//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Hide // Story: A Time to Act // by The Sonic Mage //------------------------------// For the vast majority of her life, Chrysalis had been on top of the food chain. At the very least, she had been high up on it. She had been the predator, skillfully stalking her prey from the shadows, watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. She had been the one luring helpless, foolish ponies into her trap, getting them in close. All the while her chosen targets would be shaking with fear or be none the wiser. She had been the hunter. It was only recently that Chrysalis had been made familiar with the sensation of being towards the bottom of the food chain, of being the hunted instead. Suffice it to say, Chrysalis did not like the feeling. It made her feel small, helpless, and powerless. Like her life could be snuffed out at any minute. Which is exactly how she felt at this very moment, as some kind of horrendous beast, that she had yet to lay eyes on, crept towards her hiding place. The sounds the creature made as it moved were grotesque. It sounded like creaking wood mixed with the cracking of stiff joints. And the heat it gave off, the insufferable, creeping heat just made the matter worse. She had to move. Chrysalis simply had to move. If she stayed where she was she would be certainly done for. If she managed to slip away, there would be a chance for survival. She looked around trying to find a good spot to move to. The creature was getting closer. Time was of the essence. She spotted it. Over on her right. The remains of a two-story house. Not ideal but it would do. The sounds of deep, hollow breathing dominated her hearing. The crawling shadow cast by the light of the beast made clear that time was of the essence. If she was going to move to the house, she was going to need a distraction. Taking hold of a small stone within her reach, Chrysalis threw it as far as she could in the opposite direction of her chosen destination. To the Changeling’s relief, the stone caused a clattering sound when it landed. The creature she was hiding from made a low growling sound, before the groaning, creaking sounds of its body moved towards the spot where the stone landed. Seizing the opportunity, Chrysalis quickly, but quietly made her way to the old shattered house. She dared not look back at the monster that had been stalking her, focusing only on reaching her chosen hiding spot. Chrysalis had made it about two-thirds of the way to the remains of the house. ‘Once I get there I can make a plan to get out of here. Just need to make as little noise as possible getting in–’ *SNAP* Naturally, the Ex-Queen had jinxed herself in the most typical way possible. Looking down with dread, she saw her hoof resting atop a freshly crushed wooden rod. *GRRRRRRRRRRRR* Chrysalis’s pupils became pin-pricks, as one word returned to her mind. ‘RUN’ So she did just that. ‘Don’t look back. Don’t look back. Don’t look back. Do NOT look BACK!’ That was all that played in Chrysalis’s head as she bolted for the door of the shattered house. The thunderous steps of the creature behind her were great motivation to keep moving. Steps that were getting closer, louder, bringing with them a heat that felt like it could burn away her wings and mane if she let it get too close. With rapid breath and great effort, The Ex-Queen leaped for the ruined building’s front door, spreading her wings, hoping to get a little more distance out of her jump. To her fortune, she made the distance. Even more fortunate, the door was unlocked. To her detriment, however, all hopes of using the structure as a quiet holdout had been dashed. Closing the door behind her and pushing the toppled remains of a cabinet in front of it, Chrysalis’s mind raced as she tried to think of some kind of plan. The rattling of the haphazard barricade she’d made, derailed any detailed thoughts she was forming. As her eyes darted about the space, she focused on the rickety stairs leading to the second floor. With no other clear options and a monster on her tail, she followed her instincts, racing up the rotten steps as the beast began to crack to barricade. Ducking into the first open room she could see, she found herself almost falling back down to the first floor, as the room lacked one of its own. *WHAM* The door wasn’t going to hold much longer. Regaining her bearings, Chrysalis rushed into the next room. She found it bare, lacking anything other than rubble from the ceiling. ‘There’s no chance of me hiding in–’ *CRASH* The sound of the barricade shattering signaled she was out of both time and options. Reflexively, and regrettably, Chrysalis wheeled around, looking back towards the source of the sound. Her instincts were rewarded with the sight of a flaming mass quickly clawing its way up the stairs. The Ex-Queen stumbled back from the sight into the room behind her. She was cornered. Literally. Stuck between a wall and a flaming monster. A monster that was making its way over to her. Groaning, creaking, and crackling with every movement. A large, skeletal, clawed hand reached through the doorway, the rest of the beast soon to follow. Despite the fear that filled every fiber of her being, Chrysalis forced herself to not look away. If this was her end, then she was going to face it. That was difficult to do, however, as the burning beast pulled itself through the doorway. The heat and light emanating from it forced Chrysalis to squint her eyes to the point of them being practically closed, unable to make out her assailant. It felt like she was going to fry right then and there. No magic, no weapons, no options, no time. The monstrosity must have gotten right up to her face at this point. All she could do was wait for it all to cut to black. Then the heat faded. The light dropped. Silence reigned. ‘…Is this it?… Am I dead?’ Chrysalis wondered for a moment if the beast had left, but even with her eyes practically closed she could still feel a presence in the room with her. Then a low, reverberating voice reached her ears. “Who…Are…You?”