//------------------------------// // An Ocean Running With Blood // Story: Utaan // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// Five grown adult stallions stood like statues, numb and speechless. They rode a wooden raft stacked high with splintery crates full of food, textiles, and supplies. To the east—in the distance—a cargo ship had anchored in place, its smokestacks dull and dormant. One of the ponies—a unicorn with a stubbled chin—used his magic to poke the raft along the shallow waters via a tall wooden pike. Otherwise, the group of tradeponies were completely stagnant, their jaws agape and their ears twitching from the horrid dirge that filled the air. The closer they shoved their way west through the canyon, the more their bodies shook from the spine-tingling wails and moans. At last, the noises converged, forming a vicious howl. It sliced through their skulls, rippling the very waters around them. A few of the stallions glanced down to see the stone structures below the surface clouded by streams of crimson juices snaking east through the Quade, gathering thick and thicker, until a dense copper smell filled the air above, putrid... pungent. Finally, the group reached a flimsy set of platforms... and the platforms ran red. Lining the structures' edges, their sackcloth tunics torn off, dozens... hundreds of penitent monks sat, flogging themselves with whips, beads, and thorned vines. They lashed and struck themselves until there was barely any coat left clinging to their flesh—instead there was raw meat, ripped muscle, and the pale hint of bone shifting underneath. Their lungs bellowed with pained cries, their blistered tongues pronouncing all four syllables of their Goddess' name as they prayed... sobbed... bled their sins to the throbbing heavens. The tradeponies were too busy blanching at this scene that they didn't notice when their raft ran aground. The resulting impact nearly threw them off their hooves. One stallion placed his fetlock on a woven platform to steady himself, and he grimaced to feel hot blood coating his hoof. Several spaces away, a young stallion shifted through the mutilated crowd, dragging aside unconscious mares and stallions who had collapsed due to sheer pain and exhaustion. The pegasus shuddered, failing to prevent bloodstreaks with each motion. He tried offering each of them water... a scrap of bread. Each refused, and his only recourse was to lay them side by side. He utilized a series of sleeping mats that he had salvaged from the structures that hadn't sunk into the Quade. One by one, he stretched their limbs out, turning them over so that their sores faced the skies. With quivering hooves, he laid white sackcloth bandages over their torn shoulders and flanks in a desperate attempt to guard them from infection and the elements. The tradeponies saw him instantly. Their leader shouted... but there was no response. He hollered again, this time banging the woven platform with a rod. “...!” Galloran jolted. He leapt over a bloodied Luminard's body and clumsily lifted his crossbow. Turning, he froze in place, his dazed eyes blinking at the five stallions. They gawked at him, their eyes full of horror. He shuddered, falling back on his haunches. Hugging the crossbow to his chest, Galloran stared forward, his eyes vacant and distant. The tradeponies stared at one another. At last, the leader bravely hopped off the raft—instantly slipping on a pool of blood. Grimacing, he nevertheless shuffled past the weeping, anguished pilgrims. Two other stallions swiftly followed—though they struggled to keep their lunch in. The leader reached Galloran, kneeling before him. “Young sir...” He waved a hoof in Galloran's face. Upon receiving no response, he glanced nervously at the other two, then leaned in closer. “Are you a protector?” Galloran blinked. “Here! In the Quade!” the tradespony reiterated. “Are you one of the Quade's protectors?” Galloran gulped. “I w-was...” He finally trembled. The other stallion took a deep breath. “Were you struck by a tsunami or something? We came to provide your monthly supply, and we find a bloodbath!” “Yeesh...” Another stallion shuddered. “...will they ever stop screaming?” “Shhhh. Just shut up for a second.” The leader placed a hoof on Galloran's shoulder. “Would you mind telling us what happened here? Were... were you attacked?” He gulped. “Did pirates somehow make their way in here?” “Verlaxion's Sleet!” stammered one of the stallions remaining on the raft. The leader looked over the self-mutilating monks. A tradespony pointed straight up. “Look at the damned thing! Have you ever seen it like that before?” The leader gazed up, squinting. His lips pursed. The sky above the Quade was the clearest he had ever seen it. Not only were all the upper platforms gone—weave and all—but a giant metal stalk of a tower loomed in the former structure's place. It stood out like a black obelisk in the middle of the sunken continent. “Good Goddess...” The leader shuddered. “What is that thing?!” “I've never seen anything like it!” “The Reed? Where did all of the Reed go?” “It's gone, Thalian...” The leader jerked a look aside. Past Galloran, on an adjacent platform, a familiar face strolled up... hobbling. Several bandages clung to the old stallion's body, and his lips and chin were stained with dried blood. He dragged a water-logged box full of rags and dropped it beside a row of unconscious, red-raw pilgrims. “Not a single shoot of it remains, old friend.” “Menthe! You... you look like Hell!” Thalian stammered. “And why are you... you letting all this mayhem happen?!” “You know it's not my place to dictate to the pilgrims, chum.” Menthe limped over to Galloran's figure. He rested a hoof on the younger pony's shoulder. “Besides...” He exhaled through a gritty sigh. “...I couldn't stop them if I tried. Especially after two days ago.” “What in Goddess' name even happened here?!” a tradepony shouted above the wails. “She burned it,” Menthe spat. “Tore it to shreds and burned it to the charred waters below!” Galloran sniffled. He looked aside, his eyes flowing with tears. Thalian glanced at him, then at Menthe. “Who, Menthe? Who did all of this?” Menthe stared back. He glared. At last, with a growling voice, he opened his bloodied mouth: “A rainbow pegasus... from the far west!” Thalian exclaimed. His voice echoed off the hull of his steamship while the crewmembers hoisted their empty raft up via ropes. “With a coat as blue as the sky and a mane with... with every color of the spectrum!” “You gotta be kidding us, Cap!” A sailor tied the rope tight and gawked at the twin ridges of the Quade along the west horizon. “You're telling us that one single pony wrecked the entire monastery?!” “Menthe says she had two friends with her,” Thalian said. “A pegasus stallion and a silent griffon who communicated via Wyvern signs. Their names were... Butch and Windcard... or something. But it doesn't matter. It's the mare who did it all! Single-hoofedly! She tore the Reed to shreds! It's not there anymore!” “What do you mean it's not there anymore?!” Another crewmember reached over, helping the first of the five back on board. “That shit is—like—immortal, isn't it? Why else would the cooky monks worship the damn thing?” “Yeah, well, those cooky monks have ravaged themselves with whips and thorns for their 'sins!'” Thalian and the others trotted aboard. “Seems that they're taking the blame for accepting the mare into their fold to begin with. At first, she made it seem like she wanted to become one of them, and so they played along! Next thing they knew, she was attacking the holy site like a psychopath. Now it's one big stalk of metal!” “Metal?!” “I know, right? Seems like the Luminards' monastery had a hidden foundation all this time.” “But the Reed's gone...” “Yes! How many times do I have to tell you that?!” Thalian sighed, rubbing his head. “I'm sorry. It's just that...” He gulped. “...I've been doing this trade route for decades, and I've never seen Menthe this agitated before. The guy wants to commit friggin' murder, I swear.” “Well...” One sailor squirmed atop the deck. “With these Luminards' holy Reed gone... what do they have left to worship?” “Where are they even going to live?” uttered another. “Can they still live?” “No time to dwell on that right now,” Thalian grumbled, shuffling across the deck. “Move over.” “Where are you headed, Cap'n?” “I'm checking the hold. We need to get as many bandages and medicine onto the raft as possible. Release the second skiff. We'll have to double the transport.” “Wait! But Captain!” One sailor pointed. “That stuff in the hold?! I thought that was headed to Shoggoth!” “Buck Shoggoth!” Thalian frowned over his shoulder as he opened a pair of wide metal doors. “Those guppy-humpers have enough magic to last them a year! These Luminards need our help right now!” “How bad off are they?” “The Quade's colored red, Skip. Does that give you a clue?” “Verlaxion's Sleet...” “I know, right?” “I'll help with deploying the other raft!” “Need a hoof with the cargo, Cap'n?” “Absolutely. Goddess... you should have seen the look on face of Menthe's apprentice. Damn kid is pale as a sheet.” “Do we at least know the name of the crazy pony who did this to them?” “Rainbow Dash,” hissed a fisherpony. “Rainbow Dash?!” One of two guards gasped. Behind them, the metal docking station of Upper Shoggoth loomed. An Arrowfish was slowly cruising in to port. “What kind of a fruity name is that?” “A colorful one for sure... but all that matters is red.” The fisherpony grinned as he hung off the bow of his vessel, speaking across the space of salty air between himself and the rocky platform. “The dayum mare showed up out of nowhere with two other bandits and tore the Quade a new one. Mmmhmmm!” One of the Shoggoth guards squinted. “Where did you hear this from?” “Hah!” The fisherpony leaned back on his dangling nets, grinning wide. “Captain Thalian of the Snowskimmer! He said it happened four days ago!” “Wait...” Another guard blinked. “Captain 'Salt Breath' Thalian?” “Dayum straight!” “Wow...” One guard readjusted his grip of a spear. “Only thing bigger than that guy's reputation is his heart.” “Tell me about it.” The other nodded. “Even Queen Camellia has commended the pony during his multiple trade routes.” “Well, you'll all be getting a lot less medical supplies this turn,” the fisherpony said. “Hell, if it's to supply the Luminards, then more power to him!” “Dear Goddess...” The other guard winced. “Don't tell me that they took this out on themselves?” “Hah! Once a Luminard, always a Luminard! Not that it mattered. Word is... this 'Rainbow Dash' kicked the teeth out of many of them.” A third guard shuffled up. “Arrowfish just arrived from Rust. What are you guys talking about?” “Thaddeus here ran into Captain Thalian just the other day.” “Oh, you mean Salt Breath?” “Yeah. Apparently the guy and his crew discovered the Quade in ruins. Says that a crazy pony named Rainbow Dash single-hoofedly tore the place to shreds.” “Verlaxion's Sleet!” The third guard winced. “How in the Hell did she do that?” The stallion belched, slapped his mug down, then wiped his muzzle dry before glaring across the musky tavern in Rust. “First thing she does is sneak on board the monks' flimsy weave-discs. HIC!” He gestured, leaning forward. “Then she stalks her way into their sanctuary. I'm talking about a wooden place that's older than old. And she starts... flinging these mummified dead bodies around... y'know... all crazy like. Pounding them into dust and shoving them into living monks' faces.” “No friggin' way...” Staring intently, another patron inhaled a pipe full of ground coral. He blinked through bloodshot eyes and wheezed: “Couldn't they kick her butt? I mean, there's more of 'em than her.” “Don't matter!” The drinking stallion smirked. “Those sissy monks don't believe in—HIC—punching anything no-how. So, like, that gives her an advantage. Pffft... the friggin' coward. So... she kicks the teeth in of all these monks—” “Does she rob them?” “Who's telling the—HIC—dayum story here, huh?! Not like they have anything that could be valuable, ya dipshit! Anyways... she beats 'em up just for the sake of beating them up, right? Then she marches straight into their innermost sanctuary. She takes a spear... and just... shredddddssss apart their most holy stuff!” “You mean that crazy Reed crud?” “Yeah! Only... she tore it up so bad that the stuff ain't growing back! Them poor Luminards are homeless!” “Hah...” The other patron took another puff. “Hmmmfff... and to think... kaff kaff... we have it bad.” “That ain't nearly as awful as what she did after she was done with the Reed.” “Oh?” The other pony leaned in closer. “What did she do?” “Well, after she burnt their sanctuary to a crisp, the Rainbow Rogue started taking her frustrations out on several of the other monks!” One stallion shouted to another as their ship rocked in tempestuous waters. “Seems like she thought she could destroy the spirit of Verlaxion or something by ripping apart the Reed! But the monks weren't having it! So she started beating the crap out of them! Whipping them to shreds'n'such!” “Yeesh!” The other stallion attached cables to a gigantic metal crab trap and shoved it against the far edge of the deck. “Talk about bloodlust!” He tightened his raincoat in time to weather the blast of cold, cold seawater. “Mmmff... did she take any of them out?” “Several of the Luminards won't be able to walk again, from what I hear!” Both stallions grunted as they hoisted the cage overboard and gave the cable some slack. Their legs wobbled while the whole ship veered in the angry surf. “Much less kneel down and pray!” “I only want to know one thing about this Rainbow Rogue...” “What? Why she had such a big vendetta against the poor monks of the Quade?!” “Well, that too! But moreover... just how was she able to... y'know... burn the entire Reed to ashes?” “That's because the Rainbow Rogue is no ordinary mare...” A wrinkle-faced stallion squinted across the dangling lantern-light. “...but a Goddess-dayum monster!” The claustrophobic cabin filled with gasps and murmurs. Fellow pirates and privateers reclined on their bunkbeds, squinting at the elder. A bulky stallion sharpened his scimitar against a spinning grindstone in the corner. “That's a bunch of seaweed,” he spat. “What would a monster want with a bunch of worthless, bitless monks?” “She doesn't feed on greed of money or metals!” The elder sputtered. “She has a treasure already! One fused to her neck! A ruby! A piece of lightning itself, encased in stone!” “Hah! That's a good one!” “I'm serious! It's encased her demon spirit!” He grinned a toothless grin. “A spirit that devours all penitent souls who follow Verlaxion's graces. That's why the monster targeted the Quade, you see! First, she was after the Reed. Next, she'll be after the frozens bluffs of Verlaxion's Mountain itself!” “Good riddance...” “Hah! Yeah...” “Buck that stinkin' goddess...” “If you ask me, old coot...” Schiiiing! The bulky stallion pointed his sword across the gently rocking cabin. “If what this damned freak wants is to kill the Queen of Frost who hoards her riches from us, then she's got my filthy prayers!” “Hahahahah!” “Amen! Whew!” “Ha ha!” "Whoop!" The Nealender stabbed her spear into the shallow waters of the lagoon. Waters ran red, and she retrieved the barb with three whole fish skewered. "Look at that and know what it means to be weak! Hah!" "Mmmmffff..." Another Nealender pivoted the canoe. "I'm distracted. Show off on an afternoon when I care." "What aches you, sister?" "I'm just trying to understand." The other mare ran a hoof over her shaved head. "Why kills and burn monks? There's no sport in it!" "Maybe the Rainbow Rogue's vision was damaged?" The other smirked, peeling the fish bodies into a net. "She couldn't see below her muzzle to tell the difference between disciples and dorsal fins! Hah! Whoop!" "Oh, she could see, alright. A demon spirit flowed through her!" "Then I know exactly why she did what she did!" The other squinted at her companion in the glinting sunlight. "And why is that?" "By attacking Verlaxion's children, she was working her way to the top!" A devilish grin. "What greater sport is there than baiting the Goddess herself?!" "Hah! Then this Rainbow Rogue has enviable blood indeed!" "Yes! Hah hah hah!" "Whoop!" Little colts and fillies jumped rope along the eastern docks of Kihutaja. Between the blazing horns of trade ships coming to and from port and the cries of seagulls overhead, they sang in the rhythm of their hopping exercise. “Rainbow Rogue. Went to the Quade.” “Burned all the plants that the pilgrims made.” “First came the axe. Then came the flame.” “Then she cursed Verlaxion's name.” “I can't even believe this is making the headlines,” stammered a young mare, sitting with her back to a tree. She pointed at a college newsletter in her grasp. “I mean, who in their right mind gives two whinnies about a bunch of sobbing herd mentalists from across the ocean?” Two more mares and a stallion sat down on the K.M.C.A. lawn across from her. “What's this, now?” he asked. “The College Column!” She held the front page out, her muzzle grimacing. “The way the article is written, it's almost as if they're wanting us to feel sorry for these backwards worshipers of Verlaxion!” She groaned, turning it around again and frowning. “If you ask me, they should just fire the pretentious editor along with his bleeding heart.” “Could you be a bit more specific?” asked one of the other mares, munching on a lettuce sandwich. “Hmmf... Ink Ribbon. Ever since the Blight fell, she's been flexing her cultural muscle—” “Mrmmmf—no. Not that.” The mare gulped her food down. “I mean about 'backwards worshipers of Verlaxion.' Far as I know, that could meany anypony east of the Colonies.” The group chuckled. The mare with the newsletter said, “Supposedly... a nebulous phantom bandit from the west called the 'Rainbow Rogue' has been terrifying the monks who live in the Quade.” “You mean in the former continent of Luminar?” “Right. There's this wild rumor spreading across the waves that she showed up uninvited, summoned some 'demonic energy' from a pendant around her neck, then attacked and destroyed the Quade monks' prized Reed.” “What's a Reed?” “I dunno. Something super important to Verlaxion, apparently.” “Heh... who knows?” The stallion smirked. “Maybe it'll give the monks something else to do with their lives.” “Pffft. Good luck with that. They've already whipped themselves raw through some ancient self-mutilation ritual... blaming the whole debacle on their 'unforgivable sins' or some nonsense.” “Ugh...” Another mare rolled her eyes. “How Continentalist.” “I know, right?” “Still...” The stallion smirked. “You gotta admit... with the Blight down... we're going to get lots and lots more of this.” “What, sucky columns?” “No... I mean stories about the west... and stuff coming from the west.” “Pffft. Pure superstition.” “Imagine our grandfoals' grandfoals... living in a world where they can sail the ocean and take wing.” The stallion shrugged. “To them, old stories about the Blight will sound like superstitious nonsense too!” “Are you saying you actually believe some... some Rainbow Monster attacked these Quade idiots?” “I'm just saying... the seas are wide and vast.” He shrugged. “Who's to know what kind of strange stuff we might find? Good? Bad?” He smirked. “Sky's the limit. And... you know what? I for one am kind of excited for whatever it is that might fall on us.” “Yeah, well, if it's anything that has to fall to reach Rohbredden, then it can only be a horrible thing.” “Hahah! Can you even imagine?” “Hehehe! Yeah!” “Hahahaha...”