//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Unwillingness To Die // Story: Equestria's Martial Warrior // by Charson //------------------------------// -Chirp -Tweet -Chirp "AUGHHH, fuuuuuck..." Leo is roused from his rough sleep, waking to the erratic songs of the birds. If Leo had a choice, he would never sleep out like this ever again. His sleep was off and on throughout the night, but fortunately, the mysterious internal energy staves off most of his fatigue. Once Leo fully woke up, he frowned deeply. I thought maybe it was all just a dream, but I guess I was mistaken. Maybe it's one of those coma dreams I've heard of... hopefully not... Well, since I'm here, I need to focus on what's in front of me. First things first is to smother out this fire. Although it wasn't truly a fire anymore, it was still extremely hot with leftover embers and ash, having the potential to cause a disaster if left unattended. Leo had always heard stories of huge wildfires happening because of someone's incompetence. Grabbing handfuls of dirt, he slowly covers his makeshift fire pit, making sure to cover every inch. -tssss Now that Leo had no more reason to stay, he set off towards the waterfall to get a swig before heading off north into the other forest. Grabbing his spear, he thought he was perhaps being paranoid towards the forest. But for some reason, it was giving him really bad vibes, as though there were unknown dangers lurking within. However he quickly stomped out these thoughts, after all, he needed to go north according to what that god told him before he woke up here. Checking his phone, the screen lit up. Although he had no bars, it would still show the time, which happened to be about five. Man, I don't even wake up this early for my job... Letting out a sigh, Leo trudges along. Slowly approaching the flowing water, he takes in the surreal environment. Looking down at the gorge, to his left was the waterfall. Flowing down, it reaches the bottom of the massive ravine, indicating that it might be the cause for the massive trench into the earth. On both sides of the cliffs are woods and forests that go as far as the eye can see. Along the cliff walls, there are a few trees dotted around, but other than those, they're mostly a flat, almost vertical wall of stone. Turning around, Leo is faced with the task of climbing up some rocky edges before truly confronting the forest. Spear in hand, he slowly goes up. He notices that the internal energy is helping him, as before this would've been a bit exhausting, but he doesn't feel the physical activity getting to him in the least. However, he still feels the warm feeling flowing through his muscles. I still have so much I don't know about this mysterious energy. It has so much potential... I can't even begin to fathom. Reaching the top, he turns around to get one last look. Leo felt as though he was at the tallest point of the world. Holy shit, I feel soooo... tall hehe. Sadly, I can't see my house hehehe. Laughing to himself, he turns back around and goes in with a confident attitude. Nothing is going to happen... After all, that God told him to come here... With a nervous smile, Leo takes in the environment. The forest was full of trees with thick canopies, letting minimal light through. Lined along the trees are vines, ferns, and other parasitic plant life. Along the ground were bushes of many kinds, with the occasional patch of mushrooms scattered around. There were also many dead trees lying around, becoming a home for any creature able to assume control. The air, much to Leo's dislike, was very humid and almost heavy feeling. There was also an occasional light fog hovering, putting the cherry on top for the ominous feeling. Can this place be ANY creepier? Now fully aware of his surroundings, Leo sets off northward, making sure not to lose his sense of direction. Although somewhat lacking, Leo took pride in his sense of direction for the most part. Walking cautiously, Leo occasionally will hear the noise of life. Bugs chattering, looking for mates most likely. Snakes hissing, defending their territory. Birds screeching, fighting over food. Surprisingly, he'll even hear some howling occasionally, even with it being so early in the day. -Clack -Clock Further down, Leo starts to hear an odd noise. It almost sounds like wood clattering against itself. Maybe someone's out here... I'll check it out, but I need to play it safe just in case. Being careful, Leo moves tree to tree, acting like he's in a "Metal Gear Solid" game. Too bad I don't have a box hehe Internally giggling to himself, he slowly makes his way towards the noise. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees what's creating the ruckus, making his blood run cold. It's a wolf... but it's made of wood. Goosebumps filled Leo's skin. What in the... No such thing should exist!!! I have to be dreaming... And to top it off, they're HUGE With glowing green eyes, the wood-wolf is traveling with three others. Made completely out of wood, they appear somewhat powerful. Although Leo doesn't understand how they're moving, they seem genuinely sturdy, with thick logs acting as their legs and their main body encompassing many sticks and branches. Although I need to get out, I can't risk making noise. Thankfully they're not heading this way... Talk about lucky. Staying behind the tree for cover, Leo takes slow, quiet breathes to not alert the predators. Although he might be able to escape if he was attacked by one, four is out of the question. Biding his time, they slowly walk away. With a sigh of relief, Leo makes his way back to where he was before he trailed off and continued northward. Along the way, he doesn't spot or hear anything too noteworthy for a while. That is until he stumbles upon a new type of scenery. Although I don't need to go through it, it still gives me the chills. To the left of his path, somewhat far off, is a swamp. It was very murky, with muddy waters that would spell the end if one got themselves caught in it. Within it he can see what were presumably alligator noses, poking up to breathe while they stay hiding under the incredibly opaque waters as they wait for their next meal. Their numbers were astounding as well, with twenty of them being in the vision of just the little section he could see. It could be seen as a blessing they weren't fighting among each other. I'm so glad I had the foresight to not stay here last night... Hugging himself while a shiver runs down his body, he continues forward. Up ahead he can see what appears to be a little clearing. So far the foliage has been dense, so Leo is somewhat surprised. Looking around though he sees no creatures or anything scurrying around. Walking into the clearing, he notices some nice flowers and some undergrowth that's outpaced the rest due to the excess sunlight in comparison with the rest of the forest. I wonder why there isn't anything over here though... Noticing something strange, Leo stops his inner monologue and listens around. Much to Leo's dismay, however, there is no sound. It's deathly quiet with no birds, bugs, or snakes having ambient chatter. Without the thought even registering, Leo jumps away with all his strength, letting his internal energy envelop his legs for the extra push. BOOOOM Right where Leo was standing before, there's a loud bang, with all sorts of clouds and dust picking up. A huge silhouette is hiding behind the dust and debris. It was a towering beast, standing at an astounding ten feet! FUCK, this CAN'T be good!! Seeing the dust settle, he's able to make out his pursuer. Wearing an orange coat with a dark red mane, it sports a scorpion tail with wings to boot. It's a manticore, the one from fantasy books and stories Leo had seen. But why was it here? Never before has Leo experienced such a guttural and instinctual fear, causing his eyes to waver. Do I fight?! DO I RUN???!!! -Clench Leo tightens his grip unto is spear. "COME ON YOU BASTARD!!" Shaking intensely, Leo focuses on his internal energy, circulating the blob that's in his abdomen as intense as he can. Running up, he decides to confront it to see if his spear can do anything. At the same time, the manticore seems unfazed. If anything, he becomes more hungry, drooling on the ground while he faces his prey. Wasting no time, the manticore swipes at Leo, leaving almost no time to react. However, Leo preemptively ducked inward towards the strike, leaving only a graze on his right shoulder. Ignoring the stinging right shoulder, Leo stabs at the manticore's arm with his spear. His energy erupts throughout his body, his strike hisses through the air. PSHOOooo Leo can feel his spear make contact, but to his shock, nothing more. The spear, if anything, just poked the manticore, going only an inch or two in. It was truly abysmal. In that split moment, Leo was overcome with despair. He stood no chance! He bit his lower lip. FUCK! WHAT DO I DO?! I might be better off just making him walk on legos!! I should- Before Leo could even finish his thought, the manticore swipes at him once more, sending him soaring through the air. The air whistled in Leo's ears. Time seemed to slow in the moment within Leo's eyes. Is this really happening? FUUU BANG After rolling a couple of times, his body finally stops after hitting a tree somewhat hard. "AUGHHH," He half groans, half screams out. The air was knocked out of him with that impact. His vision, that became hazed over with stars from the impact, slowly began to clear up. He moves to a kneeling position, posturing up with his right arm. -Cough, cough Blood sprinkles from his mouth to the ground. Leo's mouth fills with the taste of iron. Leo had been in a few fights before, but nothing as serious and life-threatening as this. His heart was filled with indignance. Groaning, he looks down to see the damage, only to be left startled. His left side is a mess. With a clear claw mark running over his shirt and body, it's already leaking enough blood to make someone queasy. To make matters worse, Leo knows a rib or two broke whenever he heard that popping noise. He can't stop coughing, but he kicks it into high gear, gritting his teeth. Quickly, he gets on his feet, grabs his spear, and runs full speed, sparing no room for hesitation. I don't wanna die here!! I can't die here!! I WON'T DIE! LEO! YOU STUPID BASTARD! GET UP!!! Determined, the fire in Leo's eyes flutter. His fist, clenched with the spirit to overcome this cruel fate. His blood boiled with the passion to strive onward! Using his internal energy without reservation, he speeds off the way he was originally heading. Maybe something north will have something to lose this guy on! Looking behind him, Leo confirms that the manticore isn't going to let him go. After all, he might make a good meal. "ROOOOOOOAAR!!!" It screams, letting Leo know there's no escape. Thankfully this energy is here! Without it I'd be dead before I know it! Although I can't outrun it at least it isn't able to outpace me! Not letting up his speed, Leo slowly sees a wonky bridge come into vision. With old wooden planks to walk on, the whole thing is held up by thin ropes. All around it seems to be a dense fog that he hasn't seen in the earlier parts of the forest, including under the bridge, giving no indication of safety. It looked like the bridge could break at any form of tension onto it. Maybe this could do it!! Without hesitating an instant, he starts to cross, trying to get the manticore to stand on the bridge. Without knowing any better, the manticore slowly approaches, making sure to be cautious of any hidden cards the human may have up his sleeve. Twang As if the noise was a signal, Leo bolts the other side of the bridge, causing the manticore to follow suit. The monster, being unaware of the situation, sprints full speed towards Leo, causing the bridge to take on more stress than it can handle. TWONG-SNAP With a loud snap, the bridge breaks and collapses! With it, the manticore falls in the fog, seemingly erasing it from existence. However, Leo knows better. Holy crap, I barely made it! I need to hurry though! Knowing that the manticore will fly up, Leo makes a break for it, making his way down the winding forest pathway. "ROOOOOOOAAAARRRR!!!!" Sounds like someone isn't too happy!! Scared out of his wits, Leo comes around a corner. Walking out of the treeline, he sees a calmly flowing river. The water seems somewhat shallow, with some rocks jutting out. Without further ado!!" With no other path, he crosses the water. On his way to the other side, Leo tries to clean off his wound to his side. Although it's a somewhat shallow cut, it stings like a bitch! Plus there's some internal damage with how hard that fucker hit me... Four lines splayed across his ribcage; any lower and the cuts would've spilled guts more than likely. It was a miracle to say the least. Cleaning the blood off, he was ready to go full speed again. Looking behind him he sees an orange figure come out of the treeline from before. "Grrrrrr," snarling, the manticore takes to the air. Hehe, seems like the kitty doesn't like water much. Leaving no regrets, Leo makes a break for the forest once again. In contrast to the other side of the forest, this side is denser. Leo, being more maneuverable, like this since it gives him the advantage. CRASH... BOOM Looking back, Leo spots the manticore who's plowing through the forest with brute force. Wow... isn't that a little unfair!? While wallowing in indignance, Leo comes up towards another clearing. Around the clearing are slopped walls, giving little to no room for escape. Although the walls are climbable, it would take too much time during a fight. This is my only chance!!! Deciding this isn't the time for scruples, Leo grabs a handful of dirt, getting ready for the final confrontation. Running into the middle of the clearing, Leo puts all his eggs in the basket. I HAVE to succeed! Following somewhat close behind, the manticore breaks out from the tree line and into the clearing. "ROOOOOAAAAR!!" Swallowing his saliva, Leo's determination hits an all-time high. Finally, in a hasty fashion, he makes his attack. Same as before, he preemptively dodges the manticore's first attack, this time not grazing in anyway way. However, this time, instead of attacking, Leo throws his handful of dirt into the manticore's eyes. Never been faced with such a situation, the manticore lets out a bloodcurdling roar of annoyance. "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARR!!" With dirt in its eyes, it starts to sway and back away, shaking its head all the while. OH NO YOU DON'T!! Leo, waiting for an opportunity, finally sees it. The manticore reaches up to rub its eyes. Gripping his spear, Leo gets ready for the finale. Stepping back and getting into a throwing position, Leo gets ready to launch the spear with all the energy he has left. IT'S NOW OR NEVER!! Initializing the energy within, he first sends it to his legs, then up to his back and abs, his right shoulder, and then finally down his arms to his wrist. FEEEEWWWW The spear shoots out of his hand, easily exceeding a hundred miles an hour. It's target? The manticore's hand and eyes. With its target in sight, the spear whizzes towards the manticore's vulnerable stance. Reaching the monster, it pierces first the paw, going through the gaps of bone. After exiting the hand, it pierces the left eye, extracting a scream from the monster. "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" However, Leo isn't able to hear anything. His ears are ringing with his vision becoming wavy and distorted. Losing his senses, Leo decisively bites his tongue!! I WILL see this to the end! Regaining whatever sense of reality he can, Leo stands and watches. The manticore, out of decisions, pulls the spear out of its eye. Just looking at its face, he can make out the fury within the monster right now. However, Leo can't back down so he screams, "RAAAAHHH, if you don't want it to happen to your other eye, DON'T FUCK WITH ME!!!" With a look of resentment, the manticore slowly backs off, but not before one more swipe! Sweeping with his left foot, Leo has no time to react. Sent flying once again, Leo screams in pain. BOOOM Leo's back slams into the sloped cliff, the breath knocked out of him Gasping for air Leo tries his best to yell "*gasp* you *gasp* BASTARD *gasp* !!" But before he can even get a word in, the manticore was already flying off with the spear still stuck in his paw. Now that the fight is over, Leo's face washes over with anguish. On his right shoulder is a huge gash, bleeding profusely. I... I need to get the hell out of here and find help! Getting up, he grabs his torn-up shirt and ties it around his shoulder to try and stop some bleeding. Fatigued and injured, Leo can't do anything but shamble north. Dammit... it's always gotta be hard as fuck huh??? Sluggishly, Leo goes up the slope, grabbing onto a rock after rock to hoist himself up. As he reaches the top, his adrenaline wears off. His body screams in agony. "Haaa....haaaa," Leo's breathes came out extremely labored. It was becoming incredibly hard to breath, with a stabbing pain accompanying each intake. His body couldn't seem to get the air it needed. He was shambling, like a zombie. However, he trudges onward. I... don't want... to die... Slowly but surely, he kept going, and going, and going. After walking for what felt like an instant yet an eternity, Leo finally saw light through the tree line. His eyes sparkled with hope, but they also began to tremble. Come one body, don't fail me now! In a trance, he kept going. Finally, he escaped the forest. Vision blurry, he saw what looked like a cottage. A nice cozy abode with birdhouses strung across. Slowly, he reached the door, and not standing at ceremony, knocked. Please answer... However, the fatigue finally caught up, stealing his senses. Leo's vision closed with dark clouds, blocking out anything and everything. The weight of the world crashed onto his shoulders. His body became the heaviest thing imaginable. He felt like he was Atlas, holding up the heavens from crashing down. But Leo was not Atlas. His body began to collapse. The door, much to his surprise, flung open, revealing a blurry figure. Please....help.... Before closing his eyes to the darkness, he sees the figure approaching, appearing yellow and pink, but can't make it out completely. So..... tir....ed... With those thoughts, Leo was out cold.