//------------------------------// // Scorching the Hate // Story: Star Knight and the Nine-Tailed Fox // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// In the past, in Aeropolis… All the griffons of the kingdom were reunited in front of the castle, acclaiming. At the balcony of the castle was King Guido, King Godot’s father and former king who was close to his son in appearance, except that he had feathers of a lighter color and blue eyes, who said to his subjects: “Finally, the vicious Stonult retreat and our kingdom was saved and we have only one griffon to thank for it.” And Gina, who was alive at that time, appeared beside her king who then said: “The hero of Aeropolis… Gina of the Scorch Nature!” And all the griffons acclaimed her. Between them, was a young Gretel who looked with great admiration to her. At the end of that day, while Gina was flying to go to home, a voice called: “Lady Gina!” She turned and saw Gretel at the ground, landing then. “Yes, Gretel? What do you need?” “Please, I want you to train me” she asked. “I just finished a very demanding mission” Gina replied, showing a gentle smile. “My lady, even you get tired?” Gretel asked. Gina gave a chuckle and said: “Honestly, Gretel, only you make me laugh after a mission like this one.” At a deserted part of the capital, the two griffons were training, exchanging blows with the claws. It was obvious that Gina had the advantage. It was then that Gretel used a wind-based spell with the wings that caused a lot of dust to raise in the air. Gina quickly realized it was a diversion and she was right, as, with another wind-based spell she launched sharp feathers against her. Gina was able to dodge them and then Gretel said: “Oh, I was so close!” “No, you did well” Gina replied. “A trick like that would caught anyone else.” “Please, just one more time” Gretel pleaded. “Don’t be hasty” Gina advised her. “I’m sure you’ll become stronger in time.” “You really think so?” Gretel asked. “The reason why you want to get strong is to get revenge, right?” Gina inquired. “Yes, for my father” Gretel replied. “A warrior from Evermist killed him.” “That’s good, because those feelings will make you stronger” Gina said. “The strong emotions you possess, for your family, for your friends, for your home, and the desire to defend your kingdom, those emotions make a warrior strong.” “Right!” Gretel replied. At night, King Guido and his council were having a secret meeting. “Now it’s time to discuss our negotiations for truce with Evermist” one of the councilors said. “They still seem to have a great grudge against us, even when we share the same hostility with Stonult” another one said. “We even made a proposal that is ridiculously in their favor.” “Even if we make truce with them, we can’t forget about Stonult” another said. “We have to put an end to its invasions as well.” “I guess we have no choice” King Guido said. “We’ll have to make use of Gina again… for the sake of the kingdom.” After going on that mission the council was discussing, Gina lost her life. Announcing her death to the rest of the kingdom, King Guido said: “Our hero, Gina of the Scorch Nature, lost her life. But she never gave up. She fought to the very end. We shall not let her death be in vain. She died for the kingdom, for all of us. So we must carry on her will and destroy Stonult.” On her grave, Gretel came to bring flowers and kneeled before the grave, starting to cry for the loss of her teacher. “Lady Gina…” In the present… Gretel was with a squad that included a light unicorn, a female pegasus guard of Evermist and a big earth pony guard of Stonult that were providing support to a fight that was happening at some distance, facing Sea Wave. The former owner of the Shark Skin caused a Water Wave Spell against them. With the earth nature users creating earth barriers to protect the others and approach the reincarnated being. But the ones who get closed enough and prepared to attack were able to do so, as Sea Wave, enchanting his mane and turn it sharper, was able to pierce them. “Your weaklings!” he exclaimed. “Captain Stone Crusher…” Gretel started, directing to the earth pony. “Just hold tight” he told her. “I don’t want you to do anything until we have everything under control.” “Captain Stone Crusher!” a guard called, while approaching. “The enemy is no longer using the guerilla tactic, instead engaging us in large squads. And we are facing the Seven Swordsponies of the Mist.” But they weren’t the only ones they should be careful from, as Gretel knew that they should also be aware of Gina as well. That made her wonder if she was also out there. As if noticing her distraction, Stone Crusher said: “We don’t know where the enemy will come from, so don’t let your guard down.” “Captain, we should go search for the enemy” Gretel said. “Our orders are to contain the battle and remain here, until we receive commands from the front lines” Stone Crusher replied. “But, still, there must be something we can do” Gretel insisted. “The sealing and medical teams are out there in the battlefield” Stone Crusher said. “Our mission is to make sure they remain safe. We can’t put ourselves in unnecessary danger.” “He’s right” the pegasus guard said to Gretel. “The only ones who can really stop the reincarnated beings are those in the sealing core.” “That may be true, Flutter Stream” Gretel said. “But you too, as you are in the medical core.” “Don’t worry you both” Stone Crusher with a confident look. “As long as I’m here, no one will be able to touch you. I’ll risk my life to protect you.” “Captain…” Gretel said. “It’s all right” Flutter Stream said. “If my captain is in danger, I’ll risk my life to protect him as well.” “I got it, I got it” the captain said. Listening them talking like that, Gretel couldn’t help but feeling herself a fool for ever having a grudge against both Evermist and Stonult when they had such good ponies. And then Stone Crusher said: “It seems it’s happening a hell of fighter there.” “I’m sure of that, considerating who they are facing” the light unicorn said. “Gretel, why is the enemy interesting in attacking us with a large force?” Flutter Stream asked. “I don’t know, but we need to figure out the enemy’s strategy before and put together a way to counter it” Gretel answered. It was then that Thunder Blitz appeared before a guard and, using his explosive nature, he made him explode. Before that, Stone Crusher put himself in the front beside a guard, while Thunder Blitz advanced towards them, and asked to the guard besides him: “How many enemies?” “I’m not sure” the guard replied. “They just suddenly appeared.” “Gretel, Flutter Stream, I want you to retreat” Stone Crusher said. “You should tell them to run fast too” Thunder Blitz told in a mocking tone. “Because if they don’t, then they’ll go boom.” “I never excepted to face you, Thunder Blitz” Stone Crusher said, while the only guard there, beside the light unicorn that remained with Gretel and Flutter Stream, advanced as well. “Yeah, that’s clear” Thunder Blitz replied. “You don’t have any numbers enough to fight me. You fools, you did exactly what we wanted.” With that, Gretel realized their plan. They used the guerilla tactic to scatter their forces. “You’ve being targeting the support squads from the start” Stone Crusher said. “Well, after all, that’s quickest way to win a battle, isn’t it?” Thunder Blitz said. “And besides, I’ve just been brought back to life. I don’t stand the thought of becoming immobile again because of some sealing spell.” “I can’t believe that somepony like you would be satisfied for being a mere puppet” Stone Crusher said. “Yeah, well, you haven’t been dead before” Thunder Blitz replied. “There’s no way you can possibly understand.” “Why, you…” Stone Crusher, said, feeling the anger rising up. “Death is not something to be taken lightly!” And, having said that, he used his earth magic to make stones spikes arise from the ground to impale Thunder Blitz, but he was able to dodge. “Careful, don’t get near him!” he exclaimed to the two guards besides him, who threw knives against Thunder Blitz, who block them with his explosive nature, throwing them back and hitting the two guard fatally. “I’m so sorry” Thunder Blitz said. “But it seems that your advice has fallen in deaf ears.” Stone Crusher contorted his face with anger and Gretel said, while preparing to use her sealing cloth: “Captain Stone Crusher, I…” “You two stay back” he said to Gretel and Flutter Stream. “I can handle this myself.” “How fun” Thunder Blitz replied. “It’s just a shame you can’t stop me with just confident.” And he advanced towards him, who created a stone wall, placing them on it some explosive papers that was a specialty of his kingdom. “Do you think that will protect you from my explosive nature?!” Thunder Blitz asked. And then Stone Crusher created a much bigger and thicker stone wall, preparing to hit it with all the strength he had. Doing so, he pushed the wall that hit the first one he made, activating the explosive papers he had placed before at the moment Thunder Blitz was near. The explosion threw shards of rock that started to hit strongly Thunder Blitz’s body. Descending the wall, they all could see Thunder Blitz’s body lying on the floor while the ash and dust that made his body started to regenerate it. “You did it, Captain Stone Crusher!” Flutter Stream exclaimed. “Excellent job!” “Yeah, but we’re not done” he said while giving some steps towards the two dead guards, looking at them pitifully, turning then to Gretel. “Gretel, seal him away immediately.” But then something made Gretel become petrified and Stone Crusher started to moan in pain, as his body started to dehydrate and a flame started to come out of his body. “Captain!” Flutter Stream exclaimed, in shock, seeing his body falling lifeless in the ground. Gretel couldn’t believe. She knew that spell. Wings flapping were heard behind her and Gretel turned over and saw Gina landing, while making her flaming orbs disappear. “Lady Gina…” Gretel said, making Flutter Stream and the light unicorn turn to her. Listening that and observing Gretel, Gina said: “Wait, are you… Gretel? “I never… expected to see you again” Gretel said. “Not in this way.” “I can see that you haven’t change a bit” Gina observed. “Gretel, do you know her?” Flutter Stream asked. “She was once a great hero to Aeropolis” Gretel told. “And also she’s the griffon who taught me how to fight.” “My, my, coming back to life has been full of surprises” Gina commented with a smile. “Why are you fighting against us, mi lady?” Gretel asked. “Aren’t you able to move on your own free will?” “To vent my anger at being banished to the darkness of death and being silenced” Gina replied. “To vent your anger?” Gretel repeated. “I was acclaimed as the kingdom’s hero and yet, after all that praised, I was sacrificed as a pawn for the benefit of the kingdom” Gina told. “The ones who used may be long gone, but the kingdom that killed me still exists and it’s painful reminder of what was done to me! The reason why I’m fighting is to eradicate Evermist!” “Evermist?” Gretel asked, caught by surprise. “But I had always been told that you died fighting Stonult.” “That was just a story made-up by our superiors so they could use my death to the advantage of our kingdom” Gina said. “That day, I realized the truth about everything just before I died. King Guido tasked me to go to Evermist to act as an ambassador. It was a top secret mission, so I left in secret…” In the past, in Evermist… Gina traveled to Evermist, where its well-known mist quickly surrounded her. She had to confess that she felt herself uneasy for being out of her element, surrounded by all that mist and the dense trees. “Lady Gina of the Scorch Nature, I presume” a voice said. And an Evermist guard appeared before her and said, with a smile: “I’ve been sent here to welcome you. It’s truly an honor to meet you. Because of all this caused by the protections around our kingdom, it’s very easy for an outsider to get lost. So we thought that it was better to have somepony to guide you.” “Thank you very much, but there’s no way I can get lost by following a road like this one” Gina replied. The guard made a laugh and said: “Very true… Well then, after you.” And he made an inviting gesture. “Thank you” Gina replied, starting to advance. But then she felt a pain on her back, while feeling a blade trespassing her body, as she was stabbed by the guard, whose inviting look changed into a somber one with an evil smile. “What… are you doing?” Gina asked, feeling the air getting thicker and harder to breath. “Showing you the same pain as my comrades when your kingdom killed them!” the guard exclaimed. He then retreated, as more blades were thrown at her coming from the woods. Gina then fell on the ground, with her body full of blades, feeling the life getting out her, with the guard that welcomed standing at her front, saying: “Don’t get the wrong idea. Don’t even think that this will satisfy our grudge against you. But at least this sacrifice will be a small comfort. The ones of Aeropolis that betrayed you must be thinking the same thing.” And then she closed her eyes, as the darkness involved her mind to bring her to the death… In the present… “I was used as a bargaining chip with Evermist… sacrificed for the benefit of our kingdom” Gine told. “That can’t be…” Gretel said. “Horrible…” Flutter Stream said. Listening that, Gina looked at her coldly and then said to Gretel: “For what I can see, one of them appears to have slipped into your ranks. A guard from the Bloody Mist…” “But all of that was in the past!” Flutter Stream exclaimed. “Queen Mystic Heart dethroned her father, King Cloud Shade, and, since then she has ushered in a new age of peace to Evermist.” “Do you really think that erases the past?!” Gina exclaimed. “That it erases Evermist’s past of blood and treachery?!” “Please, stop this, Lade Gina!” Gretel pleaded. “If you want to blame something, then blade our kingdom for betraying your trust. You should blame Aeropolis for casting aside a loyal hero like you. Honestly, I find myself conflicted by your story. But, regardless of that, I strongly believe that is wrong to attack this ponies who have absolutely nothing to do whatever grudge you may be holding right now!” “They are involved!” Gina shouted. “That’s because you can’t see the truth, Lady Gina!” Gretel replied. “I learned something by fighting in the Alliance. Even the ones who had great grudges against other kingdoms and the ones that are from them can still find a way to work together and to talk together to understand together and cooperate.” That made Gina to contort the muscles of her beak and then said: “If that’s true… THEN WHO CAN GET RID OF THIS GRUDGE THAT FESTERS DEEP IN MY HEART! Are you telling me it can’t be helped! That I should just give up!” “Well, no…” Gina said. “Enough of this chatter!” Gina exclaimed. “Besides, I’ve been reincarnated. I couldn’t go against my orders to fight the Alliance even if I wanted to.” And she summoned four flaming orbs. “Listen, the two of you get out of you” the light pony told to Gretel and Flutter Stream. “I can give you a magic sphere that will allow you to communicate…” “No, you just leave all this to me” Gretel said. And, using the magic in her cloth, she made it extend and got around them, which allowed them to escape. “That was a nice move” Gina admitted. “But I wonder I far you can go way!” And she made a movement with the talons and the flaming orbs rose up and combined to make a much bigger orb. Gretel and the others were hiding between the nearby trees and the former said: “We can’t defeat her in a straight forward fight. We have to rejoin with the rest of the team.” “I’ll try to contact them” the light unicorn said. But, at that moment, Gina activated her spell and then the orb violently exploded with enough force and power that incinerated a large area around it. When that happened, steam could be seen be emitted from the area. Fortunately, the three were able to protect them with Gretel’s cloth that was used to involve them and a water spell used by Flutter Stream. Gretel recovered the cloth and said: “You saved us Flutter Stream.” “My water spell is pretty good, isn’t it?” she said. “I’m sorry I’ve been so useless in this battle” the light unicorn said. “So this is where you were” a voice said. They turned and saw Gina on a stone that was nearby. “You’ve shown you can’t fight and run away from me” she said. “So, how will it be? Are you going to continued our game of hide-and-seek?” “Mi lady, please, just hear me out for a minute first” Gretel said. “You can’t change the past, but you can make the choice to help build the future. I believe that our experiences, fighting together in the Alliance, will change the relationships between the kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest and, because of that, we’ll have a new era where we can avoid the same mistakes. You died as a hero of Aeropolis… Please, remain a hero. I beg you.” Listening those words, Gina meditated for a while, but then she made a flaming orb appear, much to Gretel’s surprise. But then one of the guards from other squad appeared and tried to attack Gina who dodged and retreated. Another guard appeared him and said to Gretel and the others: “I’m sorry we’re late, but he run into trouble back there. But fortunately Armored Oath appeared and sealed Sea Wave with his sealing spell.” “And it seems you have to face a powerful foe with a combined nature” the other guard said. “Be careful” Gretel warned. “If that flame touches, then it’s all over. Don’t worry, we’ll cover for you two.” “Good, we’re counting on you” one of the guards said, advancing. Gretel made the cloth to extend, making it following him. Gina prepared to launch the orb, that the guard that remained behind launched a magic beam that prevented her from doing it. When the guard attacking her prepared to make the blow with the sword, Gina put the orb in front to it him. “Flutter Stream!” Gretel exclaimed. “Right!” she said, accessing the magic. A veil of water appeared between Gina and the guard, allowing the cloth to get wet and then involved the orb and put it out. “I got you” the guard said. But noticing another orb, he retreated, while more orbs appeared and surrounded Gina. “They multiplied?” the guard asked. Gina advanced to fight the guard with the talons and they started a ferocious fight. “No, don’t stop moving!” Gina exclaimed. Another orb approached him, but Gina used the cloth to put it out, while the guard dodged the others. Gina used the cloth to try to put out the orbs and capture Gina, who always dodge the attempts. “I see that you got better, Gretel” Gina said with a smile. “But I won’t let you capture me!” And she joined the orbs to form again a bigger one. That was the chance Gretel was waiting. “On my signal, use maximum water power” she said to Flutter Stream. “Come on, Gretel, bring it on!” Gina challenged. “First, you have to pass through me!” the guard exclaimed, advancing again against her. “Then I’ll take of you first!” Gina exclaimed, preparing to launch the orb. “Now, Flutter Stream!” Gretel exclaimed. And when Gina launched the orb, a veil of water appeared in the front and put it out, leaving nothing but steam that blinded Gina, allowing the guard to attack her. But she retreated, with only Gretel’s cloth following her, revealing the other guard on it saying: “It’s my turn” he said, preparing to use a magical blast. He hit her, causing an explosion. That forced her to land, having one of the talons ripped off by the explosion. When she barely landed, Gretel cloth didn’t lose time to wrap itself around one of her hind paws. “We got her know” Gretel replied. But it was then that Thunder Blitz, completely regenerated, appeared and, touching the cloth, he cut it with the explosive nature. “It’s Thunder Blitz!” Flutter Stream exclaimed. “This is bad…” Gretel said. “These ponies just keep popping up from nowhere” Thunder Blitz said, turning to Gina. “You’re an absolutely mess, Gina. If I have recovered a little later, it would be all over for you. Are they really that good?” Gina then looked to Gretel’s cloth and then a smile appeared on her face, noticing how her former student had gotten strong. “The best thing about this body is that you can start over quickly” Thunder Blitz continued. “Well, let’s continue. It’s time to finish this. Let’s start with that sealing spell user.” Listening that, the two guards put themselves in front Gretel to protect her. Even Gina become paralyzed when he said that. “We won’t let you” one of them said. “That’s right” the other said. “And we’ll make sure that you won’t be able to start over again.” “You have no chance, but you’ll have time to regret that in the afterlife” Thunder Blitz said. It was then that four of Gina’s flaming orbs appeared around Thunder Blitz. That move from Gina surprised everyone. “What do you think you’re doing, Gina?” Thunder Blitz asked to Gina. “If children don’t hurt themselves, they’ll never learn” Gina said. “So I feel in giving them a chance. I’ll give them this opportunity to change their future.” “I don’t understand” Thunder Blitz said. “Are you really feeling some sympathy for your old comrades?” “I don’t care how you take this” Gina said, turning then to Gretel. “Now run, Gretel! Go, while I’m still conscious!” Gretel was speechless by her attitude, but the others agreed with her and they started to retreat. Flutter Stream looked with concern to Gretel, saying: “Gretel…” “Let’s go, Flutter Stream” Gretel said, starting also to retreat, along with her. After they were gone, Gina started to feel her mind being repressed. Both her and Thunder Blitz started to release gas, and the latter said: “Gina of the Scorch Nature… I always wanted to face you on the battlefield at least once. But it seems I’ll never be able to get that chance now…” “Yes…” she said. “My consciousness is being taken away.” And, after thinking about Gretel one last time, the irises of her eyes turned white, along with Thunder Blitz’s, as they were completely taken over by the curse. After getting to a safe place, the light unicorn tried to contact HQ. Meanwhile, Gretel went to a quiet place, where she kneeled, starting to pray for Gina’s soul to the Lord of Order, hoping to give her some rest for when everything was over.