Honor Above All Else
Chapter 18
By Honored Service
The sword sliced through the dark tentacle that exploded forth from the power room. Black goo rushed from the wound and sprayed out onto the office floor. Another two tentacles raced out from the room, trying to find grasp on my neck, but the swift cuts from the blade stopped them.
Simple! Simple? When the flying feather is it ever simple?
“Oh give me a freaking break!” I hollered out above the roar of the screaming monster in the power room. “And I though the snake thing was the Nightmare.”
It was.
A large tentacle wrapped around my leg and dropped me to my back. I reached out and grabbed a desk leg as the monster tried to pull me into the darkness that was beyond the door.
“Then what the fuck is this thing!?” I screamed as the desk leg snapped and I found myself closing in on the pitch blackness beyond the door.
I'm not exactly sure. It could just be another part of the Nightmare that was left behind, so that if you did beat the other half, another half would be left to continue on the fight. That’s what I would have done, and since the Nightmare was me, I’d bet bits on that’s what this is.
“That’s really interesting, thanks.” I said, “But that doesn’t help me at all!” I threw my arms out and caught the door frame as the Nightmare tried to yank me into the room. My fingers slowly began to slip from the door frame and I stared into the dark room. Fuck. I hope this works.
In one fluid motion, I let go of the frame and jerked the pistol from the holster. The slide was still open from when My Nightmare had fired it. If I still could conduct magic through my hand with the open wound to the bone, then hypothetically I could fire magic through the gun, right? Right?
I thought as hard as I could about focusing fire through my left hand and into the pistol. I pulled the trigger and held my breath as I was yanked into the darkness. Great spouts of fire exploded from the end of the pistol and ripped through the darkness around me, lighting the room up with flashes of orange.
“OH YEAH BABY!” I screamed as the darkness rushed by me while I fell through the darkness. Through the flashes of fire I could see turbines and copper coils. The power room. But I also saw Nightmare humans and those wonderful Nightmare gargoyle-humans. Everywhere.
SMACK
The wind came rushing out of me as I hit the solid rock floor. I coughed and felt something sticking through a lung. I rolled over and saw nothing in my chest, so I just assumed that it was a rib puncturing my lung. Awesome. Moments later the sting of the regenerating process kicked in and I clutched my chest and steadied myself against a support beam in the room.
“That’s the stuff! Oh yeah, love that burning tingling sensation.” I shock myself once the itching stopped and pounded my chest a couple times to make sure the bone was fixed. of course it was.
Listen, I'm sorry I couldn’t make it feel like a warm summer’s breeze, but dark magic isnt exactly good.
“You don’t say?” I branded my sword and looked around the dark room. Nightmare’s night vision helped, but I could tell that without it, I wouldn’t have been able to see an inch in front of my face. Well so much for simple, but I was well acquainted for dealing with situations of the complicated verity.
“From what I saw on the way down here, I’d say some of this equipment is still functional, so let’s head up and hit some switches and get this baby pumping. Nothing to it.”
And you think that it will be that –
“Yes, yes I do.” I sent fire along the blade of the sword and focused magic into the palm of my left hand, where the pistol was ready to work.
The room the Nightmare had dragged me into was a large storage area. The pale green walls were lined with boxes and crates of different sizes. If we had more time, I would totally stay and poke around and do some scavenging, but I kind of wanted to get out of this ancient city and back on my way to Canterlot.
From above, a group of gargoyle-humans dropped down and quickly surrounded me, cutting off the entrance to the stairs. Well so much for strolling out of here without a problem.
The pistol fired gouts of flame into one of the advancing creatures, while the sword hacked its way into another one’s skull. The Nightmares didn’t let up with their assault, but it was ultimately being stopped by magical fire and swift cuts from the sword.
“Hey if the pistol does this much extra damage, I wonder what the rifle does?” I asked myself and the Nightmare allowed, as the last demon feel forward, a neat five hole grouping in its chest.
Maybe we shouldn’t push this.
“Hmmmm… Nah.” I holstered the pistol and gripped the rifle in my left hand. Well this doesn’t feel awkward at all. Ugh, I can’t stand using it in the opposite hand. I rushed to the doorway leading into the stairwell and paused with my back against the wall. I leaned over and peaked into the darkness. I could make out a pair of glowing red eyes standing at the top of the first flight of stairs.
“GET SOME!” I jumped into the door frame and channeled the Nightmares magic into my palm and fired the rifle from my hip at the startled creature in front of me.
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHHHHHHHHHHH
The small space filled with intense light that caused me to shut my eyes tight as the M16 kicked in my hand like a mule. I opened my eyes to nothingness. I literally couldn’t see.
“Well shit.”
I was never one for ‘I told you so’.
“Yes you were.” I shot back, as the dim lights slowly came back into focus. I rubbed my eyes and blinked a few times, everything was coming back after that light show.
I know, I just like hearing you admit it.
“Well I like it when your mom – Damn.” I stared at what was left of the stairway leading up to the control room. I looked down to the rifle, the barrel of which was glowing bright red and smoking profusely, then back to the stairs, or where the stairs had been. The wall was completely black with goo and the wooden stairs where shattered and or on flames. Bullet holes nearly a foot across covered the walls, ceiling, and floor. I was speechless.
Tears began to fall off my cheeks and land on the still hot rifle with a faint hiss. “It’s so… beautiful. I… I think I'm in love with a weapon of amazing destruction.” I wept over the rifle as I slowly pulled out a fresh magazine and loaded it into the rifle.
******************************************************************************
“Really?” Fast Skies asked while crossing her forelegs in front of her. “You love that weapon?”
The human unslung the weapon and gave it a once over, examining all the scratches and dents and the tacky cat's claw above the magazine feed. The afternoon sun that poured in from the windows reflected off the scope while Honored stroked the rifle. “Of course I don’t love a weapon that would be crazy!” As Sky settled back into her seat, the human turned around to re-sling the weapon.
“Of course I love you M16A2. You're a good girl.”
He turned around to see the ponies staring at him, and Fast Skies giving him a death glare.
"So… um where were we. Hehehe.”
*****************************************************************************
“Oh shit!” I leaped backwards as the claws raked the air as I dodged backwards. The new stairwell that I had to take to the control room was inhabited by nightmare shadow demons on every. Fucking. Level.
Figuring that I had to climb three floors to reach the power room, I was progressing at an astonishing one floor an hour. Sense I had just cleared floor number one, it was going to take all day to get to the top.
Think of it this way Honored. There are a lot of nightmares. A lot of nightmares.
I drove the hilt of the sword into a gargoyle’s face and used the knife to stab into its neck, before blasting it with a stream of fire from my open palm.
So this must, no has to be the last Nightmare stronghold, or else there wouldn’t be so many of them. Silver lining.
A nightmare grabbed my arm and shoved its arm length shadow blade through my stomach. “FUCK!” I yanked the pistol out and shoved the barrel into the things eye and blew its gooey black brain all over the wall. “Yeah, a real silver lining!” I spat out blood as the sting of regeneration kicked in and I shoved a boot heel into the dead body. “You know what, fuck this.” I shook the sword around in the air, putting out the fire and placed it in the sheath on my back. I brought out the rifle and readied it in my left hand.
No, I thought we discussed this.
“We did, but this time I'm going to try semiautomatic.” I smiled and flicked the small switch up to single fire mode.
Are you kidding me?
“Nope.”
SHHH-CRACK
A jagged line of pure energy flew from the barrel and struck a nightmare square in its chest as it rounded the corner of large room.
BOOM
The retort of the rifle firing sounded just like thunder, and the clear crack of lightning as the magical bullet exited the barrel and traveled to the target, and the boom of thunder from the impact. “Wow that worked a lot better than I thought it would.”
And how did you think that was going to work?!
“Not sure, not like that though.” The rest of the second floor went much quicker as the lightning magic rounds punched through Nightmares left and right. And at one point, it went through four of them at once. Nightmare swore he didn’t see it, but I know he did.
A Nightmare began running towards the door with a large ‘3’ on it. Two lightning shots rang out and the creature collapsed to the ground, both of its legs blown apart at the knee. I walked over to the door and reached out for the handle while placing the barrel of the gun at the gargoyle’s head.
SHHH-CRACK
BOOM
“Ewww gross!” I looked down at the black goo that was splattered all over my boots and pants leg. “Damn.” The door was locked. Well this really put a huge damper on my plan.
I stepped backed and planted a kick right above the handle of the door. The frame splinted under the kick and the door flew open revealing a long corridor, with a closed door at the end. The only thing that was stopping me from waltzing right in was the lack of Nightmares and darkness from the hallway. It was well lit and Nightmare free.
The rifle dropped to my side, and I pulled the duster around so it covered the rifle and the pistol holster. I cautiously took a step into the hallway.
And nothing happened.
I took another.
And still nothing happened.
I walked down the entire hallway without fighting a single thing. Not uttering a single curse word. No firing. No slicing, hacking or slashing. Just a simple walk down a hallway to the door marked, ‘Power Control’.
“Well, let’s end this.” I reached out and opened the door. As the door opened, four tentacles wrapped themselves around both my arms and both legs and pulled me into the darkness before I could manage to grab any weapon.
“SO ONCE MORE YOU STUMBLE INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE NIGHTMARE. BUT THIS TIME YOU SHALL NOT ESCAPE. DEATH WILL OVERCOME YOU HUMAN.” The same loud earth shaking voice that the entire Nightmare consciousness had caused the whole room to tremble as it spoke.
“YOU HAVE CHOSEN YOUR FATE. YOU SEEK TO DESTROY US, SO YOU SHALL BE DESTROYED IN THE PROCESS.” A dim red light filled the room. I found myself staring at the mother of all gargoyle-humans. Easily twenty feet tall and talons as long as my forearm covering each of its four arms. It stepped up to me and one of the arms turned into a blade five feet long, and glowing in sickly black magic. Dark magic, and there was no regenerating from that stuff.
“I didn’t want to be this.” I whimpered out. Oh time to have some fun.
“WHAT?” The blade arm pulled back from my throat.
“I never wanted to be hero for Equestria.” I let out a fake sob. I would have covered my face with my hands and really sobbed, but the four shadow tentacles were holding firm.
Nightmare, I need to burst these tentacles from me when I give you the signal.
And what’s the signal?
Trust me, you'll know.
“I wanted to be a farmer.” I coughed out between snotty sobs. The Nightmare was eating this stuff up! Too easy.
“A FARMER?” Real confusion plagued the nightmare as it scratched its head with a long talon. Oh he was in for a hell of a surprise.
“Yeah, a lead farmer.” I pulled quickly at the tentacles, and right on cue, a burst of green flames shattered the shadows binding me to the floor releasing me from the grips of the Nightmare.
“Here’s my farm!” I jerked the pistol and rifle up simultaneously from underneath the duster. The pistol in the left hand and the rifle with the magic rounds from before in the right hand. Saying the Nightmare was caught off guard was an understatement.
Why do I feel like you were copying something from your old world?
“Because I was, now hush, you're killing the moment.” I said, while smirking and pulling the triggers on the weapons.
BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG
SHHH-CRACK
SHHH-CRACK
SHHH-CRACK
BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG
The rifle went dry and the pistol was smoking in my hand. The room was deathly quiet as I stared at the Nightmare in front of me. The look of surprise was still plastered on its face before the wall of magic fire and bullets tore its chest into a gaping hole of runny black goo.
“Ah…uhhhh…” Was all that the Nightmare was able to say before it collapsed backwards into a growing pool of goo that was quickly dissolving into thin air.
“Is that it?” I asked before a shriek to my right cut everything off. I lifted my arm and pointed the pistol into a solitary nightmare gargoyle.
BANG
Thump.
Now that’s it.
“Good.” I turned from the disappearing body of the Nightmare and walked to a console and slammed my fist down on a red button that simply stated ‘ON’. With a grinding noise and a shudder a few lights came on in the room.
“Wow. Fuck this.” I picked up a chair and hurled it through the console. I aimed the pistol and fired a dozen fire shots into the remains of the flashing monitors. Panting, I looked at the destruction before me and exited the room.
“All of that for three fucking lights?!” I kicked open the door leading out into the city. The sun was setting, but this time there was no swirling dust or screaming Nightmares. Just an empty city, waiting to be reclaimed by the surrounding desert. “Screw it, the Nightmares are dead right?”
Yes, I'm the last one as far as I know.
“Good! Then let’s just get back home!” I screamed into the air. “God damn it! Maybe I will go burn a village or something!” I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at my hands.
Are you alright Honored?
“Alright?” I threw my arms wide and laughed hysterically at the night sky. “Of course I'm alright Nightmare! I’ve only just spent the better part of two days fighting some shadow demons. Oh and the fact I know what it feels like to break my bones, get stabbed, impaled, and mind fucked by a Nightmare, and to have it all happen in only two days! I'm JUST FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC! And on top of that shit stack sandwich, I'm pretty sure I'm turning evil, because I just suggested to burn a damn village, and I meant it! But wait there’s more. Now it will take longer for me to die, so everpony around me will be long gone while I try to live with the knowledge that everypony I care about is dead!” I dropped to my knees in the middle of the desert and hung my head. I ran my hands through my short shaggy hair and groaned.
“I just want to stop being a killer. I'm really tired of being a hero. I just want to…to go home.”
Me too Honored. Me too.
For the first time since landing in Equestria, I was truly miserable. I had hit an all-time low and it wasn’t even making sense why I was feeling this way. The Nightmare was defeated and never coming back, but I still felt like shit. And nothing I could think about would change this heavy mood.
You know, this may be side effects from the powers I transferred over to you.
“Great, Awesome!” I threw the backpack off and slumped onto the sandy ground next to it. “Even more good news. It seems that I have inherited your bad side while you became less evil. Thanks, thanks a lot.” I crossed my arms and dropped my head into my knees.
“Mhhhmmhmhmmhmhmhphmhphm.”
What was that? I couldn’t hear you over the sound of acting like a scarred little filly.
“Excuse me!?” I shouted, jerking my head out of lap and glaring at a cactus across from me.
Look you have problems, I get it, but do you think that complaining and wallowing in your own pity is going to fix anything? Oh no you have to live longer, at least you're alive! If I hadn’t transferred some of my powers to you where would you be?
“Dead.” I mumbled out. I hated when Nightmare got all preachy on me, because usually he was right. Bastard.
Exactly! So buck up Honored. And what did you tell me when I was evil and about to kill you in Canterlot?
“Something about being a hero.”
Now is this how a hero should be acting?
“No.” A small smile appeared on my lips.
So pull yourself together! You’ve been away from Canterlot for almost nine months now. Don’t you think it’s about time we made it back?
“YES I do!” I jumped up and grabbed the pack by its top handle and began marching through the desert sand. Somehow the night sky seemed lighter and the stars shined a thousand times brighter. With a new spring in my step I climbed my way over dunes and hills.
For five days the Nightmare and me trekked through the desert, only stopping for sleep and finding water throughout the sandy landscape. During the travel nothing had happened. Nothing tried to kill me or attack me. Absolutely somewhat easy travel through the desert to the Southern border of Equestria.
On the sixth day, I reached the crest of a large sand dune and looked out before the landscape before me. The last stretch of the sandy dunes melted away and faded into a lush green jungle with a tall mountain climbing to heavens off in the distance. I did a double take and pulled out my worn and torn map. I traced a finger along the trail I had been making and stopped at somewhere along the border in front of me.
The Everfree forest.
“Shit.”
I looked back to the map. Instead of turning left at the Horsehead oasis, I seem to have taken a right. So I didn’t end up on the road leading to the border entrance gate…but here at the edge of the Everfree forest leading into Equestria… and it looked to be at least fifty miles thick at its thinnest point.
“Fuck.”
Is it not turning out to be that simp –
“Don’t. Fucking. Say. It.” I groaned out while sliding down the hill and began trudging my way towards the edge of the forest. But maybe since the Nightmare had been dealt with, my luck will turn around.
ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Can I say it now?
“No.” I pushed aside a large branch and walked into the dense underbrush of the Everfree forest. “Any clue to what made that sound?” I whispered out trying not step on the billions of branches scattered all over the ground.
Something big.
And hungry.
“Okay at least we’re on the same page.” And now it attacks.
I stood at the ready for the trees in front of me to explode apart and some ungodly creature to rush at me with the intent to maw me to pieces. With fangs. Lots of sharp fangs and claws.
But it never came. Whatever had made that noise wasn’t coming towards me. Yet.
So you just going to stand here all day waiting to get eaten by something, or are you going to actually get moving?
“I'm going! Geez I'm trying to be cautious for once and you’re rushing me along.” I hoped over a log and slapped a vine out of my face. There was still a good half a day of sunlight left, so I could put some distance into the forest before sunset.
Okay in all honestly has being cautious ever helped you?
“Hey it… well I mean it… one time… No.” I hung my shoulders and walked around a large moss covered rock. The faint sound of a stream broke through my shame and got louder the closer I moved towards an opening to a cave.
Now stop.
I stopped in my tracks and looked around the mouth of the cave, “What?”
Now most normal ponies would think, ‘gee that’s a scary cave, I better not go in there.’ And what are you about to do?
“Go in it?”
No, that’s dangerous let’s just keep going around it and on the way to Canterlot. Still another four days of hoofing it.
“Fine mom.” I turned away from the cave and started walking back to the thick foliage. I slowly reached down and took my very beaten up canteen off my belt. “Oh no its almost empty!” I poured out the water and shook the canteen dry. “I guess we need to head in there and get some more water from the only water source I’ve heard all day.”
You. Are. So. Stupid.
“I like to think of it as learning impaired.” I cracked a smile and walked into the cave, following the sound of the running water.
*********************************************************************
“Seriously?” Twilight Sparkle cocked her head and stared at the human.
“Seriously?” Honored responded scratching his head.
“Why would y’all go looking for trouble,” Says Applejack, “you could’ve just kept on headin’ here.”
“Because of the thrill!” Rainbow Dash zoomed into the air with a flash of color. “The adventure, the unknowing of what dangers lurked inside that cave!” She smiled wide and her eyes glazed over as she thought about something else. “Just like Daring Doo.”
“Correct!” The human called out. “And because I needed water.”
Sure. Water. Lying fool.
“But it all worked out for the best. I'm here safe…more or less…”
“I suppose that everything turned out fine. The cave was empty or unoccupied at the time.” Princess Celestia smiled down at the Honor Guard who kicked his feet up on a stool and leaned back in his chair.
“Now I didn’t say that.”
**************************************************************
Drip Splash. Drip Splash. Drip Splash. Drip Splash.
The sound of water dripping off the walls echoed throughout the cavern I was in. I followed the sound of the water and came across a small stream in main cavern of the cave, but another opening lead out of the room. And I was very curious to go cave diving…well at least exploring.
We have the water. We have seen enough of the cave. WE CAN LEAVE NOW!
“Gosh you really don’t like caves do you?” I asked while running my hand along the cool rough surface of the cave wall. Why was he freaking out so much?
Listen just have a… feeling, okay? So let’s leave.
“Ummm nahhhh.” I ducked under low hanging rock and found myself entering a massive cavern. Compared to the one with the stream in it, this one was mammoth. I whistled as I spun around, looking at the sheer volume of the cave. “Now this is a cave!” I threw my hands apart and smiled. This was beautiful.
This cave couldn’t have been just out here in the forest, it had to be connected to something… or inside of something. Like a huge tall mountain.
I walked around the edge of the cavern examining the giant pile of sticks in the center of the space. I shrugged it off and found another smaller entrance slowly heading up from the cavern. “Bingo.”
Nightmare kept complaining and whining. Basically being a little baby back bitch for nearly an hour as I climbed the tunnel inside of the mountain. I was positive that we were inside of the mountain I had spotted off in the distance. I was extremely curious to see where this tunnel let off, at least a good view I hope, and that way I’ll be able to get a good idea on where I was. That mountain top should provide an amazing 360 degree look around the forest and beyond.
The tunnel kept getting progressively lighter and lighter as I neared the exit. I was temporarily blinded as I rounded a corner and was struck by a wall of light. I followed the light through another large cavern full of piles of sparkling rocks and onto a ledge overlooking the world around the giant mountain.
Pulling out the map I confirmed I was about four days off from Canterlot. Now the quickest way through the forest, and if I hurried at a quick pace, would only take me three days. I looked at the map and at a small town resting on a large plane off in the distance. Ponyville. And beyond that on another mountain range adjacent to my position was a shining while city, built on the side of the rocky cliffs. Canterlot.
“See this was worth climbing through the dangerous cave.” I laughed as I tried to imagine what the Nightmare’s face would look like. I walked back towards the entrance to begin the hike down to the main entrance.
THUMP
I turned around to the ledge and came face to face with a large golden eye.
I gulped and took a step back. A large red and gold dragon with golden eyes was staring right at me. The reptilian slits focused on me and the large head moved down to my level.
I pulled my rifle up and aimed it at the dragon. I don’t know if the magic rounds would work. Or even if the magical rounds enhanced with my own shared magic with the Nightmare would work on a real dragon. A really freaking huge dragon.
“Hello human. Perhaps I startled you. I haven’t had any interactions with a sentient creature other than my own kind for quite some time.”
Well maybe I wouldn't have to fight. I slowly let the rifle down and eased up my defensive stance. Well let’s see if I'm as good as a speaker with a dragon as I am with the ponies.
Well my faithful, beautiful, and charming readers, only about 4 months remains till the story is caught up with the present. Then the real story begins!
-Johnson
P.S. Anyone got friends that can draw? Im trying to get some better art for the story instead of that old photo of myself as the cover. And to just add more images to help out with the story, everyone knows that pictures and stories are awesome!