I awoke in the middle of a field, Grimalkin and The Fiend nowhere to be seen. The Spook was laying beside me, still unconscious. I got to my feet and looked around. I saw a small destroyed town nearby, and some lights past it.
I looked around to realize that I still had all my things, except the hero sword. I looked around to see if I dropped it, but it was nowhere to be seen. I turned to The Spook and tried to wake him up.
"Mister Gregory, mister Gregory can you hear me?" I asked as I shook his shoulder.
"Ugh...lad? Where are we?" He asked as he scratched the back of his head.
"I don't know, I don't think we're in the county anymore."
"I suspect we're not on Earth anymore lad. The Fiend could have sent us anywhere. Our best chances at survival would be to find the locals...assuming they're friendly," The Spook said as he picked himself up. "Where's my bag?"
"I don't know. The hero sword is gone too."
The Spook's face became solemn and he walked toward the lights in the far distance without another word. I followed.
We walked through the charred, burnt ruins we heard a series of loud screams. I pressed my thumb into the recess of my staff, pressing the button within, letting out a sharp silver alloy blade out the tip of the staff with a re-reassuring click. The Spook did the same. We rushed over to see four horses fighting a a stone chucker, a kind of boggart. The horses were dodging rocks and...shooting beams of light from their heads, and a couple had swords. One of them couldn't roll fast enough and was crushed to death by a large boulder, adding to the others.
"That's a boggart." I told The Spook.
"Aye, but do they know that?" He replied. "Let's watch."
The Spook and I watched from a burnt house to see if the horses had a plan. One female horse that looked to be the leader was ordering them to fall back to the ruined village. Another was crushed but the other three managed to make it into the town safely. They were making cover in a town square, refreshing and planning their next attack. The Spook started walking over to them, staff in defensive position. i followed.
When we reached the three horses they quickly got up and yelled at us.
"Who are you!?" The leader barked. I couldn't tell if it was a question or a command, but the voice was female.
The Spook kept a strong expression and talked calmly. "My name is John Gregory, a spook. You have no need to fear me or my apprentice as we fight The Dark, much like you."
"My name is Twilight Sparkle," The voice said, now much friendlier. "I'm in charge of this squad, or what's left of it."
"Aye, I apologize for not helping you against that boggart. I had to make sure you weren't on the side of The Dark."
"Wait, you know what that ghost is?" One of the other horses asked.
"That's not a ghost, that is a boggart," The Spook replied. "I have to ask you though, can you see it?"
"I see a red shimmer, that's all you ever see of those things before they get you...Why? Can you see them?"
"Aye, we can. The lad and I are seventh sons of seventh sons. That gives us special abilities by birthright, including being able to sense the servants of The Dark. This is a kind of boggart called a stone chucker. They start out by rattling houses, trying to scare the people that live there. This one has grown quite angry, and must be slain or bound. If we-"
"Wait," Twilight said, interrupting The Spook. "You expect us to believe that after centuries of monsters tormenting us, you two can just come here and tell us you know how to stop them?"
"We can. it's our trade. Perhaps we can work out a deal, but first, how many of you exist? Are there any towns?'
"The only civilizations that exist are Canterlot, Cloudsdale, and a few ponies in Ponyville. We're from Ponyville.
"Wait," I asked her, "Are you all...horses?"
"Everypony I know is a pony. You two are the only of your kind i've ever seen."
"What about the witches?" One of Twilight's soldiers asked, resting with his spear against a stone wall. "The magic ones that eat us?"
"You have witches here too?" The spook asked. "This land is in trouble indeed."
"...Yes. We can talk later. First we have to get back to Ponyville, but that...stone chucker is in the way."
"Let's make a deal. The lad and I will slay the boggart, and you take us to Ponyville. On neutral terms."
"Sounds fair enough."
"Your going to take out that thing? Without swords? Magic? Food?"
"No thank you," The Spook said. "I don't believe in magic. A Spook's best weapon against The Dark is his wits. Fasting helps prepare your mind."
The Spook and I headed down the hill, salt and iron at the ready. Boggarts are spirits, and silver won't be needed to kill them. To slay a boggart a spook needs to envelop it in a cloud of salt and iron, which will burn it away. Twilight and her two soldiers hid at the top of the hill, where The Spook and I when we had watched them earlier.
As soon as we set foot at the bottom of the hill we were welcomed with an intimidating howl, coming from the stone chucker. A large boulder was hurled at us, which we side-stepped with ease, but now we were separated. We dashed towards the direction the stone came, but it was nowhere to be seen.
I remembered quickly that strong boggarts can cloak themselves, and only seventh sons of seventh sons could see them. I had to focus..
"Look out lad!" The Spook called as a series of jagged rocks were hurled in my direction. I crouched behind a large rock that had crushed one of Twilight's soldiers while the rocks hit it with a series of crackling noises. my foot stepped on top of his sword, which was crafted in steel. No wonder they couldn't kill this.
I peered over the top of the rock to see The Spook running from a hail of stones.
Lad, get him, I've got him distracted!"
I jumped over the rock, digging my hands into my cloak pockets. I pulled out generous handfuls of salt and iron, and threw them at the boggart. The boggart started screaming loudly as it became enveloped in a cloud of salt and iron. Slowly, it faded away, going to wherever all dead creatures go. I walked over to The Spook.
"Are you okay?" I asked. The spook was breathing heavily.
"I'm fine lad. Age is just taking it's toll that's all," He replied.
We made our way back up the hill to Twilight and her soldiers.
"I can't believe it. The two of you killed one of those...things!"
"We do it because no one else can do it as well. It's our trade by birthright, like I said."
"You have to explain how you do that," Twilight said, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"First, let's get to this Ponyville. I want a hot meal and a soft bed."