//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 : Run For Your Lives // Story: Abhorsen : Friendship is Free-Magic // by MerlosTheMad //------------------------------// Abhorsen parried the blow from the man's cudgel, grunting from the weight of the instrument before driving it downwards. He sidestepped, which sent his attacker tumbling past and into the muddied street. There had been a few words traded between him and his assailants, a simple plea that they listen to reason, which had been ignored. Two more men charged him at once from behind the first; the others held back at a distance, each with a tarnished sword or axe in hand. The attacker leading the charge wore a large flapping cloak, and screamed, "Die, wretch!" There was an unsettling amount of anger and madness evident in his voice. Abhorsen, still stepping back from the man with the cudgel, half knelt and slashed his own blade across the cloaked man's middle. He followed up by stepping past and ramming his sword through the chest of the third man. The stranger's eyes widened, and met his, before letting out a choked gasp of surprise. Behind Abhorsen, the cloaked, would-be attacker stumbled forward a few steps, before clutching at the gaping wound lying beneath slashed armor. He let out one last anguished cry before dropping his blade and joining his companions in the snowy mud. Abhorsen stole a look at what remained of the still breathing men that wanted him dead. There are too many, he managed to think. The rest of the scoundrels, murderers or whatever they were, paused slightly. Their enraged eyes were focused on the half a dozen bodies surrounding the man they had been ordered to kill. Abhorsen pulled on his sword and it slid its way back out of the third man with a tug. His boots turned on their heels and he ran, falling back towards the town gates once more. Fear of the men chasing him wasn't why he ran. He had dealt with worse than them before. The true reason he ran was because of his friends, to reach them; the ones he had promised to help, the ones that were dangerously close to the presence of a Greater Dead spirit. Shouting continued to assault Abhorsen's back as more men issued forth from the inn, chasing after him as he continued his pattern of retaliation, then retreat. The drab buildings of the forest village faded from his awareness as he tore down the street. Abhorsen cleared his thoughts and focused. Three symbols for fire and power formed in his mind's eye. He was sure there were too many pursuing him to deal with by sword alone, or perhaps at all. Once the spell was ready, he spun mid-stride and flung out his hand. Pointed arcs of light screamed from three of his fingertips and across the space separating him and the dozen or so shapes stamping their way through the mucky streets. Screams cried out from the targets of the spell. The men they had issued from collapsed or were thrown back from the impacts. Smoke curled out of gaping wounds in chests, or from stumps that no longer possessed limbs to call their own. Abhorsen landed on the opposite boot he had spun from, sliding slightly in the mud, before then kicking back up into a sprint. He could hear arrows and crossbow bolts whistling past his head, shot by men who weren't so keen now to close the distance with him. Anxious to get away from being out in the open, he turned down another street. The shouts behind him got a little quieter, but he was going the wrong way now. He grabbed the corner of a building and swung into an alleyway, hoping it would prove to be a shortcut. A loud crash and a yelp echoed off the buildings around Abhorsen as he slammed into two, pony shaped forms. After landing on his back, he looked up to see those shapes were fact in companions, both off whom were breathing heavy and likewise on the ground. "Rarity!?" Abhorsen realized quickly he had been pushed back into the street, and hurriedly moved into the alley again just as a bolt slammed into the muddy ground he had been occupying. "Abhorsen!" Rarity and Pinkie Pie called out as one. What followed the one coherent word was a slew of things the man couldn't understand in the least. "Mr. Abhorsen! There was a brute of a giant shadow that—!" and "A strange stranger walked up to us, and exploded and it was—!" intermixed along with the rest of the chaos that filled the town's atmosphere. Abhorsen sheathed his sword quickly and raised his voice, desperate to make haste under the circumstances. "Ladies, st— Enough!" His shout managed to get the two ponies to trail off slightly. "We don't have time. The village is overrun with men of a dark persuasion and we need to go, now. On top of that, I sensed the dead returning. Are either of you hurt?" Pinkie eyed the sword at Abhorsen's hip suspiciously as he spoke. When he asked his question, she opened her mouth wide, sucking in air to speak. "That's what I tried to say! There's a—!" Rarity spoke first though, and louder. "Yes! We're fine, both perfectly fine!" She was panting, disheveled, and slightly hunched over. "What's happening, Abhorsen?" She inspected what looked like an inordinate amount of mud, streaked across the man's face and clothes. She realized quickly it was red tinged. "Are you bleeding!?" she blanched, wide eyed. Pinkie looked around behind herself nervously. "It's fine. I'm not hurt." Abhorsen brushed at his arm, peeking back around the corner of the alley. The men were holding back at the end of the wide avenue, possibly getting organized. Rarity's eyes widened. "But there's so much blood on you. Let me hel—" Abhorsen grunted and fended off the mare trying to get a look at him. "There's no time for that. And don't worry, it isn't my blood." Rarity continued to look at him pleadingly, certain he was hurt. "Not yours? But—" "We need to go, now." Abhorsen said the words sternly to get his friend's cooperation. "I need you both to follow me closely, hurry." Pinkie made more worried sounds and whimpers amidst dancing on her hooves. "Tercy, the—" Abhorsen interrupted the mare while focusing on a charter spell. "There's no time for words Pinkie, we must escape before it's too late. I can't fight this many." His plan would cast mist and fog into the area to cover their escape. He shouted the charter spell out. Symbols crashed into the muddy street and a steam-like cloud issued into the air. He turned around, grabbing Rarity's shoulder and pulling her along. "Let's go while we still can under this shroud." "Wait, fight? 'This many'? Who else is here!?" Rarity exclaimed, letting herself be dragged along until she could begin to run on her own. Abhorsen spoke as he ran. "Rarity, there is a great evil in the town, and it's getting closer. Please do as I say." Confused shouts from the men, now lost in the sudden fog, filled the street which the three companions hurriedly ran across. Pinkie was hopping alongside Abhorsen, practically up to his full standing height. She looked to the man as though she desperately had to go to the bathroom, or perhaps had something she wanted to say. "That's what I've been trying to say!" She cried out, her coat's hood flapping behind her pink mane. "Tercy, she tried to—" The sound of the alleyway they had just left behind exploding in a crash of timber and collapsing building followed them, and interrupted Pinkie. A woman's voice, sounding animalistic and crazed could be heard amidst the other sounds in the air, all vying for dominance. "Come ooout!" The raspiness and anger in the command gave it a desperate seeming edge. "Run!" Abhorsen shouted. Pinkie sighed and fell down to the ground to sink into the muck. "Never mind!" She joined Abhorsen and Rarity in the hasty escape they were making. Rarity dared to look behind herself. The air was thick with whatever Abhorsen had done, but she could see a darkness growing in the spot they had left. "What is it!?" She stretched her neck out and began to run faster, only to find herself pulling away from Abhorsen and Pinkie. The howling voice of the woman screamed again. "I can feel you, your life. You won't get far!" Abhorsen grimaced and shouted up to the unicorn. "It's a Greater Dead spirit, something both old and powerful! Don't look back, just run as fast as you can!" Both Rarity and Pinkie hesitated in doing just that, slowing their pace to match their human friend's. Rarity frowned amidst her labored breathing, actually able to catch her breath at the new pace. Goodness, even Twilight is faster than Abhorsen... "So what's the plan?" Pinkie asked, yet to be winded by the running. She stared ahead, studying the buildings and looking for possible hiding places or escapes. The edge of the town was a tall wooden wall, which was odd, because the thing was really an eye sore. Because of that eye sore, it looked like their only escape would be the way they came in, which was back the way that she and Rarity had just run. Abhorsen eyed Rarity suspiciously as she slowed back to join him again. "To run," he answered to Pinkie, while beginning to breath harder. "And fight, if cornered. We must escape the village first. There is another guardhouse at the other end of town we can leave through. Hopefully, it will be unguarded as the other had been." Pinkie nodded, smiling, trying to keep both her own and her friends' spirits up in the face of wickedness. "Okie dokie lokie, slow pokie!" She giggled, then giggled again when Abhorsen looked at her incredulously. Despite the show she put on, she was afraid, plus worried, and not just about the big evil bully following them and wanting her for some unknown, sinister plan. The streets became hard cobble as they entered and began to cross what appeared to be a town square; the buildings ringed around them in a lopsided circle where a waist high fountain lay at the center. Abhorsen could see the gatehouse, and the way for the Equestrians to escape. He hadn't told them, nor did he mean to, but once they were out of danger his own course of action was not to join them. The Greater Dead spirit had to be dealt with, or a great many lives would be in danger in the future. Abhorsen spoke in between gulps of air. "Pinkie, Rarity, once we escape, you must—" "Terciel..." Pinkie saw something odd. "Look out!" A heavy, speeding pony slammed into the man, cutting him off by way of a flying tackle. Abhorsen oofed, tried to get up, then was shoved back into the ground by what felt like twin hooves; he was almost certain a pony was responsible behind those hooves. Rarity heard her friends trip and slid to a halt, looking back. "Pinkie—?" She was knocked over as well, and hit the ground with a thud. Pinkie looked up from behind the big fountain where she had pushed Abhorsen to the ground. There were other humans in the eaves of the buildings, and standing in the windows. All of them held strange instruments, curved pieces of wood with strings. She hadn't known what they were, but her pinkie sense had told her 'danger'. "Rarity!" Pinkie called out as soon as she had gotten Abhorsen down. "Get behi— Rarity!?" She spotted Rarity a short distance from the fountain's edge, laying out in the open on her side and looking dazed. Pinkie's eyes shot wide open and she lept out to her friend's side. The sound and clatter of shafts of wood snapping around her accompanied the click of her hooves as she ran out to her friend. "Rarity!? Are you okay? Speak to me—" A muffled cry and a wail of pain escaped Rarity, and interrupted Pinkie. "What— What happened?" She looked all around herself, not understanding, and hearing shouts where before it had been relatively quiet. More important than that, however, was her leg; it hurt. Pinkie flinched at seeing Rarity's condition, but began dragging her to the nearby cover without bothering to look up. "It'll be okay Rarity, it's fine—" She stole another look at Rarity's side. Rarity's eyes rolled back to look at Pinkie fearfully. "What will be fine? What happened?" A roaring wave overtook them both and they ducked their heads away from the rushing air, each letting out a scream. When they looked up, they saw that the source of what had scared them was Abhorsen, casting his charter magic. "Stay down!" The human shouted, before throwing his arm over the fountain's side again. Silvery fire shot from his gesture, streaking towards a building until it smashed there into a window. Pinkie couldn't stay down; she zoned out, and even forgot that her friend was hurt. Across the town square the fire had found its mark and hit a different human in the empty window that was now there. Is he— Something pulled her back to the ground. "I said get down!" Abhorsen had shoved Pinkie over with one arm, which went back to clutching his other. "Just, stay down and out of sight. Rarity, are you alright?" The fashionista was huddled under the overhanging lip of the fountain's edge, her eyes locked onto her flank. "I-I— What is—" She could only stammer, at a complete loss as to what had happened or what she was looking at. There, lodged in her side, was a stick just below her Cutie Mark. Rarity swallowed hard. Why are they doing this? Who are they? Her eyes locked with Pinkie's, which were as wide and stark as her own felt. Abhorsen gritted his teeth, then pulled out the arrow that had missed his armor. The arm still seemed to work, and he used it to lean over Rarity. "Both of you stay calm, please." The ponies looked at him as if he were mad. "I'll get us out of this." Rarity looked back to her side, which flared with pain at every small movement she made and explained fully why she hadn't been able to stand. The cause of this was easy to see, the small wooden shaft that was lodged into her skin, like a toothpick shoved into a daisy sandwich to keep it together. She could feel tears in her eyes, looking at it, and not understanding, 'why'. Abhorsen put a hand on her shoulders, and held her gaze. "Trust me," was all he said. Rarity didn't have time to react as he closed a hand around the shaft, placed his other inappropriately against her Cutie Mark, then pulled in one smooth motion. "N'yaah!" She cried out, flinching and kicking her legs at the same time. Two hooves that weren't her own held onto her neck in a tight hug. Pinkie Pie winced at her friend's reaction to what she really hoped was the right thing to do, then looked up at the human who had acted as a doctor. "Will she be alright!?" Rarity looked to her friend at hearing the worried remark. "I'll be fine, that was— nothing." That stick had easily been the most painful thing she had ever felt. "She should be." Abhorsen spared the pony a quick look before looking over the edge of the fountain again. He could see men gathering at the corner of a building. "We need to deter these men if we're to escape." Pinkie Pie and Rarity both stole looks alongside the human. The unicorn of the pair could see what had probably been the things to hit her beautiful, delicate side. She narrowed her eyes at the ones trying to hurt her friends. Pinkie fell back behind the fountain, a landslide of thoughts racing through her head. "Why are they doing this!?" "Because, they want to kill me. If I can get you two out of here, I should be able to draw them away." In his mind, Abhorsen reformed the charter symbols for shadow and water to form another fog; he felt they were his best bet now. He was jerked away from his thoughts, and the charter symbols fled his focus. Pinkie Pie had grabbed Abhorsen by his collar. "But why!? Why do they want to— to— do that!? Killing is super duper wrong, and— I don't... I just don't get it." She had wilted down by the end of her outburst, with Abhorsen trying to bring them back under the cover of the fountain. Her voice steadied itself and became lower in tone when she spoke again. "And you... what did you do to them?" Abhorsen tried desperately to recover the symbols, he could hear boots coming into the street. "Pinkie, this is not the time, I—" "Gotchyah!" Rarity cried out. Pinkie and Abhorsen looked over from their ongoing grapple with one another. Their unicorn friend was holding herself up with her two front hooves over the fountain, while her horn was aglow, bathed with sapphire blue light that streamed forth into the air. Abhorsen stared, his expression slacking and not really sure what was happening, or about to happen. "Rarity—" He choked on his words, looking out across the cobblestone square at the sight of several men floating slightly in the air, all hanging from their weapons. At least, that's what he thought it looked like. He turned back to Rarity, a silly smile appearing on his face. It faded again when an enraged Pinkie Pie shoved her forehead back up against his. The men, unable to hold on, were forced to drop, now unarmed. During this, Pinkie shoved Abhorsen in the chest with her hooves. "There is no right time for what you just did." The human fell back onto his rear. "You killed him! That guy! When is there a right time for that!? HUH!?" There were tears streaming down the sides of her face. Rarity shook the remaining two humans free of their dastardly instruments, then flung as many of the weapons as she could, as far away as she could. "That will show them!" She rejoiced, seeing most of them retreat back out of the square. "Pinkie, what did you say—" Her words stumbled after she turned and looked over. Abhorsen looked at both ponies. Pinkie's mane had become flat, and there was an absolute sort of terror and unhappiness in her large eyes, despite her angry voice. Rarity looked confused. The gems adorning her bare flank were drenched in blood. "Pinkie, I—" He had time to say a couple words before a symphony of screams started, drowning him out. A loud explosion crashed over them, along with wood chips and dust. Pinkie screamed, heard Rarity scream, and felt Abhorsen jump over the both of them for some reason. Her ears were plastered against her head on reflex alone, but she could still hear everything going on around her. All of it was too loud, but she heard the human say, "Stay down." Despite the man's words, both him and his two companions looked over the edge of the fountain when they could. Across the town square, a building was missing a large corner of itself and was busy collapsing into the street. Amidst the rubble were men, crawling and fleeing, while still others were holding up their hands in pleading gestures. Behind this, stood a great shadow, twice as tall as any of the shapes fleeing from it. "You're in my way, food." Tendrils lashed out from the shadow's base, while two large arms swung back and forth at anything that tried to attack it. "I don't have time to deal with you." Its echoing voice was loud enough to be heard amongst the other yelling. Pinkie momentarily forgot about the anger she had just felt, but reminded herself to not let it go. "That's her! That's—! That's... Hellery? Helter-Skelter? Hell-Billy? Hell-Mom?" She turned and quirked an eyebrow at her friend. "Rarity, what's a good nickname that works with Hellerum?" Rarity looked over and deadpanned at the earth pony confronting her. "Pinkie!? This really isn't the time I don't think—" "She's killing them." Pinkie said abruptly, now looking out over the town square. Rarity blinked, then turned as well. She had been aware of that, but oddly hadn't reacted yet after seeing it. It wasn't something that even seemed possible, and it had all happened so fast she wondered why she barely felt anything. "I— We need to do something," she murmured in a barely audible tone. Abhorsen had listened to the two ponies absently, while the greater part of his mind was focused on what to do; what he would need to do, whatever that was. There would be no running now, not with this Greater Dead so close. He had hoped to cross the nearby river the village had been built upon; running water could stop lesser dead in their tracks, and could slow even the one staring at him right now. Abhorsen knew that the bells of necromancy adorning his chest would be his best bet. I'll use Saraneth, and Kibeth in tandem, then bind the spirit to— In the middle of unbuckling his bandolier, he found his right arm would no longer listen to him; he paused, wincing. There was a distinct biting sensation that he was suddenly aware of moving throughout the arm. His expression darkened in understanding of what he felt. Poison. That arrow had been poison coated. With only one working arm, Abhorsen realized the options he had at his beck and call had dwindled significantly. In fact, there was only one he could think of that might still work. He looked down at his companions, still talking, unable to bring himself to apologize for what he planned. Abhorsen and Pinkie flinched as Rarity jumped up, slamming her hooves onto the fountain's side. "Stop it!" The alabaster mare screamed across the town square towards the shapes there. Her voice grabbed the attention of just one; the Greater Dead spirit. Hellerum turned from the squirming creature in her claws. "Ah, there you both are." Her voice was calm now. She let the man she still held drop to the ground with a sickening crunch. Truthfully, she had felt her quarry constantly; ever since her first encounter with the white one, and knew she had been there. "There'll be no more running now, little ones. Come here, don't keep me waiting." Rarity shivered at seeing the field of horror that the monster had created, and all in seconds. If any of the men had not been hurt... or killed, they were nowhere to be seen. The haunting voice that the creature— that Hellerum used made her bones ache, and kept her frozen where she stood. From the corner of her eye, Rarity saw a pink shape move around the fountain to stand beside her. "Don't worry Rarity. I'm right here, we've faced down bigger monsters than this... this loser before. Remember the dragon? Or the other dragon?" Pinkie turned to face Rarity. "Or that other other dragon?" Rarity's breathlessness abated enough for her to breath, "Yes Pinkie, I remember the dragons. I— this is not the same, I think—" Her legs began shaking beneath her. Pinkie interrupted her. "No, you're right, it isn't." Her voice held an edge to it; that, Rarity had never heard before. "Those dragons weren't... murderers." "Both of you, stand back." Both mares turned to look at the source of the voice. "J-just, stay behind the fountain. I will make her leave." Abhorsen's voice quavered slightly beneath a struggled breath. Rarity and Pinkie opened their mouths to speak, but closed them again. Their human friend was already continuing past, and closer to the thing that had just made mincemeat of so many others. Pinkie's eyes flickered to Terciel's arm; it was dripping blood, and hanging completely still. Less odd, or maybe more odd she thought, his other hand was holding a single bell. A bell!? Pinkie thought, narrowing her eyes at the thing. "Hey! Tercy! This is no time for an instrument!" Honestly, what good is an instrument going to do? Just to be sure, she double checked the area. ...Nope, no parasprites or mice. Rarity's teeth were gritted in her mouth, fearfully watching what was happening. The shadow thing had stopped approaching them, and seemed to be waiting, or studying them back. Be careful, Abhorsen. There was a feeling in the air, a sort of burning. She could taste a strange tang in her mouth, like iron dust or some acrid chemical from Twilight's basement. The last time she had confronted Hellerum she had also felt it. Across the town square, Hellerum spotted the lone man walking out to her. "No no, don't thank me or anything for saving your life. I am claiming it for myself, after all." She chuckled, a deep, echoing laughter that filled the air as her writhing body flowed down the side of the building and into the open area. Just before she reached the ground, she stopped, freezing where she hung above the cobbled street. Abhorsen ignored the ponies, and halted some distance from the Greater Dead facing him. His largest bell was held out to his side so the enemy could see it. "You're a necromancer," Hellerum hissed. The great pits of purple ringed in orange that were her eyes narrowed decisively. She had frozen after seeing the bells, fearing that it was Maywit, or Avahntus. This man was neither, though. "You're the Abhorsen." I recognize those silver keys. "I am." Terciel spoke loudly. He twisted his bell upright, punctuating his words, and was glad to see the massive thing facing him down flinch. "I can't say I've ever had the pleasure to meet you, though, but perhaps you knew my forebears. Nevertheless, you know who I am, and what it is I do." Hellerum chuckled, a deep, withering sound. "You make yourself out to be something I should fear." Her body coursed with power, strength she wanted desperately to use to crush the man confronting her into nothing but blood and clothing. The bell he held though, she knew of it. That cursed thing was the seventh, and final bell necromancers used, the one that sent things into death, Astarael. "You look worse for wear, Abhorsen. Is something wrong?" Hellerum put a spin on her words, mocking the man obnoxiously standing before her. She could feel the pain he felt, the wound in his arm. "Why haven't you tried to move against me yet? Hm? Could it be that you can't?" Abhorsen tilted his head in answer to the foe. "Let's not play games." He could feel the poison spreading to his chest. "I'm not about to let you take me. Leave, or we all take a journey to the final gate, together." His grip around the handle of the bell he held tightened slightly. Hellerum spoke slowly, evenly, still studying the scene laid out before her. "Then let me just have your livestock, Abhorsen. They're worth nothing to you, and they're all I want." Abhorsen had to resist looking back at his two Equestrian friends. She's after Rarity? And Pinkie? ...Not me? Why in the name of the charter does she want them? His grimace deepened a fraction, he hoped it gave nothing away. "You will not have me, nor them, creature." The bell in his grip twisted another inch, just enough for the movement to be seen. "You know what I wield. There will be no coming back, for any of us. You know this. Leave, and you get to... live, until I find you again." As he said the word 'live' he smirked slightly, twisting his verbal knife deeper, so to speak. He hoped that was the smart move, making a threat as he was. Hellerum tried to chuckle again, to mock the man once more, but couldn't manage it. Her fiery eyes locked onto the two little ponies standing behind the fountain. The life force from them both was overwhelming, greater than a hundred people, than a thousand. It was glorious for her to behold here in the world of the living; like a sun's worth of energy. The ultimatum that Abhorsen was giving her though, was one she couldn't deny. That bell would ring if she moved now, no matter what she did. And he would do it, too. The Abhorsen, willing to go to any lengths. Hellerum relented, her emotions a boiling cauldron of fury; one she refused to let show. "Very well. It seems you win this time, Abhorsen. A pity you didn't attempt to fight me fairly. This would have been fun, then." Her body screamed at her to pursue the ponies, but she did the opposite. Slowly, she began to move away. "Know this, necromancer, you will die one day. On that day, I will be waiting for you... and your, daughter, was it?" Hellerum laughed, one final time. Abhorsen inhaled a lung full of air to stay calm, watching the Greater Dead slither away down the road, its voice getting quieter. The moment he felt its presence weaken enough, he sprang into action and whirled around to face the others. "Rarity, I am poisoned, I fear you may be as well. We haven't much time, we must get back to my house, quickly. I—" He came to a full stop, confronted by a furious, and livid pink mare. "No! You listen right here, mister—!" Pinkie Pie felt like she had never frowned so hard in her entire life. The human standing in front of her looked appropriately shocked, but that did nothing to calm her down. "I— You— Them—" She clenched her eyes shut, realizing she hadn't thought about what to say at all. When she opened them, she was sitting on the ground, feeling intensely sad, instead. I don't know what to say, or do, at all. He killed others. What can I do? Her eyes settled on a bright red stain at the edge of the building rubble. She was vaguely aware of talking around her. "Pinkie." Rarity spoke, using her voice to reach out to her friend. "We need to go, please." Pinkie's expression managed to become a scowl once more. She looked at the other pony, her look quickly softening again. "But—! We need to help them." Her hoof pressed against the winter coat Rarity wore, then turned to Abhorsen. "You did this, I— It wasn't right, even if they were bad, or evil, or whatever. Everypony— Augh, everymen deserves a chance to redeem themselves, or—" Rarity half interrupted her friend, her own head hung off to the side. "It's everybody, dear," she mumbled. Her own eyes were locked with the remains of that which had just transpired. Pinkie was breathing hard, her sides heaving, and failing to calm down. "Rarity could have stopped them!" she cried, jabbing a hoof at the fashionista. "You saw what her magic did. She could have sat them all down and then we—" Abhorsen listened patiently to the strange little pony's speech, which was probably unwise all considering. He could understand where she was coming from, completely. He fought all on his own, and had for his entire life, to prevent what had just happened all around them. There was no time though, he knew, for delays like this. He contemplated using Ranna on her again, to put her to sleep so they could press on. I can't do that though, he realized. She's the only one unharmed. His eyes flicked to Rarity's wound, then, unbidden, he fell down to one knee. This is bad. Pinkie cut off from her yelling, and was about to follow up with something else acidic, but stopped. Hey— Tercy looks pretty hurt... Her anger was leaving already, she realized, and she wasn't sure if she wanted it to or not. "Abhorsen!?" Rarity straightened up, then sped to the human's side, who had all but collapsed. "Is— Are you hurt badly? You seemed fine just now. Well," she glanced at his arm. "Except for the, uhm, how to put this delicately... blood...?" "Listen quickly, both of you. I think I have less time than I thought." Abhorsen swallowed hard, and looked to the pink mare keeping her distance from him. "I saw it as my only choice, Pinkie. I don't think it was right, either—" he saw the pink mare open her mouth to speak, anger reheated in her face, and spoke louder over her. "Listen! I'm poisoned, it is deadly, I fear. If I am lucky, it will just be paralytic. I can't say yet, but it's working quickly." He watched the two ponies facing him mouth the word poison. "I don't have the strength to cast healing magic any longer, and we are still miles from my home. Rarity, do you feel the effects of any poison?" He waited. Rarity blinked, then looked back in fear at her own side, and the little puncture wound there. "I— I don't know! What does it feel like?" She craned her head around further, focusing on her flank; it burned a little, and of course hurt horribly from being jabbed by the human weapon. Abhorsen chuckled. "I don't think you are, then. Perhaps you are even resistant." He tried to laugh again, but found he couldn't; the tightness in his chest was strengthening quickly. He focused on Pinkie, who was frowning deeply at him. "Pay attention, this— that Greater Dead won't go far, it wants us, wants you; I don't know why. This bell," he looked to Astarael, the massive lump of inscribed metal still in his hand. "It is something that can... that can send the dead back into death. If rung, it will protect you. Only ring it if that thing returns." He tucked Astarael safely back into his bandolier, where it couldn't do harm. "Run from any lesser dead, only use the bell as a last resort." He passed his gaze between the two equines, and felt he had little time left awake, perhaps even alive. Abhorsen fought to stay upright, supported in part by Rarity holding him up. "Pinkie, I am sorry. I will not lie that what I did was a terrible thing. Killing, is never right, but sometimes times it's the only option left to us. Those men, they chose a dark path, to hurt others. I protected myself, and you both, from them." He hissed through his teeth, and felt his back go limp. Pinkie winced, watching Tercy get lowered to the stony ground by Rarity. "I..." She didn't feel like she really had the will to carry on with her scolding, not with him as he was. Rarity was busily ripping a strip of cloth from her clothes with magic. The bandage hastily tied itself around Abhorsen's arm while she spoke to him. "It's... Well, it's not fine, Abhorsen, but what's done is done. Save your strength." "But—" Pinkie started, then was cut off again quickly. "Not done." Abhorsen choked out, raising his left hand an inch. "Rarity, I know you learned some... charter, if you feel you can..." he reached up, and touched the white unicorn's charter mark, the one she bore on her forehead. "Then please, try and heal us both. If not, do your best. You must get us— to my— house, and hurry— not much time. There is help... there..." Rarity blinked repeatedly, unable to accept what was happening. Abhorsen slunked down in her forehooves. She looked up at Pinkie, jaw slack from shock. "Ah—" Her voice came out a croak. Pinkie finally dashed up from her spot several strides away. "Hey, wake up, this isn't funny." She poked the human lying still. "I'm the one that knows what's funny best and this isn't, buster!" Her hooves grabbed the man's arm. "Pinkie! Stop it!" Rarity shouted. Pinkie Pie froze, her breath caught in her lungs. A sniffle made its way out of her next. Rarity steeled herself, and began wrapping her own leg. It didn't seem to be bleeding much, but she took the precaution anyway. "I'm sorry for shouting, darling. Now, I think we have to do what he said, and quickly. He could... he could be dying." Pinkie scowled, at the idea of somebody dying, and the fact that so many already had. "O-okay... What about the others?" She turned around, looking to see if any of the other humans were still around. The thought that some might be made her afraid, too, but leaving one to die in the snow was just as scary a thought. Rarity followed the party mare's gaze out into the rubble. She struggled with what to do for a moment. "Hello!?" Pinkie Pie looked over at her friend, then back out into the town. Only silence answered the call. "I... don't think we can stay to help anypony, Pinkie." Rarity wilted, and turned back to Abhorsen. She ran over what the man had said, about poison, and using magic. "We need to go, and quickly." She fumbled a map out of a satchel amidst their bags. Pinkie's rump thumped down on the road. "But... okay." She looked at the human they probably could help, she hoped. "What can we do for him? He said something about healing him to you. Do you know healing magic, Rarity? Because I didn't know you knew any." She knew that she knew a lot about her friends, too. A funny thought came to her. If Rarity learned healing magic without Twilight knowing, that would drive her nuuuuts. "I... don't know any, no, not in the... traditional sense, anyway." Rarity frowned at Abhorsen, watching Pinkie from the corner of her eye. Her thoughts reached through her memory for the few symbols she had learned during her stay at Wyverly. Pinkie turned her head. "What do you mean?" she asked her friend. Rarity bit her lip, certain the symbols that now floated in her mind, and actually began to appear in her vision, were the right ones. "It's... well, human magic, charter magic. Anybody can use it if they have a mark, and they gave me one—" Her eyes widened as she was tugged over. Pinkie's voice was a squeak. "They taught you that stuff!?" All she could think about were the frightening sparkly symbols that had hurt so many other humans right before her eyes. Rarity lost hold of the charter marks in her mind. She huffed and answered what she knew her friend was thinking. "Yes, but it's not just a... a weapon, as Abhorsen used his. I can use the charter... thing, to heal, and I plan to. Now please, Pinkie, I need to concentrate if I'm to help him. I don't even know if this will work. I've... only done this a few times, and not this spell, either." Pinkie sat back and looked down at Tercy. He looked peaceful, almost like he was sleeping, if covered in a lot of dust, and mud, and other stuff. Golden marks, representing life and light floated behind Rarity's shut eyelids. She focused, calling forth and asking for their help in a way. The charter was supposed to be all things, even if that didn't strictly make sense to her, but she kept it in mind as she directed it. Opening her eyes, she pressed a hoof to Abhorsen's arm. Charter marks, the ones she had pictured, slid down her own foreleg, and into the wound. Rarity relaxed, going limp some and breathing heavily. "Oh my. I may have overdone it." She heaved a breath out of herself and stood up, feeling drained. Pinkie stood up to, and gave her friend a worried look. "Rarity? Are you okay?" The unicorn shook her head to clear it, then nodded. "What? Well are you okay or aren't you?" Pinkie turned her head the other way, raising an eyebrow. Rarity resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the other mare. "I'm fine, Pinkie. I believe I may have just put too much concentration into the spell. My head is swimming and... Still... I think it worked rather well. His breathing seems stronger, doesn't it?" Both ponies lowered their heads to the stallion's chest and listened. After a moment, Rarity resolutely sat up again. "I believe it's time we go, Pinkie." Her Equestrian magic lifted the human, as well as the map. She grunted slightly, realizing just how heavy he was. Pinkie trotted alongside her friend. "Are you sure you're okay, Rarity? I... I could carry him." She frowned a little at the thought. "I mean... I dunno, I probably won't be making him any cupcakes anytime soon, but if you're too weak I won't leave him." Rarity smirked at her light-hearted companion. It was normally a big deal when Pinkie's mane was so straight, but she couldn't think of much to do about it in any case. "It's alright, Pinkie. I think I'll be fine, for now. Much unlike what Rainbow Dash insists, I am made of quite tough stuff." She gave Pinkie a confident grin, the human floating just beside her head. "Alright, Rarity, if you say so." Pinkie looked at Tercy's face again, which was hanging backwards, and pointed forwards ahead of them. She matched her pace to Rarity, disparaging thoughts swimming in her head. It's as if this whole world is just one... big... party pooper... She grimaced, looking around, feelings filled with worrying over her friend, the hurt stranger they carried, and everything that had been done and said. "I wish your healing mojo had made Tercy wake up... I can't be mad at him if he's asleep..." She huffed, and began thinking back on everything that had happened. There was so much that had happened so fast, and not all of it was easy to think about. Rarity decided not to tell Pinkie that the word mojo possibly wasn't the best word to use. The two mares left the ruined town behind them, and returned to traversing the snowy road. They kept a careful look out as they traveled, determined to reach the place that promised them both a refuge from the lands and dangers around them both. Rarity began sweating again from exertion as well as the jacket she wore, but focused on breathing and haste over complaining. I will have plenty of time for that after a bath. I hope Abhorsen has a bath at his home... Although it could be too much to wish for conditioner, as well... wait a moment. An odd thought occurred to her. Rarity looked over at Pinkie Pie, the snowy trees stretching out into the distance behind her. "Pinkie, who's 'Tercy'?"