Flicker

by XenoPony


Chapter 5: Child Of Darkness

Chapter 5: Child Of Darkness

Skyjack's Log: New Horizon, April 24th.

Entry Five:

I can't say I've ever had a day any worse than today. Where in the name of Celestia's great sun do I begin? I suppose there's the fact that we were set to make an absolute fortune, not that we ain't still gonna be rich it's just there's been complications. First of all jackpots dropped significantly since somepony went and knocked all of the damn pillars over. Things were supposed to be made of diamond and yet they shattered like glass, but that ain't the worst part. When the cooling talisman went off on one it went off on all of them, must have been some sort of connection between them or something.

Raven had a fit when she found out, I have never seen that mare so angry in my life and I tell you I was terrified. She nearly had somepony thrown overboard because of it, and I still don't know if it was any of the pegasus crew that did it. I just hope it was, to think that she'd let somepony fall to their death because of this. Well, I know we ain't the most honourable bunch but crew's family, that's how it's always been. It wasn't just anger in her though, she was afraid. I saw it and I know that it's not something she lets show often. Well now I have no idea what to think.

I suppose it had to do with that black orb. I don't think anypony was expecting the thing to roll out of the pillar because it smashed to bits. Now both ponies that got splashed by the stuff are in the brig. Don't see what the big deal was, only a lick of that stuff got on anypony before it just seemed to wither and die all on its own. Still, I ain't been down to the brig so I have no idea what state anypony down there's in. As for the rest of the pillars? Well, they're still pretty weird. I mean just this morning I thought I saw something move inside one when I walked by, almost like it was trying to get at me. They really just give me the creeps and now we can't stop them from thawing out so I want to just get back and get rid of them as soon as possible.

It's only a few days till we reach Ironsal anyway. Then who ever contracted us to get these cursed things can just have the ones that are left and give us what we are owed. At least all those bits are still worth the trouble, this has been one heck of a late job. We just have to pass over Equestria first, pretty insufferable place if you ask me, everypony lives there so perfectly it's almost like they forget everything that goes on outside their pretty little sanctuary. Celestia forbid anything real ever got loose down there, they wouldn't even stand a chance.

********

"This... This is stupid... I should never have even... All this... I," Twilight collapsed onto the floor, looking down at her forehoves as an uncontrollable flood of doubt and regret escaped her mouth.

Each pony still breathing had to gasp for breath as their bodies demanded far more air than their mouths could supply. Running, all of it seemed to be meaningless now, running for what felt like forever as something chased them through the darkness like a shark through water. Yet nopony knew what to do, how did anypony even react in a situation like this? Trapping the thing had failed, outright attacking it had only resulted in another pony's gruesome death. It had all led to a point that not one of them dare do anything to the thing but run. Ultimately, there was only one option now and everypony knew it.

"Now, Twilight, ya listen ta me. What happened back there wasn't your fault. Whatever this thang is it... It's just sick, it's an abomination it… ," Applejack began, taking the quivering mess that was Twilight by the shoulders, only for her own words to fail her.

"Not my fault? Don't kid yourself, Applejack, she'd still be here if it weren't for me, they all would!" Twilight sobbed, tears mixing with the dried crimson that ran from the gash on her forehead. "I was the one who went into that ship, if I'd have just moved on and left well enough alone none of this would have happened!"

"That's not true, Twilight! Somepony else woulda found that thang eventually or it woulda hatched on its own, ah dunno. All ah know fer sure is that somethin’ like this could spread all over Equestria in no time," Applejack said, collecting herself as she let Twilight go.

"She's right, this thing's clearly some kind of parasite, the egg, its blood, that weird black stuff, it all must be part of its life cycle. The slime must be what makes them, only it needs a living host to grow from first," Starlight elaborated cautiously, stepping forwards.

"Are y’all sayin' another o’ the darn thangs came outta Rarity, the way it did Pinkie?" Applejack asked with frail concern.

"I'm saying there could be far more than that, I mean it took Rainbow too, and we just left Fluttershy's body. Then there was the crew of that whole ship. Plus, I don't think they just had one of those eggs either," Starlight added, fear causing her tone to shiver as much as her body did.

"You're right, each one of those shattered things, the shells inside there must have been more eggs. By Celestia, how could I have been so stupid? These things could get everywhere!" Twilight exclaimed, smacking herself over the head with a hoof.

Spike placed a claw on her shoulder as that idea sank into each of their heads. A kingdom covered by naught but hideous black slime and the dark, flicerking entities it spawned.

"No, that ain't gonna happen because we're all getting out o’ here an’ we're gonna warn somepony," Applejack declared, stomping a hoof.

Twilight looked up at her, sniffing as she tried her hardest to pull her thoughts back together and stay strong.

"I suppose if I could get a message to Princess Celestia she could do something, but all my writing stuff's back home at the castle."

"Then that's where we're headin’ right now; no more tryin' ta fight what we can't," Applejack said, stepping back from Twilight. "An’ ah promise that nopony else is gonna…" She began, but then her words cut off as her green eyes went wide.

"Applejack...?" Twilight began, but then she, and everypony else froze as they stared at the paralyzed farm pony.

A glistening stream of sticky wet goo seeped down her hat and onto her shoulders as something big shifted in the shadows above her.

"Twi…" The brief stutter was the only sound to escape Applejack's muzzle before she gasped and a large bladed spine burst through her neck in a shower of gore.

Twilight screamed as the hot spray of blood struck her face. Starlight fell to the floor as did Spike as Applejack’s struggling body was heaved effortlessly up into the air and right up to the glowing crown of lights that marked the creature's position. Inches below sat the distended mandibles and glistening teeth of its slavering maw. The farm pony's gargled struggling was cut off as another great bladed limb thrust through the back of her head and she became naught but a twitching rag as the beast’s limbs rentched her apart like nothing more than a wet tissue.

"Applejack!" Twilight called, as the beast gave an ear-rending shriek and pulled Applejack's tattered corpse into the shadows with a sharp hiss, disappearing from sight with a flash.

The only thing Twilight caught as she leaned forwards was empty air, and she fell to the stone with a painful grunt as Applejack's hat drifted down atop her, its rim marred by a dark, crimson splatter.

"Applejack? Applejack?" Twilight continued to whimper as she looked up, tears streaming from her face more than ever as she banged her hoof on the stone in frustration. "Applejack!"

"Twilight... Twilight, stop! You can't do anything!" Starlight proclaimed as she magically pulled the sobbing alicorn back and wrapped her hooves around her as reassuringly as she could.

For a long moment, they stayed like that, as Twilight's fear and remorse finally consumed her and Starlight tried her hardest to block out her own dread. Spike just moved behind the pair, his own sorrow masked by the fact his eyes continually scoured the gloom for any sign of their glowing hunter. Then after a long moment, Twilight finally sniffed and pulled back from Starlight, looking into the terrified eyes of her student as if begging her to say this was all some kind of sick nightmare.

"Twilight... Twilight, what do we do?" Spike asked, his voice as much a shivering wreck as his body.

Twilight wiped her muzzle with a trembling hoof, then glanced back into the darkness that had come alive and stolen her friend, eyes finally coming to rest on Applejack's bloodied hat.

"I... I... I-I don't know," She stuttered weakly, as she picked up the last remaining part of her friend in her forehooves.

The baby dragon didn't give a response, he simply tapped his claws together. Starlight on the other hoof looked between the pair, cold dread seeping through her veins as she saw the look of pure defeat on Twilight's face.

"We can't just sit here, we…" Starlight began in a panic, then paused and collected herself as best she could. "How far is it to the main door?"

"Can't we just teleport out now, get back to Ponyville?" Spiked added with equal fear.

At their blunt questions, Twilight looked up. "I don't know, this place looks completely different at night, and my horn's too damaged for any kind of complex spell."

"Just think, Twilight, you know this place far better than me. If anypony has a chance of getting us out it's you," Starlight assured her, fear demanding her tone turn from a soft whimper into a firm statement.

Twilight's whole body shivered, her bloodstained expression contorting as a turbulent mix of emotions went at each other like savage timber wolves in her mind. Then she finally looked at her two remaining friends, brow furrowing.

"Alright, stay close and follow me," she started, and Starlight levitated Spike on the alicorn's back as she fell in line behind her. Their eyes were cast into the darkness behind them as Twilight watched the gloom ahead.

Silence once again gripped the ruins, even the storm seem to stop and take a breath as the air became so dense a pair of scissors could cut it with ease. The gloom remained motionless, save for the occasional flash or flicker. For anypony seeing it, it was a deadly game of deciphering whether it was just a trick of the mind or the deadly entity's vibrant lure. Once again the walk through the eerie shadows felt like it took an eternity, the path winded down great spiral stairs and through cracks and crevices in the stone that could not be part of the original design. Then in the middle of a corridor lined by ghostly sets of black pony armour Twilight paused, almost causing Starlight to leap out of her skin as she backed into her.

"What is it?" She asked in a whisper, turning to look at the puzzled alicorn.

"I don't know, this looks familiar but... Urg, I have no idea where we are!" She groaned, forehooves pressing to her temple.

"What, you said you knew the way out Twilight, we can't be lost!" Spike responded, fear once again surging into his tone like a flood.

That only seemed to make Twilight's dread grow all the more, however, and she paced desperately trying to search her mind for the answers while desperately keeping her terror at bay.

"I don't know Spike, I'm trying okay!" she exclaimed, then her head fell slightly. "I need you to know that I'll never let anything happened to you, okay?" she added, her voice cracking with an unsettlingly terrified madness.

Before she could continue, Starlight moved to Twilight's side and lifted the princess's chin with a hoof, putting on her best smile.

"Come on, Twilight, don't give up on us now, we still need you," She said simply, doing all she could to hide her desperation.

All Twilight did was look into the darkness ahead emptily, and Starlight swallowed nervously.

"Twilight?" Her meek words did no better to enter Twilight's mind then they would the curushing darkness around them, but the alicorn just nodded stiffly.

It was the best indication anypony had that there was any hope of escape. Accepting the fact, Starlight reluctantly moved back to her place behind Twilight, only to scream. The sight of the glowing frill flashed only seconds before a monstrous set of glistening black claws reached out of the gloom to strike her. Instinct drove the unicorn to duck, as the claws smashed into one of the sets of armor, cutting a deep gash through the metal as it clattered to the floor.

Before she could even think about anything else she sent a wild blast of blue fire right up into where she could only guess the thing was hidden. Illuminated for mere seconds she saw the sleek, black body of the thing as its wet, rubbery skin was scorched by the fire. Then the thing recoiled from the flames with a pained hiss, and vanished with a bright flash of blue light. Yet this time it didn't go far.

"Run!" Starlight called, and without another word, she took off, Twilight and Spike only inches behind her.

There was a shifting in the gloom, then a horrific shriek as the creature charged after them. No more than its bright lights were visible, but the sound of its large body slamming the armored stands aside as its thudding steps beating against the stone were all too real. Then came the ripping chatter of its frills sounded as it magically darted up along the walls towards them. In the lead, all Starlight could think about was each passing pillar or piece of tattered tapestry. Each one was another between her and the monster. But it was a futile hope, and soon enough the sound of the thing's breath was almost upon her as it panted. Without thinking for more than a second, Starlight took a sharp right down another hall, hoping to Celestia that Twilight could follow.

She didn't have time to look back, no matter how much she wanted to. But the sound of Twilight's exhausted breath and the rapid clopping of her hoof steps were still thankfully close behind her. It was after only a few moments that she began to realised they might be the only set of steps that were still pursuing her, and she dared to stop running. Twilight almost collided with her student's rump as she came to an abrupt halt and instantly looked back into the darkness. There was no sign of their hunter and at that, both of them had little choice but to fall against a wall as they gasped for breath.

"You think it's still after us?" Spike asked, frantically looking between the two mares and the darkness behind him.

Twilight opened her muzzle as if to respond, but Spike's words could not have come at a worse time. The darkness flickered, the pulsating blue light accompanied by an equally chilling echo as it slowly stalked toward them. Both Twilight and Starlight turned, backing away as fast as they could. All the while, neither dared take their eyes off of the thing. Then each of them felt something that made their hearts stop. The cold touch of jagged stone met their haunches, and only one brief look back solidified the fact that the tunnel ahead had collapsed. Caught between a wall and their ravenous hunter, panic began to burn like wildfire within everypony. Then the blue glow vanished, rendering the dark creature invisible.

"No, no, no, no, no! Please come on there has to be a way through!" Starlight begged as she beat her hooves against the stone and tried to rip at the thick wall with her magic.

Her efforts only resulted in more rock falling into place, yet her frantic struggle was only interrupted by Twilight as the alicorn called out. "There, get through there!"

Looking to where Twilight was pointing, Starlight could make out a small crack in the ruined wall, just big enough for somepony to crawl through. Before any of them could argue Twilight shoved Spike towards the hole and motioned for Starlight to go through after him.

"You want to go through there? But what if there's more of those things in there or it's another dead end or...?" The baby dragon panicked, as Starlight pushed past him and peered into the small crawl space.

"Looks clear, Spike, follow me I'll go first," she volenteared, then looked at Twilight.

All the alicorn did was give her a small smile of appreciation, then there was another low hiss in the shadows. It became clear that their hunter wasn't oblivious to the new revelation and its glow appeared again as it darted forwards. Spike looked between the hole and Twilight with a pleading look, as Starlight crawled inside.

"Go, Spike, I'll be right behind you," Twilight instructed, pushing him into the hole with her hind hoof and backing right up against it.

"Twilight!" The dragon called desperately, but before he could do anything Starlight's magic pulled him back.

Tears streamed from the unicorn's face as she struggled to squirm through the dusty tunnel of jagged rock, all the while dragging the struggling Spike away from the closest friend he'd ever had. From the darkness outside the confined space there was a series of weak purple flashes. Then a bright blue burst of light and a fearsome shriek as Twilight screamed, her cry of terror cut of by a wet gasp. Starlight could crawl no more as she heard her mentor's voice fade into the gloom. Her horn’s glow faded as she released Spike. Behind her, the dragon sat motionlessly, and Starlight struggled to turn her head back to look at him. A part of her longed to see the lavender alicorn come crawling triumphantly out of the darkness, yet there was nothing but a dead stillness.

Then the dust fluttered and the whole tunnel seemed to quiver as the close air shifted. One brief flicker sparked from the entrance hole, and the sight of those quivering jaws caught Starlight’s gaze as the thing forced its way into the tunnel after them.

She telekinetically grabbed Spike, and any urge other than to crawl as fast as she could left her as she struggled through the tight rocky tunnel. Tears flooded her eyes as she begged Celestia for any hope, any salvation. Yet even as she verbally whimpered and pleaded nothing came but the closing walls, and the clawing of the beast as it relentlessly dragged itself after them.

Then she felt moist air upon her face and looked ahead to see a small break in the rock, the tiniest glimmer of hope. With all of the strength she had left she wriggled her way towards the opening, teeth bared as she struggled. The rock's Sharp edges cut at her sides as she squeezed through and dust stung her weeping eyes. But then, against all odds, she broke out into the damp air and heaved herself free of the hole with a deep breath.

"Starlight, Starlight help!" called Spike, his voice muffled by the rock.

Without thought Starlight spun back to the small opening and pulled the dragon's head free with her magic. She reached in with a hoof, wrapping it around his outstretched claws to pull him out. Then she felt something hard yank at her limb and she looked into the dragon's wide, terrified eyes as he was torn from her grasp and dragged into the hole with a painful cry and a scattering of dust.

"Spike... Spike!" Starlight called loudly as she dove at the hole, hooves digging at the rock in a futile effort to dig him out.

Yet it was too late, and after only a few seconds Starlight collapsed back and curled up into a quivering ball as she sobbed into her forehooves. She stared at the small hole expectantly, almost any moment now she supposed the thing would burst through the rock and finally finish what it had started. Yet before long, the seconds became minutes and still the darkness remained still.

Lifting her shivering head, Starlight dared take her tear-strewn eyes off the hole and looked around. The small chamber in which she found herself was filled with a musty dampness and bore a rough set of rocky walls. She was in a natural cave, far different from the smooth stone chambers of the castle. The blue light of her horn shimmered against the ever jagged surface of the wet rock and the sound of rushing water could be heard in the distance. Finally, she swallowed and took a staggered breath of cool air. She had no idea what to do, but she knew one thing, water always ran to the outside.

That weak fact was all that sustained her tormented mind as she staggered to her hooves and limped slowly through the dripping wet maze of caverns. Every small movement in the corner of her eye, every shiver of her magic's light against the damp rock and every distant sound made her jump. Her ears twitched like restless insect wings and her eyes spun in her skull as they darted about. Her staggered breath came out in shivering puffs of vapor and the dampness on her coat mixed with a glistening layer of cold sweat. The air was like ice, and the water slowly pooling around her hooves didn't make the freezing sensation any better as she trembled.

Then she saw it, a small, dripping hole in the cave wall. Beyond it were the swirling clouds of the storm and the swaying canopy of the trees. It was a way out. A small hint of relief crossed Starlight's mind, all the while she was forced to curl her tail close and wrap her forelimbs around herself as the cold air forced her to shiver all the more. There was one other problem, between her and the small escape was a gushing torrent of foamy white water.

Taking a deep breath Starlight stood and boldly entered the rapids. Her hooves turned numb in the bitterly cold water and she struggled to grip the slippery rock. The brutal force of the water didn't make that any easier as the flow threatened to send her sprawling into the depths. Coughing and spitting as water leaped into her mouth, Starlight staggered and lurched forwards, her forehooves snagging painfully on the rock as she desperately reached for her last small glimmer of hope. Then her rear hooves slipped out from under her and she was left clinging to the wall with no hope of pulling herself free. That last bastion of hope was stolen in a storm of gushing water and biting rocks as Starlight was torn away from the hole and washed deep into the cold, wet darkness.

********

In the eerie tranquility of the silent cave, there was a loud splash. The sound bounced rhythmically from the glistening walls as it disturbed the perfect mirrors that the calm pools had become. With a deep gasp Starlight Glimmer bust upwards from the freezing water, her limbs kicking as she battled to stay afloat. Every muscle in her body ached and strained with exhaustion, but she dragged her bruised and battered form to the water's edge and latched onto the slippery rocks. Pulling herself free she fell onto her back in a fit of heaving coughs and retches, then she went limp.

The cold air remained still around her, a grave silence broken only by her frantic breathing and the sound of flowing water. She had no idea how far she been washed into the virtual catacomb of watery tunnels, but by now she was pretty sure she was as far from salvation as she could be. That urge to simply curl up and die crossed her mind again. What hope was there now? If the thing that had so brutaly hunted and killed each of her friends did not come for her then eventually the cold, water, or starvation would claim her. Rolling onto her front Starlight grimaced as she received a muzzle full of wet gravel. Yet she was not dead yet. The sound of water still echoed through ghostly caverns and once again she knew it must lead somewhere.

With a pained groan, she forced her strained and quivering hooves to support her as she staggered upwards. Brushing the wet strands of mane from her eyes, her horn flared and she looked around. A large pool of water sat in the center of the chamber, its surface relatively still, save for the gushing torrent that had washed her down here. Several dark tunnels led off on all sides, and above a virtual honeycomb of small holes dotted the ridged ceiling. A small trickling stream led away from the pool and off into the darkness, and Starlight swiftly followed it further down into the gloom. Even so, for what felt like hours she was offered little more than rough, rocky walls, and stalagmites as she wandered endlessly through the blackness. Several vaguely smooth pillars might have been the foundations of the castle, but she had little idea where she was in relation to it. Eventually, the water at her hooves began to rise and soon she found her legs completely submerged. Before long, she fell back against one of the walls with a weak whimper.

She remained there for a long moment, every vestige of hope shattered as she cried into the cold stone. Before her, the tunnel broke off into a small crevice, through which the water seemed to flow. Looking both left and right warily, Starlight pushed herself away from the wall and strode through the freezing water towards the hole. The space was tight and for a long moment, she didn’t even think she’d fit through. But a determination to survive was burning within her and that primal drive forced her to push her way between the sharp rocks. The many jagged edges bit at her cold coat, painfully cutting her skin and drawing more tears from the battered unicorn. But against all odds, she squeezed through and out into a new chamber. The moment she was free of the stone she fell into the water, yet as the light of her horn illuminated the new cavern she wished she’d have just remained in the other tunnel.

At first, the rocky walls looked to be just that, rocks. But as the light of Starlight’s magic shimmered from the dark surface it became clear it was far from simple stone. The whole wall seemed to writhe and squirm like a vast carpet of ravenous insects. Long strands of sticky, black slime stretched between staligtites and stalagmites like a great spider's web. Starlight didn’t even want to think what she may be standing on just below the water. Yet the lack of hungry black goo consuming her legs suggested she was safe, at least for now. Looking ahead into the long tunnel she made a great effort to avoid touching any of the walls, yet after mere moments of walking that became the least of her worries. The first thing Starlight heard was a weary moan, then a pained whimper and she paused, eyes wide as she caught a glimpse of the gargled sound’s source.

“Twilight?” she murmured, her mind refusing to accept the image her eyes were offering her.

Strung to the wall was the ragged purple figure of her mentor, her tattered limbs bound within the mass of black slime like a fly in a grand web. Her lavender coat looked as if it were in the process of slowly rotting away, and the parts of her body caught by the slime were bloated and disfigured. Within those gigantic swollen blisters was a faint blue light, the likes of which perfectly illuminated the fetal silhouette of a grizzly creature. Starlight had to fight the urge to throw up as she saw the thing shift within its parasitic womb. Meanwhile, Twilight let out a gargled groan. Starlight staggered in the water, not daring to meet her mentor's eyes. Yet as she fell back and diverted her gaze she found no peace. Across from Twilight another equine figure had almost been completely corrupted by the slime. Four bloated blisters swelled over the body, appearing ready to disgorge their deadly offspring at any moment. Within the twisted black mass, the tattered remnants of a white face were just visible, its agonizing expression stretched like putty across the inky nest.

“Rarity?” Starlight stammered, looking around to see more corrupted, equine bodies strung up to incubate the next generation of horrific creatures.

She saw Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, the mutilated flesh still enough to harbor the creatures dwelling within them. Directly above she saw Applejack, or at least one half of her. Down by the water, she could barely make out another small lump of purple scales. Finally, around the whole place were more bubbling lumps of inky black, from each of which the distinctive forms of the glowing spheres that had started this nightmare had begun to sprout.

“It… It bred," Starlight mumbled to herself, the gruesome theory she’d pitched to Twilight mere hours ago coming to horrific light.

“Star… Starlight…" Came a weary voice, and as it met her ears Starlight dared to look to its source.

The moment her eyes once again fell upon Twilight’s mangled form however, the lilac unicorn gagged and retched sickeningly.

“By Celestia, by Celestia, by Celestia!” she exclaimed, her breath escaping her in a panicked fit. “I… I-I need to get you out… I… Twilight, tell me what to do?” she stammered, fear stealing all reason as she edged as close to Twilight's dissolving body as she dared.

“Star-Light… You…You need to…" Twilight groaned weakly, and Starlight fell back as the lavender alicorn’s one remaining eye locked onto her, the look within begging for relief. “Kill me,"

Those words sent a shudder through Starlight’s spine that she could only imagine felt the same as a lightning bolt striking her.

“What… No, Twilight, I can’t… I..." she stuttered weakly, but that pleading look didn’t leave Twilight's pained eyes.

“They can’t… Get out… You have to destroy them... all," The alicorn whimpered, gagging as several of the gestating monsters writhed within her distended body.

Starlight dared to look around the gruesome chamber, tears streaming from her eyes. Then she looked back at her mutilated mentor, and through the pain and slime eating away at her Twilight nodded.

“I… I’m sorry," Starlight stammered, as her horn flared and a jet of flame erupted out across the defiled chamber.

Twilight screamed as she was burned alive, yet the horrific cry of agony was drowned out by Starlight’s crying and the turmoil that had gripped her mind. The stench of charred and rotting flesh filled the air as the hideous black slime was reduced to ash, as were the bodies of the others, who were all mercifully unconscious. After only a few minutes, the fire receded and Starlight was left within the silent gloom as the blackened remains of her friends slipped lazily into the water. She didn’t dare look at the charred corpses, all she did was cry into her forehooves and shiver at the idea of what she’d just done. Over and over she reminded herself of the state they’d been in, but none of that spared her the utter horror of what she’d been driven to. That all changed seconds later, with an eerie whistling sound.

There was a loud splash in the gloom, and Starlight’s sorrow broke as she felt the water around her legs ripple. Jumping up straight, her eyes darted to the left and right only to see nothing but darkness. The cold water shifted again as something large moved through it, and she slowly began to back away from the direction she was sure the disturbance had come from. Whatever was there in the darkness before her didn't stop moving, yet it remained just out of sight. Then she saw a bright flickering amidst the shadows and bolted as fast as she could.

She'd no idea whether it was the light of her own magic, or her mind playing tricks on her. But now there was little of her left to care. She staggered desperately through the water, with each panicked step it felt as if the cold soup was pulling her back towards her inevitable doom. Her ears perked as she heard a wet hiss cut through the air, the long, drawn-out sound perforated by a series of animalistic clicks. That distinctive rotting smell entered her nostrils and there was no doubt in her mind at that moment that it had found her. Only now it was very angry.

Before she could do anything more however, the tunnel widened and she fell forwards as one of her forehooves caught between two submerged stones. She hit the freezing water face first, barely able to see the vibrant blue flash that passed over her as her horn's light died. Pure need for air forced her to raise her head far sooner than she'd have liked, and she made another loud gasp as her starved lungs begged for relief. A large rock jutted out from the water before her, and she swiftly pushed herself up against it as she heaved and coughed.

All the while her eyes remained locked on the darkness of the tunnel before her, waiting for that distinctive blue light to appear and reveal those hideous teeth, yet no such doom came. Instead, the water around Starlight's waist rippled again as something large moved in the shadows. The sound of dripping in the cave shifted as something passed under a set of wet stalactites, then she heard it. In the confined maze of tunnels, the rasping breath echoed as if coming from all around her. Once more the freezing water quivered, causing Starlight's heart to skip a beat and she slowly peered over her rocky cover.

There, in the center of the small cave, was another rock illuminated from above by a weak ray of light. Perched atop it, was a large serpentine beast. Its smooth black skin glinted like leather, its incredibly long, whip-like tail snaked through the water and a large array of rattling spines sat upon its arched back. Its slender body was supported by a pair of monstrous clawed forelimbs that dwarfed a far smaller pair of scythed appendages sprouting from behind its ribbed chest. Yet none of that was what caught Starlight's attention in that briefest of glimpses as it was eternally scarred into her terrified mind. All that did, was the thing's large, crested head.

It was devoid of all natural features save oozing nostrils and a slavering maw. The thing was almost like a hooked beak that twitched and shifted like the clicking mandibles of an insect. Even so, the whole thing moved with a slow grace as water dribbled over its partly illuminated body, puffs of hot vapor and spits of dribbling water fleeting from its fanged mouth as it exhaled. Rivers of neon blue light swam in magnificent patterns under its translucently dark hide, all a strangely beautiful betrayal of its deadly nature. Then with a sudden hiss and a sharp flick of its head, the beast looked directly at Starlight.

Instinctively she ducked back down as fast as she could, begging Celestia that it hadn't seen her as she covered her muzzle and battled not to scream. She then pressed her hooves to her rashing ears and closed her eyes as the water shifted again. She could feel its eyeless stare as it peered into the rock as to melt the cover away and expose her to its brutal savagery. The water rippled again, this time followed by a loud splash as the creature seemed to move from its rocky perch. The urge to just look was overwhelming, her lungs were like a hurricane and she could feel the rapid beat of her heart as it tried to thump its way out of her chest. Every other sound meant nothing as the agonizingly long seconds drew on. Even the creature's movement through the water disappeared as time went by and finally, Starlight could resist no longer.

Her head shot up to where she'd seen the beast, only to see the rock empty, as was the rest of the cavern. Confusion only held her for a moment however, as terror soon began to boil within her veins. She jumped over her cover and moved to the caves’ center, keeping an eye on every possible entrance. Still, the darkness remained naught but darkness and Starlight’s racing heart began to slow. She could only assume it hadn't seen her, maybe it was gone and she was free? No, she wasn't so naive, she knew it was still here somewhere and she wasn't going to give it a chance to do to her what it had done to her friends. She knew now for sure that it was no ghost, specter or any sort of supernatural being. It was a real flesh and blood animal, a parasitic abomination that had violated all of her friends and she owed it to them to destroy it once and for all.

That was when she saw it. Curled up in the watery shadows was that distinct crown of blue light that marked what she now knew to be its head crest. Starlight locked eyes with its quivering maw, as the segmented orifice twitched and slowly parted. The thing looked right into her, seeing what she was on an in-equine level that clearly didn't require eyes. Then its mouth opened wider, distending into a virtual ring of glinting black fangs as it gave a low, clicking hiss. Starlight narrowed her eyes and lowered her horn as her blue magic flashed to life. The creature gave a loud shriek as it jumped up and charged right at her.

"This is for my friends, you monster!" She called fiercely as a bolt of blue fire exploded from her horn, striking the creature down with a watery flash and cloud of steam.

Starlight looked up as the hissing fell silent, a wave of relief falling over her the likes of which she'd never imagined. Yet it was swiftly overcome by the wave of traumatic emotions that followed. First and foremost, she looked to where her attacker had fallen only to see its rippling image reform as if it were no more than water. Then she froze, that was only water, it was only a reflection. There was a cold puff of breath upon the back of Starlight's trembling neck, and a sticky, wet slime trailed down her damp mane. She gasped, quivering eyes going wide. The sensation shifted, and a slow hiss sounded right beside her left ear, a soft blue glow caressing her face as it did so. She couldn't turn, run, or even scream as the barbed whip coiled around her and everything exploded in a painfully bright, blue flicker.