Chapter 18: First Attack
Chapter 18: The First Attack
The sediment swirled through the pitch black of the deep abyss, the constant hissing sound drowned out by the overwhelming hunger. One step at a time it made its way towards land. Yet the darkness did not diminish.
Then a light above, blue, shining, piercing, seeking. The creature's eyes followed the light hungrily watching as it traced back and forth over the ocean floor. Moving without thinking it made its way around the beam and upwards towards the light. Climbing higher and higher until it slipped silently from the water and began its ascent towards the calling light.
From the shore Thomas watched as the creature moved, silent as a shadow, up the cliff face. Luna unaware of what was coming. Tom tried to call out but Mira was apparently asleep. Unable to warn the princess, Tom began to run. However, as his feet sank into the sand of the beach, his progress became slower and slower. The lizard was almost to the top now. Desperate, Tom dove into the surf hoping maybe he could swim faster than he could run. The underwater sediment was even worse, like hands it pulled at his legs, pulling him down.
Through the undulating mirror of the ocean's surface Tom watched as the giant lizard poked its head over the top of the cliff like something from an old horror movie. Its head twitched left as Luna fell back in surprise and then tried running for her life towards the shore. The lizard's tongue shot out and snared the Lunar Princess, dragging her back kicking and screaming towards its open maw. The eyes rolled back in its head as its lids blinked and the mouth worked in quick jerking motions to work around the princess's frantically flapping wings, like some large insect.
Tom watched the delicate wings bend and snap as the mouth closed and darkness claimed the Princess of the Night. As the lizard blinked and looked around from the top of the cliff to the tune of crying foals, Tom sank lower beneath the waves. Darkness was closing in from all sides and he could feel the smooth sand wrapping around him and pulling him deeper, as if to say "You've failed, just give up."
Then a voice cut through the darkness, clear, sweet and unexpected.
"Oh, come on!"
A heart as strong as a horse! He thought, pulling his right hand free.
I've got you man, said Lucas, supporting Tom's right arm.
"You're just chicken!"
He pulled his left arm free.
Here let me help you, said Mira from above him.
Looking up Tom could see the shadow of the lizard on the side of the hill, outlined by the moon.
"Winners or not, we still have the chance to be awesome!"
Bracing himself against the two, Tom pulled. Straining against the sand, his right leg began to slide free.
Need a boost? said Michael and Tom could feel a burning sensation across his leg and down underneath his foot.
Pushing down Tom felt the water around him surge with energy, almost like he was stepping on the gas. But Michael was still more support than the slippery, swallowing sand below him. As Tom pushed Michael was equal parts agony and assistance.
"I hate losing..."
Tom's vision went red as he pushed down with all his might and the ocean around him exploded.
Through the flaming brilliance of a meteor Tom could see the lizard, large unblinking it stared at them. With laser-like precision he focused on that. Time seemed to slow down and the world fall away as they got closer. The last thing they saw was the lizard opening its mouth.
Then everything went black as a deep echoing sound reverberated through Tom's head.
BBWWWOONNNNNGGGGG!!!
TAKE THY PLACES! THE CREATURE APPROACHES!
Tom sat upright and the beach flew into focus. Mira was quickly roused, her bottle opened and the world focused even more. A guard grabbed Lucas's container and hurled it into the bay. Several unicorns tipped up the left over jugs of oil and dragon scales into the bay, as Heavy Hoof held Michael's lamp to the fire.
Luna landed on the beach, her horn flashing brilliantly and the two guards appearing beside her. More flashes and soon every unicorn in the group was shielded by a gently glowing aura.
"I hath hidden thine magic behind my own. Do not use it lest you reveal my deception."
From the other end of the bay, the earth-pony porters stood by the oil-coated nets and permeated sandbags, ready at a moments notice to close the bay with an unquenchable fire.
Lucas's empty container bobbed to the surface and floated on its side, his voice echoing across the shore, "IT JUST CRESTED THE CONTINENTAL BREAK! GIVE IT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE IT ENTERS THE BAY."
Tom could feel the soldiers shuffle uneasily, then started in surprise as everything went black.
Luna had picked him up in her magic like they had practiced last night. He heard her ask him if he was ready. Mira wrapped herself around him and he nodded and gave the princess the thumbs up, thinking back to his explanation of that gesture last night. Luna nodded back and the bay fell silent as everyone began waiting.
"ETA 2 MINUTES AND COUNTING!"
Even as Tom floated in the air, suspended by the eons-old celestial diarch, prepared to do battle with a giant insect-monster the size of a building, he couldn't help but reflect on the dream he had just had. Something about it was nagging at his mind. The first part was obviously from the beetle's perspective, but why did the beetle turn into a lizard? And was it just a dream or did the beetle and his friends share some kind of connection?
Not really a good time to be thinking about dreams! prodded Mira, a definite sense of worry to her mental voice.
Yeah but there was something about the dream... in the beginning, that feels really important... I can't put my finger on it though answered Tom, I didn't forget it, it was all too vivid. Something about the beetle's perspec-
"IT'S IN THE BAY! IT'S IN THE BAY! CLOSE IT OFF! CUT THE EXIT!" Lucas's voice went silent as a wave of water lapped the jar onto the beach.
The net blossomed into view from across the bay, even as it was plunged into the steaming water. The hazy fog of heat arching up and across both edges of the bay closing it in on land and sea.
Heavy Hoof touched Michael's flame to the mat of oil, which was quickly coating the surface of the bay. The entire patch of oil flashed a soft blue while the brilliant orange flame of Michael hovered near shore, still getting used to his new form.
A surge of water plowed towards the beach, a mountainous hump forming the size of a small plane. It grew and grew until, a couple thousand feet from shore, it exploded upwards like something from a nightmare. A giant colorless creature halfway between a Coconut Crab a Giant Spider Crab dialed up to the size of Godzilla rose from the water.
Tom felt his gaze pulled towards the cluster of colorless dome-like eyes on the head and suddenly the beginning of the dream became crystal clear.
"IT CAN SEE MAG-" But before Mira could shout Tom's warning, Luna hurled him with all her strength, the precision of a laser and the pinpoint control of more than a millennium of magic experience.
Tom flew straight and true, Mira clinging to him providing the vision to witness the Beetle calmly, with the experience of eons, raise its right claw from the water and deflect Tom harmlessly away from his head.
Tom barely felt the impact. He'd seen it coming a mile away. He braced himself as Luna course-corrected his flight and swung him around for a second pass at the mouth. This time, he reached out and grabbed hold of the claw as it blocked his trajectory.
Hanging from the lower segment of the claw, Tom explained it to Mira, It can see magic. Luna's making me a floating neon sign! Tell her to stop before it catches on and zeroes in on her!
His vision narrowed to the armor of the beetle he was hanging from as Mira directed his words towards Luna who was trying to wrench him away from the creature.
I've got to keep hold and stay close. Just a little closer to the head...
Unfortunately, the beetle was having none of Tom's plan and shook its claw just as Luna let go of him. His weight reasserted itself as he lost his grip and dropped away from Mira into the dark emptiness of the sea below.
Lucas watched as the beetle rose from the water, above him Michael could see the hungry red eyes rolling this way and that, as if scanning the beach for something. Then Tom came flying towards it, Luna causing an impact crater on the beach from the force directed upon him. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, thought Lucas as he watched the beetle absentmindedly bat Tom away like an annoying moth. As Luna curved his trajectory back around for a second pass, Lucas saw her straining and unconsciously take wing as the forces she was exerting pulled her out over the bay.
For some reason Tom was holding onto the beetle now as Luna tried to pry him off. Then she stopped and her ears perked up as if someone was talking to her. At that moment the beetle shook its claw and Tom lost his grip and plummeted into Lucas.
IT CAN SEE MAGIC! LUNA'S A TARGET! He screamed mentally as he hit the water.
Lucas surrounded Thomas and tried to support him, but Tom slipped through his grasp and sunk into the sand at the bottom of the bay.
Lucas was trying to pay attention to Tom's explanation about his dream, but they were both interrupted by Michael's warning of what was happening above water.
Mira caught what Thomas said and left him hanging off the the creature with only his tangible viewpoint to guide him.
"Luna it can see your magic, you have to stop!" She cried.
Luna's ears perked up, her eyes opened wide and her magic flashed out as she whispered, "How could I have forgotten? They're thaumaturgivorous. They see in the same spectrum!"
Her eyes darted downwards to the falling Thomas and dove after him.
Mira could feel the beetle's upper thorax deflate slightly and something wet and sticky flew through her towards the diving princess.
"LUNA LOOKOUT!!!" She screamed, but it was too late.
The motorbike-sized wad of phlegm-like substance struck Luna directly between her wings, gluing them to her sides and nosediving her into the water.
Darting down, Mira tried to help, but all she could do was flail helplessly as the princess tried to stay afloat. Then a tentacle whipped through Mira's head, wrapped around Luna's back legs and jerked her out of the water.
Panicking Mira screamed for her brother to do something, not even considering he was a living third degree burn. To his credit, Michael did begin slinging globs of burning oil at the creature, taking care of the struggling princess, while also alerting their friends below water what was happening.
As liquid fire burst against the beetle's head and upper carapace the beetle raised its right claw and pulled back as though it couldn't tell where the attack was coming from. With Luna struggling in its powerful tentacles, trying to escape before it pulled her into its mouth, the beetle turned around to face away from shore. Mira, unable to do anything to help the princess, flew towards the beach to warn the panicking soldiers not to use their magic.
"What do we do?!" Asked Heavy Hoof, as his officer commanded the guards to refrain from using their magic, "We have to save the Princess!"
Thinking as fast as she could Mira yelled, "If Luna can't free herself, then you all won't be able to do anything either. We have to attack some other way."
"How?!" asked the commander.
Mira had no idea, but from behind her, Michael flared a brilliant red to get their attention. Turning, they him he sent a blue streak of fire zipping across the water to create a spinning circle of flame around an open patch of water to the right of the beetle.
As Mira and the guards watched in confusion, she felt the patch of water tremble and then a momentary bulge broke the surface like a giant underwater bubble had just popped.
"I know what to do!"
"We are at your command!" barked the officer, and the guards immediately came to attention.
Below water, Lucas was struggling frantically to free Tom from the grip of the seafloor, while Tom tried to pull free himself. Thomas felt like he was stuck in movie-grade quicksand, he was going down like a rock, and the more he struggled the deeper he sank. But unlike his dream, no magic voices were crying out words of encouragement.
Then he felt Lucas stop pulling.
What's wrong?! He asked.
I just remembered something my brother told me. He she, "The best of us are the ones who keep a clear head. Especially when everything is falling apart around them."
Thomas didn't even know Lucas had a brother but, as he thought about it, that idea did make sense. Tom stopped trying to heave himself out of the sand and tried to regain a neutral view of their position. Without the ability to breath, it was a very difficult task.
OK, why can't you pull me out?
You're too heavy.
We're underwater.
I don't have the physical tangibility to lift you.
Then compress yourself some tangibility.
Liquid isn't compressible, gas is.
Then how does a water-jet cutter work?
FORCE! Compression of effort not matter is the answer. Hold still.
Tom lifted his arms up and fanned them out to give Lucas as much surface area as possible. He felt Lucas swirling around him like a hurricane before imploding inwards and downwards into the sand below him. The liquefaction of the sand was near-instantaneous and Lucas directed the surge of force back upwards lifting Tom from the seafloor.
As he rose Tom lifted his feet, planning to push off Lucas's water pressure in an attempt to breach the water and grab hold of something.
HOLD IT. You do that and it will completely mess up my vortex.
Then how do I get out of here?
With those, said Lucas, directing Tom's attention towards the long tree-like legs sticking up from the sea floor to the watery ceiling.
OK, let's do this.
Wait said Lucas as Michael cut it.
Guys, Mira's got a plan. Get over to the area I've marked and prepare for my signal.
Through Lucas, Tom could see a bright flash of blue light and steam spinning in a circle on the surface of the water, as if through frosted glass. But it was off to their right, away from the beetle's legs.
Can you do this? asked Tom.
Just give me a second, muttered Lucas, and Tom felt the pressure fall away as Lucas spun up the force again and redirected it horizontally towards the marked spot.
Above water, Luna was doing everything she could, save using her magic, to free herself from the grasp of the beetle.
As the tentacles reeled her towards where she knew the mandibles were located, she bit, kicked and struggled. Then she felt the the penumbra of her tail graze one of the gnashing mandibles and she knew she had no choice. Her horn flared brightly, surrounding her lower body with a magic field to keep from being drawn in. However, as she did this she felt the tentacles around her begin leaching off the free magic like the "vacuum cleaners" the castle staff now used. Every passing second more magic flowed from her straight into the beetle, but there was now no other option available to her.
I can only do this for so long before I'm completely drained. Focusing all her efforts on her magic, Luna waited, hoping and praying that Thomas and the others would figure out how to free her before it was too late. Please let them know what to do...
After Mira explained her plan to the guards the officer nodded, turned to his troops and shouted, "GO!"
Seven unicorns lowered their heads and focused on the spinning ring of fire across the water as Mira streaked for the same target.
The nearer she got, the hotter it became. Her brother was increasing the heat to signify the unseen progress of their underwater target.
Underwater Thomas and Lucas heard Michael echo the commander's"GO!", and Lucas once again increased the implosive upward force to lift Tom towards the glowing target on the water's surface.
The nearer they got, the brighter the flame became until Tom breached the water. The circle of flame exploded, a field of magic surged around him as both the onshore unicorns and Lucas lifted him up towards the, through Mira, now visible beetle.
The higher he rose the more he could feel Lucas's and the unicorns' force diminishing. I've only got one shot at this. Please forgive me if this hurts, Luna.
Tom reached out his right hand and it closed around Luna's two front hooves. He could feel the soft fur beneath his stone digits. Then Lucas and the magic supporting him cut out and he was left hanging onto Luna in midair.
He dropped a little and shuddered as he felt something above him stretch and snap, Please Luna be strong...
Then whatever it was that was supporting them gave out completely and Tom and Luna dropped into the water below them, Mira forcing air into Luna's lungs.
As they hit the water, Tom let go of the Princess and Lucas informed him she was still in one piece, then he sent her flying back towards the beach in a rip current, right underneath the beetle.
As she felt the cold wet stone wrap around her hooves Luna cut her magic and curled her hooves a little to make it easier for Tom to hold onto her. Please don't let go!
She could feel the tentacles around her legs straining to hold onto her and some of her tail even got caught in one of the mandibles of the beetle. But at last it let go and they fell, wind whipping through her mane and into her mouth?!
Luna's eyes went wide as air flooded her lungs. Then realization grasped her and she shut her mouth and eyes just before they hit the water. She felt Tom let go as the water around her took hold and started pulling her through it. Opening her wings, Luna kicked and flapped pushing herself with the flow of the water towards what she hoped was shore.
Then everything got darker and Luna felt and heard a tremendous boom above her. Tom and his friends will have to take care of that. Just keep pointing me towards shore-
Lucas was pushing Luna towards shore when Thomas got his attention.
Take me back up.
Why?
Look up.
Lucas didn't need to. The beetle's chest impacting the water was like a tree falling in a cave as it tried to follow Luna underneath it.
As Lucas lifted Thomas once again towards the surface Tom apologized in advance for what he was about to do.
No problem man. Say hello for me.
With that Thomas's legs drove down and his fists rose up at the same time sending Lucas reeling in the resounding aftershock.
Mira's gust of wind cut through her brother's oil slick, creating a break in the flame as he pulled back as much of the flame as he could.
Then the water under the beetle concussed upwards, shock waves rippling across the surface like a torpedo had just hit the giant insect.
The guards stood in shock on the beach until one of them cried out and dashed to a blue shape floating towards the beach. Every guard immediately ran to their princess, supporting her onto the sand. Mira, who had been pushing the unconscious princess's outstretched wings towards land, now began inhaling and exhaling for Luna's emaciated frame.
Thomas felt like a lighthouse in the midst of a hurricane. He had ridden through the cavitation bubble he had caused like he was resting in the middle of giant pillow. However, both Lucas and the beetle weren't doing so hot.
Lucas was over the moon that they had actually hit the beetle, however he now had no idea which direction was up, or even that "up" was a valid concept.
The beetle, on the other hand, had decided that Luna was not worth being in the water for, and had lifted its now cracked shell out of Tom's reach.
As Tom sank back down towards the bottom of the bay, Lucas still too stunned to share his sight, he held his arms out on either side, straining to feel anything in the dark void that surrounded him.
He never could remember whether his fingers actually brushed up against something, the barest hint of a ripple through the water gave it away or perhaps he sensed it in a way no sighted person could imagine. But faster than a gunshot, his fingers traced the outline of one of the beetle's legs, his two hands came together and with a deafening CRUNCH he sent the beetle stumbling to the right as its leg gave out underneath it.
The beetle toppled into the water sending a wave crashing towards the south side of the bay and Thomas touched down in the seafloor sediment, still blind.
"Hey Lucas, could you share an eye or two?"
"Sorry dude, but you just blew me up give me a second to-" As Lucas was saying this, some of his perspective spilled over to Thomas. It felt like he had just come down with the flu, while being tumbled inside a washing machine, on the most loopy roller-coaster on the planet, inside another washing machine during a hurricane.
Bracing himself against the sand underneath him, Tom tried to feed some sense of direction back to Lucas.
"OK, that helps. Keep it up."
Quickly the world began to reassert itself and stop spinning. Lucas picked Tom back up and threw him this time, towards the monster. However the beetle was learning and as soon as it righted itself it slammed a claw down into the water to guard against future attacks. Unfortunately, this coincided perfectly with Lucas's throw, and Tom was caught in the backwash from the impact of the claw.
Before they could right themselves the beetle regained its footing and scurried out of the water onto the southern side of the bay. Michael watched for them as it headed across the beach, away from the ponies, and into the swamps beyond.
"AFTER IT!" Yelled Thomas as Lucas halted his wild spinning.
"Dude what about the Princess?"
Tom inwardly winced at letting his aggression get the better of him and apologized.
"Understood man, I was hoping we could end it that quickly too."
With that, they made their way back to shore, Michael informing them that Luna had just come to.
"Did we get it?" Asked Luna, between coughs as Tom crawled from the water, fighting to 'swim' through the wet sand.
"Sorry your highness, but it escaped. My brother saw it heading into the swamps."
"Tom did break one of its legs though," cut in Michael, "So we should be able to catch up to it."
"Alas, I'm afraid it has many legs to spare. Quickly, after it before it gets far!" Commanded Luna, trying to stand.
"You are in no condition to follow anypony," said the unicorn commander, supporting his princess with a shoulder, "I say we head back to the train and get you to Canterlot-"
"I may be partially drained of my magic, but I have still raised the moon for over a century. Besides..." The commander nearly fell over as Thomas lifted Luna in one hand and cradled her like a baby, "I'm through meddling. Tom and his friends are our only hope now and we can't risk losing the trail. Now, after it!"
Tom took off across the beach with Mira on his shoulder, Luna in his right arm and the guards behind him. Lucas headed for the nearest estuary carrying part of Michael's oil slick with him.
Though he had taken the lead and had long, powerful strides, Tom realized the guards could run faster than him. As they dashed through the beachgrass and the sand merged back into soil, Tom considered how things had changed.
That shell wasn't that hard a nut to crack. However, when we were in the bay, the beetle was partially submerged. Now that it isn't, it definitely has the height advantage. As he thought back to the size of the leg he had crushed he couldn't help but worry, Now that it's on land, how do I reach the head?
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It lives!
9908087
I'M BACK. And I hope to finish this story next month.
9908101
You mean WITHIN the next month, right? Right!?
9908103
Eeyup. I've got it all planned out. I just have to write the words in my head. 'Course, that is the hardest part.
9908110
And remember, if you need a redshirt, I have MORE than enough to throw at the centibeetle.
9908112
By the way, just thought you might want to know I've revamped chapters 15-17. (https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/870515/the-elements-in-harmony-rework).
Characters are written better, more information, more foreshadowing and new characters. It might not be much, but I feel it really adds something.
9910706
I'll reread it once you finish. I like how it is right now.
9910711
Just wanna warn people so they don't get to the end and go "Wait! Who are these characters, and where did they come from?"
9910849
All good, all good!
Ah, I was wondering how they thought FLOATING oil would stop a creature that moves UNDER the water. Figured it was a plot-hole. I am pleasantly surprised!