I ran.
I always ran.
I must run.
For if I was to stop.
I would be caught.
If I were to be caught...I'd be used.
I swiped at a branch that got in my way as I ran. I was running as fast as possible, but between the branches and roots, I wasn't making progress fast. I could still hear them. They were behind me but they were closing in on me faster then I could outrun them. But at least I knew where the Demons were, I couldn't tell where the Angels were, for the canopy was so thick it blocked out the sky. It made it darker in here undergrowth, but it also meant they could spot me. Which is why I had gone into this forest in the first place.
I spotted a sort of fork in the road, pausing for a brief second I readjusted, the bag on my back. Pulling it up higher so my wings weren't cramped. Without any hesitation I took off through the woods, following a deep, narrow ravine. I followed the ravine till it tapered off, before turning a small stream.
How massive scars come from the smallest of things.
I continued on running using the moss on the trees as an indicator that I was heading in the same general direction. Sweat was starting to fall in my eyes as I ran blurring and stinging my vision. I caught a root with my foot, causing me to trip and go skidding hard into a tree on my left side. I tried coughing, but my lungs were emptied of the precious oxygen from the impact.
I rolled over onto my side, gulping in air. Rising back to my feet I felt my side. Bruised, nothing broken. I continued running, my impromptu break caused them gain ground on me.
The forest got brighter, I noticed trees starting to thin out. I was out of option. If I stopped running. The Demons would find me for sure. If I ran out of the forest, I'd have better luck. I was still unsure if the Angels followed me or not.
I paused for merely a second before hesitantly sprinting out of the trees. What I assumed was the end of the forest was only a large clearing. I could see more trees on the other side, if I got to them before either the Demons or Angels spotted me I should be in the clear.
I made it halfway through the clearing, before my luck went from okay to bad to terrible.
Landing gracefully in the grass just in front of me, were twenty or so identical looking Angels, spread out in a perfect semi-circle. Each one was identical to his brother. Each wore the exact same pristine armor, had the exact same weapons, a one handed sword, and wore the exact same emotionless face concealed under the exact same helm. All had Halo of lights above their heads, giving off of different intensities of light.
Each one of them blocked my way. Each one of them...... destroyed going forward.
Crashing. I heard it they were getting closer. In fact I turned around just in time to see the first of the demons emerge from the foliage.
He had a smug grin on his face, he'd caught me. They'd both caught me.
Hearing the heavy wing beats of an Arch Angel, I turn around to stare at one of my tormentors, he gracefully lands in front of his guard.
Tyrael, unlike the other Angels Tyrael wore no armor. He wore a simple white cloak, the purest white I had ever seen. His hood was down showing his face to the world. It, under any normal circumstance would be called beautiful. But the way he wore it, made it just plain. He showed no emotion. Just like all the other Angels, he was unable to show emotion or perhaps he didn't have any emotion. Just like all Angels wanted for Humans, to remove all emotion and freewill. So they could be perfect, like the Angels. His Halo of light sat floating above his head. It shined brighter then the other Angel's Halo's.
Footsteps, alerted me to someone walking closer to me. Turning so I could keep both groups in my sights, I look at whose getting closer to me.
Azazel, a greater Demon. If Tyrael was beautiful. That would make Azazel ugly. He had multiple scars on his red skinned face, with a short crooked nose from being broken one too many times. His hair was slicked back on his head, with his horns poking out just above his forehead and spiraling around to reach his ears. He wore a light, black overcoat that went down to his knees, with brown leather leggings. His tail poking out of his coat, was 5 feet long, and he kept it wrapped around his leg. The demons behind him, wore a random assortment of human clothes or different types of armor, each with horns and tails all similar but different at the same time. He stood in front of them as their leader or more accurately, the person who told them which direction the enemy was in, letting them figure out what they needed to do. They had no order, they were simply a mass gaggle. A mass gaggle that sure enough outnumbered the Angels two to one.
Right now I stood in between these two groups. A very slim chance of escape, without resorting to violence.
"You will come with us." It wasn't a demand. It wasn't a command. It was a fact. Arch-Angel Tyrael had said a fact. He didn't sound imposing, he didn't yell, he didn't shout. He said it in a level tone, almost on the verge of sounding bored. The fact was in Tyrael's mind and of those that followed him.
They knew that the Demon/Angel child was coming with them.
That was it. Period.
"I don't bloody think so, Mate! That their boy be com'in with us. We be the ones that chased 'em thou'gh the forest. While you little pansy's flew around on 'em wings of yours."
"Why do you insist on impeding on our plans? Do you not know it is futile. The Order of Law, will prevail. 'Through law is peace'
"Through Law is Peace." Repeated the Angels, that stood at the ready, waiting to move into action.
"Through Law is Peace, mah ass. That their boy is as good as ours."
"So be it. Once we defeat you. We will retrieve the boy." Arch-Angel Tyrael got ready to order his Angels forward. But Azazel stopped him, with a thoughtful expression and a wave of his hands.
"Wait a sec! Wait just one damned second!! Doesn't this all feel just a little familiar. Think choir boy. Every time we find the boy we both fight each other, and the kid gets away. The time we met three years back. I defeated you but ended up getting my face burnt off by the lil' shit. Or four months ago, when I just got the upper hand and was impaled by my own blade, again by this here lil' shit."
Tyrael stood still, if he was thinking about what Azazel said it didn't show on his emotionless face.
"It seems you have a point. In each skirmish we end up dealing damage to each other only for the boy to finish of the victor. Effectively escaping. I seem to recall getting my head ripped off, two years ago."
"See that's what I'm talking 'bout." Azazel says pointing a finger, at Tyrael with a smug attitude. "I say we tie em up first then fight out amongst ourselves, who ever wins gets the boy. What d'ya say?" Azazel finishes flashing a toothy grin.
"I say, you will try to trick me."
"See you know me so well already! You know I will try something."
"Very well. We will apprehend the boy before engaging in battle."
"Shake on it?" Azazel asks, holding out a hand.
Tyrael stood still not even blinking, at Azazel's offer. Azazel shrugged and pulled out the dagger that was up his sleeve, and turned to look straight at the boy.
I stood still. Like the Angels to one side of me, I was 'unable' to show emotions, I still had them. I was just unable to look how I felt. Scared.
Both leaders calmly walked forward. Tyrael, simply walking up, while Azazel rubbed his fingers together in glee.
"Ah'm gonna enjoy this boy." He said with a toothy grin.
I stood as still ignoring the Demons taunts. Focusing instead on figuring a way out of this mess.
If I shot Tyrael, with a blast of Hell-fire, and threw my bag at Azazel I might be able to get my wings out. But not before the Demons could get me. Plus I wouldn't be able to outrun the amount of Angels gathered. I kept thinking all my plans had one flaw. Their was just too many.
I was desperate, I realized the only thing I have never tried, I was being forced to do something I've been dreading to do my whole life, use both sides of my power.
I raised my hands in the air and began opening both my Demonic and Angelic powers both at full strength. My Wings threw the bag off my back, stretching out to their full size of ten feet. My horns split my skin as they enlarged, and curled around my head making themselves ever so present. The faint shimmering of light above my head brightened into a full blown halo of light. My tail wrapped around my stomach tighter, as I felt my body shaking.
And the world around me exploded into a million colours. A wave of fatigue hit me, as I released the magic. I had the faintest feeling I was falling. I looked around, then realized I falling head first and the ground was rapidly approaching me.
I was barely able to spread my wings and go into a glide, when I smashed through the tree branches. One branched scored a direct hit on my right wing, breaking it near the base. I didn't cry out as I folded in both my wings. I hit a lot of branches on my way down. Bruising and battering my body, I hit the ground landing on my back.
I close my eyes as my wings, and horns shrink down to their original size. My halo almost completely disappearing. I couldn't move, my body is feeling too much pain, and my magic too low to heal anything yet. I lay there, breathing heavily. I don't know what I did with my magic but it took a lot out of me.
I stay there contemplating what happened when I hear some bushes shake. Too tired to move I wait for whoever survived my attack, too come claim me.
"Hello, anybody there?" I hear a voice it's nervous, and feminine. Their wasn't any females, with the demons, and the Angels don't get nervous. This perplexed me.
I try saying something, but it only comes out as a groan.
I hear whoever it is make their way over to me.
"Hello?" She asks searching for me.
I groan again to get her attention.
I hear her rush over to my body, she begins checking me over. She touches the side I injured while running, and I hiss.
I open my eyes to look at her. First things I notice is that she's blue, and has a single horn placed in the centre of her forehead. She's got silvery blue hair, with a weird pointy hat on it. The last two things I notice is she's furry and almost completely naked, aside from her hat and a short cape.
I stare up at her, but she's too busy looking me over to care.
"What are.... you doing?" I manage to croak out.
"Shhh. It's going to be alright. You're going to be alright." I want to argue with her but I don't have the energy to do so.
She lifts me up and carries my limp form, in her arms. She strains to carry my form. I found out early in life I was a lot heavier than I looked. After a few feet she ignites her single horn in a bluish light, and my body start to feel lighter. I slowly look around to see I'm floating behind her as she walks.
I close my eyes, and enjoy the feeling of floating in the air. I'm like that 'till I hear a door open. Opening my eyes I see she's brought me to a covered wagon of sorts. I see two tied up horses, grazing on grass next to the wagon, and a small fire close by with a pot above it.
She takes me into her wagon and places me down on a cot, hers most likely.
"What's your name?" She asks then quickly adds " and how old are you?"
I think. 'It's been awhile since I used my name......' I concentrate on my age. 'it's been awhile since I had to think about it. I think of all the years of hiding and running.'
"My name is Damian, and I'm.... Twelve."
She gives me a sweet smile and whispers in a quiet voice "Go to sleep Damian. We'll talk in the morning."
I close my eyes and quickly fall asleep.
* * *
Trixie exited her wagon. she was worried. She just found a 12 year old kid out in the middle of the Everfree, with severe injuries. Not to mention the fact he had little to no hair, doesn't have a horn but from what she could sense was packing seriously high level magic, felt heavier then an adult 'Earth' person, AND had wings.
Trixie didn't know what to do, but she knew somebody that did. Twilight Sparkle. Ever since she was freed from the Alicorn Amulet. She's kept in touch with the purple protégée of the Princess. She sat down and quickly penned a letter to Twilight.
Dear Twilight
I have just recently found a twelve year old boy in the Everfree. He's showing signs of being a high level Unicorn, but I don't see any horn. Instead he seems to have wings, but he weighs too much to be just a regular Pegasus. I'm not sure what to do with him, he was all alone and severely injured. I put him in my bed, and in the morning I'm going to see if I can get any information out of him. Please respond quickly.
Your Friend, The Great and Powerful Trixie.
Trixie nodded to herself before walking to the front of her wagon/trailer, she opened one of her storage compartments and took out a small lantern with a green flame. She thrust the letter into it and watched it turn to ash and fly off into the breeze, towards Ponyville.