//------------------------------// // 24: Bad Windigo // Story: To Err is Equine // by RLYoshi //------------------------------// [Perspective: Arrell] Ironically, my first stop would be where I started: home. Well, temporary home, but home nonetheless. I flew around the skies for a while, high enough to avoid being seen but low enough to see below me and not fly away from town. Eventually, after I decided enough time had passed (and when I started feeling tired), I flew down again. As our house came into view, I aimed for the roof and landed quietly. I listened intently for voices, but heard none. I smirked. They're out of the house. Good. If they were in, they'd be talking about what to do; either about me, or about Asylum. I flew back in through the window to my bedroom, looking around quickly. Nopony was around, so I was safe. Alright Arrell, time to begin your first ever real life fetch quest. Item one: Bloodbath's axe. Said weapon was still against the wall, and I trotted over to pick it up. It felt even heavier than normal, thanks to me still being sick, but I hefted it up and held it in my mouth by its handle. Item two: saddlebags. Those were beside my bed, and I flipped them onto my back with a hoof. Item three: Fine Rock. ... ...right, Risk has it. DUH. I turned to the window, but quickly realized I wouldn't fit now that I had this giant axe. I sighed and headed for the door instead. Unfortunately, I had apparently used up my good luck so far by escaping in the first place, for when I opened the door, Nimble was sitting right there on a chair. "Risk said you would come back," he stated, a hint of anger in his voice. "Really? Good to know. Where is he now?" Might as well get some information from- "Not telling." ...son of a griffon. "Nimble. I have an axe. You do not. Therefore, I have the power here. Tell me where Risk is." I hated threatening my friends, but right now, I was in a hurry. He narrowed his eyes at me and stood up. "No." We both stood and stared at each other in silence. "...what, did you think I was actually gonna kill you?" I asked incredulously. "Dude, I'm cold, but not cold-hearted." "Then it looks like I win." "Hm...nah." I jumped back into the room and moved to close the door, but Nimble was in the room with me before I even reached the handle. He tackled me, and with surprising strength for a ten-year-old, knocked me over. As I hit the ground, the axe fell from my mouth, and I grunted in pain. I tried to push myself up, but my body was weakened by the sickness, and all I did was tire myself out more thanks to the ninja colt standing on top of me. "Do you give up now?" he asked smugly. Smugly. I. Hate. Smugness. "FUS RO DAH!" I aimed my face straight down and unleashed my voice attack, breaking through the floor beneath me. Gravity kicked in and pulled me down, along with Nimble, who fell off. As soon as the excess weight was gone, I kicked into flight mode and grabbed the axe again. Heading back down through the hole, I saw Nimble just getting up. I turned to the front door and flew at it as quickly as possible, breaking right through it and flying off into the sky. Two items obtained, one friend pissed off. At least it's just Nimble. Risk is gonna be the biggest threat; he has magic, and I have to literally take it away from him. This is gonna be fun. [Perspective: Risk Reward] With False asking around town and Nimble staying behind at the house, I was left to look in Snowflake Woods for a certain runaway Windigo. As much as I understood his concern for Asylum, he had invoked the death penalty False threatened him with, and if we didn't get him back home to bed before he did anything, a fever would be the least of his worries. I didn't know how deep in the woods I was when it started getting colder. Thinking it was Arrell, I began looking around more carefully, inspecting every nook and cranny. "Arrell?" I called. "Just come out already! I'm not gonna hurt you! I just-" "TIMBERWOLVES! TIMBERWOLVES!" The yell startled me, and I turned around quickly. Arrell was running towards me, a panicked look on his face. My eyes widened. "Get behind me," I ordered, lighting my horn to prepare a small fire spell. "If they get close, I'll burn them." "Yeah, no, sorry." A flash of pain shot through my forehead and I fell to the ground. When it faded away, I stood back up and turned to Arrell – only to see the Fine Rock floating in front of him. "I am still technically chosen by this thing, so it makes sense I could take it back whenever," he explained. "Thanks, by the way. I'm gonna need this." "Arrell!" I growled, pouncing towards him. He just threw up his shield, and I slammed into it. "Sorry about this, Risk – and that's not sarcasm, I really didn't want to have to just take this from you – but I'm the only one who can save Asylum, and you know it!" He punctuated his sentence by bucking the tree behind him, the trunk of which was within his shield. A huge pile of snow fell from the leaves above, landing on his shield and covering him up. I jumped back in surprise, but after the snow settled, I began digging through it. Two seconds passed and it all fell to the ground, the shield having dissipated. Arrell was gone. [Perspective: Arrell] Flying above Snowflake Woods, I began heading back to town. I didn't have my axe or saddlebags on me; if my hunch was correct, they wouldn't be useful. Yet. Instead, I had hidden them behind the mayor's house, under a pile of snow. I could get them later. Okay, this is the longest shot ever, but hopefully it's right. The Fine Rock chose this spot, and it chose me...and then Windigoes attack this spot and me...I don't think that's a coincidence. I focused on the Fine Rock, willing it to direct me to where it had really been trying to take Nimble and the rest of the townsfolk. Sure enough, it pointed up. I began flying upwards, following its directions until it finally stopped. There I was, in the middle of the sky, miles above the ground...and it was a blizzard. There was no snow falling below, so I guessed this little weather problem was contained within the area. "Alright, Rancid Windigoes! Lord Frostfiend! Show yourselves!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. The snow around me began to converge in a single spot, and after a moment, it formed what almost seemed to be a window of ice. In fact, that's exactly what it was...but a window to where? It was just floating in the middle of the sky. Suddenly, the window flashed, and through it I could see a room. A cold, white room, made of snow and ice. In this room, there were three Windigoes – Warriors, I assumed. But that wasn't all. In the middle of them all, there was Asylum, looking cold and frightened. "I will talk to Arrell," one Windigo said, stepping closer to the window. "Oh, will you? That's nice. Hello." I waved sarcastically. "Lord Frostfiend's plan nears completion," he responded. "The clan is almost ready. You will not intervene." I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Why's that then?" One of the other Windigoes shoved Asylum forward. The first Windigo grabbed her. "We have your associate! You will obey or she will be exterminated!" There was silence. The Windigoes all looked at me with smug looks on their ugly snouts. Asylum looked at me with fear written all over her. I just stared back emotionlessly, until finally I spoke. "No." All of their eyes widened. The Windigo holding Asylum hissed. "Explain yourself!" "I said no." I glared threateningly. "What is the meaning of this negative?!" "It means 'no'." "But she will be destroyed!" "NO!" I flew right up to the window, actually causing the Windigoes to take a step back. "'Cause this is what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna rescue her. I'm gonna save Asylum from the middle of the Rancid Windigo clan! And then I'm gonna save Smooth Grove! And then, just to finish off, I'm gonna wipe every last stinking Rancid Windigo out of the sky!" The Windigo who had been speaking this whole time just looked at me, smugness now replaced by surprise and fear. "But you have no weapons! No defenses! No plan!" I grinned. It wasn't a warm smile, nor a knowing smirk; a creepy, uncomfortable, dangerous grin. "Yeah. And doesn't that scare you to death?" He just stared at me, slack-jawed. "Asylum?" My creepy smile vanished. "Yes, Arrell?" Her voice was full of fear, but at the same time, hope was rising in it. And that sparked hope in myself. "I'm coming to get you," I promised. Then, with all my strength, I turned and bucked the window. It shattered into thousands of pieces, flying away as the snowstorms picked up again. I flew straight down, heading back to Smooth Grove. The mayor's house popped into view, and I altered my flight path to land behind it. As I landed, I stretched and cracked my joints, ready for action. I turned to the pile of snow I had left my stuff under. Risk, False, and Nimble were all standing in front of it. "Welcome back," Risk said icily. "Having fun?" "Good thing the mayor saw you burying your items, so we knew where to find you," Nimble added angrily. "Put down the Fine Rock and come with us," False ordered, venom practically dripping from her voice. "No more playing." I glared at all of them. "For your information, I wasn't playing. I was working. And for the record, I succeeded. I found the Rancid Windigoes, I found Asylum, and from everything I found, what was most important was what I found out." "Oh? And what would that be?" False asked, not seeming that interested. "They're scared of me." I pawed the ground. "And you all should be as well." Risk shook his head. "Arrell, look at us. Nimble is a ninja who could, quite literally, kill you in five seconds. False is a royal guard and has already issued a death threat on you. I'm the weakest here, and let's be honest, even I could probably take you out in hoof-to-hoof combat. You're sick, you're weakened, and you're unarmed." "And before you try that stupid voice thing again, let me remind you that there are three of us," False pointed out. "Aim at one of us, there's still two of us to get you from behind." I nodded. "You bring up good points. But there is still one tiny little detail that you forgot to cover for." "What would that be?" Nimble asked. I kicked away my hind legs and rose into the air. "I can fly." I promptly charged straight at the three of them. Startled, they all jumped out of the way, and I dove into the pile of snow I had left my stuff in. I flew out a split second later, axe in mouth and saddlebags on back. "Wish I could stay and fight, but I've got a friend to save," I yelled down to them as I rose higher into the air. "Maybe you could make yourselves useful instead of impeding my progress!" With those words, I flew off, heading back up to find the Rancid Windigoes. Contrary to what they thought, I did have a plan. A four-step plan, in fact: Crush. Kill. Destroy. Swag.