All Dash could see was darkness. Her eyes were wide open, trying to adjust to the best of their ability to see through the dark, but she could not. The pegasus attempted moving her forehooves, finding that she was stopped by a loud clink and a strong tug that nearly caused her to collapse.
Uhg... What the heck? Dash thought as she pushed her hoof in front of her. A forceful tug quickly whipped her hoof back to the ground. Ow! What am I even attached to?
She attempted to move her hind legs, only to be stopped by another tug and clink. The mare realized that she was bound to something and couldn't move her hooves further than a foot or two. She decided to move her wings, neck and torso to check if they were bound. They were not.
"Uhg... Fuck..." The voice of Jericho echoed around Dash and she quickly called out to him.
"Jericho?" She yelled, and perked her ears up to listen for his voice. Dash's heart was racing in hope for the voice to be him.
Please tell me they're alright...
A rough scraping entered Dash's ears and a louder clinking noise echoed throughout her shadowed surroundings. A loud sigh flew into the air.
"Yeah, Dash, I'm here. I'm stuck to chains, though," Jericho finally answered.
"I'm here, as well," The sophisticated voice of Aeron spoke up to answer Dash.
Whew... At least I'm not here alone... Dash breathed steadily as she calmed her heartbeat.
"Aeron, think you can turn on your light? Can't see shit in here," Jericho complained.
"Of course," a bright illumination flashed at Dash's far right and she looked over to see Aeron bound to the wall by chains. The light reached over to Jericho who was directly across from where Dash was sitting and upon the pegasus herself.
"Fuck, finally. Second time I'm glad to see ya, kid," Jericho chuckled softly before gripping one of his chains. "Sucks that we're in these."
"It is unfortunate. I'm not even sure how we fell unconscious... The Pip-Boy mentioned nothing about any toxins in the air or any nearby enemies..." Aeron was staring at the device on his arm before he looked over at Dash. "Did you see anything, Dash?"
"Yeah. Someone was with us. He spoke to me before I fell unconscious," the pegasus sighed for a moment, looking down at the ground with dissatisfaction. "I really tried to stay awake. But something was just forcing me asleep... I'm sorry."
"No need to feel sorry, Rainbow Dash. It's not like we haven't been captured and bound in chains before. You tried, that's all that matters. Besides, I can figure out a way out of "
Any thoughts of escape are futile, a voice whispered harshly into the trio's ears, causing Dash to jump.
"Who's here? What do you want from us? I swear to fucking God, I'll cut your goddamned throats open!" Jericho yelled violently, tugging at his chains in an attempt to break them.
"Jericho, calm!" Aeron raised his voice slightly and Jericho's aggressiveness was replaced with a grumbled response.
"So, who is here?" Aeron repeated one of his companions' questions.
I am the servant and champion of our lord, Alhazred. You will be bound until I have eliminated the fallen angel, Hastur. She will bring destruction to our lord and I will not have it. The voice echoed within the group's imprisonment.
"Who the hell is Hastur?" Jericho questioned.
“In fact, who the hell are you?” Aeron added.
That name... That's what he called me before I was knocked out. Why would I be the end of this Alha dude...? Dash was looking at the two men, who were wearing confused looks on their faces.
The one with The Mark. The blue pegasus who accompanies you. She is Hastur, the voice answered. And I am Jaime. Jaime Dexter Palabras.
"I think you are confused, Jaime," Aeron replied. "Her name is Rainbow Dash and she doesn't have any mark on her body. Well, besides her flanks. So, may we leave?"
You are a fool. The voice seemed to no longer echo, but it sounded closer. Aeron took notice of this and soon another man was in the room, hovering over Rainbow Dash.
"On her neck..." the man-like voice spoke softly, avoiding the light as a sickly, disfigured hand shedded skin, bulging veins and stubby fingers gripped Rainbow Dash's upper neck and stretched it outwards. A black "N" was crookedly placed near the base of her neck.
As the hand touched the "N", it illuminated a bright red colour, hissing violently like hot steel was being placed in water. "That is confirmation that she is Hastur. She must be killed. For the greater good of Alhazred."
“What the hell? How does that confirm she’s anything? It could be a fucking scab for all we know,” Jericho grunted.
“It is not a scab!” Jaime yelled to the old raider. “If it was a scab, then it would be protruded and covered in dried blood.”
Jaime, although the group couldn’t see it, was smiling. “No, this is the mark of Alhazred’s book The Krivbeknih. The holy book of Alhazred. The thing that will be destroyed by Hastur...”
Jaime tightened his grip on Dash’s neck as his smile grew wider with bloodlust.
"What?! I'm not going to do anything!" Dash yelled, squirming in the hand's firm grip.
“It has been predicted by my lord that your coming will destroy the book,” the man stated with a shallow growl. “It is my duty to end your life and I will do so willingly.”
"Hey, look, can't we talk this out?" Aeron asked, trying to dissuade Jaime. "This isn't exactly fair, here. You're part of a cult and thinking up crazy stories while we're regular, insane, human beings."
"No. Justice must be served," the man replied. The cocking of a gun echoed in the prison and Dash's expression changed from that of confusion to terror.
“Justice will be served to persecute those who are fit unholy to Alhazred! For I, am Alhazred’s Champion. My word is his will and his command!” Jaime yelled violently.
"Please, don't do this!" the mare yelled as she was pushed to the ground and forced in place by a heavy object.
The illumination of Aeron's light was finally hitting the man who was imprisoning the trio he was a ghoul, much like Roy from Tenpenny, only with a severe dis-figuration of limbs and major loss of skin. His boot was pressed up against Dash, keeping her in place, and he held a hunting rifle to her side.
"Stop this! We can talk this over!" Aeron yelled while struggling in the bonds. Jericho did the same, tugging forcefully at the tight chains.
"Please! Stop! I-I promise I won't do anything! I j-just want to go home!" Rainbow Dash protested with Aeron.
"Fucking pussy! Let me out of these chains and I'll show you what happens when you fuck with us!" Jericho growled angrily at the man.
"No! There is no talk! Only justice!" The man yelled violently to the three. "And it will be served!"
He pulled the trigger and a bright flash flared at the sides of the barrel and the stock, exploding in the man's hands. The gun practically splintered into many pieces, a great deal of the small parts embedding themselves into the ghoul and causing him to collapse. Dash screamed in agony as she was shot and the man fell backwards from the initial explosion. The initial hit felt like a forceful punch to her ribs, cracking one or two of them in the process and leaving a burning sensation in its tracks.
At this point Aeron and Jericho had been tugging at the chains furiously and in the heat of the moment, Aeron noticed a large padlock holding them against the wall. Quick to think, he opened a pouch on his armour and withdrew a bobby pin and attempted to pick its lock. The man was screaming in pain while Jericho was cursing and his furious movement caused his chains to rattle viciously. Aeron had a hard time trying to concentrate on the padlock's mechanism, fumbling with the bobby pin and trying to keep it from breaking.
"Uhg... Alhazred... I have killed her," Jaime called out loudly, groaning with pain. "I have killed her and justice has been served!"
Click, click, click, CLICK!
Aeron finally unlocked the padlock and the chains immediately broke off from Aeron's wrist's, neck and ankles. Standing up he shined the light at the ghoulish man distaste filled in his eyes. He patted himself down to check if any weapons were left with him to his dismay, there was nothing on him besides his bobby pins.
Aeron needed a weapon and quick. He wouldn’t be much of a threat to Jaime without any arms. He quickly flashed his Pip-Boy’s light around, searching the ground in a furious attempt to obtain anything lethal. Then, a large pole caught his eye.
Specifically, the barrel of the hunting rifle Jaime broke. He quickly picked it up and examined its structure it was quite rusted and decayed, but it was still feasible enough to beat someone with.
This’ll have to do... Satisfied, Aeron walked over to Jaime and stared at him for a few seconds before speaking.
"You know how much shit you're in right now, correct?" The black man spoke with a low and hateful tone. The ghoul only laughed.
"You can do nothing to me! I am a servant of Alhazred! He protects me! He keeps me safe! He "
Aeron quickly smashed the pole across Jaime’s face, interrupting his laughter and causing him to yell violently. "I don't think you'll be saying that when you're dead. Now, I suggest you tell us where the fuck we are before I beat your brains out. I don't have much time, as I have a girl bleeding to death and a very angry companion behind me wanting to get out of here."
"You can't hurt me! I am immortal! You're just a little pest in my life, in which Alha " Aeron brought the barrel down onto the man’s legs. A loud snap echoed and caused Jaime to let off a raspy scream.
"So, what was that about immortality?" Aeron raised a small brow.
The ghoul growled and breathed heavily as he spoke. "We're in the under chambers of Dunwich. You may leave through a staircase over there."
The ghoul's hand pointed to a blackened area. Aeron didn't bother taking his eyes off the ghoul. He only smiled.
"Thank you for being so kind," he turned around, only to slowly turn back. "Oh, one other thing..."
"What?" The ghoul hissed in pain.
Aeron turned around fully and stabbed the barrel through the man’s chest. An awful crack and agonizing scream entered Aeron’s ears. However, he was content with what he was doing, continuing a few more times and then finally leaving it there.
Stay dead, you fucking lunatic. Aeron thought, turning towards Jericho.
Aeron returned to Jericho and freed him of the chains, quickly returning to Dash and freeing her as well. He gently tapped the mare's face to get her attention. She slowly opened her eyes the normal magenta was now mixed in with bloodshot veins and tears squeezing out of them.
"Rainbow Dash, stay with me, okay? We're going to get you the fuck out of here and fix you up," Aeron said calmly as Jericho joined him.
"Ae-Aeron... It really hurts... I don "
"Shhh. Don't say that, Rainbow Dash. Yes, it hurts, but you won't die. Not on my watch, missy," Aeron interrupted her thoughts and gently brushed a hand through her mane.
"Yeah, this kid here saved my ass a bunch of times. With my help, we'll fix you up in a jiffy," Jericho added a few words of encouragement.
"I... I'll try..." Dash forced the words out of her mouth as a burning pain emitted from her side.
"That's all I ask, Rainbow Dash. Jericho, help her into my arms be careful with her," Aeron held out his arms as Jericho gently pulled Dash's black sweatshirt off, ripping a large strip out of it and tightly wrapping it around the pegasus' wounded torso.
Slowly, they flipped the mare onto her back and placed her in Aeron's arms. She was a lot lighter than the Wanderer expected, but he soon rationalized it to the fact that she can fly which also carried the question on whether she broke a bone or not.
"C'mon, Jericho. Let's get the fuck out of here," Aeron quickly paced himself into the general direction of the exit.
"Couldn't agree more," Jericho answered as he caught up with him.
Dash, however, was struggling to stay awake. The pain was unbelievable the burning in her side and chest was spreading like wildfire and was causing her to pass out with sheer agony. The pain was nothing Dash had ever felt before sure, she’d broken a bone or two in crashes. That hurt, of course, but this pain was now burning itself across her entire chest and she could feel her broken ribs jabbing themselves deeper into the wound.
After a few moments of feeling this pain and trying to stay awake, it was too much for her and she finally blacked out in Aeron's arms.