Identity

by Hyper44

Ghastly Gorge

The wind whistled through her ears and mane as Lightning Jolt plummeted toward the bottom of the gorge. She tried flapping her wings forgetting that they were wrapped tightly in magical bonds. Panic welled up in her and it soon became horror as she heard her friends falling around her in the darkness. Was it really all over for her and her new friends who had come to save a near stranger? Suddenly something like a blanket wrapped around them and she began to see a glow in the darkness. She recognized the feeling of magic wrapping around her. The glow was from Ember Light's horn and she could see his face scrunched up in concentration. They slowed to an easy speed where they had eventually placed their hooves gently on the damp earth that was the bottom of the gorge. The glow from his magic stopped and the entire place faded into darkness. The world was entirely black with leftover spots left on their vision except for high above them where the jagged edged strip of dark blue, almost black that was adorned with twinkling stars.

"Hang on a minute." Ember Light's voice spoke out from the darkness. There was a second more of darkness and then a light flashed out from his horn temporally blinding them. The two mares squinted in against the light at first. After a time they managed to open their eye's fully as they adjusted.

"Sorry about that." Ember Light said but still seemed to be concentrating on his horn and light. It was an orangish/amber color just like his coat and also resembled the light of glowing coals, just much brighter.

Lightning Jolt looked up toward the top of the gorge and was barley able to make out where the tracks crossed it. She only really found it against the night sky by moving her head around and noticing the stars that disappeared and reappeared as she did.

"That train is long gone now." Valentine said walking up beside her.

"I was more thinking of a way out." Lightning Jolt said. She looked back at her wings bound in magic. "If I could fly up I could find a path that you could use to get out."

"I can take care of that binding spell." Ember Light said starting forward. Before he had gone two steps a deep rumble came out of the darkness. Everypony froze. Their heads turned slowly. A deep heaving breath came from just outside of Ember's circle of light. Inside the circle the dust stirred with each exhale. All three ponies stared at the spot as another rumble echoed out of the darkness.

"What is that?" Lightning Jolt asked in a voice that was a barely audible whisper as Valentine took a ready stance.

"I don't know-" Ember Light said slowly as a snort from the thing caused his mane to stir. "But I think that we should RUN!" He shrieked the last word and bolted with both mares racing at his side. The two had to stay inside his circle of light as they raced down the rocky gorge or risk stumbling.

They didn't have to see the thing to know that it was chasing them. Each footfall that impacted the ground sent vibrations that they felt through every hoof when it hit the ground. Despite all their efforts the thing was gaining ground. They couldn’t glance back to see it entering into the light for the one second it would take could cause them to trip.

Just when they thought it was going to overtake them the vibrations of its huge pounding feet faded as it slowed before stopping all together. The three ponies kept running. Valentine who had been mentally preparing herself for a possible last stand became more alert.

"It stopped!" Ember Light declared gladly.

"That's not necessarily a good t-" Valentine started as a snarl suddenly cut through the gorge and a huge toothy maw shot out of the darkness at her. Valentine leapt as the massive mouth reached her. Her hooves passed over two rows of sharp teeth and a huge tongue as the jaws slammed shut. Valentine landed on the other side yanking the tip of her tail out of its jaws only having to duck from a second huge head shooting out of the gorge wall.

Lightning Jolt and Ember Light only had a second to stare before they had scramble away from teeth snapping out from the opposite wall.

"Quarray eels!" Valentine yelled, "Book it and stay as close to the middle as you can!" The three were racing off again with big toothy jaws snapping out at them from both side.

"We can't keep this up!" Ember Light yelled. "Both of you close your eyes now!" The two clamped their eyes shut as a massively bright light filled the gorge. The Qaurray eels shrieked and every head jerked back into their respective holes. The two mares couldn’t blame them. Even behind closed eyes the light stung. They were forced to drop to the ground and cover their faces with both forelegs.

"You can open your eyes now." Ember Light said. They peaked out gingerly finding the gorge dark again and were surrounded by a much gentler glow of his horn. He grinned. "That is my talent as simple as it is, though there's a bit more to it. Are you alright?"

"Fine." Lightning Jolt said as they stood up. "I guess it's only fitting that your talent would be incapable of going unnoticed with your cutie mark pretty much invisible."

"GGGAAAAARRRRRROOOOOOWWWWW!!!!!" An incensed roar blasted through the gorge so loud that it seemed to shake the walls.

"Even when you don't want it noticed!" Ember light replied and they were racing off again. They didn't know if it was the same beast they had first encountered or another one but it was more than pissed off at the blinding light. They could hear it crashing against walls as it ran. It could probably see in the dark normaly but was still recovering its vision after Ember Light's blinding display.

"Cave!" Valentine called pointing to a hole in the gorge wall up ahead. They raced for it with Ember Light purposely falling behind. "Go! I’ll be there in a second!!" He said forming the light coming from his horn into a bright glowing sphere. Just after the two ducked and skidded into the narrow entrance he slung his head back then threw the ball of light down the gorge. As it shot down the corridor he ducked low with his belly almost scraping the ground. He winched as his hips caught on the entrance but sliped safely inside. The beast thundered past chasing the light which finally hit a rock and vanished. The beast snarled and began backtracking.

The three ponies inched back from the entrance trying to control their breathing to be as quiet as they possibly could while the beast outside searched for them in the dark gorge.

Comments

[Nox Knock Jokes]

That was awesome. Heh and he does have a cutie mark! WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE COMMENTING ON ALL OF THESE CHAPTERS?