Sandbar weaved a snapping jaw aimed at him, running to a dead guard he spotted nearby with a discarded spear and shield.
With a desperate lunge, Sandbar snatched the weapon in his teeth, the salty taste of sweat filling his mouth as he sunk his teeth into the cloth handle. He pivoted, aiming the spear tip at an insectoid creature diving towards him. It screeched in mid-flight, oblivious to the weapon. In a sickening crunch, it impaled itself on the spear. Its twitching body skewered before it could reach him as it decayed into dust.
Taking the fallen shield, he brandished it on his other arm and smashed it together with the spear he held in his mouth, generating a series of loud clangs and bangs. His actions were rewarded with the attention of a group of curses running towards him, their screeches turning into a chorus of enraged roars. Perfect. Sandbar backed away, leading the curses on a merry chase, using the shield to deflect any stray attacks.
The further he ran, the more curses gathered to give chase. With each pounding hoofbeat, a fresh wave of curses surged after him, their guttural roars fueling his desire not to get munched on. Sweat beaded on Sandbar's brow, stinging his eyes as he darted between shattered crystal structures. He glanced back, heart hammering against his ribs.
"Um, guys, a little help!?" he bellowed, his voice hoarse.
A blur of blue and orange streaked past him. Smolder, eyes narrowed in concentration, slashed a bird curse out of the sky with a fiery claw.
"I thought you said forget about the plan?" she shouted back,
"I meant, forget about creating a more detailed plan!!"
Slipping past a crystal house, he swerved sharply, leading the pursuing curses into the narrow space between the house and another building before he darted back onto the main street, hoping that it provided some use to slow down the wave of curses. Turning back, Sandbar skittered to a halt, trying to catch his breath. Only to see the house erupting from the raging curses chasing him.
His "Oh crap!" was mixed with a more feminine "Yeah!" as Yona rocketed past him, charging headfirst into the curses, bowling through them like pins and sending them flying in numerous directions. Smolder and Silverstream didn't miss a beat, diving from above to slash and claw at the helpless beasts, rendering them asunder.
Another loud screech pierced the air, this time nearer to the hippogriff. Silverstream, her mane bristling, whipped her head towards the source of the sound. Several griffon curses came barreling down from the side, their razor-sharp talons glinting in the fading light.
Just as Silverstream was about to be tackled by a flock of those things, a triumphant cry and an ambush from Gallus forced most of the flying curses off course as he sliced through the air at incredible speeds. That proved less than brilliant, as he was soon overwhelmed by said curses mounting him from above, dragging him down into the ground below with their combined weight and strength. Foreign nails dug into his fur coat, drawing slivers of blood.
"Get your stinking talons off me!" Gallus protested, his voice strained as he fought to dislodge the creature.
Just then, a flurry of activity exploded around him. A stray magic beam, fired by Ocellus in a desperate attempt to help, lanced past Gallus's feathers and struck the curse's side. The curses screeched in pain, momentarily loosening its grip. Simultaneously, Smolder singed many of the curses' underside with a well-aimed burst of flame, forcing it to recoil further.
This brief window of opportunity was all Silverstream needed. With a burst of speed, she dove towards the struggling Gallus, expertly manoeuvring beneath him and catching him securely on her back just as the freed curse tumbled away with a frustrated roar.
He landed with a hitch in his breath, surprising Silverstream as she turned her neck to check on him. "Are you alright, Gallus?"
Gallus offered her a weak attempt at a grin, but it quickly contorted into a grimace. He gingerly reached back with one wing, brushing against a particularly nasty gash on his back. A crimson stain bloomed on his feathers, spreading outwards like a macabre flower.
"Just peachy," he muttered, his voice strained as she nodded.
"We need to get you to Ocellus," she said decisively. "She can heal that."
Gallus shook his head, his defiance flickering back to life. "No way. We can't afford to lose another fighter. Besides, these scratches are nothing compared to what some of those… things…" he trailed off.
"They're bad," Silverstream finished for him. "But you're hurt, Gallus. We need you at your best if we're going to win this."
Silverstream's head snapped as a screech drew close. Folding her wings over the resting Gallus, she performed a barrel roll over a curse plummeting for her, narrowly dodging it by a feather.
"Smolder! I need you to cover me for a sec! Gallus is hurt, and we need to get him to Ocellus!"
Smolder glanced over her shoulder, taking in Gallus's pained expression with a single, sharp look.
"Understood!" she roared back. "You two get yourselves patched up. We'll hold the line!"
Silverstream knew they couldn't waste any time. With a powerful beat of her wings, she carefully descended towards Ocellus's position. As she touched down, she spotted Ocellus huddled behind a half-collapsed crystal pillar, her horn glowing faintly from her fired shots earlier.
"Ocellus!" Silverstream called out. "we need your help!"
The changeling's head snapped up, her ears swivelling towards the sound. Her eyes widened in alarm when she saw Silverstream dismount and gently lower a wounded Gallus to the ground beside her.
"What happened?" Ocellus gasped, rushing to Gallus's side and kneeling beside him. She carefully examined the gash on his back, her brow furrowing in concern. "This looks nasty. The curses got you?"
Gallus winced as Ocellus's horn hovered over the wound, a soft blue light emanating from it. "Y-yeah, my guard was down," he grumbled, his voice tight with pain. "Managed to snag me good before Smolder fried it."
Silverstream dipped her head in acknowledgement. "He needs healing, Ocellus. And fast."
The changeling nodded. "I'll do what I can,"
That was all the confirmation Silverstream needed before taking to the skies, the urgency of a blistering wind against her face. She surged upwards, powerful wingbeats carving a path through the smoke-choked air and finding herself next to Smolder. Each strong flap of her wings propelled Smolder forward as she unleashed another torrent of flame, temporarily halting an approaching wave of curses and burning some to cinders. The heat radiated outwards, even reaching the two from high above, causing a bead of sweat to roll down Silverstream's brow.
"They just *huff* keep coming," Smolder said flaggingly.
"Where's Sandbar and Yona?" Silverstream questioned.
"Shes... Oh crap! Over there!" Smolder points to the earth-bound duo.
Sandbar and Yona were standing back to back, fighting with the desperation of cornered animals, Sandbar's makeshift weapons flashing in the fading light. Valiant as it were, they were vastly outnumbered, a small island slowly being swallowed by a dark, surging sea of curses.
Sandbar tried jabbing his spear outward, but it did little as the monster encroached closer and closer. Silverstream and Smolder dived down, their wings folded against their bodies. As they drew closer, a loud "Oof!" forced Smolder's eyes up. Silverstream, caught in a flock of curses, was sent hurdling off course into the grassy fields nearby.
"Silverstream!" Smolder called out.
"Nevermind me! Help Yona! Help Sandbar!"
Smolder relents, shaking her head as she continues her dive into the fight, huffing another breath of fire around them, a searing wave that temporarily clears the frontal horde of curses, forcing the rest to jump back with startled screeches.
Landing with a heavy thud beside Sandbar and Yona, Smolder coughed up a plume of smoke and ash, a claw to her throat. Regardless of her pain, she powered through, forcing in an inhale and releasing the largest cloud of fire she had ever done in her life. The heat radiated outwards with an almost tangible force, scorching the earth itself and leaving a crater in its wake. The intensity was great as she turned her head in a circular direction, the deep orange and crimson momentarily turning a brilliant blue before dying down, wiping out the remaining curses in front of the trio in one shoot of fire.
The wave of heat that washed over Yona and Sandbar wasn't just scorching; it felt like a physical blow. Each breath they took felt like inhaling molten air, searing their lungs. Sweat beaded on their foreheads, instantly evaporating in the intense heat. The only reason they weren't burnt along with the curses was due to a magical shield conjured by Ocellus shielding them from the brunt of the high temperatures. A barren wasteland had replaced the once densely packed horde of curses. The earth seemed to have melted under the inferno, leaving behind a smouldering crater and gooey crystal stretching outwards like a grotesque scar.
Smolder collapsed onto one knee, her chest heaving with ragged gasps that turned into choked coughs. Tears filled her eyes as blood sputtered out with each breath. Sandbar rushed over to the fallen dragon, followed by Yona.
"Smolder!" They cried in unison.
"Smolder did it! We won!" Yona declared,
"... I'm not so sure..." Smolder said through coughs, pointing at another horde approaching.
Sandbar's heart sank as he followed Smolder's trembling claw to the horizon, where another swarm of curses approached through the massive throng. Some resembled towering dragons, their scales glowing with an unnatural purple light and wings leathery and tattered. Others scuttled on multiple insectoid legs, their mandibles dripping with a viscous green ooze that sizzled where it touched the ground. Either way, their eerie screeches cut through the air like knives, adding to the increasing piles of things they had to deal with.
Just then, a blur of blue and green slammed into them with the force of a battering ram. Yona, Sandbar, and the still form of Smolder went tumbling in a heap of entangled bodies. Sandbar, momentarily stunned, coughed as dust and debris rained down on them.
Yona disentangled herself with a snort, her eyes widening as she recognized the newcomers. It was Ocellus, her horn glowing faintly despite the exertion. Silverstream, with several claw marks running across her body and a few deep puncture wounds near her shoulders, with a very dusty Gallus. Though his back wound wasn't healed, it looked to have stopped bleeding, giving him some respite. However, mirroring Silverstream, he had multiple claw marks running through his body, some dangerously close to his eyes.
Sandbar, still cradling Smolder, looked over to the five. "Another wave is coming." He gestured towards the horizon with a trembling hoof, "We have to use it."
"You mean that friendship beam Princess Twilight uses?" Silverstream questioned.
"Duh," Gallus added.
"But how? We don't really use it on command or have the Elements of Harmony..." Ocellus asked.
"No, but we have something else," Sandbar said, standing up. "We have each other. And that's enough."
Huddling together, a rising warmth soothed their pain. This warmth, this feeling of unity, wasn't new. They had felt it countless times before – on adventures, during celebrations, and in the quiet moments of shared understanding.
As they drew closer, their magic, fueled by their bond and the gravity of the situation, began to hum in sync. It pulsed through their veins, a familiar energy that sent shivers down their spines.
Their forms began to glow, not with the harsh brilliance of individual spells but with a soft, ethereal luminescence that emanated from within. It started as a gentle pulse, a flicker in their chests, then blossomed outwards, bathing them in a soft, welcoming light. Even their eyes now shined with this newfound radiance.
The glow grew brighter, pushing back the oppressive darkness that had choked the battlefield. The approaching wave of curses faltered, their grotesque forms recoiling from the unexpected brilliance. The curses at the forefront released a startled screech, their evil eyes flickering in confusion.
Floating in a circle, the six friends combined their magic, swirling the force around them like a miniature nebula. Unleashing a sea of rainbow across the entire battleground, they flooded the curses with the power of unity. It was a wave of pure harmony, a cleansing force. Wherever the light touched, shrieks would soon be followed. From the skies to the ground, no curse was safe. Their hideous forms dissolve into wisps of dark smoke, some vaporising into cinders, leaving behind nothing.
The blinding rainbow beam pulsed for a heart-stopping moment then began to recede. The air crackled with the fading magic, and the six friends, all drained, slowly descended back to the ground. Their ethereal glow dimmed, revealing weary faces and trembling bodies, the toll of the attack etched on their features.
Slowly, yet hesitantly, Yona lowered her hoof to the ground. It was warm, the faint embers radiating a dying magic.
One by one, the others followed suit, landing with tired sighs. Silverstream surveyed the scene, her gaze lingering on the smouldering crater where Smolder had unleashed her inferno. "Is... is it over?" she whispered.
"I think so..." Ocellus offered a hesitant reply.
The six sank onto their rumps, hanging their heads from exhaustion while Sandbar, with heavy hooves, discarded the spear and shield. The eerie silence that accompanied them vanished as the ground rumbled beneath them.
Two monstrous pony heads, fused side-by-side in a permanent scream, glared at them. Razor-sharp mandibles, the size of ponies themselves, snapped shut with a deafening clang. Before Yona could even react, they clamped down on her front legs, eliciting a bloodcurdling scream from the yak.
"Yona!" Sandbar roared,
The ground continued to crumble, revealing the segmented body of the centipede stretching out far beyond their sight. It coiled and uncoiled with a sickening rhythm, the earth shuddering with each movement. With a sickening crunch, the centipede slammed Yona's body against them, sending the remaining five friends flying backwards.
Ocellus, caught off guard, smashed into a house window. The back of her head connected with the top edge of the crystal wall where it fused with the window with a sickening crack as it jolted her head forward. Glass rained down on her as she slumped unconscious amidst the debris, hanging on the crystal wall where the window used to occupy.
Gallus wasn't as fortunate as he slammed into a nearby lamppost with a thud. The impact reopened his back wound with a horrifying spray of blood. A scream tore from his throat, and his wings spasm from the wave of pain travelling up his spine.
Silverstream and Smolder instinctively snapped their wings open, slowing their travelling velocity and taking to the air.
Smolder immediately retaliated with another breath of fire. Only managing a sputter of flame before being replaced by a violent coughing fit. Blood, a crimson tide, erupted from her throat, staining her chest, belly, and scales in her own disgusting red. Her claws shot up to cover her mouth, but it did nothing for her as she doubled over, crumpling to the ground, her wings too tired to continuously keep her afloat.
Smolder would've landed hard if not for Silverstream's intervention, but even she looked to be wincing in pain from her deep shoulder wounds. The exertion had ripped open the gashes, the metallic tang of blood staining her fur and feathers, painting her arms.
Slowly, Silverstream brought the dragon to the ground, Smolder's claws clinging to her stinging throat as tears slid down her cheeks. But the large yak's barreling form snapped them from their concerns. The strength of the impact sent all three of them sprawling across the ground in a heap of fur, feathers, and scales.
Disoriented and struggling to breathe, Silverstream blinked through the haze of pain. Yona lay sprawled on top of them both, her belly facing the sky. Her legs twitched uselessly beneath her. Rolling to her side with a grunt, Yona attempted to stand, but her front legs crumpled beneath her weight, sending a fresh jolt of pain shooting up her punctured leg. Her jaw slammed against the ground with a thud, a pained moan escaping her lips.
Sandbar was the last one launched by the centipede's brutal swing. While the others collided with solid objects, the force of the blow sent him tumbling in a more forgiving arc. Unlike his friends, his flight path wasn't broken by a window, a lamppost, or the crushing weight of Yona.
He skidded across the rough earth, the friction tearing at his fur. His hooves dug desperately for purchase, muscles screaming in protest as he tried to slow his descent. Sandbar gritted his teeth, the impact rattling his already bruised body.
The world spun for a moment before he finally came to a rest, sprawled on the outskirts of the carnage. He lay there, gasping for breath, the air stinging his lungs. The world seemed to tilt and sway, his vision blurry at the edges. A choked cough racked his body, and he coughed up a spray of dirt. Panic clawed at his throat.
Being sent the furthest from the group, he had a clear visual of the curse. Upon laying eyes on the creature, his heart began to hammer a frantic rhythm against his ribs. Cold sweat erupted on his forehead, a clammy sheen that traced a sheet down his face as he watched the creature writhe in the distance. His breaths hitched in his throat, each gasp desperate for more air.
The curse's body was segmented and impossibly long, swayed in a hypnotic tempo, each pair of sickly green hooves clicking against the ravaged earth. Its two pony heads dangled in the sky, its body hunched over and staring at them with predatory eyes.
Its green saliva dripped down its chin and onto the pavement floor, the stench of iron heavy. Interestingly, even at this far of a distance, Sandbar could see flecks of blue across its teeth, focusing intently. The horrifying realisation that it held blue feathers between its teeth is no coincidence. Memories of that day brought the taste of bile to his mouth, his lips quivering helplessly as he was.
"It's the same curse from back then." Sandbar's hooves began to tremble at the thought, and a cold dread snaked its way through him, tightening his throat. Sandbar snapped his head to his friends. Maybe, just maybe, they could use the Friendship Beam again. But the thought died stillborn as his gaze swept across their forms.
Ocellus lay slumped unconscious amidst the debris from the shattered window, her horn dim and lifeless. Smolder, who was cradled in Silverstream's trembling grip, coughed weakly. The teal hippogriff herself didn't fare much better. Her plumage hung limp, stained crimson from fresh wounds. And Yona, along with Gallus, lay sprawled on the ground. Simply put, none of them had the energy to utilise the attack. Despair threatened to consume Sandbar, a dark tide threatening to drown him in its icy grip.
"Is this the end?" Sandbar slumped down, tears welling up in his eyes, blurring his vision. The world seemed to shrink around him, "Am I really helpless?" he choked out,
Suddenly, a sound shattered the oppressive silence, startling the saddened Sandbar. A distorted booming reverberated through the ground, accompanied by a faint glowing light, and an ominous energy gripped him from behind. Twisting around, he managed to hold back a sniffle as a katana greeted him, the hilt still being held by a severed human hand. Sandbar easily recognised it as Yuta's, but seeing no sight of the sorcerer nearby, he deduced he was in the midst of fighting someone important.
Well, that wasn't important right now. What's more intriguing was how much the katana emanated cursed energy. Even being in such close proximity sent an unnerving feeling through Sandbar. The sudden arrival of the disembodied hand, radiating a potent aura of cursed energy, jolted a memory loose from the recesses of his mind.
Cursed spirits can only be exorcised by using cursed energy.
Sandbar's eyes fell back onto the katana, his lips creasing from his clenched jaw. He knew what he had to do.
He found the answer.