//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Fight // Story: Dark as Chitin // by LostBox //------------------------------// Segment Music "I knew I sensed something. Just my luck. I'm famished after that little stunt I pulled inside that stallion's body. You'll do nicely." I was almost too scared to move, but I knew I had to. I couldn't leave my back turned to this stranger. I craned my neck to look behind myself. Standing at the edge of the clearing was a cloaked figure, at least 6 to 7 feet tall. It seemed to be bipedal, but I couldn't tell due to the cloak. I didn't say anything, I couldn't. I did know one thing however, this figure was the source of the silence. The strangest detail of all was that I couldn't detect any magic from them, like they didn't have any. But, don't all creatures have magic inside them? This didn't make any sense. According to Twilight, even most inanimate objects had at least traces of magic within them, but this being, they had none. "It's been a while since I've had pony. I would have let you go if you were an earth pony or a pegasus. The former's meat is just too firm and the latter's too light. Unicorns on the other dactyly... well, they're perfect!" W-what? Does he plan on eating me!? "Chimera, you need to flee, now!" Chrysalis shouted. The voice of my mother snapped me out of my fear-stricken state. I began to fire up the muscles in my legs to run, but before I could, the figure vanished from the spot it had been it. I'm not sure how, but I suddenly got the overwhelming sense to dodge to the right. I jumped out of the way as a blur rushed past me, crashing into the spot I had been standing in. I tucked my hooves in, rolling back onto my hooves as soon as I hit the ground. The figure that had been at the edge of the clearing was now hunched over inside a crater toward the center, arm stuck in the ground. "No way, you dodged that! You really are worth the hunt!" The figure exclaimed excitedly. No, I didn't dodge it; I moved out of the way before he attacked. My eyes wandered down to the crater that the figure's arm was stuck in. His arm seemed to be lined with pale greenish-yellow scales. That could've easily been me, my intuition was the only reason I was still alive. "W-who are you?!" "Doesn't matter! You'll be dead soon anyway!" Earlier, he mentioned something about pulling a stunt with a stallion's body. What does that mean? No... it couldn't be... "Run, while he's stuck!" No need to tell me twice. I darted away as fast as possible into the forest brush, weaving between trees and branches. Suddenly, a chill hit me from my left side. I turned my neck only to see a huge fist hurtling toward me with terrifying speed. This time, I had no time to evade. Time seemingly slowed down. If I get hit by that, I'll die for sure. I need to think of something fast. Wait, that might work. Conjuring my magic, I activated two different spells at once: barrier and reinforcement. It was a bit shabby, but it seemed to work. The fist connected with the barrier, shattering it instantly but slowing down at the very least. It wasn't moving deathly fast, but it was still moving too fast to avoid. I had no choice but to take the hit. The fist connected with my barrel, launching me at least seven meters to the right, airborne. I continued to skid across the forest floor for an additional three meters, kicking up quite a bit of dust. I laid on the ground for a few seconds in pain. "Chimera?! Chimera do you hear me!? You have to get up!" Chrysalis desperately called out. I took in a deep breath, despite the pain in my side, and stood up shakily. Nothing was broken, but something was definitely fractured. I was breathing heavily in pain. I was now at the edge of a much larger clearing. "Just how far did that freak launch me?" My fear soon returned full force when I again got the overwhelming sense to dodged. Swiftly jumping to the left and rolling a couple of meters, I stood up to survey my surroundings. The figure was crouched over inside a crater, the very same spot I had been standing in, as if he had just fallen from a great height. "Still alive?! You're just too much! I'm getting more and more excited by the second!" It was clear now that running away wasn't an option. But, I didn't see myself surviving this, let alone winning. No, I couldn't think like that, I had to believe that I could win. The figure stood up, clasping at his cloak before tearing it off. He looked like some kind of extremely muscular bipedal lizard. That's not what caught my attention though, it was his eyes. They looked like hollow pits, nothing in them except malice. He smiled sadistically at me, sending waves of terror throughout my body. I didn't have long before he attacked again. Like mad, I began charging a repulsion spell. The lizard creature's smile grew wider. While I was still looking at him, he vanished and reappeared in an instant before me. I didn't flinch or freeze up with fear this time. He stood in front of me wearing that same wicked grin. He leaned in closer to look me straight in the eyes. Segment Music "Take your shot." This got my blood boiling. I had to wager everything on this one attack. I doubted I would get another chance. Repulsion wasn't going to cut it, I knew that. That is, a regular one wouldn't at least. With as much magic as I could conjure in a single burst, I began stacking the same spell upon itself several times over. After I felt satisfied with the amount, I threw in a few magic beam spells for good measure. My body started feeling extremely hot, but I didn't care. I couldn't stop now. This guy made the mistake of underestimating me. From me to you. "Choke on it." With one last push, I grounded myself and fired off all the magic that I had mustered. Repulsion times 20 and magic beam times 10, a chimera of a spell I suppose. The lizard creature's eyes widened in horrid surprise as a blinding light consumed the field, a thunderous boom resounding throughout the forest. There was a wide gash in the crust of the clearing at least 3 feet in width. The fault extended to the edge of the forest and carried on through it for at least 50 meters. Whatever trees had been in the way were now nothing but scorched stumps. I felt sorry for any wildlife that had been in the way of that blast. I stood there panting heavily before collapsing on my side, unable to move. "Y-you did it," Chrysalis said, sounding both relieved and surprised. "Yeah, somehow. I feel terrible." Pretty soon though, I realized that I began counting my earnings too early. The lizard creature that I had blasted with everything I had was walking back toward the clearing, his head hanging low. A large burn mark across his torso. He was no longer smiling. "No way, that was everything I had." He was now upon me, rearing his fist back for what seemed to be a full power punch. "That wasn't bad at all, honest. But, I'm afraid our little game ends here. I suggest you close your eyes." Against my better judgment, I did just that, I closed my eyes preparing for the end. I wasn't even mad, I did the best I could. "No, no, please no." Chrysalis stammered out quietly. "Mom... I'm sorry for dying." Chrysalis didn't reply. That's fair, I suppose. I took one last deep breath to calm myself down. I braced for impact... but the impact never came. Instead, my ears were met with the angry grunts of my would-be killer. I opened my eyes slowly only to see the lizard creature grasping at the side of his head and stumbling backward. What just happened? "You stay away from her!"