The Endless

by BloomingStar

Searching an old to the new ( Part 2 )

Some time later...

Hours passed, the two ventured onwards on the sandy road to nothingness as the sun shined so bright like it's the only temperature. Walking through the grains of sand and feeling the harsh heat, they still moved on for they can't stop now. After another hour, they stopped at their tracks as they noticed a figure at a distance, could it be the temple that he believed that it would still be there? Only one way know exactly the answer, he cast a trail of ice at the direction of the figure.

"You might want to hold me, this might be quick than you know it," he said with a smirk.

The bat filly tilted her head and asked, "Are you sure? What if I slip?"

"Just make sure you keep it tightly and stay close to my side so you will be fine. Trust me," he replied with a confident smile

"Okay.."

Venang wrapped firmly her one wing around his neck as she moved close to him, hoping that he would be right about it. As everything settled, the two stepped at the icy floor as a force of wind appeared behind them. It pushed them forward in a fast rate like heart that would beat more after exercising. Venang wanted to scream, but in wouldn't be worth it, instead, she closed her eyes and nuzzled her head onto his neck. She felt the force like she was encountering a typhoon.

As it brought them now the entrance of the temple, the wind subsided and the trail was then melted. Venang released her hold as she took one step forward while saying,

"Is this it?" she asked in a curious tone.

Shard took out the page from his saddlebag and tried to compare it from the thing that was standing right in front of him. He noticed that the symbol at the top was the from the paper, including its markings that were very unknown to him, possibly in ancient draconequus language.

"Yeah, this is it. Let's go," he answered as he and Venang entered through.

When they reached inside, they saw that there were many treasures like gold, jeweleries, and even ornaments that were ancestral. They ventured forward further down the corridor. The torches were mysteriously lightened up as they continued walking into the deep bowels of the temple. Reaching the deep floor, they saw a trail of blood leading to the door at the far end of the hallway. Venang looked spooked as felt like it could be trap as there was silence in the air. The smell was horrible from what she could sense. She turned her head to him and said,

"Shard?"

"Yes, what's the matter?"

"I don't think we are not alone. By the blood trail, it looks like somepony was also searching for that," she pointed out.

"Maybe," he replied as he moved his head down, smelling the blood, "This was just recently. We better move quietly, Venang. I think there will be an ambush."

As they moved straight, following the trail, they noticed that the torches from the sides they passed by, turned to blue light flames. When they reached just the middle of it, they stopped, looking to see the ones that were in front of them turned their flames into the same color. Silence occured as a fog appeared infront and behind them, signaling for there was trouble now. They heard a loud groan, but could not tell where it was because of the mist. As the sound was getting louder, the colt was getting more nervous as he gritted his teeth like grinding a cheese. A moment later, the sound stopped as the foggy air subsided. What they saw in front of them was something that would signify that they just found the security system. What stood before them was a bipedal walker. Its appearance was a like a knight, but only looked like more of something like in the end of the bargain. Its armor was like platinum with some sand particles and the helmet covered its face. The helmet's center face had a symbol, similarly to his pupils.

Really in for big trouble, the two prepared one of their techniques for the first battle ever in their life. Shard summoned a sharped ice blade and threw it at the walker. Venang, on the other hand, somehow ignited her forehooves with green flames as she flew on top, then made her descent swiftly, bringing out her fired hooves at it. The walker respond with a sand spear, directing it to the colt. He was able to dodge quickly, but in return, he received a slice at the side of his cheek. Blood came out, but it wasn't normal as it was black in color. This made him quite furious as his eyes turned bright gray, signaling that he somehow starting to lose minor control. He unleashed a frosted shockwave at it, somehow almost killing it as the walker started losing some pieces of its armor, fading into sand. The two landed one last blow on to its chest by a combined power of ice and flame. The combination turned to a spiral orb as it made collision with the guardian. This made a huge bang as it destroyed the creature, leaving nothing but sand as its remains. Venang noticed that Shard wasn't feeling okay as his eyes were still glowing and feeling reckless.

"Shard, are you okay?" she asked.

The colt's eyes stopped glowing as he shook his head like was feeling dizzy, "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that sometimes, I can't control further of my own self"

"I hope you can still make it."

"I hope so too," he replied as they opened the door, revealing the chamber, the main room.

There were bones scattered from left to right, dried blood stains at every pillars, coffins of old, and treasures, lots and lots of jewelries and gold coins. What stood before them was a pony like demon, covered in black flames, hardly tell his appearance. He then called them out, breaking the silence,

"You two are but fools to ever enter in this... sanctuary," he said before a moment of pause to continue, "But I noticed you, young child. Seeking to get one of her prized artifacts. Interested for safekeeping, eh?" pointing out to Shard.

The colt stood in silence, unable to respond as he began to shake in fear. Unable to figure of how the demon learned his mission in getting the talisman. It was either he was good at reading other ponies' minds or he was a draconequus like Phan Tom. Nevertheless, he won't find the answer if he just stood there being like a statue. He took a moment of taking a breath before finally calling out his response,

"Yes, I do. What kind of temple is this?"

"It was once the house of treasures belonged to the 'Wretched Fiend', one of our strongest Deathless. She was last seen a couple of years or so. We searched for her location for the past, but she vanished without even a single trace of her blood. Many of her followers believed that she banished herself and plot to renew of what our fate is today. I sensed you, young one, you have the same type of blood as us, but of course, I cannot comprehend the truth until I can find out for myself."

After that, he slammed his hoof to ground, causing a minor quake, in which also caused them trouble. Coffins were opened up unexpectedly, revealing skeletal bipedal guardians with their shields and swords, very point and deadly swords. This caused Shard to shiver such while Venang, on the other hoof was shaking so badly that she was about pass out. He turned his gaze to her and said, "Venang, you handle the dead ones, I'll take care of that freak."

The bat filly didn't hesitate to respond for protest, so she gave a quick nod, agreeing to what he said and started flying.

---

Venang's POV

I flapped my wings enough to get high above the skeletons. I started channeling flames from my front hooves as one of them tried to jump to get me, bunch of dumbos. Anyway, I started throwing fire balls at them, incinerating them completely, but it's not the end for me just yet. More of them coming out from the same coffins that were opened. I thought only one per each? Oh well, I got spare time to do so. I continued to burn them to crisp as every single one of them tried to catch me by jumping into the air, but to no avail. It was then, I noticed some of them coming out from all of the sarcophaguses. Archers, bow wielding skeletal freaks.

They fired arrows at me, but I was too quick for them to ever get me. Dodging every single of those, I counter with a flap of my one wing to reflect their direction, leading them to those bad breath stinkers. But then, my luck started to ran out as more of them keep coming. I continued reflecting until one passed through the side of my left wing. I held back the pain, but I started losing my control in flying. More arrows passed the sides of my body, leaving marks at my legs and wings. I started losing consciousness as I felt my self falling onto below. The last things I saw were the undead soldiers, waiting to surround me as I almost reached the ground and my partner still in the heat of battle. I closed my eyes and hoped that he will succeed...

---

Shard's POV

I began the first strike with a chilling ice spear at him. A shield appeared infront of him as it disintegrated my attack. I started charging towards him as he did the same. We collided our best techniques, we were somehow equal in strength. I gave out a strong punch to his chest, in which he countered with a fiery blow to my face. The two us were sent back from one another, gasping for air as we struggled to keep the fight on. We started another charge against each other, collding once more as we tried hitting one another by our best skills. He was too quick to dodge every single orbs that I channeled, but I wasn't giving up that easily. I started another charge, this time, I channeled a dark orb from my hoof as my enemy did the same, but a more advanced one. We started colliding our orbs until...

A blast appeared, causing a large eruption and a piece of disturbance. Energy flowed through ours as the two orbs released an electrical wave of flashing electricity, causing to shock us in pain. After a brief moment through that, we were sent back from one another for the second time, but this time, I was in a critical tight spot. The shock caused my nerves to stutter as I tried to get up, but to no avail. My heart was beating at an accelerating rate, possibly to how much pressure I had gathered to create that kind of reaction. The demon got up without even a moment to soon as he was laughing, mocking at my defeat and to one thing...

I looked behind to see her surrounded by the guardians, she was bleeding very badly as they prepared to do something that I would not want to know. I heard her soft voice calling me out,

"D-Don't... d-d-die..."

This had gone from the bad scenario to the worst of all. I shed a tear as I noticed that she wasn't breathing. No, this cannot be it.

"Hahaha, you fought bravely to challenge. But look now at the prize for that cost."

I turned my head back to him, giving him a glare. The worst thing that had ever done to me was like the same as before, but now for a difference. I felt hate and revenge running through the course of my body as I felt myself being covered in a dark mist. My eyes started glowing as I sensed my pupils changed to the symbols that represented my true bloodline. All I could do was feeling anger, no pity as I would never leave mercy. The mist subsided revealing to what made me to have no sympathy to kill...