Diary Of The Banished

by DouglasTrotter

Hubris

Two days had passed, and gentle sunlight warmed my face on the third day after our subsequent departure from the city in the clouds. In the light of the morning sun, Otra and I gathered our supplies from the campsite. I extinguished what remained of last night's campfire. Before I could scan our surroundings, a thunderous crack echoed throughout the area. I gazed at those dark clouds in the distant horizon, and, from the moment I saw them, the day didn't feel right.

Otra leapt into the air, and I traveled along the grassy path while she flew higher. The area was bad for a storm. There was little, if any, high ground. I felt that familiar sensation come to me. I turned to see my companion land on my back then shrug at me.

Shelter was scarce, not to mention the fork in the road didn't seem to exist. Either the piece of parchment lied about there being a fork in the lightly traveled path, or our time with Slipstream, in the city amongst the clouds, caused us to travel further than I thought. Another boisterous sound came to our ears as the dark clouds drifted closer; they rolled across the sky with the rain underneath them creating a deluge.

Otra flew off my back. The air's intensity change with the wind that rushed passed my silver colored mane and tail. I pulled the previously stowed material out of my saddlebags. Otra returned with several thick limbs and helped me secure the ropes to the stakes I forced into the ground with my magic. In a hundred years I couldn't have expected what happened after I felt that force hit me.

I spotted a large cloaked figure on the ground near my hooves. Otra hovered above the makeshift tent before she stood beside me. From underneath the piece of cloth draped around its body, I heard the creature panting in a heavy breath. A violent gust of wind slammed against my face with the first part of the storm coming overhead. The storm's darkness engulfed the area around us.

Inside the makeshift tent, I levitated a small rock off the ground, and then imbued a small bit of magic into it. The grey stone floated gently in the air after it turned a pale yellow color. Light from the small stone illuminated the cloaked figure near my hooves. I reached forward but stopped as the string securing the front tent flap broke free. Powerful wind rushed through the tent before I could secure the entrance.

I couldn't fathom what I had seen. It was a mare, yet her upper torso connected to where the head should be for another mare's body. Otra gazed at the mare, brushed a gentle wing tip against her face, and then placed a kind wing around her. In my companion's sky-blue eyes, I sense a special connection with this mare.

Tears formed in the mare's eyes while I removed the rest of the cloth that was draped around her body. Several cuts marred her forelegs, some on her back. I bandaged the wounds on her hooves and the wings of her lower body. A fine suture circled the part that connected her upper torso and lower body, blending in almost perfectly to the light blue coat hairs on both bodies.

The mare shot up before I could bandage her any further. She wriggled loose from my magical grasp. Her body and head hit the tent's ceiling, almost pulling up the tent stakes. The rock I imbued with my magic dropped to the ground. What light existed outside in the storm came through the tent. My blue eyes focused onto the mare's yellow eyes. She turned away from me. Her eyes locked on Otra. The mare shook her head at my companion. I made one last attempt to catch the mare, but she summoned an incredible amount of strength, once again breaking free of my magical grasp. She spotted her shroud, grabbed it, and backed away from Otra and I. My companion gave me a strange look, one I'll never forget. Otra bolted after the mare. Without hesitation, I darted after my companion.

I found myself thankful the time spent with Otra allowed me to sense her presence. Despite that ability, I couldn't see Otra amongst the heavy downpour with the storm's ferocity increasing.

The storm lashed against my face. Intense bolts of lightning rained down from the sky alongside the deluge of water; several strong blasts were deflected off the magical shield I conjured above my head. Soon, a tall, thick patch of grass came into view, spotting the grass when I was only a few hoof steps away. I plowed through the vegetation. I stopped. I backed up before my red hooves touched the planks of a decayed lookout post.

Gentle rain landed on the ground as I gazed towards the sky. The eye of the storm overhead, any sensation or feeling in my body disappeared. My vision narrowed, and I watched Otra follow the mare into the ruins. Neither of them stopped for an instant. The remains of a darkened castle lay ahead of me.

I placed my dark red hoof on my chest, and I remembered my vow. I galloped forward on sturdy hooves.

*** *** ***

In the dank castle, the saturated, forest green carpet squished beneath my hooves. Water dripped through several open airways, cracks, and crevices onto the floor. Thunderous blasts of lightning soon echoed down the stone corridors and passageways. The eye moved passed the ruins. The storm resumed its ferocity.

Questions of "What is she?" and "Why does Otra know her?" crept into my mind while I traveled down a small furnished hallway. Those dormant memories once pushed to the furthest reaches of my mind found their way to the surface. At one point, I heard that horrible, ethereal wail like Otra and I were back in that malefic spire. Despite the fact I could sense my companion's location, I couldn't find her.

With a moment taken to calm my mind, I proceeded down the hallway towards an open area. Thick cobwebs, coated in a fine layer of dust, dangled from the three chandeliers that hung in the dining room. A wooden table resided beneath the chandeliers. On top of it was a tattered, forest green colored table cloth. The fireplace in the back was covered in what appeared to be fresh soot. An ornate picture frame sat on the mantle, its picture ripped out with small remnants of the image left behind in its corners.

I left the dining room, and as I progressed through the structure, its size seemed too small to be a castle.

Down one hallway, small statues were displayed on pedestals. Each of them showed ponies in strange, gruesome depictions. The first statue showed a pony with two heads that screamed at each other. Another was in the form of a pegasus that gazed on in horror at the four wings protruding from each side of its body. The last statue in the back resembled the mare I had encountered. It was a pony with the body of a pegasus and the upper torso of an earth pony; the small bronze plaque near the statue's base was titled, "Ponytaur."

I backed away, and then stopped. My withers shivered. The yelp I let out resonated off the stone walls, down the hallway, and throughout the ruins. My companion stood behind me with a sheepish grin. After I rolled my eyes at her, she hopped onto my back. We followed the hallway towards a dead end. An object fell to the floor, grazed by one of us, and shattered on the hard stone ground. Four sharp spikes ripped through the carpet then embedded themselves in the stone ceiling. Additional spikes came out of the four that blocked our path. Otra squawked at me, and I yelled at her.

The floor dropped out from beneath us. I formed a shield below my hooves while my companion partially opened her wings to slow our decent.

Otra and I landed in the basement. The large, sharp stone spikes in the pit disintegrated beneath the magical shield I formed underneath my hooves. A medium sized passage, carved out of the ground, trusses pushed into the sides for support, lay in front of us. Otra glared at the darkness. I believe she hissed at it. Her kind, sky-blue eyes were filled with rage and fire.

We neared the hallway's end. The dark metal door's rusted hinges creaked and groaned. I illuminated my horn to a foul smell and sight with a disused laboratory coming into view.

Rusted chains with red blotches protruded from the soiled ground. Tools on the adjacent tables were stained the same crimson color as the shackles. The room's acrid smell denoted its dark purpose. After I turned towards my companion, she gave me a determined look. We turned towards the door, and it slammed shut in our faces.

Every inch of the room was sealed tight. Otra tapped my back with her talon and pointed at the door with her wing. With the metal door ripped off its hinges and chucked against the far back stone wall, the loud thud and clang resonating in the room, I galloped down the darkened passage way towards the cylindrical pit.

A voice came from nowhere and demanded to know who intruded into its home. The voice's depth changed, but it repeated the same demand. I leapt back, and then blasted away the faux stone wall after my companion pointed me towards it. Torches were lit along the passage way. Several voices echoed off the stone ceiling, walls, and floor. At a dead end, the wall descended into the ground.

*** *** ***

The sounds of the spire tore against my mind when I saw those metal cages. I backed away. My hooves shook as voices called to me. I felt sick. In front of me was a more horrifying sight. Instead of animals, ponies were locked inside of cages. All of them begged for help when they saw me. My hooves locked in place, and my mouth dropped open. I could feel my heart pounding. A soft sensation came to the back of my neck. I centered myself and closed my mouth. My vision cleared.

Otra stood in front of me with a kind smile. Past my companion, I found a bitter-sweet sense of relief. Those ponies were normal.

As I moved into the room, sturdy metal cages stood in each corner. One-by-one I ripped the cage doors from their hinges. The ponies were mere colts and fillies. The twelve ponies moved into the center of the room and smiled at each other, me, and Otra. One filly tugged on my tail. She asked I had come to save them. I nodded to her before my companion could. When asked who had done this, the filly spoke about an earth pony stallion. He promised to find families for the orphaned ponies he gathered from Canterlot, Gilden Village, and other places. Otra stayed with the fillies and colts. I moved towards the door at the room's end.

Two gusts of wind rushed passed me. I saw the filly who tugged on my tail standing between me and the mare after I opened the door. She pleaded with me to leave Aqua alone. Otra stood by the filly then faced the ponytaur. Aqua raised a gentle hoof and brushed it against my companion's face before she looked at me.

"Get your worthless flank over here." A voice bellowed.

Aqua shied away from us. I shook my head at her. The three were pushed behind the door with it being closed and secured. The room contained a freshly furnished laboratory, perfectly hidden within the ruins' confines.

Bolts of small lightning surrounded five large metal spheres near the ceiling. The energy emanated a slight crackling sound with the silvery hairs on my mane standing on end. Tables were covered with white sheets, stained in the same crimson color as the old laboratory. I averted my eyes from the other aspects of the room. Instead, I focused on the harsh voice that called once more.

I came closer and stood silent behind the pony that was described to me. The earth pony stallion -- no bigger than a regular sized colt -- sighed. He turned. I leered at him while he looked at me. My horn reflected off of his eyes.

"You better not have let my subjects escape, you stupid unicorn. I can't stand the lot of you...." the stallion said, soon going on a tirade. The stallion's words were incomprehensible the way he yammered on about unfamiliar names, and then pony anatomy. His prattle ceased when Otra leapt onto my back. He smirked at Otra when she squawked at him. "Where is your master, experiment?" his smirk degraded into a frown when Aqua stood off to our right, "You're useless, project. Secure this unicorn stallion and the experiment along with the other raw materials in the closet till I need them. I'm at the cusp of a magnificent breakthrough."

Aqua remained silent. I moved closer towards the small stallion. With a strong magical grasp, I latched onto one of the metal spheres, crushed it, and let it drop to the ground between the two of us. For the first time, no fiber of my entire being felt intrigued by what knowledge was in front of me.

"P-please, don't anger Hide. If Stein comes out, he'll hurt the little ones." Aqua said, whispering into my ear.

"You know," the stallion said before his voice changed, "you can belay that order, Project. I think I'll use our unicorn stallion here as a subject for my own test. I'll introduce him to Stein."

The small batted away the chunk of metal. From the force of the hit, the bronze colored lump of metal embedded itself in the far back stone wall. Hide's bloodshot eyes locked onto me. His body twitched, and his hooves grew out. A mammoth sized pony soon stood in front of me, taking up half the room. I stood my ground, a grave mistake.

Stein's hoof launched toward me at incredible speed. I formed a magical shield, and it shatter from the force of the hit.

My body slammed against the solid stone wall above the laboratory's door to the prison. Aqua had latched onto my companion before I hit the back wall. She received a firm node from Stein. Otra squawked at the ponytaur to let her go, receiving a firm headshake in return.

I wheezed and coughed after I hit the floor. Stein crept toward me. I made another shield above me and reinforced it. My creation withstood several direct blows but shattered after two strikes. I was a doll the way Stein picked my body up then hurled me to the furthest portion of the laboratory. I stood up. I ripped three large tables off of their bases. The mountainous stallion bashed them away with a simple bat of his hoof.

There was no time for apologies. I drew upon my magic and recreated the fireball from the spire. I hurled it against the monster. It landed a direct hit against Stein's face. The giant stallion glared at me, a single portion of his dark yellow coat near his face slightly singed.

I dug into my magic. For the first time, I managed more than three items and marked Stein's four hooves before I made a final large mark below him. The stallion rocketed into the air. He hit his head against the ceiling. Stein collapsed to the floor. Rocks fell from the ceiling landed on top of him. I couldn't catch my breath as the rocks on top of the monstrous stallion were tossed to the side like pebbles when he rose from the pile of rubble.

Stein grabbed me again. Instead of chucking me against a wall, he clutched me in his hoof. Cracks formed in the shield I formed around my body in a desperate attempt for protection. The stallion relented for a second then brought me towards his chest. I struggled to maintain the shield while Stein crushed me with all his strength. He released from his monstrous grasp, and I fell to the floor. The stallion kicked me with one strong hoof. My shield shattered against the stone wall near the door to the prison. I landed against the hard ground. Every part of my body burned. Otra, released from Aqua's hold, darted for me. The fillies and colts came from the back room and surrounded me.

"Please, save us Aqua. You have to fight him." One filly said, placing a hoof on the mare's hind quarter.

The image of the fillies, colts, Otra, and myself reflected off Aqua's yellow eyes. The piece of cloth she clutched around her body fell to the floor. Her body trembled. The mare's tail and mane grew thicker and fuller. Each part of her body grew until she matched Stein in size. No words escaped the stallion's mouth before the mare plunged her upper foreleg into his face.

Stein flew backwards. The force from the hit sent a wave of air rushing past us.

"Get them out of here!" Aqua shouted. Her back hoof plunged against the side of the laboratory's grey stone wall, making an opening. One tall filly and colt helped support my body. I struggled with my magic. I mustered enough to make a thin shield around our group.
We made it outside and into the ferocious storm. The ground beneath our hooves shook. All of us gazed at the ruins to see them shake then crumble.

Aqua rose from the ground with Stein firm in her grasp. Vicious columns of lightning rained down around them. The mare flew the stallion higher into the violent storm. She continued her ascent into the clouds, and, at her peak, Aqua let go of Stein. Her strong back hooves landed a direct hit against his chest. The mare darted after the stallion and delivered another powerful strike to his chest. Equestria itself dealt the ultimate, finishing blow. Four lightning streaks diverted off course, combined together in mid air, and formed a massive bolt that struck where Stein landed.

Chunks of rock erupted from the ruins. Several hunks fell on the shield. Aqua descended toward the ground and collapsed. The colt and filly at my side released me and went towards the mare with the others. I fell to the ground, and my shield dissipated. The wind of the storm rushed against my face as the last bits of energy drained from my body.

*** *** ***

I opened my eyes to a gentle touch against my face. I struggled to move, and found myself pushed back by Otra. The door to the small castle's bedroom opened. Aqua entered the room, followed by the fillies and colts, and she sat beside me.

Tears ran down the mare's cheek as she thanked me and Otra, however, her thanks turned to apologies. Aqua spoke of capturing unfortunate travelers for Hide's research. In her eyes, I could see the mare willing to accept any punishment that came. The fillies and colts glared at me, along with Otra.

"Do you hate me?" Aqua said in a quiet, mumbled voice.

I shook my head at her.

Atonement was a hard road to travel. It would be worse if traveled alone. I looked at Aqua and said "no" in a soft voice before explaining my own circumstances.

After I sat up a bit, Otra and the others seemed to smile with Aqua wiping away the final bits of her tears. From her re-telling of the story, I learned that I had been passed out from exhaustion for four days since the doctor's demise. In a quiet voice, Aqua said all that remained of Hide was a few red blotches on the laboratory floor in the center of pony shaped mark with black streaks coming out of it. Several bolts of lightning continued to strike the area near him until I passed out completely. This horn, along with my red hooves, had committed another heinous act. With Hide's horrible deeds, I wondered if I had done a service to Equestria, yet I also questioned if I had the right to carry out such an act against another living being.

Soft wings grazed my left and right sides. Otra shook her head at me. Aqua shooed the fillies and colts outside, one saying "Ms. Aqua has a special some pony."

"Thank you. Thank you for freeing the fillies and colts. And me." Aqua said.

Two more days passed as I remained in bed. Otra stood by me while I healed, taking some moments to play with the fillies, colts, and Aqua. I was relieved to see my materials had been retrieved from the makeshift campsite. One day, Aqua confirmed a suspicion I had since I awoke. The book I read back in Efficacy's spire about combining ponies was indeed written by Hide. Both were colleagues in Canterlot.
After a final day of rest, I got gathered my things. Otra and I headed towards the door with the others. On our way out, the fillies and colts gathered what little supplies were left inside the ruins. Aqua stated a simple wish, reiterated by the fillies and colts near her. I nodded to them.

"I'm sorry," I said in a quiet voice while looking toward the sky and gazing at a soft white cloud.

I stepped outside for a brief moment. The large sphere, the size of Stein himself, was compressed down to the size of a pea. With the others outside, I placed the creation inside what remained of the ruins.

All of us galloped towards the rotten planks of the decayed lookout post. A grand spectacle happened as the sphere cracked. Bright light came from the open areas of the ruins before a thunderous explosion tore the place apart. Aqua delivered a final bit of news before her group departed for Gilden Village. I learned that Hide was the one who brought the poison to Gilden Village, trading it for supplies to keep his laboratory well stocked.

Before that cold shiver came, Otra leapt off my back and nudged me. She flew into the sky and scouted ahead. Pointed towards the beacon in the horizon, in the morning of that quiet day, I turned to catch a final glimpse of Aqua. She had her own journey to undertake, hoping to find homes for the lost fillies and colts.

Author's Note:

I do apologize for this chapter update taking so long. This was the least refined of the lot I had previously written. Sadly, some real life problem interfered with my chances to write, so it was pushed back longer than I wanted.

If there are any problems, please feel free to let me know so I can correct them. Helpful criticism and feedback is always welcomed.