Lateral Movement

by Alzrius

34 - What It Takes

The pain from the dragon’s acid breath had been incredible. Even though Lex had turned into a shadow after only a few seconds of direct exposure, it had still been excruciating. Worse, becoming incorporeal had only reduced the effects of making contact with the caustic mist, with its touch continuing to burn him.

That wasn’t wholly unexpected, of course. Lex had theorized that magical attacks could still reach him in that form – if becoming an insubstantial shadow was an impenetrable defense then King Sombra would never have been defeated, after all – which was why he hadn’t changed into a shadow as soon as the battle had begun. All living things had some form of magic, Lex knew, and for dragons that was clearly made manifest in their breath attack. While he’d been wrong about its using fire, the results were the same.

Slipping through the roiling vapors, their billowing undisturbed due to his lack of a physical body, Lex had ignored the pain as he’d slipped behind the dragon. Doing so was easy, due to the growing rage he felt settling over him. It wasn’t the bitter acrimony that he always felt whenever an attempt to communicate with somepony else went awry, nor was it the blazing anger that would flare up in response to his expectations being thwarted.

This was a fury that consumed him totally, that blotted everything else out in its all-consuming wrath. The thought that this creature, this disgusting monster, had tried to hurt the one he loved – to take away that which was most precious to him, when he already had so little! – was beyond intolerable. The fact that it was still alive, that it had the absolute gall to think that it had any right to continue existing, was so utterly impossible to countenance, was so wrong on a fundamental level, that every moment it continued to draw breath was a wound in Lex’s heart that brought him agony beyond any mere physical hurt.

It was all he could do to keep any semblance of control over himself. It was only because he knew it was in direct service to killing this abomination that he was able to correctly chant the words to his next spell, a shadowy tendril waving in the proper gesticulations. This instantly alerted the dragon, and it spun around to search for the source of the voice, but by then his spell had already been completed, bringing a trio of electrical globes into being around the creature.

It was the same spell he’d used the last time he’d felt like this, back when he’d mistakenly thought that Fireflower had tried to hurt Sonata. Lex’s anger was such that he didn’t consciously make that connection, however. All he knew at that moment was that his rage had hit the breaking point, causing him to scream his hatred out even as he directed the balls of lightning to attack the creature, two of them making contact.

“I’ll kill you! For trying to hurt Sonata, I swear I WILL KILL YOU!”

Reeling under the renewed assault, Moss stumbled backward, trying to put some distance between himself and the electric globes that were even now moving after him. Snarling, trying desperately to ignore the sudden fear he felt – a sensation that he had almost forgotten, it was so alien – he lunged forward, swiping a claw across the patch of shadow that his enemy had somehow become.

The blow connected, despite the mage’s attempt to dodge upward, and Moss could see a tear opening up in the shadow’s substance, one end of it becoming tatters that flapped like a torn sail. But the green-and-purple eyes retained their focus, their hateful gaze never leaving him.

There was no time to launch a follow-up attack, as the lightning orbs were closing in on him again. They weren’t moving very fast at all, but because Moss hadn't moved away from where they'd initially formed, staying close enough to try and attack the mage, they didn’t need to travel very far. Worse, they were all coming in from different angles, making it difficult to dodge. Moss managed to duck under the first and twist his large bulk to the side to avoid another, but the third one drifted by the base of his neck, delivering another painful shock.

He turned his head towards where the mage had been, determined to rip him to pieces now that he knew his claws could find purchase on his shadowy substance, but saw that he had retreated back just far enough to no longer be within easy reach. Moss tried to prepare his breath weapon, but his lungs burned and his chest ached and he couldn’t seem to catch his breath.

Sensing that the creature was weakening, Lex mentally directed all three lightning balls to swoop at it, but this time it avoided them all, falling flat on its belly and letting them pass over it harmlessly. Springing forward from its crouched position, the dragon’s claw darted forward and up. It was clearly a desperate attack, stumbling and clumsy even to the least discerning of eyes, but no less quick for it…too quick.

The effort of moving so quickly in his weakened state was enough that Moss almost passed out even as he lunged, his eyes fluttering for a moment. But he came back to himself when he heard a pained scream coming from right in front of him. Blinking, he saw that his claw had reached the mage, a single talon piercing directly through the center of his shadowy substance.

For a moment, Moss just stared, uncomprehending due to the lack of any tactile sensation from his claw, but then smiled. He had him! Was it a fatal blow? No…he could still see those green eyes staring into his own, but now there was as much pain as there was hatred there. But no matter. If his claws could reach him, then his breath weapon surely could as well! At this range, there was no way for the mage to escape. He just needed to take another breath, just take in enough air…

Through the incredible haze of pain that he was in, Lex heard the dragon’s inhalation. Realizing what was about to happen, his first instinct was to flow over the dragon’s claw and escape – although it had pierced him, his lack of physical form meant that he wasn’t pinned – but he knew that he was too close to the creature to get away before it used its breath attack again. Even if he’d tried to take his intangible body straight down into the earth and let the solid ground shield him, he was just high enough that he knew he’d never make it.

And Lex had no doubt that he wouldn’t survive the dragon’s next shot of acid breath.

Instead, he cast a spell, knowing that it was – one way or the other – the last one he’d cast in this fight.

He almost hadn’t bothered to prepare this spell at all, since he doubted that he’d need it for this battle. Designed to cancel a spell that someone else had used, Lex had readied this one solely in case the other araneas – whom Lex was sure the dragon had pressed into its service – had tried to attack him with their magic. The idea that the dragon itself could cast spells simply hadn’t been a possibility that he’d entertained.

But now, he launched that spell directly at the dragon. An instant later, he felt it take effect, dispelling the spell that it had used to enhance its own physical endurance.

Moss had just finished inhaling when Lex finished his chant. Knowing that he couldn’t afford to let the mage use anymore magic, he started to breathe out…only for his breathe to end in a choke as sudden agony flared from all over him. It was like every wound he’d sustained up until now had just caught up to him, making Moss arch his back and tilt his head back, eyes wide in surprise.

Out of the edge of his periphery, he could see the electrical orbs floating in towards him once again. Dimly realizing that he couldn’t take another blow, he tried to dodge, tried to throw himself out of the way, but his agonized muscles wouldn’t follow his command. Crackling softly, the orbs moved in until they were just a few feet away…then inches…then millimeters…

This isn’t happening! This CAN’T happen! I’m the great Vilzeralixus and that mage is JUST A PONY!

Lex flew straight backward, extricating his umbral form from the dragon’s claw just as the electrical orbs collided with it. The creature spasmed, giving a loud cry as the electricity bit into its body, and Lex felt a sudden burst of hateful satisfaction at the sight.

And then it slumped over and didn’t move.

For long moments Lex just floated there, watching the dragon’s still form. With a thought, the globes of lightning orbited its body, ready to fly in again if it so much as twitched. But it didn’t move at all, not even breathing that he could tell. Finally, after what had to have been less than a minute but felt like far longer, he was convinced.

The dragon was dead.

The thought was a balm for his anger, and Lex gradually felt himself begin to calm down, his tension draining from him. The sensation was exhausting, and he slowly floated back towards the ground, letting the balls of lightning dissipate. He could feel the sense of tiredness weighing him down, getting worse by the moment, but he had to make sure everypony else was okay…make sure Sonata was okay. He didn’t have any healing magic but there were some bandages and first aid equipment in his haversack. He just had to turn back into solid form…

A bright flash at the edge of his periphery made Lex turn around, and he dimly realized that there was a pony with a camera a short distance away, taking pictures. He had just enough time to feel confused by the sight, so incongruous with the grueling fight he’d just endured, when he realized the full extent of his audience wasn’t limited to whoever that was.

Nearby, at the edge of the black wall that he’d conjured, all of the ponies that had been in the evacuation group were gathered. Not a single one of them spoke, eyes wide and staring at him. For a moment, Lex stared back, until one mare pushed her way through the crowd and ran towards him.

Sonata.

He saw her running towards him, heard her calling his name, and for a moment was captivated by just how beautiful she was. Everything about her was perfect. Her face, her voice, her tears…tears? Why was she crying? He’d won…he’d saved everypony. He should turn back to solid form and console her. Whatever was upsetting her, he’d fix it.

Reaching the ground, Lex changed back into pony form…and felt agony explode through him. It hurt so badly, so incredibly badly, even worse than when he’d chopped his original horn off. He tried to fight it down, to push it away and go to Sonata, but his legs weren’t working correctly for some reason and he fell over.

A moment later Sonata reached him, and it was only because his viewpoint shifted that Lex realized that she was cradling his head in her hooves, leaning over him. She was crying worse now, and he wondered if he’d done something to make her upset. If so…he’d have to fix it. To find some way to make it up to her. He didn’t want her to leave him again.

He’d make it up to her, but first he had to rest. He was so tired…had been tired for such a long time. Even sleep didn’t help. He just had to rest for a little bit and then he’d fix whatever was wrong so that she’d smile at him again. She was so beautiful when she smiled.

He loved her so much.

It was his last thought before the darkness claimed him.

Author's Note:

Lex slays the dragon and rescues the girl, but pays a high price for doing so.

For all of his anger and wrath, what's in his heart as he leaves the battlefield is love.

Comments

[Booster Spice]

Lex now has to spend time and effort doing more than Hiccup, even more than Toolie, but hopefully not as bad as Space Marine Dreadnaught?

[Not so New Brony]

So should we prepare for the inevitable wake up in a hospital routine in the next chapter or will Lex wake up in a prison cell because of the 'evil magic' the ponies just witnessed?

[Alzrius]

7712935 Go and see for yourself; the new chapter is up!

[James Fire]

I'm behind! Arming anti-typo missiles.

“I’ll kill you! For trying to hurt Sonata, I swear I WILL KILL YOU!”

In the previous chapter, this was two lines. But I will say that in the previous chapter, there was some narrative in there, so not sure if this should be split.

The effort of making moving so quickly in his weakened state was enough that Moss almost passed out even as he lunged,

I think the "moving" should be "movement".

Finally, after had to have been less than a minute but felt like far longer, he was convinced.

I think he waited for what had to have been less than a minute.

And now Lex DIES.

[Alzrius]

7715158

I'm behind! Arming anti-typo missiles.

I'd wondered what happened to you. Thanks for locking in on those typos!

In the previous chapter, this was two lines. But I will say that in the previous chapter, there was some narrative in there, so not sure if this should be split.

That was purposeful; you were correct to note that it was expository narration between the lines previously. Remove that and they were essentially a single line.

I think the "moving" should be "movement".

I went ahead and deleted "making." I think that flows better.

I think he waited for what had to have been less than a minute.

Fixed!

And now Lex DIES,

Typo detected! That should end with a period and not a comma.

[James Fire]

7715926 OH God! Lex may never look at me the same again! I failed him.
And fixed!