The Smokeless Flame

by BIGBLACKINTOSH

The Royal Rumble

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“CAAW!” Crow screeched stunning most of the dogs and started the battle. “I forgot I could do that,” he sighed happily before charging the crowd of D-dogs.

“Somebody check that clock, cause I think its GO TIME!” Black yelled, brandishing a forge hammer. He was the first to strike. Holding his hammer by his dextrous hooves, Black charged at the line of D-dogs and slammed his entire body onto one of them, bringing him to the ground. Before anyone could jump into that pile, Herpy put another bolt between another dog’s eyes.

“Another one down!” Herpy shouted and loaded another bolt.

Tick grabbed a grenade out of his sister’s saddle bag and lit it with a swipe on the floor. “See you in Tartarus fleabags!” He taunted before tossing it into the crowd. The grenade exploded and sent over a dozen of them overboard. Idilah and Sheytan charged at each other with a battlecry from both of them. Just before they could collide, Shetan turned on her hooves and bucked Idilah square in the chest, sending her sailing across the deck and out of sight. The glowing one went after her in a leap, cackling as she sailed through the air. Ghost had disappeared from sight and just before he reappeared, two dogs were missing their heads.

A dozen dogs finally got their bearings and decided to charge us. Vito and Mastodon were immediately on them and let out battle cries before meeting the dog’s charge. Vito dodged a spear jab and grabbed the spear, got on his hind legs and used his knee to break it in half. The opposing dog howled as Vito drove the pointed gem into his throat, going down clutching the wound. Like a true badass, Vito then swepted the feet from under two dogs charging at him with the pole of the spear, driving the jagged end into a dog’s heart while Mastodon stabbed the other with his hidden blade. The blond dog howled. “Damn I missed this!” he shouted as he stabbed another D-dog in his chest.

Why the hell am I just standing here? I got to test some dragon magic! I shouted in my head before charging into the fray myself. Two ready D-dogs charged at me and both of them met a snowball to the throat, dropping to the ground clutching the ice. The snowballs being my fists. I rose up and decked another dog hard enough to send him to the ground. And then another. And then another...

“Keep lining up so I can put you down!” I shouted to the quickly dying crowd of former soldiers.

A six or so dogs got launched into the air, courtesy of Arige. He looked down to his fists and sighed happily. “Oh it feels so good to let go!” He shouted before picking up a still conscious dog and slamming its back into his knee Bane style.

Terk was jumping, flipping, and otherwise being a pain for anyone trying to aim at him. He launched into the air, only to come down on a poor dog’s collarbone. He smiled before he kicked the dog from under him landed on his hind legs. “Damn Vito. You ever think of running a school This weak point crap is awesome!” He asked the vet before pummeling another D-dog’s chest.

Vito snapped another dog’s leg at the knee and stomped in his throat. “School? I wouldn't know what to call it,” he said before disarming another dog and driving the pole into his attacker's crotch.

Terk dodged a spear strike and broke the spear in a chop. Taking example from Vito, he killed the opposing dog with it and uses the other end for a nearby enemy. “I don't know...Wing style?” He suggested as he got on his hind legs and span, adding power to a punch sent at a D-dog behind him.

Vito grabbed another enemy in a headlock and quickly snapped it’s neck. He tapped his beak briefly before shrugging. “It could work.”

“Um guys? Can we talk about this after we don't have spears at our throats?” I suggested, narrowly dodging another strike and sending a snow filled punch at the attacker. The two gryphons nodded and continued to just kick ass.

The battle became a blur. A mess of feathers, cries and, smoke. Nothing could counter Arige’s strength. No one fast was enough to dodge Kitty’s feathers. Vito and Mastodon were back to back ripping D-dogs apart. Tick and Boom were dismantling the D-dogs offence with their grenades. Terk’s speed was distracting any dog going for our blindsides. This was one of the biggest fights I’d ever seen and I was a part of it. After finishing choking a dog out, I snapped my head behind me to see a D-dog stop mid strike. He looked so terrified, I thought he'd piss himself. I was going to charge at him, but he immediately dropped his gem-spear. “Thats it, me done!” he shouted backing up with his paws raised.

Another D-dog saw him and turn back to see Arige “Bane” someone. “Nope!” she said, dropping her weapon. More and more D-dogs surrendered. Considering what they saw us do to their friends, I would too. Before anyone could celebrate, Idilah went over our heads and back first into the mast. My heart nearly dropped at the sight of her struggling to get up. But instead of my heart dropping, it filled with anger.

Too bad that anger got replaced by fear when I saw what she was fighting.

Something flew over our heads and landed in a crouch. What used to be Jill the villain we never saw, was now a mess of bone and flesh. It’s limbs loosely resembled feline parts, if I had to guess, a lion’s. The head was a mass of spiky bone, almost like a lion’s mane. It was as if someone had mixed a lion and pony and then turned it inside out.

“You thought you were so clever,” It said, its voice barely even Equis. “You thought you would march up to this world and take what you wanted.”

Idillah sat up against the mast, grinning. “That was sort of the deal,” she croaked. “I get Asad back, you immortal guys fuck off, and we live happily ever after.”

Sheytan let out a disgusting rasping noise that might had been a laugh. “Oh silly child, you were to be my vessel. My key into this disgusting world of colors.My proxy. And then Burjias had to have that Ifrit put a lock on your soul,” She hissed. “I could not do anything with you then. But thank goodness for this follower of his. This...Fanatic I inhabit. She followed my instructions to the letter,” she said, pointing to her strange eye. “Now all I need is you and your companions gone,” she muttered sinisterly back at us.

Within a second of the threat, her fleshy face was in mine.Suddenly, I no longer felt the floor under me and a weight on my throat. I tried to make an ice ball but couldn't concentrate enough will. I clutched at the bitch’s fleshy arm in hopes that I could crush the bone within, only succeeding in pissing her off. Ghost tried to strike her from behind but quickly found the spiked end of Sheytan’s bone tail. His saucer sized eyes stared at the appendage in his chest before Sheytan threw him off to the side.

“Mitchel!” Crow shouted before preparing preparing another Caw. He failed miserably and started coughing up blood.

“All of you miserable excuses for minions. You are nothing to me!” She growled, squeezing my throat tighten. At that point, I couldn't breathe. It would be seconds before my vision faded, but not before seeing the barrel of a gun brush against the back Sheytan’s head.

“Did everyone forget I have gun?” Idilah asked no one in particular before pulling the trigger.

Sheytan’s grip didn't waver and the same tail that stabbed Ghost whipped at Idilah going straight for her heart. In a flash of metal, the tail was pinned to the ground by a familiar knife. “Nope,” Idilah taunted, pulling the trigger again.

This time Sheytan let go, only to take a swipe at Idilah. The human ducked and giggled as Sheytan tried again. “Why wont you die!?”

Idilah dodged every attack, giggling like a maniac. “I don't know what's funnier; a demon who had to possess a pony to kill me or the fact that you seriously are that afraid of me?”

With an outraged shout, Sheytan put all of her weight into a punch. Just when I thought she was done for, Idilah caught it and held Sheytan’s fleshy claw in place. Sheytan tried to bring back her hand, but Idilah wasn't letting go. She pulled and pulled and Idilah only smiled. “How’s that plan working out for ya?” She taunted as Sheytan struggled. “I thought I was the weakling here? I thought I was the insignificant Jann of this food chain?” She said, her grip on Sheytan’s hand tightening. I could hear the sound of bones being crushed as Sheytan almost bowed in front of Idilah. “I only wanted one thing and you fuckers roped me into all this extra shit! Sky-ships exploding out of mountains, armies of surprisingly smart diamond dogs, a crazy ass idiot whip I can't properly call a villain, and oh yeah, you and and that dumbass called Burijas! I’m going to love talking with him again.” While she was ranting, Idilah continued to twist Sheytan’s arm until her shoulder was on the ground.

The former demon wailed and squirmed under Idilah’s grip, constantly tapping on the ground in submission. “You win,” she groaned. “I submit!”

Idilah squeezed tighter, calmly smiling as she finally ripped off Sheytan’s arm. The monster screamed and grabbed at where her arm used to be while Idilah stood there laughing. “Oh stop being a bitch and stay still,” she ordered as she grabbed Sheytan’s head, bringing her to her eye level. She stared into Sheytan’s bright eyes, paying more attention to the star iris one that used to be hers. “Sheytan?” She grunted in response. “You lost,” Sheytan grunted sadly. “I need to know why you needed my eye,” Sheytan grunted happily, as if that info would be an issue. “By burning you to ashes,” Sheytan grunted frantically. Suddenly the air around us grew cold, Idilah’s hands lit ablaze, surrounding Sheytan’s head. Soon the rest of the vessel that used to be Jill lit was covered in blood red flames.

Everyone stared as Sheytan burned to ashes, the blood red flames turning bright yellow. What was truly disturbing was the fact that no smoke emitted from the flames. “What is she?” Flan asked as she bandaged my neck.

“A beutiful monster,” I croaked, staring at the blazing demon in front of us.

As Sheytan ashes began to drift in the wind, I.D. rolled her neck and turned to the dogs that had surrendered. “What do you plan to do now? Your contracts were with Jill and she’s very,” she stared down at the ashes at her feet. “Very dead.”

The D-dogs lowered their paws and began to talk amongst themselves. “Oh hell no!” Vito shouted, pushing his way to the chattering group. “You assholes sat and watched as that bitch stuck a spear in my gut. I don't care if you were just following orders, I don't care if it was following the contract, if you don't pledge your allegiance to me and this monster, I’m going to have Boom shove a timed charge in your gut and watch the bits fly out!” He screamed, rushing towards the biggest dog. This diamond dog stood above Vito and yet he still looked terrified of the gryphon.

Idilah pulled Vito away from the scared dog and patted him on his wings, earning a glare from him. “Don't worry Vito, of course they're going to work for us!” she cheered. “Cause if they don't, I’ll just stick my hand down their throats, one by one and make their bodies light up like hot coals,” she threatened in the most happiest tone. “And the first thing they can do is clean all the bodies and make sure were ready to sail!”

The D-dogs scrambled to pick up and throw the bodies of their brethren overboard. I chuckled and felt a huge hand lift me onto my hooves. “Nightheart, why do you not stand in victory? We’ve won!” Arige said, patting my shoulder. I wanted to agree with him but had the faintest feeling we were forgetting something...

“Um, guys. Dying teammate over here!” Crow shouted, applying pressure to Ghost’s wound. The dirt stallion had stopped breathing. His eyes glazed over and his chest was still gushing with blood.

“Scheiße(Shit)!” Flan cursed in german. “I got him!” Flan pushed Crow away and started to inspect Ghost’s wound. “Punctured heart, blood vessels destroyed. Zip!” She called. Sure enough, the bandaged Diamond dog pushed past me and kneeled opposite to Flan. How she stayed hidden is beyond me.

“Going to have do this on-site, we can't afford to move him. Zip, Now!” She ordered. Zip flinched at Flan’s voice and opened up the bandages on her chest. Inside was the standard three or so hearts, all of them beating through confusing and fucked up means. “Begin the operation!”

I felt a hand plant itself on my shoulder, and turned around to see Idilah’s smug face. “Well we’ve had an eventful day,” she said nonchalantly.

I shook my head. “Our day cannot be complete without someone dying. Are you okay?” I asked, my voice coming out hoarsely.

Idilah stared at her stone chitin hand and smiled smugly. Before she could say anything, I brushed away a bit of her hair to get a better look at her eye. She kept it completely shut and blood was still running down her face as if she was crying. She softly took my hand, squeezing it tight. “I’m fine now. Its just going to take a while to fix this.”

“So,” I said, slowly putting down my arm. “What's our next move?”

Idilah’s eyes or eye brightener. “We regroup. We set a course back to Black’s town and just...Take a break I guess,” she said, uncertain.

“What about Asad?”

“Now that Jill and Sheytan are out of the way, there's no one to race to Omar. That, and with some of Sheytan’s unwilling information, I know for a fact where he is. Plus I want to discuss some things. But not now.”

“Alright th- Wait, wheres the key Jill had made?”

“Oddly enough, the dumbass put the thing in my room. Bitch must of thought she’d take the ship,” she giggled. "I’m going to fly the ship. You get some sleep, I’ll tell you everything when we get there, okay,” she assured me before walking past to get to the turning wheel.

“No.”

She stopped and looked back at me.

“You have only one eye, can't have you steering the ship into a mountain."

“So are you guys gonna fuck or what!?” Ghost yelled, sporting his new bandages.

Godammit Ghost...

Comments

[mild hotsauce]

Funny line at the end. Anywho, I couldn't find anything, call me blind if someone does find something. I'd say its ready.

[Browniel42]

3698796 fuckin' blind, mate