//------------------------------// // The Stakes // Story: Marabian Knights // by silvershad0 //------------------------------//         “So I’ve been thinking,” Bon Bon turned to Octavia as they continued along the narrow slope.  “We’ve been playing this, or more accurately, living this for the better part of a day now, but we haven’t heard from Luna in quite some time.  Do you suppose there’s something wrong?” She gulped as she finished the sentence, thoughts of being stuck in this alternate world forever dancing in her mind.         “To be honest, I’ve been worrying about that very thing,” Octavia stopped for a moment and sat on her haunches.  “What are we doing here and why hasn’t Luna responded to us yet?  We never should have agreed to play this silly game in the first place and now we’re separated from our friends in some dark, stinking cave with absolutely no clue as to what’s going on!”  She wanted to cry.  She wanted to scream. But most of all, she wanted a hot bath, far away from this place.         The sound of footsteps coming from further ahead snapped both mares out of their miserable state as they quickly ducked behind some loose rocks they had passed.  Chancing a peek, they each saw several kobolds leading, who else, but the very ponies, plus human, they were searching for.  They were bound and blindfolded, but didn’t look injured at a glance.  They continued marching their captives down the path towards the spider pit at an even pace, occasionally prodding them with spears when they slowed.         “Well that’s just super,” Octavia spat as soon as they were out of hearing range.           “I know it looks bad,” Bon Bon placed a hoof on her shoulder, “but at least we’ve already taken care of the spider.  Not to mention, we now know where they are and that they’re okay.”  She gave her best encouraging smile until the grey mare finally returned it.         “You’re right.  All we have to do now is free them from that small party of guards and we can all get the buck out of here.  I mean, we took on that giant spider, right?  What could possibly be worse than that?         She noticed that the tunnel had suddenly become darker somehow and, turning around, she came face to knee with a minotaur that timberwolves would certainly give wide berth to.  Then she felt it.  The immense aura surrounding the creature screamed of terrible deeds and ill intentions.  A darkness that would have left Sombra envious.  The paladin tried to reach for her weapon, but found that her hooves wouldn’t obey her.           The monster just stood and stared at each of them, his glare having the paralyzing effect he desired in his prey.  He reached for a large club he carried at his side and drew it high into the air.  “Spider already has fresh meat,” he said in a deep, rustic voice.  “You are not needed.”         Octavia begged her limbs to move.  The size of the club itself would easily have been enough to crush her to dust, but the size of the monster wielding it would ensure that there was absolutely nothing left of the poor mare.  As the club descended on her like lightning to a tree, her only thoughts were of Vinyl being dragged away to meet her end as well.  That’s right.  End.  If I fail here, it’s all over.  And just like that, a fire coursed through her veins.  She was the defender against injustices.  She was the protector of the weak.  She was a paladin.  And her friends and loved ones needed her right now!         She dove between the minotaurs legs just as the club struck bare earth, sending a deafening shockwave throughout the cavern.  The raging bull-man wasted no time in swinging at her again, only to be met with her cello blocking his blow.  As the two pieces of wood met, Octavia winced harshly at the vibrations that traveled through her instrument and up her forehooves.  But the time for complaining was over.  Now, she had to face this monstrous hulk in front of her or lose all that she cared for.         The minotaur paused his attack and gave a slight chuckle at the sight before him.  This pony wasn’t even a quarter of his size, but still chose to face him head on rather than escape with her life.  “You are brave, little one,” he said with a snarl, “brave but foolish.”                    Further down the passageway, the group of captives froze as a tremendous boom could not only be heard, but actually felt.  A second resounding boom soon followed and the group immediately knew that it could only mean one thing.         “Time to go!” Vinyl exclaimed as a surge of energy flowed from her horn throughout her body, focusing on the bindings and setting them ablaze.  As soon as the ropes were sufficiently weakened, she broke free and pulled the blindfold from her eyes.  It didn’t take long for the guards to realize she was free and draw their shoddy spears.  She concentrated with all she had and fired two more small flames toward her friend’s bindings, nailing Lyra’s and setting her free.  Redheart was not so fortunate, however, as she quickly realized that her tail was now on fire.   The poor healer of the group was blind, tied up, surrounded by angry, spear-wielding kobolds, and now she was on fire.  Surely this is some cruel joke Luna is playing at my expense.  “And if we live through this, I swear I’m going to kill you Vinyl!” she screamed as she flailed about, desperately trying to put out her blazing rear.  Several of the kobolds were unfortunate enough to get caught up in her panicky tantrum and received a faceful of flaming flank themselves.    Lyra took advantage of the chaos and started playing a few notes on her lyre, and the kobolds were soon helplessly dancing to their disco inferno-y doom.  “I got these guys,” she said as she continued dancing in time with the music.  “Go help them!” Vinyl splashed the last of her remaining water on Red’s flank to douse the flames and freed her.  Immediately a hoof connected with the back of her skull.  “Ow! What was that for? I put the fire out didn’t I?” Redheart glanced back at her short, blackened tail and considered hitting her again.  “This can wait, but believe me it is not over!” “Geez, you keep that up and Tavi’s gonna get jealous.”  Vinyl shot her a suggestive grin and wiggled her eyebrows. “Oh just shut up and go,” Red fumed, more than a little flustered.  I don’t honestly know how Octavia puts up with this one, but I’ve gained new respect for her if she hasn’t tried to do her in yet. The two galloped down the hallway, readying themselves to face the titan of a monster locked in battle with their friends.  As they rounded a bend in the cavern, they found Octavia matching the creature blow for blow as each unleashed a flurry of attacks.  But what really caught their attention was a shadowy figure encroaching behind the beast.  As he took a step back to parry another blow, Bon Bon leapt from hiding and delivered a blade across the back of each leg.  The minotaur let out a cry of pain and surprise as he lost his balance and fell to his knees.  Octavia didn’t let the chance escape her as she connected her cello to his face, sending him reeling on his back. A soft, golden light wrapped itself around Redheart and Vinyl, both rejuvenating and empowering them. "Sweet, did we just level?" Vinyl asked, already knowing the answer, but right now there were more important things on her mind. She ran to her marefriend’s side and enveloped her in a giant hug, each mare softly crying out their relief and frustrations. “I’m so glad you’re alright, Tavi. When I heard you fighting that thing, I nearly lost it. But, wow, when did you get to be so badflank?” Octavia just let out a quiet chuckle as Red drew closer and started healing her remaining wounds. “It hasn’t been easy, let me tell you, but Bon Bon’s had my back. Vinyl ran over and shared another hug with the blushing rogue. "I guess that means it's over," Bon Bon said, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Lyra returned shortly wearing a smile. "Kobolds have been taken care of. Looks like you guys cleaned house here too." For a moment all was quiet, save for the heavy panting from combat.   The sounds of movement halted what would have been a merry moment as the minotaur picked himself up and shook off a bit off dizziness.  “You didn’t honestly believe it would be that easy, did you?”  He let out a billowing laugh as he cracked his knuckles and then his neck.  “You pitiful ponies don’t even realize just how much trouble you and your world are in right now.  Aimlessly wandering the desert while my mistress is quickly on her way to becoming the new ruler of the dreamworld.” “Woah, how do you know this is the dreamworld?” Vinyl cocked an eyebrow and shot him an inquiring glance.  “And what do you mean ‘new’ ruler of the dreamworld?” The minotaur gave another cocky laugh.  “This little ‘game’ of yours has made poor little Luna slip in her defenses, granting my mistress the perfect opportunity to step in and take control.  What’s more, once she has reverted the princess back to Nightmare Moon, she will have enough power to take over both this world and the waking world as well!” “That’s not possible!  The elements of harmony destroyed Nightmare Moon,” Bon Bon challenged him with a glare. “Do you really think even the elements can destroy a part of who somepony is on the inside?  No.  The elements merely sealed away the darkness in Luna’s heart, but now my mistress works tirelessly to reawaken it.  And when she does, not Celestia nor the elements will be able to stop their combined power!” Vinyl slowly clapped her hooves together in a dramatic fashion.  “Well, you certainly played the evil villain spilling all the juicy details in an over-dramatic monologue to a tee.  Bravo.  But now that we know what’s going on, you expect us to just stand back and let it happen?”   “No,” the giant finished popping his arms, “I expect you to die!”  With that he charged straight for the unprepared caster, ready to rain down on her with all his might.  And he would have succeeded if not for the ever-vigilant, pesky paladin now standing between them.  He grinned and pulled his punch just as Octavia swung to parry, her attack smashing into the ground rather than his bare knuckles.  “Too predictable.”  With the interloper wide open, he swung with his other arm.  The blow hit her with such force that she lost her grip on her weapon and was sent her flying back through the air, rolling several times before crashing against a wall. Before Vinyl could even cry out to her, she received a swift kick to her midsection.  She barreled through the air and landed flat on her back, screaming in pain as she held her hooves over her ribcage. “Did you really believe you little ponies had a chance against the might of a minotaur?”  He stared each of them down as he slowly walked towards them.  “The only question... is who dies first?”