A Hollow Tale

by DeathKing

The Abyss Part 4

No... No! I won't die in this hole! I thought, raging at the very concept of my death.

"And neither will you," I said to the creature before moving over to the bisected corpse. Using the broken sword, I found, I cut off the plant-like cape around the corpse neck and brought it back to the injure creature.

Carefully cutting the cape into inch-wide ribbons, I carefully wrap the improv bandages around the creature injures despite it flinching when I tighten them. “An~d there! That should do it,” I said to the creature as I finish bandaging its injures to the best of my ability.

I really should have paid more attention to both Princess Celestia and my human health teacher when they tried to teach me basic first aid, I thought regretfully. But I guess that’s how life is. Never knowing what will come in handy until it too late. Or how fleeting life can be. Being here one moment and gone the nex-

*SLAP* No! Don’t think like that! Your better than this Sunset! You are better than this... and besides, it’s not like I don’t have a source information.

I just need to get it to talk.

---

“So, do you know what’s going, and who’s trying to kill us off?” Sunset asked the injured creature as it was tugging at the bandages wrapped around its arm.

“...”

“I know it’s not the best stuff to use for a bandage, but beggars can’t be choosers,” said Sunset, as she looks back towards the now cloakless torso. “Beside, let's hope it doesn’t come back to haunt us for taking its stuff, right?” Sunset said in a joking manner.

“...”

“... Listen, I know we just met and all but I really need your help. I think I hit my head, an-and the details of what going is kind of fuzzy and-and please help me. I-I don’t think I can do this on my own.”

“...”

“Anything will help... please.”

Come on, take the bait already!

“...”

Why aren’t you taking the-Oh sweet Celestia caked filled flanks, don’t tell me!

“You can’t talk, can you?”

*Shakes head*

Buck! Sunset screamed internally. Of all of these bucking creatures out there, I would get the mute one!

“Do you happen to know a way out of this cavern?” Sunset asked keeping her inner turmoil from showing on her face. Which, in hindsight, was easy, seeing how her face seems to be a solid white bone of some kind.

The creature nods its head and pointed up. Sunset looks up to see where it was pointing, only to resist the sudden urge to facepalm when she saw where it was pointing.

“I mean besides the hole that would lead m-us to get beaten and thrown back down here to die,” Sunset said a bit forcefully as her patience starts to wear thin.

The creature tilted its head like it was taking a moment to think before shaking its head to say no.

“Of course that will be only way out,” Sunset muttered before asking. “Then do you know how to get up there?”

If that’s the only way out then I have to start forming a plan. Maybe use this... thing, as a distraction for my escape or I can use my magic... if I can figure out how to use by then. Or maybe I could...

Nodding its head, the creature began to look around the ground where it was sitting before finding a flat rock and picking it up. It then pointed at Sunset, then at itself, then back to the rock and then up to the platform up above, while at the same time it was lifting the rock up and down.

Sunset stared at the being trying to figure out what it was trying to say. After about a half-minute of silence, Sunset said, “Are you saying that there’s an elevator we can use to ride up to the platform?”

Repeatedly nodding its head the creature stood up, albeit with some difficulty, and pointed towards the platform and directly from there pointed to a spot beneath it.

“So the elevator is there? Okay, we go there, ride the elevator up, see what we’re up against and if we can, make a run for it,” Sunset told the basic outline of her plan to the creature. “So how do we get down there? I don’t see any other path coming to or from the bridge.”

The being pointed down to the countless corpses below them then to the spot where the suppose elevator is.

Sunset looked down to the many corpses below her, before turning to look at the creature and said with a hint of disgust in her voice, “Are you sure there isn’t another path?”

The creature took a moment to look around before turning back to Sunset shaking its head and again pointed down towards the corpses.

“I was afraid you were gonna do that. But that leaves the question on how are we going to get down th-”

Before Sunset could finish her sentence the creature had already jumped off the bridge. The creature fell around four stories before landing with a loud crunch, as several skulls beneath its feet shattered from the force of impact.

“Wha-how did you?” Sunset said before suddenly facepalming. “Of course you can survive the fall,” she muttered. “If you can survive an over mile long fall from the top of the cavern while injured, than something like this would be child’s play...”

“But if you can do that, than there is no doubt that I can as well.” Taking a deep breath, Sunset stepped up to the edge of the bridge. With but a moment of hesitation Sunset jumps off the bridge, then a few seconds later a loud crunch echoed across the cavern as Sunset landing shattered the bones of the dead around her.

“Huh, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Heh, just goes shows how great I am from being a pony to a human to...” Sunset stopped as the creature stares at her. “Oh! Umm, you didn’t hear that, did you?” Sunset chuckles nervously. “Sorry, I tend to say weird things to myself now and again, so just ignore that, okay?”

*Hiss*

Faster than Sunset could react, the creature rushed towards her and drew its sword and swing at Sunset.

Where it went past her head to hit something above Sunset that she wasn’t aware of. All Sunset saw when she turned around was a black smoke-like mist flowing into the dead below them.

“What the heck was that?!” yelled Sunset, but instead of answering her in any way, the creature sheath its blade across its back and grabbed Sunset’s arm and began to pulling her in the suppose direction of the elevator.

“Wait, hold on!" yelled Sunset as she yanked her arm free from the creature grasp. "I can walk just fine on my own, goat-head!”

The creature turns to stare at Sunset before reaching up and rubbing its horns in a dejectedly.

Great. I hurt its feelings.

*Sigh* “Look, I’m sorry for calling you goat-”

*Hiss*

Settled by the sudden hissing Sunset spun around to see black mist rising from the corpses around her and gather to form a black sphere that spun for a moment, then quickly expanded to form a body that had tentacles for its lower half and a familiar square head with two glowing white holes for eyes staring at her.

Sunset stood there frozen in shock as the shade began to slowly move closer to her, but before Sunset could react, Goat-head had already ran past Sunset with its sword drawn and proceeded to cut off the shades head.

As Sunset watch the shades body turned back into mist and flowed back into the bodies around her she couldn't help but blurt out, "What the buck was that?!"

Goat-head stared at Sunset before taking a stance with its sword as hissing erupted around them as black mist began flowing out of the bodies around them.

"Oh buck this! Goat-head, ignore them and find a way back on to the bridge!" Sunset yelled as she ran towards the cavern wall, attempting climb back up. Goat-head followed after Sunset but ended up stopping ever few steps to attack any shade that got too close.

As Goat-head reach the wall Sunset had slide back down for the third time in a row and screamed, "Aghh! These hands are useless without fingers! What kind of species develops hands without fingers or claws?!"

As Sunset kept yelling at her lack of fingers, Goat-head kept attacking the shades that approach them even though its attacks were getting slower and sloppier after each kill it made.

After her sixth attempt Sunset had decided climbing back up to the bridge using the wall was futile endeavor.

"Buck this! I'm gonna try to teleport so stay close to me, got it?" Sunset said as she tried to teleport and failed to do so.

What's wrong with my magic?! I can feel it and even draw it out, and I know am capable of teleporting with it. So why can't I do did it now?! Turning around to tell Goat-head to keep fending off the shades until she could figure out what's wrong, Sunset finally took notice of Goat-head condition.

Goat-head bandages were dipping with blood as it hunched over bracing itself by using its as a cane while tried to catch its breath. As a shade moved closer to it and Sunset, Goat-head lunges forward and impaled it, causing the shade to dissipate and for Goat-head to fall to its knees.

A shade made its way for Goat-head and with it struggling to stand even when using its sword as support. All hope seemed to be lost for Goat-head, as the shade reach out for it with its dark tendrils before it was suddenly run through with a half-broken blade.

"You owe me for this!" growled Sunset as she dragged Goat-head by its neck behind her as the shade dissipate around her blade.

"NOW LISTEN UP, YOU UNDEAD FREAKS! MY NAME IS SUNSET SHIMMER! PERSONNEL STUDENT OF PRINCESS CELESTIA! AND FUTURE ALICORN OF EQUESTRIA! AND IF YOU THINK I'M GONNA DIE HERE BY YOUR HANDS, THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER THING COMING!"

Goat-head watched Sunset roared at several dozen shades that was surrounding them. Despite the fact Sunset was trembling, she stood protectively in front Goat-head as she held her ground without backing down or a shed of doubt in her voice.

Goat-head was in shock that Sunset would risk herself to save its life.

Pointing her blade at the oncoming shades Sunset yelled out, "FINE! IF YOU WANT TO DIE AGAIN SO BADLY, I GLADLY GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT!"

With a dim greenish-cyan light appearing her in eyes, you could hear the smirk that wasn't on her face when she said.

"Come at me, if can you that is!"

And so they did. Three shades moved towards Sunset with their tendrils reaching out to grab her.

They never made it.

Sunset ducked under the first one and thrust her blade upwards, running it through the shade body until the tip of the blade was poking out of the top of its head before it dissipate into black mist. The second shade came at Sunset with it tendrils reaching out to ensnare her. Thinking quickly Sunset threw her sword at the shade, stunning it for a moment, before Sunset sent a skull, glowing with her greenish-cyan magic, flying and impaled the shade in its back causing it dissipates.

What the!?- Did I just- But how?... Burst! That has to be it! Sunset thought excitedly. Wait, I hate Burst!

While Sunset was distract with the two shades and her sudden use of magic. The third shade, decided to take a shot at the injured Goat-head. Seeing this Sunset picked up her sword in her greenish-cyan magic aura and sent it hurtling through the air and right between the shade's eyes, causing it dissipates before reaching Goat-head.

So it was burst, Sunset thought in disgust. Of all the magic styles out there, why did it have to be burst that works?

Ignoring her inner turmoil, Sunset turn around hoping that her display of superiority had scared off the shades or at least buy herself some time to figure out how to teleport again. Unfortunately her efforts were in vain as the shades showed no sign of retreating or slowing their advance. And to make matters worse for her more shades kept forming, causing them to become a miniature horde.

"You all don't know when you're outmatched, do you?" Sunset growled out. "But that's okay. Your nothing but shadows that don't know they're dead yet. But I'm merciful, so let me help you on your way."

Goat-head watched as Sunset eyes glow brighter as the greenish-cyan light in them began to spill out as the shades got closer to her.

"BY TURNING ALL OF YOU TO ASH!" Sunset screamed as she held her hands out in front of her while a miniature sun formed between them.

Oh, I'm gonna regret using this with burst or pass out, probably both, Sunset thought as she aimed the miniature Sun at the center of the shade horde and launched it. As the fiery sphere traveled across the dark abyss, leaving a trail of fire in its wake, any shade that was caught in it were burned away.

As the miniature Sun reached the center of the horde it suddenly expanded, lighting up the abyss and burning away everything it touched. The shades, the surrounding corpses, even part of the bridge near them wasn't spared this fate. If it weren't for Sunset pulling Goat-head near her, shielding them both with a barrier, then Sunset's "Calamity Sun" would've consumed them along with everything else.

As the light from false Sun began to dim Goat-head open its eyes to see the damaged Sunset had caused with her spell. All the shades that had formed and were chasing them were gone, as well as a large number of corpses and a chunk of the bridge too.

Goat-head was in awe of Sunset power and tried to point it out to her but Sunset wasn't responding to it, Goat-head then notice how shallow Sunset breathing was and began to panic thinking she was ill or worse.

While Goat-head was fussing over Sunset condition, it failed to notice several figures staring down at it and Sunset. The figures jumped from the bridge and landed below it, crushing the bones of the dead in the process. Noticing the loud crunching noise behind it, Goat-head spun around with its sword drawn ready to face the new threat.

---

As the Pale King worked on one of his constructs, he suddenly felt a surge of magic from beneath him. Turning his gaze to the abyss, he stood there for several minutes waiting for any other signs of activity before opening a nearby drawer and pulled out a piece of paper with the words "Abnormalities" and added a new tally in a long list of them, with many of them being crossed out, before placing the paper back and continuing his work.

---

In a cave within the Abyss, several vessels could be seen lying around doing nothing, tossing stones to another or practicing with their "Nails". This went on for some time before a sudden tremor following a bright light coming through the cave entrance, startled them and leaving some in a daze.

Confused over what just happened, several vessels decided to head to the cave entrance only to stop when they notice a vessel standing near the cave entrance. This vessel had three horns, one going down each side of its head and one near the center of its forehead pointing upwards, it also had a bush-like collar for its cloak, it was easily half a head taller and much wider than its smaller siblings.

It stood there looking at the group vessels before several larger vessels like itself, began making their way for the cave entrance. They stood in front of the three horn vessels staring at it for a time, before it finally spoke.

"The White Dwarf has risen."

Comments

[Kevin shough]

I like keep it up

[permeakra]

poke?

[DeathKing]

9592837
?

[ThatOneGriffin]

ok I'm reading

[permeakra]

9592847
Moar?
Srsl. This.... has potential. I wanna moar.

[DeathKing]

9593409
Ooh that's what you meant. Right now I'm slightly redoing parts 1-4 and combining them into one part, then I go and finish up part 5, renamed part 2. I should have this all finish sometime this week.

So there's that for you to look forward to.

[DeathKing]

9593276
Happy you enjoyed enough to give it a read.

[Theremmaster]

The white dwarf has risen.

[Evonix]

"by using its as a cane" there seems to be a word missing.