//------------------------------// // Ch.15 - Fort Selene Roguelike - Pt.1 // Story: Tails of Sacrifice // by CommanderX5 //------------------------------// Tails of Sacrifice - Chapter 15 - Fort Selene Roguelike - Part 1 After a tense moment, the trio unanimously and silently decided to proceed. Kyuubi watched how Nightmare Moon shapeshifted into a dense, violet fog covered in hundreds of tiny stars. It wasn't the first time she saw this happening. Aside from seeing it at her first encounter with the dark alicorn, the dark mare insisted on teaching the kitsune this technique a few years ago. It was…a work in progress. Kyuubi followed the plan, approaching the gigantic wall, which she wasn't going to outgrow for millennia. Just as Lily told her, there seemed to be a few pony golems working on expanding the fortress. How they could go out and in without any visible entrance was a mystery. The kitsune raised her head, staring at the defensive tower. The large crystal on the top started shining with power, its sharp edge aimed at the elusive, twinkling fog. Fortunately, it meant Kyuubi could approach without being targeted. She bit her bottom lip and curled a little upon seeing a beam of concentrated heat soar through the air. An incident with Philomena and her flames flashed before her eyes. And after that, her encounter with the dragon in the Everfree Forest. Then after that, Shining Armor blasting her tails off-- "Stay calm and follow the plan. I know you're not used to this, but know that we’ve got your back." Kyuubi heard her student's voice from the top of her head. Only a week ago, a massive beam from the defensive tower burned Lily for a few seconds, and she didn't want a repeat. The kitsune ran towards the wall, pressing her forepaws against it to stop. A grey transparent barrier formed upon contact. “Just as Nightmare said: The towers that don't shoot at intruders create a barrier. As if this massive wall wasn't durable enough."  The kitsune watched her minuscule student jump against the shielded wall, delivering an impactful punch. She watched in amazement as such a tiny hoof created a shockwave she felt with her entire body. If she ever ended up on the receiving end, healing a broken bone would be the outcome, no doubt about it. Lily bounced off, landing on Kyuubi’s muzzle. "She wasn't kidding. It is tough. No wonder she loses a lot of magic just trying to get in." Kyuubi narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth, displaying her large, sharp teeth. From what Nightmare Moon told her, alicorn magic was all about a burst of raw power. Very powerful, yet very slow to recharge. If her teeth managed to create an opening, it would save the alicorn a colossal amount of her reserves for the siege ahead. "Bite, bite, bite, bite, bite!" Lily chanted enthusiastically, dancing atop the raised nose. Not needing a further invitation, Kyuubi sank her teeth into the barrier, which shattered like a glass with a domino reaction. "The barrier is down! Perfect! Time for some sweet revenge!" Lily shouted with passion in her voice. As her student jumped high, using low gravity to her advantage, Kyuubi looked back. The little earth pony reached the top of the tower, and a moment later, a rain of crystal fragments fell from the sky. Not that the kitsune minded as her helmet protected her head. Seeing her student land back on her muzzle once again with grace, standing on a single hoof, brought a smile to her face. While she didn't like fighting, she still found enjoyment in teaming up with cute, little Lily. She couldn’t help but giggle slightly. You're so cute when you're excited. Even more than Rosey. "Am I? Well, then get ready because a whole lot of cuteness will soon follow!" Lily joked, dancing on her mentor's muzzle. "Outstanding." Kyuubi turned her head, forcing her dancing student to grip her muzzle with a hoof, trying not to fall. The dark alicorn reformed into the physical body, greeting her with a shocked glance. A rare sight indeed. "Whenever I tried to break into the fortress, I used a tenth of my magic reserves, a day worth of rest. And now I would need to waste twice or maybe even trice to pierce through." The alicorn pointed at the kitsune. "And you did it with a mere movement of your mouth. If I didn't know you, I would consider you as a large threat to me." A threat to you, never! To you or anypony. Lily climbed back up and crossed her forehooves. She raised an eyebrow as she looked at the Mare in the Moon. "What's the matter? Having a second thought about convincing her to develop her hunting skills?" The dark alicorn chuckled. "Not in the least. Having a trusted ally like her means no barrier will ever be an obstacle. But enough talk. The infiltration starts now." She charged her horn with magical power before firing. Kyuubi covered her head with a raised paw, looking away from the black beam sinking deep into the wall. The melted liquid stone slid towards the ground like a little waterfall.  "Too small. It seeds to be bigger for our fluffy castle!" Lily commented before jumping forward, punching sides of the hole. She bounced from one side to another, further expanding it. The alicorn huffed, shaking her head. "It wouldn't be a problem if she could turn into mist." Kyuubi pouted. First of all, it’s a very, very difficult spell. Second, I have no tail for it. "Excuses, excuses. Bah! Although...Speaking of tails, maybe you will get one in more... forced circumstances. Follow me and stay close," the alicorn commanded. Kyuubi nodded, raising her forepaw. She pushed herself through the hole, squeezing into the fortress with some effort and a slight push from her little student. Not an especially easy task considering her armor. "Move faster next time. It seems the barrier repaired itself," Nightmare pointed out. The kitsune glanced over her shoulder, noticing the renewed magical field through the hole. As she examined her surroundings, she spotted a lot of free space to the left, right, and above.  Wait a minute. Did those golems build a massive wall next to another? And then connected them with a roof? Is that how they expand this place? "Not exactly." The alicorn pointed at the numerous doors ahead. Kyuubi blinked, then tilted her head to the side. A curious 'yip' escaped her mouth. There were indeed doors ahead of her. A few on the bottom. A few four meters higher, and so on.  "Most rooms are four meters tall, but there are far bigger chambers filled with more dangerous traps," Nightmare explained. She flew over, gesturing at an entrance four meters above the floor. "If we waited a few months, this empty hall would be filled with rooms and connected with the doors you see before you." Kyuubi took a step back, holding her forepaw close to her chest. What? But does this mean I’ll have to crawl? There’s no way I’ll fit into those rooms. She looked to Nightmare and blinked at her expression. Ummm...Why are you grinning like that? It’s more unnerving than usual. The dark alicorn accepted the ‘compliment’ before she flew over and rubbed the chin of the massive kitsune. "My dear, naive Kyuubi. Did you think we would just come here and walk through those rooms? Oh no. We shall take a more forceful approach." Kyuubi swallowed as she watched the alicorn shoot a beam of magic. It burst through its target, blowing up a hole in the room. Loud, excited, almost maniacal laughter rang out as Nightmare began blasting one room after another. Floor, roof, and all walls, none were safe. Kyuubi hesitantly walked through the created patch, crushing rubble with each step. A few golems emerged from the devastated rooms and charged at the alicorn, swinging their axes and swords. A few threw their spears or shot bolts from crossbows. It wasn't long before they were blasted to pieces by storm clouds. The kitsune stopped, feeling vibrations against her forepaws and rear legs. She looked down and lowered her neck, noticing a few golems smashing their weapons against them. Her armor resisted, preventing the sharp edges from piercing into her tender flesh. "Are you going to step on them or what?" Lily asked. Kyuubi startled before she looked to her left, then her right. "Ugh...Behind your ear, Kyuubi." The kitsune felt tickling on her ear, causing it to twitch. Note to self: Wearing armor means tiny ponies can sneak up on me. I didn’t feel you at all. "I suppose that's true, but never mind that. You need to counterattack." Oh. Sure. Well, then... The kitsune looked down and narrowed her eyes. Her enemies were mindless golems. She had no reason to hold back. Furthermore, she was a giant creature, something she needed to adapt. She had to find a line to draw when and where she should apply that strength and mass. This situation certainly qualified. Kyuubi moved her forepaw a little forward, knocking one golem off balance. She raised it over her opponent and dropped it down, hearing the noise of a great clash between rock and metal. "You call that a stomp? Come on! You're stronger than that." Kyuubi raised her paw two meters up, then dropped with far greater force, smashing the rock to pieces.  "Now that was a solid stomp. Now try to strike all your enemies at the same time. Use your size, Kyuubi, use it!" The kitsune raised a tentative eyebrow. Lily wanted to see her fight like a mighty creature. To satisfy her, Kyuubi would endeavor to fight like one.  With a swing of one of her mighty paws, she slammed a few golems into a wall, leaving cracks and filling the floor with rubble. Their weapons bounced harmlessly on the floor. Using small holes in her paw-armor, she summoned her claws, slashing another group, leaving large claw marks on their rocky bodies. Noticing how arrows bounced against her armored chest, Kyuubi bent her legs and growled, the sound magnified due to her great size. After ten seconds of gathering her strength, she jumped, landing both of her forelegs on two golem archers. The earth trembled, the floor cracked. Her enemies had been bested, crushed beneath her paws. "Awesome! I was dreaming about you battling waves of enemies, and finally, my wish came true. Oh, I hope I get to see you fight a giant opponent. That would be so cool!" Lily spoke with growing enthusiasm, observing the spectacle from her mentor's broad shoulder. "By the way. Is it just me, or are you much heavier now?" Kyuubi blinked, then glanced at her shoulder. Now that you mention it, I do feel heavier. Could this fortress be equipped with gravity runes as well? She took a deep breath, confirming her suspicions. Kyuubi pouted at the revelation. Oh, come on! "What's wrong?" I thought I came up with an original idea, but it seems the new owners of this fortress did the same.  The kitsune stomped in annoyance. That barrier we pierced before to get here. It has the same life-supporting functions as my magical dome. In the end, we’re just copycats.  "I’m not so sure who copied whom!" Nightmare shouted, catching the attention of her giant ally. She walked out from a demolished chamber, gesturing with her hoof. "Luna and I, we would like a word with our summoned ones. Let's not keep them waiting." A blue aura surrounded her horn. Kyuubi yelped, feeling her forepaw tugged by a powerful force. Despite her size and weight, she was still no match for the dark alicorn's telekinetic muscle. Lily stood proud atop her mentor's armored shoulder, experiencing an excitement of the highest magnitude. Not only was she raiding an endless dungeon, but she did so alongside her giant mentor.  She watched with glee as Kyuubi's paws slammed against walls and ceilings of a few rooms, creating a passage for herself. The alicorn was on the other shoulder, conserving her magic. "It seems we have reached our first large chamber," said Nightmare Moon. "Thus far, we faced a labyrinth of basic rooms with regular traps and defenses." "Faced? Don't you mean pierced through? Not much of a labyrinth for us when we can just go through walls," Lily commented. "As I was saying!" The alicorn raised her tone, annoyed by the interruption. "This chamber is so spacious because it has powerful defenses. We shouldn't take it lightly." Lily noticed Kyuubi's hesitant nod and her trembling raised foreleg. She could tell that her mentor was nervous to step forward. Despite being seven and a half meters tall, the ceiling was a few meters above her head. The chamber itself looked like an ordinary empty room, but one keen look revealed numerous cracks and holes here and there. All in all, Kyuubi obviously felt the path was ripe for a cave-in or hiding assorted traps. "Don't worry, Kyuubi, I’ll scout ahead. I won't let any large trap or loose stone hurt you," Lily said as she jumped ahead, landing with a weak thud. As she walked forward, she heard her mentor's paw crash onto the floor, feeling vibrations under her hooves. All she needed was to ensure the patch ahead is safe. The earth pony bent her legs and sprinted, her senses on high alert. She zipped left and right, ensuring she didn't miss a single trap in her mentor's path. She backflipped as the floor under her split in two. Landing on her rear hooves, she saw a three-meter-wide pool of green goo. Lily covered her nose from the overwhelming smell of toxic acid.  Lily looked upward, glancing left and right. Small crystals emerged from the walls, shining with power and firing familiar blasts quicker than she could react. She yelped upon being struck with a few beams at once. Seeing as she was now under fire, she ran, zipping left and right, performing quick and short jumps. The barrage of beams kept her on the edge of her hooves.  She was forced to a stop, standing on a single hoof as a few drops of sweat fell down her head. A hundred spikes shot from the floor, each like a meter-tall needle. She couldn’t remain in place for long as beams of magic kept firing at her.  Spikes shattered into fragments from beams of magic as Lily resumed her run. She glanced at the left wall, seeing bolts of lightning destroy them at a steady pace. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Nightmare's magic at work, and even Kyuubi's tails were shining, adding a little bit of firepower.  Feeling confident, Lily narrowed her eyes before she continued running to the end of the chamber. Seeing a falling two-tons boulder, she jumped, shattering it with a single punch. Lily speeded up as pillars of flames burst from the ground where she stepped.  Suffice to say: The little monk enjoyed every second of it.  Half a minute later, all small hostile gems became eradicated. With most traps revealed and Kyuubi not far behind, Lily ran for the big double-door. Suddenly, she could run no more. And NOT because she was tired. She looked down, finding her limbs shackled with transparent chains. A moment later, two more chains restrained her, one around her belly, the other around her neck. Powerful paralyzing electricity went through her every bone. Lily! Under the overwhelming assault of electricity, Lily could only hear her mentor's voice. Trembling and in the struggle, she raised her head, and her face became pale. A gigantic blade emerged from the ceiling and was now hovering over her head.  With a rush of adrenaline, she wriggled with all her strength, tearing away the shackles despite the electric shocks. Screaming, she pushed herself away, freeing herself from the electrifying trap. As soon as she looked at the blade, she gasped.  Her mentor stood on her rear paws, holding the bottom part of the massive blade with her armored forepaws. A stream of blood dripped from the pierced armor, and painful noises escaped the kitsune's lips. Whimpers of bleeding, beloved vulpine was heartbreaking to the little pony. A moment later, four tons of sharp metal crashed into the floor as blood covered the sharp edge. She noticed a silver aura on the third tail, but Lily could tell that the experience was anything but pleasant. Lily! You're safe! The earth pony jumped onto her mentor's exposed forepaw, stepping into the cut in the armor. As she had hoped, the kitsune healed the injury. She felt healing magic go into her own body, vanishing burns and bruises she has accumulated from the previous traps. "You saved me! Thank you!" Lily stood on her rear hooves and stretched towards kitsune's lowered head, nuzzling her nose with her own. "It appears that the traps have become way more deadly than I remember them,” Nightmare coldly noted. “We should proceed with the utmost caution.” Lily nodded and stepped to the side, watching as Nightmare Moon pushed the door open. As she peeked inside, she saw a black shade with arms next to a square table.  The room itself was surprisingly empty, aside from a sofa, bed, desk with some papers, and table. There was plenty of unused space. In a way, it reflected on the poverty of the owner, or on his humility. The walls, floor, and ceiling were painted in black, while a few green crystals illuminated the area. "Guests? I was wondering about the commotion. You don't appear to be demons, though. How peculiar." The alicorn walked inside with graceful steps, her head raised high as armor covered her body: Helmet, chest armor, and shoes, all polished and blue. Her draconic wings spread for intimidation. "If it isn’t the mighty Nightmare? Creator of this fortress, one who sieged it mercilessly for decades. Such an honor." "It is Queen Nightmare Moon to you, demonic spawn. I don’t recall ever summoning you here." "Apologies, my dear Queen. Much has happened since your rule. Demons can summon lesser demons. And, a few working together can summon an even stronger one. This fortress became our nest after your absence," spoke the dark shade in a sinister tone. There seemed to be some eloquence about it, though. "Most won't listen to you any longer unless you subjugate them by force." Nightmare Moon seethed as the situation has quickly taken a dire turn. Demons, not summoned by her, now lurked within her creation. “It would seem Lily’s curious venture unraveled serendipitous results. A little pest control is now in order,” she muttered quietly under her nose. Lily stepped into the room, following the alicorn. Her mentor remained outside, lowered, and looking inside the room. Glancing over her shoulder, Lily blinked dumbly, as she noticed an uncharacteristically hostile glare on her mentor’s face; in fact, her entire stance was not unlike a dog that had cornered a cat. She was even growling like one! Well, she is a kitsune priest. Demons are like natural enemies to her. Lily thought. Somehow, I don’t think this will end with simple diplomacy. The earth pony stood on her rear hooves, only her head standing from behind the rounded table. The alicorn sat on the other side, eyeing the dark shade. The demon had no rear legs, looking more like a blob of dark miasma with two hands with clawed fingers. Two yellow dots served as its eyes, while a creepy smile decorated its face. Oddly enough, she hoped this wouldn't end up with a battle. She would prefer to save flank-kicking for more fierce foes. For now, she was fine learning more about their enemies with a little chat.