The Raven’s Sky

by Chemtest

The Road Ahead

Raven trots along a ruined road, leading to the west. Ruined carts lay on the side of the road, their cargo never delivered. Bones still decorate the front of them, the only thing left of ponies from long ago.

There is no green ahead, behind, or to the side. All there is are dead trees, tumbleweeds, and mutated fruits every so often. No, the little green left doesn’t come from plants. It only is seen on a few crates and carts, the symbols for the Ministry of Death.

There is little color at all. The faded colors of carts long left abandoned are the only reprise from the dead brown of everything else. Not even the blue sky can be seen, as it is hidden away behind a blanket of dark grey clouds.

Raven coughs a bit as wind picks up some dust and throws it into him. Yet, even as he breathes in air to replace the dust, he almost regrets it. The dust is only a tiny bit worse compared to the ash tinging the air.

Raven looks up to the sky, and sees ash beginning to fall. Almost like snow, yet not carrying the comforting cold nor crunch one would get from snow.

Raven shudders as the ash falls on him. He puts up his cloak’s hood, and continues on, trying to ignore the ash.

He walks along the road, until he hears a screaming coming from above him.

Before he can even look up, a body impacts the ground before him. A pegasus lays there, slightly twitching. His form is completely obscured by a grey suit of Ranger Armor, yet a different design than Raven’s used to.

The pegasus mutters with pain clear in his voice, “I’m sorry General... I’m so sorry... shouldn’t go over Lost Pegasus...” He looks up, and sees Raven looking down at him, “Lord Raven... take mercy on me...”

Raven tilts his head as the pegasus stops, “Soldier?”

The pegasus doesn’t respond. After a few seconds, the glow from his armor’s eyes fades, indicating his death.

Raven looks around, and sees a nearby wagon. He summons all his strength, and drags the soldier over to the wagon. He struggles, and throws him onto the wagon.

Raven takes a step back, smiling as the ash stops falling on the soldier. He salutes, “No soldier should stay unburied... but it has to be done.”

Hoofsteps come from the other side of the wagon, clinking with metal. Raven looks around, and sees five red armored ponies there, with at least ten unarmored behind them.

The lead smiles, “Brave words, almost draws a tear to the eye. I must say, I am quite impressed you managed to drag that corpse all the way on top of there. You are obviously quite strong.” He draws a machete from a sheathe, “You’ll make a good slave for Legion.”

Raven smiles slightly at the pony, “Slave? You’re quite brave.”

The stallion nods, “Oh yes, every soldier of Celestia’s Legion is quite brave.” He walks closer to Raven, “Now, just come along easily. I’m already late to reinforce Emundans Victor Terra, so don’t make this complicated.”

Raven looks to the back of the line, seeing they are all foals linked together by chains, “Those ponies behind you, are they following willingly?”

The stallion sighs, “You Crusader types never come easily, do you?”

Raven whips Talons out of it’s holster. The hand cannon is leveled at him. With a single pull of the trigger, the stallion’s head disappears into a fine red mist, and his body begins to burn away with green fire.

The other Legion ponies all jump back, but instantly draw their own knives. They all charge towards Raven.

Raven reloads Talons as quick as he can, yet the fire rate is still leaves much to be desired. He can only get one shot off, which barely manages to kill one of them.

The other three get too close for comfort, and he has to jump back to the other side of the wagon.

He climbs into the wagon, and searches the body for any weapons.

The three round the corner, and look right at Raven inside the wagon. One yells, “Retribution!”

Raven scrambles in his search with haste as the three start to chop at him, “My Mana is already low, and I’m not wasting a resurrection on you!”

He eventually rips a weapon out of the holster, and he takes a crystal out of another pouch.

He shoves the crystal into the Crystal Laser Pistol, and it charges immediately. He points the CLP at the Legion ponies, and let’s loose a barrage of lasers.

With precision shots, he manages to take down two of them. Yet as he fires at the last, he finds the crystal out of charge.

The Legion pony begins to climb into the cart. Raven rips the crystal out of the CLP, and throws the pistol at the pony.

It hits dead on, knocking the pony back, where they land hard on the ground.

Raven pokes the crystal, finding it sufficiently sharp. He then jumps out of the wagon, landing on top of the pony.

He raises the crystal up, and stabs it down with all his strength.

It barely manages to pierce, and finds itself at the pony’s heart. Raven stabs down again, and the heart is pierced.

The pony sputters up blood, and dies.

Raven climbs off the body, leaving the body to be buried underneath the falling ash.

He turns to see the foals still standing there. He smiles, and holds up a key to their chains.

Comments

[jen_lee_hattie]

that was a fun read.