Zecora slid underneath the pegasus Vanished, slicing its left foreleg clean off with a spray of blood and a quick slash from her swordstick. The monster collapsed just as another leapt at Zecora, who wall-jumped to dodge it; with her mane brushing its malformed body, and- with the zebra hitching a ride on its back- it smashed into the first Vanished. The assassin jumped off just as the second Vanished rolled away, plunging her dagger straight into the susceptible forehead of the original monster; effectively killing it.
She turned around to face the remaining unicorn Vanished, which had skidded into a cluster of stalagmites. It stumbled upon its feet and began to sway on its hooves.
"You picked the wrong mare to buck with, I have trained under a more dangerous pith." The striped avenger growled, moving with deliberate slowness. "Of this day I have had enough, personally I am fed up."
Not even flinching, she suddenly charged at the Vanished- whose eyes widened in surprise- before leaping at it and dragging her dagger across its throat. The body fell forward and slammed against the ground. Zecora's dagger slid back up her sleeve with the clicking and shifting of gears.
The zebra spit into the dirt. That was the sixteenth and seventeenth Vanished she had killed since her separation from her companions; she still had it, or better said, never lost it in the first place. She dropped another Luminous Gem onto the ground, hoping her friends would find her soon.
She continued onward; unfazed and, if anything, annoyed. She hadn't been this covered in blood since the sphinxes waged war with the zebras, and she had bathed in the life-force of their slaughtered king. That was her best-loved memory. The sphinx queen and prince walking into the throne room, along with their entire royal council and the captain of their prestigious army, only to find Zecora drinking wine on the giant throne with the body of their oh-so-glorious-and-powerful king splayed out behind her like a couch and their treasure hoard below her hooves. She would have to tell Sound-Off about that one.
Zecora was something of a legend among the other assassins and in the lands on the other side of the globe. Many nations, from Zebrafrica to Gryphonia, and Cengoyle to Prance, spoke in hushed tones about the mare. They had even taken to saying; watch what you say and watch what you do, or the Will of the Marrigan will come for you. She went by many names; the Striped Furie in Gryphonia, Cengoyle preferred the simple title of the Raven, while in Prance she was known as the Wolf with Hooves. But by far her favorite, and the one she promoted the most, was the one from her patron country; the Will of the Marrigan.
Another Vanished suddenly came charging from the darkness, a giant beast of spikes and mole-like claws. Zecora didn't even have to look up as she slid past it. With a single puncturing thrust from her swordstick she had pierced its heart. The thing's eyes bulged out of its head, and bloody spittle went flying from its maw upon hitting the ground. The zebra simply walked through the growing crimson pool, leaving a trail of bloody hoofprints. She had just sheathed her weapon when one more dropped from the ceiling, and another two galloped in from separate entrances. Zecora stopped her trot, and stood there observing the three Vanished that had surrounded her.
A gryphon, an earth pony, and another pegasus. They growled at her as they carefully observed the small mare, having noticed their dead comrades. The assassin quickly grew bored and actually yawned.
"Oh please, you think the three of you will bring me to knees?" The zebra taunted. "You are nothing but obstacles in my path, and I shall show you the full extent of my wrath."
Before the Vanished could even react, Zecora had already almost reached the bulkiest of them. The mutated earth pony- not at all dissimilar to the one Scarlet had fought; in fact it was the one the pegasus had fought as her scythe was still lodged in its neck- had barely lifted a hoof before the zebra threw a potion into its mouth. The monster swallowed instinctively, before suddenly exploding about five seconds later. Its innards splattered against the cavern, staining the walls with red and fleshy chunks which slid slowly down the stone.
"Who wants a piece?" Zecora asked as she turned to face the other two Vanished. "Of a new headdress I have a sudden caprice."
The Vanished actually looked scared, and with good reason. Ponies were supposed to be weak. Ponies were supposed to be afraid. Ponies were supposed to run and cower. But this pony, this pony gave zero bucks. This striped pony was strong. This striped pony was not afraid. This striped pony had killed and threatened their kind. Even the bloodthirstiest of beasts knew when it was beaten.
Ultimately, the two Vanished settled on retreating back into the darkness. The monstrous gryphon began to cry out in alarm, no doubt warning the hive of the dangerous foe.
Zecora just raised an eyebrow and shrugged her shoulders. "A wise choice, but alas there is no time to rejoice."
The striped mare just continued along her way, stepping over a chunk of blown off flesh. She began to hum to herself again, these Vanished were of no concern to her. The sphinxes she had once fought were easily thrice the size of the Vanished tanks, and they had been much more intelligent as well. Zecora stopped by a particularly large charred piece of flesh, and ripped Scarlet's scythe from the attached bone.
"Hmm, how odd is this? Here is her blade but where is the pegasus?" The assassin asked aloud. "She is alive I know, I feel it in my bones. For now I suppose it would be best if I held onto her blade, until I find the mare that has strayed."
Zecora fasted the scythe to her side, just above her staff before continuing to trot along. She reached into her bag, and then frowned. She was almost out of Luminous Gems, having only three of the thirty she had brought left. Rather than throw them behind her as a trail for her friends- and consequentially the Vanished- to follow, the zebra decided it was best to save them just in case she would need them.
Instead, Zecora trot over to a dismembered leg and plopped her rear down on it. She then opened her saddlebag and pulled out a clear flask from which amber liquid could be seen sloshing inside. The mare took a small swig from the flask before capping it shut. The whiskey burned her throat as she swallowed, having only tasted it so often. Zecora then wiped her mouth. She had the time, and she had the patience. Let them come. Her friends, and the Vanished.
***
Sound-Off stopped against a large stalagmite.
She put her claw against its curved surface, and paused to catch her breath. Her chest was screaming in protest, heart beating like a wild bird caught by the hooves of a foal. Every muscle had begun to burn as if Celestia's sun had set fire to her body. But she couldn't stop now. Stopping wasn't an option if she were to find Zecora. It was a sin if she didn't make it back to honor Scarlet Thorn.
The dragoness groaned as she forced herself on, pushing her little body well past its limits. She so badly wished that she was back in her comfy room in Ponyville, studying that teleportation spell. Or better yet, curled up next to Gallant as they researched a tome Luna had sent him home from Canterlot with. She rounded the corner with that happy thought, only to run smack into the corpse of a Vanished.
"Owww." Sound-Off whined, rubbing her snout.
This was the fourteenth body she had come across; she couldn't help but to wonder who- or more likely what- had killed all of the Vanished she had stumbled upon.
She passed another carcass as she continued on, this one had been gutted like a fish and its organs hung out from the slit in its skin. It looked like it had been done by blade, but the slit itself wasn't wide enough to have been done by scythe. Sound-Off shook her head. Despite her excruciating heart ache, she couldn't afford to get her hopes up. The dragoness stopped and looked for another white glow to mark her path. Then she caught sight of a faint twinkle down another tunnel.
Sound-Off hoped it was the last one; if she ran any more, she feared her legs might just pop off. As if Zirnitra had answered her prayers, she was delighted to find Zecora as she approached the Luminous Gem. However, she was concerned by the massive amounts of carnage surrounding her.
"Zecora!" Sound-Off cried out, sprinting over to her and grabbing her foreleg before collapsing to her knees in exhaustion and in tears. "I'm so glad you're okay! What happened here?!"
"Ah you see for that I slaughtered many Vanished, my copious talents did I brandish." Zecora explained before asking, "Sound-Off where is Scarlet Thorn? Why do you look so forlorn? My friend tell me what it is that ails you? What trouble when we separated came to brew?"
"It's Scarlet," Sound-Off whimpered, tears streaming down her face. "she's- she's d- dead. She f- fell. And- and- Wait. Is that her scythe?"
"Indeed to the mare this blade does belong, so no need to look so distraught and feel woebegone. For not only am I an assassin but also a shaman am I, and I can assure you that she is alive. I have not felt her soul leave this plane, from death she has somehow abstained." Zecora claimed. "For now just go ahead and get some rest, I shall find her but perhaps in the meantime a joke will help you feel less depressed."
"A joke?" Sound-Off asked, aghast that the zebra could make jokes in a time like this. "How can you even joke at a time like this?"
"I didn't mean to offend, I am only trying to be a good friend." Zecora apologized, putting a hoof on the dragoness's shoulder.
Sound-Off lost it. She threw off the zebra's hoof, and let loose all of the emotions she had built up. "DON'T CALL YOURSELF MY FRIEND!"
Zecora pulled back her hoof in shock. "Please, calm yourself and put these feelings to ease. I didn't mean to-"
"To what?!" Sound-Off screamed. "To just shrug off everything I just went through?! You weren't there! So don't call yourself my friend! You didn't see what I did! Scarlet is dead! She's dead Zecora! She fell to her death because I wasn't fast enough to save her! One of the only ponies that has ever accepted me for what I am has just died before my eyes! She helped to raise me Zecora! She helped me find my identity! She never judged me for what I did, or the choices I made! Even where Gallant wasn't accepting, she was! And now she's gone forever! She's gone."
The zebra waited until Sound-Off finished venting out her pain before pulling her into her forelegs. At first the dragoness protested, kicking and pounding her fists against the mare's chest until she finally lost the last of her energy and fell limp. She sobbed into the Zebra's fur, matting it further with her tears. With muffled wails and fading cries her sobs eventually receded into snivels and whimpers.
"All that I meant is that perhaps what you need is some humor, to get your mind off of an impossible future. You have already made up your mind over the situation, with absolutely no hesitation." Zecora stated. "In my intuity you should trust, to be my apprentice it is a must. Believe me when I say that Scarlet is still alive, your fears have not and will not be realized."
The dragoness allowed the zebra's words to soothe her some. While she was still not convinced, she at least felt a little better than before. She sniffled, and then bitterly spat out, "Hey Zecora? What's black and white, and red all over?"
"Sound-Off if you say me, of that answer better be followed by an apology." Zecora grumbled out, giving the dragoness a glare that could beat Fluttershy's stare.
"What do you get when a hydra walks through your vegetable garden?" The reptile quickly changed her joke.
"I do not know, would it be a broken hoe?" Zecora inquired.
"What? No!" Sound-Off shook her head. "That's not even a joke, that's an outcome of the situation! It's squash. The answer is squash."
"That was not a very good joke, here is one told by my native folk." Zecora picked up the wearied reptile and placed Sound-Off on her back. She then took a moment to to translate the quip in a way that would still make sense. "So a centaur and a gryphon walk into a bar, these are our tale's stars..."
***
Scarlet Thorn and Vinyl Scratch steadily hiked up the rocky inclination- so steep it was almost a cliff- with carefully placed hoofsteps. Mounds of rock and dust came loose with every hoofstep, falling onto Vinyl- the more sturdy of the two- who had taken to climbing behind the more recently injured pegasus.
Suddenly, Scarlet's hoof slipped. A pebble skidded out from beneath her hoof, rolling down the hill. The butterfly effect is a truly terrifying thing; a single flap from a butterfly's wings can start a hurricane across the world. That single pebble, upon repeatedly hitting the loose side of the cliff, had started a rock-slide as it tumbled. The avalanche roared downwards, smashing against the ground below with a rumbling that shook the entire cavern.
"Uh-oh." Vinyl's ear flattened against her head.
When the cave finally stopped shaking, the two mares were left clinging to- more like pressed completely against- the rock face. The only good outcome of the landslide, was that the avalanche had created almost a series of steps out of debris that the unicorn and pegasus could easily climb. Scarlet and Vinyl quickly jumped off from the cliff and clambered up to the top.
Scarlet panted as she collapsed onto the ground. "My- my bad."
A sudden screech filled the air.
The two mares swung around around to find a Vanished- Scarlet recognized it as the gryphon from before due to its missing eye- standing atop an outcrop in the chamber wall. It roared again, and leapt from its perch. Two more Vanished stalked out from the surrounding shadows, both unicorn, snarling as they approached.
"Move!" Vinyl ordered, seizing the mare by her tail and yanking her up.
The Vanished began to surge after them, the two unicorns galloping alongside the gryphon as it led the charge. Scarlet and Vinyl ran side by side as the monsters gave chase, but were soon forced to a halt by a foaming and choppy river below a brittle cliff edge.
Both mares began to step closer and closer to the crumbling plateau. The rock underneath them began to crack and give way. Scarlet aggressively hunched over, pawing at the ground like a bull preparing to charge. Vinyl, meanwhile, lit up her horn, which began to heat up from the charging fireball spell.
The three Vanished began to slow down as they approached. The malformed gryphon went from a run to a walk, slowly advancing towards them with purpose as its eyes glared- specifically at the pegasus- with their demise.
But before it could get any closer, the edge crumbled away beneath them from the sudden increase in weight.
The two mares cried out in alarm as the ground disappeared from underneath their hooves, and they tumbled towards the raging river below. With a splash they were sucked underneath the water's turbulent surface. Vinyl gasped as she pulled herself into the blisteringly cold air above. She coughed out the freezing water from her lungs, and looked around for Scarlet. She didn't see the mare.
"Scarlet?! Scarlet?!" The unicorn choked out, swallowing another mouthful of water. It then came to her attention that the mare couldn't swim with only two functional legs. "Oh buck! Hang on, I've got ya!"
Vinyl took a big drink of the air and threw herself down into the icy water. She forced her eyes open once underneath the waves, ignoring the excruciating burning sensation that came with. Allowing the current to drag her along, she scanned the murky riverbed for the other white-coated mare. Only being able to see out of one eye, she swerved her head around until she saw a pony-shaped blur ahead of her to her right.
The unicorn swam towards it, sure enough finding her barely conscious friend struggling against the current. Vinyl slung the mare across her shoulder and swam her way back up. Both mares desperately gulped in the air.
"Th- thanks." Scarlet wheezed out, clinging onto the able-bodied unicorn for dear life.
"D- don't mention it." Vinyl replied, scraping her belly as she threw herself atop a smooth stone.
The sound of hoofsteps and roars grabbed their attention. The Vanished were chasing after them from atop the neighboring cliffs, one of them suddenly leapt off the bluff and splashed into the water behind the two ponies.
"Of all the motherbucking-" Vinyl growled, shoving herself off of the safety of the rock and back into the cold water. "Hold on!"
As the unicorn began to swim forward Scarlet began to call out directions. "Left! Go left!"
Vinyl threw herself out of the boulder's way just in time, passing by with only a small scrape on her flank. "Keep it coming! I can't see with the water in my face!"
"Stay in the middle!" Scarlet cried out. "Two rocks coming up on either side!"
The blue-maned mare managed to squeeze in between the two stones with only centimeters to spare on either side. Behind them, the Vanished smashed into the rocks with a surprised and angry squeal. It heaved itself over the jagged stone, scrapping open its belly and its left side; the river began to turn red. The flesh hooked against one of the boulders tore loose, and the Vanished surged after them.
Within seconds it had almost caught up to them, snapping at the water with its fang-filled jaws. It managed to get ahold of Vinyl's hind leg, sinking its teeth just below her ankle.
"AH MOTHERBUCKER!" Vinyl screamed. She swung her head around, and with a growl let loose a fireball spell directly into the Vanished's face.
The fireball singed Scarlet's mane and fur as it streaked by and- although weakened by the water spraying around them- engulfed the monster's face, forcing it to let go of Vinyl's leg as it shrieked and fell behind them.
From above, the other two Vanished galloped along side them. The one on the right clicked its tongue at the other one, and the Vanished on the second side fell back and dived into the water after their comrade. A moment later it had gripped the original monster's flesh in between its teeth and dragged it to the shallow riverbank.
Vinyl suddenly smashed against a boulder, breaking loose another tooth.
"Yak dung!" Scarlet exclaimed, remembering her job. "Go right, go right!"
From atop the gryphon Vanished roared, unfurling its wings and swooping after them. It passed over their heads seconds later, luckily missing but still managing to catch a strand of silver mane in its talons.
"The buck?! It can fly?!" Vinyl yelled.
"Left again!" Her companion suddenly warned, giving her just the right amount of time to avoid impaling herself on a barely visible stalagmite.
The Vanished swept around with an outraged cry and plunged towards them again. This time the unicorn was ready, and cast another fireball spell just as the thing slowed down to grab them in its talons. With the speed of light the Vanished suddenly changed course, gliding just above the spell. The smell of singed feathers and fur permeated the air. It swiftly looped back around, diving at the mares again.
Vinyl attempted to ignite her horn, but to no avail. She had put too much strain on her damaged horn, and now was paying the price. She couldn't launch another attack, and her Illumination spell was rapidly fading.
"I- I can't- My- my magic is-" Vinyl stuttered, grounding her teeth as she struggled to keep the light at the tip of horn from going out. "I'm sorry!"
Scarlet hugged the unicorn, hearing the whistling of the Vanished's wings rapidly approach. "Yeah, me too."
"What are you talking abou-" Vinyl's head was suddenly dunked into the river as Scarlet pushed them under.
The Vanished flew overhead with an angry screech, circling above as it looked for the two mares.
From above the water's surface, the cavern was illuminated by a brilliant flash of orange, red, and yellow. A moment later, the gryphon Vanished- now sporting only one wing- plunged into the river behind them. The pegasus directed the unicorn away from the oncoming monster, as it reached out for them and scrambled to catch its claws into the soft riverbed.
Vinyl pulled herself up onto another slick stone, panting wildly. "Next time, warn me before you do that! Scarlet?"
When she failed to receive a response, the mare turned her head to find her friend missing. She frantically glanced around, and caught sight of a silver and red mane sinking below the surface. She let her light go out, and instead focused almost every last drop of her magical energy into dragging the mare over to her in her magenta aura. Despite the rapid river tugging Scarlet in the opposite direction, Vinyl miraculously managed to haul her friend over to her.
"Did I ever mention how much I hate water?" The pegasus spat out.
"Hey!" A voice yelled from atop the cliff. "I found her! And she's not alone!"
The two mares looked up to see a little black and white dragoness waving to them from above.
"Sound-Off!" Scarlet cried out in delight and relief.
"Aye yo! Little dragon chick!" Vinyl called out. "Can you get us out of here?!"
"Yeah! Zecora, get over here!" Sound-Off waved her companion over.
Zecora popped her head over the edge. "Ah Scarlet I am glad to see that you are okay, give me a second and to pull you out I will have found a way!"
The zebra pulled from her one of her saddlebags a thick rope. She tied one end to a large stalagmite before checking it for security; when she was satisfied she threw it over the edge to the two mares stuck in the bottom of the trench.
"Sweet!" Vinyl exclaimed, seizing the rope in a weak magical aura.
She knotted it first around Scarlet's middle and then around her own. With a small tug she made sure each knot was properly tied, grateful that her mother had made her join Filly Scouts all those years ago for the very first time in her life.
"Ready?!" Sound-Off asked from atop the cliff.
"Not too tight, right Scarlet?" Vinyl inquired.
The pegasus shifted slightly. "Tight, but not overly so."
"Alright!" The blue-maned mare yelled back. "Pull us up!"
The dragoness and zebra nodded in affirmation; Zecora grabbed the rope in between her teeth and Sound-Off firmly wrapped her claws around its almost silken surface, working as one they began to drag the two mares up. A took them a few moments, but they managed to heave the mares over the edge. Scarlet and Vinyl scrambled onto their hooves, untying the rope around them after.
The pegasus was suddenly rushed by a hug. "Scarlet! You're alive!"
Zecora smiled. "Our friend here was quite worried, she believed that you had met your death early."
"Hey, I told you I didn't plan on dying any time soon." Scarlet said, stroking the crying reptile's cheek.
"Please don't do that again." Sound-Off quietly pleaded, nuzzling into the mare's matted and cold fur.
"So is this rad little reptile like your adopted kid or what?" Vinyl inquired.
Scarlet and Sound-Off looked at each other; they had never really thought of it like that. In a sense Scarlet was sort of the dragoness's stand-in mother. She had helped raise Sound-Off, taking care of her while Gallant was out on missions or simply busy in Canterlot. In many ways she had been the mare's first foal, if only a little more scaly and with spikes. The pegasus truly did love the reptile, and the dragoness- while confused about her feelings for the mare, specifically why she had them- loved her too.
"No."
"Yes."
Sound-Off and Scarlet, respectively, replied simultaneously.
The dragoness looked at her with surprise. "You- you think I'm family? Even if I'm not- if I'm not like you?"
"Of course I do." Scarlet answered, pulling her closer.
Sound-Off's eyes began to tear up even harder than before, and with a cry she threw herself onto the pegasus.
She had always felt like such an outcast in pony society, feeling as if she had never belonged. On the contrary to the other residential dragon, it wasn't because she felt the need to reconnect with her dragon heritage and a lost sense of identity. No, Luna and Gallant had always made sure that she knew where she had come from- her birth-parents were actually quite nice- and gave her free access to all the knowledge she could have ever wanted. But it was because of that exact reason why she felt so disconnected. The other ponies she had met throughout her years treated her so differently. They either saw her as having the potential to grow into a monster because of her having absolutely no qualms with the dragon way, or simply as Gallant's pet. And unlike Spike, who was revered as a hero and a friend, they didn't see her as one of their own. All they saw was a carnivorous threat to their perfect society. Only the other members of Z.O.D.I.A.C. had ever treated her like the intelligent and gentle soul she truly was. But none of them, other than Gallant, had loved her. And now, she realized that somepony else did.
Sound-Off detached herself from the pegasus, collapsed her claws together and looked down. "Umm, hey Scarlet? Would it be too weird if I called you m- mom?"
"Sound-Off, you can call me whatever you want." Scarlet confirmed.
"A touching moment this has been," Zecora suddenly piped. "but there is still much to do and you've yet to introduce us to your friend."
"Oh. Everypony, and dragon," Scarlet smiled at Sound-Off as she walked over to the unicorn. "this is Vinyl Scratch. Vinyl, this is Zecora, I'm sure you've seen her around. And this dragon here is Sound-Off. Vinyl has survived down here for the entire week she was missing. She's one of us. And, she can use her magic."
"Yo." Vinyl grinned. "Glad to meet ya!"
"Excuse my question but how is it that magic you are able to use?" Zecora asked. "Please tell us how of it you were able to not lose."
Vinyl pointed over to where a cluster of roots were growing out of the wall. "I just ate one of those. But oh Faust, don't make the same mistake! Eating that was probably the most painful experience of my life, and that's really saying something after this past week. So, how did you find us anyways?"
"That was actually quite the easy task, first we followed the rumbling from the avalanche. Then when we arrived we saw your fireball spells burning bright, and that's how we knew you were here but just out of sight." Zecora explained. "We figured you were fighting for your lives, and Scarlet is defenseless without her scythe."
Scarlet then noticed the blade Zecora had strapped to her side, and quickly hobbled over to her. "My scythe! Where did you find it?"
"In the flesh of a Vanished was where it was stuck, coming across it was simply dumb luck." Zecora handed the mare back her weapon.
"Whoa, cool!" Vinyl exclaimed. "You're like some kind of grim reaper almost! Hey, when do I get my weapon?"
Zecora threw her staff over to the mare. "Here Vinyl Scratch, catch."
Vinyl looked at the caduceus in confusion. "Not to be unappreciative, but a stick?"
"Oh this isn't any stick like one you've seen before, it had a hidden feature that you will adore." The assassin twisted the head of the staff, and unsheathed the blade. "This is a weapon I've had for many years, its edge is of the finest I bear."
"You can use this one for now," Sound-Off explained as the mare tested her new blade with a few practice swings. "just until we find out what weapon works best for you."
Hearing the sudden screeches coming from the other two Vanished still in the trench, which was answered by more shrieks and clickings, the quartet was reminded of the imminent danger that they faced and the trial ahead of them.
"What do we do now?" Vinyl asked, sheathing the swordstick.
"I have a faint idea of where we need to be." Zecora began, bringing herself to a brisk trot as she led their group. "And I do believe that it is at the tree."
"Tree?" The marred mare rose her eyebrow, suddenly getting a very bad feeling. "What tree?"
Scarlet nervously chuckled. "Well there is a key detail I may have kept from you."