In which our heroine discovers that while diplomacy may be maddening the alternative is fraught with regrettable realities.
The commander refused to slow his unit from a trot, so Pinkie ended up offering Teagan a ride. She kept zooming ahead and waiting, grinning every time the unit trotted past. Then she’d do it again.
It turned the “hour’s march” into a half-hour trot.
“Thanks Pinkie, I owe you,” Teagan said as she slid off Pinkie’s back.
“No, problem, Teelo. You can’t help it if you can’t run as fast as a pony! I mean, not that it wasn’t fun having you on my back like that. I do it for Pound and Pumpkin all the time!”
Without warning Pinkie’s face went blank for a moment.
“Hang on. Be right back,” And then she vanished.
Teagan blinked at where Pinkie had been.
“Did she just teleport?” Heavy Hoof asked in disbelief as he and his unicorn subordinate approached. “How can an earth pony teleport?”
“I didn’t feel anything,” Meteor Swarm said with a frown. “Teleports always leave a residual trace of thaumic energy. There was nothing this time.”
“It’s Pinkie Pie, Commander,” Teagan said “We don’t ask anymore.”
“Where did she go?” The commander asked after they’d stood around for a couple of minutes.
Teagan shrugged. “If I had to guess? I’d say—”
“Guys! A little help here!” Pinkie said, an unconscious Sweetie Belle on her back. Pinkie’s mane and tail were flat and straight.
“How—never mind. MEDIC!” Heavy Hoof bellowed.
A unicorn mare hurried forward and floated Sweetie Belle off the pink pony’s back.
“She’s been manacled and yoked,” the unicorn said. “I need Silver Tale to get these off her before I can properly treat her.”
“Hey, Teagan. We need to talk,” Pinkie said in a tone that sent chills down Teagan’s spine. She knew that voice.
“Cerise?” Teagan asked cautiously. Heavy Hoof looked at the girl then focused on the pink pony.
“Yeah, it’s me. Listen, we have a problem. She wasn’t the only one in there,” Cerise’s voice was flat and emotionless. “And I’m thinking it’s a good thing the Commander was in a hurry.”
“Why?” Dread made Teagan’s belly clench. She really didn’t want to hear whatever Cerise was about to say.
“Because there were two ponies in line ahead of her,” Cerise watched the girl. Her voice was flat and calm, but the corner of her eye had developed a tic. “They were still alive. But they couldn’t scream any more so I—took away their pain.”
“Fillies?” Teagan asked, feeling sick as Cerise’s meaning settled over her like cold oily slime.
“No. A full grown mare and stallion,” Cerise replied. “Why? Does that make it any better?”
Teagan turned red as rage filled her. Acid tore at the back of her throat. She hadn’t felt like this since Nightmare Discord had tried to murder Fluttershy. Cerise watched her, only the tic belying the pony’s calm expression. Teagan turned to stare at the cave in the distance, feeling the fury build. She knew she wouldn’t be able to keep control much longer. A part of her was glad of that.
“Any more living prisoners?” Heavy Hoof asked gruffly.
“Six more,” Cerise said, turning her gaze toward the earth pony. “All mares, mostly unharmed. All manacled and yoked like Sweetie Belle.”
“What about guards? Defeneses?” Heavy Hoof asked. “How far in are the prisoners?”
“No idea,” Cerise said. “Pinkie’s little shortcuts avoid the scenic route, if you know what I mean.”
“What can you tell me?” He asked in a level tone.
“Nothing you want to hear if you feel like sleeping tonight,” Cerise said in an unemotional voice. The tic was still present. “When you go in, I’m going with you. If you want any of them to answer questions better make sure you get to them before I do—either that or have a really good necromancer handy.” She paused, considering. “One who isn’t afraid of a little needlework.”
“You’re not filling me with confidence here, Cerise. I decide who goes in, understand me?” Heavy Hoof growled.
“I go with you and you might actually get one or two prisoners,” Cerise said calmly. “I take Pinkie’s shortcut and you might not. Your call.”
Heavy Hoof turned to glower at Teagan who simply stared at the cave, ignoring him. He saw her trembling slightly. He frowned, knowing it wasn’t fear making her shake. He wished it had been.
“I hate politics,” he growled finally. “If you go in I make no guarantees you’ll come out again. I won’t risk any of my ponies to pull your flanks out of the fire. Are we clear?”
“Works for me,” Cerise said. Teagan just nodded, still struggling to keep control of her fury.
“That shortcut of yours,” Meteor Swarm asked suddenly. “Can you get those mares out?”
Cerise shook her head. “Sweetie Belle pushed the limit of what Pinkie can bring along. No way could she carry any of those mares. Not to mention the shortcut will only work a couple of times a day.”
“By Celestia’s golden hooves!” Heavy Hoof swore softly. “All right, if we can’t do it the easy way we’ll do it our way. Get Night Fortune and Perfect Sky up here. I want that cave’s layout mapped before we go in.”
ooOoo
Night Fortune was a black unicorn—coat, mane and tail, with a cutie mark that was simply a gray circular outline on his black flank. Perfect Sky was a charcoal gray unicorn with matching mane and tail, and gray eyes. His cutie mark was almost invisible against his flank, it was, he always said when asked, a fog bank.
Neither unicorn was wearing armor, nor were they anywhere near as large as the other ponies in the unit. In fact even the medic Graceful Star was half a head taller than either of them.
“Gentlecolts, you know what I want. Go get it,” Heavy Hoof said. To Teagan’s amazement the two unicorns slowly faded away and then were gone. The weirdness helped to cool her rage a little.
“Um, what just happened?” She asked Meteor Swarm, who grinned.
“Oh, you mean those two? They’re brothers,” he answered, eyes dancing. “That’s their special talent, why we call their squad the Ghosts. They can turn immaterial. Walk through walls unseen, unheard, and without leaving a scent. They could sneak past Cerberus himself! Blessed Celestia, I love being part of this unit,” he chuckled.
“They’ll do recon, Lady Teagan,” Heavy Hoof said quietly. “Drift in, poke around, drift out. When they do their thing not even Celestia’s own wards can sense them.”
“Good thing they’re on our side. With a talent like that they’d be unstoppable as thieves.”
The two ponies exchanged a glance.
“Funny you should say that,” Meteor Swarm said with a smirk. “They actually were thieves. Gave the Guard fits for two solid years. Nopony was safe. The nobility were their favorite target. The more valuable the object, the more likely it was to vanish. Nopony had a clue how they were doing it.
“So how’d they get caught?” Teagan asked, fascinated.
“Same way all thieves do,” Meteor Swarm shrugged. “They stole from the wrong pony.”
“Yeah, but I mean if they can do that disappearing trick who could possibly catch them? Or keep them jailed if they did?” Teagan asked, desperate for some diversion.
“Well, I guess that’s what they thought too. See, stealing from Prince Blueblood and the nobles got old after a while,” Meteor Swarm shook his head. “Not that stealing from that particular pony is terribly challenging—but anyway they set their sights higher. Listen to this—they stole Princess Luna’s favorite mane brush.”
Teagan barked an incredulous laugh. “You’re kidding me!”
“As Celestia is my witness,” Meteor Swarm said with a huge grin. “Oh, she was livid about that brush! From what I heard it wasn’t even that valuable, but the reason it was her favorite was because it had been a gift from a young colt who told her she was his favorite princess.”
“If castle gossip is to be believed her exact words were Prankest us with thy thievery, wilt thou? Thou knowest not whom thee messes with! IT. IS. ON!” Heavy Hoof added.
“Wait. So Princess Luna declared a prank war on those two?” Teagan asked, eyes widening. “And they’re still alive?”
“Oh yeah,” Meteor Swarm laughed. “They never stood a chance. See, she kept quiet about the brush. The next day she declared that a new treasure had been recovered from the depths of Canterlot Mountain, a crystal phoenix figurine of incalculable value and immense historical significance. She announced it would be protected by members of Celestia’s own Guard, the Sun Shield. She assured everyone it would be absolutely impossible for the Ghost to steal the figurine.”
“Thus guaranteeing they would try,” Teagan nodded.
“More than try, Lady Teagan. They stole it all right,” Meteor’s grin was pure evil. “Mind you, Luna didn’t exactly make it easy for them. As promised the Sun Shield was out in force, along with wards and traps and all manner of magical mayhem.”
“Let me guess. The figurine was booby trapped,” Teagan said.
Meteor Swarm nodded happily. “Ooooooh, yeah! When the brothers stole it the tracking beacon on it went silent, of course. That tipped her off. When the beacon came back on she cast a little spell that triggered a Want-It-Need-It spell on the statue. Then, while the brothers were entranced with the figurine she and Princess Celestia teleported in and slipped spell suppression rings on their horns!”
“Ouch,” Teagan winced. “No magic, no ghosting, right?”
“Yep,” Meteor Swarm nodded. “Those two nearly had a heart attack when Luna canceled the Want-It-Need-It spell. But happily for everyone concerned, Princess Celestia made them an offer they couldn’t refuse.”
“To join Rolling Thunder,” Teagan guessed.
“Where they get all the excitement and sneaky-time their scrawny undersized flanks can handle,” Heavy Hoof said. “The only reason they took up theft in the first place was for the thrill of it. So now their craving can be sated for the good of Equestria.”
“Princess Celestia never ceases to amaze me,” Teagan chuckled. “The governments on my world have done similar things before, but I’m betting those two are utterly loyal now, aren’t they? Fanatical even?”
“Well, when the Shepherd of the Sun offers you a job it tends to make an impression,” Meteor Swarm pointed out. “And yeah, they’re almost scary about it.”
ooOoo
Alas, the respite from the grim reality of their mission was all too brief. While Teagan had been listening to Meteor Swarm’s story Cerise had been watching the cave mouth, as patient as a cat at a mouse hole. After a few more minutes the brothers came back, phasing in so quietly no one noticed them until the gray one spoke.
“Commander, it’s done,” His voice was grim.
“What are we looking at?” Heavy Hoof asked.
“A slaughterhouse,” the black unicorn said bitterly. “The prisoners are in a large chamber, full of—stuff. Could have been a hospital surgery—except blood was splattered everywhere.”
“Not to mention the restraints on the operating tables,” His brother added grimly. “We found two ponies dead on those tables. Their skin had been torn off,” the gray unicorn shuddered, face turning blank. “Their throats had been slashed. From the freshness of the blood it couldn’t have been more than a few minutes ago. There were six more mares in the room, manacled and yoked. They’re alive but Celestia preserve them, I think they’ve all gone insane. They just stand there and stare at nothing. You can barely see them breathe.”
“What about defenses? Guards? Physical barriers?” Heavy Hoof asked, turning to practical concerns. Teagan couldn’t blame him. The report had made her rage return and it was beginning to turn cold. That scared her. She tried to ignore it but it was making her quiver with the need to smash something. She did her best to concentrate on the scouts’ report.
“Here’s the layout,” Night Fortune, the black unicorn, lifted a quill and started to draw on the blank parchment Meteor Swarm had laid out while they were waiting.
“There’s only one entrance, a tunnel about twenty feet long. The dragon is watching it, but he’s dozing. Big son of a lizard too, at least a hundred feet long, if not bigger. I doubt he’ll stay asleep very long once things get noisy. That’s when you’re gonna find out what a toasted marshmallow feels like.”
“What else?” Heavy Hoof asked curtly.
“One large chamber, with three tunnels branching off. The one off to the left goes to that freak show of a chamber with the prisoners. The one in the middle seems to be a storeroom for supplies. The tunnel on the right goes to a barracks, which was empty, and more living quarters. From the way the barracks were junked up I’m betting diamond dogs laired there but there was no sign of them now. But there were a pair of unicorns, one an older stallion and the other a young mare. They had a troll with them too, and a griffin. From the way they were acting I’m betting the unicorn stallion was the boss. Dark red with a black mane and tail, he had a hammer and chisel for a cutie mark. There were gray streaks in his mane and his muzzle was graying too. I’d say he’s late middle age, or slightly older.”
“Pity you can’t hear anything while ghosting,” Meteor Swarm lamented. “Knowing their plans would be really helpful.”
“Well, I guess I could have turned solid and listened,” Night Fortune said sarcastically. “But I kind of like my hide attached to my body, thanks.”
The mood turned even grimmer.
“Where’s the troll?” Teagan asked, careful to keep her voice from snarling. It wasn’t easy.
“With the unicorn stallion,” Perfect Sky answered her. “Looks like he might be the unicorn’s bodyguard.”
“He’s the one that hurt Sweetie Belle,” Teagan said, feeling her rage turn even colder. “He was in the kidnapping party. Any sign of other trolls?”
“No, ma’am,” Perfect Sky shook his head. “In fact, it bothers me there’s so few of them. There should be guards at least. But given the amount of supplies we saw I’d say this was an outpost for spying. Either they haven’t been here that long or they’re being resupplied regularly.”
“Long enough to ponynap eight ponies,” Heavy Hoof said. “And set up that lab.”
Meteor Swarm snarled. “I can’t believe ponies are involved in this. Running it! What kind of research requires skinning ponies alive anyway?”
“Creating undead,” Cerise spoke for the first time since the scouts had returned.
Teagan’s head snapped around to stare at the pink pony.
“Undead? Like zombies and vampires?” She asked. In her enraged state she didn’t particularly care. Crush would blast them apart, living or dead.
“No,” Cerise said heavily. “Worse. Much worse. The average zombie is easy to deal with. They don’t do much more than stagger around. As long as they don’t bite you it’s easy to destroy them. No, this sounds like draugr, and that’s a corpse of a different color altogether.”
Meteor Swarm cursed.
“Want to share with the rest of the class?” Teagan growled.
“I’ve heard of draugr. They can swim through stone, they’re ten times as strong as an earth pony and normal weapons just bounce off them,” Meteor Swarm said gloomily. “They’re magic resistant, too. If this unicorn is able to make draugr we’re going to need serious magical backup—the Horns at least, maybe even one of the princesses.”
“That bad?” Heavy Hoof rolled his eyes. “Really?”
“Yes, really. Trust me on this, Commander. Rolling Thunder might be able to deal with one draugr but we’d be looking at fifty percent casualties—if we’re lucky.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” Heavy Hoof asked, eyes narrowing.
“Yes,” Meteor Swarm hissed. “Two draugrs would annihilate us. They wouldn’t even notice the Hammerheads.”
“Good thing you have me then, isn’t it?” Teagan said with a savage grin. “Crush isn’t a normal weapon, Meteor Swarm. You keep the small fry busy and I’ll deal with the draugr.”
“I thought you were only here for the troll, Lady Teagan?” Heavy Hoof asked.
“That was before we stumbled on this Saw reenactment, Commander,” Teagan growled. “If these undead creatures are anything like the undead I’ve read about then destroying them would be an act of mercy.”
“That just leaves the dragon,” Heavy Hoof said. “Got any ideas on dealing with it?”
“What are the odds it’s just a mercenary?” Teagan asked. Heavy Hoof snorted.
“What, you want to buy it off?” He asked incredulously.
“Maybe,” Teagan said. “Or have Meteor Swarm control its mind. Convince it to go for a little evening constitutional. There’s nothing more relaxing than a flight right before bedtime, hmm?”
“That actually wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Meteor Swarm admitted. “But there are two problems. One, I don’t know any spells that could do that without looking the target in the eye, and second, this dragon’s way too old to fall for a trick like that. If it were younger, say under a hundred, it might have been worth a shot.”
“So it’s too big to use magic against?” Teagan asked with a frown.
“Yeah. I mean, if Princess Celestia were casting the spell, sure, no problem. But I’m no alicorn. It wouldn’t even notice most of my spells.”
“What we need is an Alene,” Teagan said. “But the closest one I know of is in Canterlot, which might as well be the moon for all the good it does us.”
“What’s an Alene?” Heavy Hoof asked.
“A troll wizard. He could create a new passage straight through the cliff and we could sneak the mares out, and then wait for them to come out and pick them off at our leisure,” Teagan said. “Next time I invite myself along on a rescue mission I’m definitely bringing along an Alene. For that matter a half dozen trolls could probably do the same thing.”
“Yes, well, we don’t have them. What we do have, however, is Burning Obsidian and Meteor Swarm,” Heavy Hoof said while staring at his subordinate. “I seem to recall a certain transmutation spell you demonstrated a while back. Turning a wall of stone into mud?”
“Ha! Yeah, that might work. This stuff is basalt, not limestone, but the principle’s the same,” Meteor Swarm said happily. “Old Fire Face didn’t see much point since it didn’t make fire fall from the sky, but I convinced him to learn it anyway. None of the others have enough power to cast it. Myth even turned her nose up at it, called it crude. Hey Sky, let’s go do some magic. About how deep is the prisoner’s cave in the cliff did you say?”
He and the two brothers went off to have a look at the situation.
Teagan settled back and closed her eyes, making plans with Crush in the privacy of her own head.
Cerise just kept staring expressionlessly at the cave mouth
ooOoo
An hour later Meteor Swarm came back. He was chortling.
“Hey boss! I think we got it,” the unicorn was in high spirits. “The Ghosts are gonna go dust the bad guys’ supplies with Sleepy Time, just in case it turns into a siege situation. Red Rhyme’s gonna lay glue-mud in the main passage, while we’re steadily mining our way through the cliff face. Night Fortune managed to find a thin spot between the outside of the cliff and the prisoners. The Ghosts did another look-see, seems like the head cheese is turning in early. The unicorn mare and the griffin are settling in for a game of craps while the troll is guarding his boss’s door. The dragon’s settled in for a good snooze, it didn’t even twitch while Red Rhyme was laying the glue. We got ‘em.”
“Unless those draugr of yours show up,” Heavy Hoof said sourly. “Good job. Don’t suppose you could turn that mud back to stone could you? Seal off the prisoner’s cave?”
“Oooh, nasty,” Meteor Swarm chuckled. “But sorry, no can do. However, I can merge the door with the stone around it and then reinforce the wood until it’s as hard as iron. Won’t stand up to dragon fire or a troll’s claws, but it would slow them down a little.”
“I want that troll,” Teagan growled. “He’s mine.”
“Rescuing the mares is the primary objective, Lady Teagan. As far as I’m concerned it’s the only objective,” Heavy Hoof said firmly. “If I can do that without fighting a dragon in its own lair I’m all for it. Let them rot in there for all I care.”
“The mares come first,” Teagan agreed. “But once they’re clear I’m going to smash that cliff into rubble and squish them all like the cockroaches they are.”
“Are all humans as bloodthirsty as you, Lady Teagan?” Heavy Hoof asked irritably.
“Tell me you want to breathe the same air as a unicorn that skins ponies,” she challenged him. “Or let the troll that hurt Sweetie Belle get away with it? How is she, by the way?”
“Why don’t you go see? I’m sure she’d be happy to see a friendly face,” the Commander said, wanting some distance between him and the angry human queen. Her unconcealed rage was beginning to make him twitch.
“Good idea. The tent your ponies set up, right?” Teagan asked.
The pony nodded. “Graceful Star is watching her. I’ll send someone to fetch you when it’s time.”
“Try not to forget,” Teagan gave him a level stare.
“You have my word, Your Majesty,” Heavy Hoof replied.
Teagan went to visit Sweetie Belle, leaving Cerise behind. The pink pony was still fixated on the cave mouth and wasn’t showing any signs of boredom. When Teagan slipped in the tent she found the unit’s medic sitting beside a cot. In the cot, under a heavy blanket Sweetie Belle lay sleeping.
“How is she?” Teagan whispered.
“Well, once Silver Tale got her out of those horrid restraints I was able to get a good look,” the medic said in a low voice. “Somepony had already cast a healing spell on her. Good thing, too. She had four broken ribs, one of which nicked her bowel and caused some internal bleeding. Without a healing spell she might have died from it.”
“Damn. How is she now?” Teagan asked, trying to damp down the wrath that was clawing at her mind, begging her to find and smash the monsters that did this.
“Whoever healed her dealt with the bleeding and started knitting the breaks in the ribs,” the unicorn replied. “They must have wanted her alive. I cast another healing spell to finish patching up her ribs and a sleep spell to let her rest. When she wakes up in the morning she’s going to be really tender for the next few days, but she’ll be able to walk. Fillies are resilient so I’m not worried about the damage to her body.”
“But you are worried about damage to her mind?” Teagan asked, keeping her voice down.
“Yeah. She’s been unconscious since we found her. I’m hoping she’s been unconscious since the troll attacked her. But if she regained consciousness while she was in that torture chamber…” Graceful Star shuddered. “Well, I pray to Celestia she didn’t.”
Just then Sweetie Belle cried out in her sleep and her eyes popped open.
“No! Stop! Please!” She gasped for breath, before catching sight of the unicorn and Teagan watching her with worried expressions.
“Was it just a nightmare?” Sweetie Belle asked. She whimpered as she tried to sit up and fell back, panting. Her face lost its hopeful expression and turned fearful.
“Hi Sweetie Belle. No, it wasn’t a nightmare but we rescued you. You’re safe now,” Teagan knelt and took one of the filly’s hooves in both hands. “Just rest, okay? Everything’s going to be all right.”
“A troll chased me,” Tears started to well up in her eyes. “He caught me and I thought I was going to die! It hurt so bad, Teelo! I tried to run but—”
“Shh, its okay, it’s all over,” Teagan ran her hand over the filly’s mane. “You’re safe now. You’ll be going home soon, I promise. Till then Graceful Star will stay with you. She healed you but the best medicine right now is for you to sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.”
“Where are you going?” Sweetie Belle asked fearfully. “Stay with me, Teelo! I’m scared! What if the troll comes back?”
“That’s why I have to go, sweetheart. I’m going to make sure it won’t ever come back,” Teagan said, stroking the filly the way she would a dog. “That troll will never hurt you again. I Pinkie promise.”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened. “You didn’t make the signs, Teelo. You can’t Pinkie Promise unless you do it right!”
Teagan smiled. “Cross my heart,” she did so, “and hope to fly,” she flapped her arms, “stick a cupcake in my eye,” she placed one hand over her eye. “There. Better?”
“Yes,” Sweetie Belle nodded and settled back into her blankets. Graceful Star’s horn started to glow gently. “Night, Teelo,” Sweetie Belle yawned.
“Good night, Sweetie Belle. Sleep well,” Teagan kissed her on the forehead below her horn.
Just before she went under completely the filly murmured “Hi, Princess Lu—,” trailing off into a cute little snore.
A slender, lightly armored unicorn stepped into the tent.
“It’s time to go, Lady Teagan,” she said.
Teagan nodded, giving the peacefully sleeping filly one final look before leaving.
ooOoo
A black unicorn with a fiery red mane and tail stepped up to her and touched her with the red glow from his horn. His cutie mark was an erupting volcano.
“The silence spell only affects you and anything you’re actually touching, Lady Teagan,” the unicorn cautioned her. “But it’s very unstable. If you start moving too quickly the spell will fail. No running, no falling, no jumping. Understand?”
“Yes,” her voice came out muted, as though she were whispering.
Burning Obsidian chuckled. “Yeah, that’s another side-effect. Basically the spell keeps you sneaky until you attack. We use it on night operations.”
Teagan nodded. She was very glad to have the magical assistance. She thought Matt would certainly approve. Cerise shook her head when the unicorn approached her.
“No need,” she said. He nodded and moved on to cast the spell on the rest of the unit.
After the preparations were made the entire unit approached the cliff from the side where the cliff curved inward, giving them a natural hiding place. Meteor Swarm and Burning Obsidian were joined by seven other unicorns forming a long line. The two mages lit their horns and a large area of the cliff face turned even darker, almost black and immediately began to sag and flow. But even before it could touch the ground huge chunks of the dripping mud began to rapidly pass down the line of unicorns to land behind the last one with a soft and vaguely obscene splorch noise.
The digging went rapidly and soon the line of unicorns was advancing step by slow step into the cliff.
Ten minutes later they broke through into the prisoner’s chamber. Heavy Hoof held Teelo and Cerise back as Stomper and three other huge earth ponies (the smallest about Sun Hammer’s size) went into the chamber along with Meteor Swarm
They were only gone a couple of minutes before quietly coming out, each of the big ponies draped with a pair of still bound but conscious mares with disturbingly blank-eyed stares. Meteor Swarm was the last one out. He nodded grimly to Heavy Hoof, who quietly ordered a retreat.
Seeing Teagan’s glare he spoke with that muted spell voice.
“Don’t worry. You’ll get your chance at that troll, Your Majesty. We’re going to make a big flashy entrance to grab their attention. It should lure the dragon into the glue trap in the tunnel. Once he’s stuck you bust in through the back door. We’ll keep the dragon busy while you and Cerise deal with the others. But remember Cerise, you owe me at least one prisoner. I’d prefer the unicorn stallion.
“No promises,” Cerise said, eyes glittering. “You weren’t the one who had to be merciful today.”
Heavy Hoof winced. “Let me have the unicorn mare then. Here, take this,” he reached into a bag slung over his armor and pulled out a large heavy ring. “It’s a magic suppressor. Slip it over her horn as soon as you can. It locks automatically. She won’t be able to cast anything.”
Cerise took the ring.
“How will we know when to attack? I’d rather not have to deal with the dragon and the rest of them,” Teagan asked.
Heavy Hoof smiled. “Oh, you’ll know. Trust me. Once he gets stuck that dragon is going to be angry. Angry dragons tend to be very vocal.”
Cerise chuckled at his understated humor.
“Good luck. You do understand if either of you get yourselves killed it would be very inconvenient for Equestria, right?” The commander asked dryly.
“We’ll keep that in mind,” Cerise said, smiling a very chilling smile. “Don’t keep us waiting long, all right? It’s rude.”
“Well, we can’t have that, now can we?” Heavy Hoof replied. “Be ready. It won’t take long.”
He left, leaving them free to enter the chamber.
ooOoo
The two unicorn brothers hadn’t been lying. Teagan felt her gorge rise as she stepped into a chamber of horrors. A single glance took in the skinned corpses strapped to the bloody operating tables. If she hadn’t already known they were ponies she wouldn’t have been able to guess their species.
The ones who did this will pay, she silently promised the corpses. We’ll never stop hunting them, no matter how long it takes. Crush, get ready.
She felt its eyes open in her mind as she drew the club. Crush seemed to feed on her rage while echoing it back in a slowly building feedback loop. A dull red glow encased the entire club.
She could see where the prisoners had been kept. It almost looked like a bicycle rack, which would hold the bound ponies in a standing position—facing the operating tables. She shuddered, and Crush’s glow began to brighten. Cerise eyed the club with casual interest.
After about ten minutes an amplified voice filtered into the chamber. She couldn’t identify the speaker or what they were saying, but the rhythm and pacing were unmistakably a demand.
Cerise stalked to one side of the tunnel as Teagan raised Crush, waiting for the signal.
Suddenly the whole cavern seemed to vibrate with the loudest roar Teagan had ever heard. In the midst of her barely contained fury it was all she could do not to scream an answering challenge.
Then there came an all too familiar sound, one that sent chills down her spine.
The hissing roar of dragon’s fire.
She wondered if Rolling Thunder had underestimated the dragon’s strength. Before she could worry about it she heard a voice cursing loudly in Trollish in between the dragon’s infuriated bellows.
The chamber door’s door handle moved, and there was the sound of a body coming to an abrupt and unexpected stop on the other side.
Showtime, she thought to Crush. The club didn’t deign to reply, but the glow spread from the length of iron in her hands across her entire body.
Cerise grinned cheerily at her and waved, before crouching.
A smashing blow made the door shudder. There was a pause and then the door flexed a little from the sound of a massive impact, as if someone had thrown themselves bodily against it.
A troll’s roar came from behind the door, followed by a rapid series of blows that echoed around the chamber. The door began to splinter, and then give way, revealing a set of gleaming black claws breaking through the wood. After a few moments the hole was big enough to admit a second set of claws.
A snarl heralded the top part of the door being literally torn apart, revealing the fuming face of an angry troll.
Something snapped inside Teagan. Without thinking she sprang forward, smashing Crush into that hideous face. She struck with all her rage and fury, but (having learned what Crush was capable of) she managed to use only a tiny fraction of its insanely massive magical weight.
There was a loud smack and the troll went flying backward, vanishing from sight. Teagan promptly hit the remains of the door with enough force to make it explode. Shards of iron-hard wood screamed down the tunnel.
“Nice,” Cerise laughed and blurred into motion, disappearing after the troll in the blink of an eye. Teagan took off after the demon-possessed pony, running hard. In seconds she was confronted with the sight of a dragon’s rear end threshing in the exit tunnel while a dead griffin sprawled in a puddle of blood next to the tunnel she knew led to the barracks and living quarters. The troll was slumped against the wall, growling as he pulled a chunk of door out of his arm.
Teagan saw he was male, but beyond the fact he wore no harness and only a black loincloth she had no idea which of the many clans he had belonged to. Not that it mattered. By troll law an outlaw was clanless.
When he saw Teagan he snarled and rose to his feet.
“What is your name?” She asked coldly.
“Why should I tell you, reker?” He snorted.
“So I know what name to put on your tombstone,” Teagan said calmly. “I’m willing to give you that much, you walking corpse.”
That seemed to amuse the troll.
“I am Jern. And I shall need no tombstone, for your final resting place will be in my belly, strange creature. But come, I have told you my name, now tell me yours.”
“I am Teagan Laoise, scion of Clan O’Gara, Lady of Equestria, the Dronning av Fjellet. And this,” she lifted Crush, “is Mountain Heart. Come at me, Jern. It’s long past time you were laid to rest.”
“So those fools crowned a freak?” Jern laughed. “I am not afraid of you, or that overgrown stick. Come at me, little morsel. Once I chomp you for an appetizer I’ll eat that little filly alive for the main course!”
“So sorry to disappoint you, Jern,” Teagan smiled slightly, feeling her rage turn to ice. “She’s gone, along with the half dozen mares you had stashed in your playroom.”
“Not my playroom, Your Deliciousness,” the troll grinned. “That was Rimor’s toy chest you pilfered. Now that he’s gone I’m free to have a little fun. Since I can’t have the filly I’ll just eat a few of those guards outside after I snack on you.”
Roaring the troll charged her, clearly intending to use his weight and reach to simply smash her like a grape. Teagan certainly had no intention of fighting an opponent that weighed ten times what she did on his own terms. She leaped sideways, using Crush to pull her out of harm’s way.
The move actually saved her life as the troll unexpectedly leaped high in the air, lashing out with one taloned foot. The kick would have torn her face off if she hadn’t jumped.
Aware now the outlaw troll was far more dangerous than she’d expected Teagan forced herself to calm down and remember all the lessons Matt had pounded into her stubborn skull over the last year. She instantly shifted Crush into a defensive position, watching the troll warily.
“Surprised you, did I?” Jern laughed mockingly. “I won’t be so easy to lay to rest, Your Puny Majesty. Why don’t you make it easy on yourself and give up? I’ll make it quick.”
“You talk too much,” Teagan replied, scanning him for vulnerable places to strike. She cursed herself for not knowing a troll’s weak points. Oh well. Joints were still joints, even on a troll. She imagined a groin hit would at least distract him, just as it would a man (or woman, Matt’s voice whispered in her head).
Crush could deliver enough striking power to simply obliterate the troll the way she had Chrysalis’s guards. She suspected doing that would bring the cliff down on her head however, so that meant no one hit kills—although she could probably use enough of Crush’s weight to break even troll bones.
Do not let his claws touch you, Crush said in her mind. They are as dangerous to you as I am to him.
Got it. Parry, then counter-attack against his hands or arms. Disable him first, and then kill him.
Good, Crush agreed. Keep him from landing a blow. I will pull you away if you can’t do it yourself.
For all his bravado Jern was cautious as he circled her. She turned in place, carefully placing her feet to stay balanced. She started weaving Crush in a defensive figure-8 that could easily change direction and become an unexpected attack.
It seemed Jern was familiar with club fighting techniques because he widened his circle a half step to prevent a surprise attack.
“You want some help, Teelo?” A calm voice asked. “I could kill him for you, no problem.”
Teagan thought about it as Jern leaped back to evaluate this new threat.
“Sorry, Cerise,” she said regretfully. “I swore I’d be the one to kill him. But thanks. What happened to the unicorns?”
“The old guy vanished,” Cerise said, watching the troll. “He probably teleported out at the first sign of trouble—I dunno why I’m surprised. The head honcho never sticks around to let you squash him. As for the mare, I dropped her before she realized I was a real threat, and ringed her horn for good measure. She’s hogtied and sleeping the sleep of the wicked. Little tramp tried to fry me with a fireball, of all things. What is it with Equestrians and fire spells anyway?”
Jern chuckled again, a huge smirk on his face.
“My, my. Looks like I get desert too. You smell like a bakery, little pony. Oh, by the way, you’re wrong about Glitter. She’s no unicorn. Of course neither one of you will live long enough to discover what she really is.”
“Do tell,” Cerise yawned. “Splatter this chatterbox already, Teelo. I’m missing my beauty sleep.”
“Cliché villain much?” Teagan asked the troll, rolling her eyes.
“Look who’s talking about clichés,” he snorted, and then unexpectedly leaped at her. Playing a hunch Teelo sprang upward, only to see him grin and jump after her, claws slicing toward her foot. Taking advantage of Crush’s disdain of gravity she flipped head downward and smacked the back of his hand using as much of Crush’s weight as she dared. He howled as all the bones of his hand instantly became razor sharp fragments inside tender flesh. He landed awkwardly, cradling his hand and staring at it.
Unfortunately Teagan couldn’t follow through, she needed the time to change direction and flip herself back upright, landing a good twenty feet from him. By the time she recovered he was already in position, arm clamped against his side to hold the shattered hand as still as possible. His other arm was extended in front of him, elbow bent and claws spread.
“It’s over Jern. Give it up and I’ll make it quick,” Teagan said.
“Aldri tispe!” The troll snarled.
“He just called you a bad name,” Cerise said conversationally. “Hey troll! Bet that hand really hurts, doesn’t it?”
“I am going to enjoy filleting you,” he snarled at Cerise without taking his eyes off Teagan.
“Yeah, well I’m a lot more dangerous than she is, Sunny Jim,” Cerise scoffed. “Even if you manage to kill her you’re a thousand years too early to deal with me.”
Now it was Teagan circling a carefully pivoting Jern. Even with Bullet Time the girl had no illusions about Jern being less dangerous than he had been. The troll still had double her reach and only had to get lucky once.
She feinted, provoking Jern into leaping and striking with a kick. She saw the lethal foot headed for her stomach in time to interpose Crush. Jern’s foot hit Crush with the same flat clack that Stomper’s hooves had made. Jern just stopped in mid-air, then fell to the floor on his back as gravity claimed him.
Before he could recover Teagan pivoted sharply and snapped the club across his kneecap, doubling the weight she’d unleashed on his hand.
The troll howled with pain, his leg almost torn in half where Crush had struck. In spite of the agony he must have felt he was already slashing at her with his good hand, trying to slice her open. If Crush hadn’t pulled her away at the last second the troll would have gutted her.
Thanks, she said silently to Crush.
It’s not over. Keep circling him. Force him to keep moving. With any luck he’ll fall unconscious and then we can strike, Crush advised her.
Too busy to register the fact that making the troll keep moving was basically torture, Teagan took Crush’s advice. The troll scrabbled desperately with one good arm and one good leg, snarling in berserk fury, all the while fighting to keep facing her. Teagan abruptly reversed direction, a move the injured troll couldn’t counter. She darted forward and smashed Jern’s outstretched arm.
This time she heard the bone snap. Jern collapsed, giving her a brief opening. She took advantage of it and struck one final time.
It was as though she’d struck a watermelon filled with red and grey pulp. It sprayed everywhere, drenching her. Taking no chances she repeatedly slammed Crush into the troll’s sternum and stomach, using even more of Crush’s immense weight.
By the time she stepped back Jern’s body was little more than a mashed ruin from the waist up, his head more or less non-existent. The stench of his blood and smashed bowels was sickening. She stood with club raised, trying not to vomit on her foe’s corpse as she waited to see if the troll would regenerate like Tišina had.
Of course that’s when Stomper’s squad arrived…