My Little Pony Realization

by Slendy

Episode 17 - With Friends Like You...

Act IV - Faux Hero

[Temple of the Displaced | Boss Arena]

The battle through the intricate dungeon was a long and difficult process, the monsters consisted of more of those <Loyalist> wolves, a number of <Frozen Slimes> and <Skeleton Ponies> the masses weren't all that stronger than their combined numbers, but navigation was a slow and painful crawl, yet the groups ultimately overcame the obstacles, rewarded by their efforts through hidden chests filled to the brim with Bits and gear. Eventually, only one hallway remained on their maps, lined with blue goblets of fire.

The black stone led to a set of blackiron doors rising well over six meters tall, a chilling sensation stretching across Rain as she stood with the Harmony Knights, keeping her hold on her lilac sword taut. "This must be the monster's lair, let us not waste time!" Knight proclaimed. "Bruteshot, offer me your hooves if you would?" The large stallion nodded, the pair pushing their hooves to the door as it creaked open, a few icicles dislodged from the ceiling as the world ahead came to life with a blazing heat

"Woah!" Jagged's reaction was shared among the teams as Silverwing stood with Rain, both looking to one another before they followed Knight into the fray

The massive chamber stretched long and high, clearly, a battle arena carved into the mountain, to the left and right were two massive pits of blazing blue magma, lighting the room in its fierce glow and powerful heat. The only issue that arose among the crowd was the fact nobody was inside, nor was there any sign someone or something had set foot in the chamber. No equipment, no boss, nothing.

"Where the hell's the boss!?" Radiant scoffed, lowering her naginata

Rain's brow quirked. "Huh, usually the Region Boss just appears once everyone's inside... maybe Artorias would know..." Not that it would matter, she was still mad at Rain

"Shut up, Bitch!!" The sudden lash out from Radiant startled Rain into Silverwing's hoof, the two watching the irked look in the blue pony's eyes simmer

"Hey, chill, what's with you?" Rain asked defensively

"Don't you dare question Knight's wisdom, got that!?" She growled through her teeth

Silverwing leaned her head to the side. "Don't worry, she's just desperate for his love if you catch my drift." The words were unheard by the lunatic as Rain stared at the female knight for a couple of seconds, then her eyes widened with a red hue tinting her cheeks

"U-um, yeah, I-I think I get it." Seeing Rain become flustered brought a small chuckle to Silverwing, it was assuring.

"Calm yourselves, my friends," Knight ushered, taking a step forward, inspecting the surrounds cautiously

"What's the play, boss? Seems we might have been beaten to the punch," Jagged inquired, seeing his leader ponder this

"While that would be disappointing no announcement has been made, hrm... hold on, I have an idea," After trotting a few feet toward the center of the chamber he channeled his magic and raised his sword proudly. "IN THE NAME OF THE HARMONY KNIGHTS AND THE INNOCENT LIVES OF THIS WORLD, I ORDER THEE TO SHOW THYSELF!"

"You can be very rude, I thought knights are meant to be chivalrous and formal?" A voice croaked from the back of the chamber, stepping out from a black veil that dissipated at his words. He had an enthusiastic, machine gun-like voice tone, "My apologies I never passed History so I may be mistaken."

What took them all, especially Rain, by surprise was the fact that the player wasn't a pony, or a dragon like Klaw, no instead he looked to be completely human. His form was lean but clearly well exercised. He wore a black poncho down to his waist with a torn hood to obscure the top half of his face, say for the long strands of dark purple hair poking out from the cowl. He wore dark grey tracksuit bottoms with steel-capped, leather boots. Bandages were bound around his forearms with a pair of black gloves to match his dark appearance.

Held limp in his right hand was what appeared to be an amalgamation of a saw and cleaver mummified with old bandages. Then the name appeared with a deep red cursor instead of the normal green. <Mirin>. With a sickly smile, he gave a small bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you again, Knight, well, for the last time."

"It's him...!" Rain perked up as she looked to Silverwing, seeing her armor jitter slightly. "That was the one... he's the reason why the Harmony Knight's changed... why they...!" Now she sounded furious, her sword digging through the stone in her hoof

"What?" There didn't seem to be time to explain as something caused the earth to rumble. "Oh no..."

"You? Pray tell, why are you here among these forgotten halls?" Knight inquired, seeing the man shrug

"Why I'm here is simple," He chuckled, then they saw the glint of his cyan eyes through the shroud of his hood. "I want to know what sound you'll make when you die." Without another word the man vanished back into the shadows, leaving only a massive force to crash from the ceiling, spilling rock and debris into the molten pools that suddenly roared to life, throwing the chamber in a bright blue hue to reveal the creature as it took a stand

Much like the mysterious Mirin player, the monster stood with the posture of a human, standing roughly six meters tall a knight strapped in heavily worn, charred armor tinted red rose to meet the ponies. Faint, blue embers flickering off its shoulders as it grasped a large coiled greatsword from the scabbard attached to his left hip, blue flames turning dark red across its edge as it stood with a slight, intimidating hunch. On its right hip, strangely enough, was a scabbard without a blade.

<<<Crimson Blade - Lv. 64>>>

"This is our moment, my friends, charge!!" Knight immediately took the lead without even so much as a plan, leaving only Rain and Silverwing to stand back while the others ran into the fray. Something about this just seemed... off to Rain, not so much the guy that was lurking in the background, his cursor hadn't disappeared like before yet he remained in the far back, watching ambiguously. No, it was the fact that Knight's sudden charge into battle, and what Silverwing said kept her mind... clear

"This is insane, that boss' far too powerful for them, its name might be red for them." She gasped. Something she learned was that if a monster had a name that was in red or their level was question marks it meant its level was far above the player's abilities, sure, you can still beat it but no one said it would be easy. "Silverwing, what does that guy have to do with the Knights?"

With them already leading the charge into battle it gave the girls time to quickly chat. "To put it simply, something about Knight has rubbed me the wrong way since my... old team perished... they were wiped out on the second Region Boss we fought and..." Her hoof rubbed against the helmet. "This is all I really have of them,"

Rain's expression softened. "Sorry, I didn't kn-" A hoof tapped her forehead

"Thanks, but it's not the issue, the helmet I'm wearing is," She tapped its visor. "Whenever I put it on my mind just... cleared, like a haze, I didn't know was there suddenly vanished, and I started to see what the Knights had become, they aren't heroes," Their eyes met the players, just as a blazing sword threw them back. "They're all sheep to a slaughter I'm too weak to prevent."

Hearing all this, and thinking back on what Artorias screamed about made her realize something, and it caused her heart to twist. "I'm an idiot..." Closing her eyes in disgust she felt her face rise with embarrassment while her mind raced with what she said to her own best friend, her... "We can stop this," She turned to Silverwing with a boot-faced expression. "Our levels are high enough, we might not win, but, we can't let anyone else die the way your team did!"

Silverwing peered to the group then back at Rain with a strained silence. "...fine," She sounded forced. "Most of these players were like me, they got messed in the head by Knight somehow - hold on," She kept Rain from running into the fight, none of which realized the two were having a pleasant chat. "How are you unaffected? What did you do?"

Rain thought about it but drew nothing but blanks. "I'm not sure, maybe after I..." Her eyes lit up. "Is it a buff? I drank a Cleansing Potion just before the chamber to clear the Ice Blight, but it cleanses both buffs and debuffs for a small amount of healing too."

She hummed before giving a reply. "That could be it, however - Get down!" She quickly sprang into action as the massive sword cleaved the ground behind them, the searing blade catching Silverwing's side as she was battered across the hall

"Silverwing!" Rain gasped, growling as she took flight to evade the swinging blade as it was deflected by Bruteshot's mace, the two large weapons clanging together while the crowd surfaced around Blade. Bruteshot then took a swift up-swing from Crimson, followed by a two-handed <Slant> that knocked the large pony backward as his team rushed the boss head-on, even as it was pelted with magical attacks it barely flinched as it brought the blade down to its right hip in both hands. "Watch out!"

Rain flew down, quickly skating her sword down the length of the coiled blade, hearing it ring as it was deflected. Leaving the boss stunned granted her the chance to retaliate with <Horizontal Cross>, the strobes of blue hardlight crashing through the knight's armor as it recovered, swinging left and right rapidly to swat the weaker players away, his sword locked with Knight's while Radiant focused solely on buffing him.

"We need to spread the healing, Radiant!" Rain tried to call while she helped a few players back far enough away to heal

"They're fine, my sweet Knighty needs all the strength he can get!" That alone with the stupid smile on her face just dropped Rain's jaw, now she started to see why Artorias was so aggravated, even she was getting frustrated with this. "Don't you dare hurt Sir Knighty you creep!" Her snappish tone was met with both Knight and Jagged bringing their swords around and up Crimson's chestplate, pushing the lumbering boss back a few inches

The issue was, even with the combined strength of all their attacks, the elemental attacks splashing from afar thanks to three mage-class players, Rain could see it a mile away, they weren't even halfway through one out of three health bars. Worry then started to creep into her mind. "Guys, our attacks alone aren't enough, we need to buff ourselves and find this boss' weak point!" "I wish Artorias or Skye were here, they're better at this strategy thing than me."

"Have no fear, maiden, this abomination must falter at some point!" Knight rallied, drawing his sword high in a golden light. "Now, keep up the assault!" He drew the blade down for a blinding flash of holy light, smothering the boss as it stepped back, drawing its own weapon high as the flames swirled over the tip of the blade, making it appear larger than it was

"Here comes the big one..." Rain caught the slight whistle from the concealed red player as he watched from his vantage point on one of the wall's pillars.

The second Rain turned she yelped as she flipped to her left, a wall of bluish-red flames scorching a massive wall through the chamber, igniting a reaction from the right lava pit as many players were left reeling with their health burnt into the red, Fire Blight slowly eating away at their HP while a white shield protected both Knight and his team thanks to Radiant, only now she looked pissed.

"YOU DARE TRY TO HURT MY SWEET PRINCE, DIE!!" She snapped, well, more than usual. She flung herself at the boss in her magic. swiping with her naginata as the silver blade slid through the charred metal, cutting with a flurry of colorful arcs, those same attacks almost hitting some of the players behind the boss as it stumbled back under her oppressive force, not to mention Bruteshot's low-bearing swing with his mace to Crimson's calves.

"Radiant, stop, you're going to hit our teammates!" Rain cried out, attempting to fly in to stop her but her own attacks almost clipped her wings, forcing the bat pony to her hooves, watching the girl scream with reckless abandon while Knight joined her side, his sword drawn to the left

"Switch, Radiant!" She smiled dreamily at his call and stepped back as the massive, coiled sword tore at the ground, blocked only by Knight's own sword as it buckled in his magic, the flames ticking away at his health. "I shall not lose to a beast such as you!"

"Knight, switch!" From the retreated crowd, Silverwing slipped in, cracking her buckler to Crimson's wrist, unleashing an emerald light that created a halo, flinching the boss into swinging upward from side-to-side, Silverwing effortlessly flew between the swings of the true edge, drawing her sword close to her helmet's cheek. "<Starfall>!" Her blade burst with golden stars as she slashed through the boss' midsection with a dazzling flurry of strokes, a shining star carved into its stomach followed by a single, powerful thrust through the abdomen

She then gasped, finding a hand clenched to her sword, keeping it from grazing its chainmail as the butt of the sword cracked against Silverwing's muzzle, tossing her back toward the group, her health dropping into the amber as she struggled to stand. Rain rushed to her side as the boss seemed to take a moment to assess itself, unlike any the players had encountered before.

"I dare say, my friends, we are in a spot of trouble," Knight spoke evenly, checking his sword

"We can't just rush in like that, look at its health!" Rain threw her wing toward the boss. "We've taken the first bar, sure, but our allies are all either down or recovering, we can't keep trying to win like this, it's suicide!" To hers and Silverwing's surprise, Bruteshot and Jagged nodded in agreement

"We need a plan, boss, and stat, that things lookin' pretty glowy!" Jagged was correct on that assumption, a dark red aura was beginning to crack from the wounds in Crimson's armor, and it held onto its sword almost protectively

Knight took her words into consideration, patting her shoulder with a chuckle. "Fear not, Young Rain, we aren't for giving up so quickly, we need only the right tools to overcome this crisis, I shan't let our struggle wither!"

"Oh, I have something that could work, my Lovely Knighty!" Radiant beamed as she procured something from her inventory, in a flash of light her magic held out the black scabbard with a familiar, jagged handle sticking out. Genesis was then taken up in Knight's aura, his magic releasing the scarlet blade from its home. "I hope you like it, my love!"

Knight's expression warped into pride at the blade, "I must say, Radiant, this is a marvelous weapon, one truly fit for a warrior of SilentNight, thank you!" His beaming gratitude caused the mare to blush as she squealed

"Only the best for someone as strong as you, Knighty~!" She cooed, all while Silverwing's head snapped to Rain, feeling a fire burn across the sweet girl's form as she gawked at the sight of the familiar longsword

"What the - That's Artorias' weapon! How did you get that!?" She forcefully demanded from Radiant

"It was actually shortly before she left Blackrock, she gave it to me for Knight saying he could use it in his time of need, it was really nice!" She replied in her innocent voice with her sweet girl from next door face

For a mere moment, Rain was going to accept that - no, it was happening again, she was compelled to accept that as fact, but her heart kept racing, and her blood's boiling temperature kept her lucid mind from winning over as she recalled exactly what Genesis was to Artorias. It wasn't just some tool used for a means to an end, ever since they met, Artorias never, not for an instance, parted with Genesis, compelled to stay on her quest to discover its missing pieces, but what rooted the bat pony to reality was the choice words Artorias said to her.

"Come oooon, pleeeease, just once and I'll stop asking, I swear!" Rain kept pestering Artorias as she tore across the glade, spilling blobs of slime across the grass as they were reduced to shards. Swinging Genesis around Artorias breathed heavily through her snout, glaring back at Rain's cute pout

"No. A. Chance," She held Genesis high to emphasize her next point. "I've been busting my ass to locate the last two pieces to Genesis Veil, so believe me when I say the only way you're getting your hooves on this sword is if you pry it from my mangled corpse," Then her creepy creeper smile gave Rain a fright. "'Course I'll just come back and drag you down to hell with me...!"

"What's with that face!?!" She squealed, falling back on the boulder as Artorias burst out laughing at her expense. "Not cool..."

"Besides, you won't like it if I took something precious from you," From atop the rock Rain saw the serious look on the redhead's face. "Genesis has been my partner since this Death Game began, I'll be damned if I ever part with him."

Whatever faint light Rain held for the Harmony Knights shattered after that realization, seeing Knight approach the frontline with Jagged, Genesis still grasped in the leader's magic. "No... you stole it, YOU STOLE ARTORIAS' WEAPON, HER PARTNER!!" Rain was beyond fuming at the little... rat's actions

"What? I'd never do such a thing, really!" Rain wasn't fooled by that smug smile on the girl's face. "That weapon was wasted on that talentless coward, she's known for hoarding all the best items alongside that Cheater she probably sleeps with every chance she gets, to think a powerful weapon like Genesis was being mistreated like that, I did everyone, including my darling Knighty senpai, a favor."

"Now you've done it, witch," Silverwing murmured under her breath, finally recovered while most of the players stepped back to let their leader charge the vanguard

Without hesitation Rain stormed up to Radiant, twisting her collar in her hoof while her face twisted with anger. "What did you do to them... to me and Skye!?"

Casually she shrugged, petting off Rain's hold. "I got my strong Knight an item that would let everyone in this stupid game see the hero he truly is, those frontliners are all just glory-hungry pigs and can't even hold a candle to the Harmony Knights' strength, and that little necklace has helped everyone see that!" She was beyond crazy, even by Rain's standards, but now she got it, the extent of this

"All those deaths... were on her hands," The news sunk in her stomach, forcing her to lower her head for an instance. "You're a murderer..."

"Hmm?" She got up close, petting Rain's head mockingly. "Now-Now, just sit there like a good little girl and watch as-"

*Crack!*

Radiant shrieked as Rain's hoof connected to her snout, breaking it as half of those watching winced, to their surprise, Rain's cursor remained green. "Don't you dare call her a that, you pig," With an uncharacteristically cold voice she addressed the chamber. "Everyone who's injured stay far away, anyone who's willing to fight keep your distance and wait for an opening, this boss can sweep a large area, remember!"

"Fear not, Rain!" As it turns out, Knight and his team hadn't realized the heated argument between the girls, instead, they focused on the boss that finally looked ready to engage, a red blaze scorching its armor. "It is time to end this farce once and for all!" He declared while Crimson missed Jagged who flew through the air, using his magic to score a large wound through the backs of the boss' knees. Knight brought Genesis high, casting its red form in a golden hue. "Witness the might of the Harmony Knig-- Ack!"

In only a breath his magic cut out alongside the skill as Crimson brought its sword across the battlefield, swatting both of them back into the dirt, Genesis clattering beside the stunned Knight who scoffed at the blade. "What manner of sorcery is-" From the corner of the chamber the red player, Mirin chuckled, clapping his hands

"I'm impressed you stole such a powerful weapon, there's one issue, most players tend to appraise their equipment to prevent misuse of their gear," He patted his saw-cleaver as an example. "Certain privileges can be given to select players, so while you may steal and sell the weapon, unless you have a person with a high enough appraisal skill to remove the ID you'll be unable to use it in combat," Then his hood turned to Radiant, herself still clutching her muzzle. "Perhaps you should have thought of this before attempting to steal from a player who clearly has more intelligence than yourselves."

Knight rubbed his horn from the backlash. "This weapon is unfit for a warrior such as I!" With a sharp buck the red sword was sent flying through the air, thankfully, Rain caught it before it could plummet into one of the lava pools, feeling its warm face pressed to her chest. Back in the middle of the fray, Crimson suddenly charged with slow but wide steps, clasping its sword in both hands. "Fine then, we shall finish this with my trusty blade, Heaven's Light! Have at thee!"

"I am seriously getting sick of hearing his old English," Silverwing groaned

*TIIIING*

The world suddenly lit with blue and orange as their skills clashed. The upper half of the golden sword severed through Knight's magic as the upward thrust tossed his body skyward. Before his body could hit the ground Crimson followed it up with a second diagonal swing from the right, then the left, again with the right, battering both Knight and his health down to ribbons as his body crumpled to the floor. With a final stretch, the boss held the tip of the blade down, stretching his arms above his head as flames spewed from the impact with the ground, the massive, flaming combo sending Knight flailing into the wall of debris.

"Combo Breaker!" Mirin cheered with his fists high

"KNIGHT!!" His team wailed with shock, none more than Radiant, spotting their leader crumpled in the rubble, red markings scoring his body while his health all but plummeted down and kept on depleting, they had no clue if he was finally at the end of his rope or not, all that mattered was achieving their revenge for their fallen leader

"You Hurt Friend!" Bruteshot yelled while hefting his mace high, forest green coating the massive weapon as he and the boss swung toward each other, however, Bruteshot barely made it a meter before the flaming edge of Crimson's blade crossed the large player's chestplate, smacking the brute flying into the side of the blackiron doorway and practically through the other side of the wall, again, his fate completely ambiguous

"Damn you to hell!" Jagged tore across the arena, swiping with his twin cutlasses through the metal hide of Crimson as he kept up his evasive movements, narrowly dodging every swing and devastating blow from the twisted greatsword. His swords flashed a bluish-white, his magic spiraling the swords through the boss' armor like a tornado as it carved chunks from the floor under them, while finally bringing the boss down to three-quarters of its second health bar. "This is for our leader you bastard!" He bellowed, lunging with his swords brandished

*Shiing-Slash!*

Red pixels of blood flew between the ruined knight and the dual-wielding unicorn. To everyone's horror, the boy was skewered through the greatsword by the stomach, pain flourishing across his face as he was held high for all to see, body slumping down the blade before his entire body burst into flames, drowning out his screams in a fiery inferno none could bear to watch. Soon, shards scattered from the weapon dashed aside by the boss unceremoniously.

"Oh, I think I forgot to mention," Mirin spoke up, crossing his arms while watching humorously from up high. "The boss' gimmick, whenever he kills an entity, that strength..." The red flames grew more intense across the armor, and Rain swore she saw two, beady red eyes glowering from the helmet. "...becomes it's own."

"YOU BASTARD, YOU DARED TO HARM MY KNIGHTY-" As if by some divine intervention the boss had appeared above her, bringing its sword down for an explosive wave of heat, dragging its sword to crash against her guarding naginata, buffs sparkling across her body as she struggled to hold it back, her hooves slipping across the stone floor. With a twist of its wrists the coiled greatsword was torn from the earth, splitting the air in front and behind Radiant with molten red flames, the force battering her body over one of the edges of the magma pools

In only a minute every one of the Harmony Knights were viciously defeated say for Silverwing who stood with Rain to be the line of defense for the weaker players. Neither had any idea what to do, facing down the towering force of flames and hatred that stomped toward them, holding its sword beside its helmet, the blade jutting up. "So, Rain, how's are odds?" Silverwing inquired, stepping forward slowly alongside the bat pony who stared up at the behemoth

"Not really well," She answered honestly, sheathing her sword in favor of Genesis, for all she knew it would reject her too, but right now she'd pray that maybe her gut was telling her what's right. "But that's never stopped us before."

"Tch, amen," Humor aside the girls held back their swords, both crackling gold with a few stray sparks, holding back the release as Crimson brought his sword back close to his waist, extending forward with one arm. "Now!"

They evaded the sword, feeling its sweep over their heads as they unleashed a twin <Rage Spike> to Rain's bewilderment the skill was cast and their blades scored past one another, leaving behind an 'X' across Crimson's shoulder blades, his sword rising to swat Rain while her body tucked itself in, wings flinging her into a rollover the blade, a contrail of blue following her while Silverwing dove between the legs, slashing with a <Horizontal Arc> to falter the boss' posture.

"Thanks, Genesis!" "<Horizontal Cross>!" Rain brought her hoof high, lunging with a vertical stroke, twirling over the snatch of a hand for two consecutive lacerations to the right, she dived back, scoring a final line across the Y-Axis, splashing the red flames with a square cage of light blue.

The javelin of green light shot through Crimson's right forearm, lowering its defense, followed by a stream of orange in-front of it as Silverwing dove backward mid-flight, her tail skimmed by the flames as her sword lunged with three diagonal lines tearing through the left hand as it snagged her by the muzzle, even as a Slowness debuff overtook the ruined knight.

Rain steeled her frown and spun herself down like a saw, a spiral of blue splitting the armor with a <Vertical> line, forcing it to release Silverwing as she kicked back, blinding the boss with <Brightburn Shield> seeing it stumble from the light. Three sudden, sharp slants tore across her armor in that frame, the blindness merely disorientating the boss as her form flopped to the ground with a grunt.

"Silver - <Protection Prayer>!" Rain brought her hoof close, feeling a pale green aura spread through her entire body and in turn to her only party member below. She let out a thankful sigh as her health and Siverwing's was rejuvenated. This saved her as she guarded with Genesis, the powerful greatsword bringing her crashing to the earth, breaking the stone under her back hooves while her forelegs and wings kept her upright, holding back the hellfire sword.

Crimson merely held it's greatsword down a moment longer before craning the hunk of metal over his shoulder, then with an impossible amount of speed, thrashed the blade down in front of it with an eruption of fire, even with Silverwing's buckler the force of the blast tossed the girls back, the crowd gasping in horror. Some wanted to stand and fight too but Rain threw her hoof back, one eye closed as she panted.

"Just stay back!" It really hurt but she needed to keep them safe, even until some outside force could open the doors, but that was too optimistic, even by her standards

"Leave tis... to us, your comrades!" Silverwing grunted, pressing the face of her sword against Genesis, the duo bending their hooves back together, the hiss of their skills coming to life, bathed in red

Together their swords prodded the world ahead with frightening speed, the tips of the metal screeching against the wide swing of Crimson's twisted blade, spraying red sparks and darker toned flames, neither side backing down from the bullfight, hot wind blowing across the chamber in a spectacular fashion. Pushing forward with all their might the girls let out their own warcry and finally split their blades between the giant's, piercing either side of the breastplate, sending the charred warrior backward, even as the blade caught the side of Silverwing, cutting one of her aforementioned wings while the tip of the blade slashed through the side of her helmet, the friction slamming her body into Rain's while the three combatants suffered the backlash of their drawn-out attacks.

"Ow..." Rain winced as her health fell into the amber alongside Silverwing's, her body slumped against her chest while the Crimson Blade staggered back onto both feet, and to her horror, the final bar was all that remained, like a bell tolling for the damned, its body erupted with more red wisps, almost turning black as... she smelt copper hang in the air like dew. "At this rate, we can bare scratch more than a single bar off without it amping up its strength," It was almost painful to realize the gap she couldn't fill alone, had this been her standard RPG she'd shrug and try again but in here, that lack of foresight was costly

Desperation filled Rain's eyes as she held onto Silverwing, searching for anything to run and duck for cover, to stave off the end a little longer, to prevent the finishing blow. But there was nothing, she wasn't an idiot, if that attack struck her, Silverwing, and a majority of the players would be reduced to ash and glass in a single blast, she... was doomed. Failing to lift her hooves under her she flopped to her knees, holding onto Silverwing with wide, misty eyes, staring up at the blazing sword that would be her end. "I'm sorry Artorias... for not listening to you," She whispered, biting her lip. "I'm sorry... sis."

Two, metal feet stomped just inches before them both, watching them critically, then the fingers became rigid. Not a moment later and Crimson's sword threw itself down with a fountain of flames, almost blinding Rain, drying away her tears as silver light tore across the fires.

"<Rage Spike>!!" A crash of glass and a tinge of yellow soon disrupted the sea of flames in a dazzling inferno

To Be Continued...

Author's Note:

I have never laughed so hard in my life, I yearned for this, and now Artorias and the crew are here to save the day! I hope you enjoyed, appreciate the support as always, seeya in the next episode players!

Next Episode: ...Who Needs Enemies?
Artorias (Who is Pure Rage) may have saved Rain and the other players from death but now she has to tie up loose ends before she can deal with the crisis that is Harmony Knights.