Chapter 6: The Everfree is the Least of your Worries
Pantheon stood at the edge of the balcony from the War Room in the central palace in the City of Legends, watching in the distance as more and more refugees flooded into the city. Behind him, a few dozens of fellow Champions and Summoners were talking or waiting on their own as they waited for the main doors to open.
"What are you looking at, Pantheon?" A feminine voice asked him.
Without turning to see to who it belonged, Pantheon replied. "The refugees. There are fewer than I expected, Leona."
"Those damn monsters don't like leaving anything in their wake," Leona cursed as she stood at the side of Rakkor's greatest warrior. "Do you think we'll be able to stop them?"
"You should seek Swain if you wish an answer to that question," Pantheon replied. "All we can do is fight back no matter what." Pantheon turned to her. "Where is Diana?"
"She made it back from Freljord... Ashe, Sejuani, and Lissandra are working together to revive the Watchers." Leona scoffed. "Only Braum returned with her."
"A frozen world is better than a dead world some would say," Pantheon hummed. "How many Champions are left, Leona?"
"Eighty-two... Eighty-three if you count the spirit Ao Shin," Leona sighed. "Everyone is trying to save Runeterra in their own ways, and everyone is failing. What makes matters worse is that nothing and no-one is safe from those monsters; humans, constructs, creatures of magic, spirits, gods, Champions, Summoners... it doesn't matter to them."
Pantheon and Leona remained silent for several moments until a sudden blue light encaptured one of the most powerful Summoners present for a few seconds.
"... Azir and Nasus have failed to Ascend Malzahar. He was torn asunder by the magic of Shurima itself." The Summoner said the moment after the light vanished. "They report they enemy is nearing Shurima and will do everything in their power to slow them down."
"This just keeps getting better and better," Graves exhaled a mouthful of smoke. "We Champions and you Summoners are falling like flies while they take over city after city. Hey, Papa Crow, use that superior brain of yours already, will yah?"
Swain didn't even look at the outlaw as Lux sat next to him while Sona healed his wounds.
"Answer the question, Noxian filth," Garen said with Shyvana, Xin Zhao, and Poppy at his side.
"Leave him alone, Garen... do you really think this is the best time to hold on to old grudges?" Lux said glaring at her brother. While she herself didn't quite like Noxus or its Champions, she had always felt a mutual understanding with the leader of Noxus, Swain.
"...Fine," Garen spat, returning his attention to his comrades.
"Thank you, child," Swain whispered looking at Lux, offering her the faintest of smiles.
Lux smiled back. Her eyes landed on her brother once more. While she knew Garen loved her, her being a magician, the second thing he hated the most, always put a severe strain on their relationship ever since he found out her secret.
"Graves and Garen are right, though. Swain, don't you have a master plan to get us out of this mess?" Ezreal asked a few meters away.
"...Not yet," the Noxian finally said, eyes focused on Jax. "Not yet."
Pantheon woke up and looked around, slightly confused. It took him a few moments to remember where he was, what he was doing, and where he was headed. He got up, extinguished his small fireplace, grabbed his spear and shield, and resumed his travel leaving behind discarded and half-eaten fruits and roots.
Over the course of three days he had seen several more bones and corpses, most belonging to the monsters he knew full well, but as he advanced, he began seeing those of creatures similar to what Lyra had described to him. Such as a Manticore.
Pantheon gritted his teeth, if he was correct, he was now at the border of the Twisted Treeline. He was still too far behind.
"Ghost!" He half-yelled before a shimmering blue aura surrounded him as he ran, leaving behind momentary after images of himself.
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*Ponyville
"Here's your coffee, Twilight," Spike said placing the cup of said warm liquid next to the Princess.
"Oh, thank you, Spike," she replied before taking a long gulp of it. "Ah! Much better...," she exclaimed returning her attention to the scrolls in front of her.
A small stack of complaints and reports stating that strange sounds had been coming from the Everfree Forest since last night. The sounds, akin to distant growls or something similar, had sturred the peace and tranquility of the town. That was nothing new: every week she and her friends had to deal with something that did that job. But this time it was different... she could sense it; something was wrong with those sounds coming from the depths of the forest. Not even the wise and venerable Granny Smith had ever heard something similar in her life.
"Should we ask help from Princess Celestia? We don't have Royal Guards stationed in Ponyville, Twi," Spike offered, taking his seat next to hers.
"I believe Princess Celestia is far too busy to pay attention to such a minor incident. We can handle this problem just as we have with every other problem before," Twilight assured smiling at her number one assistant. He smiled at her, though it wasn't completely sure. She couldn't blame him, she too was feeling uneasy about this developing incident.
"Of course!" She said as a realization struck her. "We can ask Zecora! Maybe she knows what's going on! Come, Spike, we need to get ready!" She said enveloping the little drake in her magical aura.
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*Ponyville- Central Plaza- Noon*
It's nice to be back. I missed doing this so much, Lyra thought as she played her lyre for her gathered audience. It looks like they missed me, too, Lyra giggled. She continued to play for several more minutes until she reached the end of her song. Stomping hooves and whistles soon burst from the audience along the *clink-clank* of bits been thrown into her jar.
"Thank you, thank you! I will take a short break before continuing everypony," Lyra stated as she put her lyre next to her chair. The audience mostly dispersed to do their own things, while some others remained close by talking between friends.
I wonder if Pantheon will like my music. Does he even like music? Lyra tilted her head to the side. Well, I shall see that eventually! Oh, I hope he likes music. Maybe I can compose something for him! Lyra giggled to herself. She lifted her water container in order to take a sip out of it when all of a sudden shouts of horror reached her ears. Looking at the source of the screams, she saw none other than Zecora.
Lyra looked at the zebra running, or well, limping, towards them while ponies screamed at the sight or yelled for help. The zebra was covered in several cuts and fresh scars with blood slowly oozing out of them. But Lyra focused solely on the look of horror the zebra had on her face; she wasn't paying attention to where she was going, she was only advancing in hopes of getting as far away possible from the direction she had come from.
Lyra stood up ready to aid Zecora when Twilight landed with Spike on her back in front of the zebra. She couldn't hear what Twilight was saying as nurses Redheart, Tenderheart, and Doctor Stable arrived at the scene shortly after.
But she did hear a familiar rumbling echo coming from the depths of the Everfree Forest.
"...Oh no..."
Chapter 6 End.