“How long will this take?” The cloaked figure was bored out of his mind. Anonymous has been shooting that weak beam of thermal energy into that lock for what feels like hours, when really it’s only been 9 minutes. It’s long enough for a B-Story that won’t be covered.
“The drill is a piece of shit. Yet, it’s working. I’d give it a few seconds, an extra forty if I have to recharge.” Anonymous was sweating, not because of his exhaustion, but due to the heat he was generating on his horn. He internally thanks himself that he read that book on fire magic when he first got here.
“Foul language doesn’t conquer Equestria little pony.”
“Cool, are you going to say anything productive, like any strategy, how to get out of here, or even light conversation?”
“Fine! I know where the exit is, Cerberus always takes the same route to leave outside to do his business, the strategy for him is to evade his gaze a howl from him could bring us back to his clutches.” The cloaked figure is tired of waiting, the patience was already lost within. He’s so close to finally leaving this place.
“Well, I’m sure that’ll be fine. If we go together, then it’s an alliance.” He shoots an extra beam and finally melts the lock, with a kick he forced the door to the cage to swing open. The cloaked figure is pleased with this result, finally getting off the ground and to stand at his door’s cage. Anonymous quickly takes a peek at Cerberus, the dog licking its own crotch. “How does that count as mastur—I should shut up.”
“Quickly little pony. We don’t have much time.” The cloaked figure revealed its arms, the bony red arms finally extend themselves. With his yellow eyes peering from the darkness of his hood. Anonymous doesn’t mind this actually, it’s interesting.
“Got it. This should be easier from this way.” With Anonymous peering the lock, he jammed his horn inside the hole and gave it a beam of fire towards the lock’s innards himself. He quickly retreated his horn back and watched as the new party member pushed the door open.
“Excellent.” The new cloaked figure stretched his legs. The old bones crack and pop back into place, a deep groan escapes the old man. “Perhaps there are good ponies around.”
Anonymous flinched at the comment. “Sounds very racist. Alright.”
Anonymous earned was a very eager ‘hmm?’ from his new friend. “You’ve seen it before haven’t you? You didn’t call it creaturism, or anti-friendship rhetoric. You’ve been around more than just Equestria.” He speaks with slightly more respect, a hand against his chin, his body leaning in to inspect Anonymous
“Yeah? I’ve been around.” Anonymous takes a step back from this impromptu inspection. “So should we get going, or are we here to explain terms? It’s only a matter of time before Cerberus turns around.”
“It’s simple. He never inspects our cages, so long as we are patient. He…” He shows down his speech as he watches Anonymous walks towards the stairs. His arm stretched and snatches Anonymous’s tail. “You fool! You can’t handle the beast up front!”
“Shut up. I know how to fight.” Anonymous pulls his tail out of his hands, the weak grip letting him go. He doesn’t bother to turn to face the figure.
“This isn’t about fighting! Cerberus can will you back to his location and toss you in!” His voice is growing more furious.
“Oh cool, I can absorb that. Just have to time it.”
“You can what?” His anger died down suddenly, a shift in his eyes signify interested.
“Absorb magic, why?”
“Interesting…go on.” He pats Anonymous on the back, he walks forward automatically again. Anonymous still has no clue why he does that.
With Anonymous looking down the stairs, he dips a hoof to touch the first step. Immediately he felt Magic absorb into the hoof exposed and attempt to flow into his body, however it was cut off by the main platform of the mountain. “Rejection field. Interesting…” He ponders, ’this was specifically designed to prevent magic from being used, or absorbed. This guy behind me did say he can absorb magic, how did Cerberus know to place me here? I didn’t expose any of my magic absorption ability, unless he knows something.’
Anonymous lets his entire body out of the top of the mountain. His body takes the intense magic in the air and made him shiver slightly. The tingling sensation of magic entering his body after not being able to absorb properly was not something he’s used to. It feels good to him. It’s a high he can’t chase.
Cerberus’s tail twitched and turned around to face Anonymous barking at him. Anonymous didn’t need to know what he’s saying to get the gist of it. They are going to throw down.
It’s been a while since Anonymous had a proper fight. He stretched his limbs out and cracked his neck before lowering his upper torso, his hooves sliding across the rock on the ground.
Cerberus howls the three heads aimed sky high, a wave of magic emits from its mouth. Anonymous was prepared for this and had to manually kick his absorption up a notch, letting the wave of magic slide into his body. It was invigorating, the magic of pony hell was blue flavored oddly enough.
With a huff anonymous kept walking down the stairs. Cerberus kept howling, Anonymous kept absorbing the magic being flung at him. Anonymous could risk a jump in, but he has to play the neutral. His hooves stay on the ground to prevent any unsafe movement that can be punished swiftly.
Cerberus began to open its middle head’s mouth wide open, a swirling mass of orange energy began to form. The form growing bigger with each bark the offset heads did, almost as if they were contributing to the magic.
Anonymous smiled and did what any sane person would do, run straight at Cerberus. His hooves kicking the side of the stairs and lunching him down them at an alarming rate.
With a bark from the middle head, a beam of energy flew straight towards Anonymous, but he had a plan. Anonymous howled, forcing the beam of energy to be displaced. Now instead of a beam heading towards Anonymous, it was facing towards Cerberus and blasting the dog with its own energy beam. The dog got pushed a considerable distance away, now standing just a few inches away from a drop. The dog barks aggressively at Anon.
“Oh? Didn’t like I used your own spell against you? It was weird having to Howl again…” Anonymous’ wasn’t sure if he was talking to the dog or himself. He didn’t care, he needed to let something out. “Polymorph was a fun spell you know?” Anonymous smiles, good memories flood him as he finally makes it to even ground against the guardian. “I wonder if Polymorph works with this body, but that’s for later.”
The dog barks confused at him. Yet, began to charge at him. The idea is to use its large size to pressure Anonymous. With a lunge the dog jumped to close the distance. Anonymous looked, unamused as he just grabbed Cerberus out of the air with his telekinesis. The flailing and barking of the dog to prevent the hold on his body were proven useless, as his limbs were eventually caught and held in place.
“Now normally I wouldn’t be able to lift you, but considering this place is full of magic. Perhaps it was a mistake to let magic reject crystals lie around everywhere, because now all that magic,” He stands up on his hind legs, positioning his leg forward and pulling his foreleg to reel back. “Is going to me.” He twists his hips and focused magic into his hoof. It’s been a while since he got to do some monk stuff, why not test it on the hell dog?
He steps forward and lets his hoof make contact with Cerberus’ chest, causing the creature to fall down to the dirt and get locked in place. The limbs of the creature being held down by bands of magic. “There we go.” He hates to do it, but the spell also included a muzzle to prevent Cerberus from barking. It was their method to casting magic, so it’s best to be safe.
“Excellent my friend. Now, we have Tartarus to escape from. Now if you don’t mind.” The cloaked figure gripped Cerberus’ middle head, and lifted it up to face him. “You’ve been a thorn in my side for long enough.” His voice is angry, too angry. It made Anonymous slightly uncomfortable.
“So what are you gonna—“ Anonymous stopped talking as soon as he heard screams of terror. Cerberus’ magic was slowly streaming out of him. It went straight into his friend’s mouth, the once frail body of the cloaked figure slowly growing with life. Their once frail arms began to grow muscle, the upper torso was beefed up, and even the horse parts lost their gray and began to show a pure black coat.
“Haha. I am back!” The cloaked figure’s cloak began to rip apart. The figure behind the cloak ripped it off and showed his entirety. Anonymous looked at Cerberus and saw only a small black pit bull was leftover from the magic being absorbed. The troubling part is that Cerberus had no more magic, or at least had a silence spell placed upon him. Anxiety filling his body. He should’ve payed more attention to the mythos here. Anonymous slowly realized he made an alliance with someone dangerous.
Someone who can both force your body to reject magic and keep it that way. Someone who can physically alter their appearance with magic. Someone who can probably keep an infinite supply of power.
That someone…
Is Tirek.