//------------------------------//
// CH15: All journeys come to an end 
// Story: The journey 
// by Dashed_Brony 
//------------------------------//

	Danger approached. So fast that they could barely blink before it stood right before them. The strength of the force alone had knocked them straight aside, in each their direction, and avoided being mashed, but with his wounds only being tormented more as he was once again lashed to the ground, he could no longer even get up, and simply lay there, trying to keep breathing through the pain.

"Come on! If you keep on laying there, you'll be mashed for sure!"

The unicorn had recovered from being plunged across the ground, and stood and yelled at the top of his lungs. They couldn't yet see each other. The layer of dust the train of a boar had put as a wall between them, so he yelled, in hopes that the pegasi could actually hear him.

He could, and he once more got up. He tried making his way over to the source of the voice, but he was ready to just drop down, stumble over and simply lay there, yet he pushed forth, with whatever energy his frail body could amass.

Again, he was knocked over. Sent flying by the pure burst of wind.

The Veratus had flown straight past them once more, and again, his body was the target of being a bag of potatoes, thrown recklessly around.

The unicorn's voice had become more faint, but he yelled again... And again, the process repeated itself.

He had gotten on his hooves after hearing weakened voice, but he was thrown over yet again. The Veratus was relentless, and didn't even bother waiting for the layer of the thick, brown wall of dust settle before it headed right into it again. It was the only reason they hadn't been flatened to the ground yet, but both were taking their tolls from being sent soaring through the sky and right into the ground like ragdolls. The weakening tone of a worried colt revealed that.

Silence came. There was no longer any voice ringing in his ears. Not even a weak breath. Not having bothered getting up from the ground, he tried catching track of any form of movement. Nothing. The brown wall was too thick to see through, but there had at least been a faint shadow that shaped Toby up until this point, but now.... There was nothing.

He got up. His body screamed 'No', his mind told him to be reasonable and he was shaking like a leaf in the wind.

Furthermore, he leapt from the ground, and let his wings catch hold of him mid-air. They tried having their say on it, but he flew forth.

Fast enough to practically feel his wings snap that very moment, even if they had been at their best.

What told him to go on was neither love nor hatred. It was fear.

Not fear of his own life. Fear of what had happened to the voice, and why he couldn't hear it.

Then he saw it.

Through the now settling fog created from the layer atop the dying ground, he could see a figure, to the ground, knocked out.

He knew the Veratus would strike again at any moment, and with whatever energy he could find himself to push out of his already overworked body, he dove straight down, and picked up the green dolt of a pony that no longer had its consiousness with it. and high up into the air right afterwards.

Without a second to spare, he felt the wind below desiring to pull him along, and with his broken body, he was in no condition to fight it. He tried his best to fly against the strong pull, but he was being pushed back effortlessly.

He barely managed to hold his grip around the air, remaining in it. If he landed, it was game-over. The moment he did, he knew the energy he still held was gone without even a second say on it. He had taken it past the limit, and just a second was all it took to take him from wanting to go on, to simply lay down and let fate take its course.

For now, since they had cover from any direct attacks, he tried flying off, as far and fast, away from the massive beast, hoping that he could make enough distance between the two, that the Veratus would either not see them, or simply let them bypass.

He had targetted the direction they had first come from, since it was the shortest way outside of the territory they had thoughtlessly walked into.

He could hear the boar finally using its feet to walk off, rather than roll, which meant it might've let them off.

Until the last step from it died away in distance, he refused to believe this vile beast had any intent but to roll right at them once more.

For that reason, he didn't let off on speeding away. Many minutes. Eterneties long passed. His left wing finally snapped. It literally cracked that very moment. The sound of snapping bone echoed in his ears, but he was unable to hear it. Any sound was deafened out by his own pain, and an immediate crash-landing iniatated. Thankfully, he was just barely above ground level at this point, and landed at a soft grass mattress without much more stress or injury.

He refused to close his eyes, as much as they refused to stay open. He looked at Toby, resting in his hooves with a peaceful expression children often had while sleeping. He had no direct injuries. Just scratches here and there. He had undoubtedly passed out over the mental stress of the situation, and the pegasi couldn't have been happier.

The happiness died out as it had arrived. His body was aching, and his mind was fogging up along with his eyes, until he had his eyes wide-open, but only saw clouded images before him, too unclear to make out anything, even his own hoove right before his eyes.

"I... I guess it's time to sleep then..." 

His voice was dying by each word, and he couldn't feel the pain any longer. It had faded as his eyes had shut, and he had no trouble falling asleep with the pain inexistant to him any more.


- End -