Dungeons, Dragons, and a Little Friendship

by Lawrence Gander

Chapter 12

“Move.” Andur snapped his head toward Ted's warning, “Get moving! Now!”

Before he could question his friend’s insistence, before he could get in any more than a thought, a boulder slammed into the bridge a few feet from him. He joined the herd in its mad break for the other side of gorge that it spanned. A bouncy lighthearted tone then interrupted the groups panic for a brief moment.

“Just follow me!”

A pink blur streaked into Andur's vision, as deafening detonations of some sort sounded off above. “Pinkie what're you-” Her tail twitched and in a blink of an eye she deftly snaked around the edges of a rock that had slammed right into their path, one he had almost galloped straight into. From that point on he didn't question her choice as she weaved a path between more pieces of falling debris. Then he could see it, the other end of the bridge.

Pinkie's tail twitched once more except this time it was joined by a sudden turn that left her facing the wrong way. Andur watched in amazement as she somehow managed to gallop backwards while still moving forward with the herd at full speed, she shouted. But her warning came too late. As a huge slab of rock smashed apart the bridge behind them, leaving at least him on a poor excuse of what was left.

Andur could only listen to the terrified screams of the collected party, as the bridge beneath him began collapsing, slowly breaking away under their charge. His mind tried to stay focused on the task in front of him, forcing himself forward as what little remained of the bridge collapsed behind him. The race was quickly growing more desperate every passing moment.

He had no more than a few strides to go. He leaped with all his might, as the bridge finally gave way. Andur reached out his hooves toward the ledge, and with a guttural shout he slammed against it. Only his two front legs had made the trip, and they were no good at hauling himself up and over the ledge on their own.

It was then that he noticed Pinkie recovering from her own leap, “Pinkie!”

She seemed to spring to life once more at hearing his plea, and in no short order was already giving him aid in his attempt to scale the ledge once more. It was no easy feat, and even the cleric who thought he had seen everything was surprised by the pink one’s strength.

Eventually a lightly spoken pegasus hovered down near them, “Oh my, are you two alright?”

“We're fine.”

“What about the others?” Pinkie Pie rushed to the ledge and peered over its edge into that yawning chasm.

“They'll be fine Pinkie.” Andur said trying to reassure the nervous pink pony.

Fluttershy simply hovered close by, skeptical to the idea that their friends had managed to land without at least some measure of injury.

Fluttershy sat, nervously twiddling her hooves together.

“Don't be so worried,” the bouncy bubbly voice said to her, “My Pinkie Sense is telling me it'll all be A-Okay.”

“You're sure Pinkie?”

“Sure I'm sure.” She then shrugged, “I was a little worried a minute ago, then my shoulders ached and my belly rumbled; that means somepony's going to save the day for another pony.”

She smiled at her friend’s warm sentiment, but she still felt troubled; for the fear of danger still lurked in her thoughts. She wanted to know, to see with her own eyes, that her friends were okay. Andur had told her not to worry, since Cartanis had some spell that would get them through it safely, but she wanted to be sure. Whatever the case she couldn't help but give a weak sigh. Her journey down timid lane was abruptly interrupted as a caring pink blanket hugged her gently.

“It'll be alright, silly. Auntie Pinkie Pie won't let anything get you. Not zomponys, or ghoulies, or nasty mean old liches.” She gave her friend the best hug she could, just to make her stop frowning and being all mopey. “Or bugbears, or owlbears, or dire bears… you know I never really noticed how many types of bears there are—”

“Um... Pinkie?”

“Yeah?”

“It's not that this isn't nice, but umm... could you stop?” Fluttershy tried really hard to not sound mean, but she still felt like she was being a little rude. “I mean, it's not like I didn't want a hug, I just, umm...”

“Hah-ha, just like Fluttershy, never able to say thanks with one word.”

Fluttershy blushed when she realized that would've been a better answer, “T-thanks.” she managed to stutter under her breath.

“You're welcome.” Then the glomp-lock was broken, and the duo sat, waiting on Andur to get done reading his book.

It seemed that their timing couldn’t have been more perfect as he perused the last sentence that had appeared, “Alright, we should get moving.”

“Andur?”

He stopped and looked back to the little pegasus that had grabbed his attention. “Yes?”

“I was wondering,” she rubbed her hooves together for a moment, “A-are they all alright?”

Andur just stared for a moment, before he recalled what he had just read for the worried mare. “Applejack is missing.” He watched her throw her hooves over her mouth with worry, “They can find no trace of her, and as much as Cartanis believes she is gone, Rainbow Dash has gotten herself into a—” Andur did his best to remember Cartanis' words. “A foolish tantrum that might get herself k—” Andur quickly cleared his throat as pleading eyes watched him intensely, “get herself hurt, trying to look for her. Ted volunteered to go after her, but he said he's not staying put for much longer. Once Twilight rouses he’ll lead her and Rarity up a passageway he spied some time ago. Cartanis thinks it might lead up to us hopefully, and we might be able to rendezvous somewhere soon.”

He cleared his throat for a moment and let the words sink in. “So in short... most of them are okay.”

Fluttershy looked drawn inward, concern painted across her brow, but she spoke with confidence. “If Dash is after her... then Applejack will be fine... if she's okay.”

“Either way Fluttershy,” Andur turned to the only way forward from their little alienated ledge: a tunnel that was perhaps wider than the one they had used to get down this far in the first place. “We should get moving, whatever hunter laid that trap won't leave it unchecked forever.”

“Right.”

“Is it time!?” Pinkie chimed in.

“Time for what?” Andur responded.

“Well duh, time for a real adventure!” She began flailing her hooves about, for a makeshift pirate-zombie-plant-pony war had exploded within her imagination.

“I would beware that word Pinkie.”

She snapped out of her stupor, “What word? Oh, oh, don't tell me Andur, I love guessing games.”

Andur chuckled at her boundless enthusiasm. Her guesses trailed off into the cavern as they once again proceeded down a tunnel deeper into the mountain.

“~not sour, a bit of salt justa pinch~”

Andur slammed his ears shut against his head, Please my lord just give me a little more patience.

“~a teaspoon of vanilla~”

His eyes closed to the world as he tried to retreat into his mind from the unending song, I swear she hasn't even taken a breath in the past hour.

“~little more and ya count to four~”

Andur considered himself a good, patient man, but as he bit his lip to keep his mouth shut. He wasn't sure what he was about to become if this continued. Before his mind could be made up a rather unwelcome feeling jarred his eyes open and his mind to attention. His whole body lurched forward as he tripped over an unexpected rise in the floor, and soon found himself planted face first into the ground. After he eventually got over the pain, and peeled his face from his newest face-planting experience. Taking note of the ground's unnatural smoothness.

“Oh my! Are you alright?”

“I'll be fine Fluttershy,” Andur rubbed his sore nose as he continued to inspect the path he had fallen onto. It was strange. He almost couldn't believe it but here it was. He was on a road. Not something as rural as the cobblestone roads of Ponyville, but a sleek material that was a welcome change from the uneven cavern floor he was once traveling. However, he was not entirely happy with the sight; its appearance brought more unwanted strangeness to their situation.

“Ooooo, shiny.”

He looked to the pink pony that had moved on quickly, marveling at the strange discovery they had made. At least she took a break from singing. “Do you two know anything about this?”

Fluttershy simply shrugged, but Pinkie Pie took on a strangely astute expression, “Well it's definitely not a regular road.”

“Pinkie, please.”

“It probably leads somewhere, maybe even to a place!”

Andur could only sigh, “I was hoping to know if you had heard of anything about this place, like maybe some history?”

“Oooh, sorry. Not trained in history.”

“What?”

“Um, I mean…” she cleared her throat and dawned her blankest expression, “No.”

Andur cast his gaze to his other companion, “I wouldn't suppose that...” Her meek expression gave him his answer, “Then we should stop dawdling.”

“Okay then, what song you guys want to hear next?”

“No!” Andur shouted reflexively to the pink one. “Erm, I mean to say, we should try to be more careful from here on out. Chances are Dra'nahb expects us, and we should try to be silent so he may not notice when we are upon whatever he has laid out for us.”

“Oh, trying to get in a surprise round,” Pinkie winked his way, “I gotcha.”

Andur didn't care what she meant, he only took solace in his small victory, at least until a pegasus grabbed his attention.

“Andur, umm, I’ve been meaning to say something, and I, just, well...”

Fluttershy had never looked particularly brave, in fact he had never really seen her hold her head up higher than the pony next to her, but now Andur could see she was a bit more troubled than usual. “Is something the matter?”

“I just don't~” but her voice traveled to an inaudible mumble.

“Fluttershy,” Andur did his best to draw her attention from the ground that she seemed so focused on retreating to with her eyes. “it's alright, speak your mind... I'm not going to yell at you.”

He knew he had probably scared her back at camp when he raised his voice to his friend. While he was somewhat worried she was afraid of him, he simply did not enjoy to see her so meek and afraid. One part of him still wondered why she had agreed to come along in the first place.

She looked up to him, then back to the ground, and once over to her other friend who seemed equally involved in the conversation, before finally answering. “I don't know if I’ll be of help if anything happens. I just... If we get into a fight, I’ll just get in the way, and I don't want to be in the way. All I'm going to do is get you or Pinkie hurt and-”

“Don't trouble yourself with such things,” He gently shook her from her nervous babble, “You'll just get yourself in a knot of brambles that way.”

“But Andur—”

“Fluttershy...” He carefully set himself down so he didn't have to look down at her anymore. He hated that more than anything, “You don't have to worry about that. I can handle myself in a fight, and not to mention your friend here looks like she can manage herself as well.”

“Darn tootin'!” She said back with pride, “I’ve worked my way through more mosh pits and stage dives than you two can shake a stick at.”

“You,” Andur started again, grabbing her attention as he pushed his hoof against her, “Just stay safe, that's all you have to do. Alright?”

“But what if… what if.”

“The future is a very uncertain thing. I’ve seen many fall trying to prevent or stop its advance. So I will be honest with you. I do not know for certain what might happen if we encounter a ghoul or Dra’nahb. But I promise you Fluttershy, I will keep you safe.”

“So will I,” the pink one chimed in.

Fluttershy probably didn’t realize it, but she had a gentle smile as she was reassured by her friends. Thanks to them she was able to say with confidence, “Alright,” when she finally realized she wasn’t alone in that terrible place.

“Good,” Andur stood back up, once again towering over the other little ponies, “Let's get a move on, quietly.” He looked Pinkie Pie's way, who once again winked at him before they all proceeded down the corridor, hooves echoing off the roadway to who knows where.

“Pinkie, put out that light.”

She obliged and as the darkness engulfed them. She stopped and tried to understand what set him on edge. Her eyes focused on the way forward; and as she adjusted to the darkness something strange caught her attention. “Hey look, it’s an itty bitty little star.”

“I suppose you can call it that.” Andur continued to keep track of it, he wasn't sure how long it had been there, but he felt lucky to have seen it this early at all. As much as he wished to know how a small blue light had gotten down here, another part was worried over something else; it didn't seem to be the only one. The spec of light in the distance seemed to have another close to it, but they were too far away for him to be sure.

“Slowly,” Andur started, before turning to Pinkie, “and no hopping.”

“Gotcha.” She said with a little salute.

The trio slowly moved forward with Andur at the helm. Every step they took was more careful than their last, as they made their way closer to their target. Soon they could see the glare of the lights on the path, giving it an icy sheen. None wished to speak, but what was slowly revealed to them chilled at least one to his core. The tunnel had gone from an old cavern to a well lit hallway; orbs of light adorned the walls every few paces with only a few spots absent of the pattern. Once they got close enough to the lights that they began to reveal their forms from the darkness, a soft heart spoke up.

“Do you hear that?”

The others halted, and with their breath held fast they could hear something. There was a constant sound of metallic clicks mixed with the stubborn groan of metal. It continued for a time until a new light sprang to life in one of the places where there was only darkness. It seemed brighter than most and forced them to shield their eyes or look away. A sound rang out that sent minds racing.

Andur tried to look through the glare, to see what caused that metallic clang of something hitting the ground, but the light was so intense his eyes couldn't adjust fast enough.

“There!”

He tried to follow where the pink hoof had pointed, but thanks to the brightness his eyes had adjusted poorly to the dimmer surroundings. All he could spot was a silhouette of a pony. It made no attempt to hide itself as its hooves thundered into the distance with a heavy clap all their own.

“Wait, we're not going to hurt you!”

The pony didn't halt, it simply continued on its quick retreat, not even acknowledging them more than it already had. They didn't know what to think.

Andur spoke up, still trying to clear the splotches from his vision, “What just happened?”

“I don't know, but it looks like he forgot some things.”

Andur wished to know what she spoke of, but she had wandered directly into the source of the bright light, “Can you do something about that?” It wasn't long before it dimmed, and with some confusion he looked to the pink pony, now noticing what she was standing upon.

“See, he forgot to turn down the contrast.”

“How did you-” Andur just resigned himself to a sigh, how she did many things was a mystery to him. Pinkie only gave him a perplexed look at his outburst before he continued, “What do you mean forgot some things?”

“Oh, well first there's this neat little ladder-chariot thing.”

“I can see that...” What she was upon was indeed like that, some form of step ladder with a hitch for a pony and wheels so that it may move, apparently to aid in whatever its master had been doing.

“Then I found a wrench over there, but that was nothing to what I found over here.” She quickly lifted something up that she had lain aside.

Andur read the writing that was upon the box she held, “Maintenance unit one thirty-seven?” The words appeared ingrained into the worn metal, whatever paint had once been a part of it seemed to have long ago chipped away. “There's something going on here, and I don't like it.”

“Mm-hmm,” Pinkie quickly latched the little box onto her harnesses near her saddlebags.

Andur just continued to peer down the corridor, even with what aid the now seemingly endless seeds of light gave off, he had lost the pony that had run from them. He wasn't sure what to think. It wouldn't be the first time Dra'nahb had fooled others into helping him, but that idea didn't sit right. He knew that this should've been a trap, or at the least an ambush. Things weren’t adding up, and the longer he stewed on it the less he cared for all their standing around.

“Stay alert.” Was all he said before moving on. The other ponies shot each other a worried glance and followed suit.

Fluttershy was worried. They had given up on stealth a while ago, and even when they were careful, their steps would endlessly echo down the corridor. It was a long trek through the newly lit roadway. Many a time she was told to stay still as they tried to understand what one of them heard or potentially saw. Now none of it seemed to matter as they could see the end, or what they perceived to be the end to the roadway. The corridor simply seemed to end in the distance into a place of pure light, and the closer they got, the less sure she was that it was going to end well. She wasn't going to lie to herself; she was scared.

What frightened her most of all though, was Andur. He just looked so ready for a fight, almost like he was asking for one. She could even feel his anger because of her newfound powers: a low thunderous quake that pushed outward at everything around him. No matter what she felt, the situation remained of their seemingly endless road was in fact ending.

“You both need to keep your eyes open,” Fluttershy was pulled to her senses by Andur, “Pinkie Pie, do you have any tricks I should know about.”

“More than I can list on short notice, but I guess it really depends on what kind of mood I' m in. Feeling a little fireball-y today, although I could go for some electric mayhem. Hmmm...” She sat for a moment and seemed to become lost deeply in her own thoughts.

“Fluttershy,” She turned towards him, “Listen for them, not with just your ears but with your heart and soul; trust what you feel, and tell us if you see anything. All right?” When she nodded Andur took a deep breath, and checked on the release for his weapon. “Now, we advance.”

As the light grew less painful to their eyes what was revealed to them was almost overwhelming. What stood out foremost to them was the sky, but it was not the sky of the world above. They had found themselves in a cavern that reached up so high it might've once held clouds at its greatest heights. Now there were only bright scars in the rocks above that lit the place as though it were midday.

In front of them sat a wall, or more accurately, a pile of seemingly innocent rocks which blocked their way forward. For a moment they let their guard down, and curiosity took hold. The first to the top of the rubble was Pinkie Pie, who only let out a marveled coo which emboldened Fluttershy into investigating for herself. All the while, Andur returned to some of his senses and kept an eye on the area around them.

“Andur you got to see this!” Pinkie called back to him.

He gave a worried glance their way, then looked to the sides of the strange road. There seemed to be remnants of buildings, but they looked nothing like the homes and towns he had seen before. He had never even such sights in his own world. What is this? Such materials… What of the sky? It looks as though the stars fill it with light, but that is not the night above us.

“Are you sure it’s safe?” He shouted to her

She shouted back. “I am, now just hurry up before we have to run for our lives or something!”

Andur took the verbal berating with some measure of confusion, but in any case heeded her call. With a quick couple of strides he had topped the rubble wall, and with the others witnessed more than he could really believe.

“Oh my...” Was about all he could say to the sight before him.

He stood at such a point that an entire ruin was laid out before him. The road they had followed continued into a foray of structures, many old, and many more lay in a state of absolute ruin. What may have been a city was now a jungle, a wilderness of stone carefully wrought by the meticulous planning of time. However, deep within it from their vantage point they could make something out, a beacon of civilization where the lights were their brightest, and the structures still seemed home to something of sentience in the distance.

“Andur?”

His attention was drawn from his wonder by the soft voice. “Yes, Fluttershy?”

“Did...” She had to know. “How are the others?”

He grasped his messenger's book, and upon opening it created worries of his own. His expression was not lost on the empathetic pegasus, “I don't know.”

“Don't know?”

“It's... I’m not sure what's wrong with it, but all I see is gibberish and words fading on and off the pages.” He set the book down, and let his compatriots gaze at the strange sight of colorful letters creating epileptic scribbles upon the book’s many pages, before putting it away.

Pinkie quickly intervened before her friend could become any more distraught. “Well maybe that pony we saw lives at the center!” Both the present ponies looked at her with some level of confusion. “And maybe they'll know where everypony is?”

Fluttershy seemed convinced at the opportunity to find her other friends, but Andur was still deep within his own apprehension.

“I don't know, that one we saw didn't exactly say hello.”

“Duh!” She said aloud to his reasoning. “They've been terrorized by monsters for who knows how long! They'd probably freak out over a cricket chirping too loudly.”

Andur could only sigh. “But there was light, plenty of it. I don't think we could be mistaken for undead.”

“Well… maybe he thought we were ghosts and he forgot to giggle!”

“Huh?”

“Oh you don't know!?” Pinkie cleared her throat and began to tap her hoof into the beat of her favorite lullaby from her granny.

“Wait-wait-wait.” Andur said in a hurried attempt to stop an impromptu musical number. “Alright, I guess it’s a good idea, just please... please... a break from all the singing?”

Pinkie looked at him suspiciously for a moment, and then shrugged it off, “Okey-dokey-lokie.”

Andur could only sigh with victory. Silence was a precious resource when around the pink one, and while he did not loath her singing, he had another reason for wishing her silence. For he did not see them, but he knew that this place crawled with eyes and ears of things long dead, that waited for them with baited breath. He no longer questioned the lack of an ambush: now, he could only wait for its inevitable arrival. He could only hope that when they were tested in battle that he would be there to help them. As he started along the trail to the center of the city, Andur could only pray for their safety, for he would not be able to protect them from a horror of battle forever.

Fluttershy still couldn't really believe where they were. She had never seen a city quite like it before. One part of her knew, as they wandered around another ruined structure, that this place was once far better off. Thoughts of whatever brought this place to such a state filled her with fear. What she truly wished to know, though, was why Andur was so on edge. He seemed paranoid to such an extreme that every noise would set him off, whether the source was friendly or otherwise.

As they crested the rise of another misshapen road, she watched as Andur stopped to scan everything in sight. He had done this at every opportunity since they arrived, and every time he finished scouting his impatience seemed to grow. Fluttershy decided to do something about it. Andur tried to hide his anger, but she didn't need her powers to know he was on edge. Fluttershy wasn't entirely sure why she wanted to talk to him about it, but all she knew is that it took just about everything in her to go up next to him and say in her meekest tone.

“A-Andur?” She knew he didn't like it when they spoke up too loudly—he had gotten after Pinkie for that a few times for that now—but she was surprised when he said back.

“Speak up, I can barely hear you.”

“Well, I’m just kind of umm, uh...”

Andur could only sigh as she devolved into unintelligible squeaks, “Fluttershy, I know that I’ve been... less than hospitable lately, but please don't, just don't,” he had to look away from her for a moment. “Please don't make that face.” Those big sad eyes that looked so deep never hit him well.

“I'm sorry,” she tried to stop focusing on him, and regained some measure of her composure. “It's just that... well, I'm afraid and I...”

Andur groaned as she devolved into mumbling again, “You don't have to worry, I'm here, your friend Pinkie is here.”

“It's not that.”

“Oh?”

“It's you.”

Andur snapped back to her in confusion. Once again he came face to face with those eyes, the ones he just couldn't stand to look at. “What do you-” He quickly broke eye contact, “Fluttershy, you're starting to walk into my mind again aren’t you?”

“I don't mean to, it’s just that, sometimes you think things so loudly that they just... broadcast I guess, and I can't really not pick up on them.” She watched as he rubbed a hoof against his temple, in frustration or worry over what she might of seen, her power told her it was a little of both. “Does he... does he really deserve all of that?” She blanched slightly as the strength of some of the thoughts she could recall, a myriad of anger and hate mixed into a frothed rage.

“Yes.” His anger was barely hidden under the cool tone he put on. He took a deep breath and let it free, “I just want to watch him go through everything he caused, and then some.”

“But... but why?”

“Fluttershy,” the anger in his voice was barely restrained, “If you have to ask that question to me after what he did to your home, then you won't understand. So please,” his glare showed the very intent of his will, but he dared not cast it upon her, “do not ask me that again.”

Fluttershy just stood, frozen from a mixture of unwanted feelings. Luckily the tension was broken by her pink friend, who called out to them from the bottom of a pit that led under a building that had blocked their path. For once Andur didn't say a word, and only marched forward with his fury set to a slow boil under his skin. She however wasn't just afraid now, she was terrified. Not for her own life, not for her friends, but for Andur and what he might do.

Pinkie Pie merrily hopped her way over another mess of rocks on the road. They had been lucky in the fact that the most extreme damage seemed limited to the outskirts of the cities ruins, but there was still more than enough destruction farther in to warrant caution. She didn't mind much, it was kind of fun to pretend the rubble was lava to avoid. One part of her mind jotted the idea down for a party game, while a second began thinking up deviations of the idea, as the third was trying to think of a better way to set it up besides destroying half of Ponyville for the necessary rubble.

Her plans of magmatic party-fication would have to wait as an authority filled voice rattled her brain, “Huh?” she replied to it.

“Hurry Pinkie.”

She followed Fluttershy’s voice into a darkened structure through the large window of what might have once been a shop, for what purpose she was warned off the street Pinkie was not sure. “What happened?”

“He said hide.”

“Oh,” Pinkie said in stark realization of what she now remembered hearing, “From what?”

“I don't know. But he sounded really insistent that we go hide.”

“Well where did he- oh! There he is,” Pinkie spied the large stallion across the street, a few doors down from their position. “He thinks he's so sneaky, silly little guy, look at him crawl just to get around.”

“Pinkie please, there might be a... a monster out there, and we can't be goofing around-”

“Don't you worry your pink little head about anything,” she said with a gentle pat to her friend, “Pinkie Pie is on the case.”

Fluttershy frowned with frustration, “I'm not pink.” She said back in an irritated whisper.

“You're not? Oh wait,” she snorted, “I am. Anyway, I'll go find out what Andur is all worried about.”

Now Fluttershy was the confused one. With an eyebrow raised she looked out to the relatively spotless landscape between them and Andur. “But how are you going to-” her words stopped cold as she looked back to where Pinkie had been, “Pinkie?” Her head swiveled about looking for her friend, but she had already disappeared.

He couldn't place it, but he knew that feeling, that presence in the air. Someone so foul as he could not simply just wander around and not leave a trail that would be picked up on one way or another. Where are you? Andur scanned the area one more time as he tried to lay low, it all seemed to still to him now, not that there was anything to give the scene life in the first place.

Why would you do this? You don't just pay visits to the front-lines... unless, Andur dared to hope, even the side that knew better could not quiet his mind fully. No, he wouldn't be that foolish, it’s just a trap at best, but... If this is it, if this is that chance. Then they'll need to stay safe, at least for a little whi- Andur stifled a shout as the surprise of an unforeseen poke rattled his senses, turning to its source he saw a pink ball of pony waving at him eagerly. “Pinkie...”

“That's my name, don't wear it out.”

“How...” He cast a glance across the barren street, “How did you cross the street without making a sound?”

“Pfft, across, over, under, around. Do you ever bother to think about through? Nopony remembers him anymore, and don't be dissing him with all your ‘there are only three-d’s’ talk.”

“Please stop, just...” he did his best to not groan in frustration and just dropped the issue. “Why are you over here?”

“Well why are you?”

Andur was tempted wanted to argue that she shouldn't try to turn this around on him, but over the course of their travel together he learned that sometimes you just play along. “OK I know this might sound silly to you... but have you ever had a 'feeling' that something just wasn't right?”

“Oh yeah all the time.” She said without missing a beat.

Andur was almost surprised by the fact that he wasn’t surprised to hear that. Oh great now I’m starting to think like her, “Okay, well, right now it’s telling me all sorts of things, and none of them are good.” He drew slightly inward, “There is a chill in the air, no not a chill, it’s not cold... it’s empty. There is something wrong with this place.”

Pinkie Pie just slightly raised her eyebrow at him, “I don't think I want 'Andur sense' it sounds all gloomy and stuff.”

“ 'Andur sense' isn't always like that. He muddles with it, just with his presence. It is like... a smear has been painted here, and there, all over the street. I know it too well...” He looked at Pinkie, just trying to make her understand, “Dra'nahb is dangerous Pinkie, please don't take him lightly. I've only seen him fight a few times, but they left me chilled each time. So if it comes down to that, don't throw yourself in his path.”

“Well why would I? I'll probably need to figure out my paragon tier stuff before I even start to think about looking his way.”

“Pinkie,” Andur placed a hoof on her to stop her rambling. “If it comes to that, I want you and Fluttershy to run. Alright?”

Pinkie could see the fear in his eyes, “Andur... what are you talking about?” He stopped looking at her, and turned back to the street, scanning once more. “Andur, we, we're a party. You don't just leave somepony behind, and I’ll be a boring little serious-face before I let you pull something like that.”

“Don't make promises you can't keep,” he said back in a dead whisper, an echo of something he had been told far too many times before.

“But-” She stopped her protest, as Andur grew a deep horror in his features.

His senses all rang out with a foul expectation of disaster and his power was much the same. Its way of showing him others, their souls that would shine in the distance, was muddled into a noisy static as a great dread washed over him. There was only one presence that he knew which could do such a thing. “He's here.”

Fluttershy just watched from her window as the duo froze their conversation. They seemed stunned at the sight of something. She followed where they were directed, to find out why Andur was so focused and on edge that it silenced even Pinkie Pie. Her gaze eventually ended upon a structure not far down the street. Its door was large enough for a pony of even Andur's size. It seemed to have been wrenched open with such difficulty that marks were left on the ground. Then she saw him, no bigger than a stone at this distance, but nonetheless she recognized the description that she was given.

Dra'nahb wandered out of the building, face and body in the same condition as the tattered robes that he wore. In a seemingly annoyed gesture he dusted off his clothes before turning back to the door he had just left. The pinpricks of light that illuminated his skull danced idly upon the half-barren skull. His jaw slowly unhinged itself and began to move as he recited an ancient mantra she couldn’t comprehend. Each syllable spoken left a small imprint unto the air around him as wisps of light floated outward toward the door.

As a strange diagram began to take shape upon it. Fluttershy cast a glance back to Andur, and she saw that he had moved. Slinking might not be the word, but Andur was doing his best to hug the inner walls of the buildings as he moved down the street with the shadows he so desperately clung to. Fluttershy was confused however by the lack of a certain pink presence with him. Looking back to where he had once been she saw a pink face looking back to her that was equally befuddled.

The slam of a door caught her attention, as her focus returned to Dra’nahb. She witnessed the glow of the diagram he had created slowly fade away, leaving no mark upon the ancient entryway. None of it made much sense to her. All of that work just to make a door shut? Her worry would have to wait. Andur was making his move.

Andur moved as carefully as he could. Cringing as the rubble beneath his hooves crunched a little louder than he wished it to. Thankfully Dra'nahb seemed too intent on his chanting to notice. I need to use my power, stun him probably, and then I can actually hurt him. Never in his days had he wished to have not worn such heavy armor. It was a task just to make it not snag against itself. Yet, he felt some measure of luck had to be on his side as he gained ground toward his enemy. Who still seemed entranced with some other ritual involving that building he had used his wizardry on a moment ago.

Few more steps, just a few more- His mind was throttled as a force shot through him. His entire being thrown aside like a matchstick as his muscles began to spasm uncontrollably. Further pain erupted when his flight was halted by a sturdy pillar, the force of it made known even through his armor. Eventually Andur's body returned to him some control, and he managed to cough out, “Since when do wizards not use words in their spells?”

“Since when did you perceive yourself as a better assassin than the elf?” The cold voice was soon joined by its corporeal bearer at a safe distance from the Andur. “Although I do admit I was surprised to find out from my Abigail that you snuck up on her, but I assure you that was more the fault of her new body than any talent you think you might possess.”

Andur could see him clearly, but he seemed to be waiting for something, probably for him to make a move off the floor. He had to buy time to think of something, “Already trying to insult me are you?”

“I am terribly sorry. I forget my manners when all my chances at conversation usually involve one who wishes to kill me.” Dra'nahb took a few more steps towards him.

Closer you abomination, just a little – His mind was once again thrown into all too familiar territory. His power felt like it was suffocating him in a blind attempt to safeguard him from something like an instinct.

“I've learned ways to suppress that troublesome power of yours, or do you think yourself the first little 'light-bringer' to hate me? Perhaps you already forgot what befell that overprotective guardian of yours?”

“Don't you dare speak of my father!” Andur managed to the numb sensation that wracked his mind.

“Cling to that title to hide your loss all you want. It won't change what life did to you.”

“Life? LIFE! Don't you dare shift blame from yourself you heartless wretch! You were responsible for what happened to them, and you know it!”

Dra'nahb only sighed, “Yes, but you were not supposed to survive. It wasn't I who gave you that gift, only your sacred 'lord' could do that. A so called mercy amongst his great gifts that he has given you and your people. Had it happened my way, you would’ve never even known life.”

“What would you know of mercy then? When you started a war? When you unleashed your plague on a city!? When you attacked Ponyville!?” Andur's anger only grew as he heard him return a few chuckles of laughter.

“Fine, I’ll admit that I was brash with Ponyville, I tend to let my old emotions get the best of me when I'm newly regenerated. Another sin for the wall I guess, but don't think yourself so wise to pin so much on me. You can thank that which you worship so lovingly,” he said with a sick sneer.

“You don’t understand anything, you destroy what you don’t understand. Rip apart families that-” His speech was silenced as an arcane force slammed into his face.

“Don't you dare act so knowing with me you child. Barely within your third decade and think all of the world’s answers are known to you? Are you really that arrogant or are you like all those other Peloric thugs who go about without a question in their faith filled hearts? I assure you none of the answers your kind seek are good. Your god and what he stands for is nothing but a sick lie!” His voice grew thick with venom at uttering that word, “Everything you want is nothing but a broken cycle, something that needs to be demolished before it succeeds at sweeping away its last challenger.”

Andur needed a moment to regain his senses. He had never been hit in the face by such a force before and it was jarring to say the least. When he finally roused his senses he returned with, “Well then what do you want? I think it’s hardly fitting for such a caring soul such as yourself to go around murdering colorful talking horses. I think it would suit you better to just scurry off to the next life and find yourself amongst all the other crazy maniacs of our history.” He waited for another berating, another force to knock the wind out of him, but Andur became confused as Dra'nahb grew not angry but seemingly disappointed.

“Maybe if you thought for a moment, you would realize that I do care. I care more than you, more than your precious order, ever will about what happens to the toys that life just so happily enjoys to play with. Without a reason it will kill. In a mockery of justice it will allow many to escape retribution. It laughs in knowing that no matter how many you or I save, more trouble can simply be made.” He stared Andur dead in the eye, “So yes Andur, I will 'scurry off' one day, but for now I won't rest until it’s all torn down. Perhaps if you were capable of some actual thought you would understand what I do. Instead of clinging to your sweet lies of hope and tomorrow. But what can one do to change another who was brainwashed with such ideals since birth.”

Andur just held that gaze, letting the silence simmer the words in the air until he could bear them no more. “You know, I don't agree with Ted all the time, but I'll admit. His nickname for you is pretty spot on.”

Dra'nahb just snorted, “I don't have time for you anymore.”

He braced himself, ready to leap from danger. Instead his tension was left unanswered, as his enemy wandered past him without a word. Indignation, is perhaps the best word to describe what Andur felt, “We aren't finished here!”

“I would Andur, I would.” He turned his head to his heckler, “If I could grant you that mercy, then believe me I would. A single word is all it would take to do so. But you and I have much bigger plans that we are a part of, and as I have said before. You must be killed carefully.”

It may have been the memory the phrase evoked, or his anger over one escaping justice, but the names of all this monster had hurt thrashed within his mind. His power swelled to be let loose upon him, and Andur had no qualms about it. “Let he who welcomes sin, be buried in what he has sown!”

The scripture made his wrath manifest, what little power escaped the suffocation he felt streaked out into a ray of pure light. A great shield of night sprang forth before Dra’nahb. Some of the light recoiled as it tried to pierce it, but what little fight it put up managed to strike through. The lich cried out in pain as a mark burned itself into what little flesh he had.

Dra'nahb grunted at the refresher of pain he had received. “I felt like giving you a small mercy Andur, but now I’ll show you that I have no issues with leaving you paralyzed and out of my way.” A ball of lightning erupted into being near him, crackling with a sinister sound that matched the emotion portrayed on what little remained of his face. “A mighty fine fool you make, to challenge me alone without any of your friends.”

“Says you.” Perhaps he had bought her enough time, or she was waiting for his signal, but soon the lone snaps of the electric orb were joined by a cascading screech of unrestrained chords.

The air grew thick with musical might as hairs stood on end for but a moment. Any confusion the lich may have felt was soon wiped clean as a bolt of lightning that matched the intensity of the ballad ricocheted from an unseen corner into his own spell. He wasn't prepared for such an attack, as his hold over his own spell failed, and the combined arcane might spilled over into the surrounding area.

In an angry flash of lightning Dra'nahb was thrown from where he stood. His senses dulled by the ringing its bang left in his ears. Yet he remembered the danger, the fool who wished him dead, and with what he could manage got back on his hooves. He dared a look toward his arcane attacker with what time he had before Andur inevitably charged. A pink pony stared back at him, as a part of him that he was long unacquainted with seethed with anger.

“I'll make you suffer Andur, you and all your friends for what you've done to them!” Without another word he bolted down the street, one more reason for him to continue with his work, one more reason to make them all pay.

Andur got up as quickly as he could, his enemy’s strange show of anger was unheeded as he hurried to catch him. He heard Pinkie call out to him, for him to wait, and his curiosity bid him to cast a glance back. To see her waving toward Fluttershy to hurry, but he couldn't wait. He was so close, he could end it all. It would just take a single blow.

He didn't busy himself with their fate anymore, he turned back to the fleeing lich, as it ducked under low hangings and cast spells out around him. Whatever Dra'nahb did, it wouldn't matter. He was strong, he was fast, and he would have justice done this day. Every memory in his mind called out for it, and they would not be unheard.

“Andur! Slow down!” Pinkie cried out in front, before taking a moment to look at the pegasus that troubled herself greatly to keep up. Andur cleared another pile of rubble with a leap that Pinkie could barely replicate upon such uneven ground. Fluttershy easily flew over it, but she wasn't flying fast enough to stay with them. She had to pick one of them, or risk losing them both.

“Andur, you got to slow down, she can't keep up with us!” He didn't respond, not even a backward glance. “Andur!” Her cry was cut short as magic tore through the air, sending rubble from the tops of buildings careening down upon them. Andur barely missed a step as what could only be described as pebbles to him rattled off his armor, but Pinkie who was in the way of the blast had to halt. With Girda firmly in her hooves, she let loose a quick rip of notes that erupted into a silver brilliance around her, and even if they didn't hit her body she felt them rock the barrier as she struggled to keep it alive.

She cast a glance back to Fluttershy, only to witness a boulder twice her size almost colliding into her friend's meek form. At the last moment, with fear pouring from those swelled eyes, the rock merely exploded into a fine mist as the wave of force sent out by Pinkie merely echoed its musical chord into the distance.

“Fluttershy!?” She called out to the obscuring screen of dust.

A few weak coughs answered her, alongside a quickly spoken, “I'm okay Pinkie.”

Her admission wasn't good enough for her friend, and she was over to her as the dust settled in a flash. Pinkie's worry seemed for naught, despite a bit of grayness thanks to the dust and a slight cough, Fluttershy was spotless. “We got to hurry.” She knew, deep down in her pink brain, that something was off. Big bad meanies didn't just run off without a reason, and this lich fellow seemed to be rather tricky himself.

Whatever the issue, the duo took off, determined to catch up to their friend. It wasn't that hard, even in the ruined city, the marks of spells cast by the lich to slow the cleric were everywhere. They followed every singed wall, frozen street, and melted rock which bubbled with acidic vapors. If was tough going but their effort did not go unrewarded, as Pinkie scaled the last obstacle Fluttershy pointed out a flash of light in the distance, an angry echo accompanying its brilliance.

They redoubled their efforts, and before long they were witness to the aftermath of that lightshow. Before them was an old courtyard. One that may have been used for public events now silent and unburdened by the trample of day to day life. Many streets and causeways seemed to lead to this place, a few seemed to go towards the center of the city. Whatever the case was the peaceful rest of this area seemed finally breached by the forces that had clashed within it recently. There were fresh scars within its confines, as well as fresh bodies scattered about. Sightseeing however was not their purpose, so Pinkie began looking for any sign as to where their quarry had gone.

“There!” Pinkie cried as she caught the tail end of Andur disappearing around a corner just out of sight.

“Pinkie...”

The meek warning was lost as the pink blur shot around the corner to witness her friend gaining on a dark figure. Her elation soon molded into concern as she heard a terrified shriek, one all too familiar. She looked back into the courtyard she had sped through in an instant, and saw what the purpose of Andur's blinding flash had been.

A corpse waddled its way about, slightly charred and ashen from fighting, still seemingly dazed from whatever power it had barely resisted. Yet its movements had purpose, slowly snaking its way towards a yellow pegasus. Whose eyes were locked upon the terrifying thing, legs locked still in a desperate attempt to deny that she had been seen. Worse still, it wasn't the only body beginning to move from the aftermath of the battle they had missed.

Pinkie looked back down the street, “Andur!” He didn't pause. “Andur please! Fluttershy is in danger, I need your help!” If he cared it did not show, as he disappeared into a structure after the lich he so richly wished to catch. Then Pinkie was filled with horror, as the doors to the building slammed shut behind him with a familiar arcane shape springing to life upon it. For a moment time seemed to freeze as Pinkie watched it glow brilliantly, the air about her hissed with the power it was giving off from even the great distance she was from it. Then, in a single moment of silence, it detonated. The force of the blast sent her reeling into the courtyard, and even though her ears rang she could still hear the structure collapsing into the earth. All right before her head cracked against something solid and everything went dark.