Corrupted Lands

by Nameless Narrator

Sunrise In Manehattan: Predators

We've successfully fought our way through the wilderness in past four days. Thankfully, the mentioned fighting was only against untamed vegetation and our own nerves. Thanks to my warning, we managed to avoid any big group of Corrupted, and the numerous solitary ones got scared off by me and the threat of organized steel and lead.

Heh, I completely forgot how much time travelling takes when one moves at the speed of a pony. If alone, I could have gone the distance in a day. Speaking of not being alone, after the first two nights the mercenaries kind of got the idea that I really am not some new hostile Corrupted trying to lull them into false sense of security, and relaxed significantly.

The first one to thaw was Lyam, the black and brown griffon I caught when we first met. He said he knew many ponies who got into the same situation and, unlike him, didn't come upon a friendly Corrupted. He just got lucky, but somehow got the idea he owed me his life due to it being fate switching me and a random hostile Hunter. It must be a griffon thing, because I still don't understand a word of what he said. He is Desert Shade's group's shieldbearer, which means he is the one on the front line buying time for the rest to flank and assure a favorable fight.

Mist Cloud, the grey, black-maned unicorn mage and engineer rolled in one was next. The group carries with them pieces of technology imitating magic devices I know from Ponyville and many more the concept of which I've never seen before. Horseshoes allowing one to climb sheer rock walls, completely mundane with no need for magic for one. In short, I had infinite questions, and he had almost all the answers. Evening after evening, I accompanied him on his watch and we talked about griffon and pony inventions. I have some engineer friends in Ponyville, and the key to their heart is always letting them talk about what they love even if you have trouble understanding some of the more specialized words.

Airburst, the last male of the group, is a muscular blue pegasus whose physique betrays he exercises the same way as an earthpony would. Pegasi usually have the strongest chests, using those muscles to flap their wings, and lack in leg strength. Airburst looks as if he could kick through a brick wall. He lacks the flexibility of wings needed for aerial acrobatics, but has trained his wings to be rigid and extremely sturdy. He moves in long hops and glides instead of flying due to that 'handicap'. However, he can use a weapon I've only seen several times before - wing razors. It's a metal contruction fastened to the wing bones copying the outlying feathers on the wings by using thin, sharp metal shards. Getting cut by one is like being sliced open with a saw blade. It is more a terrifying weapon than a practical one, but it allows pegasi use their speed and agility.

Airburst still doesn't like me, though, no way around it.

The next member of the mercenary group is an earthpony mare called Avalanche. She is dark grey, muscular enough to give Lyam a run for his money, and actually really pretty despite her short brown mane. She doesn't talk much, but keeps staring at me whenever she thinks I'm not paying attention. I know the look she gives me from Ponyville, specifically from semi-corrupted ponies. Those who have felt the touch of a Corrupted and had their mind tainted by lust and need would give their right hoof to have a chance to mate wildly with a Corrupted again were they not terrified of the prospect of losing themselves completely. After my transformation, I had som- few- sever- numerous offers, and not only from them. Corrupted sexual prowess is sought out, and the more ponies get used to their company, the more the trend grows. I'm sure it's not just my ego talking, and that she wants to bed me... hard.

And yes, she is beyond shy. Around me, that is.

Last but not least, Desert Shade, the leader of the group. A female hippogriff self-proclaimed to be about a century old despite looking thirty-ish. Normally, I would write off a thing like that as something to impress other mercs and steady her leadership position, but her knowledge of history is unique. She talks about things only my mother should know, things not important enough to be taught in school but that ponies who were there would remember. Maybe I'm the only one thinking that, but she looks strange. Traits and colours of ponies usually fit together in some way, no matter how eclectic it might be. Hers don't, she looks as if she was 'constructed' from three non-connected traits. Her mane and tail are light blonde, her coat is charcoal black, and her eyes are bright green. Thinking about it again, looks like that are nothing unusual... it just fits strangely, or doesn't fit to be precise. Her cutie mark is a heraldic sign of two crossed greatswords on a tricolored crest. The colours are green, red, and light blue, further increasing my 'theory of some three things' about her.

Look, I don't know what bothers me about it so much. Oh well, at least she is friendly.

We are walking through what is supposed to be the forested land around Manehattan. Several clearings earlier, I thought I could see shadows of buildings. If that was the case, though, then the buildings would have to be reaching the sky. I've never seen anything of that sort other than the palace in the Crystal Empire.

"Hmph!" I huff as a strange feeling of impending threat washes over me.

"What's going on?" asks Desert Shade, having learned that my senses are far superior.

"Something feels off, as if a Corrupted was nearby, but I can't sense who or what it is."

"Get ready, guys," she commands, and everyone in the group tenses up.

I only get a second of clear bloodthirsty intent as my warning. It's enough, though, and when the furious crunching of breaking vegetation reaches my ears I am ready to fight. At least I thought I was before I saw the black form overshadowing even me barreling through the scenery.

Bulging muscles, wings with blade-like feathers, curved beaks, front legs equipped with deadly talons and hind ones with paws allowing for quiet movement. Above that, the most prominent feature of all, blood-red eyes of a carnivorous predator. All that in the black color scheme of a Corrupted.

Five tainted griffons.

"Lyam, Mist!" Desert Shade yells and the mercs react instantly. Lyam readies his heavy, steel shield, and Mist Cloud's horn flares, creating a shimmering aura around each one of them. Not around me, though, "Five of them, for stars sake! Let's kite them back to Manehattan. The sentry cannons on the walls should deal with them just fine. Ava, grab Mist!"

"On it!" the earthpony mare picks the unicorn up on her back and we all run.

After few bolts of magic it is clear the griffons don't care about Mist's projectiles, so he aims them at the trees in hope to make them collapse and slow the griffons down. Our flight is more a controlled brisk run backwards than a mad dash. The griffons are much faster than the mercenaries, and the only way they can get out is by surviving the attackers' glancing blows using magic barriers and their own skill.

The griffons, however, get bored of the chase quickly and surround us. This close, I can sense the instincts inside them. These fast and deadly monstrosities are just Hunters, which means they are not made for actual combat. With that in mind, I immediately charge at one as they start circling us like prey.

The moment of his shock is enough for me to get close and swipe at his neck, attempting to decapitate him instantly. His flesh is tough, and I can't get through the sheer amount of tight muscle in one swing. Even with my taloned leg still buried in his half-cleaved neck, he still pecks forward and rips a chunk from my shoulder. Grasping his open wound, I jump forward and the force spins me so that I end on his back. With a quick stab of my other front leg, I sever the griffon's spine. His whole head follows a blow later.

Okay, four against six, at least temporarily.

Desert Shade is shockingly agile, and is keeping one griffon Hunter busy by herself. She has no chance of actually hurting him, and she needs to dodge every blow or she'll die. Plus, fatigue will slow her down eventually, while the Corrupted will be fine for infinitely longer.

Lyam is doing the same, although with less agility and more blocking. Thankfully, his enemy is trying to jump around and play instead of just smacking his shield as hard as he can and breaking Lyam's legs by sheer force. So, even if the griffons are physically stronger and more furious than pony-based Corrupted, they are not more organized or smarter, possibly even less.

Avalanche is wearing steel plating on her legs and using it to block blows she cannot avoid from another griffon. She punches back, and her spiked horseshoes rip a chunk of flesh from the Corrupted, but despite a hiss of pain it does not relent in its assault in the slightest.

Airburst is dancing around the final enemy, his wing blades cutting deep into Corrupted flesh. Sadly, the effect is miniscule at best. With the group unable to focus their strength at one or two enemies, they are outnumbered and can barely survive despite experience, skill, and coordination.

Seeing Lyam being battered around by the griffon playing with him like a cat with a yarn ball, I rush to help him. Able to flank him, I savage the Corrupted quickly...

...not quickly enough, though.

Green beam of energy comes from Mist Cloud, who is being protected by Avalanche and Airburst, cutting the griffon's who busy with Avalanche wing clean off.

He screeches, the two remaining join in, and I feel their essence split away from them. Mist Cloud's eyes roll back, and his horn shatters to pieces. A moment later, black liquid starts boiling from inside his skull, and his whole body liquifies, accompanied by his ecstatic laughter.

Horn rot. In order to make a move even barely allowing us to tip the scales of the fight, he made himself too big of a threat, and the Corrupted anti-magic instinct kicked in.

"Mist, no!" Avalanche's focus wavers and she looks away from her enemy. The griffon rears, grabs each of her armored legs, pulls her up, and cuts her in half with his beak. Ribs break with no resistance and her insides fall on the forest ground. Ava just hangs there, gurgling as her enemy starts eating her body without letting her drop. Luckily, missing a heart, she's gone in seconds.

Lyam charges the griffon beating Desert Shade, and they successfully split its focus, giving each of them a break to take a breath. They have no way of hurting him though.

Avalanche's head drops to the ground just as I jump to help Airburst. The griffon ending his earthpony feast, however, is much closer, and the swipe of his talons cleaves the unarmored pegasus dodging his original enemy's attacks in two.

There is nothing I can do to help somepony ripped in half. This is the reason why we haven't been able to walk on the surface before Nightshade's transformation. Even if ponies could outsmart Corrupted, one blow... one single attack weakened a pony or outright killed them. No matter the corruption taking their minds over, the physical contest has always been impossible.

So, it's a three against three now. Well, it's just me against three, and two others buying me time.

I need to get rid of the distracted one first.

"I know you didn't like me, but I'm still sorry," I leave Airburst's body to be desecrated by the Corrupted devouring it, and run over to Des and Lyam. Considering how quickly the griffon ate Avalanche, I have at most five seconds before the other two attack again.

"Back off!" I yell, lunging at the busy griffon.

Both mercenaries react instantly, showing they trust me completely. Lyam rolls away, Desert Shade stabs her rapier into the Corrupted, leaves it in and puts distance between them as well.

I get a quick swing in before the corrupted griffon refocuses on me. He swats me away with a wing, and I finally feel encroaching exhaustion from not being able to feed properly since fleeing Guiding Light. We might get this griffon as well, but I'm not sure I can deal with the other two.

Well, I am sure, but not of the result I would like.

Drenched in black blood, my vision goes dark as I blindly swipe at the griffon on whose back I jump over and over. Like a rodeo pony, I just try to hang in there and hope the Corrupted falls before I do. In the end, I hit the ground. Thankfully, the body that was underneath me doesn't move anymore.

Gathering myself, I groggily get back up to at least buy time against the remaining two, but...

...they are busy with something- somepony else.

A purely white griffon about as big as I am rears on his hind legs and swings a two-handed battleaxe which leaves a blue trail in the air and cleaves through the Corrupted's body as if it was butter.

The griffon Hunter might have little intelligence, but even in his Corrupted eyes I can see a clear expression of 'what the crap has just happened?'. It's an expression I must be mirroring from the depth of my heart. The white griffon spins around, swinging his axe as if it wasn't as big as he is and made of steel, but a rubber toy replica for foals. The last corrupted griffon turns to flee, but the white griffon's axe catches him, and, accompanied by a bolt of lightning coming from the sky, slices and burns the Corrupted at the same time.

The griffon turns to me, not slowing in the slightest, pulls something from his back and lobs it straight at my face. The impact of steel is more disorienting than anything, but when I open my eyes he is already close, ready to swing. I roll away and harden my front legs as much as I can to block the incoming blow.

Nothing.

I open one eye.

The other eye.

Lyam is standing over my body, shield raised in front of him. No pony, griffon, or Corrupted is moving.

"Hmmm," the white griffon raises an eyebrow, "You don't look tainted. Why are you protecting it?"

"He's not like the others. He helped us get here and without him we would have been overrun in seconds."

Des joins in.

"That, and he can talk. Specifically, he says he's the son of princess Twilight Sparkle and comes from Ponyville. Not sure if any of those names mean anything to you, but-"

"Those names mean very much to me, young lady," the griffon cuts her off and lowers his axe, "but I was under the impression that princess Sparkle fell with the city of Canterlot."

"Well, if you decide against cutting Mana Burn's head off you'll get to hear an interesting story."

"Alright, first things first, who are you?"

Desert Shade looks into the griffon's eyes. The exactly same eyes. Not a family member similarity or anything, just the precise copy of bright emerald green. The griffon's eyes seem to glow from the inside, though.

"My name is Desert Shade. My unit and I were returning from scouting the ancient changeling hives south in the Badlands. That's Lyam," she nods to the smaller griffon, "and the Corrupted's name is Mana Burn," she gives a sad frown to the black puddle which used to be Mist Cloud and the two half-devoured corpses of Avalanche and Airburst, "And we can talk in Manehattan later. I'm not leaving them to rot here in the open air."

Ignoring the griffon's outstretched talons, she rummages in Mist Cloud's large bag, pulls out a collapsible shovel, and starts digging.

"My name is Cromach," the white griffon says and nods, "Got a second one?"

Des throws a spare shovel to him, and he joins in digging the graves. Lyam and I finish the third one using my claws and his shield.

Picking up the bags of equipment, we move once again towards Manehattan.

"That was quite something. I mean, with the corrupted griffons," I say out loud something that's bothering me, "I doubt even my mom or princess Luna would be able to do that."

"The alicorns rely on using either divine power or magic. Neither Twilight Sparkle nor Luna possess distinct divine abilities and both rely on massive magic power which is countered by horn rot. I don't have to worry about it," Cromach explains, "Speaking of which, the way you talk about them... are they still alive?"

"Yes," I nod, "It's a long story, but in past months we have managed to recover a portion of Equestria from the Corrupted. Canterlot is no longer a dead city, only mostly empty, and we have discovered that Crystal Empire still exists. Ummm... my visit to Manehattan is... related to that."

"I know who you are!" Desert Shade, until now deep in thought, jumps, "Cromach, the Black Ops agent in Equestria working for the Silver S-"

She stops, blade of Cromach's axe against her neck. He looks at Lyam. Des slowly pushes her talons against the edge, careful not to end like the corrupted griffons.

"I saw you a century ago on a meeting with Manehattan officials. I've worked in Manehattan enough to hear your name whispered by desperate ponies. You and your order are the sole symbol of hope. The watchful eye punishing the griffons for pushing too far. I thought you were a legend, but since I age differently, who says others can't?" the happiness rising in Des' voice is infectious.

"I don't age differently," Cromach lowers his weapon and we resume walking, "I don't age at all. This body will last as long as I have the power of will to go on. But, since you are travelling with a Corrupted, one who knows about things nopony should these days on top of that, I'll listen to you. Why are you coming to Manehattan, Mana Burn?"

"I was looking for a changeling queen by the name of Shadowstep."

"She and her unit are long gone, travelling the world again."

"Desert Shade told me, yes. Now that I know ponies in Manehattan are in such dire situation, I want to help. My mother's wish is to put Equestria back together. My Queen Nightshade's hive and two other hives are working with ponies to create a safer and bountiful land for both species. Most of this continent is still uninhabitable, but we are changing that."

"And what do you intend to do with Manehattan? Besiege it and fight against ponies who will consider your princess a myth and you a Corrupted set on devouring the last bastion of equinity?"

"I need to secure a way for Twilight Sparkle to get here, but with the way Corrupted territories work we can't just send a group of Protectors to escort her here. I hoped she could talk to the griffons or at least the citizens. She knows her ways around diplomacy, from what I know of her history. She used to be Equestria's head diplomat and princess of... Friendship?"

"Ponies do not know who she is," Cromach shakes his head, "Twilight Sparkle is just a name to them, that's all."

"Yeah... I gathered that," I sigh.

"Not to all of them, though," he changes our course, turning sharply to the left through the forest instead of going straight towards the city walls visible in the distance, "If you are willing to go all the way, we can... arrange something."

"You're taking us to the Silver Sun hideout, right?" Des smiles smugly.

"I am willing to take the risk, only thanks to Mana Burn here."

"So, what does your group do and why are you famous, mister Cromach?"

"I am nopony special-"

"EHM!" Desert Shade coughs, "This guy's a hero! His organization are basically terrorists, well, freedom fighters. I guess that depends on the point of view. Griffons consider them enemies because whenever the local officials declare some REALLY stupid new rule kicking ponies to the nuts even more they make a mess, like attack griffon embassies and stuff."

"Then he is in the best position to help!" I raise my voice, "Sir, you know the area, you know ponies around, you can-"

"I can't get enough supplies to feed the entire city population," Cromach kills my argument instantly, "I can't move them to Ponyville, or wherever your home is now. You can't even secure a way for an ALICORN to get here. What chance do defenseless civilians have?"

"I... I'll think of something. If you just get me into the city I can at least scout around and bring a useful report to my mom. I'm too weak to be sure I can get all the way back safely, but if you give me a place to rest I'll recover."

"Calm down," Cromach smiles, "If there is something we have in abundance, it is time."

He is right. The city has survived decades like this. Rushing things would only lead to more mistakes.

We walk in silence again until Cromach stops in front of a group of bushes. He breaks several dry twigs, and a glowing portal appears from nowhere. As he nods his head, Lyam, Des, and I walk inside, being blinded by light but feeling the forest under our hooves change into chiseled stone floor. When the light fades, I recognize a tunnel similar to our entrances to Ponyville enclave.

"Let me go first," Cromach pushes ahead of us, "You wouldn't like what can happen to unannounced visitors in this place."

The tunnel is long, but I feel the tingling of magic several times, assuring me that teleportation spells got us further without walking. In the end we go up a staircase and end in a wide circular room with tiled floor and staircases along the sides leading into upper floors.

"This place is UNDERGROUND?" I gasp.

"Wait, what? This is nonsense!" Desert Shade runs towards a huge door obviously leading outside, opens it, and faces two disgruntled guards. Pony guards, I notice.

"At ease," Cromach waves the guards off.

"Yes, sir!" they salute and slam the door shut before Des' nose. Lyam chuckles quietly.

"This.. this... I've been here before! This WASN'T here!"

I have no clue what she's talking about.

"What's going on?"

"First," Cromach grins, "This place is a mansion in Manehattan. The Hoof family mansion, although nopony other than me knew the only Hoof family member ever to stay here," he points at a life-sized statue in the middle of the room. It depicts a pure white earthpony with blue mane and hair around his fetlocks. His physique is astonishing even by my standards, and yet the statue betrays uncharacteristic softness.

"But I've visited this place when I was... doesn't matter," Des stop with an exasperated huff, "This wasn't here!" she repeats.

"Of course," Cromach's grin grows, "If you come through the main entrance, you enter the real mansion. This is a pocket dimension a member of Shadowstep's squad crafted for us. The real Silver Sun headquarters."

A grey, mechanical unicorn with blue eyes comes over and bows to us.

"Bucket, get these three a free room. My training session today was a bit hectic and I need some rest."

Training session? This guy fights corrupted griffons FOR PRACTICE?

"Yes, sir," the robot drones and Cromach turns to us. Its voice is not unpleasant, but definitely unique.

"Three things," he raises a talon, "One - don't try to leave," second one shoots up, "Two - even if you are some clever spies, don't try to overpower Bucket here, it's too difficult to clean all the bits afterwards," the final one rises, "Three - see me in my office tomorrow morning," he starts walking up the stairs, "Bucky, keep an eye on them."

"Yes, sir," the robot nods and points towards the other staircase, "Follow me."

Shrugging, Desert Shade follows him and turns her head to me.

"Welcome to Manehattan, I guess."

Comments

[PlieRow666]

How come this on hiatus for some reason?

[Nameless Narrator]

7080736 Can't write, real life hates me atm. Sorry.

[PlieRow666]

7119165 ok

[Anonymous Critic]

"I ma nopony special-"

Okay, your ma is nopony special, but what about your pa, though?

[Anonymous Critic]

Training session? This guy fights corrupted griffons FOR PRACTICE?

You'd hate to see what they fight for real.

[Anonymous Critic]

9394497

"Of course," Cromach's grin grows, "If you come through the main entrance, you enter the real mansion. This is a pocket dimension a member of Shadowstep's squad crafted for us. The real Silver Sun headquarters."

So... how can they see Manehattan and the like when... ya know... they aren't really in Manehattan?

[Two_Madmans]

It must be a griffon thing, because I still don't understand a word of what he said.

Um... What?

A purely white griffon about as big as I am rears on his hind legs and swings a two-handed battleaxe which leaves a blue trail in the air and cleaves through the Corrupted's body as if it was butter.

Cromach? What the ffff

"Bucket, get these three a free room. My training session today was a bit hectic and I need some rest."

Hey, buddy!
Shame, your friend can't live two hundred years...

Two - even if you are some clever spies, don't try to overpower Bucket here, it's too difficult to clean all the bits afterwards

Looks like Bucket got himself some upgrades.

[ProjectRabbid]

CROMAHHHHH

CHAD TIME