Large black vines constricted around the train. It looked like something out of a monster movie. Arche was unsure how to react, staring in disbelief at the strange black vines that he ignores the screams from one of his fellow soldiers.
“ADMIRAL!!!!”
Phasing back to reality, Arche lunges out of the way of another large black vine, this one forming a strange mouth that roars in a savage rage at the stallion. He takes a few steps back, as the same soldier approaches him out of breath.
“Admiral…it isn’t safe…for you here. You have to move now!”
“The others…..the train…”
“They’ll be fine sir, you safety is our mission. You have to go now!”
Before Arche could interject, the vines grab hold of the soldier, dragging him into the Everfree Forest. His scream consumed Arche’s though process, a scream he’d heard too many times in his past.
“NO!”
Arche charges after the vines, refusing to let the soldier die, despite his orders. He had seen far too many soldiers risk their lives for him, and he wouldn’t dream of seeing another one suffer because of him. He followed the sound of screams from the poor pony, but it soon reverted from a scream to a faint echo, then quickly to sheer silence. Arche stopped in his tracks, panting heavily, look of anger on his face. He questioned how fast those vines could react and hide. Just disappear into the darkness of this menacing forest. It sent shivers down his spine, reminding him of the changeling swamplands. To his surprise however, Arche noticed how dark it became within the forest. The Everfree was known for its enchanting and mysterious forest trails. But this didn’t make any sense. There’s no way he ran deep enough into the forest that it would become so dark. Seemed like there was no other option now but to return to the train, and come back with reinforcements. No sense getting lost, and as much as he hated endangering more soldiers to rescue one, Arche couldn’t stop himself from thinking of the inevitable. Another solider dead, all his fault. All because he wasn’t one step ahead of them. One step ahead of the changelings.
“Stop…no……don’t think like that now.”
Yet thats all he could think of, as a green smoke-like substance surrounded him, slipping into his nostrils, causing Arche to cough.
“What….What is this!?!”
The glimmer of light showing the exit to the forest suddenly vanishes, the black vines sinking out of the trees around the stallion. Strange voices whisper into his ears, near silent at first, then beginning to grow louder.
“Bravo….Admiral…”
Arche looks around him, the sounds of laughter echo through the black void between the trees.
“Who’s there? Show yourself!”
The laughter grows louder, as the vines curl around a large tree in front of Arche.
“Quit pestering me…..WHERE ARE YOU HIDING!?!”
“Here I am, Admiral.”
His good eye opens wide, jaw slightly opened. In front of Arche is the soldier those menacing black vines dragged into the forest. They were now wrapped around the poor pony’s legs and neck, even under his helmet and chest plate. Looking closer, Arche noticed blood dripping down the soldier’s armor, as well as markings on his neck and face. Strange markings, markings he knew far too common.
“No….”
“Yes Admiral…..bravo….yet ANOTHER pathetic fool dead because of you.”
“You’re alive…..I can still-“
“YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING!”
Arche gasps in horror, the vines strangling the soldier, gagging for breath. His body began decaying right before Arche, his dark blue coat starting to fade, then began shriveling off like dead leaves on a tree.
“This…..This isn’t real…..you’re not really-“
“But I am, Admiral….you took an oath…..an oath to protect your fellow pony….keep them safe from the plagues that haunt our dear Equestria…..how were we so foolish to follow you? Now look at us, Arche.”
“Us?”
“Yes….look…at…..US!!!”
Suddenly, several decaying ponies in old rusted armor appear around the trees, surrounding Arche. The vines sinking underneath their decayed skulls, as they laughed maniacally at the Admiral.
“You killed us all!”
“We trusted you!”
“We’re nothing but food to them!”
“You might as well have thrown us on dinner plates!”
“What of my family?”
“I had two fillies waiting for me at home!”
“Now we’re all dead….”
“ITS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!!”
Arche shivers in horror, the trees suddenly moving closer to him, trapping him from all angles. Tears start to drip down Arche’s eye, dropping to his knees as the decayed ponies approach him.
“WE WERE ALIVE….”
“NOW WE’RE DEAD!!!”
“ALL YOUR FAULT!”
“CHANGELING FOOD!!!”
“ALL DEAD NOW”
“BECAUSE OF YOU!!!”
“ARCHE STONE”
“ALL YOUR FAULT!!!”
“No….”
“ALL YOUR FAULT!!!”
“Stop it….”
“ALL….”
“Make it stop…”
“YOUR…”
“Make it stop…..”
“FAULT!!!!”
“MAKEITSTOOOOOOOOOP!!!!!!!!”
The decayed ponies rip off the vines that imprisoned them on the trees, now taking the form of blood thirsty changelings. They altogether leap onto Arche to feast on him, his echoing screams consumed by the Everfree Forest.
“AGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!”
“ADMIRAL! WAKE UP!”
Screaming his head off, Arche wakes up to see his soldiers around him, trying to calm the poor stallion.
“Admiral! Its ok! You’re fine! Everything’s fine now!”
Shivering, Arche looks around, the trees were no longer covered in vines, or with the decaying remains of Canterlot soldiers. In front of him was his concerned squad of ponies from the train. They had small scraps and bruises, but were clearly alive and well. He also notices another pony laying against a tree, a mare wearing a white hospital cap was attending to his wounds.
“That….That stallion…is he…”
“He’s gonna be alright, sir. The minute those vines began to recede, we rushed in the forest looking for you two. Seems you got caught in some of that hallucinating mist those bushes were spewing out.”
“Wha…What? Hallucinating…mist?”
“Yes sir, strangest thing, few of the guys got a small whiff of the stuff and kept thinking they were being chased by bears or something…..but you, sir? You just couldn’t stop screaming. Guess you got a larger dose than the rest of us.”
“Mist…..yes…….of course…..the vines…..what about the vines!?!”
“Calm yourself sir, just got word from Princess Celestia. Seems she found the source of this mess, along with her sister, and her student, and was able to put a stop to it. Vines began to break down and disappear. We’re safe sir, we all are.”
Arche gets up slowly, slowly trotting out of the forest.
“That’s where you’re wrong, soldier……not all of us were safe.”
“S-Sir? Wait, you need medical attention, sir. You’re covered in cuts from the vines.”
Arche turns around, and forms a small smile.
“Nonsense….didn’t you hear me earlier? I have a book to return…..I promised to return it.”
His team left confused, Arche leaves the Everfree Forest, basking in the warmth of the sunlight. Though the smile never left his face, his ears were still consumed with the echoes of the dead.