//------------------------------// // Chapter two. The bells of Awakening pt. 2 continued // Story: Curse Of The Darksign // by PonySlayer //------------------------------// My shift for night watch was almost over. I turned towards Apple Jack’s head seeing that it was still resting on my shoulder. The moon light was shining on her face when faint memories of the past rolled through my mind. I thought of my father, he was one of Celestia’s good war buddies, one of her finest solders. My mother named me after him. I carefully lifted Apple Jack’s head off of my shoulder and placed if on the ground. I quietly took off my tunic rolling it into a make shift pillow, and placing it under her head. I walked over to Rainbow Dash pushing on her shoulder trying to wake her up. “Hey, wake up. It’s your turn for watch.” I said gently trying not to wake the others. “One… more minute.” She gowned turning the other direction. Out of exhaustion I gave her a slight kick on the rear. There was no response. I reached over towards her cross bow and grabbed a bolt from her quiver. I looked at the tip of the bolt and then I looked at Rainbow Dash with an evil grin. I crept up behind her holing the bolt in my mouth, ready to give her a jab hopefully waking her up. I started to thrust the bolt at her rump when suddenly she looked at me. “Don’t… you dare!” her voice sent a chill down my spine knocking me to the floor. “Get some sleep.” She commanded. “I’ll take over now.” Rainbow Dash strapped her cross bow to her back as she was walking out of the building. She took off in the air for a moment before landing on the roof. Her hoofs made a loud noise as she walked on the tiled roof top, trying to find a good spot so sit down to begin her shift. I slowly moved towards Apple Jack to stopping half way. I wanted to talk to her some more, telling her about my past. I continued my way to Apple Jack sitting next to her head, drifting to sleep. Pinkie had the final shift which means she gets to wake everyone up. “GOOOOD MORNING!” she screamed in my ear. For a moment, I couldn’t hear anything but in my right ear. “What did I tell you about waking me like that?” I shouted rubbing my ear. “To not to. Sorry, I just can’t help myself!” Pinkie screamed once again, but in the left ear. “Ouch! Go away!” I yelled at Pinkie turning her unnaturally large smile into a frown. “Pinkie I’m sorry.” I said patting her back. “I didn’t mean to yell at you.” She looked up at me and smiled “Gotcha! Ha ha!” She laughed in my face making my want to kill something in a most disturbing way. Twilight started to gather us into a group going over a checklist before we leave “there’s just one more thing left.” Twilight added. “Okay Rainbow Dash. I need you to fly overhead and check out the surrounding area. If we are luck we can avoid fighting all together.” Twilight commanded with a friendly tone. “Consider it done!” Rainbow Dash said running out side and taking off into the sky. We waited a few moments for rainbow Dash to return with a report when there was a thud heard in a distance. “AHHH!” we heard a scream. “That sounded like Dash!” yelled Apple Jack strapping her Sword to her back getting ready to help her friend. “I’ll go ahead.” I yelled to the other making way to the distant yells. “Rainbow Dash!” I Yelled ‘Where Are you!?” I had my hooves placed around my mouth trying to project my voice. “Help me!” I hear her yell nearby. I circled my way around the corner to find Rainbow Dash lying on the ground bleeding from her wing and holding her front hoof in pain. “Rocky! Help me!” I started to run to Dash when a shadow appeared over my head. As I looked up my eyes opened wide and my ears pointed to the ground. I stood still shocked by the sight of a bull demon staring at me ready to charge. I started to run towards Rainbow Dash Yelling to her. “Find cover! Stay out of the open!” I quickly turned around preparing myself to fight the demon. There was a whistling sound in the back ground. I peered over my shoulder to notice two hallowed solders with crossbows. I quickly grasped my sword in my mouth counting the seconds until the bolts where in range for me to dodge. I tried my best not to run, if I do the bull might chase me. “What do I do?” I said to myself biting the hilt of my sword. The bull looked annoyed and he let out a quick snort before charging right at Rainbow Dash. Two more bolts have been released towards me making me dodge and roll farther and farther away from Dash. The ground began to shake underneath the demon’s gigantic hoofs. “Rocky!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she tried to limp away from the demon’s path of destruction. “Rainbow Dash!” I yelled through my teeth trying not to drop my sword. The bull smashed into the building Rainbow Dash had crawled to, completely destroying it. I made my way to the building dodging more and more bolts before one struck me in the back of my rear hoof tripping me in the proses. “Put… me Down!” I heard Dash yell at the demon while he grasped her in his hands. My eyes opened wide as the sight of my friend still alive gave me more motivation to fight. The bull demon lifted Rainbow Dash towards his mouth ready to eat in one giant bite, when I caught a glimpse of a quick flash zipped by my face. Boom! A fiery explosion made contact with the bull’s face causing him to drop Rainbow Dash. “Yippy! Direct hit!” pinkie shouted channeling yet another massive fireball in her hoof. Two more bolts where released but not in my direction. “Nice try” Twilight said catching the bolts with magic and redirecting them towards the hallows. “Graaar!” One of the hallows yelled as the bolt struck it in the face causing a small mist of blood to fill the surrounding air. “Bulls eye!” Twilight cried in success. Pinkie giggled at the pun as she released the second fire ball missing the demon completely. The bull demon looked at pinkie not noticing the balcony she hit with the fire ball; when chunks of stone started to fall hitting his head, knocking him to his knees. Apple Jack took this opportunity to inflict damage to the enemy. She led her claymore in her mouth charging at the demon with the point aimed for it’s neck. I noticed the demons face, he didn’t look threatened at all that’s when I glance at his hand noticing a monstrous axe clutched in his hands. “Apple Jack, Stop!” I screamed trying to stop her charge. Thwack! My heart stops as I witnessed the sight of the orange mare being thrown into the air with one mighty swing. Her body twirled and flailed, blood was spurting from her head, fragments of armor where flying through the air like shrapnel from an explosion. Her body was caught by a purple glow “I got you Apple Jack” Twilight said to her moving her unconscious body from combat. “Fluttershy! Apple Jack need attention NOW!” Twilights face had a stern look that could make any hooligan orderly and neat. “Oh, my!” Fluttershy gasped flying to Apple’s body. The talisman hanging from Fluttershy’s neck began to show a faint glow as she whispered a chant. “By the divine power of Celestia, purge all pain and hatred from the wounds of your servant, letting her see another cycle of your glorious sun.” the chant has begun to get louder. “Darkness and the sins of ponykind, I banish you from the soul of this mare and place you into the realm of misery and demise. Where you will fester and atone for your cruelty against Celestia!” a burst of light was released as those final words that left her mouth, engulfing Apple Jack closing her wounds. Pinkie Pie was hurling Fire at the bull demon distracting it as I pulled the bolt from my leg and spitting it out of my mouth. I still couldn’t stand no matter how hard I try too. “I’m useless!” I grunted, squirming where I lie. “Rocky” she said “You, Rainbow Dash, And Apple Jack are out of this battle.” Twilight said moving Rainbow Dashes body next to Apple Jacks. “I agree with Twilight.” Rarity said walking out of no were, warring a suit of armor fig for a god. The armor was steel plated with detailed engravings of runes all over the chest piece and helm. She had a long spear held by magic floating next to her side pointing at the demon. The spear was also engraved with runes, the head of the spear was glowing a faint blue as it was enchanted. “You look horrid!” Rarity said walking toward the bull demon Trying not to make eye contact. “I can’t be leave you were the one making all this trouble, the least you can do is look half decent.” Rarity’s insults have little to no effect on the demon, but the flashiness of the armor looks like its attracting the demons attention. The bull turned its attention to rarity snorting in frustration. “Come on!” Rarity shouted as the bull began his charge. The bull was getting closer to Rarity when she braced for an impact of any kind thrusting her spear forward making contact with the bulls gut. The bull grunted in pain as rarity started to twist the spear head pushing it further into the bull’s stomach. Blood was spraying all over rarity’s helm. “How dare you get your filthy blood all over my beautiful armor! Your death will be slow and painful!” She said grinning as the bull lifts his ax into the air. The bull swung his axe making a loud noise. Fwoosh! Rarity jumped into the air landing on the giant axe pulling her spear out of the bull and jabbing it in the eye. Over and over the spear quickly moving in and out severing the flesh around the eye and completely reducing the eye into a slurry of gore. The demonic smile on Rarity’s face grew more and more as the bull begins to die. The grunts and shrikes of pain became faint as the bull falls to the ground shaking the area. Everypony looked at her with fear staring at the blood soaked pony as she began to rip off the bull demons horns. “Don’t just sit there.” Rarity shouted. “Help me get these beautiful horns! I do want them so!” Rarity’s voice returned to a normal tone when she finally broke off the first horn squeed in joy. A day has passed since that horrid battle ended. We held up at a bonfire letting Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash heel. “I think my wing is better” Rainbow Dash said moving her wing up and down. A loud pop was herd coming from her wing. “Ouch! No its still bad.” She said biting her lip trying to hold in the pain. “I told you go give it another day before moving it.” Fluttershy reminded Rainbow Dash. Everypony was doing their own thing, not much conversation between us. Twilight sat in a corner of the shack where the bonfire rested, reading an old tome found in a rotted bookshelf. Pinkie Pie was talking to Pebbles spitting on him while shining him up with a rag. Rarity was obsessing over the bull demon’s horns “What should I make? A helmet, daggers, oh I got it!” she said talking to herself. “Oh! I can… No, that won’t work.” Her smile turned into a frown, as she couldn’t make up her mind on what to do with the horns I sat next to Apple Jack tending to her needs. She was very week, her chest moved slightly with each breath she took. I stood up and walked over to my satchel retrieving an apple. I bit a little piece off putting it in Apple Jack’s mouth. “Chew, you need to regain your strength.” I told Apple jack in a soft voice. She attempted to chew the apple piece before spitting it out in exhaustion, panting heavily. I took the piece of apple in my mouth and began to chew. I leaned over Apple Jack’s face placing my lips over hers, pushing the chewed apple into her mouth. My head retreated for a moment as I saw her chew the apple a little before swallowing it. I took a bite of the apple and started to chew again. Placing my lips on hers feeding her more and more of the apple Intel half of it was gone. I looked at Apple Jack’s face as she began to cry “Th-thank you, Havel” she said using my real name. I wiped the tears off of her cheek giving her a smile. “You don’t need to thank me.” I said pulling a wool blanket over Apple’s body keeping her warm. Night came quickly as the cold breeze blew into the shack. There were no windows so we all huddled in our own blankets. I didn’t have night watch tonight. The other ponies put Apple jacks care in my hoofs. Apple Jack was still weak but she was able to talk to a certain extent. I told her more stories of my past, letting her now every little detail on who I used to be. “So your family got there name because of a plow?” Apple Jacked questioned interrupting my story. “Yes, but it was not any old plow. The stone we used was special, and enchanted.” I told her defending my name. Apple Jack kept asking question after question showing much interest with my family. “Was it your father who found this magic stone?” Apple Jack said now looking a little week from all the talking. “Yes, he did find the stone. He told me it was a blessing from Celestia herself.” I told her, fixing her blanket. “You should get some sleep now.” I said to Apple jack as I began to unroll my blanket next to her. “I’ll be right next to you if you need anything. Just ask, and you shall receive.” I said winking my eye at her. “Thank you Havel.” She yawned before dozing off into a deep sleep. I looked around the room noticing the other ponies looking at me with smiles on their faces. There was a long pause before pinkie started to sing. “Rocky and Apple Jack sitting in a, Ouch!” Her song was interrupted by Twilight thrusting her elbow deep in pinkie’s side. “Don’t ruin the moment.” Twilight told Pinkie. My face took on a rosy shade as the other ponies giggled and began to do their own thing before heading to bed.