//------------------------------// // Awakening // Story: Hail to the king, Hail to his Horde // by Emo Rainbow //------------------------------// Viken had been following the spirit to the destination he had said. He couldn't be sure whether or not he would still be there but he had no other leads. Viken had been left with only a handful of locust, but Regardless of the odds he would make the spirit pay greatly for betraying him. Granted he didn't know how he could kill it but he would find a way. The small company of locust marched farther and took rests when needed. Following them in the tunnels the other locust dug as it was the quickest route. A day or two more of walking and the tunnels ceased showing that they weren't stupid. They knew he would follow through the tunnels. They rested after a four day march while the snipers and their Theron captain searched for supplies above ground. Shortly after they left Viken decided to investigate the blockage. Walking up to it he looked around and something to the right of the wall caught his attention. He walked closer to inspect it. A Boltok pistol with a chrome finish was stuck in the ground. He knelt down to look at it and he tried to pull it out of the ground. He pulled but it wouldn't move and he tried again. Once that didn't work he tried one more time and the ground started to give. He stopped pulling as the ground rumbled. leaving the pistol he turned around and tried to run. It was too late though as a hole replaced the weak ground and he fell in. Falling farther he began to pick up speed. The Boltok had fallen as well and with his right hand he reached for and gripped the Boltok as he tried to position himself feet first. However it was too late. He hit the ground hard on his left arm hissing loudly in pain as he felt his arm crush under all the weight. He laid there for quite some time before he regained his strength and got up. His arm felt terrible but he was able to stand and move. Barely. He gripped his arm and he felt the shattered bone and knew it wouldn't heal soon. It was pitch black so he reached down and found his flashlight with his right hand. He lifted it up and flicked it on. He looked around and on the ground he saw the Boltok. He picked it up and put it in his holster. He scolded himself for not bringing any weapons. Quickly recovering he walked forward and got a look around. Around him were large cobwebs, and vines. He moved walking around the cold dark room looking for an exit. Something about the area made him feel unsafe so he put the flashlight away and took out the Boltok pistol. It didn't give light so he had to rely on his natural enhanced eyesight. He moved quietly to a door he saw in the distance with nothing but his breathing and his steps making any noise. He walked further towards the door as quietly as possible until he heard loud footsteps coming towards him. Realizing that something was following him, he ran as fast as he could while not looking back. He reached the door and went through it afterwards he slammed the door shut behind him. He waited there pushing his weight against the door, expecting something to try and break through. He slightly opened the door and looked through it his hand trembling violently. His heart nearly stopped when he saw a stone wall behind the door he just came through. Trying to ignore the possibility that he might be going crazy. He turned around still trembling and realized his arm was only getting worse. He felt terrified and that wasn't Normally a feeling he got. After somewhat calming down he looked up and he saw a giant slightly cracked mural on a wall staring back at him. He could've sworn he saw crudely drawn locust in the mural. Most locust in the hollow that weren't Kantus couldn't draw very well so he could believe it was a locust who drew it. He looked behind him and saw that the door was gone. Something must have been wrong. Looking back to the picture he saw some locust kneeling in submission before two different colored mists. One was black the other was light blue or light green he couldn't tell. There were writings above both of the figures they were written in locust language so he read them. "Arkius, One who wanted nothing but power." Was the words over the lighter one. "Artemis, One who wanted nothing but destruction." Was over the black one. He read further and above both were the words. "None are to be trusted as they are nothing short of horrible." He finished as he took a step back and looked at all of the mural. He felt a cold breeze hit him and he froze. " It has been so long since someone has said my name. And I wouldn't say I can't be trusted. " It said. He turned around planning to shoot it, but it threw him across the room into a wall. Viken hit his broken arm and screamed in pain while his heart continued beating faster. " Your fear and pain is Delicious." The black smoke said maliciously before violently forcing itself into his mouth. Viken felt excruciating pain and he tried to fight it but as the smoke took over his body he stopped. His entire body was in the smokes total control. He felt helpless as he was stuffed into the back of his own mind. His broken arm shifted into place, and his voice was replaced with a demonic one that said "Perfect". Satisfied with his vessel the spirit smiled and stood. He turned and continued on to the surface. The strangest sensation Viken had ever felt was seeing his body walk across the ground and into the tunnel where the rest of the locust were while not controlling the movements. He saw the animal hides they were sleeping in and Artemis saw them too. Before he could take a step a locust ran to him. "Viken the sniper team were killed we need to go investigate." He said. Artemis looked at him and smiled. "Of course lets move." He said. The locust nodded and turned around but had an arm dig into his back and pull out his heart. "But first a snack!" He said ripping out the heart. Viken could do nothing but scream in his own head as he watched his fellow locust die. The thing that he felt was unforgivable was that he took the heart and bit into it blood gushing profusely from it. More blood gushed out from the open wound in the locust and Viken felt like he wanted to hurl. He wanted to stop but he had no control over his body. "Ahh now time for more power." He said as he walked to the camp. Then for the first time in his life Viken cried. All throughout the brutal massacre of his fellow locust he cried. His soul was nearly broken as the demon laughed at all the pain. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Verus felt excruciating pain all over his body and couldn't move an inch. His head wasn't filled with thoughts but instead filled with pain. He felt a tap on his forehead but to him it felt like a pile of bricks. "Hey get up." A lady said. He opened his eyes to see a blinding white light. He quickly closed them and let them get used to the light. Reopening his eyes he saw the locust in his head offering him a hand. He groaned and accepted it. He knew she wouldn't be happy with him. Pulling him up to his feet she punched him in the face, and he hit the ground. She pinned him down and started punching him over and over. "You idiot! I said limited and unstable yet you chose to overuse the powers I gave you!! You think you hurt? The only thing keeping me from writhing on the ground in pain is the fact that I need to kick your ass!" She said while continuously punching him. He couldn't do anything except lay there. She finished and stood as he just lied there in pain. "That's it Verus clearly I trusted you too soon. I thought at least you could listen but no. You are hereby cut off from my powers. I need time to heal, in the meantime you need to heal as well. Like I said before if you die I die. That's why you can't use my powers. Is that understood?" She looked to him and he was still groaning in pain. "Good now leave." She said rubbing her temples. Verus woke up laying in a cot and he immediately turned to his side and threw up. He hurled again and then wiped his mouth. Looking at his arm and the floor he saw it was blood he sat up feeling a migraine starting. Regardless he stood up and looked around. He saw that he was in a small room. He got up and walked out of the door into a larger room. He stumbled and got himself to stand upright. He realized he was wearing the under robes of his armor. He felt weird about not wearing it feeling almost naked especially without his helmet. He'd never felt so vulnerable before. He walked outside of the door and saw a bunch of different characters going about their lives. There were zebras griffons and some ponies. Some talking to one another or walking through the street and going inside a building while others watched over the young children playing. He watched some zebra foals playing around and running after each other. He looked around some more and saw something that made his heart stop. One of his Kryll grenades were lying on the ground were anyone could step on it unleashing a Black Death upon everything. He got out of the tent and staggered his way to it. He didn't notice the nervous stares and murmurs he was getting from everyone he passed. He had his entire focus on the grenade but when he saw a little zebra pick it up by the chain and start swinging it he picked up the pace. "Stop." He tried saying but he couldn't say anything. His vision started to blur and he felt blood coming from his nose. He reached the foal and quickly snatched it from her mouth before she threw it. Shortly after he lost balance and fell down to his knees. "Hey we were playing with that." She said. She stopped and looked at the kneeling figure in front of her. "Um are you alright?" She looked at his face and screamed in terror. "Monster!" She ran away as fast as she could and her friends looked confused. After a look at Verus they screamed as well and ran to their parents. Verus ignored them barely staying awake. He looked down a his grenade and gripped it. He heard someone start asking where he was. "There you are big guy." Verus looked up and saw a blue pony with a black mane and a horn. "Oh no. Come on get up and back to the room you can't be walking around. Do you understand me?" Verus nodded. "Good good now come on." He said helping him up. Verus stood up and walked back to the door. They walked to the main room and he sat Verus down and gave him a potion of healing to help him. Verus drank it and sat there waiting for his migraine to go away. Soon he felt better and his head cleared up. He looked to the pony and thought of some questions he should ask. "Where am I?" The pony looked at him and smiled. "Well you sir are in west wing city. Me and my friends were out scavenging for plants and ingredients to use and sell before we found you in the middle of a field lying next to a small colt unconscious." Verus took in the information and wondered why he was in a field. He looked back at him and was about to ask fir a name. "You can just call me Hal, Your Verus right?" "Yes I am." He said before getting up and inspecting the other room more closely. He saw it was filled with plants,bowls, and satchels. Most of the items that looked valuable were either on display on the counter or behind it. "How do you know my name?" He asked. "Oh your son Kindle told us." He replied with a smile. Verus snapped his head towards him and stood up. He saw the look Hal gave him so he cleared his throat and sat back down. Hal looked at him nervously before getting back to the conversation. "Well anyway your son told us about what happened and we watched over him as we waited for you to wake up." He said. "You must be hungry come on I'll take you to lunch. After that we'll get your son. You must be so worried." With that Hal took Verus to a Diner but not before Verus deactivated the grenade and set it under his cot. Despite the fact that Verus had more questions he was pretty hungry. They walked to a diner much like the ones the humans used to have on sera. They took their seats and soon a griffon waitress walked towards them. She was looking down at her pad and didn't notice Verus. They placed their orders and she looked up about to smile. She caught a look at the locust sitting there and shrieked before falling on her back. Verus looked at her with his cold eyes as his white scales made him look more menacing. She stood up and quickly walked into the kitchen. Much of the attention in the diner was drawn towards them. "So you have some questions?" Hal asked quietly trying to ignore what happened. Verus lowered his voice and asked "When you found us why did you help us? You had no idea who we were most people or ponies don't stop to help." Hal's smile dropped and was replaced by an embarrassed look. "Well I guess most normal ponies wouldn't do that. Especially considering how intimidating you are. But I saw you were both hurt. I had to help." Verus tilted his head in understanding before Hal continued. "We helped Kindle but I had to do a little convincing to get them to let me help you. And good thing too your heart was giving out." Hal looked at Verus expecting him to be offended at that. When he saw that Verus was just waiting for him to continue he went on. "We came back here after we performed a hasty procedure to help you two. We got you both in and Kindle woke up." Verus nodded his head while in thought. "He explained to us what happened and we helped. This all happened five days ago." Verus looked down and shook his head while he smiled and chuckled. Verus stopped and looked up to see a pony waitress shaking as she slowly walked over to the table. She set down the plates and then ran off as fast as lightning. "Ah finally." Hal said starting to eat. Verus shrugged and followed suit and they were soon eating in silence. Verus remembered he should ask where his gear was. "Where's my equipment?" He asked. Hal swallowed and stretched his upper hooves. "Well they're in the room I lent you but I'll give them to you after we get your son." Verus nodded and ate. On the inside he felt stupid for not checking the room he woke up in if it was there the whole time. After they finished eating they headed out. "So where is Kindle supposed to be right now?" Verus asked. "He's supposed to be with the other children at the playground on claw street. You should check there and head back to the shop when you find him. I have things to take care of, until next time." Hal said before he left Verus. Verus looked for the street as he walked through some crowds that stopped and looked at him in disgust, and fear, but more of the latter. He reached a a fenced playground full of all sorts of children, but he stopped walking towards it when something caught his attention. The reason for this attention was because some griffons were flying around and throwing rocks at Kindle. "You idiots will regret this! Come down here and watch what happens. I'm not playing around you better stop." He shouted up at them. They just laughed at him. "Oh really now? Okay then your funeral." One said with a confidently with a smirk. She landed and stood tall over Kindle. "I'll take it easy on you so you won't go crying to your mommy." Was what she was about to say before Kindle head butted her and tackled her to the ground. He used his magic to keep her pinned as he punched her repeatedly in the face. "Who's laughing now huh? Who's laughing now Katherine!" He screamed as she started to cry. Verus all the while stood there and wondered what she did to make him snap like that. Kindle continued wailing on her until Katherine made a small noise and Kindle stopped. "What was that? Speak up three days of rocks hitting my ears must have made me deaf." "Un...cle." She said before sobbing some more. Kindle stopped and his anger faded leaving him to realize how bloody his hoof was. He got off of her and slowly backed away. All of the kids were staring in his direction with fear plastered on their faces. He felt ashamed until he backed up into a leg. He turned around and saw his "Dad". "Oh hi dad." Verus looked at him then to the griffon being helped up by her friends. Kindle looked at her too and a feeling of guilt struck him. "These are my I'm friends." He said gesturing to them as Katherine wiped some tears away and covered her nose. "I saw everything that happened." Verus said simply. Kindle looked away ashamed of himself. "Well then lets go." Verus turned and walked away. Kindle followed him, but he still couldn't stop looking back. "What was that about Kindle. You don't seem like one that would be so violent." He asked. "I don't know what happened. I just snapped I tackled her and suddenly all my pain and anger was released on her." He said back to him. Verus stopped at a bench and sat on it Kindle sat next to him. "So...you met Hal right? He's really nice, we would be dead without him. And his friends are-"His talking was cut short when Verus interrupted him. "Kindle I know what your feeling. You lost your mom and your best friend. But I know that you should not release all of it on someone who doesn't deserve it. Did Katherine deserve a punch maybe. Did she deserve being bludgeoned no!" He said harshly. Kindle, not wanting to look at him, looked at the ground ashamed of what he did. He felt tears start to well up in his eyes. "I-I'm sorry it's just I don't know what to do. I-I just feel so bad and I just lashed out at the first thing that made me mad." His tears started to flow as he looked at his bloodied hoof again. "It's okay. You may feel bad but I promise that we will find your loved ones. I'll make sure of it." Verus held out his hand and Kindle looked at it. He reached out his hoof and shook Verus' hand. The sun was starting to go down and turned the sky a brilliant mesh of red and orange. They got up and walked to the potion shop in silence. Soon it was dark and they walked to the front door. They walked inside and they saw a note on the counter. "I'm asleep upstairs the beds are set up in the back room. Sleep well." -Hal They walked into the back room and saw two beds next to each other in the back. Kindle went up to the bed and got in . Verus slowly walked to it before he stopped. He turned around and looked through the bags on the ground. He eventually found his gear. He put on his armor on and put his weapons in their holding magnets and pouches. Verus just stood there completely still feeling like he was missing something. He then remembered that his torque bow was still on the reaver in god knows where. He sighed as he went to the bed. He looked up at the clock it read 10:20 PM Feeling more comfortable with his armor on he drifted off to sleep. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "We did not work this hard to get destroyed by an insufferable witch. She has fooled your brothers fooled them all into thinking this is the only solution. But know this there is but one way to end Seras suffering. Stopping this war in its tracks and having the Neo-Locust rise!" Verus' voice echoed against the walls of the rebellion controlled hollows. His speech made many onyx armored locust cheer. His makeshift palace that was hastily thrown together was filled with guards of all species patrolling the grounds. A locust barged through the doors. His body was covered in deep gashes and bullet wounds. He was bleeding profusely. "Oh my god! What happened?" Verus said as he ran up to him and held him up before he fell down. "We need a Kantus!" He yelled but no one responded. He felt himself get pushed to the ground. He got up and looked at he locust. He glared at Verus with bloodshot eyes. "How dare you!" He shouted. "You sit up in this damn tower doing nothing. Nothing but send your subjects and brothers to die!" He started panting heavily. "You may think this will save the locust but I the end all of us will burn for our sins!" He raised his hand pointing towards Verus. Verus looked at him nervously. He spit blood on the floor before he spoke softly but loud enough for him to hear. "Especially you." He fell to the floor dead and Verus could only stare a the fallen locust. Another equally injured locust appeared behind him. "It's inevitable." It spoke. Soon another showed up. "You will burn." He said. One after another they appeared soon filling the room. Soon all were shouting at him while simultaneously punching him or scratching at him. "Sinner!" "Heretic!" "Pure evil!" Soon before he was completely engulfed he saw Krogg standing before him. He raised his foot over Verus' head. "Deserter." He stomped down his foot and Verus felt it tear apart his skull. Verus awoke with a start and was panting heavily he looked at the clock and it read 10:45PM. He sighed and looked at a bookcase that was a the side of his bed. He got up and went over to it. He picked up a book titled Potion Brewing 101. He sat down in a chair and opened it up to chapter one The Basics. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "What should we......him." Someone said. "Don't know..........him up." Another replied "Guys I......He's.......ing up now." Said a third. Krogg couldn't tell who they were because his hearing was fading in and out. He felt pain in his head and it hurt to think. His heartbeat was so loud that his ears couldn't hear anything else. A huge shock coursed through his body and he screamed. He opened his eyes to the blinding sun and he tried to put up his arm but something was stopping him from doing that. His hands had been tied together by some rope that he couldn't break out of And so were his feet. It was way stronger than most other ropes. Something from behind him lifted him up into a sitting position. He blinked his eyes a few times to adjust to the light. After they were adjusted he saw a pony, a changeling, and a griffon. "Who are you and why did you bind me?" He asked while trying to break free of the rope again. "Um we'll be asking the questions here." The Changeling said. The others looked at him and examined his threat level. "We want to know who you are. Well who are you?" The pony asked. Krogg felt the rope starting to break slightly. He looked at them and decided to stall. "Hey buddy your not getting out of the binds they have special enchantments. They aren't breaking anytime soon. Now answer the question." He said. "Why should I tell you? How do I know your not Vikens spies?" Krogg said while discreetly ripping the rope some more "Vikens spies? What are you talking about?" He replied not noticing Kroggs arms moving. "Don't act like you have no clue. Why else would you hold me hostage?" Krogg felt the binds come off of his hands and feet. "I don like being held hostage." He jumped at him and pinned him down. He raised his arms to hit Krogg but he hit his head into the ground knocking him out. Krogg got off right as the griffon made a swipe for his arm. He stood up but the griffon was faster and cut into his arm. Krogg punched him in the face and he was flung into a tree. The changeling kicked him in the face and knocked him down. "Vance!" She yelled and the griffon held him down. Her horn glowed green and he felt heavier than ever. Krogg couldn't lift a finger and he could only talk. "Release...me!" He commanded. "No." She said. The two of them went to the pony and got him up. He groaned and placed his hoof on his head. "Ow that hurt." He looked at Krogg and walked over to him. He raised his hoof and slammed it on his arm wound. Krogg yelled in pain. "Shut up! I want you to know that I am not one to be underestimated. You so much as blink without our permission I will kill you myself." He said while placing more pressure on his wound before lifting his hoof. "Now what do you say?" He asked with a glare. Kroggs anger brought out his inner strength. He had enough strength to kick in between the ponys hind legs. He yelled in pain and fell over. "Hubris." Krogg spat out. He laughed at his pain when he shakily got up. After Gasping for breath he held himself up. "This is gonna be a long interrogation." Said the Griffon.