Private Crosswind was said to have some Diamond Dog blood in his veins. In a good way of course, he had tracking skills unmatched by anypony he knew, some even said he must have the nose of a hound. And the way he tracked was like a hound, face nearly touching the dirt, scrutinizing every bent blade of grass and every out of place crumb of dirt.
Undoubtedly the best tracker in all of Cloudsdale, and that was his claim to fame. One of the earth ponies had also taken up tracking the human raiders, an orange furred crossbow bearer by the name of Brawny. Brawny put Crosswind to shame almost as soon as they got on the trail.
"Fifteen of the Chaos humans, five of them being the gray ones. At least twenty prisoners, all went this way about twelve hours ago." Brawny said while barely looking at the ground.
Crosswind was supremely annoyed by this earth pony who was tarnishing his good name. "No, try fourteen of the Chaos humans, one of the prisoners is just injured."
"Oh yeah? How many female humans smart pony?"
Crosswind bent his muzzle to the ground, sweeping with sonar like precision. "Hard to say, around twelve of them, four of the Chaos humans excluded."
"Crosswind is it? I'll bet you that it's fifteen Chaos humans and twenty prisoners. Fifty bits or my left hoof!"
Fifty bits! This pony was serious, that was more than the army paid Crosswind in two weeks. "Alright, you're on." Crosswind smiled, spitting into his hoof he held it out for the earth pony. Brawny gladly spit on his own hoof and shook.
"Will you two cut it out? This is dead serious business here! Lives are at stake!" Shouted Cloud Hoof.
"Yes sir General!" Crosswind resumed tracking the Cult raiding party. The rest of the party marched forward, Cloud Hoof and Starswirl not pleased at all with the pace and the delays. Every second they wasted was a second the Cult had to get stronger.
"Do you think we'll be able to take this little raiding party Starswirl? They are more numerous than us."
"Bah, numbers have little meaning here. We have courage and justice on our side, and as a bonus: actual trained warriors. The bulk of their party are Chaos Plague victims, hardly a challenge if they don't scare the wits out of you."
"I'm not worried about them, a few slices with the sword and they are down. I'm worried about the Grays. If only a few of them did such damage in the castle, what is facing an army of them like?"
"I do not want to think about that Cloud." the old unicorn shuddered at the thought of those gray monsters in human skin.
The twelve ponies, plus the human child on Wedge's back, galloped onward to hopefully close the distance before the Cult party could reach safety. Wedge seemed overly protective of the child, even going to the point of cleaning him up after they found him. All the better, Cloud thought. If a human and a pony could trust each other like this, maybe there was hope for peace between their races. And if they hurried, maybe a chance to reunite a family.
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Acolyte Simms marched his prize of twenty prisoners like a slavemaster. Which he technically was until they basked in the never ending glory of Discord's touch. Though not the assigned leader, Acolyte Simms took over the position of leader, carrying his rifle and whip with authority. He and the other four Acolytes were given the simple task of capturing more potential converts, and keeping those subhuman dogs from breaking loose from Discord's influence.
In their "natural" state, the Lost never felt fear or pain. The damn creatures were just as likely to kill themselves as kill anything around them. Acolyte Simms noticed one getting a little antsy around one of the prisoners, flicking his wrist he lashed out with his whip. The Lost cretin snarled in pain, in its pacified state some level of cognizance had been restored to him, and he actually feared the lash wielded by his intelligent cousin. The cretin dropped down to all fours and paced like a dog near the prisoners.
The marching prisoners stared at the gray human. A middle aged man pushed his way closer to the Acolyte. "Why are you doing this? We're humans for Christ's sake, not some group of ponies in human skin!"
The Acolyte stared at him, pulling the bullwhip from his belt again he threw it over his shoulder and brought it down on the prisoner. The man cried in pain, but Acolyte Simms was not finished yet. He continued his flurried attack of whip cracks on his chosen example, only stopping after the man lay whimpering on the ground, a bloody mess that leaked his vital essence in the dust.
"This wretch is but an example of those that defy the Master. Does anyone else wish to question us?" The remaining humans quivered and wept, eyes wide at the monsters that their old brethren had become. Acolyte Simms took their silence as a "no". As an afterthought he unslung the rifle on his shoulder, ending his 'example' with a careless shot to the chest. Several of the prisoners screamed, silenced quickly by the snarls of the Lost. "Brothers, we make camp here tonight."
"We cannot be delayed Brother, the High Priest waits for us." Another Acolyte stated flatly, as if he could state it any other way.
"The High Priest ordered his converts to be fresh, he will be displeased if they are half dead with exhaustion when we return."
"You know we only obey the High Priest because the Master enjoys his pet."
"The Master would be displeased if he heard your blasphemies, Brother." The Acolyte cringed at the thought of displeasing Discord.
Acolyte Simms ordered a fire to be built, having the Lost ring around the prisoners as they sat down. The subhumans looked hungry, and there happened to be a pile of fresh meat laying on the ground. Simms gave the order for them to feed. He had to, if he didn't the damn Lost would just starve themselves to death. The horrors of the cannibalistic feast would be burned into the minds and hearts of the prisoners until the day they died.
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"General sir? Did you hear that?" Jet Stream said with both ears perked.
Cloud shivered at the sound that brought back so many horrible memories. "Thunder weapon, not too far ahead of us."
Cloud glanced at Crosswind and Brawny, "Do you two think it is the ones we hunt?"
"It is possible sir, the direction is right, but what would they stop to shoot at?"
"It doesn't matter, we are gaining on them. Wedge, you're the fastest flyer, leave your friend with us and scout ahead. Stick to the clouds."
The rust colored pegasus gently set the human child down and prepared to take off, Noah grabbed him around a leg. "No! Don't go!"
"I'll be alright, stay with the General and I'll be back soon." The boy let go reluctantly, and Wedge took to the skies.
The sun was setting when he returned with his report, Noah had taken a shine to Starswirl, and the old unicorn seemed to reciprocate.
Cloud saluted the corporal. "Report?"
"General, at least fifteen of the Chaos humans, five of them being the Grays. Only nineteen prisoners though." Wedge sweated and swallowed. "There were twenty sir, the shot we heard...they murdered one for the Chaos Plague humans to feed on."
"You mean?"
"Yes sir, they're cannibalizing the unaffected humans. We've got to stop them."
"How far Wedge?"
"Three miles, their town is another fifteen miles to the north."
Cloud shouted to the rest of the group, "Everypony gather to us! Wedge, draw the enemy positions as best you can."
The rusty pegasus traced a rough sketch of the Cult camp, labeling where the prisoners were and where they expected the enemy to be. "Alright everypony, here's the plan. Those humans have thunder weapons, and they are completely unmatched at a range. Sun, you and your crossbow ponies sneak as close as you can and kill the priority targets, the Grays. This treeline should be close enough to their camp to allow for us to get the drop on them." The yellow earth pony nodded at the plan. "Starswirl, you and your unicorns go for the prisoners, protect them at all costs. My warriors and I will deal with the rabble once the Grays are down. Remember, the prisoner's safety is priority number one, is everypony clear?"
"Excellent plan General, with one exception. There are only four crossbows at our disposal, and five Grays. If we killed all four of his fellows somehow, the last one could do untold damage before we could reload." Sun said.
"Leave him to me. Maybe a prisoner of our own would do us some good." Starswirl said.
"Alright, we hit them quick and hard. Now move out!" The twelve ponies galloped towards their targets, who lay unaware of the impending attack.
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The sun had fallen hours ago, the only light visible being the blazing fire of the Cultists. The twelve warrior ponies watched the gray humans patrol around the prisoners, the Chaos Plague humans standing stark still, sometimes twitching or muttering to themselves. Cloud waved the unicorns and earth ponies closer to whisper the plan.
"Alright, Sun, you and your warriors see what you can do about dulling your fur. Starswirl, once Sun and his archers are in place, you and your unicorns place a shield around the prisoners. That will be the signal for your archers to fire Sun." Cloud turned to his three warriors, "Wedge, Jet, Cross, we're going defensive. Hind legs phalanx, one rank deep. I'll take center."
The three warriors nodded as the earth pony archers silently crept through the brush and trees to take their position and choose their targets. Cloud reared up on his hind hooves, placing his foreleg through the loops on his shield and gripping his spear in his open fetlock. His wings flared behind him to provide some balance to the ungainly pegasus. His warriors did the same, going shoulder to shoulder to make a shield wall with their spears resting on top. Movement was hard on their hind legs, Cloud wondered how the humans managed to do this all day. They would just have to march forward and thrust with their spears, about all they could do with this stance.
Cloud noticed the subtle movement of leaves in the earth pony's position. Drawing in his breath, he let it out slowly and gave the call of a nightingale. The Chaos humans looked up from their various evildoings, be it feasting on flesh or resting on the job.
The plan was going well, the humans barely suspecting a thing....
"Daddy! Mommy!" Noah ran out from the tree line, his small form running straight to the prisoner humans. All the Grays snapped out of what they were doing, the Chaos humans rushing to attack.
"NOAH!" Wedge broke the shield wall, running into the clearing to protect the child from these monsters.
"WEDGE! Buck it! EVERYPONY, NOW!" In haste several crossbows twanged their response to the General's order. Two of the Gray's stumbled and fell, not nearly enough. Three horns glowed in the dark and with a hissing noise, a forcefield dropping around the prisoners, separating them from the Chaos humans who clawed and snarled at the magical barrier.
Cloud and the two pegasi still in formation marched forward as another volley of crossbow bolts brought down two Chaos humans and another Gray. Lifting the spear in his fetlock, Cloud slammed it on his shield as a challenge and a taunt to those that still stood. The maddened creatures charged, screaming their lust for blood.
Cloud thrust out with his spear, catching a Lost on the shoulder. It clawed at the spear, nearly wrenching it from his grip. He pulled back, bashing the cretin in the skull with his shield, crunching bone and breaking it's neck. Jet and Cross held their own, fighting the enemy to their front and defending the pony to their right. One of the Chaos humans flanked Cloud from his left, swinging a rusted kitchen knife. Cloud moved his shield to block, barely deflecting the blade from his withers. Cloud whipped around to impale a mad human, only to have it explode in flames. The beast writhed in pain, swatting the magical fires as it fell to the ground.
Two of the unicorns stood back, only one needed to maintain the shield around the prisoners. Horns glowing with magic they hurled balls of fire at their adversaries, catching many ablaze.
"Pegasi, BREAK!" Crosswind and Jet Stream dropped their shields, pulling out their swords with a metallic rasp and breaking the ungainly phalanx formation for the ease of movement that came with four limbs on the ground. Cloud took a chance, dropping his shield he lobbed his spear at a still standing cultist. It pierced through his gut, coming halfway out his back. When he fell, Cloud reached to draw his sword, but instead saw something peculiar. When the cultist died, the Lost around him clutched their heads and screamed.
"The gray ones are the handlers....THE GRAYS ARE CONTROLLING THEM!" Cloud shouted. Several of the plagued humans now fought wildly against anything that moved, especially one another. One Acolyte handler still stood, clutching the child with a knife to his throat, and soon the plagued ones were back under his influence and advancing on the broken formation of pegasi. The Acolyte raised a hand, and the attack stopped. The Lost clawed at themselves, eager to sate their thirst for chaos.
"Hold your fire!" shouted Cloud. The four crossbow ponies advanced from the trees, walking on hind legs with crossbows aimed at the demon's chest. Their fetlocks were steady as they curled around the lever to fire. "Let the boy go, demon, and we may spare your life!"
The wicked man tightened his grip on Noah. "Foolish pony, the Master will prevail against your wretched race! We will watch this world burn under Discord!"
"Give it up! We have you outnumbered, now let the boy go!"
"My death will mean little, this pitiful creature's death even less so. I am an Acolyte of chaos, servant of unbalance and disharmony. Your pathetic attempts to save yourselves and the lives of our converts are hopeless. You cannot stand before our tide of darkness! These Lost souls stand as testament to our Master's might and reign over this world." He looked to the feral Lost, scorn in his voice of the feral humans.
Starswirl appeared next to Cloud, Cloud whispered to him. "What do we do? If we get any closer, he'll kill the boy."
"I have an idea, just keep him distracted Cloud." Starswirl began to shift out of the Acolyte's line of sight, preparing a magic spell.
Cloud turned back to the Acolyte. "Your Master is nothing. I'll wager that he is nothing more than some puffed up, slothful, unwashed, perverted, detestable hog of a human being! And I've seen your kind try things like this before, your pathetic excuse for some grand plan of world domination. You'll fail, oh yes you'll fail. Your little plan won't work because you humans always collapse in on yourselves; every time one of you rises, three more will come to rip you down!"
The Acolyte quaked in rage at the insults, not the ones at himself, but the insults to Discord. "You will suffer greatly for your blasphemy!"
Starswirl had snuck to the point where he needed to be. "WEDGE, CATCH!" His horn burst with arcane energy, teleporting the child from the Acolyte's grasp and onto Wedge's back. But he was not finished, Starswirl used the same teleporting slipstream to put himself inches behind the confused Acolyte. He rammed his glowing horn into the human's lower back, concentrating on another spell.
The Acolyte was unable to react quickly enough, and color spread into his face and limbs, liberating him of Discord's enslaving touch. The freed man fell to his hands and knees, panting and gasping. The Lost around him screamed into the night, free of the influence of Discord. Starswirl powered up a lightning bolt on his horn, blasting away the three nearest cretins. "Finish the rest damn you!" he screamed to his companions.
A few slices of the sword and clicks of the crossbow had all the insane humans put down. The unicorn maintaining the force field let it down with a sigh of relief. The freed human prisoners looked apprehensively at their saviors, only two of them rising. "Noah! Get away from those monsters!" shouted a woman.
The child climbed off Wedge's back, running to his mother. "Mommy! Mister Wedge said you were okay, and he made the bad men go away!" Wedge took a few tentative steps closer to the humans.
"Are you alright m'am? Did they hurt you?"
The woman recoiled with her child. "Stay away monster! You won't harm my child!"
Sun snapped at the ignorance, "Preposterous! If you didn't notice, we just risked our lives to save yours!"
Cloud blocked the angry earth pony with a foreleg. "Sun, calm down. They've been through quite a bit in the past few days, and indeed the past decade, they're just frightened." He turned his attention back to the humans. "We do not mean you any harm, we are here to hunt down the source of these creatures." His hoof nudged the impaled corpse of an Acolyte.
The former Acolyte stood and coughed, still panting from his magical purge. "I'll tell you everything. But on one condition."
"And what is that, cultist?"
"I don't serve them anymore, and all I want is to live. Spare me and you get all the information you need."
The three pony leaders glanced at one another and nodded. "We can guarantee that we will not harm you, but we have no say over them." Starswirl pointed a hoof at the humans that were still orienting themselves.
"Good enough for me. The ones you seek call themselves the Cult of Chaos. They worship some monster called Leviathan, like out of the book of Revelations. They think he's the incarnation of Satan himself. The gray people are called Acolytes, and they have some kind of influence and control over these...Lost." He kicked the corpse of a Chaos Plague victim.
"Why are you telling us this, human?"
"Because I hate the Cult! Nobody willingly becomes an Acolyte, Leviathan reaches into your mind, he twists you and makes you do things. He makes you a husk of what you were, but he leaves your soul to watch the sins that your body commits. Everything the Acolytes say about Leviathan bringing the world back under human control is a pack of lies! He doesn't care about us, he only wants to use us for his own ends!"
Starswirl pushed the interrogation. "What ends?"
"Darkness, man. He wants to make the whole world his maniacal plaything. But he hates you guys for some reason, like you did something to royally piss him off. He keeps saying something about 'the creatures of Harmony', then Leviathan gets really angry and typically kills a few Acolytes. So through his order and the High Priest's order, we had to keep refilling the gaps that his tirades and sacrifices left in the Cult, hence the raids."
"Why do you control the Lost? Aren't they diseased and infectious?"
"That's the thing! We didn't control them, Leviathan controlled them through us. If one of us dies then the Lost under our influence go mad and kill everything. Like they did after you freed me. And they don't seem contagious at all. But after Leviathan feeds on one of us, we become one of the Lost."
"This Leviathan is the source of the Chaos Plague?"
"In all likelihood, yes. But I think I know a way to stop the Cult, but it will cost you."
"Name your price." Cloud said.
"Absolute insurance, my little pony. After you guys leave these people over here are likely to tear me apart for being a cultist. I want full assurance that they won't."
"How are we supposed to provide that?"
"You are apparently so smart, you figure it out." The former Acolyte edged away from the freed humans, who were trying to find their location on a map from one of the dead Acolytes. Several of them were scavenging weapons from the corpses, including a few guns. The armed ones placed themselves between the ponies and the humans.
Starswirl, Cloud and Sun all huddled together, "We could just leave him, maybe he's just pulling our legs about stopping the Cult."
"Not likely Sun, I know how much the purged Acolytes hate the Cult. One of them told me how to get here in the first place!"
"If he hates the Cult so much, I think he would just tell us how to stop them without expecting payment!" the earth pony retorted.
"Let's just humor him Sun, what can we do to keep his brethren from tearing him apart?"
Cloud considered for a second, "What if we armed him? They would be much less likely to attack him if they knew he could fight back."
"But then he might turn on us!"
"Damn, you're right. Even if he is purged of the dark touch he still might harbor resentment against us ponies."
"I won't, I just want to be free and get as far away from Leviathan as possible!" the human shouted, obviously hearing the heated debate.
The ponies turned back to their private discussion. "Starswirl, do you think you can teleport him?"
"How far?"
"I don't know, a few miles maybe? Enough for him to get a random head start."
Starswirl considered for a second, "Yes, I think I could, he is just one person."
"Then there we have it." Cloud turned back to the former Acolyte. "Alright, we'll teleport you to an unknown location, but only if you tell us how to stop the Cult!"
The human had fire in his eyes as he shouted. "STAB THE HEART! CUT THE HEAD OFF THE SERPENT! Destroy the weak link, and the chain that is the Cult with shatter!"
"What do you mean!?"
"Leviathan! Kill Leviathan and the Cult will collapse like a house of cards! Now send me away!" Starswirl's horn flared with mystical power, with a flash the human disappeared to a location chosen by the unicorn mage.
"Well, now we know. Kill the monster at the head and the Cult will destroy itself. How do we accomplish such a herculean task?"
"I don't know, but even if we stopped this raiding party, the Cult still grows stronger every second we give it."
"More reason to press onward. Ponies, we move out!" The three leaders turned their gaze back northward, their soldiers filing in behind them. All except for Wedge, who still stared with pain in his heart at the reunited human family.
Though his wife still held the extreme prejudice against the ponies, Noah's father walked to the pegasus warrior. Uneasily he extended a hand. Wedge placed his hoof in the man's hand and shook it.
"I know humans like me aren't supposed to talk to you, old hatreds and all. But... thank you, friend."
"It was nothing, I hope you would have done the same for me. And as for Noah, any father should be proud to have such a loving, smart, and wonderful son. He reminds me of my own colt."
The human man smiled. "May God smile on your most holy of missions, and may our sons grow up to live in harmony together."
"May the Earth Mother grant you open skies, and smile upon you, friend."
The freed prisoners had their bearings, and together began to walk southward, towards their ravaged homes. The man joined his people. Noah looked back to the pegasus, smiling he waved. "Bye Mister Wedge!"
Wedge raised a hoof and waved back, a small smile creeping up his helmeted head. "Goodbye, my boy."