Equestria Online
Chapter 5: Illusions
Twilight woke with a start. The unicorn gasped her senses still weak and blurred. A cold feeling had overcome her as she began to shiver. She remembered vividly what had happened. The last thing she processed before passing out was the chase. Twilight recalled how her and Spike had met a dead end and clashed magical spells with one of the mages from the guild, Jokers. She still shook from the impact of the spell. In all of years of life she had never lost consciousness before. It wasn't a fun feeling at all. The world seemed so alive and within a hoof's touch, but suddenly darkness would appear swallowing it all and dragging her into a dark maw.
Twilight shook her head at the terrible thoughts.
It was then that she realized that a fire was a nearby. It radiated warmly, crackling in the silent night. It soon began to melt the tension away. Slowly she began to take in her surroundings. She was inside of a tent. A fire crackled in a pit in the middle with rocks placed around so it wouldn't grow too big. She was wrapped in blankets to keep her warm. They soon began to take there affect as the cold washed away with the return of her senses.
Twilight slowly stood up her legs still shaking from the shock. She began to move out of the tent where a surprised Spike waved to her.
"Twilight you're okay!" He beamed swinging a stick in his hand to her direction. "Want a marshmallow."
The mare smiled and pushed it away. "No, that's all right little guy." She weaved around the fire and took a seat on a nearby log. The camp was small and the fire wouldn't attract too much attention. One tent was built near the fire accompanied by a sleeping bag outside. The pair we're still in the woods. She guessed that they had moved not too far off from where she had her confrontation with the guild.
Twilight wondered what happened though. Was it Spike who had rescued her and drug her all the way to safety? It couldn't have been he wasn't strong enough to carry her, let alone build a camp by himself. No it had to be someone else. Twilight looked over to the sleeping bag. It was a human's. The mare's eyes widened as she looked to Spike who gave her a smile. "Spike did-?"
"Oh you're awake." A voice came behind her. A hand landed on her mane ruffling it hard. "I thought I told you to stay out of trouble. And here I come taking a nice stroll by the lake and BOOM!" Releasing her head a teen sat next to her and Twilight instantly felt it. It was the same thing that the Jester had been talking about when he was talking to Rarity it… the connection… that spark. Alex smiled at her. "Good to you see Twilight."
The mare nearly cried. She had that small bit of hope that he would come to rescue her, but she didn't think he would actually come. "It's good to see you to."
Alex chuckled placing a marshmallow on a stick. He placed it over the fire watching it burn to a crisp brown slowly. "Sorry it took me so long to get here, when you sent me that message I was over in Appaloosa running a dungeon. Lotta friendly buffalo over there by the way."
"It's alright, but Appaloosa, that's quite far isn't it. I heard that only the high levels went to those dungeons?" She murmured. That's right; over the course of a month nearly everyone had finally become accustomed that this was nothing, but a game. Life had changed for ponies; they were more protective, more cautious than they used to be. The level system that was used by the humans had applied to the ponyfolk as well. Unicorns had learned that their power could increase more than they had ever imagined, and the pegasi could fly faster, along with the earth ponies that set of skills spanned into countless sets of diversity.
"High levels hmm?" He laughed. That's when Twilight noticed, her eyes shifted over his head and she could see his level. A solid level 36, he had gotten much stronger since their last encounter. She felt that when that spark had hit her, but not only that. She felt the power increase in herself. The mare thought about the spark once more. She had heard many rumors that the two species could take on partners and get stronger that way, but she had also heard that a specific two when put together acquired a greater strength.
It was just rumors, but that didn't mean she didn't believe them to be true. Twilight was far behind the mindset that myths were fake. She had learned long ago, that they were very real.
Alex took a bite out of his marshmallow. "So thought you could take on a rogue guild huh?"
Twilight's train of thought broke as she looked to Alex her face turning read. "Well perhaps some of your bravery rubbed off on me."
Alex looked surprised and laughed. "I'm not a brave as you think!"
She rolled her eyes, than looked worried. She had been captured by that guild and trapped by Jester. The message Princess Celestia left wasn't clear yet. It had something to do with that guild she was positive. The Princess may not have come to stop the guild herself, but Twilight was absolutely sure that it was her responsibility to take the guild down. "Well brave or not I need your help again. My friend has been captured by that guild!"
Alex looked skeptical at the unicorn. He hand clenched hard on the stick. She noticed something when she looked at the teen. Was he actually nervous? But what she saw quickly disappeared as it was replaced with a look determination. His hands fell back onto his daggers. "So you want me to help you take them down huh? What type of levels are we looking at?"
The unicorn prodded her hoof at the earth. "It seems the everypony and human are rather low levels, except-?"
"Except?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.
Twilight sighed turning to him. "Their guild leader, I don't know. I don't know his class, level, or health at all. He keeps it hidden with something. Even when I use my scan spell I can't see his health. He is completely different. His magic is something different, something that I have never encountered before."
Alex sighed and looked seriously at Twilight. "Well there are only seven classes that he could have chosen from. Me, myself am a rogue." He was right there were seven classes in the game. Each class was rather constricted to what the game chose. The humans that inherited Earth Pony blood, bare no powers, but a balance of all stats. The unicorn blood gave some the power gift of magic, while pegasi blood gave some humans wings and faster agility. Alex himself possessed no magic that Twilight could sense.
He was a rogue. The other classes that she had heard of were the warrior, white mage, black mage, hunter, monk, and lancer. Each class had certain specs in which they could be branched from their original class. There were so specs that the player could choose, that Twilight couldn't fathom all of the possibilities a player could have. Of course some were more popular than others, but there were the odd specs, that few players chose and when they mastered it became a force to be reckoning with.
Alex must have been thinking the same thing that Twilight. "So this mage, he is a black mage no doubt, and has speced out into a subclass that we haven't heard of. A unique class?" Alex smiled a bit. "Well I guess that makes things interesting. Me and him both have something in common. No one knows our true potential yet."
Twilight's eyes widened at his comment.
Alex chuckled pulling on her horn. "You didn't think I was on vacation when we parted ways did you little horse? I was off running quests, working my butt off." Alex clenched his fists together. "To tell you the truth I haven't fought another player yet either, their much different than fighting monsters."
Twilight's ears flicked. She knew he was right. Celestia had always taught her to love and tolerate, but she remembered what it was like when she was pitted against another unicorn. It seemed so long ago, the initiation into becoming a Canterlot mage. She wondered how Alex felt fighting another human, especially with two with colliding beliefs.
"Have you found your sister yet?"
She saw him tense a bit, his fist clenching around the stick. His eyebrows knitted. Turning he looked to the mare and solemnly shook his head. "I haven't found one clue. Not a lead. I'm so frustrated; there are just some many people in this world. It's almost impossible to find anyone without their username and without Claire's I…" The boy sighed looking to Twilight. "That's not important right now. You need my help, and I came. What's our first course of action Twilight?"
He looked to her with determined eyes. The mare flushed. She had never really been in a leadership position before. "Well first things first. We have to rescue Rarity, sneaking back into their base would be much too dangerous."
"They're not returning to their base…" Alex interrupted her. He pointed to the south. "The town of Foalsom. Their planning on attacking it. After I dropped you and Spike off I scouted the area and overheard a conversation from guards on patrol."
"Attacking!" Twilight's eyes widened. She trotted around. "This is not good, this is terrible! Terrible!"
Spike happily took a bite out of his marshmallow. Licking his fingers he asked. "Why not just send a letter to Princess Celestia I'm sure that she wouldn't mind helping you Twilight."
Twilight shook her head. Was Spike crazy? This was her first quest, all mages went on quests. There was no way she was going to fail her first and if that meant doing it alone than she would. "Sorry Spike, but I'm not going to bother Princess Celestia with our problems. She sent us on this quest and were going to be the ones to complete it."
Alex smiled at Twilight. "Well then. What do you have in mind Ms. Sparkle?"
Twilight brought her hoof up to her mouth contemplating what would be a good means of approach. Then it hit her like lightning. A light bulb shone over the mare's horn. "I have a theory, a theory involving a little problem of ours." Twilight waved her hooves for both Spike and Alex to come closer. The two look questionably, but complied.
As Twilight whispered the plan into their ears Alex's mouth slowly formed into a large smile. "Twilight you are a genius! But how can we pull something like that off."
"Just leave it all to me!" The mare smiled. "If his magic is what I think it is than this should all work out!"
Alex nodded in approval. "We'll have to set out soon if we expect to get everything set up. We wouldn't want them crashing the party early."
Spike nodded. "Yeah, and I defiantly don't want him hurting Rarity more than they already have." The baby dragon began to punch the air. "Just wait until I get my claws on that Jester, he's gonna wish he hadn't messed with this dragon!"
Twilight laughed. "Alright Spike, we'll see soon if you're really Rarity's dragon in shining armor."
Alex than placed another marshmallow on his stick and lifted up in the air towards the middle of the fire. "Then this is to us!" Spike jumped to his feet and lifted his stick next to Alex's. Twilight smiled and lifted a nearby stick with her magic, placing a fluffy marshmallow on the tip. The mare lifted it next to the two each with a bright smile on their faces.
"And this is a sign to all of those other rogue guilds out there!" Spike added.
Twilight had a determined look on her face. "They're going to learn the hard way what happens when you mess with ponies!"
The three laughed the rest of the night away. Tomorrow would be the day they moved. The means of attack in ending the Jester's short reign on the town and all of Equestria. It wouldn't be easy, but Twilight had faith. She knew it would be a tough fight, but somehow deep in her heart, she knew that their small team would have the means to trample any challenge that came in their way.
The morning came quickly and the three had made their way back to the town of Foalsom. The town was much different than when Twilight had last been here. It was eerily silent. She guessed when she first arrived it had been so bustling and busy that the silence bothered her. Together, she, Spike, and Alex made a whole sweep into the buildings making sure that no citizens were staying in. If they planned to confront the Jester, no pony could risk compromising the plan.
Thought when the mare had entered the town's local inn, she had found the owner was still in business. She told him to clear out of town, which he refused. The mare tried her best to get him to clear out until Jester had been taken care off, but he argued that if 'his town was going to go down, he was going to go with it.' Twilight had to admit she admired his bravery. He and Rarity had been the only ponies to remain in the town after the guild either captured or scared everypony off.
She and Alex had agreed they weren't going to force him to leave and he admitted that he wouldn't 'bother with the crazy youngins plan.' He had also told Twilight that Trixie had told him long ago the town was going to attacked. Twilight herself wondered why he would have taken in Trixie. After she was the cause of all of this, but he argued that she was just young and confused. Just like Twilight, she would have to find her place in the world.
Twilight didn't argue, though she was still a bit resentful of Trixie. It was her fault that she was held prisoner in that cave for nearly two weeks.
Despite all of these thoughts Twilight managed to focus on mission on hand. It took them awhile to get the plan ready, but all went according to plan. Both Spike and Alex were ready by noon. All that stood in between them now was time. Minutes passed and soon turned to hours. The trio soon wondered if the guild was even coming. They sat on their nerves each taking turns looking out the window of the inn for any sign of the guild.
It was Spike's turn when suddenly his eyes widen. "Twilight! Alex!" The dragon squealed. He ran to Alex shaking the teen who was fast asleep napping, and jumped in front of Twilight. "Someone's coming!" he pointed out of the window.
"How many?" Alex asked as Twilight ran to the window and looked out.
She trotted and placed her forelegs against the windowsill Twilight could see the silhouette of the human walking into the town. "Just one?" She murmured confused. Why would the guild send only one member? Was it a spy sent to scout ahead? Twilight looked closer and soon realized that it wasn't any of the guild's guard. It was that young boy that had been with Rarity, Leo.
"He's not an enemy!" Twilight turned back and looked at them. "He's a friend of Rarity's."
Spike looked questionably out the window. "That guy…?"
"Mhm." Twilight replied curtly trotting outside.
Alex frowned "We have to get that brat off the streets before he ruins everything."
The two walked outside and found Leo sitting in the middle of the streets exhaling deeply. As they approached the kid looked beaten and torn. The armor on him was cracking and his body was covered in scratches. On his hands he wore iron gauntlets that were near cracking. His eyes remained straight on the road ahead. "If I were you guys I would get lost while you have the chance."
"Leo." Twilight trotted up. "What happened? I thought the Jester's guards took you."
A sinister smile appeared upon the boy's face as he held slammed both his fists hard against his knees. "Oh they tried alright and they failed. I beat those guards all the way to the Badlands and back!" He boasted. "And then they even called for reinforcements. I beat nearly that whole guild last night."
"Single handily." Alex murmured staring at him amazed. His hands gripped together. "There's no way a brat at your level could take down nearly a whole guild."
Leo chuckled. "Jealous huh? They were all weaklings anyway." He muttered spitting onto the ground. "I went up like three levels fighting all of those Jokers anyway." He kept breathing in deeply and then Twilight looked to his health bar. It was in the red zone. She could tell he was exhausted. The boy had been threw a lot last night. Fighting for survival, fighting for Rarity.
Twilight could also tell he was putting on an act. The mare approached him. "Well you don't have to fight anymore. We'll take it from here."
"No way!" Leo retorted his eyes brimming with rage. "I want that Jester. It's going to be me and him one on one! He is the only one worth fighting in that guild! I'm going to crush him. I will avenge Rarity I will-!" With the hilt of a blade the boy collapsed to the ground. Alex stood over him shaking his head at the now unconscious boy
"Alex!" Twilight jumped up. "What did you do that for?"
Alex sighed and took a health potion out of his pocket. Placing it to Leo's lips the drink slipped down his throat his health bar steadily rising. "Relax; it's just a stun teknic. He really must be exhausted if he's out like that." Standing up Alex's head immediately snapped behind him.
Not far off Rarity stood her eyes wide with shock.
"Rarity!" Twilight exclaimed with glee. The mare silently trotted over to her friend and solemnly looked down at Leo. "Rarity what happened? Did you and your family escape?"
Everything Twilight was asking the unicorn seemed to be going traveling threw one ear and out the other. The mare moved towards Leo who was at Alex's feet and bent down. "He looks like he's been through a lot. I heard him last night… fighting all of the Jester's men. He said he was going to rescue me and here he is, waiting for Jester to come so he could fight him."
The unicorn's voice cracked with her eyes beginning to water. She bent down and placed her head against Leo's. "Thank you Leo… you don't have to fight for me anymore." Rarity stood up, her gaze shifting towards Twilight's who looked at her sympathetically. "It would be best if the two of you took Leo and go. I rather not have you three here when he arrives."
"But Rarity." Twilight stopped in front of her. "You can't give in to him."
The mare's eyes flashed. "What other choice do I have?" She snapped at the mare. "He has everything I hold near and dear in his palm Twilight. I'm sorry, but, I cannot allow him to take my friends either. Escape while you can and tell Leo I am sorry."
Alex shook his head. "So this brat went so far to protect you… and your just going to give up on him."
Rarity turned around. "I'm not giving up on anyone! It's just be best if you'd leave. I couldn't stand to see anyone else get hurt. I'll just do as the Jester says and he will free me and my family. Just like we agreed upon. Everything will work itself out. You'll see."
Twilight watched Alex's gaze shift from Rarity to her. "I have to disagree. It was the brat's will that brought him this far. We're going to carry it and take down the Jester. You can't trust a guy like that; he'll just keep using you and using you." Pulling his blades he looked forward. "Change of plan we're going to-!"
The boy was cut off by the sound of clapping.
Everypony froze at the sound. Twilight looked to Alex whose eyes were momentarily in shock. How could he have not detected him? His eyes met eye contact with hers and he nodded. Rarity on the other hand was frozen in place, he head slowly turned back to see a wide smile on the Jester's face. The guild leader had come alone. "Je… Jester I…"
The Jester continued to laugh clapping his hands manically. "I really must commend the brat. He really is something, nearly defeating every member of my guild. Now waiting out my arrival, how noble. He was quite the brave one wasn't he. Willing to sacrifice his life, to save a pony…" The man's hands clasped together. His eyes turning cold. Under the mask he frowned. "But I'm afraid his tale of chivalry ends here. He will only serve as an example to other players what happens when the Jester's path…"
Rarity's eyes returned to Leo. "But… but you promised, that no one else needed to get hurt."
The Jester spun his staff around, a smirk appearing upon his face. "Oh dear Rarity, still you are so naïve. The answer is quite simple, I lied…" The man slammed it against the earth a disorienting aura appearing around him.
Twilight and Alex met eyes once more. The teen stepped in front of Rarity placing his hands on his daggers. Twilight trotted next to him her eyes determined. She felt something she didn't before an aura radiating off of the boy. There was something odd about him. Was it… mana? But it wasn't only him, her eyes shifted to Jester whose body barely seemed visible anymore. She had to keep blinking her eyes to get a visual on him. This was something she had never seen before. His magic was dangerous.
"Are you sure we can do this." Twilight murmured. "The plan is may not work."
Alex took a step back his hand falling onto one of his blades. "You still know the spell so right?"
"Of course I do!" She piped!
Narrowing his eyes he scanned his opponent. She could tell he was nervous; his fingers were trembled as he took a full grasp of his weapon. Twilight was as well, but her resolve had to be stronger. "Than we'll just have to improvise until you can cast it. To easy right."
"You make it sound easy…" She murmured looking back at Rarity. "Rarity get Leo to safety. We'll create a distraction!"
Rarity hesitated. "But you can't possibly-?"
"GO!" Twilight yelled as Jester's hand ignites flames.
"I don't think so!" Alex was behind the mage in a second a dagger against his neck. "You might want to think again. I could use my backstab teknic right now and instant critical… Than a stun and you'd be done before you know it. Walk away Jester…"
The Jester smiled and began into a fit of maniacal laughter. Alex didn't hesitate, but as his blade met Jester's neck it simply fazed threw. The boy stumbled forward a look of shock on his face. "What the-"He turned around , but before him stood a dozen Jester's all laughing. "What is this?"
The Jester shook his head straightening his mask. Countless of copies appearing, on top of homes behind the boy. "The people in this game are so foolish it tends to amaze me. There are three types of people in this game my friend. There are the noobs of course. They have absolutely no knowledge or experience about RPGs, they flaunt around with their big armor and such simplistic classes thinking they can get things done and of course they can. They pack a hell of a punch, but their foolish and naïve, they don't know the true potentials of the system, of the class."
Alex ran forth slashing multiple copies fazing threw each one. "I don't want to hear you're speeches! Fight me you coward!"
Twilight watched in horror as the copies turned violent each beginning to attack Alex. He defended himself the best he could. Slashing through multiple copies, but was becoming overwhelmed quickly. "And then there's you, the players that somewhat know what they're doing. Very careful, analyze their opponents, the situations, the stats, the abilities, and make sure that each battle will not be there last. I would call you experienced, but not perfect. You're classes are common, but you choose to spec more technical than others."
The teen was quick on his feet. Never letting himself get surrounded, he backstabbed and stunned each copy until only three stood left. Three stood watching him from up top the homes. "What are you trying to say?"
"What I'm trying to say is there is my breed of gamer. What I like to call the genius's, the absolute that know every nook and cranny to their class and the weaknesses to others. How do you think my guild grew to power so fast? Under my command! They were nothing, but muscle of course shielding the true genius. The genius who held all the power! I know what I need to do to succeed, to survive in this world! I have created my own spec that no one can master; there is no one else in this world that holds the knowledge to master what I have. To put the time and effort, into the gear, the grinding, the magic!" The Jester yelled the disorienting aura appearing around all three. "You stand on your feet, thinking you have the power to defeat me. But your hope is just an illusion… just like this game."
All three Jester's staves shot out a dark energy at Alex. The rogue covered his face to shield the strike, but to his surprise a purple aura around him shielded it. Looking down Twilight was by his side her horn glowing purple. "You're wrong!" The unicorn yelled. "This game isn't an illusion. What you've done to all of these ponies is real, can't you see that. Your hurting ponies and people alike and I can't watch that continue. Your magic may be strong, but we hold a more powerful magic! The power of friendship!"
"Twilight…" Alex murmured looking down at her. The mare's eyes burned with anger. The boy gave a smirk gripping his blades. "I'm not alone in this."
The Jester sneered at the mare. "You're a fool to try and stop me Twilight Sparkle and you will pay dearly for it. Your words of hope and promise mean nothing. " Lifting his staff countless copies appeared around the two. "I will extinguish this aberration of friendship you so call claim!"