Wyld: The Spirit Walker

by Joe Toon

Prologue: Brewing Crisis

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Members of the Royal Court. We have gathered here to discuss a new crisis not just within Equestria, but all of Equis."

The Royal Court; the highest governing body of the Diarchy of Equestria gathered in Canterlot Castle to discuss a new developing situation.

"Even though it has been well over a month since the terrorist Cozy Glow's failed attempted to rid of all the magic in the world, this new threat may very well become even worse than her plot," The Speaker, an earth pony stallion continued his address before the council and the Princesses, sounding more urgent as he spoke.

"Isolated villages and towns across the world were destroyed or discovered empty without even a body found. Strange rumours of monsters never seen before was said to have been responsible. All the while, a new sickness is seen all over the face of Equis. This... Plague is unlike anything our best doctors have ever seen before. While the rate of contagiousness and development are slow as well as only a small number of the population contracting it, the plague has been spread so far and wide. Its symptoms are even more disturbing; the victims become violent and feral, attacking any creature on sight. Their strength is increased ten-fold while their body slowly rots to decay. Many of you like myself agree that these events are connected and it would only be a matter of time before all this gets out of control!"

"Why haven't our doctors determined the cause of this disease?" a pegasus mare inquired.

"They don't know what to make of it," another earth pony stallion replied, rubbing his forehead with his hoof, "It is unlike any pathogen we've ever seen. It has the makings of a virus in terms of some of its symptoms but it resembles more of a parasitic worm, which doesn't make sense. We can't determine why and how a parasite could progressively rot the victim to decay!"

"Maybe it's a magical disease? A curse perhaps?" a unicorn mare suggested.

"Ridiculous!" another unicorn mare objected, "We haven't had curses since Sombra's time."

"But what else could it be?" came another voice among the council.

"If I may interject, I believe we are getting off tangent," the Speaker from earlier interrupted the discussion, "While the plague is a serious concern, the biggest problem at hoof is the disappearances of both our allies' and our own subjects! I have just spoken to the ambassadors of the Dragons and the Griffins who appear to be the most affected by this crisis. Both lack a centralized government, both have scattered and isolated communities, and both are currently in a state of panic with an already dwindling population! As we speak, hundreds of them have flocked to each respective capitals after word got out of their missing communes."

On the plus side, at least they're uniting once more. Especially the Griffons. The Sun Princess thought.

"What about our Changeling, Yak and Hippogriff allies?" came a voice from the council.

"They're in tight knit communities and so far only had a few missing subjects. No reports on any of them contracting the plague, yet." came a reply.

"News of this hasn't reached our subjects yet, has it?" a pegasus stallion asked.

"No, but it will only be a matter of time before the news becomes wide spread," the Speaker replied, "With a potential influx of refugees from the Dragons and Griffons, and if news gets out that some of our villages and subjects went missing we might have an even greater problem; mass panic."

The Council chambers erupted with murmurs and whispers as each member began discussing to the one next to them the ramifications of the developing situation.

"Are they saying we should censor the news of this crisis from the press?"

"If we do that, the press will hang us high and dry for not being able to do something about it."

"But if we tell them, what guarantee do we have that they won't spin the tale (as they always do) to create an exaggerated take on the situation just to rile the population? Imagine the riots that would soon follow."

"Enough!"

All eyes turned to the Sun Princess as she raised a hoof to silence the court. Her voice wasn't a shout but was loud enough for all to hear.

"Nothing can be achieved if we continue to bicker." Celestia stood up from her throne as she turned to each of the council members, "Equestria has endured each crisis through Courage, through Honesty, through Friendship. We endured against Tirek, Sombra, Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, the storm King, the Pony of Shadows and the Spirit of Chaos himself. Whatever is causing this disaster, we will find it and we will stop it at the source.

"For now, we shall inform the population of the situation as it is; Creatures going missing and a strange new sickness going around. Our subjects will be advised to contact all family members, both direct and extended to see about their whereabouts. Anypony who cannot contact them are to report to the Royal Guard immediately and we shall see if there is a pattern to the missing villages and towns. As for the plague, all who show symptoms of it are to be transferred to a secure location where we could study and find a cure for it. Next thing should..."

Celestia was interrupted by the doors of the Council room swinging violently open as a stranger standing on two legs walked in. He looked like a dragon but he had no wings seen behind his back, he was garbed with a sickly purple and gold robes resembling an ancient priest of sorts, and in his claws he held a staff with a giant purple bell hanging by the end. On the bell were carved glyphs of an unknown language, even to those in the room who were proficient on several languages in the world.

"I'm afraid that you will find, your majestiessss, that you are wasssting your time for there issss no cure to thisss cursssse," he spoke with a soft yet sickening slither and croak in his voice as venom leaked from his mouth onto the carpeted floor.

Luna stood from her throne and flared her wings intimidatingly, "How dare you enter the Royal Council Chambers without our permission! WHO ARE YOU?"

"Ah, forgive me your majestiesss," he gave a polite bow with a sinister smirk, "I am Volodar; Prophet of the Worm. And I bring you tidingss of doom."

Gasps were heard all across the room at the implication of his declaration. Luna looked as though she were ready to tear him apart but was stopped by Celestia's wing. She glared at her sister in protest but stopped as she saw the expression on Celestia's face.

"Judging from your title, am I to assume that you are the one responsible for the crisis we are experiencing?" Celestia's voice sounded hollow and composed as though she were restraining a fiery rage within her.

The Prophet gave a chilling smile, "You asssssume correctly, your majessty. I am resssponssible for the ssspread of the plague, I led the attackssss on the villagesss and townssss acrosssssss your world. But the sssssssoul creditor isssss not I."

He then turned to address all in the council with a proud declaration, "Praisssse and be glad, My Little Poniesss! The Worm hasssss come to graccee this realm with itssss presssenccee! All who accccept will be blessssed by itssss power."

Celestia glared at him intensely, "And if we refuse?"

His grin grew even wider and all the more menacing, "Then you will be devoured, like the prey that you are."

Luna had heard enough, "Guards!! Arrest him!"

As the Royal Guards and Night Sentinels entered the room, Volodar stood there calmly as he turned to see himself surrounded. He eyed one of the guards and lunged right at him. Unsheathing an ominous blade from his robe, Volodar stabbed it into the poor pony's chest. The Guard gasped with pain as blood dripped from his wound and a sickly ooze creeped from the blade and into his chest. The lizard then yanked the blade from the guard as the his prey falls to the floor dead.

Gasps and screams erupted all over the council chambers as everyone stared with horror as to what just happened. The horror did not stop there though as the Prophet swung his staff, causing the bell to ring menacingly as a purple mist emanated from the corpse; and appearing before all was a giant ravenlike monstrosity that towered above them.

The Guards froze with fear at the sight of it as members of the council scrambled out of the chamber in panic.

Volodar gave a menacing laugh as he rang his bell once more, inciting the creature to attack the royal sisters. Luna dodged and fired a beam at the monstrosity, but the creature shrugged off the blast as though it were nothing. Instead it lunged at Luna with its maw wide open. But before it could reach the Princess of the Night, Celestia teleported between her and the beast and cast a shield spell; protecting the both of them. The Raven's beak impacted the shield and bounced off of it, causing it to wince and shriek with fury. Celestia lowered her shield and fired a bolt of her magic, causing the creature to wither and scream in agony as it collapses into the ground with a large thud. The monster vanished into mist, leaving a sick, black ichor on the floor.

Celestia turned to her sister, checking her for any injuries, "Luna are you alright?"

"I'm fine, sister. I'm.... TIA LOOK OUT!"

Luna's warning came too late as a blade dipped with the black ichor pierced Celestia's shoulder. The Sun Princess screamed in pain as Volodar twisted the blade before pulling it out of her.

"Hyeahehe. Consssider thisss assss my parting gift, your majestiesss," he sneered as the ichor oozed into Celestia's wound, causing her to gasp in pain. "You will embraccce the Worm or be devoured by it. Hyeahehe."

"YOU MONSTER!!!!" Luna's eyes lit with fury as she blasted a bolt of magic at the reptile, but he vanished before the projectile could hit him.

"Lulu..."

Luna's ire was doused when she returned her attention to her sister as Celestia was now writhing in agony from the pain and gasping for breath.

"Tia!" She ran to Celestia's side and lifted her head with her forehooves, "It's going to be alright, sister! We'll get the doctors to look after your wound and..."

"No. It's too late for that, Lulu." Celestia winced as she extended a forehoof to Luna's face, wiping away her little sister's tears, "The plague. It has infected me already. I can feel its poison spread within me." She gave out a pained cough as bloody and ichor came out of it.

"Tia....." Luna's tears flowed without stopping, "There must be something we could do. The Elements perhaps, or..."

"Lulu, listen to me!" The Moon Princess sniffled to try and stop the tears as she listened, "While the Elements of Harmony might cure me of this curse, I fear it might also destroy me. Whatever this plague is, it's foreign. It is not from our world. Summon the Pillars, call our allies, warn Cadence and Twilight. They might be targeted next."

Luna closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, "It will be done sister. I swear, we will save you."

Author's Note:

G'day all.
For a long time now, I really wanted to write this fic but I never really got the inspiration I needed to put this out. Until now.

I have always been a fan of Armello but I wasn't sure if I could be as faithful to the lore of the game as possible due to a substantial lack of said lore. Then I read someone else's fan comic of the game and though, "Screw it! If they could put together an amazing comic from a patchwork of scenes taken from the game's trailers and novellas, so can I."

If any of you know more of the lore of Armello than what you have read here, then please feel free to inform me. In the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy the ride.

As always, leave your thoughts, suggestions and critiques in the comments bellow.

Comments

[Syroc]

Armello is a setting that I wish there was more of, and the second I saw this I wanted to check it out. Looking forward to seeing where you go with this, hoping to see Best Girl Sana too.

[Joe Toon]

10954598
I hope not to disappoint you.