was creating mist around it. "Don't worry about it. But we do have a few questions for you." I said sitting down in front of the drake. "Ok but can it wait I have to send a message to Twilight about Tirek." The drake said running to some blank paper and ink well starting to write. "Actually we are looking for Tirek. Do you know where he is?" I asked as he finished lighting the paper on fire with his green flame. "You just missed him by three days but if I had to guess at the power he had when he got here I think he would be on his way to Cantorlot for the princesses." The drake said with a worried tone before mumbling something I didn't pay attention to. I thanked the drake and left him some fish before changing into beast form so any one who couldn't fly could just hold on to my back as we started our flight towards Cantorlot leaving the drake behind.