Guardian
The breeze blew gently, caressing Benkei's hooded visage, while the whistle of the wind streaking through the trees served as the dull, constant din behind the steps of the trio. The morning sun was beginning to rise higher and higher into the sky, the rays of light poking through the dense forest canopy, streaming down in golden slivers to illuminate the floor below.
Strange noises echoed throughout the forest, some being identifiable as the cheeps of birds, while others were harder to distinguish. Growls and howls filled the forest with a cacophony of natural noise that, while chaotic was soothing in it's own way, at least to Benkei. Fluttershy on the other hand trembled slightly as she walked behind Twilight, her hooves plodding across the soft dirt of the battered path, while her eyes darted nervously about, trying to locate anything that might be dangerous.
Twilight was at the forefront of the group, trotting along cautiously, but without fear. She glanced over her shoulder, stealing a glance at Benkei who walked with one of his hand's by his sword, while his remaining hand's thumb was hooked in the leather strap of his naginata. He wore the same warm, inviting smile he usually did, swiveling his head about to drink in the sights and sounds of the forest. He didn't seem at all disturbed by the fact that the forest grew on its own, and had its own weather, without a single pony intervening. She shuddered just thinking about how strange the Everfree was, and recoiled back slightly when a bone chilling howl echoed through the forest.
Benkei was certainly a strange individual, not just in the fact that he was a human, but because he always seemed so calm. Nothing seemed to faze him, even as another bone chilling howl echoed through the forest, sending Fluttershy scuttling towards Twilight hurriedly. He just smiled a bit more, almost as if he was enjoying the terrifying nature of the forest, relishing in the untamed and feral beauty of it.
It was slightly disconcerting to her, but she took comfort in the fact that he was on her side, more or less. Despite her initial apprehensions about Benkei, she couldn't help but feel a bit safer with the gentle giant around.
She cracked a slight smile, returning her gaze to the path in front of her. Her fur rustling slightly in the breeze, as the wind picked up for a moment. She wracked her brain for a moment, trying to estimate how much farther Zecora's hut was, while continuing on the path a bit slower than before. She approximated the time they'd spent walking since they'd left her castle at about ten minutes tops, and estimated that they'd be close to her hut within the next half hour.
It befuddled Twilight why anyone would want to live in such a strange and unforgiving place, but she had a secret respect for Zecora's independence and bravery she displayed just by choosing to reside in the Everfree. It also helped that Zecora was much more experienced than her, and brought a different perspective to each situation, often opening Twilight's eyes to answers that would have eluded her otherwise. She plodded down the dirt path a bit further, before she could hear the running of water.
She cantered out a bit farther ahead of Fluttershy, checking to make sure they were on the right path, and sighing in relief when she saw the flowing river huddled up beside the elevated dirt road. She stopped for a moment, letting the sounds of the forest sink in while Fluttershy scurried up beside her as another howl shook the forest. Benkei proceeded calmly behind Fluttershy, scanning the thick brush on each side of the trail with intent, before fixing his gaze on the stream, and instantly realizing where he was.
He hadn't been sure at first, for he hadn't taken much care on his first trip through the forest, his contemplation clouding his mind at the time, and making him forget certain landmarks. But, as he marched slowly behind the two ponies, the river's current adding to the din of the forest, he was certain he was on the same path he had taken on his exit out of the forest.
Benkei wasn't entirely sure, but after observing how the ponies had initially reacted to him, especially the way Twilight had looked at his weapons with utter disgust and revilement, he was fairly sure they'd find anything to do with death reprehensible. He groaned inwardly, his mind flashing back to the serpentine creature he had slain earlier that same day, trying to pinpoint exactly where he had left its body so that he might be able to steer the ponies away from it. Fluttershy and Twilight especially were both smart ponies, and even if they weren't well read in war or weaponry, he was almost certain they'd be able to tell the difference between the clean slice of a blade, and the vicious, uneven tears of a predator.
His mind began to try and formulate something, anything he could do to avert a crisis, should they find the body. He let his mind toil away, looking for solutions, as he walked absentmindedly behind Fluttershy. He broke his thoughts for a moment, noticing that Twilight and Fluttershy had stopped dead in their tracks at a sharp turn in the dirt path.
Memories instantly came flooding back of the general spot where he had slain the creature, and as he scanned the area intently, eyeing the river to his right, he realized they were very close to where the body was likely to be. He was a good few feet behind Fluttershy, who was frozen in place, eyes wide, while Twilight remained just as unmoving.
Benkei sauntered up beside Fluttershy, readying himself to tackle the situation, eyeing her softly, and bracing himself for how they might react. He came up right beside Fluttershy, standing just a few inches to her right, in between her and Twilight. While there was certainly a situation to be handled, it was not the one Benkei had imagined.
Standing there, just off to the side of the curved dirt path, was a giant, muscular canine, standing on its hind legs. Its legs were short and stocky, just as its overall body structure was. However, its arms were massive, meaty things that it was walking on, much like a gorilla would. It's mouth opened slightly as it snarled at them, revealing uneven, yellowed teeth that appeared to be covered in a dark, red liquid.
Benkei looked down at its feet, only to see the serpentine animal he had killed earlier, with several chunks of flesh torn out of it, the red liquid seeping slowly out of it. He returned his gaze to the wolf like creature before him, eyeing the matted silvery fur that covered it from head to toe. He glanced up to it's floppy ears, before darting his eyes back to its massive arms, noticing the fearsome claws that were now protruding from each of it's fingertips.
Benkei stepped forward, releasing his hands from where they were positioned, and pushing Twilight and Fluttershy behind him with just enough force to get them to comply. He returned his hand to his sword, ready to draw it at the slightest provocation.
He sized up the creature once more, eyes fixing on it's apparel. It wearing a makeshift set of armor, a dented breastplate several sizes too small for it was fastened around its chest, while a ragged and dirty looking vest hung open, its pockets overflowing with various odds and ends. He spied a red, glowing gemstone fastened around it's neck to what appeared to be a gemstone studded collar.
The beast growled and snarled once more, inching forward, rearing up on its hind legs fully, letting its giant arms remain fixed in a striking position, poised to eviscerate Benkei. It bore its blood soaked teeth more prominently in an attempt to intimidate Benkei, to no avail. The beast shuffled forward, while Benkei reached for his katana's grip, readying himself for the confrontation. Yet, just as he was about to step forward and draw, he felt a tug at his leg.
He quickly glanced over to Fluttershy who was shaking her head vigorously, and mouthing the word "no" to him repeatedly. He blinked hard, returning his gaze to the canine, and releasing his grip on his katana. He nudged Fluttershy backwards, as he planted his feet firmly into the ground, removing his hood, and staring straight into the beast's yellowed eyes.
The two of them stood there for a moment, trying to psyche one another out in different ways. The dog's snarls and aggressive pose did nothing to faze Benkei, despite it being just as large as he was. Benkei's silent and calm demeanor did not seem to impact the dog too much either, as it continued to edge closer, now only a few feet away from Benkei.
The creature stepped forward slightly, it's face lighting up with the small streak of sunlight penetrating the tree cover above. The light accentuated its sharp, canine features, enhancing its menacing posture, and forcing Fluttershy to back up even further, nearly falling off of the dirt path and into the river behind her. Benkei stared down the creature for a moment more, the cacophony of the forest serving as the base for the creature's loud snarls.
The canine abruptly broke the gaze as he lunged forward, leaping into the air with a powerful jump, its arms outstretched, and its claws ready to tear into Benkei. Benkei readied himself, lifting both of his arms up so that they crossed each other diagonally, to form a blocking stance, his lacework forearm armor clattering against one another as he brought his arms up swiftly and forcefully.
He dug his armored tabi sandals into the earth a bit more, as he awaited the beast's impact, which never came. He lowered his arms hesitantly, looking up at the creature violently clawing and kicking the magical purple bubble that was surrounding it, in a futile attempt to escape. Benkei chuckled lightly to himself at the sight, before glancing over his shoulder, noticing that Twilight's horn was aglow with the same magenta aura as it had been in the library. He smiled to himself, still confused as to how exactly Twilight was able to perform such fantastical feats, but glad none the less that she could.
Twilight whirled her head around, the purple bubble shifting with her gaze, as she positioned the beast directly over the river, a good dozen feet high up in the air. She let her eyes drift to Fluttershy for approval, who nodded reluctantly for her to let the dog drop.
But just as Twilight was about to release the spell, the canine ceased it's fit of anger, and cocked its head upwards, looking up at the sky, and inhaling deeply. It let out a fierce howl that shook the trees as birds scattered and fled the immediate area, the screeching sound cutting into Twilight and Fluttershy, while Benkei looked on, still ready to intervene should anything go awry.
Twilight shook her head slightly as the howl ended, releasing the spell on the canine. It snarled and thrashed about in the air for a moment, grasping at nothing desperately, and shifting its trajectory. It smacked into the river below, its back impacting the surface first, as one of it's shoulders smashed into a sharp rock jutting out from the stream. The canine sank slightly, its head submerging for a moment, as the water began to turn red. The diamond dog's head popped back up, as blood pervaded the immediate area around the injured dog, while the stream carried away the red liquid slowly.
Twilight began backpedaling, bumping into Benkei, who proceeded in front of her, making sure to put himself between the canine creature and his friends. He smiled slightly at he thought, at how he regarded them as his friends even in passing. Dispelling the unnecessary and frivolous thought, he returned his focus to the creature, who simply stared at him apathetically, before cracking a smile.
The dog's toothy grin slowly expanded into a downright maniacal smile, plastered across it's face as it tread water in the fairly deep river. It tilted its head slightly, staring straight at Benkei, who still wasn't unnerved by it. A rustling behind Benkei caused him to jerk his head to look over his shoulder, even as the soaked canine began laughing evilly.
Benkei turned around fully to face the source of the rustling, coming from a thicket of brush beside the curve in the road. He eyed the shifting undergrowth intensely, managing to spot a pair of yellow eyes peering through it. He glanced slightly to the left, to where the crunching of twigs and leaves was echoing from, only to find another pair of yellow eyes, peeking out from behind a tree a few dozen feet away.
Fluttershy shifted uneasily, scooting up beside Benkei, as Twilight did the same, her horn aglow with her magenta aura. Benkei was about to reach for his sword, before remembering that Fluttershy had essentially ordered him to not harm them. Still, he smirked in anticipation, ready for a good brawl.
The three remained where they were, taking as best a defensive stance as they could huddled up to one another, as dozens of yellow eyes began to pop up all around them, accompanied by the burly figures of the same canine like creature as the one in the river, still cackling hysterically. Each dog had a collar fastened around its neck, with a single, deep red, sparkling ruby gemstone dangling from it. Every single creature's claws were extended to their full length, and they were all standing completely on their hind legs. Their scavenged and ramshackle armor sets glinted dully in the few spots of light that managed to penetrate the canopy of the Everfree, as they all bore their teeth with equal malice, all directed squarely at Benkei.
Benkei furrowed his brow, realizing just how many of them were surrounding him. He counted two dozen, possibly three dozen of them encircling him, and grinned, genuinely excited for the upcoming fight.
Twilight eyed Benkei's smile out of the corner of her eye, and couldn't help but cringe at the thought of him enjoying this. She shook her head, redirecting herself to concentrating on charging up a powerful radial pulse, her horn engulfed in her magenta magical aura that grew brighter and larger by the second, prompting the canines to make a move.
"Diamond dogs! Kill," a gruff, slightly distorted voice shouted from behind them, its words laced with malice and anger. Twilight quickly glanced over her shoulder, at the diamond dog still treading water with one arm, and pointing his other hand at them maliciously, a wicked look on his face. Twilight snorted in anger, her face contorting into a furious glare.
The horde of diamond dogs lunged forward, some of them recklessly charging Benkei while running on all four, some sprinting towards him on their hind legs, arms outstretched and claws extended, while others leaped into the air, massive fists ready to pummel him. Twilight snorted once more in anger, before whipping her head around once, and letting the spell run its course.
A massive explosion of magenta light blinded the oncoming diamond dogs, the intense and vibrant energy smashing into each and every one of them, as it sent them sprawling backwards into the dirt. Some impacted trees with cracking thuds, while a few tumbled and sputtered into the river behind her. All shared the same fate of being knocked aside as the burst of energy subsided, the arcane wisps of magic lingering around Twilight for a moment before dissipating.
Benkei simply stood there, dumbfounded at the amazing power such a seemingly harmless creature wielded. He shook his head in disbelief, as an overjoyed smile overtook his features. He chuckled heartily in the aftermath of the shockwave, pleasantly surprised by the alicorn's show of power.
Perhaps there might be a warrior within them yet ...
Twilight was visibly sweating, as she panted audibly, standing weakly as she recovered her strength. Benkei glanced over to her, giving her an approving nod, and a big smile, before coming out of his slightly hunched forward stance, standing at his full height. He swiveled his head to meet Fluttershy's emotive eyes, their nervousness conveying to him, no begging him not to do anything reckless. He closed his eyes and nodded respectfully to her, before returning his gaze to the scene before him.
He brought both his hands up to his waist, and cracked all the knuckles on his left hand in unison, before doing the same with his right. He rolled his head around momentarily, before returning to his fighting stance, and preparing himself.
The diamond dogs had begun to recover from their stunned state, righting themselves and standing back up fully, with a renewed sense of hatred in their beady eyes. Rusty and ill maintained armor screeched and clattered against itself as dozens of the dogs stood up, ready to renew their assault. Their eyes burned with a lust for blood, and their claws were extended to their full length, sharp and crude instruments of savagery.
Benkei looked down at the ground, muttering something to himself, before looking back up, digging his feet into the ground, a determined and disturbingly excited look in his eyes. A dozen diamond dogs roared in anger, snarling ferociously, as they rampaged towards him recklessly. Benkei quickly glanced behind him, giving Twilight a determined look, before bracing for the first beast.
Twilight caught Benkei's quick glance briefly, uneasily nodding and gulping nervously, as she returned her focus to covering her side of the path. Several diamond dogs rampaged towards her on all fours, a rabid look in their eyes. Her horn glowed with her usual magenta aura, as she channeled a salvo of concussive blasts directed at the incoming mutts, the powerful beams of energy smashing into the ground around the diamond dogs, sending them flying backwards, howling defiantly. She whipped her head around to aim another blast at a dog approaching her from her left, and managed to catch a glimpse of Benkei as she let loose another accurate energy blast.
A diamond dog streaked past Benkei, as he sidestepped a wide lunge in a blur of motion. The diamond dog had overstepped in his expectation of hitting Benkei, leaving his backside completely exposed as he tried to recover from the lunge. Benkei exploited his careless mistake, ramming his elbow down into the beast's back, slamming it into the ground with earth shattering force.
Another two beasts immediately took the downed diamond dog's place, rushing Benkei from his left and right. Benkei gracefully returned to his stance, as the two dogs ran at him, only inches from him. In a lightning quick motion, Benkei swiveled on one of his legs, smashing his fist into the leftmost dog's face, before jerking his arm back forcefully, catching the right dog smack dab in his muzzle. Both dogs tumbled backwards, the jarring force of Benkei's piston like action leaving them dazed and sprawled out across the ground.
Another half a dozen diamond dogs was hurtling straight at Benkei in a wide arc in front of him, their arms ready to smash him to pieces. Benkei quickly gripped his naginata, pulling it off of himself in a quick, fluid motion, without removing the wooden sheath covering the blade. As the pack of diamond dogs closed on Benkei, he stepped forward forcefully, slamming his foot into the ground with such force that it stumbled the oncoming wave of attackers.
The six unlucky canines tripped and stumbled directly into the butt of Benkei's naginata, their jaws cracking with force as he whirled it around in a sweeping crescent arc, sending them flying backwards. One dog impacted a tree with such force that the tree sagged slightly backwards in response.
By this point, the dogs were in full on assault mode, as they swarmed Benkei from all sides viciously trying to get a good slash in. Twilight fired off a torrent of concussive blasts, temporarily stunning the advancing canines, and sending them spinning through the air, before slamming into the ground , and rolling a few times from the sheer momentum.
Meanwhile Benkei was a blur of frenzied motion, deflecting incoming attacks, as he laughed heartily, thoroughly enjoying the battle. He had a crazed look in his eyes as he slammed the butt of his naginata into jaw after jaw, repelling every attacker with a beautifully violent fighting style. He was a veritable whirlwind with his naginata in hand, spinning and repositioning it around himself masterfully and smashing dogs aside with incredible force and accuracy. Within a few seconds of the onslaught, the majority of the diamond dogs lay on the ground, unconscious from the sheer power of Benkei's blows.
The last few dogs ran at Benkei and Twilight, as Fluttershy sandwiched herself between the two, trembling fearfully. Benkei whirled his naginata like a fan in front of him as three crazed mutts slashed furiously at him, the rapidly moving weapon sending each one recoiling backwards in pain upon trying to slash through the weapon. Benkei seized the opportunity dashing forward to punch one dog in the face forcefully, while he swatted another aside with butt of his naginata, sending both tumbling backwards several feet.
The final dog on Benkei's side inched back slowly as Benkei looked at him tauntingly, motioning with his left hand to bring it. He even chuckled lightly to himself, as he stared down the diamond dog. The two remained locked where they were for a moment longer, before the diamond dog smiled slyly and lunged forward.
Twilight shot off another blast of energy at the last diamond dog on her side, the concussive blast missing him by a few inches. The dog leaped at her arms outstretched, and she threw up a quick barrier of purple energy in front of her, while she readied another blast. She looked up in surprise, as the dog soared over her, landing on Benkei's backside, and wrapping its massive arms around him, trying to pull him towards the ground.
Twilight attempted to turn and warn him, only to be pounced on by another mutt that had recovered from one of her concussive blasts. She threw up a shield around herself, struggling to force the dog off of herself as it clawed and punched the magenta barrier, the construct beginning to crack.
Benkei was caught off guard by the attack from behind, as the dog on his back attempted to dig its claws into his chest, to no avail, his masterwork armor easily resisting such crude weaponry. He stumbled backwards as Fluttershy scurried away from Benkei, tripping over a nearby diamond dog that was downed.
Benkei managed to just barely repel the wide, sweeping slashes of the diamond dog in front of him, stumbling the canine momentarily, giving Benkei just enough time to try and wrestle the other mutt off of his back. He rocked forwards, and then backwards forcefully, forcing the dog to swing upwards slightly, giving Benkei enough space to smash his elbow into the dog's ribcage. The mutt recoiled in pain as he released his grasp, tumbling off of Benkei, and onto the ground, writhing in agony.
Benkei turned to finish off the diamond dog, or rather, to knock him out with the butt of his naginata. As he was about to bring the staff like weapon down forcefully, his eyes fixed on Twilight a few feet away. The diamond dog assaulting her smashed through the arcane barrier with a forceful punch, sending rapidly disintegrating shards of magenta energy skittering across the forest floor. The punch connected with Twilight's face, dazing her and rendering her unable to focus on another spell.
Benkei's eyes exploded in anger, smashing his naginata into the chest of the writhing dog beneath him, and feverishly dashing over to Twilight, clutching his naginata in one hand, as he desperately reared back his other arm, preparing for a powerful punch. Just as the mutt on top of her was about to sink its claws into her flesh, Benkei impacted his face with ten times the force of any one of his previous moves.
The dog's head crumpled inwardly, as Benkei's fist had lodged itself firmly in it's cranial cavity, the shattering crack of it's skull resounding through the forest with a harsh screech. He was panting slightly as he stood, hunched over an injured Twilight, blood from the wound dripping onto Twilight's coat below, staining her fur red. He looked at the diamond dog impaled on his hand, and shook his head slightly, sighing in exasperation. He hadn't meant to hit him that hard, but he couldn't help himself, seeing that filthy beast hurting Twilight.
Benkei stood up fully, lifting the irrefutably dead diamond dog impaled on his fist away from him with a grim expression on his face, before bending down just enough so that he was able to kick the corpse off of his hand. While Benkei had no qualms about taking a life when it was necessary, he knew it upset his pony companions greatly, looking at Twilight's dazed expression of shock. He returned to his full height, and took in the scene around him, the fire in his eyes still burning bright as ever.
Dozens of the canines lay scattered about the dirt path and in the nearby thickets of brush, most of them out cold, unmoving. A few shifted uneasily, weakly trying to lift themselves off the ground, but to no avail, especially as Benkei shot them a glare of encouragement, practically asking them to get back up, so he could beat them into submission again.
But Benkei's fiery eyes died for a moment, as he glanced over to Fluttershy, looking at him with tears in her eyes. She eyed the dead diamond dog uneasily, shaking her head in disbelief. She knew they would have killed her and Twilight if Benkei hadn't stopped them, but even so, she couldn't hold back her tears upon seeing a dead body, no matter who's it was. Life was sacred in Equestria, especially to ponykind, and even more so to the compassionate and caring soul that was Fluttershy. Seeing the limp, lifeless corpse of the diamond dog drove her to tears, as she started to approach Twilight to help her up.
Benkei looked at the ground, his smile dying, as he once again examined the aftermath of the brawl, this time looking at it in a much more grim light, letting the pained groans of the injured cut into him more deeply than they normally did. He had spent most of his life on the battlefield, and comparable to some of the sheer carnage he had seen before, the scene before him was nothing more than the result of a good sparring session. He closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply and contemplating the fact that in this new land, he was going to have to dial back his warlike tendencies, especially when it came to the brutally efficient methods of fighting he employed.
But as he opened his eyes, he was greeted by an infuriating sight, while his ears practically bled at the sound of Fluttershy shrieking for help. A downed diamond dog had gripped her leg as she had began trotting over to Twilight, and was now pulling her down towards him, even as she struggled and strained against its firm grip, trying to use her wings to give her the extra force needed to break free.
Benkei's eyes instantly reignited with a passionate flame as he dashed over to Fluttershy, readying another powerful punch. He didn't care if he killed him, he wanted him off of her now. In mid stride though, another mutt on the forest floor managed to outstretch his arm, tripping Benkei and sending him tumbling into the dirt as his naginata skidded away from him, and over to Twilight, who was still moaning in pain, trying to roll over and stand. Benkei immediately slammed his foot back into the offending diamond dog, a satisfying crunch signifying that he had broken the impudent dog's jaw.
As he leaped up, frantically trying to recover from his place on the floor, the diamond dog that had a grip around Fluttershy's back hoof forcefully tugged her down, and straight into a staggering punch that instantly knocked her out, her body twitching for a moment before going limp, and falling to the ground.
Benkei's eyes widened in horror, as his entire body shook, and his furious, labored breathing could be heard dozens of feet away. Then, suddenly, everything stopped. The wind in the trees halted, the pained groans of the diamond dogs ceased, the flowing of the river was no longer audible.
The world seemed to be getting paler by the moment, color draining from everything around Benkei, as he trembled for a moment longer, and then stopped, standing at his full, imposing height, completely still.
Twilight looked on through her blurred vision, and managed to make out Benkei calmly lifting his hood over his face, before bringing his right hand down to grasp the grip of his katana on his left. She shook her head, trying to sputter out anything that would make him stop, but it was too late. By this point, the entire scene, the vibrant green trees, the crystal clear blue waters, the dirty brown or silver fur of the diamond dogs, had all faded to completely white. Everything around Twilight was completely white, including herself, as she looked down at her stark white hooves, the color having drained out of everything.
But Benkei remained in full color, his black armor glinting magnificently, his entire body painted with ominous shadows that accentuated his features. He slowly turned his head to look behind him at Twilight, his face completely shrouded in shadows.
He had no eyes. In their place were only red orbs of glowing red energy that pulsated and had wisps of translucent energy streaming off of them. Twilight's heart skipped a beat upon seeing those same, ghastly eyes as in her mind earlier, their terrifyingly vibrant color contrasting starkly against the all white scene.
Benkei turned his head back to face Fluttershy, and her diamond dog attacker, who were both frozen in time. Suddenly massive wings of shifting and ethereally flowing light exploded into existence on Benkei's back, aweing Twilight even more, and making the experience all the stranger.
Twilight was about to blink, when she saw Benkei move forward slowly, drawing his katana, and grasping it with both hands firmly. She looked on, very afraid now, as Benkei practically teleported around the battleground, the only indication that he had even moved to a certain spot, a streak of frenzied and blurred black motion. He continued dashing around in a whirlwind of activity that hurt to even look at, his black motion lines he left behind after moving appearing at every downed diamond dog, before he finally came to a halt in front of Fluttershy's diamond dog.
Twilight noticed that his katana was now drenched in blood, the entire blade dripping with the stuff, the incredibly vibrant red life force standing out almost sickeningly so against the pure white world. She blinked, as if she were in slow motion, the action requiring several seconds to complete fully, and when she opened her eyes back up, the world had regained its color in full.
However, she almost wished it hadn't, as she noticed the giant pools of blood from each and every diamond dog seeping into the earth, and rolling downhill into the river, sometimes even combining with the amassed pools of blood from other fallen mutts. She whirled her head around, realizing that every single dog had a deep gash their throat. She nearly vomited upon seeing the massive amounts of blood gushing from the fatal wounds, every single canine body laying unmoving, their fur becoming stained with their own blood.
Benkei silently walked over to the edge of the path, kneeling down beside the river, and dipping his blade in, letting the current carry away the blood covering his sword. He held up the katana, letting the blade glint in the sunlight, and letting him see his own eyes in the shiny reflection. He dried the blade on part of his shawl, before sheathing it calmly, and walking over to pick up his naginata by Twilight.
She tried to push herself away from Benkei, thoroughly terrified of him now. His eyes had returned to normal the warm inviting look in them scaring her more than his red eyes ever could have. He smiled gently as he picked up his naginata, slinging it over his back, fastening the leather strap across his chest. He knelt down enough so that could offer Twilight a hand.
She trembled fearfully, hesitantly taking his hand as he helped her to his feet, gently pulling her onto her haunches, and letting her do the rest. She was visibly shaking, not just from the forceful punch she had received earlier, but from the sheer terror she was experiencing being around Benkei.
She was breathing heavily, as she watched Benkei stride over to Fluttershy, kneeling down beside her, and lingering there for a moment. He swiveled and craned his head around several times, inspecting Fluttershy, looking her over and scanning for signs of trauma, the bruise on her cheek upsetting him greatly. He ran his hand along the top of her head, and then down her back, checking to make sure she had suffered no injury to her spine. He lifted his hand up, and away from her, examining her neck and the curve of her back closely, before determining that she was safe to move. He squinted his eyes cautiously for a moment, before concluding that she had suffered no major injuries, but the bruise on her cheek still gnawed at him, reminding him that he would have to be quicker next time.
Benkei gingerly lifted her up into his comforting arms, before standing back up to his full height, and walking back over to Twilight, the wind pushing Benkei's hood down as he did so. His wings had also vanished, and he was back to normal, complete with his calm demeanor, endearing eyes, and gentle smile.
Twilight's eyes were bugging out as she tried to remain calm, still thinking about what had just happened, her face contorted into a shocked and confused expression, reeling from the metallic stench of blood permeating the air. She had never seen anything like what Benkei had done before. Normal magic didn't even come close to that kind of effect, and as far as she knew, chaotic and dark magic didn't either. It genuinely had her stumped, her breathing beginning to calm down as she got a hold of herself and tried to reason away the situation. After all, the diamond dogs would have killed her and Fluttershy, had Benkei not helped, but even so, the thought of him killing them in cold blood like he did, and then returning to his calm, happy state frightened her beyond belief. It's almost like there was a disconnect of some sort within Benkei.
Dispelling the startling thoughts from her mind, Twilight looked up at Benkei, who was standing over her, Fluttershy's unmoving body held lovingly in his arms. He looked at her intensely, his eyes asking for her to lead the way.
Twilight gathered herself for a moment, still uneasy about being so close to Benkei, before nodding weakly, and gulping down her emotions. She rubbed her aching face for a moment with one hoof, trying to relieve some of the pain, before walking past Benkei, and continuing down the dirt path. She could hear Benkei's heavy footsteps behind her, and every one made her cringe with fear, as her mind began drifting to Fluttershy.
She wished she could help her, but Twilight knew that her best bet was to get to Zecora's hut, and ask for some of the healing potions she regularly sold to Fluttershy, in order to care for her animals. Twilight wasn't particularly adept at healing magic, and even then, she was in no position to argue with Benkei's wishes, especially after what she had just witnessed.
As they continued down the beaten path, leaving the grizzly scene behind them, Twilight's mind began to overanalyze the instance where Benkei's eyes turned red, and he sprouted ethereal wings, likening their movement and appearance to that of Celestia's mane. She shuddered thinking about the whole debacle, but her mind forced her to go back and contemplate it as she slowly and absentmindedly continued walking down the path, Benkei's loud steps the only thing anchoring her to reality.
She considered for a moment as her thoughts were running amok, that maybe, just maybe what she had witnessed wasn't magic. After all, Benkei was a human, and as far as she was taught, they had no access whatsoever to even the simplest forms of magic, regardless of who they were. It completely befuddled her as to what that draining of colors could have been. Even the incredibly potent chaos magic Discord had used on them long ago had only grayed the colors of her and her friends, and even then, it didn't literally suck the color out of the entire world , like Benkei had seemed to do.
Wracking her brain, Twilight considered a ridiculous, completely preposterous, absolutely impossible answer. How could anyone, let alone a non magic user like a human accomplish such amazingly fantastical, science defying feats that even magic couldn't accomplish?
As her hooves crunched over some dead leaves on the dirt path, Twilight had an epiphany regarding Benkei's origins. She considered for a moment that Benkei might not actually be the same kind of human from legend, but rather one from the alternate mirror world of Equestria, the one where Sunset Shimmer and the Sirens had battled against her. All this time, she had been assuming that Benkei was a different sub species of human, due to his radically different appearance, but the thought that he might be from the mirror world struck her hard in that moment, worming her way into her brain, and refusing to leave, despite Twilight being almost sure Benkei wasn't that kind of human. Yet, it only seemed logical that he might be, seeing as in that world, the "humans", did indeed have access to magic, if not as readily available as in this Equestria, which would explain what had just happened somewhat.
But there was something about Benkei that just screamed at Twilight that he just wasn't from that world. From the way he carried himself, to the strange language he spoke, to the equally odd armor and clothing he wore, not to mention the exotic weapons he carried. He wasn't like anything she had seen in her time at Canterlot High, and that was just going off of physical traits. She couldn't imagine someone like him originating from a largely peaceful world like that, which mirrored her own in too many ways to be able to produce such a bizzare and strange individual like Benkei, who , as she had just witnessed was incredibly adept at fighting and combat. She pondered for a moment, that perhaps Benkei hadn't been using magic, and was simply that skilled in the art of warfare. She shuddered at the very thought of a non magic user surpassing the power of a mage.
Refocusing her thoughts on her theory, she remembered that everything in Equestria had a counterpart in the mirror world, and even with her extensive knowledge, she couldn't think of a single figure that could be Benkei's double.
Then, with a roll of her eyes and a slight sigh, she suddenly realized that the entire train of thinking was void , seeing as Benkei had remained human, even after coming to Equestria, unlike how she and Sunset Shimmer had morphed into "humans" upon their arrival in the other world, and how Twilight had changed back into a pony upon her return.
Discarding the thought that Benkei might be using some form of magic from the mirror world, she found herself completely stumped as to what that incident had been, nor had she any idea as to what caused it. Sighing inwardly at all of her unanswered questions and musings, Twilight elected to put it all aside until they arrived at Zecora's hut. Twilight glanced over her shoulder at Benkei who was still smiling gently, looking down at the unconscious Fluttershy with a protective look in his eyes. Twilight recognized that spark, that fire in his expression instantly, forcing her to soften her expression. It wasn't the look of a killer, or of a heartless villain, it was the look of a father.
Twilight finally understood. Benkei would do anything to protect her and Fluttershy, the same way a father would throw himself in harm's way to defend his children. It was kind of odd, and a little creepy thinking about it like that, but at least it soothed Twilight's soul, putting her worries to rest for the time being.
Thinking about it like she was, Twilight was instantly much more at peace with having Benkei around. She tried to equate him to something else, thinking back to those enchanting, strange wings that he had possessed while the world had been all white. With his hood draped over his head, and his face shrouded in shadow like he had been, Benkei reminded her a great deal of a guardian angel.
She thought about it intensely, putting the pieces together, from the heavenly wings, to protecting them unflinchingly, to just the way he treated Fluttershy and her. Yet, those red eyes of his had to have meant something as well. But she couldn't grasp their meaning just yet, focusing on the one idea she did have in mind; of Benkei being a guardian angel.
Yet she had her doubts, knowing that guardian angels were beings of magic and mystery, and were most certainly not humans. Humans couldn't possibly manifest themselves as a true guardian angel, for they had no way of harnessing or using magic. This idea made Twilight's mind jump back to her days at Canterlot High, in the mirror world of Equestria.
She had encountered "humans" in her travels to Canterlot High, but Benkei was just so different from them that he couldn't possibly be related to them. This whole time she had been going off of the assumption that they were two different subspecies, for a number of reasons, not the least of which being Benkei's fairly tame skin tone, compared to the humans she had encountered in the mirror world. Compounded on top of this was the clothing, armor, and weapons Benkei carried, being reminiscent of more ancient times, whereas Canterlot High's level of advancement was far beyond even her world in terms of sheer technological might, which made up for their lack of easy to harness magic.
As for the ethereal wings Benkei had sprouted, Twilight had her theories. She mulled over the possibility that his brief transformation might be related to the jarring punch Fluttershy had taken. It confused her, and yet she sort of understood it. She remembered how she and her friends defeated Tirek with the power of friendship, prompting a short lived transformation between her and all her friends. She began to see the connection between the two instances, seeing that both transformations were powered by an idea. Hers had been fueled by the power of friendship, but she was unsure of what Benkei's had been prompted by. Revenge? Violence? War itself perhaps? She couldn't be sure, but at the very least, she was on to something more feasible than Benkei being a guardian angel.
But as the two rounded another sharp curve in the battered dirt path, Benkei's wings flickered into existence for the briefest of moments, before he disappeared behind the cover of trees, his wings vanishing.
Yet, as the two continued on towards Zecora's house, a constant stream of thuds came from behind them, as the sound of heavy paws on dirt slowly got softer and softer, the rustling of brush dissipating as the footsteps faded into the forest's din as if it were fleeing from them. Benkei heard the frantic footsteps scuttling away from him, and his expression suddenly darkened, a vengeful look overtaking his eyes. He instantly realized he had missed one; the mutt that Twilight had thrown into the river. He contemplated setting Fluttershy down and going after the fleeing dog, but decided against it, eyeing the unconscious Fluttershy he carried gingerly in his arms. She need him now, more than ever.
Benkei's thoughts drifted into dark territory for a moment, as he pondered new and visceral ways he could dispatch the wretched dogs to try and instill fear in them. An old saying he had heard numerous times during the Genpei wars was that 'The most effective way to kill a man, is to slice through the soldier next to him.' It wasn't just about killing the vile beasts physically, but about crippling them mentally too, which in turn made it easier to dispatch them, or even have them give up fighting all together
He continued to mull over the many brutally violent ways he could dispose of the dogs should they confront him again. After all, killing them was only part of the equation, a means to an end so to speak. It wasn't his intention to exterminate them entirely, but rather to get them to leave him and his friends alone, although he'd be sure to relish every kill after what they had done to Fluttershy. It wasn't just about slaughtering as many of them as he could. It was about making sure those beasts never bothered him, or his friends ever again. It was about protecting his friends.
It was about sending a message.
A lone figure, his upper half shrouded in shadows, sat alone in a stone throne carved into the walls of the dark cavern he was in, the underground room lit only by dim torches placed sparsely along the expansive hall. The flames ebbed and flowed, their intensity varying and their physical flames dancing around, flickering as they revealed the crudely carved out, jagged walls of the room. The bronze holders they lay in, glinted dimly in the torchlight, as a frenzied flurry of panicked footsteps approached, their sound carrying through the doors to the narrow, makeshift throne room.
A diamond dog, burst through the wooden doors of the throne room, at the far end, well away from the seated figure. He was panting heavily, clutching his left shoulder in pain with his right hand, as blood oozed and dripped from the deep gash inflicted upon him. His salvaged bits of armor, were all dented and covered in blood, as well as grime, the red liquid trickling slowly down the metallic surface in multiple veins that all eventually leaked onto the floor.
The seated figure leaned forward slightly, his face still covered by the darkness of the room. He was notably larger than the wounded mutt standing at the entrance, still panting. The seated figure clutched the stone armrests of his throne with his hands, revealing the massive metal gauntlets that encased them. A circular orange gemstone that radiated a feint light was embedded within the top of each gauntlet, and as the figure leaned forward a bit more, his dark grey armor shone dully in the torchlight.
Both of his arms were fully encased within a set of plate mail that meshed and locked together, while also having enough space between each plate to allow for ease of mobility. The dim light illuminated the figure's chestplate, which was also an interlocking set of plate armor that accentuated and resembled the form of the abdominal muscles, albeit blockier and more stout. In the center of the breastplate was a single, giant shard of gemstone that had been embedded into the armor, and glowed a bright orange. Near the stomach, the plates ceased to wrap all the way around the figure, instead just coming halfway around, and being fastened with a leather strap, to allow for enhanced flexibility of the midsection.
Against his outer thighs hung a pair of interlocking tassets, their outer edges gilded in a strange, orange metal the same color as that of the gems within the armor. A simple leather belt was visible beneath the tassets, and a large, circular buckle was placed in the exact center, while a piece of tattered and ripped grey cloth, rimmed with orange hung down from it, reaching to the figure's knees. His knees were protected by metal, form fitting pieces of metal that were the same grey as the rest of his armor, the edges of it also gilded in the same orange metal as his tassets.
"Speak," the sitting diamond dog said calmly, in a deep, thundering voice that instantly brought the injured scavenger to attention, his posture straightening up in fear. The scavenger dog shuddered for a moment, pain wracking his body, as he gulped nervously, and spoke, clutching the ruby around his collar fearfully, trying to reassure himself.
"R-Ruby team is, is ... they're all dead. I-I m-managed to escape. I just, I couldn't stay, that thing massacred us.-" the diamond dog sputtered. The sitting figure flourished his hand, signifying for him to continue. " We were in the southeast quadrant of the Everfree, just like you had told us to be, a-and I was just grabbing a snack on a fresh cockatrice corpse, while the rest of the group was foraging. T-Then I heard footsteps, and I was about to turn and leave, b-but they were right there, standing in front of me within seconds. So I did like you taught us, and gave em' the tough guy act. B-But the one in front really scared me boss. He was just ... he was like this giant monkey thing, except without much hair at all, and he was wearing all this fancy, shiny armor, strutting about like he was a god or something."
The figure in the throne held his hand up openly, prompting the scout to stop, as the seated diamond dog spoke.
"Who was with him, and how did he wipe an entire team?" the seated figure inquired, his voice urgent and commanding.
"T-There were two others boss, both Element Bearers. Twilight Sparkle, and F-Fluttershy I think. Twilight was bein' a real pest, knocking us about with her magic, but Fluttershy wasn't much of a threat. But Twilight wasn't really hurtin' us much, just knockin' us down and stunning us. The monkey thing walloped some of the other dogs something fierce at first. I could hear the crack of their bones as he beat them up with this staff thing. W-We just couldn't get a good hit in on him, until most of the crew was already down for the count. Two of us managed to bring the monkey thing to the ground for a moment by hopping on his back, but he shook our dog off real fast. B-But then another dog, Iron Tooth I think it was, got up from the ground and jumped onto Twilight. He smashed her magic shield for a bit, before he finally broke through and hit her real hard. T-That's when things got really bad."
"How so?" the seated figure asked, a slight twinge of curiosity accompanying his booming and intimidating voice.
"W-Well, the monkey thing shook off the two dogs, and even after another one of us tripped him up, he managed to scramble over to Iron Tooth as he was about to finish Twilight, a-and the monkey just ... he just punched him boss. He punched him right in the side of his head so hard that it killed him. I wasn't entirely sure, but I think his hand cracked Iron Tooth's skull right open. The sound that came with it sure sounded like he had. A-Anyways, then the monkey j-just lost it after a dog grabbed Fluttershy, and punched her square in the jaw. I don't remember what happened next so good, but all I knew was that after I blinked, everybody was dead. Everybody except me boss."
"Enough," the seated diamond dog spoke resoundingly, holding up his hand in the same fashion as he had earlier, signaling the trembling scavenger to cease his retelling of the events. The two remained where they were as the scavenger look around nervously awaiting some kind of response from his master, still clutching his arm tightly, trying to stop the bleeding.
Suddenly, the room exploded with a brilliant orange light, blinding the surviving scavenger. He looked down, a surprised and pained expression contorting his face, as he noticed a tendril of orange energy, glowing like fire, piercing his chest fully. His eyes drooped heavily, as he gasped for air, trying to contain the overwhelming pain arcing through his body. He suddenly felt himself being lifted off the ground, the tendril of orange energy grinding itself into his flesh as he followed the long stream of energy back to the figure sitting in the chair.
The seated diamond dog's palm was open, a small crystal embedded within the center of his gauntlet's palm, as it glowed luminously, the tendril of orange energy originating from the gemstone. He leaned forward, letting the orange light in the room reveal his head. He wore a full metal helmet that resembled the form of a diamond dog' head, but allowed his brown, ears to poke out through small holes in the top of the helmet. The helmet had an exaggerated jawline, with jagged metal teeth that came up from the lower jaw.
"I will not tolerate cowardice," he spoke in the same calm, yet intimidating tone, his deep booming voice shaking the hall as he released the dying mutt from his grasp, letting him drop to the floor. The injured scavenger twitched for a moment, his eyes going wide, before he gasped loudly, and fell silent, his body going limp, as a pool of red liquid began pouring out from the hole in his chest, staining his silvery fur.
The sitting dog leaned back, the orange light in the room dissipating as the tendril of energy disintegrated. Out of the darkness shrouding his face, two rectangular slits of orange burst to life, exactly where his eyes would normally poke through. He leaned forward, and stood up, getting out of the chair and slowly walking over to the dead mutt, orange wisps of energy streaming off of his eye slits, the light emanating from them so bright and pervasive that his eyes weren't visible, the entire eye slots being filled with an ethereal orange glow.
He looked down at the dead diamond dog, shaking his head in disappointment, before stepping over the dead body, careful to avoid the rapidly expanding pool of blood. He proceeded out the wide open doors of his throne room, and into a long, winding tunnel that was fairly narrow, only wide enough for two diamond dogs to pass through at a time. Torches lined the walls here and there, giving the tunnel just enough light to see in effectively, but still keeping it rather dark. The armored diamond dog proceed down the hallway, his hands held behind his back as he paced down the hallway, his heavy and punishing footsteps resounding throughout the cave, their sound echoing several times before going silent.
He pressed on, taking a sharp turn down a branching corridor to his right, taking a torch off from the wall, and holding it in front of him as the narrow tunnel began to open up, eventually becoming wide enough for dozens of dogs to fit through. He stopped in front of a massive corrugated iron door that looked like it had been crudely hammered into shape, and was set into the black rock walls of the tunnel. In the center of the door was a huge green gemstone, an emerald, sparkling dimly in the light of his torch. He grasped the horizontal rail in the center of the door, and heaving back, as the slab of iron swung upon slowly. Idle chatter and raucous laughter could be heard from the room beyond the door, but as the dog heaved it open fully, the scene fell silent.
Stepping back from the door, before proceeding into the room, the armored figure set the torch back into place on an empty holder inside the room he had just entered. Dozens of other diamond dogs, outfitted in makeshift, scavenged armor instantly bowed their heads in respect upon the massive diamond dog's arrival, some even kneeling down, as he towered over even the considerably large average mutt. Around each dog's neck was a small emerald, like the one embedded in the door to their quarters.
Arranged in neat rows, were iron bunk beds, padded with an assortment of things, from mismatching pillows, to straw, to anything else that was soft enough to be slept upon. A lucky few beds at the very front of the hall had full mattresses that had been crudely sewn together. By the foot of each bunk were two small containers that varied from oblong metal boxes, to wooden barrels that served as footlockers, labeled in messy handwriting, signifying its owner. The silent diamond dogs remained in their positions, frozen out of respect, and partially fear, some sitting on their bunks, letting their legs hang over the edge, while others had been laying their head down when the massive alpha had entered the room.
"Where is Aquila?" the massive alpha demanded, wisps of orange energy flaring up around his eyes to emphasize his words.
A small diamond dog, around half the size of the armored alpha stepped forward from beside one of the beds with mattresses. He had sharp features, and was a bit more lithe than the average diamond dog, his silvery coat tinted blue, giving him an odd appearance. Around his neck hung the normal emerald that the rest of the dogs in the room wore, but his collar was lined with eagle feathers, which poked out slightly. Around his neck was a circular locket, emblazoned with the head of a gryphon. He reluctantly walked over to the gigantic dog, before kneeling before him, his eyes directed at the ground.
"Yes my liege?" the runty diamond dog asked respectfully, awaiting his master's orders. Yet there was something in his voice that was off, a twinge of disdain and resent plaguing his otherwise respectful tone.
"Take Emerald out to investigate the disappearance of Ruby team. I want a full sweep of the Everfree by sundown. Start in the southeast quadrant, where they were ordered to scavenge. I want them found, alive or otherwise. If they're dead, then we must immediately move to dispose of those who slew them. We cannot be uncovered, not when we're this close," the alpha spoke in a commanding tone, humbling the rest of the dogs in the room. Aquila begrudgingly nodded in acknowledgment of his orders.
"And one more thing Aquila. If you find them dead, I don't want to see you back here until you uncover what exactly killed them, preferably with the offender's head on a pike. If Ruby team is found to be dead, we have a major crisis on our paws. Silence anyone you come across, and dispose of the corpses," the armored dog finished in a chilling tone, his thundering and authoritative voice resounding through the room forcefully. "Do not worry about a perimeter around the forest, Sapphire team will handle that," he added.
Aquila nodded once more, before looking up at the massive dog, peering into his ethereal eye slots, still burning bright with wisps of orange energy streaming off of them. He looked back down, clutching the shiny silver locket around his neck tightly in one paw, while he closed his eyes for a moment, before letting the pendant fall back into place, suspended by a fine cord of thin black leather. He gathered his thoughts, before opening his eyes and muttering something under his breath in a deflated manner.
Aquila looked back up at the huge alpha, with a mix of resent and respect, before responding reluctantly, the words cutting his throat as he spoke.
"As you wish Dominus."
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The fighting scene was amazing and I love the contrast between Benkei's love for battle and the girls more peaceful approach.
Soo... there are a lot of dogs, he died fighting a lot of enemies on a bridge, Fluttershy's house has a bridge... hmmm... I think I see where this is going.
Wow, the way you wrote the fight scene, it was just Epic.
Benkei LOVES bridges, doesn't he?
Sigh....a little silly. I don't feel like their was any need to escalate so fast.
5732164 I suppose.
But then again, Benkei is a legend so its only fitting that he's a bit exaggerated.
As for the "boy, that escalated quickly" thing, that also has its place in the story, so don't you fret. :)
Dominus? it been so long i hear that name.
5730316 Since you capitalized Epic, I assume you're referring to the other story I did a while back that honed my fighting scene skills, "Risk Of Epic".
5745057 No, i meant the fight in this chapter, it was just glorious.....i'll write glorious so there won't be any missunderstandings.
5745798 Still, thanks ^-^
The only thing I have some hesitation about is eloquent Daimond Dogs. Other than that...
OHMYGODHOLYHITEPICJESUSFUCK!
Looks like Equestria is abou to ge a hard lesson that sometimes killing for peace is both valid and necessary.
Things are about to get even more interesting I'd say.
5843472 Just remember the bunny romance is a subplot, and not the main story. Still, it's in there so there's something for everybody, and it does intertwine with the main plot in a big way further down the line. :)
5972460 Apologies. I assure you though, it's not dead and will resume eventually.
6084213 Life happens and other things take priority. I will be revisiting this story when the time is right.
We've finally gotten around to looking over this story for the Goodfic Bin, but unfortunately there were some issues we had with it causing us to reject it from submissions. The decision made can be found here.