Sunset awoke sitting on an iron bench. It took a moment for her memories to catch up with why. She found the bench after her duel with the spider. Sunset had only intended to take a quick rest, but evidently she had fallen asleep instead. The Grimmchild was curled up next to her, apparently still napping. She stretched out, wincing slightly as her body protested the motion. Did bugs bruise? At the very least nothing felt cracked or broken.
Not that the first aid class you took is exactly relevant anymore.
Sunset took out her nectar seed canteen and took a drink, thankful that it had not been damaged during her duel. The rest of her supplies, assorted medicines, bandages, and resin, rested in a useless pile of broken containers and hardening slime. At least Sunset had been able to preserve her cloak. A quick flash of fire was sufficient to burn away anything stuck to it.
Prompted by Sunset’s movement, the Grimmchild stirred awake. It stretched out in an almost catlike manner and nearly rolled off the bench, only to be saved by a timely interception from Sunset. She pulled the Grimmchild over to her side and opened her map.
“All right, we’ll be searching for the first flame here in Greenpath,” she explained. “Are you able to show me where you think it could be?”
The Grimmchild thoroughly examined the map, then turned to look at Sunset. It gestured at the map with a tilt of it’s head.
The largely blank map.
Sunset sighed. “I know, I know. It’s not much, but the map store had only just moved to Dirtmouth. The maps are a work in progress.”
The Grimmchild considered Sunset’s explanation before looking over the map once more. It nodded, apparently coming to a decision. It then took off, flying a short distance ahead before turning to face Sunset expectantly.
“All right then, lead the way,” Sunset replied.
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Greenpath’s name was well earned. Every surface was covered in lush growth. Moss and grass climbed the walls and hung from the tunnel roof, while patches of glowing lichen provided plentiful light. If Sunset payed close attention, she could even make out the familiar architecture of Hallownest underneath the overgrown vines.
Even some of the wildlife was covered in moss. There were small foraging bugs that looked like walking bushes, a few even flew. Most of the fauna was harmless, barely paying any attention to Sunset or the Grimmchild. There was the occasional mosquito like bug, but they were hardly a threat.
It was not long before Sunset encountered a husk. The undead bug was trapped in a pit, aimlessly pacing the length of it’s impromptu prison. A layer of moss clung to the shell of the husk like the foraging bugs, but it was greyed, dead and withered.
“I’m guessing this was one of the Mosskin then?” said Sunset as she peered over the edge. Alerted by her voice, the husk reacted predictably. It tried to lunge at Sunset, only to crash headfirst into the wall. The husk attempted to climb to her, but the mossy walls of it’s enclosure proved too slick for the corpse to grasp.
“These guys are a lot less threatening when I know to expect them,” Sunset quipped. She lit a flame and dropped it onto the husk. The dead moss covering it proved to be extra flammable.
The deed done, Sunset watched as the husk was quickly turned to charr, thankful that the fire did not spread to the surrounding moss. Once she was sure the fire had burned itself out, she moved on.
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The Grimmchild’s search kept them mostly in the ruins, but often the overgrowth proved impassible, forcing a detour through narrower, natural tunnels. The confined space seemed to press down on Sunset, and the passages were infested with mossy husks. Even the moss itself seemed hostile. One flower spat poisonous pods, another tried to eat her outright, and even when they were alone, Sunset couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched.
Sunset was thankful when they found the road again, but the condition it was in made her pause. The cavern ahead was partially flooded. A glowing blue river flowed through the road ahead. Sections of a covered bridge rose defiantly from the waters, refusing to erode away like the surrounding ground.
Sunset cautiously approached the riverbank, the water below was steadily boiling, giving off a sour vapor that stung at her eyes and antennae. On a hunch, she tore off a piece of moss and tossed it into the river. The water immediately began frothing, and the scrap of moss rapidly turned brown, then blackened, before breaking apart completely.
“I see why Myla warned me about the water now,” said Sunset. The Grimmchild had taken to clinging to the roof, eyeing the river as if it could attack at any moment.
Thankfully, with nothing hostile in the air to stop her from doing so, Sunset could easily fly over this obstacle. This did not mean she was about to let her guard down though, the sensation of being watched had returned.
Sunset took flight, the Grimmchild following close behind. She followed above the remains of the road, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.
Suddenly, she heard a noise, a loud rustling as if something was moving rapidly through the moss below. A dark shape burst out from the foliage, narrowly missing Sunset before crashing back into the overgrowth.
Sunset dove to the next intact section of covered bridge. Whatever hershe did not want to be caught out in the open. The sound of something crashing out of the moss behind her made Sunset immediately reconsider her plan. She dove to the side as her assailant charged past. By the time she was able to regain her footing, her foe had disappeared once more.
Sunset drew her pin, while the Grimmchild clung to her back for safety. She lit a flame in her free claw, ready to throw at a moment’s notice. This time she was able to see the creature as it leapt from the undergrowth. It’s body was a mass of moss, with two eyes glowing a sickly orange. The moss creature charged, and Sunset threw her fireball. The two collided in a burst of smoke, allowing Sunset to escape to the next bridge section.
“As if this place didn’t have enough in common with the Everfree already, it even has it’s own timberwolves,” she groaned.
The smoke cleared to show that not only did her fireball barely singe the creature’s damp mossy form, two others had joined it.
Or perhaps they’ve been there the whole time.
Sunset didn’t wait for the telltale crash this time, she simply took flight as a fourth moss creature leapt at her from behind. Not wanting to press her luck, Sunset flew down the path as fast as she could.
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Just beyond the half-flooded tunnel, the path opened up once more. This time Sunset found herself in a much larger cavern. The ruins that lined the walls looked almost like seating for a theatre in the round.
Or an arena.
The only exit she could see was blocked off by a metal gate. Naturally, turning back was not an option at the moment, so Sunset flew over to investigate. The gate consisted of rusty but ornate rods that were embedded in the stone. They looked more decorative than anything.
“No obvious mechanisms,” Sunset noted. She tugged on one of the bars. It rattled loosely.
“Perhaps I can get this pried open,” she decided. She slid the hook of her pin around one of the bars. “If I can just get sufficient leverage..”
The Grimmchild screamed. Sunset immediately dropped her pin and flew straight up, and not a moment too soon. Something massive slammed into the wall surrounding the gate and scattered in multiple directions.
It was the moss creatures, (mosswolves?) Sunset counted at least six of them. They quickly regrouped, bunching up until their forms blended together to create one giant mossball.
Eyup, just like timberwolves.
Sunset stole a glance back to the gate. Her pin had been knocked through the bars and was out of reach.
This just keeps getting better.
Sunset shook her head, sarcasm wasn’t going to help her here. She needed a plan. However, the giant ‘mosswolf’ was not about to let her make one. It leapt at Sunset, forcing her to dive back to the ground. She scrambled for distance, practically climbing the mossy floor to avoid being flattened as the mosswolf crashed back down. Sunset spun around, not wanting to loose sight of her enemy, but it had already disappeared.
“Something that large has no right to be stealthy,” Sunset griped. She conjured a flame, ready to throw at the slightest hint of movement. The mosswolf’s moist body might have made burning it difficult, but a little fire was better than nothing.
The moss behind Sunset shifted, and she immediately spun around, pitching her fireball with as much strength as she could. The charging mosswolf tried to stop itself. However it’s own defensive moss, coupled with the creature’s own surprise at Sunset’s attack, forced it to slide helplessly and take the fireball head-on. At the moment of impact the mosswolf shattered, disappearing in a cloud of mossy fragments.
Despite the apparent victory, Sunset did not let her guard down. A fireball like that did hardly anything to one of the smaller mosswolves earlier. Something else was happening. Her vigilance was rewarded when the six original mosswolves charged her from the overgrowth. She took flight as the mosswolves collided where she had been standing. While they were otherwise occupied with each other, Sunset dashed back to the barred doorway.
The mosswolves’ earlier impact had dented the bars, and Sunset could see fresh cracks in the stonework. If she still had the face for it, Sunset could have given a satisfied smirk. She instead settled for a confident nod. Now she had the start of a plan.
Sunset didn’t need a warning from the Grimmchild this time. She shot into the air, letting the reassembled giant mosswolf slam into the gate once more. As it staggered back, Sunset saw that one of the bars of the gate had been nocked free. The gap was not enough for her to make an escape, but something smaller might be able to slip through.
“Do you think you can squeeze through the gate and retrieve my pin?” Sunset asked the Grimmchild. The small bug examined the gate from over her shoulder, then nodded. It readied itself to dash for the gate, but Sunset held it back.
“Not yet,” she explained, “wait until I have that creature distracted.” The mosswolf had already refocused on Sunset, its bright orange eyes glaring at her with a murderous look that seemed out of place on a feral beast.
This aggression is clearly not natural, and the light in it’s eyes matches that of the husks.
Sunset filed the thought away to ponder some other time. Right now, she needed to focus on survival. As Sunset lit a flame in each claw, the mosswolf’s gaze was drawn to the golden light. Following a hunch, Sunset threw one fireball at the mosswolf, and immediately hurled the other to the far end of the arena. The creature reacted as Sunset predicted; it leapt back to avoid the first fireball, which gave Sunset the chance to dash out its line of sight. Hiding herself among a cluster of vines, Sunset watched as the mosswolf’s attention was drawn to the bright flames on the far end of the arena.
“Go now!” Sunset instructed. The Grimmchild nodded. As it dove for the doorway, Sunset shifted her focus back to the mosswolf. The creature had smothered the second fireball and was already searching for her. Sunset noted that the creature neglected to look directly above itself.
Either it’s not able to look up, or not intelligent enough to try, Sunset realized.
Sparing a glance back to the Grimmchild, Sunset saw it wiggling through the gap in the doorway. She needed to buy it just a bit more time.
Sunset swung her claw, a stream of fire lashing out to wash over the mosswolf. It did little to harm the creature, but she did get its attention away from the Grimmchild. The mosswolf’s response was to dive back into the overgrowth, no doubt to attack Sunset where her guard was weakest. However, she had no desire to let that happen. Sunset readied another flame. She focused her thoughts, willing the embers she held to burn hotter. Flickers of red bled into the golden fire as its heat rose.
The moss on the cavern’s roof burst apart as the mosswolf tackled Sunset from above. She grunted in pain as she felt her body compress from the impact. Her focus broke, and with it, her control of the flame.
The resulting blast tore apart the mosswolf’s form. Sunset was knocked to the ground, where the overgrowth did little to soften the landing. Through her daze, she was vaguely aware of other bugs landing around her. She watched one land in front of her; a small round thing with a flat face. It quickly righted itself and started digging into the moss. Sunset could hear the others doing the same. In no time the bug had gathered enough moss to give itself a familiar shape.
So that’s how they do it.
Sunset struggled to push herself up before the mosswolves could finish gathering new protective coats, but her body protested the movement. Her vision swirled and she fell to the side. She could feel the mosswolves surrounding her, preparing to finish her off.
Stupid! Even when seeing that they don’t look up, you forget it too? Now look what’s happened.
Sunset tried to summon a flame, a spark, anything, but to her frustration, she couldn’t focus through the spinning in her head. The moss beneath her began to smolder, but it stubbornly refused to ignite. Sunset saw the mosswolves hesitate, buying her a few precious moments, but it wasn’t enough. The lead mosswolf tensed, preparing to strike...
“Ka-SAA!”
...and was struck down, run through by a longnail. The nail’s wielder was a rather plain looking bug, but his stance was one of a seasoned fighter. As he withdrew his nail from the mosswolf’s collapsing carcass, the bug swiftly turned to face the rest of the pack, ready to strike any bug that still showed hostile intent. Thankfully for the remaining pack, survival won out over aggression and they quickly retreated.
Sunset felt a wash of relief, followed by exhaustion. As her vision blacked out, she saw her rescuer kneel down to her. He said something, but Sunset could barely hear a word as unconsciousness finally claimed her.
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She wandered the darkened tunnels, lost. Light flickered from around the bend ahead, only to vanish when she turned the corner. Sunset broke out into a trot. Her hooves clipping along the stone echoed through the tunnels. Yet the faster she ran, the light ahead of her seemed to get further and further away. Galloping, Sunset ran as fast as she could, until he ground seemed to break away beneath her. She tried to spread her wings, let the wind catch her, but...
Now why would a Unicorn pony expect themselves to have wings?
It was her voice, but she hadn't spoken. The darkness below seemed to surround her. It shifted, rising up to blot out the light above. Her light...
Not that you ever did anything worthy of that light. Poor, poor Sunset, always falling short of everypony's expectations. You couldn't even fight off a walking bush.
Sunset strained, trying to call on her magic to se herself. All she managed to muster were a few golden sparks.
Just give up, it's all you're good for anyway.
No, I refuse!
Sunset reached further, forcing the magic within her to OBEY. The sparks became flames, and sunset's wings finally caught at the air. She began to ascend, the darkness around her receding.
Come now, do you really think that will be enough?
A red streak of fire tore through the air above her, forcing Sunset to dodge. However, she found herself surrounded. The red flames circled her, cutting off any escape. A mask peered out of the fire, red eyes glaring at her.
You don't have the will to stand your ground unless you are certain of success. At the first sign of adversity, you flee. Look what happened when you could no longer run, your efforts to escape proved your undoing.
I'll get stronger, I won't let myself loose again!
We shall see...
The mask tore through her, shattering her wings like glass.
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Sunset snapped awake with a yelp, lurching foreword and scattering moss that had served as makeshift bedding. She was breathing heavily, her heart’s pounding echoing in her head.
“Oh finally awake are we?”
Following the voice, Sunset turned to see a bug sitting by the wall. After a moment of confusion, she recognized him as the bug that came to her rescue. Simple really was the the best way to describe his appearance. His mask was a simple rounded piece with two holes for the eyes, and his only other attire was a flat, teardrop-shaped hat.
To the side, Sunset saw her cloak, neatly folded with her mask and pin laying on top. This naturally drew her attention back to herself. Her thorax was wrapped in light blue bandages. They smelled sweet, likely treated with some sort of medicine. Clearly her host had been busy.
“How are you feeling?” The bug asked.
Sunset stretched out, feeling her body as it moved. There was no pain, she even felt better than she did after her duel with the spider.
“I feel much better,” Sunset admitted. “Thank you.”
The bug relaxed at the news. “That’s good to hear,” he said. “I knew moss chargers could be territorial, but I never thought they were so aggressive!”
Sunset thought back to the orange light that glowed within the eyes of the mosswolves, or rather, moss chargers. It was the same sickly light that permeated the undead husks.
“I don’t believe their aggression was natural.” Sunset replied. “They pursued me well past where I first encountered them.”
The bug nodded in agreement. “Many strange things seem to be happening in these tunnels as of late,” he said, “but where are my manners? I am called Quirrel.”
Sunset paused, hesitant to give her name in return. However, gratitude quickly won out.
“Sunset Shimmer.”
Quirrel hummed curiously. “An odd name, though I can’t say I’ve ever met a moth before. What about your strange little friend over there?” Quirrel pointed.
Sunset followed Quirrel’s claw to see the Grimmchild duck out of sight.
“Quite the shy one, isn’t it?” He mused.
“It’s a long story,” Sunset admitted.
Quirrel paused, before giving a shrug of resignation. “I suppose it not my place to pry.”
Sunset decided to change the subject.
“The last traveler we met attacked us without warning, so I imagine they’re a little on-edge right now.” She explained.
“Red robes, horned mask, and carrying an oversized needle?” asked Quirrel.
Sunset nodded, “You met her too then.”
“She greeted my arrival at Hallownest with the blade of her needle,” Quirrel confirmed, “Not the best first impression if you ask me.”
There was a moment of silence as the conversation died off.
“So, Sunset. What brings you to Hallownest?” asked Quirrel.
“Nothing in particular,” she replied hesitantly. “I was a student under someone important, got into an argument with my teacher, ran away, and before I knew it, I was here.”
Quirrel hummed as he considered Sunset’s brief summary. She wondered for a moment if he didn’t believe her, even if it was the truth.
“It must have been quite the disagreement,” Quirrel guessed.
Sunset sighed. “It doesn’t really matter anymore. I just need to focus on the here and now.”
“Well, for the now, you seem well enough to travel,” said Quirrel. He paused to pass Sunset her cloak, pin, and mask. “Prepare yourself, and keep that pin of yours at the ready.”
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“Wait, we’re back here?”
Sunset was surprised that they had been camped so close to the arena. There was no sign of any moss chargers, but given how easily they could hide, that only put her more on edge.
“I don’t fancy my chances at crossing that river back there without wings of my own,” said Quirrel. “Which makes this the safer path.”
Sunset looked over to the doorway at the other end of the arena. The the bars that once blocked the way out had all been knocked free, no doubt by Quirrel. All it would take was a quick dash across the arena, and the three of them would be free to continue their travels.
Quirrel took the lead, dropping into the arena and heading straight for the exit, with Sunset close behind, and the Grimmchild nestled snugly in the hood of her cloak.
They did not make it far.
The moss beneath Quirrel erupted, a moss charger leaping out to engulf him. Sunset flew back, away from the attack. A nudge from the Grimmchild prompted her to gain height just as two more moss chargers crashed together below her.
The first moss charger was suddenly cleaved in half, Quirrel appearing behind it no worse for wear. The bug within plopped to the ground and scampered away, quickly diving beneath the moss once more.
Sunset dove for the doorway, only for Quirrel to snatch her out of the air.
“And where do you think you’re going?” He asked coyly. He spun around to deflect another moss charger that tried to take advantage of the conversation. “If we run now, they’ll only pursue us ceaselessly. We must stand our ground here and drive them off.”
Sunset knew Quirrel had a valid point. These moss chargers were relentless. One dove at her from the wall, while another leapt up from below. Reacting quickly, Sunset jumped back into air. Striking the lower charger with her pin, she was able to knock it back to the ground, while also propelling herself even higher to avoid the other. Sunset was dismayed to see that unlike Quirrel’s attack, her strike failed to even dent the moss charger’s outer coat.
Sunset groaned in frustration. “I can barely even scratch these things!” She ducked under another charger, slashing at it’s moss as it sailed by, but her pin simply passed between the strands.
“If you are unable to break through an enemy’s defense, seek to bypass it!” Quirrel suggested. He leapt out of the way of another tackle, and countered with a pointed strike so fast Sunset barely saw his nail move. The moss charger burst apart, but the bug within was able to escape Quirrel’s nail.
“Although these rascals are being quite evasive as well,” he admitted.
Sunset’s focus sharpened. Quirrel can cut through the moss, but the bug inside can easily escape him. She somersaulted over another moss charger, not bothering to counter this time. I can’t break through the moss, so they don’t need to try and avoid me. Sunset braced herself, ready for another attack. It’s not the moss that’s dangerous, it’s the bug inside. She flipped her pin around, brining the hooked end foreword.
THERE!
A single moss charger leapt at Sunset head-on. This time, she didn’t dodge. Sunset swung her hookpin up into the moss. She felt the hook snag on something, and pulled with all her might. The moss charger slammed into the ground, it’s outer coat bursting from the impact. Sunset followed up by thrusting out her claw and casting a stream of fire. The unlucky bug was quickly toasted at point blank.
Th deed done, Sunset let out a breath that she hadn’t realized she was holding. She stepped back and looked around. The other moss chargers had all halted their attack. Sunset counted five that she could see.
There were six before, Sunset recalled. Quirrel killed one, and I just roasted another.
So why are there five now?
“Ah, well,” said Quirrel. “An effective strategy, but now I see why the moss chargers were so agitated before.”
Sunset saw something moving through the moss. More moss chargers were emerging, their orange eyes glowing with a sickly fury.
“They have a rather excessive dislike of fire,” Quirrel explained.
Well buck.
The moss chargers leapt. Sunset dashed away, barely avoiding being buried under the swarm. Looking back, she saw the mass begin to twist and weave into a single whole.
“Ok, I think running looks like the best plan after all,” said Sunset. She ran for the doorway with Quirrel close behind.
“At the very least they won’t be able to follow us in that state,” he reasoned. “They’l have to separate to enter the tunnels.”
Entering the tunnel, Sunset gave the walls a quick scan. The tunnel was made from rough cut stone blocks. They were heavily cracked, either from age, or the chargers’ earlier assault, it didn’t particularly matter. A tremendous impact shook the tunnel, casting out a small cascade of dust. Sunset turned to see the moss titan backing up for another strike.
“You know what Quirrel?” Sunset asked confidently. “I don’t think we’ll need to worry about being followed.”
Sunset drove the point of her pin into the cracks of a brick in the tunnel roof, and pulled. The worn stone crumbled, and the surrounding bricks sagged. Sunset began to run just as the moss titan slammed into the doorway again.
This time, the effect was far more dramatic. First, a few bricks were shaken loose, followed by larger stones. It wasn’t long before an entire section of the tunnel had caved in behind them.
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Once the dust had settled, Sunset and Quirrel found themselves back in the natural caverns. By silent agreement, the two of them settled down for a rest. The Grimmchild remained safely tucked away in Sunset’s hood, from where it kept a steady watch on the collapsed tunnel.
“Well now, that was certainly more than enough excitement for this excursion, especially at my age,” said Quirrel, breaking the silence. “I think I’ll head back up to Dirtmouth for now.”
“Wait, at your age?” asked Sunset. “You don’t look that old at all!”
Quirrel simply laughed. “I take very good care of myself,” he explained. “What about you two?”
“We’re haven’t yet found what we’re looking for,” Sunset admitted.
“Long story?” guessed Quirrel.
Sunset only nodded.
With an exaggerated sigh, Quirrel got to his feet. “I guess this is where we part ways then,” he said. “Fortunately, I believe we’ve left the most dangerous part of Greenpath behind us. Stay safe, Sunset Shimmer.”
With a wave, Quirrel leapt for an opening in the ceiling and disappeared from sight.
Oddly agile for an old bug, Sunset thought.