Heart of Magic

by TheCrimsonDM

Chapter Thirty Eight: Smothering Slime

Heart of Magic

Chapter Thirty Eight: Smothering Slime

Written by TheCrimsonDM

Twilight held onto the railing with all her strength as the ship sharply dived downward. The ball of purple ooze flew right overhead hitting the air where the ship had been just moments prior. They’d just barely missed the ball of ooze.

The ship pulled up and Twilight saw the sea beneath them. The sea of purple ooze bubbled and popped. Grey rocky islands littered the area. Grey trees devoid of branches sat on a few of the islands along with a few black moving shapes. Upon examination Twilight could see the vague shapes of animals, deer, and even a few changelings shambling on the islands.

Twilight swallowed. “So this is like the stuff in the Everfree Forest.”

Queen Chrysalis was by her side and staring down at the islands the passed over as well. “This is the Pony of Shadow’s doing. He corrupts and drains the life of anything he touches. Even the animals here are consumed and then transformed by his fell magic.”

Twilight looked ahead. The giant tendril was still whipping about in the air. They were heading straight for it. To her right she could make out what had once been a waterfall, now instead of water pouring over its cliffs, it was the same purple ooze.

Twilight stood up and teleported back to Wind Rider. “I know where we are.”

Wind Rider smiled. “Glad someone does, this place has been completely transformed from when I saw it last. Kinda like a certain rainbow colored mare I know.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “To our right we have Hatchway Falls, so that means if we head left we can find-“

Wind Rider gave out a whistle as he looked left. “Now that is one hole I do not want to stick myself in.”

Twilight teleported once more to the side of the ship and stared out. As the ship began turning towards it she could only marvel. The land was surrounded by high cliffs of grey stone, but then leveled out into a flat sea of purple ooze. In the center of that ooze was a massive, circular pit of impossible size and stature. That was it. That was where the darkness was coming from she was sure of it.

The ship was aimed toward the pit and steadily heading toward it. The tendril they’d avoided from before was gone now. Having sunk back into the sea. Twilight shivered at the thought of where it might have went, or what it was attached to.

Several of the tendrils spouted out of the pit and coiled into the sky. Each one undulating with rhythmic sync to the other. Sunset moved, for the first time since they left she actually moved. She stood up and flapped her wings once to carry herself into the air. She looked down at Twilight, “You’re in charge while I’m gone.”

Twilight blinked. “Wait… what?” She shook her head. “You said I didn’t have to be in charge of anything, that all I had to do was follow orders!”

Sunset smirked. “That’s an order.”

She flew off toward the tendrils. The three tendrils seemed to sense her approach and each grew a large glob of purple ooze at their tip. Each one flung its load one after the other at Sunset. Sunset didn’t so much as blink as her horn flashed out with golden orange lasers. Each laser that hit home into an ooze ball imploded it sending the ooze scattering out into the opposite direction.

Sunset was flying faster now, so fast that she was in between the three tendrils in a heartbeat. Her wings stuck out and her entire body sent out a shockwave of golden energy that disintegrated everything it touched. A horrible roar of pain rang out from beneath them with such force it shook the ship itself.

Out from the pit shot a massive mountain of purple ooze. A large opening in its top swallowed Sunset whole. It continued to rise far above the ship and then leveled out as it turned to face the ship. The top of the mountain bent over toward them and Twilight could see it clearly now. It was a massive mouth with dripping ooze saliva and two massive gooey eyes glaring at the ship.

It spoke, or sang rather. “I’ve been so hungry. You wouldn’t imagine. When your empty, it’s all one can manage.”

Discord’s voice came out almost sounding disappointed. “Oh, great, it’s the Smooze.”

Twilight blinked. “Like the one you brought to the Gala that one time?”

Discord laughed. “No, Twilight. Like the one from the legends, created by a trio of evil witches to destroy all of the harmony in Equestria. Basically it’s the biggest threat you’ve face so far… um don’t let it touch you, it’s not pretty.”

The Smooze continued its singing. “Oh you better believe it, you can’t unsee it, there’s not time to snooze, when your covered in ooze, because I’m here baby, the big bad Smooze!”

Discord continued. “OH, and it sings.”

Twilight blinked. “Um… so touching is bad, what happens if you’re eaten?”

Discord’s scarf tassels shrugged. “Beats me, never saw that happen before.”

The Smooze’s mountainous shape expanded like a bubble. The Smooze grew tendrils to rub at it like it was an upset stomach. “Oooo, aaahh, maybe some indigestion, in this nation, might be bad, and I’m a little mad.”

The upset bubble started to boil and golden light pierced its way out of the Smooze’s stomach. Sunset’s voice rang out. “STOP SINGING!”

The mountain exploded after that. Huge globs of purple ooze flung out in every direction. Some of them heading straight for the ship. Chrysalis’s horn lit up and the ooze slammed into a green bubble shield that formed around the ship. Chrysalis snorted. “I refuse to get any of that slime in my mane.”

Twilight smiled. “Classic Rari-“ She felt her stomach drop. “Uh… Chrysalis.”

Discord replied. “Watch yourself now, you may start to become endeared to Chrysy. Trust me, that never ends well.”

Twilight shook her head. “Anyway, now that it’s dead let’s investigate that hole.”

Wind Rider coughed. “That is the one thing I am proud to say I have never done.”

Twilight growled. “Shut up and fly us to Sunset.”

The ship picked up a bit of speed. It took only another couple of minutes before they were situated over the massive hole and Sunset was back on board. She gathered everyone near the steering wheel and began. “With the defender of this place gone, we can now go in and end this threat once and for all. The only two of us who are immune to the ooze are me and Chrysalis, me with the impossible levels of magic I’ve obtained and Chrysy since she was born of the stuff. Discord could have fit too, but it seems he’s less reliable now.”

Twilight nodded. “Discord, can’t you transform into something a little more useful to go with them? A cat, or a dog?”

Discord laughed. “Oh how low you must view me to think I’d become such loathsome creatures. No, I’m quite content here in my fashion state. I assume Rarity would very much approve.”

Sunset rose into the air, her body positively glowing with the magical might inside her. This was it. They were going to end this threat once and for all. Hopefully long before the Pony of Shadows reached his true power of destruction. A shadow loamed across the deck and a cold chill filled the air. Droplets of purple ooze landed on the deck and Twilight looked to the side just in time to see the Smooze up and out of the sea once more. A wicked grin spread across his face and his fist pulled back.

With lightning speed his fist lashed out and slammed into the side of the ship. A green light covered everypony and everything on the ship as it went flying sideways toward one of the mountains. Twilight blinked and then she saw the mountain collide into the ship and her world exploded into agony.

***

“Twilight!” a voice cried from far away.

“Twilight!” the voice cried again, closer this time.

“Twilight!” It called once more. A female with a beautiful soothing tone. Twilight didn’t think anypony should ever make such a voice be stressed out enough to cry like that.

“TWILIGHT!” Luna’s voice screamed into Twilight’s ear.

Twilight opened up her eyes. “L-Luna?”

She was somewhere pitch black, no light, no warmth. Just darkness around her. “Luna, I think I’m hurt.” She wasn’t sure how she knew that, but she was sure it was true.

Luna’s voice came in gentle and determined. “We are already on our way. Survive until I get there. I don’t care who you throw under you, you will live.”

Twilight laughed. “I would never do that.” She shook her head and felt pain explode in her neck. “I… I’ll never let anyone down again.”

Luna’s voice cracked. “I… I know. I love that about you, but please survive. We’ll be there soon. Also… wake up.”

***

Twilight opened her eyes and felt the cold rocky surface beneath her. She could see flat grey rock on one side, and open purple sky on the other. In the distance she saw a golden firefly flying around a moving mountain of purple sludge. The sludge would reach out and then light would flash out from the firefly and destroy the mountain’s limb. Of course the mountain of sludge would just regrow it moments later.

It took a moment but Twilight found strength to move. She put weight on her left leg and pushed up. Pain shot through her entire body but it wasn’t as bad as it could be. She looked around and saw a green light glowing over her body. Crimson stains splattered the ground all around her. Once she pushed herself up the light disappeared.

Behind her she saw the ship wreck. It was tipped onto its side with most of its goods spilled out onto the flat plateau on this mountain. Nearby she saw Queen Chrysalis standing and looking away from her, there was a soft green glow to her horn that quickly vanished. Wind Rider had a broken nose and was lying against the side of the ship with Blackout and Cozy by his side.

Twilight checked her neck and found her scarf still there. How did they all survive? How had all of them safely landed on this mountain top? It was a statistically impossibility. With Sunset fighting the Smooze behind them they should have all died, or mostly died.

The sounds of hooves clopping against hard stone from behind her snapped her out of that thought process. She spun around, her body still hurt but was fully functional again. She saw it just in time as two deer, each covered in black goo and rotten flesh appeared. There antlers were sharpened into deadly blades. Twilight swallowed. “Out of the fire-“

Discord finished, “-Into the popcorn maker.”

Twilight glanced down. “That’s not how it… you know what, fine. Into the popcorn maker, why the heck not?”

Twilight’s horn lit up and her sword came into existence in front of her held strong in her red aura. She could feel the glowing energy in her left eye. If she needed it she would use it, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to blow the last of her alicorn magic onto some dark things. Behind her she heard more hooves clopping and saw in the reflection of her blade another pair of these corrupted deer had arrived behind her. Lucky for her Chrysy was facing them, unlucky for them the changeling queen was against them.

Chrysy spoke. “This does not make us ‘friends’.”

Twilight smirked. “Of course not, I still owe you for that scar you gave me when I was kid.”

Chrysy smiled. “Oh, you do hold grudges? I thought ponies were ‘above’ that sort of thing?”

Twilight beamed. “Not if it’s some giant bug that stung us.”

The two deer facing twilight charged and she returned the favor. They were fast, faster than the other undead she’d faced. Just as they hopped next to her they separated. Twilight spun her blade to the right and cut through the head of the deer there. The one on her left rammed its head sideways and Twilight ducked just as the sharpened horn grazed her back.

She slid to a stop once she was past them. The deer she’d cut fell to the ground, dead. The other one turned to face her. Chrysy had shot green bolts into the two on her side and their bodies were simply twitching, sizzling messes now. She was simply watching Twilight on her side, appraising Twilight’s skill with the blade.

The deer charged and Twilight charged again. The deer jumped up this time, going over her head. Twilight dropped into a slide and stabbed up. The blade met its gut and slid its way out behind it. The deer landed behind her and collapsed into a gooey pile.

Twilight rolled up to her hooves and spun around. No more targets stood to face her. Still she felt like this was only just the beginning. What was that dream of hers anyway? Luna… Luna was coming. She’d managed to reach out to her, so now she just had to do as Luna instructed, she had to survive.

Chrysalis backed up until her back was facing Twilight’s once more. “I can sense them… my children. They’re coming.”

Twilight struggled with what to say, but she settled on, “I’m sorry. I’ll help you put their souls to rest.”

Chrysalis snarled. “Only I should be allowed to do so, but if you’re going to offer to do my bidding, how can I pass this chance up?”

Twilight snickered. “Okay, Chrysalis Sempai.”

Chrysalis shouted. “Prepare yourselves, they come!”

The horde began climbing the mountain. Deer side by side with Changeling. Each one clawing their way up the edge to be the first one in to get to the shipwrecked survivors. In the background Twilight saw Sunset get smacked by the Smooze and go flying into the distance mountain. The Smooze moved slowly toward the mountain after it’s downed pray.

Behind her Wind Rider rose to his hooves and held a pistol in his mouth. It was one with a red gem on the side indicating its elemental power of fire. One of Applebloom’s designs. How he got his hooves on it she didn’t know. Cozy Glow and Blackout were huddling together pressed against the wall. They were both too young to be out here in the thick of it like this. Yet another mistake of hers to put into the history books, but that could wait, for now she had to fight.

Twilight screamed. “Take a triangle position and kill anything that dares to touch those fillies!”

Chrysy screamed back. “You don’t order me, I order you to take said triangle formation!”

Wind Rider marched out and grunted. “Not my first rodeo, filly.”

The horde was now upon them and it was up to Twilight to save the day. This time, this time she wasn’t going to fail.