Hecarim's Peril

by Hammerdog

Chapter Three: Into the Nightmares

Riven began to turn to a dark shade of blue as Rarity pulled at her new, experimental dress.

“Oh!” Rarity eased up, allowing Riven to breathe. “I’m sorry, but I’ve never worked with a such a unique shape as yours before.”

She circled around her client, taking mental measurements. “It would certainly be a lot easier task without these,” Rarity said, pressing against Riven’s breasts, causing her face to flush a crimson red.

Riven pushed her wandering hoof aside and cleared her throat. “I think you may be misunderstanding something…”

“Are the colors not to your liking?”

“What? No, that’s-”

Rarity had already begun to rummage through a box of supplies. “Is the material not comfortable enough?”

Rune watched in amusement as various objects flew across the room.

Riven stepped down from the pedestal, approaching the flustered unicorn. “The person I’m looking for is only a friend.” If you could even call him that, she thought.

Goodness how embarrassing!” she blushed. “Why didn't you say something sooner?!”

Ignoring the last comment, Riven continued. “He looks similar to you in a sense, but much larger. He also carries around a large axe. Have you seen him?”

“I don’t think I’ve seen anyone like that in Ponyville before…”

“He’s also surrounded with blue flames,” she added.

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Then I definitely haven’t seen him around.”

“I see,” Riven sighed. “Then do you have any idea where I should start looking?”

“Hmm. Maybe I could introduce you to Twilight?”

“Who?”

“Twilight Sparkle, the librarian here in Ponyville. She’s a dear friend of mine, and would probably have a better idea on what to do.”

Riven was hesitant. She had already risked a lot by picking Rune up, let alone following Rarity into her home. Before she could respond, they were interrupted by the door swinging open.

“Talk about timing!” Rarity exclaimed.

At the door stood Twilight, who quickly took notice of Riven’s presence.

“Twilight! This is Riven. She’s here looking for her friend from out of Equestria. Isn’t that interesting?”

“Is he a giant horseman with a huge axe?” Twilight asked bluntly, rather unaffected by the strange visitor.

“With blue flames?” Riven questioned.

Twilight tensed up. “You’re not going to strangle us, are you?” Twilight blurted out in alarm.

“What?! Of course not! Riven would never do such a thing!” Rarity said, defending her new acquaintance. Twilight and Rarity both looked to Riven.

“My companions and I are just trying to bring him back, that’s all,” she reassured.

“Phew, that’s a relief…”

Rarity seemed rather concerned. “Did something happen to you?”

Twilight sat down in a nearby chair and explained the mysterious appearance of Hecarim and how they had taken him to Celestia. “But I didn’t expect anyone to come after him,” Twilight admitted.

Riven had already put her other clothes back on and had been listening intently to her story. “Do you think you could take me to this Celestia?” Riven asked.

“Sure, but I have a question to ask you first.”

“Yes?”

“You said you came here with companions? Does that mean there are more of you?”

Riven had completely forgotten about them. “Yeah, but we got separated when we entered your world. I have no idea where any of them are right now.”

Rarity gasped overdramatically. “How tragic!”

Twilight, on the other hand, was rather worried. “You’re friends,” she started, “are they anything like Hecarim?”

Riven shrugged. “I cannot say. I don’t know too much about them myself.”

The librarian furrowed her brow. “I don’t like the idea of them causing trouble in Equestria…”

Twilight sat in silence, asking herself what her next step should be. “Rarity, do you think you could take Riven to Celestia?”

“Of course I can, but what about you?”

“It’d probably be best if I rounded up the rest of the Elements, just in case.”

Rarity nodded in agreement. “I understand.”

“Thanks Rarity, I owe you one. We’ll meet up in Canterlot once I’ve gathered everyone!” she shouted back as she ran out the building.

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“I just don’t see why we have to go in the middle of the night…” Silver Spoon complained as her and Diamond Tiara trudged through the thick mud.

“Because Daddy said they had found a ton of gems and-”

Before finishing her sentence, she found herself muzzle-first into the brown sludge. She quickly hoisted herself out, gasping for breath. “EWWW! IT’S IN MY MANE!”

Silver Spoon stifled a giggle.

“Don’t laugh at me!” she cried, wiping the mud off her eyes.

An eerie voice echoed around the two lost fillies. “Hahahaha…”

Silver’s eyes widened in fear, looking around in a panic.

“I said not to laugh, jerk!” Tiara repeated.

“That wasn’t me!” she squealed.

Finally clearing away the grime, the infuriated pony faced her friend. “Ha, ha. Very funny!”

“Hahahahaha…”

This time, it sounded closer than before. The two ponies clung to each other, shaking uncontrollably.

The clanking of chains being dragged across the ground could be heard faintly in the distance. It became louder and louder, and tears began to stream down the pony’s faces.

Then it stopped.

A few seconds passed by; then a minute had gone. Taking the chance, Diamond Tiara shoved her friend down into the mud and took off running.

“Hey!” she screamed. “Don’t leave me!”

Suddenly, like a shadow moving across the land, a large and rusted hook gouged itself into Diamond’s back. She went sprawling onto the ground, but wasn’t able to say a word. The chain started to reel in, and the helpless filly flailed her hoofs out, reaching towards her abandoned friend.

The resistance was futile, and was met with a large heave that tore across her spine. Blood sprayed against the treeline, and her body went limp.

Witnessing the horrifying event, Silver Spoon broke down into sobs. Snot dripped down her face, mixing with the brown muck. She sank deeper and deeper into the mud.

A blue light shone from the darkness. A few yards away from the gray pony stood a massive, skeletal figure. A bloody chain drooped down from his hand, with pieces of flesh still attached to the tip.

She struggled to break free, but realized she had become stuck. The terrifying visage slunked forward, twirling its hook.

Like plucking a flower out of the earth, Thresh lifted his prey up with ease. “The Void is surprisingly…” he began, unhinging his jaws.

“Delicious.”

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The magic sealing was more complex than Hecarim had originally predicted. Several hours had passed and there was no end in sight. For the first time in what seemed like forever, he felt truly exhausted.

The rattle of keys came from behind the hall door. Slowly, it creaked open, allowing a gust of fresh air to enter the damp dungeon. From the dim light appeared Princess Luna, a hood draped over her face.

“Back again, Warden? What do you want this time?” Hecarim snarled.

“I just came to speak with you,” she assured.

“You’ll have better luck talking to someone who cares for your pitiful words, fool.”

Luna frowned. “What made you like this, Hecarim? Why do you hold so much hate in your heart?”

“Because compassion is for the weak-minded, such as yourself.”

“I do not believe it is a good idea to be making remarks such as that in your current condition.”

“HA! Do you think you’d really stand a chance against me in combat?”

“That is besides the point, Hecarim. I still seek an answer to my question.”

Hec glared at Luna, annoyed with her casual tone. “A mortal who has not known the confines of the Shadow Isle won’t understand anything.”

The Princess sighed. “I am much more similar to you than you believe.”

“I doubt you’ve bore any experience that comes close to the daunting trials of my homeland.”

“Maybe not, but I would not be so quick to judge. I once was an outcast too, and was bound to a more cruel cell than this…” Luna’s voice trailed off as she recalled that lonely millenium she spent banished to the moon. “I returned to Equestria as a different mare. I was powerful, and feared by all.”

“And what was your downfall?” Hecarim asked, trying to hide his interest.

“I was saved by the Elements of Harmony, and returned to my original self.”

“Saved?” Hecarim scoffed. “I believe you mean defeated.” He paused momentarily. “What are these Elements you speak of?”

“The Elements of Harmony,” she clarified. “You’ve already met some of them, from the looks of it.”

Hecarim bitterly remembered the race he had lost. “So they are the true challenge.”

Luna looked puzzled. “I hear you mention this ‘challenge’ often. What exactly are you referring to?”

“It’s as it appears. I want an opponent that is worthy of me.”

It’s strange, really. Luna had never met anything like him before, yet she understood his motives completely. She shared an unexplained empathy for the prisoner. She lowered her head in thought.

“Perhaps I could make a deal with you.”

Hecarim was cautious of the sudden offer. “A deal? Of what sorts?”

“If you are willing, I could grant you freedom.”

“And what do you wish for in return?” Although he could break down the magic that was infused in the shackles, it would require a large amount of time; time that Hecarim would rather spend slaughtering.

“I want you to cleanse nightmares with me,” she explained plainly.

“Cleanse nightmares? How is that possible?”

“I am the Princess of the Night. My job is vast in responsibilities. One of these tasks is to comfort my subjects by visiting their dreams and chasing away whatever is haunting them. Since all you seek is a challenge, both sides of this offer will benefit you, correct?”

It was, without a doubt, a win-win. It sounded almost too good to be true. On the other hand, taking the chance was certainly a lot better than rotting in a cell. “I agree to your terms.”

“Excellent. Then let us not waste any time.”

A nightly glow surrounded Luna and Hecarim, and in an instant: they vanished.

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Dust blew in the wind of the abandoned town. The cold air lingered in the desert night. Graves walked through the empty roads, his gun resting on his shoulder.

A familiar face revealed itself from the shadows. “Heh. About time you found me,” Twisted Fate mocked. He shuffled through a deck of cards, taking the first three from the top.

Graves loaded his shotgun and pointed it towards his enemy. “Ain’t got the time for your games, traitor.”

The two rivals stood their ground, waiting for the other to make a move. A tumbleweed drifted in between them both, accompanying the suspenseful silence.

“Draw!”

Twisted Fate flicked his wrist, sending the three cards flying directly at Graves.

Without hesitation, he dashed to the left and fired quickly. The bullets narrowly missed his opponent, brushing against the end of his coat, but Graves was not finished just yet.

A smoke grenade landed beneath Fate's feet, emitting a thick haze. Seizing the opportunity, Graves fired volley after volley at his foe. The shots continued to echo even after the dust had settled.

But when everything cleared, Twisted Fate was nowhere to be seen.

A whisper came from behind the gunner’s ear. “Gotcha.”

A golden card impaled itself deep into Grave’s shoulder, forcing him to yell out in pain. He tried to recover, but was kicked to the ground. “Well it was nice knowing ya buddy.” Another three cards were pulled out from his sleeve.

With a single agile movement, Graves loaded a hidden shell into the barrel of his gun. Before Fate could react, he was sent sailing through the air by an over-sized shot, crashing into a pile of crates.

They lifted themselves up, readying for another attack. Both spat out thick portions of their blood.

They burst into a sprint, preparing to strike.

“STOP!”

The land beneath their feet jutted out abruptly, forming huge walls that separated the two.

Slowly, the walls retracted back into the earth, leaving behind a furious Demacian Prince. “I know not of your pathetic quarrels, but now is not the time to be fighting! Save it for when we are back in Runeterra!”

“Tch, you got lucky boy,” Graves spat.

“Same goes for you,” Twisted Fate retorted.

“Quit acting like children, the both of you! Now come, we must regroup with the others.”

The pair hesitantly followed Jarvan, setting aside their hate for the time being.

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“Hecarim! Behind you!” Luna shouted to her companion.

Spinning around, Hec slashed the dragon across the eye. It staggered backwards, bellowing in pain. Not letting up, he pressed forward, ramming his halberd into the beast's stomach. “RAH!” He cleaved his axe upwards, gutting the creature alive.

Another serpent had been slain, but there was no time to rest. A spiked tail bashed into his side, causing him to soar into the rocky cliffside, but Luna cushioned his fall using her magic.

Still in a frenzy, the dragon lifted his head and bombarded Luna with a hail of hellfire. Hecarim had galloped to her though, and dissipated the flames with a single whirl of his weapon.

Although physical harm did not carry over to the real world, the pain could still be felt. Relieved, Luna quickly thanked Hecarim.

Ignoring her, Hec raised his axe into the sky, summoning hordes of spectral riders to his side. Leading the charge, he sprinted at the dragon, slashing down through its thick scales.

The last of them had been vanquished, and Hecarim used this time to catch his breath. “I am not disappointed in the deal I have made with you,” he admitted. “These have truly put me to the test of my strength.”

For the last several hours, the duo had fought through endless swarms of giant spiders, defeated masses of decomposing ghouls, and even the occasional army of Changelings.

“Normally all I need to do is soothe the host of the dream, but sometimes that is not enough,” she explained. "Things such as this happen more often than not."

“So, how many more dreams are left to purge?”

Luna shook her head. “The sun is soon to rise, and our job is complete.”

Hecarim was slightly disappointed.

“Don’t worry, there is always next time,” Luna joked. Hecarim shot her an irritated glare.

Before he could say anything, a small colt came running towards his saviors, tears dripping down his face. “Princess Luna!”

“Comet Cloud!”

The minuscule Pegasus leaped into Luna’s hooves, holding her tight. “Thank you for saving me!” he let out between sobs.

Luna gently let him down. “You are very welcome.”

Comet wiped the tears away and nervously edged closer to Hecarim. “And thank you too Mister. You looked really cool fighting those dragons!”

Hec was rather blunt with the young pony. “I am only here for personal amusement. I care not for your wellbeing.”

“Wow! That sounded so cool!” Comet blindly admired.

Are you an idiot? Hecarim asked in his head.

“It’s time for us to go, Comet. Remember to be brave, even in the darkest of moments,” Luna encouraged with a motherly tone.

The colt went and hugged Luna a second time. “Okay Princess! I promise!”

Luna patted his head and the colt turned and ran back to where he had come from.

Watching the scene, Hecarim felt something he had never experience before. Deep inside, he could feel an unnatural warmth. Luna looked back, and gave him a genuine smile. The warmth increased tenfold, causing even more discomfort.

What is this feeling?

For the first time since setting foot into existence, Hecarim felt… different.

Comments

[LunarRai]

Slowly, the walls retracted back into the earth, leaving behind a furious Demacian King.

Just a little nitpick, Jarvan III is currently the king of Demacia. Jarvan IV is the prince.

[Conqueror777]

Thresh is going to get them all in a lot of trouble.

[Hammerdog]

3210714

WHAAAAAAT? Well my entire life is a lie. Thanks for pointing that out!

[Setten Sun]

Nooooo Hec your growing a heart! QUICKLY kill Luna, shes mind F***ing you! And you like it.

[Legion222]

Is it bad that I laughed demonically when Diamond Tiara got Thresh Hooked?

I'm quite enjoying this, so far.
Please continue.

Write on,
Legion

[Max Caulfield]

3211986 Dat Thresh hook doe . Though, laughing at DT dying is completely aokay. 'Cause she a bitch, bitches love da hooks. (Not sure if this is appropriate, but... )

[Max Caulfield]

3189297 #YOLO #Idon'treallylikepeoplewhosayYOLOor#YOLOsoforgetIwrotethat. #longest#ever

[Xelim]

Welp, RIP Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, you will not be missed. Although considering what Thresh likes to do to his victims they probably wont rest in peace. oh well.

Horray for you actually making Thresh the complete monster that hes supposed to be. Thresh is one of my favorite champions and I can safely say youve done him justice. Really hes much more dangerous than Hecarim imo, unlike him Thresh was a monster even when he was alive. (there are some things implying that Hecarim used to be good before he became what he is today), not to mention that he's alot more cunning and intelligent than Heca.

I also love how you portray Riven, most writers tend to make her a bit to forceful in my opinion but i kinda like how you made her a bit more meek.

Also this story needs more Draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaven.

[Hammerdog]

3360902

Thresh is definitely a force not to be trifled with (Just look at Lucian). He probably has the most intimidating back-story of any champ; even more so than Fiddle.

As for Riven, that's just as I've always seen her. Sure, she was a part of the Noxus military, but she didn't see them as corrupt. She fought for what she felt was honor and pride, and if you read a little closer into her lore you can see that she cared for her squad before Singed went all WWII on them. Even when you play as Riven you can hear that tone of solemn remorse in her voice.

And rest assured. When I get back to writing this, Draven is bound to make an appearance...

[Xelim]

3362815
Exactly! Thats exactly how I see Riven too and I'm pleased to see you agree

Eagerly awaiting the next update

[Alphadud]

Can't just singed come in and go all world war 5 on everyone? He starts a war that's so powerful it skips the first 4 in equestria, that's right he starts world war 5.

srsly though, when you said Singed went all WWII on their asses, I laughed my ass off. Also this story is quite good.

[elderwrath]

3210912 ppfftt, killing the subjects of a being that tosses around the sun before breakfast? What could possible go wrong?

[crystal_sammich]

In case you couldnt tell i love heca aswell