Eventide breathed deeply as she followed Crimson through the tight, dark caverns. The damp walls enclosed the group like a stone prison. She always hated caves. The thought of being trapped in complete darkness without any hope of escape rattled in her brain. Upon seeing how tight of a fit it was, she was reluctant to continue. Still, she gathered up the courage to go forward. She wasn’t going to let a silly mountain cave defeat her.
It helped to have Crimson’s lovely ramblings calm her. “So there we were, with the ice cracking beneath our hooves. It was almost certain that we would drown within the freezing waters down below. Me and my fellow explorers prayed for a quick and painless death. Then, from out of nowhere, a bright light flashed just beyond us. It hit the lake of ice, and wouldn’t you believe it, the whole thing repaired itself. It was incredible. From the source of the light, I could faintly make out the shape of a unicorn stallion in tattered robes. He called out to us to hurry up, and we cantered with much caution. We got there and the poor lad collapsed from exhaustion. He explained to me that he was the sole survivor of a hunting expedition gone wrong. The poor sod had been badly injured as a result of an encounter with an Ursa Minor. After nursing him back to health, we allowed him to join our little group. His name was Spearhead, I believe. Nice chap, he was. He bought us all gin once in Manehattan.”
“What happened to him?” asked Parallax.
“Mauled by a timberwolf. I was traumatized for weeks. Never got to accomplish his dream of settling down in Canterlot. Of course, that was before the city became the oppressive dump it is now. If you ever go there, just… don’t do, say—heck, don’t even think about anything that goes against Her Majesty’s will. It will only end in… horrific punishment.”
“Lucky for us,” Mythic scoffed, “We’ll have to pass right by the city once we’re done with this cave.”
“With a high-profile mage on the loose, the area surrounding the city has heightened security. Even, you know illusion magic at all?”
“A good amount.”
“Great. Of course, some of the more advanced guards might see through your tricks, but it’ll help you out a great deal.”
“Oh great. Dark caves and the outskirts of the place where I’m wanted with my head on a silver platter. What a journey it’s been so far.”
“You could head southwest a little and go through Ponyville. Would take a bit longer, but it’s safer. Although… you’d also have to go through the Everfree Forest…”
Mythic interrupted him. “Let’s focus on getting through these caves first. Then we will decide our next course of action.”
“Suit yourself, my friends. It’s your journey. I’m just a guide. Once we get out of this place, I’m heading back to Hollow Shades.”
“One less mouth to feed, I suppose.”
The four trotted through the tight and winding corridors. A few stalactites poked through the ceiling like long, frozen drops of water. The only sound was the faint dripping of moisture and the group’s echoing footsteps. The stench of dirty water and dust filled the air. They must have been trotting for several hours by now. To Eventide, it felt like several days. The rocky halls wrapped around the group like a dark canopy. She tried to relax herself by chatting more.
“Will we be… encountering anything in this cave?”
Parallax scoffed. “Yeah, now’s a good time to ask.”
“We might come across a few cave insects,” Crimson said, “but nothing that will cause any harm to us.”
Eventide sighed in relief. If there’s one thing she hated more than caves, it’s a cave full of things that want her dead.
Mythic spent most of the expedition in deep thought as always. Walking through the pitch black caves helped her to meditate. She focused on what was ahead. A few hundred meters ahead, she felt the cave widen into a bigger room. She was relieved to feel this; the tight caverns were making it difficult to utilize her powers.
“We’ll come across a bigger area soon,” she announced to the group. “I think I even feel a water source there.”
Crimson’s ears perked up at this revelation. “Excellent!”, he said. “We’re headed the right way! We’ll rest there and then keep going. Shouldn't be too long before this mountain is conquered.”
Parallax was ecstatic. His hooves and eyes were losing strength from all the trotting. He never wanted to see a rock wall again after this experience. The four picked up the pace to get to the destination quicker, and within a few minutes, they came to the large room.
A small brook flowed from one alcove to another across the length of the room. Several stalagmites poked out of the ground, and some rocks dotted the surface.
What caught their eyes, though, was a small set of carvings on one of the walls.
They trotted over to the strange carvings. They seemed to be very smoothly crafted—clearly the work of an expert artist. At the very top they spotted some writing:
"The Ones Who Fell”
Below it, they saw a carving of six ponies. The one in front had a straight mane with a crown on her head. Behind her stood five mares wearing pendants with the respective shapes of a lightning bolt, a butterfly, a balloon, a gemstone, and an apple. They glared at a large, menacing mare who was cackling at them. Her tall shape was surrounded in armor, and her face was one of glee.
The next drawing saw the six young mares floating in the air, the magic from the pendants surrounding them. What puzzled the four, however, were their faces. They seemed to be scared and struggling, as if the magic they were conjuring was taking a toll on them. The dark mare only cackled harder at this pathetic display.
The third display had a large chunk taken out of it where the maniacal mare’s horn began. Crimson deduced this as showing that she was firing some sort of blast of immense magic. The six mares were shown in immense pain as they were destroyed by the nightly queen’s superior magic. The poor mares appeared to scream and wince as they were utterly demolished.
The final showed the six mares still alive, but so weakened that they couldn’t even stand. The victorious mare only continues to guffaw at this pathetic sight. Her eyes pierced into their souls, as if to rub it in their faces that the land was now her’s. At the bottom of this carving was another inscription.
“It’ll never end… obey her while you can. Never repeat the mistakes of Twilight, Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow, and Fluttershy. Hail the Lunar Queen.”
“The Fallen Six…” Mythic said.
“Quite a basic explanation,” Crimson said, “but an interesting take nonetheless.”
“What happened to them after… all this?”, Parallax asked.
“It’s hard to say. Some tried their best to rebel against her, to no avail. Some might’ve gone into exile and disappeared from existence. One is rumoured to have killed themselves years later. There are many different tales and legends of these six. It’s hard to know what’s true and what isn’t.”
“What are those weird pendant things?”
“Nopony knows for sure. Some refer to them as ‘The Omens’ or ‘The Harmony’. They’re long gone now, though. Crushed under Her Majesty’s iron hoof. If they even exist now, they have as much use as a brick.”
Crimson turned to Parallax. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard this story before. It’s something everypony knows.”
“I always learned it differently. Was taught that Nightmare Moon lead an immense army of followers to Canterlot who sacked it and overthrew her sister. No silly peasants with pendants or whatever,” Parallax said.
“I’d suspect that Her Majesty wanted to make her climb to power more grand and impressive,” Mythic said. “This version strikes me as the truth, as strange as it sounds.”
“How so? This sounds like a bunch of hogwash to me. How could six ordinary ponies be so stupid?”
“There’s a good amount of evidence that suggests this,” Crimson said. “As much as Her Majesty wants to hide the truth from her citizens, there are many writings from around that time that still exist and tell the full story. Of course, you’ll be beheaded if you ever come across any of these old writings, so don’t go around sharing this out in public.”
“Plus Her Majesty’s military and servants are some of the few ponies allowed to hear this story, along with a bunch of other truths,” Eventide added.
Parallax rolled his eyes. “Well, shows how much I know. Any other shit you guys want to shed light on?”
Eventide smirked at him. “Well, there’s the whole thing about the First Lunar Civil War, the Conquering of Yakyakistan, the Orion Incident-”
“Alright, alright. You guys expose the truth later. For now, let’s focus on taking a much-needed break.”
The others nodded and got to work. The four found a patch of land next to the brook to set up camp. Even created a fire, and the group sat on their rocks around it. Thankfully, Crimson brought some food. They snacked on some eggs and berries as they planned their next course of action.
“Is Ponyville even safe?” Parallax asked Crimson. “With it’s close proximity to Canterlot, it must be under Her Majesty’s tight control.”
“Not as much as one might think. It is heavily guarded, but the citizens there enjoy a good amount of freedom. The city is known for their underground farms, which are sights to behold. They grow some of the best produce in the land, so you should have no trouble getting quality food there, hehe.”
He continued. “Of course, since the town is home to the Fallen Six, it’s gained a bit of infamy, especially since it’s so close to the place known only as The Shrine of the Beginning. It is said that this is where Nightmare Moon defeated the Fallen Six. It’s been rumoured that anypony who enters this sacred place receives what it is they desire most.
“Since it resides in the heart of the Everfree Forest though, many who take the journey never return. Even before Lunaris was created, the Everfree was one of the most dangerous places in the land. Nightmare Moon just made it even more horrific. I beg of you, if you ever go into that awful forest—be careful. There are things in that forest that will rip you to shreds in seconds. Avoid that damn place as much as possible.”
“I dunno. If the shrine could give me a lifetime’s supply of cider, I’d be willing to take that risk,” Eventide quipped.
Crimson chuckled. “Hey, it’s your journey. Do whatever you want. Just keep something in mind. You’re good ponies, and I’d really hate to see something bad happen to you fine folk. As much as I think your goal is futile, you have good intentions. After we get out of these caves and I leave you, I’d still like to see you again.”
“Crimson,” Mythic said, “for the hundredth time, we’ll be careful.” She rolled her eyes.
“That’s what they always say. ‘It’s alright. I’ll be careful. I won’t get into trouble.’ But what happens to them? They get mauled by the damn hellhounds. You three have the entire Lunar Empire on your flanks, on top of all the other monsters and gangs. The odds are massively stacked against you. I’d be surprised if you get out of Ponyville alive.”
“Well aren’t you just a bucket of sunshine tonight,” Parallax said.
Crimson stared into the fire. “Sorry. It’s just that I’ve seen too much of this. Groups remaining optimistic despite their obvious disadvantage. It never ends well for them…”
“I don’t have much to live for anyways. My friends and lovers are gone, my family is…” Mythic refused to finish that sentence.
“You still shouldn't throw it away like that. You three constantly strive for a better tomorrow, and that’s admirable. Hang on to that desire to your very last breath.”
“We will. Thanks, Crimson.” Even and Parallax nodded in agreement.
“Let’s get some sleep. Nothing should interrupt our slumber… hopefully. Once we wake, we’ll continue on our way for a few more hours and we’ll be out of these caverns.”
“Felt like years since I’ve last seen the moon…” Eventide said.
Even curled up on her patch of land, only the dying sounds of the fire and the gentle ripples of the brook filling the soundscape. Mythic had sat by the brook to meditate, and Parallax and Crimson laid down on a few rocks. Eventide let these sounds soothe her to sleep. She peered down the rocky corridor from which they entered. She felt herself tremble and grow very unsteady as she stared into the dark tunnel before flipping herself around, looking away from the tunnel.
The fire died out, leaving the group shrouded in darkness.
~
Eventide heard voices.
It began with a slight whisper. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, her eyes still closed and face turned away from the entrance. But she knew they didn’t sound like her friends. It sounded like the voices came from the entrance. She pretended to stay asleep, trying to listen in on their conversation. The whispers came closer to the entrance, becoming more audible.
“I think I see them,” a feminine voice said.
“Quiet! We don’t want to wake them!” said another.
She wanted desperately to wake up and confront the intruders, but she was afraid that would only make things worse. She barely opened one of her eyes and saw Mythic meditating by the lake, along with Parallax and Crimson sleeping soundly. How was she the only pony to notice these intruders!? Surely this must be a dream!
No. It was too real to be a dream. She continued to listen in on the voices.
“Okay, how do we go about doing this?” asked one of them.
“You heard General Polaris’ orders. Just slit their damn throats and knock the mage unconscious.”
Her heart dropped as she heard the name. They’d been sent to assassinate her friends. She tried her hardest to remain calm so as not to act suspicious. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the two lunar mages trot over to where they were resting, their backs turned away from her.
“What if they wake up?”
“We use our last resort. We’ll likely die in the process, but we’ll die heroes.”
One of the mages drew a knife from her belt and trotted over to Parallax’s sleeping body. Eventide’s heart pounded like a drum as she crouched over his body and put the knife to the edge of his throat.
A powerful telekinetic blast suddenly blasted the two mages away, slamming them into a wall and waking everypony else. Crimson held the two in a telekinetic grip on the wall.
“Now, who in Tartarus are you and what do you want!?”, he roared.
“We’re just passing by! We mean no harm! We swear!”, one of them said.
“Don’t play stupid with me! You came to murder us, didn’t you?” The other three trotted up to them, groggy and weary.
“Give me a good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right now!”
One of the mages chuckled. “We have a nice surprise ready if one of us were to die.”
“Enough of your damn games! What in Lunaris are you planning to do!?”
“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you. If you’d like, we can help you out a bit.”
Crimson stared at the two, fury blazing in his eyes. He slammed the two into the ground, blood staining their faces.
“Private, you know what to do. May Her Majesty bless you with the finest gifts in the afterlife,” said one of the mages.
The other mage’s horn began to glow a brilliant pink as he raised it to the rocky ceiling. Crimson lunged forward at him, attempting to distract him, but it was too late. He fired a beam of magic at the ceiling. Cracks began to form in the surface and the whole cavern began to shake, little bits of rock and dust showering the group.
“We need to get out!”, Parallax shouted.
“This way!” Crimson picked himself up and made a dash for the exit, the others following closely behind.
The entire cavern began to cave in, large chunks of rock suddenly filling the room. The rocks splashed into the brook, streaking water everywhere. One of the mages fired a beam of magic at Eventide, making her collapse right before the exit. She tried to pick herself up to no avail, a large rock knocking her back down.
“Even!” Mythic mentally reached out to her, picking her up in a telekinetic grasp. The rocks began to rain down even faster as Mythic pulled her closer to the exit. As she finally reached the rest of the group, the entire cavern was destroyed, becoming nothing but large chunks of rock and debris.
“Even! Are you alright!?” Parallax cried out. Even picked herself up, a large gash in her head. Pain throbbed throughout her entire body, but she managed to push it aside. Now wasn’t the time to be weakened. They had to push forwards.
“I’m okay! We have to move!,” she commanded. “They might send reinforcements!”
Crimson nodded and began to lead the way throughout the winding passages. Mythic kept scanning the surrounding area for more mages, while Parallax kept his sword drawn and Eventide kept tapping into her magic. Every step shot pain throughout Eventide’s body, her heart beating rapidly. The four galloped as fast as they could throughout the dark caverns, when suddenly a beam of fire shot towards the group.
“Watch out!” shouted Crimson. The four ducked in response.
A small number of lunar mages trotted out of the darkness towards them, led by an older mare. They stared at the four, not attacking at all. The mare began to speak.
“I’m sure you know why we’re here…”
“Brigadier Whispy. I thought you had been discharged,” Eventide said.
“I was brought back for this one assignment. In fact, they’ve brought a lot of retired and discharged soldiers back. The entire Order has put all its focus in bringing you back, you know. Ever since that night a few weeks ago when you managed to escape, things have never been the same. Quite a shame, really. Her Majesty has been absolutely furious, and the entire city of Canterlot is on lockdown because of you. Curfews and everything.”
“All because of a silly mage who enjoys alcohol too much, eh? I knew you guys were desperate for power, but this is just getting ridiculous.”
“No, Even, you’re more than just another lunar mage…”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m apparently ‘extremely powerful’ and all that. I appreciate the compliments, but I’ve heard it all before.”
“Her Majesty is scared of you, Even. Her recent wrath has come from her fear of losing you. She knows of your potential to lower the stars…”
Eventide’s heart dropped at the mention of those words. “Lower the stars…”
“Yes. She received a vision many years ago. A vision where one of her faithful subjects would betray her, and lead a rebellion to topple her reign, and bring back the light which she’s sworn to seal away. When you betrayed her, Her Majesty felt something she never felt. An intense fear erupted in her heart. She knew you were destined to be the one in her vision. You aren’t just a powerful mage. You’re destined to be the one to destroy her reign, and that’s something she simply can’t allow.”
Eventide’s heart thumped in her chest at this revelation. “So… I’m destined for something greater than just running around this awful land while some silly grunts in awfully itchy robes hunt me down.”
“I wouldn’t say greater, but yes. I know not where this vision came from, or if we even can prevent this from taking place, but I trust Her Majesty with all my heart. Nothing will stop her, and she will always be victorious!”
Mythic began to speak. “Oh there you go again. Just blindly following your leader without a care in the world. You’re all the bloody same. Acting like your leader is such a wonderful being who is always right.”
“And who do you have to guide you and answer to? Your own free will? Give me a break! You have no hope without your glorious queen! She cares for you, gives you a life worth living, and a wonderful place to call home! You were born of the moon, you live by the moon, and you will die with the moon.”
“She never cares. It’s all just a big game with her. She pretends to care for us, and in turn she grows more powerful by the second. We’re just pawns for her to toy with while she lets us wallow in our sorrows and sufferings. I and many others have wandered this shithole for bloody years while you lot are mindlessly serving her and obeying her every command without question. It’s utterly sickening. If she truly cares for me, why do me and countless others suffer so much?”
“Spare me the self-pity for later, darling. It’s getting quite tiresome. The price of power comes at a price, my dear.” Her mouth turned into a devilish grin. “A very… expensive price. Now, Even, you’re quite the special mare. You and your friends absolutely shake our queen to the bone, which is mightily impressive.”
“How do I know you lot aren’t just making this up? As if it’s some elaborate ruse to trick us or something?” Eventide glared.
“I see you still know how to be skeptical. That’s quite good. You’ll need that should you get out of here alive. It’s quite simple, really. I’m sure you remember The Future Ritual every mage-in-training receives from Her Majesty, where she looks into your mind and sees a rough outline of what you are destined to become. Of course, she never reveals it to you, because she likes surprising her subjects.”
Eventide dug through her memories of that moment. “I remember… I remember her being very distraught when she was done with me. I don’t think I’ve seen her that upset before. When she finished, she simply told me to leave. Anytime I asked somepony about it, they simply ignored me and walked away. Do you mean…”
“Yes. She knew of what you were destined to do, and what it would mean to her and her kingdom.”
“But why didn’t she kill me right there? If I was her, I’d have ended the whole problem right there.”
“Through her wondrous power, Her Majesty has managed to reverse these visions before. Should she reverse this vision, she would gain a powerful ally in you. She saw the magical potential you had, and decided to take that risk.”
Her mind flashed back to her days in training. She remembered being beat down over the head with ‘extraordinary’ tales of Her Majesty and all the wonders and good things she’s done. She remembered the long lectures and lessons that were jammed into her cranium in hopes of brainwashing her into obeying. In fact, she remembered receiving more of this propaganda than the rest of her students...
Her vision turned red as rage erupted in her body. She grabbed Whispy by the throat and slammed her into a nearby wall. The mages readied their horns and the ones in front readied their magic spears.
The Brigadier chuckled. “You really never change, Even. Still as vengeful as ever.”
“One more word and you’re getting a face full of lightning, you bitch!”
“Okay, now you’re just sounding ridiculous. I can barely take you seriously. If you’re the supposed savior of ponykind, then it’s not going to end well for you.”
Eventide slammed her face with her hoof, the other mages only preparing themselves more.
Whispy ignored the blood running from her nose and turned to her mages.“Relax, my subjects. Don’t strike unless I tell you to. Let me sort this out.” She turned back to Eventide, grinning like a madmare. “Even, look at you. You claim to be for ‘peace and tranquility’, and then you go ahead and do that. You’re off to a bad start, my friend.”
Eventide only responded with another strike. “When did I ever claim that I was for peace?”
The Brigadier only chuckled harder. “You fit right in with the lunar mages.”
“Even! For the moon’s sake, stop!”, Mythic shouted at her. “You’re only making this more difficult!”
“Who said this wouldn’t be difficult?”, she said as she struck her in the face again. Whispy’s face was drenched in blood, and Eventide’s horn was erupting with magic in response.
“This reminds me of the time when you slaughtered the mayor of Whinniepeg! Or maybe that time where you threatened that one barkeeper in Ponyville for scamming you!”
“For the love of the stars, please don’t do this!”, Crimson shouted.
“Are you going to kill me, Even?”, Whispy asked.
Eventide paused for a minute. Her rage had only doubled since the scuffle began, and it showed no signs of dimming. After a minute passed, she smirked.
“I’d take great pleasure in it.”
“How pathetic, Even. Or should I say… Lieutenant Eventide?” Whispy said with a devilish grin.
Eventide slammed her face first into the cold, rocky cave floor. The sounds of bones breaking filled the tunnels. “Do not mention my previous name, you cold-hearted bitch!”
Parallax watched the incident occur in silence. Even when his companions spoke up, he remained silent. But something in him awakened when she slammed the brigadier down. He drew his sword and pointed it at Eventide, his breath shaky.
“Even… don’t hurt her anymore. We can… We can settle this peacefully.”
The Brigadier giggled. “Oh great. Here comes your knight in shining armor to save you. Figuratively and literally!
“Settle it peacefully!? Do you even know who we’re dealing with!? There’s no reasoning with these bastards! They’re utterly brainwashed with no chance of redemption! They’ll kill us without a second thought.” She turned to the group of mages. “Isn’t that right!?”
The mages stood there in silence, their magic and spears still ready. None of them so much as blinked in response to her.
Even shot them a nasty glare that pierced into their souls. “I thought so… predictable as always.”
Parallax trembled as he tried to reason with her. “Even, this isn’t you. You’re not a damn murderer. You need to leave the old you behind.”
Eventide trembled, her hooves at Whispy’s throat. She attempted to blink back tears to no avail. Whispy simply stared at her, her gaze soulless and empty. She wanted to kill her so bad. She knew that with a few quick movements with her hooves, she could end this pony’s life. One more of her enemies defeated without much hassle. But something in her refused. She couldn’t simply murder her when she was never attacked. Still trembling, she moved her hooves away from her throat and allowed Whispy to stand up.
“Show the slightest act of aggression and your head will be sent back to Her Majesty on a silver platter,” Eventide warned.
Whispy chuckled as she stood up. “So you still have some mercy in you, Even. Quite honorable, I must say. Although I’m sure you will find some of the other mages to be… a lot less forgiving.”
Mythic stepped forward. “Listen, we don’t have any interest in harming you… well, most of us. We’re willing to settle this peacefully—”
“Then give us Even and we’ll be on our way. Nopony will be hurt and killed, and you can continue on your silly little journey west.”
“You aren’t going to stop us from joining the Rebellion?”
“Why would I? The Rebellion is a pathetic group of weaklings as it is. Adding a few silly ponies in the mix will do nothing to change it.”
Eventide cleared her throat. “With all due respect, I’d like to state that you can take your offer and shove it up your bloody arse.”
“My! Such foul language! You always had a potty mouth, my dear. But I’m afraid if you don’t accept my offer, I’ll have to use my wonderful platoon of soldiers here. Unlike that cowardly bastard Polaris, you’ll find I’m much more forgiving. As such, we will only knock the mage out and simply hold down the rest of you. Simple as that. Of course, if you show any signs of being REALLY aggressive, we might have to… kick things up a notch.”
Crimson glared at her and the army. He never expected to come across this when he agreed to help Mythic and her group. They were clearly outnumbered 16 to 4. The tight caverns didn’t help at all. How could two psychics, a swordspony, and a mage take down 16 high-ranking warriors trained to fight under the most powerful empire in Equis?
Only one way to find out, he thought.
“Even’s not going anywhere,” he said. “Bring it.” Mythic and Even nodded in agreement. Parallax hesitated, but he too agreed.
“Finally! I’ve been waiting for this part for ages!” She turned to her mages. “Don’t kill them unless I tell you to. Only stun and hold down.”
Crimson spoke to the others through their minds. Don’t kill them. The exit is nearby. Bring the battle near the exit, and when I give the signal, make a run for it.
The other three nodded and stared down their foes. Parallax breathed heavily as he readied his sword. Mythic felt rage bubble inside her again as she tapped into her magic again. Mythic and Crimson remained calm as they focused on their magic. Whispy and the mages stared at them, their faces showing no emotion, tapping into their magic.
After a long silence, the battle began with a ray of blue light from one of the lunar mages in front.
Parallax charged at the platoon with a loud shout, readying his sword to slash at one of the mages in front. Suddenly, the mage he was aiming for erected a blue dome of magic that knocked him to the ground. The mage next to her tackled Parallax to the ground, hoping to restrain him. Parallax rammed his hoof into the mage’s face, but she retaliated with a dodge and slammed his face into the cold ground, the rough surface scratching his face. Summoning all the strength he had, he grabbed the mage and threw her off of him, forcing her down the corridor near the exit. Another mage charged at him, but he retaliated with a quick jab with his blade. The mage swiftly dodged his swipes, something he was impressed by. With a quick sweep kick, he managed to take down the mage.
Eventide engaged in a duel with one of her former leaders. At the beginning, she immediately teleported right in front of her and struck her in the face. Whispy barely even flinched as she took the strike, retaliating with a bolt of magic straight to Even’s chest, blasting her to the wall. Whispy chuckled as she summoned an arrow of bright green magic in her horn and aimed it right at her. She launched the piercing arrow, but Eventide managed to roll out of the way just in time, the arrow making a large explosion and taking a large chunk out of the wall. Even summoned a bolt of lightning through her horn, her head growing a bit numb from containing the magical energy. She fired it at the Brigadier, but Whispy managed to erect a solid barrier of magic in front of her that absorbed the crackling bolts. Magic poured throughout Even’s horn, summoning as much strength as she could. Whispy felt her protection weaken. Even clenched her teeth as she poured her magic out of herself. Whispy’s barrier hit a breaking point as she couldn’t contain the magic any longer. Her shield shattered, and was sent hurtling into a group of mages fighting the others. She swiftly picked herself up and smiled.
“Oh, look at you go! You’re still just as strong as when I last saw you! I’m glad to see that. Gives me an actual challenge.” Whispy chuckled at her.
Eventide returned the chuckle. “And you happen to be the one who taught me this. It’s much appreciated.”
Whispy rolled her eyes. “Your power is impressive, but you were always a slow learner. It does show, to be honest.”
Eventide retaliated with a bright blast of magic that brought a streaking light across the cavern. Whispy summoned a green dome around herself that reflected it back towards Even. She managed to jump out of the way in time, the blast creating a loud explosion as it hit the wall.
Mythic loved it when her foes were bewildered by her abilities. One second she would disappear in a cloud of mist, and the next she would slam a poor mage into the wall. The mage was dumbstruck, being attacked by seemingly nothing. He tried to get up, but an invisible force seemed to keep him from recovering. He rolled his eyes. He always hated fighting against those damned mind-meddlers. Mythic, still invisible, was suddenly pinned to the wall by a nearby mage and her spear, breaking her focus and turning her visible again. Mythic reached into her mind and, with a few mental flexes, flipped herself and the mage to the opposite cavern wall. Pinning the mage against the wall, Mythic prepared to fling her down the cavern, but the mage retaliated with a swift kick, knocking Mythic down and freeing the mage. She tried to tackle the psychic and hold her down, but Mythic managed to grab a hold of her and fling her down the rocky corridor.
Crimson grabbed a few nearby mages in a telekinetic grasp and tossed them further towards the exit. He could faintly see the light at the end of the dark tunnel. Just a few more meters…
His voice echoed in their minds. Now!
Almost instantly, the others ran down the caves as fast as they could, knocking over any remaining mages they could reach. The four galloped as fast as their hooves could carry, some of the remaining mages giving chase. A few of them even fired a few spells and threw their spears. Crimson retaliated by summoning a barrier behind them. However, one of the mages teleported right in front of him and tackled him to the cold ground.
“Crimson!” Mythic shouted.
“I’ll be okay! Keep going!” He tried to throw the mage off of him, but a few more mages piled on top of him, preventing him from escaping. Mythic looked back at him. She wanted to help, but she couldn’t face down the mages by herself.
It’s okay, Mythic. I’ll be okay…
Mythic stared at the scene, tears forming in her eyes. She turned around and galloped as fast as she could. She was falling behind the other two, but she managed to catch up with a couple teleports. She could swear that she heard a scream in the distance behind her. They approached the exit, the rocky corridors giving way to the familiar snowy landscape. The three welcomed it with open hooves, Eventide especially breathed a sigh of relief. Mythic looked back into the cave.
Silence was the only thing that looked back at her.