We do... stuff
BOOM!
I woke up to an explosion, and gore splattering over my face. Events of the last night flashed through my mind, Flash had taken first watch, and then me, and then it was Iron’s turn. ‘So much for a good night’s sleep’ I thought, as I grabbed my hammer in my left two hands and my swords in my right two.
All that remained of Iron Hide but a few smoldering bones and some blood splattered over our campsite. I felt the fur on my back begin to stand on end. It was the second most disgusting sight I had ever seen. The most disgusting thing I’m not telling.
As far as I could tell there was nothing out here, and then I saw a blue and black aura begin lighting up near the cave entrance, I dashed for it as fast as I could, the light growing brighter and brighter as I came closer. When it reached what seemed to be its pinnacle I dodged out of the way, just as a large black and blue fireball launched itself at me. It landed in the snow and created a large explosion, incinerating what was left of the deceased pony guard.
I hit the ground and rolled, throwing my sword as I stood up. It landed five feet in front of the unicorn that had appeared after launching the ball of death. Seeming surprised at my epic fail he didn’t start charging up his next spell, and I took the opportunity to leap at him and smash his face with my hammer. Launching skull bits and brain matter out the other side of his head.
Looking to the right I saw Flash successfully shanking the other unicorn that had come out. He was panting and his face was stained with tears, of course, his mentor/partner had just been incinerated by some kind of powerful magic we had no idea we would be up against.
“What the hell was that?” I screamed at him.
“Dark magic. I don’t think these guys are bandits.”
“Dark magic? Like what Somra used? I thought it was purple green and black.”
“It’s colors vary on the overall magical adeptness in all forms of magic. These guys were novices. Probably fodder for whoever else lives down there.”
“THOSE were NOVICES?!”
“Yeah, but it should be easier to fight them down there in close quarters, most dark magic spells are too volatile to use underground or in buildings, you could end up blowing yourself up or cause the structure to collapse on you. We should be fine if we keep out of open areas.”
“You seem to know a lot about this for a semi-good guy pegasus.”
“It’s part of the course for becoming a royal guard in the Empire. After all, both Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Prince Shining Armor are afraid Somra might attack again. And seriously? Semi good guy, what’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know the mirror to that other dimension in the castle?”
“Yeah, the one Princess Twilight Sparkle went into when Sunset Shimmer stole the element of harmony.”
“There are a bunch of alternate versions of almost all the ponies here in that dimension as humans. The human you committed an unspeakable act.”
“What did I do?”
“You’ll have to ask Twilight when we rescue her. Lets go!”
I stormed down the tunnel and broke down the old wooden doors barring the entrance. They looked remarkably like the doors to mines in Skyrim. I slashed at the two ponies on the other side, managing to give them about five different large cuts before I finally killed them both. I really ought to figure out how to use these things.
Flash flew down fast after me, looked at the bodies of the two I had killed at made a grimace. He was probably used to loiterers and bar fights, not killing and death in his work.
We followed the tunnels we had marked up the previous night, adding a small X to the map whenever we met a cave in. The caves were awfully empty for the fifty or sixty “bandits” the guards said they had seen when the trains had been attacked. We only had to kill five or six in the tunnels before we came to an extremely large chamber with about twenty in it at once. “Get down,” the yellow pegasus commanded.
I did as he said, and we watched what was happening. There was a pony up on the stage, he seemed to be the leader as his robe was gold, and was giving some sort of speech to the ponies below him. They were all unicorns, they were all dressed in green and black robes, and they all had eyes glowing purple, black, and green. “I take it these are the more advanced dark magic users.” I whispered.
“Yeah.”
I listened closer trying to detect what the pony was saying. I couldn’t tell for sure, he seemed to be saying something about “fruition,” “resurrection,” and “alicorn blood.” Seeing a large red banner behind him with a black crystal on it, I was able to piece together what was going on quite easily.
“We need to stop them, I think they’re going to do something… Bad,” Flash said in a worried voice.
“Yeah, obviously, but there are too many.”
“Twilight isn’t there yet, I think they need her to do… Whatever it is they’re doing.”
“So we’re just going to leave them alone to the resurrection of one of the most evil ponies in history?”
“We’re leaving to attempt to prevent it and save her at the same time. I think it’s okay.”
I grumbled slightly, and quietly moved away from the chamber. We took a quick detour around the room and found two more of the unicorns leading a walking pile of glowing bronze rings down the hallway. Under the few small gaps between the rings I was able to make out some dirty purple fur. Found her.
We jumped on the guards, Flash taking out the one on the far side of the princess with an aerial strike, and me grabbing the one closest to me and shoving my sword down his gaping mouth. I tossed the body aside, not minding that he had gotten blood all over my hand. Man, I had really toughened up with this transformation, otherwise I would’ve hurled at the sight. Twilight wasn’t so luck, and as soon as the rings on her head were removed and I removed the gag from her mouth she vomited at the sight.
“Who are you?” She said looking at me. Then looking at Flash she said, “And what are you doing here Flash?”
“This is Goliath, and I am here to save you milady.” He said in a stately voice trotting up and kissing her hoof.
“Oh no you don’t! We need to get out of here, and in the absence of Shining Armor I am current acting cock-block.”
“Buzz kill.”
Twilight giggled at that, and we began to trek out of the tunnel. Luckily we had taken special care to keep track of our position in the mine with the map and found ourselves at the entrance quickly and with no resistance. Twilight’s wings were fine and she and Flash flew back to the Crystal Empire to alert them at who were really at the cave, and I began running full tilt towards the Empire too. I didn’t want to fight any of those mages in the safety of the outdoors.
Clearly fate had other ideas, as the one pony that was speaking on the stage teleported in front of me.
“You darn dirty ape!” oh sweet Celestia, a Planet of the Apes reference, seriously? “You have no idea who you’re dealing with! Or what you’ve interrupted!”
“The resurrection of King Sombra, I was able to put things together.”
“Not just his resurrection, I would have made him more powerful! He would have been stronger, faster, smarter, better.” And another reference. Jeez, this guy was full of them. “I worked on the spell for months! And now I need to go get another alicorn!”
“Why are you telling me you’re plan? That’s some serious stereotypical villain BS.”
“I want you to send a message to those accursed crystal ponies. Unless I get a princess by tomorrow night, I will attack the empire, slaughter all the ponies to and from the palace, and capture both of the princesses, I have enough master level dark mages to demolish that pathetic hole of ‘love’ and ‘hope’.” He spat the words out like they were curses.
“How about… No.” I threw my sword again, taking him by surprise, and it landed in the snow, three feet to the right of him. Not again…
He began charging up his horn, the purple green and black I knew now was for master level spell casters, and I rushed toward him, he launched the fireball, I was too late to dodge and then… I wasn’t there anymore.
There was a flash of golden light, and suddenly I was standing in the middle of the Crystal Empire throne room. Princess Celestia was standing up on the throne next to Luna, Cadence and Shining Armor. Princess Twilight and Flash Sentry were there too, both looking just as stunned as I was that we were here all of a sudden.
“Greetings my little ponies, and… Goliath.”
“Princess! We’re so glad you’re here, the bandits that attacked the trains weren’t bandits, they were followers of King Sombra! They were trying to resurrect him using a piece of his horn. We need to go stop them now!”
“That is grave news indeed. We brought with us a contingency of Canterlots best guards in case if the rescue party failed.” She said this looking at me.
“We should send them immediately… Princess.” I stated awkwardly. “Before you teleported me, their leader came to me and told me to tell you that they will be attacking the Empire if you don’t surrender an alicorn to them by tomorrow night. We saw about twenty unicorns with his that he claimed were all masters of dark magic.”
“THEY SHALT NOT CAUSE THIS MIGHTY KINGDOM TO FALL. WE ART HERE TO MEET HIM IN BATTLE SHOULD HE SHOW HIMSELF TO BE AS VAIN AND ‘BIGHEADED AS WE SEE HIM.” Royal caps lock a go.
“Luna volume please,” complained Celestia while rubbing her ears. “Indeed, if it should come to that we will fight. This battle is for magic users though, not meant for those who use physical weaponry. It would be best if most of the pegasi and earth pony guards stay inside the city when the attack comes, as well as you Goliath.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice, they scared the shit out of me. Now if you don’t mind, I need to go and clean this gore out of my ha... fur.”