//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 Shattered Armor and Lost Swords // Story: Falconers and the Tomb of Aminus // by MadDonut //------------------------------// He opened his eyes and saw nothing but blackness. It was cold and it was wet and he didn't know were he was or think straight. Something bodily really hurt, it was his chest. It panged with the awful sensation of a rather large wound but to Igneous in his delirious, post-adrenaline state the feeling came off rather dull and pleasing. His eyes began to grow heavy and he began to wonder why he had even woken up in the first place being as tired as he was. It was dark the water fall rang with peace through the tunnel and the infinite void above. However just before he faded away in the center of his vision two objects appeared and began to slowly descend growing as they neared. Igneous reached out to them as they got closer turning from incomprehensible smudges of an amorphous like ball to pony like. They seemed like angels and the way the descended also seemed as much. With one weak hoof he reached out and with the weakest, tiredest voice of near mortal death Igneous muttered. “Am I finally dead?” Kara then pushed his hoof down and away saying, “You're going to be if you lay in this water any longer.” Igneous didn't answer but instead just laid his head down. His armor was shattered where Hilliph had struck him. The blade had cleanly pierced all the way through piercing his hide exposing mortal self. Another voice, one Igneous didn’t recognise, came from the figure standing next to her. She shouted to another, someone other than Kara. “He is over here!” The echo of approaching hooves clopping along on rocks rang throughout the tunnel making their presence known to Igneous even before they spoke. “How is he still alive?” “That’s one fall.” A third voice, this one much more condescending and vigor. “He sure did tried his hardest to die,” Kohligan scoffed. He took his place next to Igneous in the water and called, “Diettetcheny help me with these wounds.” A unicorn descended the rocky ridge. This one, unlike the others that wore armor, wore nothing more than a robe that clocked over the entirety of his body leaving nothing to the view of onlookers but his eyes and nothing more. He gave Igneous and his injures on glance. “We won't be able to heal that wound.” This robbed pony took his place on the other side of Igneous as Kohligan said, “I know Dettetcheny, but we can stop the bleeding.” For a brief moment his catalyst bloomed with a light luminescent and purely white. Kohligan raised his hoof just as the white sprite broke of from the magical bonds of his catalyst and with it in hoof he plunged it down resting it atop Igneous’s wound. They watched; Kara, Dettetcheny, Mace and Joel when they showed up and to their great relief at once stopped bleeding, decreased in size but didn’t close up. Kohligan was satisfied with the results so far. Dettetcheny contributed his white magic and the wound shrunk again but like the last didn’t close completely. “We need to get him out of the water,” Kohligan commanded as he stood. Kara objectified saying, “He can't move Kohligan, he is too injured.” Just then a dark mist took for and took the shape of a hooked spear that Kohligan took into his magical grip with indignation, frustration and impatiens. “I will say what Igneous can and can't do.” At once before anyone could speak or mutter a word Kohligan reached with the spear snagging Igneous’s armor by the broken notch produced by the blade of Hilliph and with shaft in mouth began dragging Igneous out of the water and through the dirt. If Igneous wasn’t awake or any thought him to be asleep they soon figured just the opposite as this stallion began to scream in agony at even the slightest tug of his injury. He pawed at the ground trying to get his footing but it was useless as each attempt only yielded gravel that gave way to his touch. Kohligan then withdrew the spear upwards throwing the wounded stallion against the wall and crags of the cave only to shouted, “What Were You Thinking You Foolish Yewl!” “O-old diggit,” he sputtered once his pain became suppressed by the excessive pride rebellion he held over his father. “I out rank you,” he whispered with a hiss. Not a moment longer before he fell to the dirt clutching his chest over his shattered armor in pain. “He lost a lot of blood Kohligan,” Dettetcheny informed as he stepped forward in as nonoffensive manner as possible. “Doing this could cause him to start bleeding again.” Kohligan turned then retorted, “Then we will just heal him again.” His words were harsh and deliberate. “We don't have time for this Kohligan. The fortress ceiling will collapse any minute now.” The one that had spoken was Floritha, a celestial who was apart of Kohligan’s team and the one who found Igneous along with Kara. However apart from her fair looks the one feature the stuck out about her was he four hooves and the metal they seemed to be made of holly. Kohligan spoke, “if Hilliph didn’t get out through the halls of the Hexer’s fortress then he’s still down here or he found a passage leading out.” He turned and commanded the celestial with hardy regard, “Go Find Him!” Floritha took off immediately as ordered but just as Kara poised for lift off to follow Igneous commanded, “Don’t Kara!” Pulling himself through the dirt he managed to get his four hooves beneath him but lacked the strength to pick his body up. “Don’t listen to him Kara. He’s not the one leading this mission.” Kara stood there unsure who exactly to obey. Her true leader that she had traveled with for nearly a year who laid there injured, delirious and stubborn or Kohligan who’s better judgment would have them find this traitor who injured her leader and friend and bring him back for the consequences that may or would ensue. “I have had it with your ignorance Igneous,” Kohligan scoffed as his blade withdrew from its scabbard only to be plunged into the dirt and Igneous’s hooves unsheathed one of his swords and threw it down at Igneouses hoofs. “Is this how we must always meet old yewl?” he said as he used his magic to levitate it into the air and into a defensive position. “You're fighting an injured pony,” Dettetcheny nervously criticised. “This cannot be a fair fight Kohligan.” “I need to teach him respect and humility,” he said as he stood above the stallion who didn’t even bother taking to the blade not even bound to him. “Not now,” he rejected as he knocked the blade from the dirt and back to the dirt. “We have bigger priorities that this ‘feud.’” He then tried to stand but the muscles associated with picking himself burned with a fire at the gash in his chest. He winced and let out a pained cry before Kara rushed to him and pleaded, “please Igneous, don’t move!” “That will be the easiest thing I do Kara,” he grunted. With his limited energy expelled into that one act of exertion his eyes feel heavy again as the adrenaline of Kohligan’s wakeful ruse began to wear off. Doing the hard thing simultaneously became his last ambition in favor of rest and healing. Retrieving the sword Igneous had discarded Kohligan came to the understanding that Igneous wouldn’t be fighting so soon. Silently he walked off toward the water that flowed through the darkness that was illuminated only by his and Dettechenies soft glowing catalysts. Floritha then found her place at his side in report of her quick survey of Hilliph’s wear abouts. “I have not found Hilliph,” she began by saying in a rather hushed tone. “But there is an exit where he might have escaped.” She pointed with her wing before turning and transferring the indicated direction to her hoof. It's just beyond that ridge hidden rather well but I can show you.” “Right,” he solemnly affirmed. “Get the eartheniers and scout the immediate area. If you don't find Hilliph then come back because we're not going to be moving for tonight.” Kara who sat by Igneous’s side watched Kohligan unable to hear his words quite well, only the fact that Hilliph had gone unfound. However just to her side she found Dettetcheny approaching with a rather pecular stone in his magical grip. “Give this to him,” he insisted. “This should dull the senses for you valiant smith.” Kara took it in her hooves and commented, “as if he didn't already use them.” “Pain may only be temporary but relief to some is always a blessing.” His robe covered everything but his eyes and it made every action he commit seem rather eerie. His eyes also seemed rather intense rivaled only by the cold hard stare of his earthenier team mate. “It may not be allotted to the common pony but thats why its considered grace for us Falconers.” Another fell rock fell from his bags that hung at his flanks and he held it out for Kara herself. “You could probably use the ease. It's been a long day and Hexers are a topic that could easily overhelm one's thought especially now that we reside beneath the very fortress we took refuge in.” She eyed him suspiciously and answered, “I would rather not.” He laughed. “No problem, I'll just take this for myself then.” He slipped small stone beneath the robes in the opening of his eyes and with only the slightest hint of an opening mouth Kara could hear him bite down. “Should you really be softening your mind right now smitheneir?” His head had withdrawn for a moment as he expected to leave but instead turned back to her at the question. “I'm doing it for the nerves.” He lowered a bit of the cloth around his eyes and showed Kara the skin he was hiding. After she got a good look he tucked the cloth neatly back into place and said, “don't forget Kara. We each have a story to tell and to forget is nearly ignorant.” He then took his leave leaving Kara in Igneous’s company. She bent down to Igneous whose eyes were remained closed dispite his wakefulness and suffering. “Take this,” she prodded with the stone. “You need it.” His eyes remained shut but he answered grimacingly, “I don't Kara. I’ll do just fine without it.” “Why Igneous?” she asked. “Why do you gotta be so stubborn? What exactly are you trying to prove to yourself be letting yourself suffer let alone to me.” He opened his eyes and stared off into the distance and said, “That I don't need coddling, that I can stand on my own hoofs.” “The very thing you can’t do your so injured.” When he didn’t answer she got up and said, “fine. Just keep acting like a foal Igneous. It’s done all the good in the world for you so far.” She walked off leaving Igneous as she stored the rock within the folds of her feathers for safe keeping. He watched as Kara sauntered off in no particular direction only to find herself and Kohligans side speaking to him in a hushed voice. However just as he thought he was alone a voice spoke from above. “You should just be glad that you got hoofs to stand on.” He looked up to see Floritha, the celestial, perched atop a ledge with her metal four hooves crossed and hanging off before her. “Shouldn’t you be getting the eartheniers?” he questioned as he again rested head back down to the ground with ears raised in anticipation for her response. She answered, “They're coming but right now.” A slight flutter of air and silently she landed before him. “I wanna talk about you.” She sat before him with metal hooves nearly blocking his entire view. “Your growing ignorant Igneous and your team needs a leader.” She batted her bladed wings and a single stone fell before Igneous’s snout, the same one Kara had just offered him moments ago. “If you're not going to do this for yourself then do it for them.” She then nodded her head down the cavern and Igneous looked to see Joel, Mace and another earthenier coming down the pathway. Mace looked offset, a bit uneased by some means. Joel looked oven worse than the night they killed the spy while the other earthenier wore all the standard gear but wore a fleeting gaze that seemed more intense the the cold of the winter snow. When Mace saw the state Igneous was in he ran up to him and asked, “What happened Igneous when you fell through the floor. You look worse than ever.” Floritha interrupted saying, “Right now we have bigger concerns. You two,” she said not knowing either Mace’s or Joel’s names. “And Oxinum,” she said refurring to the third earthpony with the glare. “-are to scout the outside of the cave for any signs of Hilliph. If you don't find him then you have orders to come back.” “What about Igneous?” Joel asked. The pony named Oxinum then commented, “a smith such as him will do just fine,” he walked passed and as he did he eyed Igneous through the corners of his eyes not making an effort to move his head. It reminded Igneous of snake eyes. “Now come,” he said as continued on walking. “We may just be able to find Hilliph in time.” Mace and Joel gave Igneous one last look and then followed Oxinum. Florthia then turned back to injured stallion and reprised, “your team needs you Igneous. You're supposed to be the pillar they fall upon for support. How can they if your cracked and broken?” she turned to follow them but as she did she tossed the rock down at Igneous side. Igneous stared down at the peculiar stone eyeing it with grave consideration. He took the next few moments to think. He thought about how he had lost his shield his weapons, his armor that now became shattered and useless. What use was he anymore especially if he was just going to sit there in pain sulking around like a foal. He took one last look at the rock, there was much to consider, and with one dip of his head he ate it. “Kohligan?” Kara began nervously as she walked up to him. “C-can I ask you something?” “Yes peganier?” he answered still staring into the water carefully watching the ripples brought on by superficially submerged rocks as it flowed ran downstream away from the waterfall not to far away. Judging by his posterior and the way he seated himself and looked on Kara thought he must have been pondering over something rather important and in turn felt terrible for having interrupted him. “My sister,” she began. “Is she alright?” His body seemed to tense oh so subtly for what seemed like a fraction of a second. Kara then saw Kohligan begin to answer by opening his mouth but stuttered before closing it again in shame or sadness. Without looking he gave her the answer. “Your sister will live. By now she should be healed and as good as normal.” The way he said it made Kara feet that he wasn’t telling her something. So she asked, “Will she fly?” Kohligan didn't answer but instead tilted his head away from her. “Kohligan?” He let out a sigh and said, “there's a chance.” “What do you mean?” she asked getting even more worried then before. “I did my best Kara, but she-” he cut himself off. “I don't know. I’m sorry Kara but I really don’t know. I'm sorry.” But Kara wasn’t near. She had flown away out of sight of Kohligan, Igneous and anyone else she may have been near or could see. She perched herself upon an overhang much like the one Floritha had occupied but this one much higher up and near the waterfall to mask the sounds of her grieving, and if she couldn’t help it, crying. Kara haddn’t been a mare known to cry. She was regarded with respect by those who respected falconers. She was considered to be brilliant, brave and a hero but in that moment Kohligan had given her that almost daming answer she couldn’t remember any of those feelings. No longer did she feel brilliant or brave or what some called a hero. All she cared about was the distance, the separation and helplessness she was in when in contrast to her sister she had always looked up to, had flown with sailing through the clouds and skies and had loved dearly. She remembered the rock that she had tucked away and without much mental resistance she took it out and held it in her hoof. She stared at at it for a few minutes but after a long silence she put it into her mouth and bit down. She then laid back down on the stone ledge looking down over the others and the waterfall below. Kohligan still sat where he spoke to her and Igneous was all alone left to suffer. The search party came back not long after Kara had taken the peculiar stone and by the looks they wore on their faces and the way they carried themsleves it was clear that they did not find Hilliph. Mace walked off in his own direction leaving Joel while Kohligan’s own team gathered near a fire they started with alchemy or fire paper they applied to stone. From above the fire seemed warm unlike the stones she laid upon. The company seemed inviting unlike the solitude she kept to aloft the cave and with nothing left to fret and her tears already having passed she had nothing left to do but lay there and sulk about as hard as Igneous when she left him down there in the dirt. Joel watched as Mace walked off. He couldn’t help it but while they were out Mace more agitated than usual like something pressing was just bothering him but Joel knew not what it was. However before he could think too much about it, to his left side were the fire reside a voice called saying, “Need some company poor hunter?” Joel looked over to see that Dettetcheny, Floritha and Oxinum were all sitting around a fire they somehow started with nothing but a stone. Oxinum had his head down appearing to sleep while Floritha and Dettetcheny sat there enticing themselves with the warmth of the flame. Dettetcheny appeared to be smiling but underneath his robe Joel simply couldn’t tell. Only his eyes were present. “I wouldn’t mind the company” he said as he walked over to the fire and took his own place. Dettetcheny said, “Your team isn’t looking its finest. I would also boldly say your not doing too well yourself either uh… earthenier.” “Mace,” he answered. “What tipped you off?” he added sarcastically. “Your introvertness…” Oxinum said his eyes now wide open but his head still laying down. They why he just looked at him made Joel feel uneasy so he asked, “Why do you do that? That thing where you look at others but not really.” “If Oxinum looks at you it's mostly likely because he is about to kill you,” Dettetcheny answered for him. Oxinum spoke but while he did his head moved very little, “It's a habit. I've been a Falconer for quite some time and I appear to have picked up a… a side effect. The crossbows are line of sight. I look you straight on, it's my sights I’m aiming.” He elbowed the crossbows at his side folded and collapsed safely not in use. “It's-a kinda unnerving,” Joel muttered. “That's only bad for the enemy,” Oxinum added as he closed his eyes again. “Speaking of ‘unnerving’ what's gotten under your skin hunter.” Joel took a deep breath and answered, “Oh, I don't know.” He rubbed his neck with his hoof and added, “Maybe the days and nights just feel much shorter, or the miles I walked seem to grow much longer or just the killing. Most likely the killing.” Dettetcheny said, “I understand. How many have you put down?” “I-I haven’t killed any pony yet, I’ve only wounded. About the only thing I killed was a monster.” He shaked his head, “It seems more and more like we have only ourselves to worry about and kill and the monsters are just here, hanging out, having fun or something.” Floritha then said, “honestly the monsters are about the biggest immediate threat we face.” “Right,” Dettetcheny agreed. “Killing a monster is procedure but one mistake can end up getting teams killed and villages wiped out.” He laughed a bit, “makes it all the more sad.” “What do you mean?” Joel asked. He looked up and said, “You know what I mean Joel. Noriphmy has enough suits of armor lying around in Noriphmy to properly protect itself. We could even have an army if needed.” “Just nopony wants to be one,” Floritha finished. Joel hadn't known this. Falconers had sounded scarce but he didn't know they had the ability to have an army. “Why not?” “Us Falconers got a bad reputation,” Dettetcheny answered. “They think we're just piss poor excuse for a warrior. You know, fighting wars and defending the nation. I mean they respect us for the work we do killing monsters but fighting wars and killing bandits is a warrior's job.” “Our job is to hunt monsters but we end up killing more of ourselves defending villages from bandits then monsters normally do on a good week,” Floritha said. “And besides look at us. Were out right now hunting for maguffins and killing some cultish group.” From a far Mace added, “They’re not a cult.” Every pony including Kohligan looked over to Mace ears raised and ready for what he had to say. However Kohligan rose from where he sat and intimidatingly interjected, “excuse me Mace. What exactly did I hear you say?” his horn glowed and slowly his sword began to unsheathe. “Or could it have just been the wind?” He stood his ground and said again, “They’re not a cult. They’re from Istudious.” Even Oxinum raised his head and looked directly at Mace after hearing what he just said. “What do you mean, ‘there from Istudious?’” Oxinum questioned. “Istudious was destroyed after the great rising.” “It's what Jeckaluke said with his dying breath,” Joel affirmed. “I gave you one order,” Kohligan growled as he marched towards Mace with sword pointed. “One Order Mace! Your insubordination will not go unpunished!” Although Mace did not deploy himself he confidently stood his ground raising his head up to Kohligan and standing tall. Every pony, including Kara, watched as the standoff between these two intensified with each step Kohligan took closer to Mace, but just as it seemed Kohligan might actually flay the earth pony Igneous jumped from where he stood, taking Kohligan’s sword by the hilt in his mouth and came to a skidding stop in the dirt. He threw down the long sword, turned to face Kohligan and spoke with a stern bold voice. “Mace is apart of team Vendetta. My team. You may be a King but out here you fall beneath me. Your jurisdiction does not run this far falconer! If there is a punishment to be given then I alone will execute it.” For a moment Igneous and Kohligan stood there quietly and nopony else moved as the tension between the two only continued to rise. Then Kohligan took one step towards Igneous. Every falconer held his breath but as he passed Kohligan simply brushed shoulders with his son, purposely slightly knocking him aside out of the way causing Igneous to silently grimaced a little from the pain. Kohligan collected his sword from the dirt and placed it within its scabbard. Without a word he walked down the stream line of the river and as all ponies looked on he found the exit and took his leave. A few minutes later they heard a rumbling sound and at once they knew that the Hexer fortress had collapsed in on itself. Dettetcheny looked up and sadly muttered to himself, “But I never got to see the armory.” From the bag he wore at his side he spilled out four red colored crystals and added, “I even brought all of these.” Mace walked up to join them by the fire that still burned. Igneous who walked with a slight limp also joined but no longer wore his shattered armor that rested where he had previously laid. Igneous then in response to Dettetcheny, “It's a pity. I was looking to get a new shield.” Dettetcheny stored the crystals safely away back in his bag. “And how were you going to do that with none of these?” “I wasn’t planning on losing everything. Armor, swords, shields...” he lowered his head. “Hilliph.” It was only a whisper silent as it was but all could hear and those who didn’t could easily infer. “Your armor didn’t seem to do its job all that good Igneous,” Joel commented. “It did its job,” He replied. ”but hycrome tipped weapons do theirs better. But right now we need to talk. All of us.” He looked to each member sitting around the fire with high regard. “Where's Kara?” Mace asked. “I wouldn’t bother her.” “It would be best to leave her alone,” Floritha affirmed. “Right,” Dettetcheny nodded. “so what are we to talk about?” Igneous look to every pony gathered round the fire and before answering, “The new mission.”