//------------------------------// // The Ursa and the Unicorn // Story: Storm Vine // by zalla661 //------------------------------// The Ursa stared down at its potential prey. Tempest glared back hatefully at the bear with her body poised and ready to strike. It didn’t take long before the Ursa struck first. Raising one of its massive paws the Ursa made a wide and clumsy strike against Tempest. Tempest was able to leap backwards in time to barely miss the Ursa’s strike. Lowering her head, Tempest fired a powerful surge of magic into the side of the Ursa’s paw. Tempest's raw power seared the fur on the Ursa’s paw but wasn’t enough to do any significant harm. Realizing her attack was of no use, Tempest quickly retreated and fled from the Ursa. The beast roar shaked the very earth beneath Tempest and gave chase after the little unicorn. “That’s right, follow the birdie,” Tempest said under her breath as she continued evading the Ursa. Tempest led the monster further from the town. As she ran she whirled around to shoot a surge of magical energy back at the Ursa if only to further antagonized it and keep its attention. Her many years of serving the Storm King had honed her body into a unstoppable machine of flesh and bone. She was an apex predator in a world riddled with monsters and beasts of all shapes and sizes and she wasn’t the vulnerable filly she was many years ago. This time if the Ursa wanted her, it would have to work for it. Tempest lead the Ursa down a road heading away from the town. She had to buy enough time for her father to setup the trap. It was an easy enough trap, place enough explosives to make a huge blast and scare the Ursa away. Once long ago, Tempest fought off a group of tatzelwurms using this method. Then again, that was with a fleet of ships and eldritch cannons. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to wait long. She was fit but her stamina wasn’t infinite. I’m counting on you Trixie! She thought to herself. And you better not leave me hanging! Or I will haunt you! Tempest stopped running and suddenly turned to face the pursuing Ursa. With a mighty roar the Ursa reared up on its back legs raising both its front paws high above its head. Bringing both down he intended to destroy Tempest with one blow. Again the slow movements of the Ursa were easy enough for Tempest to evade, but the impact from the paws made the ground beneath her tremor. The violent vibrations made her nearly lose her footing. She hastily jumped away as the Ursa recovered and prepared to attack again. The Ursa struck with one of its claws burying it in the ground. Tempest took the initiative to counter strike. She ran up the Ursa’s arm and powered her horn with a large surge of magical energy. The confused Ursa had no idea what was coming next. Tempest ran straight up the arm dodging the other paw as it tried to sweep her off. Tempest leaped into the air front flipping over the paw and landed on the shoulder to the Ursa Major. Tempest released the energy from her horn into the side of the Ursa’s face. The resulting explosion of energy sent Tempest flying off which she expected. Using her great agility she twisted her body around like a cat falling from a high perch to land on her hooves. However, her world was suddenly a dark blue as the Ursa swiped her full force with the broadside of his paw. Tempest was sent spinning uncontrollably in the air like a ragdoll until she collided with the ground. Her body dragging through the dirt leaving a burrow trail behind until she collided against a stone wall from a lone building in a large field of grapevines. Tempest groaned trying to pick herself up from the ground. Her body ached all over. That one strike took a lot out of her. Even though her armor was enchanted to take huge blows the Ursa’s strength proved greater than the enchantment could bare. Tempest tasted a small bit of blood in her mouth. She spit the taste out to the side and turned to glare back at the Ursa. With a wicked grin she chuckled to herself at the unsightly scar over its face. “Heh, heh, guess you win again, huh?” She said spitefully. “Guess you’ll have the last laugh?” As if hearing the unicorns words the Ursa slowly looked down at Tempest Shadow. It came within an inch of her face and breathed heavily against her. The two stared into each others eyes closely. Tempest coughed as she let a grin break out at the Ursa, She charged her broken horn once again for another point blank attack. She would blind the beast in one eye completely at this range if not outright destroy its eye. Her raw unhindered magic was strong enough to break most durable materials and flesh was no matter at this range. Even a dragon's scales would never survive against her attack at this range. However before she could discharge her horn, a familiar voice called to her from above. The sweet soft voice made her blood run cold and her face pale. “Tempest? Is that you?” The familiar voice asked. Tempest slowly glazed up as did the Ursa Major. Both met the eyes of Berry Punch looking down at Tempest from a window directly above her. Somehow the mare seemed unaware of the Ursa just in front of her. How can she be that oblivious!? “Auntie, RUN!” Was all Tempest could shout before the Ursa swun its paw through the window and walls for the feebly constructed house. Tempest cried out in horror as the debris from the house fell around her. The sight of her aunt’s limp body flying among the debris sent a chill down her spine. She watch as her aunt landed under the pile of wood and stone and got buried underneath it. Her heart sank and her mind went blank. Tempest felt sick to her stomach like she received a swift kick to her gut. She could only stare at the pile of rubble while the Ursa roared triumphantly and rearing back on its back legs. Just then something inside Tempest Shadow snapped. An old feeling she tried to bury since she returned, the ever so apparent feeling of bloodlust. All the years of anger, and torment on her soul came crashing down on her in one instant, sending her into a blind rage. And then, she lost her shit.