Harmony's Creed

by Gapeagle

Chapter 10: Forest of the Free

Chapter 10: Forest of the Free

By Octavia Melody

My eyes opened and I reluctantly realized that the night was over. The sun incandescently shined through the circular windows of the Den. In my half-awoken state, I still believed and acted as though I was in the South Canterlot Den. I was quite saddened to remember my true location and my task. I slowly stood up from my small bed. I could hear Vinyl's snores emitting nearby. I wished that I was still in her state of slumber. I nonchalantly glanced around the large room. The Bearer of Magic was still asleep on a pile of books, and, unlike me, was still in her Assassin robes. I lazily poked the Bearer as to awaken her.

"Bearer......Bearer wake up.....It's......dawn..." I barely muttered.

She started to squirm. "Go away Spike, big sis needs her rest." She sleepily replied. I was annoyed by this response and angrily flicked her closest arm. The Bearer jumped off her makeshift bed. She was now fully awake. I began regretting my actions as her cold stare reached my face.

"I am AWAKE, Den Master!" She growled at me.

I quickly backed away from the Bearer. Her snarl followed me. Her reaction had awoken the others in the Den. Muffled grunts from stretching came behind me. The Bearer's eyes shifted passed me. I glanced back to see Vinyl sitting up in her bed. She was not pleased about her slumber being disturbed. She was about to say something when the front door swung open.

"Rise and shine everyone! You guys have a very big day ahead of you! C'mon! Get up! I've been up and I'm not even leaving." Pinkie filled the Den with her extremely high-pitched voice. The Bearer of Honesty followed her through the door. She was already dressed in her armor. Twilight stood up and tried to straighten her messy hair. She grabbed her pistols and placed them in her sash. Vinyl laid back in her bed and covered herself in her sheets. The Bearer of Honesty noticed this and marched up to her.

"You came along this trip by ya own choice, and this is how ya act? Rotten. Get your hind up!"

The Bearer of Honesty then grabbed Vinyl by her ankles and pulled her out of the bed and dropped her on the floor. Vinyl seemed nothing more than a feather to the Bearer. The Bearer grunted at Vinyl before leaving the room. The inventor soon lifted herself on her feet, bearing a disgruntled expression. She performed a rude and admittedly, juvenile gesture behind the back of the Bearer before she gathered her belongings. I could only shake my head disappointedly at the inventor. I had witnessed such behavior from Vinyl before and it was one of the main reasons she was still only a First Rank Assassin after so many years.

I noticed Pinkie approaching me. I instinctively bowed only to placed back in an upright position by the teacher. "Hmm! Remember Octi, don't treat me like a Bearer. I'm just Pinkie Pie! Now, you really need to get dressed. I mean, wow, not even I get that much bed-hair! Oh! We also have a breakfast already cooking outside. The other Assassins are really good at cooking. It's not like I taught them or anything. Hehe!" She patted me heartily on the back and then skipped out of the Den. I grabbed my gray robes and slipped them over my undergarments.

We packed our gear and headed out of the Den. The Ponyville air was crisp this morning. The sound of birds, frogs, and insects filled the air. Ponyville Assassins walked to and fro, carrying crates or hauling produce. Several fat pigs made their way across the village. My Canterlotian instincts demanded me to avoid them all cost. Applejack stood by the same fire that was burning the previous night. A large metal tripod held a boiling pot over the flames. I assumed that this was our breakfast.

The Bearer of Honesty spotted me. "C'mon Den Master. Soup's up." She then scooped some of the soup into a bowl and handed it to me. "Eat fast. We'll be headin' out when the wagon's ready." This made me glance over a nearby wagon. This was what the Assassins were placing crates and produce in. With the quantity they were storing, I could tell that this wagon was for the Appleloosans. I quickly ate my meal. I wanted to be done with that Sun-forsaken forest as soon as possible.

---

Vinyl, Twilight, Spike, Applejack, and I stored our gear on the wagons and horses. Applejack was responsible for guiding the wagon due to it containing her "precious apples." Vinyl had moved past the anger she had earlier. The sound of adventure increased her efficiency. Twilight and Spike were rechecking the maps of the area. We would need the maps in the winding paths in the forest. Though the village wall separated us from the Everfree, its presence was still felt in everyone's heart.

The village gates swung open for us. Twilight, Vinyl and I rode on our horses while Applejack and Spike rode on the wagon. The village had become quiet when we passed through the gates. The only sound was the cheering from Pinkie. Her joyous encouragement only added to the silence. Pinkie did not dare follow us out of the walls as she halted in the gateway, still waving enthusiastically. I glanced back at the gatekeeper on the wall. He bowed as if he would not see us again. I had reasonable doubts about returning from Appleloosa, but it still seemed far-fetched. We slowly crossed the river that was the only obstacle between us and the forest. The forest appeared thicker as we approached it. I could not see past the dirt road that allowed entrance to the mossy woodland. The horses reared and halted. It was clear they did not want to enter. After a little of coaxing, we got the horses to continue. Applejack lighted a torch before we entered. She looked at us after she lit it. "Trust me. We'll need it."

---

Applejack's words could not have been more true.The forest was almost as dark as night. The massive trees blocked out the sun. The forest's inhabitants were quick to notice us. Small creatures scurried across the dirt road. Glowing eyes watched our caravan from the shadows. The sound of snarling and hissing resounded from the trees and bushes. The trees themselves seemed to moan in agony. A low fog coated the floor. The place seemed so alive and at the same time, dead. Every step from our horses was felt. Every breath was fully heard. We were all on edge. Vinyl was breathing heavily. Twilight had one of her pistols drawn. Spike was clutching the Bearer of Honesty's side.

"How about we begin some uhh...talkin'?" Applejack suggested.

"This place sucks." Vinyl stated.

"We know...." I replied irritably to the inventor.

"How could a place like this exist in the middle of the Empire?" Twilight asked, still holding her pistol by her head.

"There are a lot o' things that I don't understand with the Empire. This is one of 'em. They could've cleared this Tartarus hole a long time ago. But hey, with them ageless Sisters, you can't be sure of anythin'. This could have been like some grand city before. It must have been cursed or somethin'. Cursed by the Sisters to cover up somethin'."

The Bearer of Magic shook her head. "Oh AJ, always the one to come up with such theories against the Empire. I mean I know you hate them but..."

"But what Twi? They don't tell their subjects the truth. All you hear is how well they treat their people when, in truth, they don't! Look at Appleloosa. Look at Cloudsdale. The Sisters have never told the people why they don't look over the age of thirty when they've ruled for over two centuries! They deal with the Templar, I jus' know it. They act so similar they could be twins."

Twilight sighed. "AJ, do you think they need to tell the people? I mean, they have ruled quite well. Yeah they have their flaws, but they are still better than, let's say, the Gryphon Kingdom. I say, as long as they don't turn into Absolute Order, they do not need to step down."

A violent growl halted the conversation. Twilight instinctively aimed her pistol in the direction of the sound. We could not see what caused the noise. I glanced back to inspect our progress. The Ponyville entrance to the forest was out of sight. The only things we could see were of the torch-lit surroundings. Beyond that was the darkness of the Everfree. We did not know how long we had been in the dreaded woodland as there was no sun or moon to tell time. This also made the maps that we brought with us utterly useless since we could not tell direction without the sun. After a short pause, we carried on our journey.

---

There was certainly not much to describe in the forest. The torch seemed to keep the place at bay. The trees that lined the dirt path were incredibly close to each other. This made me wonder how creatures could even move through the forest. We soon came up on a half-rotten manticore skeleton that laid unevenly on the path. We had to stop due to the beast's size.

"We gotta move this off the path. The wagon can't fit by it." The Bearer of Honesty told us.

The Bearer jumped off the wagon and walked towards the skeleton. Twilight and I dismounted our horses and joined the Bearer. Flies and other insects swarmed the corpse. I noticed a long, well-crafted spear lodged in its skull. Twilight tried to levitate the beast but it was too heavy. Applejack chuckled at her attempt and began rolling the skeleton to the side of the path. When this feat was accomplished, a low continuous chant filled the woods.

"O! She brought us some food. O! She brought us a pint. For she is the ruler of the Night." It sounded

The torch revealed humanoid beings in the branches above us. The beings were lanky and dressed in completely black apparel. They possessed the appearance of a shadow without a owner. Their eyes glowed a low green through their wooden masks. They wielded daggers or spears. They were still chanting in unison.

"Our wrath shall be quick! O! Death shall come soon. All for the glory of NIGHTMARE MOON!"

With the final words, they leapt from their boughs. Their weapons pointed at us. We were quick to dodge their plunging attacks. After their failed attempt at us, they circled around the edge of the torch's light. We closed tight on each other, back against back, our weapons pointed at the cultists. This did not seem to intimidate them.

"Hush now. Quiet now. Your bodies shall be employed. When your souls reach the Void!"

A cultist charged at us. Twilight fired her pistol and he fell before reaching us. She began reloading the pistol with her levitation. The sound of the firearm echoed throughout the forest. The constant growls and howls ended. The other cultists paused at this display of technology. They soon resumed their chant.

"It is they who sleep. It is they who rest. The weak who cannot fathom the Night's blessed!"

The cultists swarmed us in unison. I gutted the first cultist I saw. Our circle had broken and we were on our own. Constant booms were heard from Twilight's pistols. A cultist flew through the air from Applejack's swing. A cultist grabbed my neck from behind. I wrestled myself free and stabbed him through the chest with my dagger. Upon realizing the heavy losses they had sustained, the surviving cultists retreated back to their shadows. As Twilight and Applejack taunted the fleeing savages, I looked down at the cultist I had killed. Bending over him, I removed his black mask. The face beneath was that of a middle-aged man. The skin and hair were almost white as if he had never seen the sun. Despite this, he looked surprisingly sophisticated and noble.

Then I remembered the wagon. Vinyl! I ran back up the path to the wagon as apparently our skirmish made us move far beyond the manticore skeleton. When I reached the wagon, Vinyl was seated next to Spike on the carriage. By light of their torch, I saw four black corpses sprawled around the area. A faint smile appeared on inventor's face as I noticed this.

"I told ya. I told ya didn't need to worry." Her voice wavered.

My attention turned to Spike. He was shaking uncontrollably in Vinyl's arms. The young boy was clearly traumatized by all this. This made me furious at the Bearer of Magic. Why did she bring him? If this didn't ruin him, then Appleloosa would. As I pondered about this, the Bearer of Honesty and Magic both returned to the wagon. Twilight instantly noticed Spike's troubled face. She quickly hopped on the wagon and pulled him into her arms.

"Shh shh, it will be all fine, Spike. We'll get you through this. Be brave. Big sis will get you through this." She soothed.

The scene removed my previous anger at the Bearer. The woman was almost in tears at the sight of her scared assistant. I had never before seen Twilight in such a state. In all my experience with her, she had been strict but reasonable. A true woman to live such a life as hers. However, now, she appeared like a mother soothing her son. It made me realize that she was more than my superior but also a caring individual. We rested until the boy was ready to continue.

---

Spike preferred to ride with Twilight on her horse from then on. Thus, the Bearer of Honesty sat alone on her wagon. Vinyl and I led the group. I could not tell you how long we had been in the forest nor how much progress we had made. The trees all looked identical in the torchlight. It made the journey seem like an endless cycle. We all could have been riding in circles and none would notice. Applejack decided to end the silence.

"Well.....At least at the end of this is my cuz. He'll give us an Apple welcome Ah'm sure. Ol' Braeburn knows how to be hospitable."

"If he's still alive that is." Vinyl said monotonously.

"Oh he will be. Braeburn's one of them guys who jus' don't die. He enjoys spittin' in the face of Death." Applejack replied.

Silence engulfed us again. We slowly trekked onward. The sounds of the forest began to pipe up again after Twilight's shot interrupted their ominous symphony. Signs of civilization began to appear occasionally. A wagon wheel here, a human skeleton there. This told us that we were relatively close to the southern exit.

A large clearing in the trees appeared on our left. The sudden end to the monotonous tree line made us stop our caravan. Vinyl and I dismounted and walked over to investigate. A path led off into the darkness. By the faint light, we could see a massive stone castle across a black chasm. There was no way to access the structure as the bridge across the chasm was destroyed.

"Hmph." The inventor shrugged. "I guess this place was a grand...something before."

"Who would let such a castle sit in such neglect?" I asked. "No matter. Let us be off. I am truly tired of this miserable place."

After these words were exchanged we still stood there. The place had an odd welcoming feel to it. It could have been due to the hostile environment around us. The fact that humanity once lived in this place. Or it could have been due to our eyes yearning to see something different than the usual mossy trees. Either way, the castle slightly relieved us. The castle was a friendly oasis in a massive malicious desert.

Vinyl and I mounted our horses and continued on the path. The torches were fading. Applejack told us not to worry because we had extra if they are needed. The land was becoming hillier. The flatness of the Everfree seemed to have ended. The savage sounds of the forest were dying. The trees themselves were becoming less and less close to each other. These were all satisfying signs that the exit was approaching.

There it was! A faint light could be seen, straight ahead, in the distance. At the sight of this, we all rejoiced. Even the horses now had a spring in their stride. We quickened our pace. Our tired bodies were revived and the thought of death was banished. Even though we were still in the forest, we felt that it was already conquered. As the light approached, the sound of birds and winds could be heard.

We exited the Everfree. The perpetual darkness around was swept away by the sun's precious light. The sun itself, was high on the western side. It was late afternoon. The new lands around us were rolling and dry. A vast difference from the lush valley of Ponyville. Here there were no trees, only tall grass that ruffled in the strong winds. We sat there, admiring all of this, until we spied the town of Appleloosa in the far distance. With our purpose remembered, we resumed our journey.

---

We crossed the last hill to Appleloosa. In the evening light we could now observe the town in all of its ruined glory. The town itself was walled, but one could not easily tell as the walls were only half completed. The buildings were all made of wood and shoddily built. They had no particular style and were all bland in color. Smoke was rising from various location in the town. The town was surrounded by large stumps. Apparently there had been an orchard or forest here that was all chopped down and turned into wood for the town. We approached the "gate" of the town. A man in crimson armor confronted us with a hand raised.

Halt! By order of the Sisters, none shall enter this town!" He commanded.

Before we could respond the man was stabbed through the chest from behind by a large sword. The man slid off the blade and his body flattened itself on the dusty ground. This revealed the hooded man who had performed the deed. He looked at us with green eyes and smiled.

"Welcome to Appleloosa."

~

Author's Note:

Everfree FTW

And we are finally in Appleloosa whoo!

More feedback guys pleeeeease?

-Cheers for That!

Comments

[Dleifragcat]

Your story has gotten a lot of grand potential to it, keep up the great writing!

[Gapeagle]

4992065 Thank ye kindly! And trust me I will

[Not so New Brony]

A vast improvement all around, Gap, though you seem to exaggerate on certain emotions here and there.

Aside from that, this chapter has been a very enjoyable read.

[Gapeagle]

4994001 Gosh darn it Nony!

[Not so New Brony]

4994143 Oh, don't be like that. As far as I can tell, the problem is only in this chapter...I think