//------------------------------// // Chaotic Surprise // Story: To Fear A Predator // by Evowizard25 //------------------------------// Whitetail Woods was a relatively peaceful place. That’s what the general reports about this place lead Trixie to believe. There was something about a rock gator or some other creature getting loose here, but she didn’t pay them much mind. There wasn’t any danger here that could threaten her or her trained soldiers at her beck and call. So Inquisitor Trixie marched on through the woods. She was so confident in her abilities that she had even left Dot back to watch over the town and especially the Elements. If Lightning Dust tried to come back, he’d catch her. There was no doubt in her mind about that fact. Cato would be safe with him as well. She smiled as she thought of his happy little face when she succeeded in this venture. He would be so proud of his mom-er, his master. “Inquisitor,” the leading member of the guard accompanying her spoke up. “Do you by any chance know where we can best find them? While we know they came this way, they could be anywhere.” “We shall not split up our forces,” Trixie scoffed at the very idea. “This mare is a mercenary and last night proved she is skilled enough to take on small numbers of foes at a time. We must strike with all of our force at once or she will get away along with her companions.” “Very well, Inquisitor.” The soldier bowed his head and didn’t press any further. Trixie was glad. His subservience was what she, as an Inquisitor, should be readily gifted by the populace. They were the bastions of safety to them. They routed the heretics and other enemies of the country and burned them to a crisp. She was their protector and deserved every ounce of respect they could give her. “Do no worry. I memorized the griffon’s energy signature. He’s not far from here.” As was standard procedure for criminals, they had a shroud of magic planted on them. This was to keep tabs on them and locate them in prison or if they should ever escape. Given that it was a griffon, it didn’t have any magic nullifying attributes placed inside it. He was weak and she had enough magic and soldiers to take him and his compatriots in. That Suri Polomare wouldn’t escape this time. She would die by her blade. She couldn’t help but smirk. ‘Everything is going according to plan.’ It was at that moment that one of the soldiers cried out in pain. Trixie looked back to see a large wooden stake swing had swung down from the tree and smashed into the armored side of one of the soldiers. Said soldier’s armor was dented and he was sent flying into a tree. The guard groaned and two other guards ran over to their comrade to right him. Trixie glared into the woods, “Who dares to strike a member of an Inquisitorial team? I demand you show yourself and be judged accordingly.” “It would seem that meer wooden poles won’t do much to you or your compatriots,” a familiar voice chuckled. “But no matter. That was simply a test run. Now that I know, well…” A purple spear of energy pierced one of the soldiers. This time the weapon went clean through, killing and impaling the soldier on a nearby tree. “I think we’ll kick this up a notch,” the voice cackled. “Kill them!” “Defensive formation!” Trixie spoke. Without pause, the soldiers formed a square around Trixie. Given her size and stature, she could easily see over and give commands. They in turn would protect her from harm. It was at that moment that several chaos cultists made their appearance out from behind several trees. They sneered, cheered, and danced in anticipation of the coming blood frenzy. The soldiers and Inquisitor stared them down, daring them to try something. They didn’t have to wait long. The cultists gave a scream of wild abandonment as they charged. The first wave didn’t do at all well against the well armored and armed soldiers. They cleaved through the unarmored forms of the cultists with ease. The last few scuttled back to scowl at the soldiers. “Form a shield,” Trixie called to the unicorns who quickly formed a magical shield around the group. Just in time too as several spears of purple magic came slamming into it. “Quick thinking,” the voice called out. “But you are sorely outnumbered. Leave now and you may get to live another day.” Trixie snarled, “I will give you a most welcomed death, traitor.” “As confident as you are beautiful,” the voice cackled. “I will enjoy breaking you in, Inquisitor Trixie. You will enjoy a life of chains. Well, if my master doesn’t sacrifice you first. Beg for your life and I can make sure you survive.” “Oh just shut up and throw your next pathetic attack,” Trixie called out. The voice cackled again, “You know, if you had been paying more attention, you would have felt the chaos in the air. The insignias around you, but you are really blind to what matters, Inquisitor Trixie.” Before Trixie could inquire what he was talking about, the air around the group hummed. Chaos sigils burst from the ground and floated around them. Trixie aimed her pistol. She didn’t get a chance to fire as they burst in the air. The shield evaporated as the shockwave smashed it and the heads of the unicorns to pieces with its power. The other soldiers balked, but did their best to stand ready as they were covered with bits of their comrades. “That little trick took quite the little bit of power and time to make,” the voice spoke. “I’m really glad you stumbled into it or it would have been all for nothing but I knew you’d be coming this way for that precious bounty hunter. Now would you be so kind as to lay down your lives now?” “Come and take them!” Trixie shouted in anger. More so out of being tricked then actually losing soldiers. “Very well then,” with that said, another rush of cultists sprang forth from the woods. Again the soldiers cut through them like butter. Their advanced training and armor making up for their numbers. This time, arrows rained down from the woods at segments the cultists weren’t attacking. The soldier’s armor protected them. Unfortunately for one, an arrow pierced the eye slit, felling the soldier. Another was killed when the unknown assailant sent out another purple chaos spear of energy, skewering a soldier. Trixie used her own magic to bat away another spear, “Pull back. Pull back to another position.” With that, Trixie ran out of the group, slicing through a cultist as she did so. The soldiers orderly followed. Not all of them made it as two more were speared by the chaos mage in hiding and another caught and dragged into the middle of a swarm of chaos cultists. Even with his armor, the raving madponies eventually and sadistically killed him. Trixie spied a rather large tree and used her magic to cut it at the base. It fell and was thick enough for a pony to hide behind and shoot over if they so wished. She sliced some nearby trees with similar widths and soon had herself a square. She gestured the rest of the guards to follow her inside it and they did just as they were told. A shower of arrows shot out from the woods. Trixie blocked the ones coming at her with her magic, whereas the others ducked behind the logs. The cultists charged, stopping when the guards fired a few crossbows and earning a few kills. They pulled back, shouting insults at the guards. That’s when they heard barking noises. The cultists were back, but this time in front of them were several hounds. These hounds were different, covered in spikes and reeked of chaos influence. The dogs howled and charged, bearing their teeth as they prepared to tear into them. A normal hound would have no chance at getting through the soldier’s armor. These weren’t normal dogs. The few crossbows they had fired, smacking into a number of dogs before they reached the logs. The dogs nimbly climbed them and jumped at the soldiers. They cut through a number of them, but there were a number more. Trixie snarled and shot two down. She sliced another one through the top of its skull like butter with her sword. She pointed and fired another shot, killing a dog that had jumped onto a soldier’s back. Trixie heard a twang from above before she moved to the side, narrowingly avoiding an arrow. She looked up to see a number of crossbow cultist pegasi giggling as they pulled back and let loose more arrows. She knocked aside a few arrows, listening as three more soldiers were downed by the onslaught. Another was injured and quickly set upon by the hounds as they tore through the guard, armor and flesh alike. Trixie readied her pistols and narrowed her eyes. She counted twelve pegasi. ‘The perfect number,’ Trixie couldn’t help but inwardly think as she smirked. Focusing on her magic, it flared around her pistols. They fired. All shots. Within less than a second. All the pegasi were down, killed by the rounds that tore through them. She slashed through another pair of dogs. They were finally pushing the dogs back. A roar shocked the lot of them. They looked up to see the cultists making another charge. This time in front of them was none other than a Smasher. The brutish chaos pony was huge, easily the size of a Knight and bigger then Trixie. Just as muscular as you’d expect from a brute, it’s top half of its body was covered in a thick metal armor the same with the top of its head. It carried a large mace which couples with the long mace like tail gave it an intimidating presence. The beast of a pony easily side swiped one of the logs, breaking it in half and taking out two soldiers with it. With another swing of its mace it crushed a soldier before its mace-like tail smashed into a second. Trixie knew she had to take that thing out quickly or else she wouldn’t have much of a force left. That wouldn’t do. Not when she was so close to what she so desperately needed, “You dare to strike the Great Inquisitor Trixie’s soldiers?!!” The Smasher looked towards her and grinned, “You Inquisitor? Me smash you!” “As stupid as you are ugly,” Trixie sneered, readying her sword. She had put her pistols away since she knew they wouldn’t do that much to the beast before her. With that said, the Smasher roared and charged her. She easily sidestepped around him. Her long, elegant form helped her keep out of his reach with ease. Though she knew, she just knew that just one swing could take her out of the fight. She had put her self-shield up, but even then she knew that would only get her so far. She slashed at the beast, but he turned at the right moment so the blade just barely scratched his armor. She jumped back when his tail mace almost smashed into her. Ducking again, she sliced through its cheek. The Smasher snarled, “I kill you!” “You’re going to have to do a better job of it if that’s the best you can do,” Trixie snorted as he kept on swinging. With each swing, she was cut into his flesh yet it seemed like it wasn’t fazing him at all. It barely got through his thick muscles. She couldn’t hold out on this. She needed to kill it now. So she focused on cutting his legs. Again, thick muscle stopped her from getting anywhere. The Smasher was obviously tired with dealing with her as he pushed himself forward hard enough to knock her to the ground. Trixie shook her head, thankful her shield held though she knew another blow would connect. She turned her head up to look at the Smasher. He had had reared up and roaring, hoping to crush her with his large hooves. She rolled out of the way of the strike, but the force of the ground blow forced her even further then she was intending. She gave a pained ‘oof’ as she hit the side of one of the broken logs. She looked over it and noticed how the end was rather pointed. “Smash you good now,” the Smasher sickenly grinned as he prepared to strike. Trixie moved, rolling to the side as she grabbed the log with her magic. Given her magical strength, she took the log easily with her and avoided another strike. With a grunt, she swung the log. It hit him in the side of his head, shattering the upper half of the log but disorienting the Smasher as well. With another heave of strength, she brought up the pointed end and stabbed the Smasher right through where the jaw and throat met. Another burst of magic had it blowing up inside the wound, sending the beast of a pony’s jaw flying off. The Smasher gave what she could only assume was a roar of pain as he tried to kill her with his mace. She dodged and then jumped away as the Smasher had twirled around in an attempt to catch her with his mace tail. The Smasher turned and tried to charge her and that’s when she made her final move. She sent a blast of magic that pushed the beast’s head up before her sword sliced through the wound and cut right into the brain. Trixie smirked as she pulled it down, cutting more of the inside of his skull before pulling out. The Smasher fell to the ground, most assuredly dead. Looking around, she noticed that the other cultists had been pushed back but she had only half, if that, of her original force still with her. “Form up and prepare to strike out!” One of the soldiers, the leader of the group she had brought with her, approached her. “I’m sorry, Inquisitor, but I have to say that we have to retreat.” Trixie frowned and stared at the soldier for a moment, “What did you say? I think I misheard you.” The soldier sighed and looked her straight in the eye. The mare took off her dented helmet, exposing a blueberry colored earth mare. Her white and dark blue colored mane billowed out. As short as it was, the helmets were enchanted enough that you could have quite long mane and it wouldn’t be a problem. This was something invented because of the Sisters of Vengeance who really liked their long manes, “I’ve lost over half my ponies and we’re not closer to beating these cultists. They took us by surprise and the only reason they aren’t attacking us right now is if the leader is toying with us or we really did do them a bad turn that last attack. Either way, we don’t have the forces necessary to strike out at them.” Trixie scowled, glaring down at the pony before her. “We will not retreat. We will win this day and secure the infernal traitor element and bounty hunters. We will bring them all to justice.” “You aren’t getting the situation, Inquisitor.” The mare glared up at her. Trixie noticed there was a slight country twang but it wasn’t that overt. “I am not throwing the lives of my soldiers away for your victory. We are leaving. We’ll contact Canterlot and get some reinforcements before continuing this battle.” As she turned away from Trixie, a million thoughts were racing through her mind. ‘No. I can’t leave now. If I do, some other Inquisitor will take my glory. I’ll be seen as a fool who led her troops into a trap. The bounty hunters will get away and the townsfolk… the Inquisition will lose trust in me. No, I can’t let that happen. Not when I’m so close. Not when I have so much planned.’ She glanced down at her pistols, then at the soldier. ‘I have the authority. No one would call me out on this. I was shooting down a coward. A pony who dared to order around an Inquisitor. She would pay for this. She was in the way. No one would blame her and when I won the day, she would receive none of the grandiose praise I so rightly deserve.’ She closed her eyes and pulled out the pistol. Aiming it at the back of the soldier’s head, she screamed. “COWARD!” “Then shoot me!” The soldier turned and glare at her, shocking Trixie enough to stop herself from pulling the trigger. “Just shoot me instead of calling me a coward. Go on, do it.” “How dare you speak to an Inquisitor like this,” Trixie snarled. “If it means keeping my ponies alive, I’ll talk to ya in the way I like.” The mare glared back. “We are leaving. Now.” Trixie shook slightly and kept her gun trained on the mare. ‘I should shoot her now for this! How dare you talk back to me. ME! An Inquisitor. She deserves to die for this insubordination.’ “Have you ever executed a pony before?” Trixie blinked in confusion, “I… I don’t understand the question.” “So you haven’t,” the mare snorted. “Look, I know you’re an Inquisitor but please, don’t start acting like one of those gun toting maniacs on the border territories. You’ll end up with a sword in your back in no time or an ‘accident’.” Trixie scowled and turned her head. She had heard of those stories before by some of the Inquisitors. It was true an Inquisitor had the power to execute anyone and make them do as they wish. Most of the time no one dared oppose them on their decisions. However, there were times where the more wild guardsponies would take it into their own hooves or other extremities if they weren’t ponies to make sure the Inquisitor had an ‘accident’. It’s why her master had tried to dissuade her from unnecessary executions. They were bad for moral, he said to her. In the past the Inquisition didn’t fear reprisals but after Celestia’s many reforms, ponies a bit safer from Inquisitorial reprisals. With a frustrated scowl, Trixie glared at her. “What is your name, soldier?” “Blueberry Frost,” the mare spoke. “Pleasure to meet you.” “We shall retreat to Ponyville,” Trixie said and turned. “But we will not call Canterlot. Not yet. We have enough troops and we can rearm the local militia. They still have enough munitions to sustain themselves for one good fight.” Blueberry Frost sighed, “Very well, but I still believe-” “Your beliefs do not matter to me,” Trixie said. “You will do as I say and think nothing of it. You are lucky I am so generous or you would be dead already.” Blueberry Frost turned away, “Fine, Inquisitor. We shall do as you say.” Trixie couldn’t believe the level of disinterest in her orders Blueberry Frost was exuding. She was an Inquisitor and deserved respect and should be listened to no matter what, ‘I will teach her to know her place soon enough.’