Big Macintosh bolted straight for the monstrosity. The creature wouldn't have enough time to turn around and run. So it responded by darting straight at him. Every step closer to the beast made the air feel thicker. Big Mac lowered his head and braced for impact.
The creature suddenly dives towards Big Mac at a slight angle, barely grazing his coat as it passed by. A shiver ran through his spine. He slams his front hooves into the ground and spins around to see the creature facing him again.
He snorted in dissatisfaction, and slowly walked toward the beast with his body closer to the ground. The beast stands straight up and lifts it's front claws in a defensive stance. The creature lifts a hind leg and swings it towards the large pony's head. He ducks, quickly turns around and bucks it with one hoof.
The creature slides back and staggers. It only lowered its stance slightly. Clutching it's stomach it wobbled back into a fighting position.
Big Mac was shocked. He was notorious for ending fights in one shot. He floored a rampaging Hippo with one hoof. That creature should not still be standing.
The creature approached again, its eyes showing rage. It pierce his soul. The creature reared up and swung its hind leg at Big Mac.
Again?
Big Mac ducked but this time the creature's leg stopped over his head. There was a brief pause as Big Mac registered what was about to happen. Quickly, it brought its leg down. Big Mac's legs crumpled under him, and his head hit the floor.
The creature brushed itself off and started to walk away.
There was a slight movement in the pile of ponies near the wall. Twilight Sparkle crawled towards Big Mac. "Big Mac! GET UP!"
The creature turned to see the large pony struggling to his feet. He still had some fight in him.
Big Mac rose and snorted. Twilight stood next to him, her horn glowing with a slight purple hue.
The creature made more cracking sounds as it lowered its shoulders, in a circular motion of anticipation.
Twilight picked up a barrel with her magic, and chucked it at the beast.
The beast raised both claws and redirected it behind it. When it looked back at the ponies, Big Mac was in its face. He quickly lowers his head and sweeps the beast of its feet. The monster falls on its back as Big Mac pins each leg and claw with an individual hoof.
He then slams his head into the creature's skull making a loud cracking sound. Twilight winces and turns away. The creature starts screaming. Big Mac tightens his jaw and slams his head into it again. The cracking sound echoed throughout the streets.
The creature frantically struggles under the pony. Big Mac was unprepared for the amount of force it could exert and was thrown off. The creature tried to crawl away but Big Mac jumped on it again, this time pining the creature belly down.
Twilight rushed over. "Alright, hold it still!" Her horn glowed a bright purple and a white light flickered throughout. Big Mac struggled to remain on top of the beast. Despite its size, it was giving him as much trouble as a rampaging manticore. He grunted and slammed his hoof into the creatures back. It flinched and slowed down for a moment, before violently trying to throw him off. Various objects started floating around them. A barrel, a park bench, a store stall, many small papers, and lots of clumps of dirt. "JUMP!"
Big Mac quickly bounded off the beast and the creature turned to see many objects fly straight for it. The creature ducked and put itself into a ball position, preparing for impact. Suddenly there was a flash and the creature was surrounded by a spinning purple aura. The creature stood up and started pounding on the aura, trying desperately to break it. The sound resonated throughout the town and the ground immediately around the aura shook. A bead of sweat fell from Twilight's face as she charged her horn again. Large trees torn by the roots, boulders covered in moss, and a stream of water was shot at the barrier. The barrier flashed and the objects were gone.
Twilight then collapsed and passed out.
Big Mac stared at the creature and watched it fight against the barrier. Various body parts were slammed into the barrier each creating a flash of light. It then tried to dig at the ground right under it, but was met with the same flash of light as no dirt gave way. A scream of desperation and the creature started hitting the barrier in many spots at once and with blinding speed.
Ponies started peeking out of the windows. A few brave souls gingerly walked up to Big Mac. Ponies started coming out, picking up the hurt and thanking Big Mac. He just watched the beast.
A few ponies joined him and but most couldn't stand to hear the horrid sounds that were sure to fill their nightmares for weeks to come. They watched, and waited.
=====================================================================================
Twilight woke up to see Applejack smiling at her.
"Ya did it."
Twilight sat up and looked around to see all of her friends sitting around her. "How long was I out?"
Applejack responds "Only a few hours sugar cube. Big Mac is standing watch."
Twilight sighed and sat leaned back. She then took some time to examine her friends. Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were fine. Applejack had bandages around her hind hooves, Rarity had ice placed on her eye and adorned a burnt tail, and Rainbow Dash had bandages on her wings, her stomach, and her muzzle was bandaged shut.
Pinkie suddenly started jumping on the bed. "Yay Twilight did it! She really did it!"
Rainbow Dash tried to say something but was muffled by her bandaged muzzle.
Rarity giggled and pointed at Rainbow's muzzle. "I think that's a very good look on you Darling."
Rainbow Dash gave her the death stare and Rarity chuckled nervously. Applejack spoke up "Well that was a close one. What the hay was that thing Twilight?"
Twilight closed her eyes and shook her head. "Honestly, I have no idea."
A collective groan filled the room.
Applejack put her hat back onto her head. "Well I'm sorry girls, but ah need to go stand watch with Big Mac."
Twilight smiled. "You don't have to do that. That spell will last at least another day."
"Ah'm not really worried about the barrier."
Twilight nodded her head and Applejack walked out.
"Well that was a rather eventful evening." Rarity started brushing her hair. "I do believe that was the most excitement we've had in quite a while."
Pinkie's eye twitched as she gave Rarity a questioning look.
"I mean, excluding that wonderful soiree you threw for us last weekend. I mean, that was simply delightful!"
"OH! Should've known!"
Fluttershy straightened up "I don't know what it was about that creature, but it was really terrifying."
Twilight and Rainbow Dash rolled their eyes. "I know it was scary, it was something that none of us has seen before. Not to mention the town destroying rampage it had."
Fluttershy shook her head. "Not the normal scary. I mean the scary that makes the air cold, and the animals all hide several hours before it even entered Ponyville."
"What?"
"Well before the commotion, many of the woodland critters came and took shelter in my cottage. They were scared of something, but didn't know what it was."
"Now that I think about it, it did seem to have a chilling effect on us."
Rainbow Dash shook her head.
"Except Rainbow of course." Rainbow Dash nodded her head in triumph.
"Oh no darling. There are all sorts of different magic and enchantments out there. This creature probably has a magic that induces fear into the surrounding area." Rarity chimed.
"Sorry Rarity, but Fluttershy is right. At first I thought there was some strange magic at work. But while facing the creature I didn't experience any magical substance at all. It may release a toxin in the air that affects our brains' fear reactions."
Rarity scratched her chin. "That is peculiar. How come you were able to trap it this time, when you couldn't do it before? I saw you cast several barrier spells."
"I had to rely on a last resort. I used a spell that doesn't stop the force with magic, but stops it with raw materials that turn into magic once force is applied."
"I've never heard of a spell like that, why would that work?"
Twilight looked down and a solemn expression graced her face. "That's because this spell is supposed to be used on creatures resistant to magic."
The other ponies in the room looked shocked. Rarity shifted her weight a bit. "But what creatures are that resistant to magic?"
Twilight looked Rarity in the eye. "Princess Luna."
A look of realization crossed her face and she paced nervously. "When did Princess Celestia teach you something like that?"
Twilight fidgeted "Well, she didn't exactly teach me the spell. Let's just move on to something else please?"The ponies give her a reassuring nod. "So does anyone have any idea why this thing was attacking random ponies in the middle of the day?"
Fluttershy gingerly raised a hoof, but before a recognizable statement could be made the pink party pony interrupted. "Maybe it's an intergalactic, not enough fur wearing, tall sized demon that came to steal all our supplies of secret Bamboo Stalks!" Twilight shook her head.
"I don't think, wait-We don't have a secret supply of Bamboo Stalks."
Pinkie looked away "You don't have a secret supply of Bamboo Stalks...."
"Yeeeeeah, well at first I thought it was a minotaur by the way it walked. Do you think it may be a new subspecies?"
Rarity nodded her head. "That is certainly a possibility. But it's movements were much more fluid than any minotaur I've seen. I also believe it lacks the horns."
"How could you tell? It was wearing a hood the whole time."
"I have been around hoods for quite a while. I think I'd be able to notice monstrous horns such as those on a minotaur."
"True enough. It was very hard to get the creature's anatomy due to all the clothing it wore." Twilight looked out the window. "Also the creature being resistant to magic is troubling. If Big Mac wasn't there, I wouldn't have been able to subdue it."
Fluttershy shuddered. "Don't say that Twilight. You would have found a way."
"Aww, thank you Fluttershy."
Rainbow Dash stomped her hooves on the tile, and waved her hair in a half circle motion.
Pinkie beamed. "I don't know why it attacked the town! Maybe it was hungry?"
"It didn't try to eat anypony. It seemed to just run around attacking anything that moved."
Twilight shook her head "Maybe this creature acts on pure instinct?"
The ponies shrugged.
Rainbow Dash motioned toward the door and flicked her tail.
Pinkie grinned "That's a fantastic! We should ask Big Mac if he learned anything from it!"
"Thanks Rainbow Dash. So Big Mac is still there now?" asked Twilight.
Rarity made a solemn expression "The poor dear has been watching it since you left. He's probably worried that the creature would break out and attack the town again."
"How considerate."
"Did he at least get any medical attention?" asked Twilight.
"Yes Darling, the hospital sent a nurse to patch him up. He refused to leave that monstrosity out of his sight."
"I should add more mass to the shield. I put a lot into it, but i'm not sure how long it would actually hold it. It would hold a normal pony for at least a week. For all I know, the shield can break tomorrow."
Rainbow Dash snorted and blinked her eyes.
Pinkie violently shook her head. "Rainbow is right, we need more info and there's not much we can get done here."
Twilight nodded in confirmation. "It's decided. Let's go to town square!"