The Human And The Well

by Zandar13

Mountains, Mirrors, and Humans, Oh My!

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ The Next Day, Foal Mountain, 2:25 PM -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

I am super happy that there is at least a semi-trail going through this mountain, cause if there was not, I would have been very annoyed.

It has taken us almost all morning just to ascend the front protrusion of the mountain, mainly cause it was so steep and the path simply led us back and forth while going up. It was like we were slowly going up a spiral staircase just to get to the first floor.

And by the time we finally got to the first flat land, it was already noon! But, it was a smart idea to stop and eat while a few of us scouted ahead to determine the right path.

When they came back, they told us that the path splits in two, the right is wide but very windy while the left is narrow but appears to be shorter.

So I called up a vote and the majority wanted to go the down the shortest path, and to be honest, so did I.

Windy valleys are never a good path, double so for a mountain side.

I hope I never go scaling a 'normal' sized mountain if this one is to be considered 'small' in comparison, cause this is already freaking huge!

So after an hour or so of eating and re-prepping, we set out for the narrow chasm and hopefully, get some distance to the other side.

“All right, everyone listen up!” I loudly spoke to catch their attention. “Before we go in, I want to make a buddy system while we are in this mountain area. Groups of two or three would be best since the path is narrow and your groups will be able to spot for each other better. Additionally, I would like some pegasi to fly above and be on guard for falling rocks or other potential dangers”

“I will be on point while Devi covers the rear. I don't suspect anything to actually happen, but in areas like these, it never hurts to be a little careful. So lets group up and get everyone in position” I finished.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie shall be your dear and dependable buddy human! So worry not, as you have nothing to fear while I am around! Ha ha ha!” Trixie suddenly proclaimed as she attached herself to my leg with a proud look on her face. I simply rolled my eyes but smiled anyway.

I watched as the groups quickly formed and I saw that many were groups of three, consisting of two adults and one foal. Which was kind of nice to see, this could turn out to be an unintentional but good-natured trust test.

Five pegasi had volunteered for sky duty, which was alright but I was hoping for at least eight or nine. But I won't force them to do it, since it is far better to volunteer then to be voluntold.

With everyone in position and ready to go, we set off.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ 1 Hour Later -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

“Hows everyone holding up?” I asked behind me while I continued to straddle the wall.

During the last ten minutes or so, the already narrow path grew even smaller and for the ponies, it was still manageable but I had to turn sideways and sidestep walk my way through.

“Good”

“Were fine!”

“A little light, but fine!”

“Echo! Echo! Heehee!”

“Alright back here!”

“Ugh, my feathers will need a good preening after this”

“Oh be quiet, were all good back here as well”

“Skies clear!”

“-No danger detected Master!-”

“Excellent! Keep it up everyone” I cheered before I felt my foot bump against another rock. “Rock!”

“Rock!”

“Rock”

“Rock”

“Rock”

Moving right alone, we kept a semi-steady pace since we didn't have to deal with wind and besides the occasional rock here and there, no hazards come tumbling down on us.

“Mister Adrian! Mister Adrian!”

At least, not yet.

“What is it Cloudhoof?” I asked the stallion.

“There is a fork coming up but I can't really tell which one is better or worse!” he worryingly said.

“Hmmm, lets see” I said as I pondered. “How far ahead is it?”

“Walking, probably five minutes or so” he said.

“All right then, you and Barnes will go ahead and each scout each path for a few minutes then meet back up with us at the fork before we decide” I instructed.

“Roger that!” he enthusiastically said before him and Barnes flew off. Barnes is kinda a weird name for a mare pegasus, I keep meaning to ask her if it means anything or not. I kinda hope she is a secret princess, so that way I could call her Barnes and Noble. Pfft.

And when we get to Manehatten, I want to see if I can convince Cloudhoof and a few others to consider joining the royal guard. I am by no means an expert or have an eye for such things, but I do think that they have potential as guardsmen from what I have seen so far.

Heh, or maybe that is a small bit of my secret prideful fantasy that I personally gave the royal guard some of its best members to protect Big Sis Luna and Celestia.

Celestia……

……

…

I hope that-

“Papa! Papa! Look!” Maelstrom cried out while she draped herself around the back of my neck.

Shoving my thoughts aside, I looked up and saw the split in the road. On the right, I saw that it seemed to be relatively straight and I could see the sun shining a bit while the left path seemed a bit edgy and while it wasn't dark, I could not see any radiating light.

Nyehgggggh! I just had a terrible chill crawl down my spine. Weird.

I don't feel cold though, so was it random? Or is this a sixth sense warning?

Ah! I see Barnes coming from the right path, that's good.

“Barnes! How does it look?” I asked her.

“Looks good! The path widens up a bit before it opens up into a small valley” she told me.

“Finally some good news, lets wait for Cloudhoof to report back first before we make a move” I said back.

“Sure thing boss!” she exclaimed with a smile before flying back to the rest.

I'm not sure why, but I feel like they have all been super preppy ever since that night two days ago. That and a few of them have been calling me boss now. I don't think I will ever understand how ponies work. Heh heh.

I took a look up towards the left and kept my eyes trained for Cloudhoof, hopefully he didn't become overzealous and go too far ahead. Again.

A few minutes roll by and I am starting to get worried about him, but I know that he is a strong flyer so I will wait a little bit longer.

……….

It has now been almost seven minutes and now I am super worried and my brain is started to go into overtime.

Hearing the whooshing sounds of the other fliers gives me an idea, so I turned to the closest three to me “Barnes, Stripes, and Slants! I need you three to investigate that left path and see why Cloudhoof is taking so long, so stay high and be on alert. Report back ASAP!” I ordered them.

“Yes Boss!” they said in unison before flying off in a hurry.

I watched them fly off and yet, my nervousness was still growing and growing. Perhaps I am just overreacting and Cloudhoof had simply gone too far or lost his way. Just because we are a wandering through a mountain on a journey doesn't mean bad stuff will happen….. right?

Thankfully, I didn't have to wait too long cause I saw all three flying back but where was Cloudhoof?

“Run!”

What was that? I couldn't hear what she said at all.

“What?!” I yelled, using my cupped hands to hopefully amplify my voice. I wonder if that actually helps or not.

“RUN! RUN, RUN, RUN!” Barnes screeched as she flew faster and faster.

“Wait! Run? Run from what? And what about Cloudhoof?” I quickly asked.

“He was captured by Diamond Dogs! And the moment we showed up they started to run down this way! You gotta run boss!” She said.

By now, everyone behind me was starting to panic a little and their worried voices started to echo a bit. Crap, crap, crap!

I took another look down the left path then the right before I started to think and grind my mind.

GAH! I can't think like this! I'm not some sort of tactician!

“Papa” I heard Maelstrom say in a scared voice before she hugged my neck. I did a small but silent gasp as I reached up with my hand and gently stroked her paw.

Twilight's gonna kill me for this, along with everypony else. But I guess I'll just do what I always do. Face the danger head on and hope for the best.

Great.

“Everyone! Start running down the right path and don't stop! Devi will lead you, so follow them. I want all unicorns at the ready with defensive spells, if you can, while you are running! Now go! Go and I will catch up!” I shouted at the scared group.

“B-but Boss! We can't just leave you!” Barnes said.

“I am telling you too! I made a promise to get you all to Manehatten, I am not going to let some stray dogs delay us. Now GO!” I demanded with my loud voice.

At this point, most of the group was starting to leave but slowly began to quicken their pace, especially since Devia was almost pushing them.

“Devia, protect them for me” I said so them.

“-But what about you dear Master?-” Deva asked.

“I'll be fine, knowing they are safe away from here and in your care. Besides, this will let me blow off some steam as well” I ended up admitting.

“About what Adrian?” Trixie asked, which almost spooked me since she was so quiet til now.

“Gah, we don't have time for this. I can seem them coming!” I said while I pointed my finger at the small horde I saw barreling down the path. “Just keep everyone safe, including yourselves”

“Hah! The Great and Magnificent Trixe will not simply run just becas- HEY!” she started to monologue before Devia threw her on their back and began to run, with a very disgruntled Trixie shouting insults and such.

“I knew I could count on you” I quietly said as I watched everyone disappear. I heard Artemis began to growl a bit and I could even hear the sounds of the Dogs growing closer. I reached up and uncurled my daughter from my neck and held her in front of me, eye to eye.

“Listen Maelstrom, I want you to stay above everyone and keep yourself out of danger. Whether it be by flying or using your magic to turn them into plants or sheep. Just be safe, for Papa. Ok sweetie?” I gently asked her.

“Yes Papa, Mae understands” She said with a bit of a pout. So I quickly gave her a couple of kisses and got a giggle out of her before she flew up.

I got into position before summoning my magic and letting is swirl around my body, at the ready. I wonder if I will ever get used to this feeling, of something literally fill your body, every inch of skin, every strand of hair, even places on my body I never normally use or touch becoming full of magic.

It is almost intoxicating and thankfully, due to my many years of being alone and playing RPGs and such, I know the basic rule of never letting your power control you and to always be wary of it. Though, that being said, it is far easier said than done at times.

But enough on the magic philosophy, I have a horde to deal with.

“LOOK! Something big! Maybe he friends with pony!”

“Maybe he has shinies on him!”

“Lots of shinies!”

“Mine! Mine! I want them!”

I heard this and numerous other comments being shouted as they bolted down the ragged rocky path. I knew a little about them, thanks to Twilight, Rarity, and Spike, and I know that they are no joke. They can dig through stone with relative ease, so saying they are strong is an understatement.

“What did you do to Cloudhoof? The white and green pegasus pony?” I asked, with a bit of force.

“Feather pony? We leave him behind! No use to us!”

“He have no shinies! But pony friends do! Ponies always have something shiny on them!”

“Are you a Pony? You don't look like a pony!”

“I bet YOU have shinies on you! Gems, gems, and more gems!”

“Give them to us! NOW!”

They all demanded of me and more and they did not appear to be slowing down at all. So I made a little electric ball and threw it with a mighty swing at the closest one, as a warning shot. I was hoping it would easily hit at least one since now they were running not just on the ground but along the walls as well. Well, more like swinging since they just jabbed the wall and used their momentum to lurch forward.

At first it looked like it was going to miss, until one dogs arm accidentally reached too far while swinging and it struck. Once it did, the dog was jolted from the wall and smacked right into another dog which produced an instant domino effect of dogs bowling into dogs. In almost a blink of an eye, I soon saw a small pile of twitching arms and legs.

“Yeah! Papa!” Maelstrom called out while she laughed at the scene. I couldn't help but chuckle a little as well at the dog pile.

But I was brought back when I noticed Artemis was still growling and pawed at the ground. “We'll have the last laugh!” was all I heard before the rocks shattered below me and I got pounded in the face with a very strong right hook. I had lost my balance and in combination with the punch, I head slammed into the wall.

“HAH!” Shouted the dog who sucker punched me. At this, I promptly kicked against the wall and propelled a fist of my own right to its chest, but that is when I heard the sickening sound of bones breaking. Looking down I saw that one of its legs was still halfway in the ground and when I punched them back, the force broke its leg and probably shattered every bone.

It howled as it lied on its back in pain from two different sources before fainting, but that only stirred up the horde who quickly went on the offensive with renewed vigor. Artemis was the first to strike as a wallslinger launched itself but was caught midair by my little huntress. Remembering how well the electroball seemed to worked, I held onto my left arm and casted several in a row, like a machine.

I caught five or six with a direct blast and sent them flying or buried them in stone while a couple others got nicked and volted away. But more of them simply replaced the ones down and they were almost upon me, so I planted my feet in a good, balanced stance while I sucked in as much air as I could. My magic almost seemed to boil since it knew exactly what I was aiming for and almost made it felt like it was alive, cheering me on and edging me forward.

They drew closer and closer, so much that I was afraid I was too late but right at the point of ignition, it almost felt as if time slowed down cause I could still feel everything around me but nothing seemed to come, except for my attack. I leaned forward yelling as hard as I could, forcing all that excess air to deflate my lungs and become ignited from my magic to form a beautiful but deadly dragons fire that spewed and burned my attackers.

I heard them as they burned, yelling and screaming in pain from the initial attack and from their fur continuously burning along with what little clothes they possessed. I began to panic a little because this was a little too far and I had to put out the flames, so I quickly recalled another dragon technique that I never had a chance to try.

Using almost the same method as to brew fire, I would instead make a vacuum and suck in all sources of heat and flame. Some of the earlier dragons who were a bit more peaceful created this in order to spare their victims of their dragon fire, as both an aid to themselves and to save others from the more dangerous and death prone dragons.

So once again I started to suck in air but now my magic reached out and drew in any and all flames and pulled them back into my mouth, instantly smothering the dogs initial pain. Thankfully the second they were dowsed, they fainted and the ones who were not hurt seemed hesitant to approach me and Artemis, who I now saw had just taken out a dog that tried to sneak up on me.

“Gotcha non-dragon!” shouted one as it suddenly grabbed my arm the second it bursted out from the wall, while three others grabbed my other arm and legs, holding them tight. They took me by surprise by popping out from the ground as well.

I struggled against their hold but since they themselves were planted in the stone, they were solid in their hold and my efforts were of little use. That was when I saw the path in front of me split in two and out from the crevice came a giant diamond dog, easily three times as big as the rest.

“Yeah! Get him Buldo! Get him!” Shouted the one holding my left leg.

I struggled even more, even making the dogs grunt a little as I tried to weasel my way out but they were too strong and I saw the huge punch from Buldo come straight towards my chest and it did.

If I had any air left in my lungs, they were certainly gone now after that punch. Everything left me for a second, air, consciousness, sight, and feeling but I regained them shortly and felt a huge weight in my chest, making it hard to breath. But before I could get my bearings I felt another big punch right on top of the old one and this time, I felt everything.

The pain over-ruled my senses and my body acted on instinct at this point, fusing with my erupting magic in order to get away from this pain. I felt my body start to spark a little and I even saw a stray static bolt arc from my chest before more and more started to crawl along my body.

“B-Buldo! Hit him again! Non-dragon is doing more magic!” Said the dog on my right arm.

“BULDO!” said the dog himself as he threw another fearsome punch. But it never hit me.

Taking a look down, the punch was caught in an electrical net that bounced back at me and sent a huge surge of pure electricity outwards and shocked my captors enough to make them faint on the spot, thus releasing me just in time to watch Buldo wind up for another punch.

“BULDO SMASH!” it shouted as it threw its body along with punch, not knowing what else to do my body told me to simply catch it. My brain yelling at me that doing so was suicide as I would probably break my arms and most likely break a rib or two, if they weren’t already.

But that sixth sense came back, urging me to believe or something like that. So I simply went along and shot my arms forward, ready to catch it. And when I did, my magic flared up something fierce and I felt almost rejuvenated and even stronger than ever. My senses kicked into overdrive and once again, time almost seemed to slow down as I saw the giant fist move through molasses towards me.

So I grabbed it and stopped it in an instant, mere inches away from my chest. But I stopped it, much to my initial confusion and to the dog who looked almost scarred now.

“You… you catch my punch?! B-B-BULDO SMASH HARDER THEN!” it almost screamed in fear as it brought its other fist up into the air to flatten me. But I delved further down into the whirlpool of magic that seemed to expand further and further within me, granting me even more strength. Much more than I have ever had or felt before.

So much so that the magic flowed out of my body, almost independently of my will as my hands started to heat up so fast that I heard the sizzle of flesh being burnt, which caused Buldo to yelp and stop its attack and instead try to pull away. But now I was in control and I wanted payback, so I held firm on his arm and let my legs swell with magic.

While keeping my balance, I let my right leg swing up to try and kick him as hard as I could. Though, I did these with much more gusto than I intended.

For I felt my leg shoot up faster and faster due to it being supported by a strong gust of wind that I had apparently created, or my magic, which caused my already enhanced kick to become twice as fast and twice as strong then what I meant. For the instant it connected, I saw Buldos body soar through the sky until it flew out of eyesight.

But, I then realized that I was still holding his arm.

My body was still on high alert, so that meant my senses were still heightened as well, and now that the area was quiet, I could only focus on the severed limb that I was still burning. My nose smelt the burning flesh first but now I could also smell the coppery scent of blood as it poured out of the arm, staining not only the ground but the cracked bone that stuck out.

The smell quickly invaded my mind and made my body quiver in fear, my only reprieve was that my magic quickly dispersed with the fear, and with it my strong sense of smell. But that also meant my strength was down and I could no longer easily hold the huge arm, so I dropped it and heard the splash of blood and the splintering of bone fragments.

I felt sick. My stomach churned, not with magic, but with disgust at the brutality I just committed. And now my brained instantly swarmed to the idea that Buldo was most likely dead. I just killed this creature.

KRIK

CRACK

KRIK

TOOMPH!!!

I then found myself falling, staring up into the sky as Maelstrom cried out and tried to grab me before an avalanche of rocks split us up and allowed me to fall into the dark of the mountain, alone, in pain, and in disgust.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Minutes Later -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

“MAELSTROM!” I awoke with a start as I remembered her reaching for me. But I was alone in a dark cavern with piles of freshly fallen rocks surrounding me. Wonder if luck is something natural or magic driven, cause I do seem to have lucky breaks a lot.

Though, my luck seemed to end there since lying almost next to me was Buldos severed arm that still spat out tiny splotches of blood every now and then.

“AAAAAH!” I cried out as I scooted my body as far away as I could before smacking into a boulder. I then began to have a staring match at the body part, my stomach quickly remembering the feeling from before but now it was rising faster and faster and the second I felt something reach my throat, I lurched over and began to throw up.

What have I done? I just ripped his god damn arm off! I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to do that! I just wanted to beat him up until he left me alone! Or just knock him out!

I felt my right arm twitch and I instinctively used my left arm to grip my wrist, but that is when I took a look at it and saw the slight burns that had healed over already and I got reminded of the true power of magic in this world. And I have that same potential, to hurt and to kill.

I felt another bit of pile rush up and escape my mouth at that thought. I can't believe I did that. First the timberwolf and now a diamond dog. Why is this happening to me?

I felt the urge to cry but a sudden thought popped into my mind.

Maelstrom!

I have to get back up top and find her and Artemis and I have to get Cloudhoof and meet back up with everyone. I coughed up the last little bit of gunk in my throat before I stood up and slapped myself a little bit, both as a refresher and as a slight punishment to myself.

I saw only one exit and that was right next to the arm, so I had to walk by it again. But as I began to approach it, I noticed that there was something wrapped around the thumb, so I gently moved the hand and saw a small thing of beads. It looked like something a child would give to their parent.

I clenched my fist against its fur as I felt the tears sting my eyes a bit, he had a family! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

I quickly snatched the accessory and walked out before I became a blubbering mess again.

Alright, so lets see here. Left or right? Well, I think right would be better since left is back where we came and that was all cliffs and I could potentially find the holes or whatever the diamond dogs used to get to the surface. Here we go.

WAIT!

What if I run into the rest of the pack? Or its families? Double crap.

If I do run into them, I'll just scare them off and run cause I have had enough death and destruction for today. So with that in mind, I ventured off in search of a way out of this mountain cavern.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ A Few Minutes Later -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

GAH! How in the world did they manage to not bring down this mountain yet? There are holes everywhere! They probably just dug whenever they wanted to go somewhere and had reckless behavior.

Thankfully I have not run into anyone down here, but I still have not gotten anywhere and for the most part, I have gone in a semi-circle. Although, there is one thing that I am kinda curious about. I have not seen a single gem in this whole place.

No treasure room, no diamonds, no rubies, not a single shiny thing. Which means that this mountain has been mined empty or they hid it somewhere. But that is neither here or there, since I am not looking for treasures and bits.

And then take a left and….. GAH! Back here again!?!

Where the hell is anything? This stupid freaking cave system! I bet those stupid side holes that go straight up is how they got to the top. I need to learn how to control my wind magic so I can learn to fly. Then I could just easily zip up and out.

If I don't blow someone away first….. GAH! Why did I remind myself of that! Stupid! Stupid! I gave myself another few smacks to the face before I cleared my head. Alright, just think. Just think. Think. Think. Think! THINK DAMMIT!

I angrily smashed my foot against a rock and sent it flying, but that is when I heard the slight echo of it going down which caught my attention since I never found a place to go down either. So I walked in the general direction of where I kicked it but all I found was an empty little alcove. What the heck?

I was about the head back when I tripped on, surprise surprise, another rock but this time I fell through a secret little hole that opened up the moment I slid down. Sneaky! I bet they had other things like this hidden all around then! I will give them credit for being this smart.

Thankfully this tunnel was more akin to a slide then just a man hole down, cause I didn't feel like having my legs broken as well. So I rode it all the way down and eventually slowed down to a complete stop at the bottom which was dimly lit by some sort of light crystal. But the second I walked to the next room, I saw an even bigger glitter of light.

I found their treasure cove and it was something that even a dragon might be jealous of. Huge piles upon piles of gems lie scattered everywhere, with a few bits here and there but mostly gems of all sizes and types. I could literally swim though this and I am not sure who would be more happier to find these, between Spike and Rarity.

Still something I find weird in this world is the fact that not everyone is super rich when they can just go out somewhere and dig for gems. But that is for another day as I began to look around, I am by no means greedy but seeing this much laying about is giving me a bad case of sticky fingers. And I also possess a bit of hammerspace now, so I don't think a little is too bad.

So after scooping a couple of armfuls of gems into my bag and feeling no added weight, I looked around a bit more and found something strange buried underneath a half done pile of bits. I kicked the pile down below a few times to cause the mass to shift down in order to reveal a pair of giant red and jagged crystals that were joined at the bottom.

Huh. I wonder what this is? And why did the Diamond Dogs have it? Or was it already here when they took over this part of the mountain? I would probably guess the latter. I took a few steps up to it and inspected it when I saw something else very strange. Well, it was what I didn't see that was bothersome. A crystal this large and dark would probably have good reflective properties, yet there was no reflection staring back at me.

I moved closer and closer before I gently laid my hand on it and even then, I saw no sign of a reflection, not even one from the light crystals that lined the walls. I was about to leave when I saw that the lights were slowly dimming and the room grew darker and darker until almost nothing was visible until the lights themselves came shooting out towards me. I was unable to dodge them but thankfully they all harmlessly passed through me and into the crystal that seemed to grow darker in color, almost a blood red.

Nothing seemed to happen but after reading so many books and watching movies, I knew that sometimes it was best to wait a few moments since it usually took a few seconds for something to happen.

And I was right.

For when I turned back around, I saw that there was a cloudy apparition starting to appear in the once blank crystal face. At first I thought it would be my reflection since it was the same height but it soon shrank to almost half my size and was becoming a bit more clearer and clearer with each passing second. After a full minute of waiting, the image was finally clear and I was very surprised to see that it was a small version of me!

But its eyes were still closed, so it was kinda weird but I did a once over and saw my white hair was cut short like how I used to back on Earth but now that I looked closer, my face had a bit more of a square face instead of an oval and my ears seemed a bit more small and rounded. Oh and there was my little stomach bulge! Glad that's gone. Heh.

“Only thanks to magic though” said a voice.

“Who said that?” I asked while I whipped my head around, searching.

“Why, you did!” said that voice again.

“Wha?” I asked in confusion before I turned to face the mirror again, but now its eyes were open and I saw that its eyes were not like my icy blue ones I used to have on Earth but were a dull brown color.

“Yeah, you look a lot different without magic” it said as though finishing up my thought.

“What are you?” I asked.

“I am your reflection, but without any influence of your poisonous magic” it answered.

“My reflection but without magic? But I was already tall before I came to Equestira” I answered back.

“No, I mean no magic whatsoever flowing in your veins from our dear Grandmother Shimmer” it said.

“Wait? So my abnormal height and eye color was due to magic?” I asked in return.

“Yes, that and many other things but most of those are more mental than physical” it said.

“Are you saying that my mentality was also affected by magic?” I asked again.

“In a way, yes. Your mind was more open to the world around you since you had magic from another world flowing through you. So your perception was altered enough to make you standout a bit, though your overall mental state was of course dictated by your experiences in life” it explained.

“I guess that makes sense?” I halfheartedly answered. Freaking magic.

“Heheheh. Magic certainly has made your life more difficult” it said.

“A-are you reading my thoughts?” I asked.

“Well I am you after all” it said.

“Well stop it! It's weird!” I complained.

“No problem, besides. I am here for a reason beyond being a pretty image. I am to show you the error of your life” it stated.

“I know already, I killed that Diamond Dog in cold blood” I admitted with a sad tone.

“You simply defended yourself against a predator that would of gladly torn you apart simply because you didn't posses a gem. Diamond Dogs are ruthless, simple minded creatures. No reason to beat yourself up, figuratively and literally” it said as it pointed to my left cheek, which was the one I had slapped.

“But I should of just knocked it out! I let my magic take control again, even though I know better” I told it.

“Yes, your magic did take control because it is not truly yours. It is something of this world and should of never left. You may have been born with it but you were not meant to wield it. It is a poison that will consume you in the end after you have killed everything else you love and care for” it said with a smirk.

“NO! I would never let it hurt them!” I said while images of Derpy, the girls, and everyone else I have met quickly flashed in my mind.

“But is has already started, the moment you set foot in this world and lived, your poison had already started to spread. Your very existence is A SIN!” it said in a violent tone and the very crystal seemed to shake. “Every time you get to know someone, you spread your disease and lose a bit of yourself along the way”

“L-lose myself?” I said out loud. But inside, I could feel like I knew where this was heading. The figure nodded to me.

“Look at me, this is what a true human looks like. No magic, no enhancements, no tricks or shortcuts. This is what a human looks like. Look” the reflection pointed to the other crystal and I saw my own reflection this time.

I saw what I looked like and I saw how different I looked in comparison, I looked humanoid but with my long hair, swirly eyes, heck even my scars on my arm looked so foreign and my magically toned body really made me look lanky. Right now I still mostly looked like a human, but look at how much I had changed already. Will I look even less human in the months to come? How about years?

“Can you truly even call yourself human anymore? If not, then what are you? What kind of monster are you becoming? Sure, you only killed two creatures out of defense now. But what about in the future? Will you come across a pony and accidentally sneeze out fire? Will a snap of your fingers call down a torrent of lightning to a town? Will kicking a stone cause a tornado to sweep across the land?”

“You have already poisoned your friends, they worry about you every day you are not there to spoil them and love them. Especially one golden haired mare and even a certain musician”

“Derpy and Vinyl? No…. Just-Just be quiet!” I demanded.

“And what about the Princesses of this country? All four have fallen under your spell, especially a certain sunny day princess. And what have you done? Just reject them in order to satisfy your own self-satisfaction and to continue living in loneliness out of self-pity. You could of lived happily as a prince or even in town with any job you could ever want. You could have lived everyday just scratching pony ears and live in wealth!”

“And yet, here you are. On the run with an abandoned daughter, a ruined machine of a forgotten age, a washed up magician, and the pup of a destroyed family, all while leading a group of strays and outcasts in hopes of getting them a better life. Heh. Amusing. How can you help others if you won't even help yourself?” it said with a smug face.

“I said shut up!” I fiercely yelled as I punched the crystal again.

“Ah ah ah. There goes that temper again, that hidden rage that dwells within you. That is one of the last human things left of you, how sad. Getting mad over everything that doesn't go your way and behaving like a spoiled child. Twenty-two years of life and yet you still act like a child. Never able to let go of dear old mother who died because of you. Always yearning to be loved and to have a family” the reflection went on.

“Just stop it! Please!” I begged the relentless spirit.

“NO! I will never stop because I am you and all those feelings you have kept burying underneath the layers and layers of fear you have built over your heart. I am sick and tired of being ignored and I WANT OUT!” the reflection suddenly used its two fists to attempt to smash its way out. “I want to be free! To experience this world in earnest and not let YOU HOLD ME BACK!”

“No! I won't let you! Your too dangerous!” I yelled back.

“HAH! So you admit that you consider yourself a danger to Equestria! Maybe Celestia was on the right path in destroying both you and that mechanical device. After all, you hate her now-”

“NO! I don't hate her! I just-”

“Just what? Mad at her because she was doing what she felt was right and was actually doing the proper thing as a ruler and defender? Well thanks to you, you have rejected her twice. She could have been great, but now you have poisoned her too”

“Anyone would be upset after seeing the one they trust try to kill your friend and then hurt you!”

“And yet you took it to the next level by scorning her, to make sure that she felt pain that you truly never wished to give”

“Well, yeah….. but I-”

“ENOUGH OF YOUR CHILDISH EXSCUSES! Why do you insist that there is rhyme and reason for everything bad happening to you! Face it! LIFE IS MISERABLE AND ONLY POWER WILL GIVE YOU FREEDOM!” the image seemed to distort for a second before it slammed its fists against the glass again. “FREE ME AND ALL YOUR DOUBTS AND SORROW WILL DISSAPEAR! NO MORE NIGHTMARE, NO MORE STRESS, NO MORE FEAR! JUST LET ME OUT AND SAVE YOU!”

“Save…..me?”

“YES! LET ME SAVE YOU FOOL! I CAN GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU DESIRE, I WILL UNLOCK YOUR TRUE SELF AND UNEARTH YOUR INNER MOST FEELINGS. NO LONGER WLL YOU FEEL GUILT OR SADNESS! MY POWER IS MAGNIFICENT AND GLORIOUS AND THE EASIEST PATH TO TAKE! FREE ME AND FREE YOURSELF! DO IT! DO IT NOW!” the reflection finally said at the peak of its speech and smashed its fists again.

What do I do?

Should I accept?

Maybe…. Maybe its right. I just keep digging holes to bury all the bad and hope that only good will remain. But even then, my good doesn't really seem to help and has only caused misery. But, if accept, what will happen to the current me?

“That is simple enough, you will still be you in way but your mind will feel like a dam just collapsed and all these feelings, emotions, and thoughts will come crashing down and mix with your current self. It is not a question of who you would become, but what. You will be stronger, smarter, flexible, more open to the world and all its cruelty. You will be…. Magnificent” the me in the mirror said with confidence.

I looked back at the reflection then I glanced back at me and found myself staring. I would still be me but not just me but better. I could finally find my place and forge my own path, all at the little cost of losing the current me. That didn't seem so bad.

“What do I need to do?” I asked in earnest.

“Break the crystal, shatter it into dust and I will be free to re-enter. Just a little bit of magic and poof! All your problems solved! Pretty easy, eh?” It said in a calm demeanor.

“Almost too easy I would say” I retorted back.

“Its magic, what can I say?” it said with a shrug and I chuckled a little.

“I guess so….” I said as I very slowly drew my arm back and let my magical strength coil into my fist.

“Yes, just like that! Let the magic flow and soak into your arm, don't think about it and do. Your mother would be very proud!” it said as its voice grew higher and higher in excitement.

“What was that?” I asked.

“Your mother! She would be so proud to see that you are taking a major leap forward and becoming a better son!” it honestly said, its eyes only focusing on my drawn back arm.

“Would she?” I asked, mostly to myself. Well, to me me and not mirror me. Wow that's confusing.

“Of course she would! What parent wouldn't want to see their child grow! Sure your taking a more magical route but if she were here, she would say yes!” the facade of the reflection seemed to slowly drain as its hopes and anticipation rode higher and higher.

“What did she say to us? What were her words of comfort that have already saved me one?” I asked with determination.

“You are only human! And what to humans excel at?! Huh!?!” it asked in annoyance.

“We grow and learn from our mistakes” I answered.

“YES! You grow! So let me help you grow! Let me help you grow beyond measure! LET ME BE THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA!” it suddenly shouted with a voice of desperation. I also noticed that its form seemed to ripple again.

“No. This is not growth, this is just cheating and sugar coating my weakness. I need to grow up on my own, no gimmicks or magic tricks” I said as I lowered my fist, allowing my magic to settle back into the natural flow of my body.

“NO! YOUR WRONG! Why do you trust yourself now?! You will regret this later! I know you will! I AM YOU! AND YOU ARE WRONG!” it screamed at me.

“And if I am wrong, that you are wrong as well. Two wrongs don't make it right. I have to walk my own path-”

“YOU DON'T KNOW THE PATH! WHO ARE YOU TO DECIDE WHAT IS WRONG OR RIGHT?!?” it hollered.

“Because I am me! And only me! My life is mine to live! Not yours! I chose to keep you locked up for a reason, and I was a fool to almost talk myself into to unleashing you. So I say enough of these games, I am leaving to find my daughter and continue walking down my own path. Goodbye and good riddance!” I said as I quickly turned on my heel and started to walk back to where I came.

That is when I felt a true chill crawl down my spine, like a huge spider slowly walking down my back. My entire body became covered in goosebumps and I could even taste the vileness in the air that emanated from behind me.

“You will regret this, you will rue the days to come that you did not release me. You pathetic human” said a voice that sounded half like mine and half like another voice. I slowly peaked my head behind my shoulder and saw that the entire crystal was engulfed in darkness but a thin dark blue outline shaped a form covered in armor before it shattered into a million pieces.

But the lights from before that had been gathered inside were now a dark flame that zoomed right into my chest and sank into me. I cried out in pain as the flame burned hotter and hotter inside of me until a ring of light flashed around me that shot out into the dark room and dissipated. Meanwhile the light crystals were slowly regaining their normality as they re-lit the cavern.

As I was starting to feel normal again, my head jolted back as my mind suddenly recalled all prior memories and in my minds eye, I suddenly felt like I could view them through a clearer filter. It was almost like I had been normally been seeing them through a piece of foggy glass but now they were almost as clear as day.

Once that little episode was over, I truly came back to reality and saw that I was back in the treasure room, surrounded by gems, lights, and shattered blood red crystal shards. I took a few moments of reprieve to breath in a few calming breaths and to ascertain if anything else was going to happen. Again.

But after I counted a full sixty seconds and noticed that nothing seemed wrong, I finally took one step forward. And almost face planted.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! What in the?” I asked out loud as I felt my legs fumble in the air. That is when I finally noticed that I was not standing but in fact fact slightly hovering over the pile of gems. “Why am I able to do this now? I haven't properly used this spell yet, so it shouldn't be accessible yet. Much less be able to hover”

I looked down at my feet as I saw a slight blur coming from the soles and I started to experiment a bit by slightly moving my feet in very, very small increments. Right now, if I tilted left or right I kinda rolled in that direction but pointing my toes down does nothing. How do I get down?

“Ugh” I grunted in annoyance. This was not the time to learn how to control new magic. At this I felt my body grew a little bit heavier and I slammed into the ground with an ungraceful stumble. Ok, that was interesting. Without thinking, I instantly surged a little bit of magic into my feet again and I was hovering again. Huh.

“Let's try this” I said to myself as I applied a tiny bit more magic and I did a slight somersault in mid-air before I floated back down to my hover. Interesting, so I guess I need to apply constant pressure to gain height yet my hover is automatic? Guess the magic decided that was a balanced compensation. I ain't complaining.

I gently floated back over to the entrance of this cavern and pushed a ton of magic into my legs, and I skyrocketed back up the tunnel, give or take a few smacks into the wall and having to grip it once cause I decided to cut off the flow. This is gonna take a while to master, well not like I have mastered any magic yet anyway.

But after another two attempts at flying up, I finally found the hidden trapdoor and made it back to where I started. Being lost. Great.

This time however, I now know that there are most likely other hidden doors or entrances and one of those will, hopefully, lead me back to the surface. Now to just find it.

Hidden door number one, dud. Hidden door number two, dud. Number three, two extra paths and both ended up back in the main room. Numbers four through seven, also duds and rewinding paths. Number eight….. are….. are those….. panties? And what is that smell? Oh god. MOVING ON!

Paths after paths lead to either dead ends or secondary splitting tunnels that either lead back to the start or to just other paths, new and old. And now I am lost….. AGAIN! I ended up smacking my head on a nearest wall and groaned, both from the minor pain and out of frustration. Maelstrom is up there, somewhere and I can't freaking find one single tunnel up! Gah! I punched the wall a few times before slumping against some dirt and sighing.

Maybe I could make a new hole? No, I could accidentally cause a cave in. Sigh. Maybe I really am just a cheating human, trying to find shortcuts for everything. I know that this is part of the adventure, but when your daughter is all alone, there is no joy in exploration.

Sigh. No use in sitting and sulking here, I can only press forward and hope for the best.

“A-a-are you trying to find exit?” said a small and timid voice.

Looking around, I saw a tiny pair of yellow eyes peaking out from a hole in the ceiling. I took a tiny step towards them but they quickly retreated back up. So I stayed still for a few moments and saw their eyes again.

“Yes, I am looking for the exit and get back to my friends and family back on the surface” I gently explained.

Now I saw a full head poking out and saw a very young, puppy looking face staring back at me. It had light brown fur with pointed ears that were a little fuzzy. “W-w-will you hurt me?” it asked with a nervous and frightened voice.

“Only if you hurt me, other than that I won't lay a finger on you. I promise” I said with a kind and sincere smile.

I saw the tiny head shake back and forth “Tin would never hurt! Tin too small to do anything. That why others leave Tin behind even though other younglings go out” Tin sadly explained.

“Well, they say that big things come from small packages” I told them.

“Easy for you to say, you already super big” Tin said with a pout.

I laughed a little at that “I guess your right about that, but it doesn't mean its not true. So, where is this mysterious exit? Cause I have been lost for a while” I asked while I scanned the current tunnel I was in.

“E-exit is two l-l-lefts, a right, up two, and then one more left. Tin very surprised you make it this far, diamond dog tunnels are built to confuse” Tin explained.

“I got that feeling after the first minute” I said with a pout this time and I heard a small giggle.

“Tin was watching, Tin found you after hearing strange noise from trove room” they told me.

“I see, well thank you for telling me. I should probably get going then” I told them and waved them goodbye. But before I could move I saw the head quickly become a full body, a small one, as they landed on the ground. They seemed to be about the same size as Spike, though they might be a tiny bit taller since it was hunched over a little. They wore a dark blue, buttoned up long-sleeved shirt and very tiny red shorts.

“Tin show you! Faster this way!” Tin excitingly said, and by looking at their body I assumed that Tin was a boy. When Tin came up to me, he held his hand up to me and said “Take Tins hand, always safer to guide hand in hand” he said with a small smile on his face.

I nodded and bent down a little so he could grab hold, and he grasped my pointer finger as began to 'pull' me in the general direction. So I followed his lead and just like he had said, we made the lefts, right, and slowly made our way up two tunnels and onto the final stretch.

“Look! Look! Sun!” Tin said as he pointed with his free hand. And true enough, I saw a tiny speck of light pouring through a little opening. I stepped towards it but felt Tin let go of my finger, so I looked down in confusion and saw him pawing with his thumbs.

“Tin was told to stay inside and wait for others. Tin don't want to upset” he said with a sigh. I smiled before I bent down and patted his head a few times, which earned me a tiny tail wag. “Tin happy you not mean! Tin tell dad about all about you!”

I gulped nervously at that. “W-what's your dads name?” I asked.

“Mossy! Cause he has green fur! Heehee!” Tin told me while I let out a sigh of relief.

“Well, it was fun meeting you Tin. Stay safe and remember what I told you, big things come in small packages!” I said with a thumbs up. Tin seemed confused by that action but copied it anyway and dug a new hole to leave in. I chuckled again at that before I made though the partially buried exit.

I held my hand up to protect my eyes since they had grown used to the dark, but the second I looked up I saw a panting pegasi lying against a rock.

“Cloudhoof!” I yelled as I ran up to him.

“Boss! I knew you would find me!” he said with a happy grin as he wobbly stood up.

“Careful, you don't look so hot” I told him as he used my leg to support himself.

“I'm alright Boss, thankfully those Diamond Dogs didn't do much to me when they suddenly ran off in pursuit of Barnes. Is everyone ok?” he asked.

“I am sure they are, I had them run ahead with our vanguard and Devi. I stayed behind to fight them off” I briefly told him.

“Wow! Your so cool boss! No wonder we all look up to you!” he exclaimed with a beaming face. It almost brought a small blush to my face.

“Ahem. This is no time for small talk, we need to meet up with everyone as soon as I find Maelstrom and Artemis. We got separated when I fell into the mountain” I quickly explained.

“Yes sir! Just let me get going here” he said before he took flight.

“You going to be ok flying?” I asked.

“Yep! Its only my front leg that hurts, my wings are one hundred percent!” he said.

“That's good to hear, now lets get going. Keep up!” I said before I slowly broke out into a sprint down the only footpath. Which I assumed to be the same one were I did battle and fell in.

It wasn't long before I saw the first fainted dog body and the more we ran, the more fainted groups and clusters of dogs there were.

“Wow Boss, you really pack a wallop! Those dogs certainly barked up the wrong tree with you!” Cloudhoof said with a jovial laugh. Just as I was about to retort, he pointed with his hoof at something. “Look, boss! Up there!”

Looking ahead, I saw a small dust cloud and the sound of cries and claws echoing against stone and rock. “MAELSTROM! ARTEMIS! I'M OVER HERE!” I yelled out mere seconds before having the wind knocked out of me by the cannonball force of my daughter rushing into my arms. I could tell she was crying for me again, since I could feel her fur was all clumped up and matted. While I am ecstatic that she is safe and sound, I felt like such a failure as a father for making my beautiful daughter cry this much.

I was soon joined by a worried Artemis who rubbed up against my leg and whimpered a little. I quickly bent down and petted her, to which I was greeted by a slobbering kiss to the face, nose, and chin. I will never understand how a wooden dog can give wet licks and kisses. But right now I was more happy that all three of them were healthy.

I stroked Maelstroms cheek with my thumb while she continued to cry, but instead of smiling I could only frown. “I'm sorry Maelstrom” I said to her.

“Papa?” she replied back in between sobs.

“Papa made you worried again and even made you cry. I'm so sorry” I quietly said as I felt my emotions start to boil up inside me. But next I felt something soft hugging my neck before tiny pecks covered my cheeks. After the tenth one or so, it was starting to tickle a little and I giggle a bit at the sensation.

I heard Maelstrom giggle with me before returning to her neck hug “There! Now Papa happy again! And when Papa is happy, Mae happy too!” she said with a delightful tune before snuggling into the crook of my neck. Now I was defiantly blushing with a huge grin on my face.

“Aw man, now I'm jealous boss” Cloudhoof said with a pout.

“I ain't kissing you Cloudhoof” I said while I tilted my head back, looking at him with a crooked eyebrow. But the flier simply laughed before he flew ahead of me.

“Come on boss! We gotta get back to the others! I'll go on Sky duty again, you can count on me this time!” he said before he started to patrol the air. I would of said something but I thought about his last choice of words and decided against it. Perhaps he was seeking redemption since he thought he failed last time. But whatever the cause may be, I wasn't going to douse his motivation and spirit. So I followed the gleeful pony while I cradled my loving daughter in my arms while my canine companion barked happily behind me.

I could almost consider it a sort of happy ending for this small adventure.

Almost.

Author's Note:

Hello and welcome back to another THATW adventure! I would like to first apologize yet again for the long wait. We lost six people at work, so a few of us took on more hours to help cover their gap until we could settle it out. So one week I worked 54 hours, needless to say I had little time to write. But enough about real life, onto the fantasy!

So this time Adrian climbs a mountain, battles with Diamond Dogs before battling with himself, and then finds his daughter. But this time our human learns a little more about the dangers of magic, both on the outside and on the inside. But what did the bout with the mirror truly do to Adrian? Especially now that he can use magic that he never used before?

Will the Diamond Dog devastation leave a wound in his mind? Do any of the reflections words hold any meaning? Will Cloudshoof ever get a kiss? Stay tuned next time on The-

Z! Z!

Yes Twilight?

Can I remind them?

-sigh- Go ahead.

Yay! It is only 1 week, 13 days, 11 hours, 5 minutes, and 46 seconds till my speech! I am so excited!

Thank you Twilight..... again. So be sure to stay tuned for the next chapter! And for Twilights eventual speech! Ta ta for now!

Comments

[Infuze Blackhart]

the voice was something like Nightmare Moon i think

[Nameste218]

I got more of a Sombra vibe

[Spockcuster]

yes yes. great chapter, and this is appreciated.

[Akira Dragonborne]

“Excellent! Keep it up everyone” I cheered before I felt my foot bump against another rock. “Rock!”

“Rock!”

“Rock”

“Rock”

“Rock”

[Sunny Milk]

I got into position before summoning my magic and letting is swirl around my body, at the ready. I wonder if I will ever get used to this feeling, of something literally fill your body, every inch of skin, every strand of hair, even places on my body I never normally use or touch becoming full of magic.

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) we were all thinking it