The Elements of Salvation

by Slick Dash

The horde

"Right! Everypony up!" Seed grunted awake, confused and unsure what was going on. A small laugh came from above him, as Seed looked up, he saw Angelica smirking back.
"Good night sleep Cuzz'?" her eyes flicked ahead of Seed, he followed her gaze and saw the sleeping Ruby ahead of him who began to stir from Angelica's loud cry. Seed tried to hide the smile spreading across his lips. "Well," Angelica began again loudly, making Seed jump. "Plenty of time to sleep tonight! For now, get those haunches off the floor!" She gave the stallion a light kick, before moving off across the room.

Another grunt caught Seed's attention, he glanced over and saw Archy getting up, murderous intent for Angelica burning in his eyes! Seed smirked before leaning down to wake Ruby gently.
"C'mon sweetheart, we gotta get goin'."
"Hmmmm..." Ruby grumbled, her brow furrowing slowly. "hmm... five more minutes..." Seed laughed, then nudged her again softly. "Ruby, we aint got time for sleepin', we need to get movin'." Another inaudible moan escaped the mare's lips before her eyes finally opened. Sitting up, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and peered around slowly. When her gaze found the round green eyes of Seed just ahead of her, she gave a small smile.
"H-hi..." She said quietly.
"Hi." Seed replied returning the smile in full.

"Come ooooooon everypony! Get moving!" Angelica laughed, looking over the group of slow moving ponies. She glanced over to the sacks of food waiting for them and gave a little grin. "Well... I guess this food is gonna go all to waste!" Immediately Thor sprang to his hooves, even Ruby glanced up hopefully, this only made Angelica laugh more. Slowly she stooped down and began to rummage through the sacks, taking out some simple foods for their breakfast, before the beginning of their journey across the outlands.

.....

"What's going on down here?" A large deep chestnut pony asked of his fellow guard as they stood at the end of the rocky corridor.
"He won't shut his trap sir!" The guard replied, snapping to attention. Sure enough, the guards superior began to hear the anguished cries from one of the cells further down the hall.
"Ok, I'll deal with this, as you were soldier." As the guard snapped back to attention, the higher officer travelled down the hall of cells etched into the mountain's stone, towards the grieving yells from their oldest prisoner.

"Alright alright!" the officer shouted angrily slamming a hoof against the bars angrily. "What's all this noise about!"
"Kartoruss!" The prisoner yelped, lunging for the bars only to fall short due to the chains tethering him to the floor. He stumbled but managed to steady himself before falling. "You have to help me!"
"Oh?" Kartoruss smirked. "What with?"
"Canterlot!"
"What of it?"
"It's burning!" The stallion pleaded, nothing but pure fear in his eyes. Kartoruss did nothing but laugh at the prisoner.
"And what would you have me do? Rush to my king and beg he send help?" The prisoner's eyes gleamed with hope. Kartoruss turned away and began to walk down the hall laughing maniacally.
"If it is burning, then maybe we'll go and claim it! If you want I could bring you back a souvenir!
"You'll pay for this Kartoruss!" the prisoner screamed, pulling hard at his chains. "When I get out I'll-"
"When you get out, I'll bow at your hooves and accept whatever punishment you think fit of me!" the guard laughed casually as he reached the doorway to the upper rooms of the fortress. "But until then, farewell!"

For a moment there was silence. The stallion walked back over to his tiny hole of a window and stared out at the world. It had been hours since the smoke had stopped pluming from the spires of Canterlot, but who knew what had happened, what could be happening! Another moment of silence passed, before the stallion swung his forelegs up against the bars of the windows, letting out an almighty elemental scream filled with anger, grief and all manner of miserable emotions.

.....

"I don't know but I've been told, Apple Seed's butt is covered in mould!"
"Go on Thor! Sing that line one last time! I dare you!" They'd been travelling for the best part of four hours now. It seemed that after Canterlot, the landscape grew dead and wild very quickly. Already the green pastures of what they knew were gone, the grass grew longer here, reaching up to their chests and tickling their noses. Thor soared above the group singing crude and slightly annoying tunes to pass the time. It had been Seed who had made the comment, it was him who Thor now sailed down to walk next to.
"Oh come on Seed, it's only a joke." He nudged him gently as they walked. "Act all hurt and we may start believing it's true." He winked at his friend.

"What are you talking about, 'believing?'" came the voice of Archy a few feet to the left. Seed glanced over and spotted both the top of his head and the glimpse of his gifted armour gleaming in the sun. "We've all seen Seed's butt at some time or another, and we've seen those grim little green spores!" A high pitched giggle told them all that Sweetness wasn't far behind the unicorn. Everypony else laughed as well, even Seed.

Thor shot back into the skies again itching to stay in the air, leaving Seed to walk alone for a moment.
"Now, I'm quite sure that your 'butt' is perfectly free of mould!" said a quiet voice. Seed turned to see Ruby following with a faint smile on her lips.
"I didn't know you'd been looking." The orange stallion joked, slowing slightly to allow the mare to catch up.
"And if I have?" Ruby challenged jokingly, Seed glanced around smiling. So far their journey had been uneventfull, leaving their spirits high, hence everypony's chipper mood.
"Stick around, and you might find out." Seed winked, Ruby giggled, when the fit passed she smiled.
"I suppose that's enough reason to stay then." Seed laughed, and the two walked close beside each other, heads nuzzled against each other.

"Geez!" Archy grunted, looking away from Seed and Ruby only to see Thor and Angy walking closely beside each other. "Are we all destined to date each other?" Archy glanced to the mare to his right. Sweetness raised an eyebrow.
"Well if you want we can, but you need to get me a cupcake first!" Archy sniggered.
"Fresh out, sorry Sweetness..."
"Ahh, it's ok, you're too smart for me anyway!" They both laughed then grew quiet as they walked. "So..." Archy glanced to the pink mare who looked like something was bugging her. "Is that heavy?" she looked at the glinting armour latched onto Archy's back. The dark unicorn glanced back and wiggled his back, letting the compact suite jingle gently.
"Not really... I kind of forgot it was there to be honest. "
"So... would it work... for me?" Sweetness asked tentatively.
"I guess so, it's designed to change around the wearer so it should surely fit you if you needed it. Why?"
"I dunno..." Sweetness frowned. "You know about my mom's sense?"
"The Pinkie sense? Yeah why? You got it to?"
" Not exactly..." Sweetness looked up to the sky, staring into the few white clouds above. "It's just a feeling I have. Keep that armour close Archy, I think we're gonna need it soon." Archy grimaced at the sombre prediction, but quickly pushed his head back ensuring that the helmet was still ready to receive his skull as they walked.

Archy jumped suddenly at a loud rumbling close by, he looked to the source, Sweetness's stomach. Said mare gave a massive grin. "Sorry Archy!" He laughed at his jumpiness.
"Guessing you're hungry?"
"Yeah... kinda." Sweetness said bashfully.
"We can't spare much, but what you think you could have to tide you over 'till our next camp?"
"Cookie!" Sweetness said ecstatically as Archy rummaged in a few of the bags he was carrying like the other stallions.
"I don't really think I have any Sweetness."
"NO! COOKIE!" The others looked over to Sweetness's cry, she was gazing straight up in the air. They followed her gaze, and there was nothing.

"Sweetness?" Ruby asked slowly, approaching the pink earth pony. "Did you see Cookie?"
"Uhuh!" Sweetness nodded her bouncy mane bouncing happily as her tongue stuck out ever so slightly.
"Where?" Seed asked, returning to analysing the skies in search for the large bird. "I can't see him."
"Oh don't worry he's right over..." Sweetness stuck her hoof in the air, pointing. Suddenly the confidence vanished as her foreleg faltered. "...there?" She finished confusedly. The pink mare glanced around to her friends. "I was sure it was him..."
"I'll check it out." Said Thor. Blasting into the air with speed close to his mother's.

Once in the air, Thor shot straight for the spot that Sweetness had pointed to. A small clump of clouds had begun to drift across the space, maybe what she'd seen was behind it. Thor's gut was telling him something was wrong, the fact that something had been spotted this far into the outlands was worrying enough but the fact that it had then also vanished, was far worse. So either it hadn't noticed them on the ground, or it didn't wish to be noticed itself. Slowly he hovered over to the clumps of wispy cumulous.

.....

"What made you say it was Cookie Sweetness?" Angelica asked, glancing up at the flying pegasus above.
"Because I thought it was him!" Sweetness said exasperatedly. It looked like him from that distance.
"Distance?" Angy asked, the others all looked confusedly at Angy's sudden worry filled face.
"Well yeah! He had to be kinda far away to look that small!" Sweetness laughed at their ridiculous logic. Angy looked up at the clouds that really weren't far enough to make a creature like the Harpy look very small, Thor now looked reasonably small though... so what Sweetness had seen disappear behind the clouds must have been... Pony sized.

"THOR!"

.....

The stallion looked down at the cry of his name, looking away from the clump of cloud. Two sets of legs shot out and grabbed the stallion. He cried out as he was pulled out of view, obscured by the suspended water vapour!

"Thor!" Seed cried rushing underneath the cloud, ready to catch his friend if he fell, unable to do anything else.
"Ruby, Sweetness, stay here! If they get out after Thor's done, use your magic, if they get too close to Ruby Sweetness..." The pink mare saluted, ready to take the order, Angy glanced back, no time to waste! "Kick them!"
"Okie Dokie Lokie!" With that Angelica turned, unfurling her wings to fly. A noise of wiring and clinking caught up with her, she glanced left and saw Archy, his red armour already in place.
"What are you doing?" Angy demanded.
"Coming with you!" Archy replied, jumping into the air. His horn glowed it's dark hue, and around his hooves sprang a rippling mass of magic. The magic pulled him up into the air, as fast as any pegasus takeoff.

Angelica didn't mind this new back up, and shot into the air after the magic caster.

Wild movements were taking place under the clouds, causing them to spread out and distort. Enough so the flailing mass that was Thor and three changelings could be seen easily.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Angelica screamed, shooting like a bullet strait into the chest of the most exposed changeling. This freed Thor's right forehoof, so he rolled pulling both of his other assailants with him, he released one and sent it flying high into the air. The fanged beast recovered quickly and began to buzz it's wings to return to its attack!
"Hey Changeling!" The creature was distracted by the call. It looked to its left and saw a unicorn in the air: Suspended by his own magic on his hooves. "You guys aren't the only ones with some tricks!" Archy purred. He pulled his right hind leg out with his magic, and used it to spin himself around in one single circle, giving the hoof momentum. Lunging forward, Archy brought the hoof into the changeling's face, taking out both one lf it's prominent fangs, and three of its teeth rooted deeper in its mouth.

The creature fell instantly, leaving the only one still on Thor to stare in horror. It glanced down at the pegasus still hovering below, holding onto its hooves viciously. Thor smirked, flicking his head back into the helmet waiting for him. He winked as the armour encased his body. "Now this is a lot more fair!" He laughed as he swung an armoured wing joint into the changelings waiting side. With a cry, the creature was thrown off of the pegasus.

Thor righted himself and shot off in pursuit of the injured target. The other two airborne ponies seemed to be in similar states of combat, with the changelings trying to re-form their ranks. Below them waited Seed, itching to help, yet unable to do anything. He glanced over to Ruby, who watched on with worry and terror for her friends. Seed almost rushed to her, when suddenly a sense tingled inside his stomach. Something was wrong!

Sure enough, a rumbling noise came over the wind and grunts of the airborne fighters. Seed looked over the long stalks of grass and saw them. Changelings, near one hundred of them rushing towards the group up over the open planes! Seed yelled to the two mares in the distance. "Ruby! Sweetness get re-" Seed was cut off by a single scout who pounced on the unsuspecting orange stallion!
"Apple Seed!" Ruby screamed as yet more changelings piled on top of the helpless work horse! More seethed over the mass on the stallion, headed straight for the two waiting mares.
"NOOOO!" Suddenly the pile of changelings was blown apart, stood there, entirely covered in his golden armour, stood Apple Seed. His element of strength obvious from the mass of dazed changelings. Seed rushed after the wave of enemies approaching Ruby and Sweetness.

Reaching the back of the group, the orange stallion grabbed hold of the tattered tail of the changeling furthest behind, pulled hard, then flung him forward, sending him into a few of his comrades. With the group weakened slightly, Sweetness shrugged and did as she had been commanded. With a single bound, she launched herself over the group of enemies and screamed "Yippeeeee!" before plummeting into the horde below. The changelings halted their advance, with one of their targets amongst them, they had been distracted from Ruby's presence.

The unicorn stood there, masked slightly by the long grass, staring on in complete horror. She watched as Apple Seed barged his way through the small ranks to reach sweetness. Her neck craned upward and saw Archy doing battle with the changeling that Thor had sent his way with a single kick.
"Ruby!" cried a voice. She looked and saw Angelica watching her. It seemed as though her own enemy had fled, leaving her in a momentary state of safety. "You need to help! Get them!"
"I-I can't!" Ruby stuttered, her horn glowed for a moment, then sputtered out like a dying candle. "My magic's no good!"
"Yes it is Ruby! You don't have to be Archy to fight with magic! Just help!" Ruby glanced over at the mentioned unicorn, his talent was obvious. As his changeling swiped at him, he released the spell on his hooves, releasing him into a free fall. He plummeted for only a second before casting a teleportation spell, his destination was directly above his target. He rammed into the creature, his elbow angled ready to do damage.

If that was what it took to fight these creatures, ten Ruby had no hope! Her magic was ok for helping her mother at the boutique, for collecting gems with her father. But not... this! This wasn't the kind of mare she was, she couldn't bring herself to fight, no matter the risk...

"Eearrrggghhh!" Seed yelled as a changeling spat in his eye, momentarily blinding him. Immediately a hollow hoof came crashing down on his protected skull. Though it kept him adequately protected, the force was still enough to send Seed tumbling down for a moment. Ruby stared as this happened, digging deep to find a part of herself that would help Seed, help the stallion she loved! However, try as she might, she couldn't find it!

"Come ooooooon!" Sweetness moaned as she jumped over yet another changeling as it lunged. "You're changelings right? Then why can't you change into something! You did for my momma!" Almost as though obeying orders, three of the attackers jumped on to each other, forming a living tower. Then the three began to shift, until suddenly, instead of a pony, they were the carbon copy of Sweetness's father. Sweetness's jaw dropped in horror. "W-wait... no... that's not fair..." She mumbled, backing away as best she could in the crowd. The discord copy smirked, giggling in the same voice as the hideous changelings. Raising a mimicked lion paw fist, and brought it crashing into Sweetness's jaw. She cried out in pain and collapsed to the floor.

"Pathetic!" The creatures snarled through Discord's lips. Sweetness gave a little sob, she couldn't bring herself to look up at the face she knew would be there waiting for her.
"You're not allowed to do that! I didn't know you could do that! I thought... only ponies..."

Archy was livid! He didn't know where this rage came from, but now he tapped into it! The sheer cowardice of this ambush sent his blood running cold, He sent a bolt of magic into one changeling who had challenged, him sending him sizzling to the ground. This foe was only replaced by another though, as it seemed the horde were determined to keep him busy. That was fine by him! 'Keep sending them in, I'll keep taking them out!' He thought as he sent a magic boosted hoof crashing into the creatures stomach.

"Sweetness!" Thor yelled as he swooped down taking out another changeling. He noticed the pony on the floor, then the creature towering above her. He gasped in realisation, it had all been a destraction! "Discord!" He yelled, bolting straight for the draconequus, only to be blocked by two changelings who shot up into his path. "SWEETNESS!" Thor cried again over their heads before they tackled him!

Ruby was the only one to see what had happened, the others were too distracted. It wasn't Sweetness's father as Thor thought, only three changelings! She tried to call out, but fear crippled her lungs, letting only a squeak out of her mouth. "Sweetness..."

The Discord copy raised its paw again as Sweetness pushed herself up. It laid into her again with yet another single punch.
"Stop it!" Sweetness blurted out as she crumpled again, this time her mane exploded into lifelessness. A trickle of blood left her mouth, leaving a warm trail as it ran down her chin. "Stop it!"
"Pathetic!" The copy repeated.
"I'm not!" Sweetness groaned, yet again ascending to her hooves. Another hit! Down again!
"Pathetic pony!"
"Stop!"

HIT!

"Pappa!"

HIT!

"Help me!"

HIT!

"Sweetness!" Seed beet through the line of changelings. He'd been rushing to her since the moment Discord appeared on the field, finally he had beaten down enough of the creatures to get through. The mare lay there, her mane flat and limp, barely holding herself up with her forelegs. They were shaking furiously!

"Sweetness!" Ruby cried, a little louder, seeing her friend being shown no mercy at the hands of the changelings! "Fight back!" she whispered.

Seed rushed to her, crouching low he ran, barging several changelings out of the way.

"Fight back!" Ruby cried.

"Sweetness are you all right?" Seed begged as he reached her. The pink mare began to look up!

"FIGHT BACK!" Screamed Ruby, rushing forward a few steps. Her blood pumping, begging her friend to fight, to survive, to live!

Sweetness raised her head, and her long straight purple mane parted slowly as it fell around her muzzle.
"Sweetness!" Seed cried, just happy she was still conscious.

"SWEETNESS!" Ruby began to run towards the crowd, her horn glowing strongly, her friend needed her, Seed needed her, they all needed her! No time to be scared, no time to be nice! "FIGHT BACK!"

The locks of mane fell, and revealed Sweetness's eyes. Red, surrounded by yellow, just like the imposter stood above her. She was panting, hard angry, which was quickly turning into a monstrous growl. She opened her mouth, but the voice that came out wasn't Sweetness's. Just like in the throne room, it distorted and rippled.
"Get down!" it said. Seed didn't hesitate, remembering what happened in Canterlot. The stallion fell to his haunches, covering as much bare flesh with his armour as possible.

Sweetness exploded! She looked to the sky and let out an earth shattering scream! The ground shook the air seemed to thicken for a moment, then it blasted outwards. From above them, Thor saw it, like a sonic rainboom! The wave of distorted air shot out at incredible speed, streaming outwards and sending Changelings scattering fast and far. Even in the air he struggled not to be sent soaring away. He glanced to Angelica who was already pushing against the force, flapping hard and fast to stay stationary. The weak winged changelings were not strong enough however all of them were sent soaring into the air, towards the mountains and out across all other directions.

Thor began to flap hard, then saw her. Rushing towards the screaming mare. Ruby, for some unknown reason was rushing towards her, she mustn't have noticed the explosion! If not, she would in a few seconds! He strained his wings, turning against the unrelenting force, and began to fly forward, picking up speed, though it hurt him to do so!

Eventually he reached the point he was ahead of ruby, he clenched his eyes then turned away from the force and began to flap as fast as he could. When going with the force, he was sure he was as fast as his mother, probably faster! If he could control himself, he could very possibly have caused a sonic rainboom! He concentrated, it was hard to control his aim, but he targeted Ruby. He quickly overtook the force with his added flying, making him approach her fast.

Ruby saw it as Thor approached at breakneck speed. The wall of pure air rushing to meet her, her legs seized up with bone chilling fear. She panicked, knowing what Thor was obviously going to try. She turned quickly and began to run, trying to cut down on the impact Thor would make when he grabbed her. Sure enough when she felt the hooves grab her, it felt less of an impact than she thought she would.

Thor coiled himself around Ruby, allowing the magical armour to take most of the impact. He tucked his wings in tightly, and let himself crash to the floor. His shins shot up, nearly smashing into his jaw, but the armour took the strike, absorbing much of the damage.

Soon enough the wave slammed into Thor for the second time. He was ready this time, he clung to the ground tightly, he unfurled his wings and quickly twisted them so they sliced the air passing them, redirecting some of the force away, lessening his struggle.

Sweetness was still screaming, letting out all the rage that had built up she had been lashed at by the changelings. The creatures shot off into the air, screaming as they did so. After the last one was swept away by the magic, Sweetness finally began to waver. Seed glanced up and saw her eyes flickering. They were flashing between her old blue and the deadly red of a draconequus. The shriek began to die until suddenly, Sweetness collapsed to the ground in a heap and fell quiet. As soon as she stopped, the force pushing out died like an ebbing storm.

Angelica had to stop herself shooting forward with the force that she was flapping with. Once steady, she looked around. "Thor? THOR?" She found him. He was just getting up off of the ground, climbing off of somepony. As he moved, Angy caught her face. Ruby! Angy stared for a moment and shook her head. She rushed to the unconscious Sweetness, as did Thor and ruby, all running to unite with Seed; already beside her.

"Uhhh... guys?" Sweetness mumbled, begin to awake as they crowded around her. "I-I... screamed, and..."
"And all the bad guys went away!" Thor finished simply, knowing there'd be time for explanations later.

"How 'bout that huh Archy?" Seed laughed, checking Sweetness's pulse. Quicker than normal, but that was understandable. "I know you're good, but do you think you could have done that?" Seed looked up at the group. "Archy?" The others looked around. Archy was gone!

They turned frantically, searching for a sign of their friend. "Where did he go?" Ruby begged as she ran a few steps over the grass, which only now did she notice had been completely flattened by Sweetness. She could see as far as the horizon now, and that's when she saw it towards the mountains at the end of the outlands. "There!" She screamed. The others followed her gaze and saw it too.

He must have been knocked back like the changelings by the unbiased magical force. The pegasi had struggled, what hope had a unicorn already drained by constantly holding himself in the air? He had sailed away into the distance, unfortunately, so had the changelings. They now had him! They were flying in the direction of the mountains, the stallion struggling and screaming for help. Across the wind they heard it.

"Thor! Archy! Help me! Help meeeeeee!"

Comments

[SuperPinkBrony12]

Oh no they got Archy!

[LuigiBoy781]

....................... Go on.

[Slick Dash]

2257952 Spoilers enjoying the story so far then?

[SuperPinkBrony12]

2260270 You betcha.

[Bronythegreat]

solid human excreetion just came into contact with a quite popular air-movment device.