//------------------------------// // The battle by the mountain side // Story: The Elements of Salvation // by Slick Dash //------------------------------// Angy and the armour clad Thor shot up to the archers, while Seed rushed in to fight the captain's subordinates. Ruby began to fire spells in any direction that an enemy came from. And Sweetness... Sweetness let out a single earth shattering scream that created a shockwave like last time, whipping up all the dust and stones from the desert floor. These stones shot straight into the faces of Kartoruss's soldiers, while avoiding her advancing allies. These rocks serviced as the perfect distractions and blinded the soldiers, causing them to shield and cover their eyes. Meaning once they looked back, the first thing they saw was the Elements of Salvation raining down upon them! It only took two seconds for Dying Armour to reach Kartoruss. However in that time -almost out of nowhere- the outer pony had drawn a short sword and clashed it against the changelings sharpened horn. Instantly the sharp edges reacted and sparks erupted between the two. "I've waited for this!" Kartoruss growled, "To get you alone, just me and you!" "Aww..." Armour cooed sarcastically, "I had no idea you felt that way! Some flowers or a note would have been enough to tell me 'Karty!'" The western pony glared at the changeling at his remark. "You constantly waltzed around here, all because your queen and my king signed that damn cease fire! You thought you were untouchable! Well look now, I'm touching you! AND I'M ABOUT TO KILL YOU!" The captain's eyes were filled with wildfire, his hateful intent obvious in his irises. After a sudden break away from the deadlock, and a vicious slash of Kartoruss only just avoided. Armour decided to quit joking, his usual goading would only increase the level of threat this pony stood against him! So without a word, he turned just as the sword struck his horn a second time, instantly pulling it away. Without giving his opponent a chance to recover, Armour used his momentum to spin around and ploughed his hind legs into the chest of the captain. A grunt of pain escaped the outer pony's lips as he bent down slightly, gritting his teeth. However, when he glanced back up to Armour the whites of his teeth were plain to see as he smiled manically. "You didn't even force me back a step!" Armour stayed calm faced, though inside he was awash with concern. He'd always fought knowing the facts and statistics of his enemy! He only knew this opponent personally! There was no telling how strong he really was! Angy descended on the archers like a bird of prey! In seconds half of the soldiers on the archway were falling to the ground far below. "NO ONE HURTS MY FRIENDS!" The female screamed headed straight for the next of the attackers, who had begun to rush towards a small opening in the mountain face. Then something glinted in the afternoon sun, looking to her right she saw another archer, sat on a ledge away from the fight. His bow was drawn, and the arrow was about to fly. As it was released, Angy spotted another Archer covering her way of escape. She opened her mouth to scream as both arrows made their way to her, but was cut short as Thor appeared and hugged her, shielding her body from the two arrows with his armoured back. CLANG CLANG! Thor released Angy and gave her a gleaming smile. "T-Thor..." Angy spluttered. "T-thank yo-" She was cut short ye4t again, but this time it was Thor's lips that stopped her. Time seemed to slow down to a crawl, the wind died and the sun blacked out. Thor and Angy were the only things in existence, or that was what it felt like! Angy sighed into Thor's mouth as her muscles relaxed and she felt him do the same. As soon as it had come, the kiss ended. Thor broke away, and the world exploded back into existence again. With another smile, Thor flipped backwards and let out a loud happy cry. "WAHOOOOOOOOOOO!" The archer that had loosed the first arrow had no chance to reload before the armoured body of Thor slammed into him. The speed and armour combined to make the same effect as a speeding mine kart hitting him! Down on the ground, the stallion wearing golden armour was fighting like warrior of legend. Holding off every outer pony that wash rushing to aid their captain -still wrapped in combat with Dying Armour- Sharpened scimitars sliced at him, but they were either avoided by the stallion's surprising speed, or they struck the polished armour on his back and head. "Hmmf!" He grunted as he grabbed a blade with his teeth and with his mighty neck muscles, pulled it over his head, pulling it's wielder over his head and in a grand arc, which ended with a crash landing into a fellow soldier. "You think this is thought?" Seed goaded the group, trying to keep their attention on him, if he could, maybe Armour would have time to get information from Kartoruss on Archy's whereabouts. A number of soldiers jumped onto his back, weighing him down to his knees! Thor froze in the air and stared in horror. "SEEEEEED!" He screamed. Before he could move, a hoof struck the ground. Though it made no shudder, the noise caught everyponys attention. The few atop Seed looked up to see a purple maned mare only a few feet away staring back at them through red and golden eyes. "Kill him! Quick!" A soldier screamed, sure enough a soldier rushed to Seed's head, angling his scimitar for his neck. "Get off of him!" Sweetness ordered. At their lack of compliance, Sweetness's eyes flashed briefly. In that instant the group of soldiers exploded out into the air, then their velocity decreased, slowing their journey through the air, their faces frozen in horror. "Ruby?" Sweetness offered coldly, not even glancing back. The unicorn obliged her terrifying friend, forgetting her nervousness in the instant Seed had fallen momentarily. With a flash of magic she released a barrage of spells towards the soldiers flying slowly through the air. Each hit their target with deadly accuracy, causing them to drop like flies around a recuperating Seed. The farm pony looked up to the approaching two and smiled gratefully "Thanks!" "It's ok." Ruby smiled. "No worries." The unusually serious Sweetness said in her distorted voice. As she flashed him a smile, Seed noticed a red trickle escaping the pink pony's nostril. "Sweetness?" Seed asked, glancing around to find the others who may still need help. Angy and Thor had dealt with the archers and were recovering high above. The only two fighters left were the furious two in the centre of the clearing. Kartoruss and Armour. Looking back knowing he had time to be concerned for his friend, Seed continued. "You alright?" Sweetness frowned. "Im f-f-f-f..." Her eyes began to flicker to their old colour, then they shot back to red, only to change back yet again. Sweetness was seaming to struggle talking! "f-f-f-f-fine!" With that her eyes changed once more and the mare pitched forward. "Woah!" Seed cried as he shot out a hoof to catch her, Ruby helped him as he stooped down to place the unconscious mare on the dirt ground. "Where's Archy when you need him?" Ruby moaned as she glanced over sweetness' body "He'd know why she passed out! He'd know what to do!" ..... Kartoruss swung low with his sword, aiming for Armour's forelegs, however said changeling hopped over the blade and popped those same forelegs into Kartorusses face. Still this didn't make the captain stagger back, he refused to give an inch to this changeling scum! So the entire duel had been carried out in the same spot without either fighters hind legs stepping back. Armour swung his horn down, Kartoruss weaved around the blade and lunged with his own, only to be parried by Armour who had used the first swing as bait, with an upward swing, his horn clashed against the sword in a shower of sparks. "Hmm..." Kartoruss raised his eyebrows in admitance. "Not bad." "I've fought better!" Armour smirked, unable to help the job to escape. Kartorusses smile vanished. "Oh... alright then..." Click Only centimetres from his eyes, Armour saw the hilt of the sword split in two. For a second he thought he had broken his opponent's weapon, victory! Then he saw the blade above it split as well! The sword had split into a dual pair of twin blades. One blade stayed gripped in the captain's teeth while the other dropped to the ground. Armour knew what was coming! He jumped back, sacrificing several feet to the captain who in the same instant caught the blade with his hoof and swung it in a deadly uppercut, slashing the space where Armour had been only seconds before! Finally out of the heat of battle for a second, Armour glanced around to find the others. As he could see, they were all alive, with their opponents dead or unconscious! The changeling couldn't help but feel a pang of pride in his chest. The nice feeling had no chance to develop however, as Kartoruss advanced. His eyes wide with blood lust now he had made Armour retreat! With the speed of a devil, Kartoruss swung up with the blade in his teeth, making Armour jump, then when he was is in the air and vulnerable, the captain swung hard with the blade in his hoof's grasp. The blade wringed through the air and connected with Armours chest, sending him flying back at the sheer force of the strike, blood spurting form the wound. He spat angrily! More ground given to the outer pony! Armour slammed his hooves to the ground making him grind to a halt, four large groves gouging out in the ground at the four limbs contact with the dirt. He had no time to recover however, before Kartoruss was upon him again! Armour focused on the blades, knowing by the pain in his chest that he couldn't take another hit like that! He ensured he dodged each strike praying for an opening! Weave right! Duck, Back step. Strafe left and step forward... Retreat! Duck and weave fast! This was impossible, either the captain's personal hatred of Armour was far stronger than he had realised, or his mentality in battle was woo much like a wild animal, unpredictable and savage! Seed stared at the two, as did Thor high above. The two marvelled at the two's amazing speed and flexibility. Two true warriors, bread for battle and bloodshed! However, Armour: Their ally! Was losing, they needed to get in there! But neither could find an opening in the blur of hooves and blades! Thor readied himself, ready to shoot like a bullet at the captain, Angy saw this and got ready to do the same, thinking two assaults would be better than one. Kartoruss struck, lunging with his blade clenched in his teeth, Armour spotted the opening! Ducking, the changeling flipped so his chest faced upward and towards Kartoruss exposed chest. With a quick jab, the changeling halted the captain's momentum. Armour then pushed off the ground, taking the full weight of the captain on his forehooves, pushing up as he stood, ultimately sending the captain flipping onto his back. Kartoruss let out a furious scream of frustration and sprang back to his hooves, charging back into the fight. "I won't be bested..." he yelled as he sent a deadly blade slashing through the air towards the changeling's face. "By a group of Equestrians and a disgraced changeling mutt!" Armour's face danced almost like liquid before the attacks, avoiding each wild strike with ease now the captain had lost his composure. "Hmmhmmhmmm" Armour chuckled. "Woof woof!" The mocking impression sent Kartoruss into a frenzy. His eyes were burning with fiery fury. "Die!" He said quietly, striking with both blades simultaneously, swiping both down in the same diagonal line. Armour jumped over the blades and landed on the captains head, and with a push he sent him into the ground face first. The changeling floated back to the ground, a smirk spread across his lips. "I'm sure I made you move that time!" He mocked. Kartoruss screamed, jumping up yet again he began to rush Armour, but was stopped by the site before him. Two Equestrians stood beside the changeling, the orange earth pony and the platinum and purple unicorn looked ready to back their ally to the death. "What are you doing?!" Armour shouted, looking to both his reinforcements. "I have him!" "We're here to help!" Seed said simply, not breaking eye contact with Kartoruss. "You idiots!" Armour cursed, seeing the smirk spread across Kartoruss's face as he turned away and rushed for the archway. "HE NEEDED A DISTRACTION!" Armour spat as he shoved past the two ponies in pursuit of the captain. Thor shot into action, like a bullet from a gun he exploded into a burst of speed towards the fleeing outer pony, closely followed by Angelica. Kartorusses smirk grew wider. With speed rivaling Thor's mother, Kartoruss jumped to the top of a nearby rock and used it as a step to jump even higher. Thor adjusted his trajectory to still reach the now airborne captain. It was like he thought the pegasus couldn't his flight, HA! Big mistake for Kartoruss! "NO!" Armour shouted, taking to the air as fast as he could. "It's a trap!" Too late. Thor reached the captain who at the last possible second, curled his body. Looping himself around Thor's straightened body. The pegasus had no idea what happened, all he knew was the captain had been there one moment, then the next Thor was crashing into the ground with a mouthful of dirt and dust to great him. Angelica saw what happened and prepared for the captain to try the same trick on her. She was the better flyer, she could overcome the deceitful ploy. Still gaining altitude, Kartoruss focused on Angelica, the only threat coming his way fast! Angelica saw the stallion curve his body again, the opposite way to how he had for Thor. "It'll take more than that!" She thought, then the captain straightened again and used the momentum to roll in the air. Confused, Angelica only had a second to avoid the sword that shot out from the blur that was once the captain. Banking right, Angy avoided the deadly missile, but slammed her back into the wall, sending a shooting pain through her back and wings. She began to fall, Thor was hurts on the ground, he couldn't save her! She was going to - Hooves caught her, she opened her terrified eyes and saw dying Armour holding her, his dragonfly wings buzzing behind him fast enough to support their two weights. "A-Armour?" Before the changeling could say a word, they heard a loud 'thunk.' The elements looked up to see the sword that had been flung. Stuck in the mountain side above the Archway, a severed rope, unseen unnoticed before, soaring away at lightning speed. They only had time to notice Kartoruss clinging to the rock face of the mountain laughing, before it happened. Four nets, shot out of the blackness of the Archway. One flew out and hit Dying Armour, still carrying Angy, ensnaring the two instantly. The second enclosed the still unconscious Sweetness, while yet another pinned Seed and Ruby to the wall, knocking the wind from their lungs. The final ensnared Thor as he got to his hooves, unaware of what was coming. With a cry of surprise his legs were caught and sent him pitching forward back to the ground. He made contact with the ground just as Armour and Angy hit the floor not too far away. The burgundy pegasus looked up through the mesh of the net to the two just ahead. His eyes widened as he saw Angy pressed against Dying Armour's chest, held tightly in his forelegs. The yellow pegasus looked up, into the pale green eyes of their changeling ally. "You ok Angy?" he asked, causing the yellow pegasus to blush as she realised how close the two of them were. That blush made all the fight seep out of Thor's body, his muscles weakened and he fell what short distance there was to the ground below his face. Across the clearing Seed and Ruby were fighting against the net that held them to the wall of the alcove. Seed used his strength, but found the harder he struggled, a numbing feeling would spread across his muscles. Ruby felt a headache, situated behind her eyes begin whenever she tried to use her magic. A laugh, growing louder as it came closer, told them Kartoruss was approaching. Sure enough the stallion came into view above the opening into the mountain. With ease, he pried the sword from its encasement of stone with his left hoof as he looked down at his impressive haul. The king would be pleased. He spotted two of them fighting against their restraints, with another laugh, he hopped of the arch and against the mountain wall, angling his hooves correctly, he surfed down the wall to the ground with speed and ease. "I wouldn't bother fighting!" The captain shouted to Ruby and Seed. "Those nets are laced with Manticore venom! It drains you the more you fight." He glanced over to the net closest to him, in which was held Thor, limp and unmoving. "Why not act like your friend here? He's got the right idea." Seed saw his motionless friend and immediately he panicked at his lack of movement. "THOR!" A grunt came from the net in response, Ruby then spoke. "Thor are you alright?" Thor turned his head, with difficulty under the tight grip of the net. When he faced the right way, the unicorn saw his eyes, bright, glistening slightly, the eyes of somepony broken! "Do I look alright Ruby?" The pegasus asked. Before anypoy could say anymore, Kartoruss let out a shrill whistle that silenced them all. Moments later, more ponies came rushing out of the gloomy interior of the mountain. They ran to the nets and took hold, slowly dragging Thor, Sweetness, Angy and Armour away. Two stallions -Their faces hidden by garbs that were wrapped across them- came over to Seed and Ruby. "Be careful of the armoured one!" Kartoruss ordered as he examined his two blades, slipping them back together with a click. "He has some fight!" He added just as the net was unbuckled from the wall. "Yah got that right!" Seed shouted, using that as his moment to strike. With the net no longer tort, Seed rushed his armoured head forward, straight into the face of the stallion in front of him. Said stallion crumbled to the floor with muffled grunt, letting Seed's side of the net drop. In an instant he was out! With his strong hind legs, he bucked the other stallion in the chest before he had a chance to draw his weapon. Kartorusses head snapped up at the sound of commotion, just in time to spot Seed, free, and already helping Ruby onto the floor again! "STOP THERE EQUESTRIAN!" He cried in anger, rushing towards the two. "Ruby!" Seed shouted to the mare as she recuperated from their surprise escape. "Get outta here! NOW!" "B-b-but..." She stammered, Seed leant in quick and pecked her on the lips fast. "Please, just get out quick!" The stallion turned away just in time to register Kartoruss ahead of him, his sword raised. Seed swung his braced foreleg up to meet the blade, and parried the attack, stopping it dead. "You're not going anywhere." The captain growled. "Ruby! NOW!" Seed grunted, his foreleg shaking as he struggled against the fine edged blade pushing against the polished curved surface of the bracer. The unicorn was still stood there, unable to think of an escape route. Then it hit her! Remembering her lessons with Aunt Twilight, she closed her eyes and concentrated. Her horn began to glow, and like metal to a magnet, light, balls, slivers and beams, all focused and concentrated, beginning to gravitate towards her horn. "NO!" Kartoruss shouted as he saw what was about to happen. Suddenly he let out a savage kick to Seed's outer foreleg, causing his balance to slip. Seed buckled, and Kartoruss leapt over him, reaching out ahead, desperately trying to grab the unicorn's flowing mane, to keep her grounded! Ruby's eyes opened and for a second they gleamed the same platinum as he coat before the gathered light by her horn exploded outwards in a blinding flash. When the light faded, Seed smiled. Happy that Ruby had done as he'd hoped, he was content with whatever was coming his way now. It even lessened the feeling of hopelessness he felt as he glanced up to see a furious Kartoruss standing over him, raising a hoof above his head. It came down fast and hard. Bang. Blackness. Quiet.