Dark Body, Light Soul (Or the Tale of the Stalfos)

by Garino

34.5: Teeth-Clenched Teamwork

Chapter 34.5: Teeth-Clenched Teamwork

Back at the entrance of Necro City, a boulder stood, there to keep the unwanted intruders out. No one could tell, but it was sad. Thirty years ago, it didn't stop a psycho-necromancer from storming in and taking over. Then, two years ago, it failed to keep the now-current king from claiming it for himself. Granted, he was vampiric, so he could get a pass, but...

And now, it realized that a year ago, it failed its job yet again. The living had infiltrated the city and nearly...no, they DID destroy it. All of the inhabitants had escaped through the only other known exit, and that lead to Tartarus. It was now a ghost town, and it knew that did NOT mean it was a town with ghosts as its main residence. That boulder had decided that for the few that left through the main entrance, they could never go back. And no matter what, nothing would be passing it. From now until the end of time, this boulder would move for no one.

But even then, it failed. At the entrance, an angry pegasus, coated in black soot and an eye caked with blood pushed and shoved. Even though the boulder tried to keep him in, he proved he was far stronger than it. With one final kick, he moved it far enough to escape his would-be tomb.

As he left, a string of what could only be called angrish escaped his lips. Probably the only sentence that he could make out (nearly) perfectly was, "Years of (angrish) planning and (angrish) months in execution only for (angrish) bonehead to throw it all off, and (angrish) doesn't even know, I bet..." He stormed through the marsh, still muttering angrily when he saw a patch of blue flowers. He instinctively stepped away from them, only to notice a body within.

Before he could examine it, the body groaned, shakily getting onto its hooves. Jet black coat, sickly green mane and tail, cutie mark in the form a jade skull in the center of a hexagon. A stallion, if his jaw shape meant anything, the pegasus thought. He shook his head, which showed a horn that marked him as a unicorn, before dragging himself out of the flowers. The pegasus took a few steps back. He didn't know what the pollen from those things would do to him, and he didn't care to find out anytime soon.

As the unicorn's sight finally fixed itself, he noticed the armored pegasus. Now introductions are usually in order when two individuals meet and don't know each other. This one was no different. The unicorn spoke first.

"Wow, you look like hammered s-" The unicorn's eyes grew wide. This was not the dangerous, fear-inducing voice he was used to. Instead, he had a very high, squeaky voice. "W-what the?!? I-is that my voice!?" he yelled, coughing after he finished. "Is that MY voice!?"

The pegasus laughed. "Hahahahaha! A-and here, I thought you'd be intimidating!" he taunted.

"Cease your laughter!" the unicorn commanded, making the pegasus laugh even harder. "Silence, lest you wish to feel the wrath of Mordroc!"

The pegasus did as he was told, but it was less because he WAS told to and more because of the name. "You? The 'legendary' Mordroc? The same one that 'founded' Necro City before you were driven out by your own summons?"

Mordroc glared at the pegasus. He hated to be reminded of his greatest failure. "The same, as much as I hate to admit such an...embarrassing event. But I plan on destroying it now and wiping it off of my record. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

"I'm afraid you're a bit late for that. I already dealt with the city," the pegasus stated. Best not to tell him the denizens escaped, he thought to himself.

Mordroc turned back to the pegasus, horn flaring with magic. "You WHAT?!? How dare you deny me my redemption!? I shall make you pay!" Two bony hands erupted from the ground, dragging themselves out. After they escaped from their earthly prison, they took off the sword and shield off of their back, slashing the air as if they were ready to go.

The pegasus glared, wincing as he forgot his injured eye still hadn't properly healed. Two Stalfos. The same creature that left him in this state. It was time for revenge. "So...you're the one responsible for HIM..." he growled. Taking the lance off of his own back, he whirled it around, daring the monsters to attack. "You will regret the day you stood against the Reverent Dawn."

Mordroc's horn stopped shining. All he had to do now was order the minions to do as he saw fit. And currently, only one order came to mind. "Kill that pegasus!" he shouted menacingly. Or as menacingly as you can with such a squeaky voice. Both of his creations roared as they attacked the pegasus.

With a single thrust of his lance, the pegasus destroyed the left skeleton, its bones bursting into blue flames. The right one jumped, attempting to slice the winged pony in two. A quick roll to the right had stopped that from happening, but it left him unarmed. The remaining Stalfos chuckled. It attacked with a quick thrust, but the pegasus jumped onto the blade. Pulling out what seemed to be a vial of water, he smiled.

"May Celestia's blessings drive you from these lands!" he bellowed, smashing the vial onto the skeleton's chest. It roared in pain, disappearing in the blue flames like his brother. The pegasus turned to Mordroc, raising his hoof as if to blast him away. However, he was now face-to-face with his lance. The unicorn snickered, the odds now in his favor.

"So, Reverent Dawn, how does it feel to be destroyed with the very lance you've weilded for so long?" he cackled.

A moment's silence. Finally, he answered. "A lot less embarrassing than being outsmarted by a dumb boneman back in the city."

An angry glare from Mordroc turned into one of confusion. "Wait...you LOST to a skeleton? I thought your kind was well-versed in undead disposal!"

"We are...but this one. He didn't act any way like the ones we fought. He had...his own magic," he muttered.

There was soft splash as the lance hit the soggy ground. "Own magic, you say?" the unicorn asked. "I know of one. And I'd bet anything he's responsible for putting me in the poison joke patch."

The pegasus picked the lance up and placed it on his back. "You have, have you? And why should I believe you?"

"Simple," the necromancer replied, "you want revenge, right? I do, too. What better way to deal with him than as a team? He's competent enough to take us down one at a time. But together, we'll send him back under!"

There was silence in the air. The pegasus tapped his hoof before removing his lance again. "I think I'll take my chances alone," he said, taking to the air and diving at the unicorn.

In a desperate attempt to save himself, Mordroc shouted, very quickly, "IALSOKNOWWHEREASTASHOFGOLDISIFYOUSPAREMEANDLETMEHELPYOUDESTROYTHATACCURSEDSTALFOS!" Luckily for him, the angry pegasus's lance stopped. It rested right on the unicorn's nose, threatening to pierce through his head. A small smile appeared on the flier's face.

"We could always use more funding...where is it?" he asked.

"I can't say," Mordroc admitted. "I've been stuck in a puddle of water for the past three decades. I just know I hid it in a temple. You allow me to help, and every single piece goes to the Dawn. Also, granted, that you don't skewer me before, during, or after the mission."

The pegasus growled. He then withdrew the lance and placed it on his back. "If you try to backstab us, the Dawn WILL blacklist you. You'll be hunted by every member and hired mercenary we can afford. You will be chased to the ends of the earth and then some. You will never. Be. Safe. Are we clear?"

The necromancer gulped and nodded. "C-crystal."

"Also, you'd better hope your temple has at least 10000 bits worth of treasure in it. For every two thousand you're off, you'll be needing a prosthetic hoof."

"Ha! There's at least 50000 bits worth in there! And, as I said, all of it is yours once the Stalfos is eliminated!" Mordroc squeaked. After a small coughing fit, he added, "You, uh, wouldn't happen to have a cure to poison joke on you, would you?"

The warrior sighed. "You're in a swamp: you can probably find everything you need if you look hard enough. Now let's start searching. If we catch him off-guard, he'll be cleansed before he even knows we're there. Speaking of being cleansed..." he jumped into a small pool of water, finally cleaning himself of the soot from before.

"Right, right," Mordroc muttered. As he listed off the things he needed, he turned to back to the pegasus. "By the way, by what name shall I call you by?"

He flew out of the pool, shaking himself off and removing the blood around his right eye. The now alabaster pegasus ran a hoof over a small scar where his eye had been slashed. "Albus. One of the captains of the Dawn."

Author's Note:

Random update for the story this time. And it doesn't look good for our game-loving Stalfos. That said, I have a serious question:

I have made a chapter (non-canon to this story) that is...well, I'd put it over Chapter 21, but it's still very random and may dissuade people from reading the story. So, ask you, my loyal readers. Would you like for the chapter to be posted? Or would it be better to ignore and simply continue with the plot? (Although, after 36 chapters and still not out of the Black Marsh, you guys are probably getting tired of this)

Comments

[LakieLegion]

albus survived! and i was expecting something different to happen to mordy, like literal deflation
but seriously i wish i could hear his voice lke this

[Mother3Forever]

Well....It's picking up speed, so continue as you wish.

[Lucien Chance]

Nothing could dissuade me from reading this story, but for the sake of all new readers, you might want to post it as an alternate chapter and then sandwich it where it needs to go. If you mark it as a random, non-canon chapter, then people will understand. If you say it's chapter 21, then people could get confused if its as random as you say it is.

[Garino]

2469652 It'll be a non-canon chapter, so new readers will know it has absolutely nothing to do with the story.

[Nightingalehound]

And another dumb templar knock off. What is with beings and thinking their quests are holy when their not? Is it just hard wired into medieval religions and knights or is it just me.

[Muhanoid]

Post it with word (BONUS) instead of chapter number. Place it as next chapter, describe time of events in bold letters: "Events of this chapter happen between end of Chapter 21 and start of Chapter 22. Actually, no, they don't. This is ramblings on topic of 'what if?'."

This makes events non-canon to story said in bold words.
I'd read random chapter...

[Oro_tharr]

"Albus. One of the captains of the Dawn."

How the fuck?

[Black--Soul]

Gold rules over mortals ones more