Burning Myth sets out from Stable 36 to escape from his memories and find peace in the wasteland.
Burning Myth sets out from Stable 36 to escape from his memories and find peace in the wasteland. This was my first and only fic and I'm not really a fan of it, I think it turned out badly but here it is anyways.
I awoke with a start, coughing blood as agonizing pain shot through my body. My eyes shot open and darted around. I was alone and outside. I had never been outside before but it was everything I had expected it to be dark and drab, yet fresh.
Turning my inspection onto myself I analyzed the sources of my pain. A bullet hole in my shoulder, agonizing but tolerable. A broken sapling stabbed through my left hind leg, increasingly excruciating and would require attention soon, I wasn't entirely sure how I would go about that at the moment.
Turning my eyes to my pipbuck revealed excellent news: all of the restoration potions I had possessed were still in my saddle bags AND intact! Radiation levels were well within reason and there were no detectable toxins in the air. It was also quite insistent on informing me that my left hind leg was crippled. If only it possessed the intelligence to realize how obvious that was. Activating my Eyes Forward Sparkle I scanned the area and found nothing. Good, now I could tend to my leg.
Examining the wound I was glad to discover that the bone was merely fractured and was not split in two by the invading plant. After a moment of assessment I concluded which of my several options would be best and did not like it one bit.
I retrieved three potions from my bag and set them nearby then stared at my leg and began to steel myself. With a vicious tug I tore my leg from the tree, ripping the muscle in half and screamed despite my preparation. I had expected pain but this was much more than I could have possibly prepared for. Quickly I scooped up a potion with my magic and guzzled it as fast as I could. With the potion empty and the blood-flow slowing I grabbed the next one and downed it as well. The muscle began to knit itself back together as I tossed aside another empty bottle and downed the third. My leg and the bullet hole in my shoulder both closed gently and released me from my pain as I laid there for a few minutes, panting and covered in a cold sweat.
I had two potions left and after a quick inspection I could tell my recharger rifle was still in good repair. Some food and fresh water ensured I would be fine for a few days so I stood and faced the equestrian wasteland. My journey would no doubt lead me to face all of its hazards, put me in mortal danger on a daily basis and if it was fortunate it would someday claim my life.
All and all I found myself quite fortunate despite these facts.
My first priority was to distance myself from the stable door for the possible event that they deemed it worthy to send a search party out to ensure my execution. This would be fairly easy as my exit from the Stable was extremely unorthodox and drastically outside the behavioral patterns they would have expected from me. If a party was sent out it would take them roughly a day to do so.
Second priority was cover. The more I had the less likely the hypothetical search party, or other threats the wasteland would likely throw at me, would be able to see me. A place to sleep, though not entirely necessary, would also be preferable.
Third would be the acquisition of supplies, namely food and water. Bottle caps would also be required for when I find the semblances of civilization left though it still seems a tad absurd that such a thing would be used as currency.
Finally some sort of armored barding would be required if I were to be better suited for facing the wasteland. Once acquired I would do away with my stable 36 lab barding.
For all these goals my destination was clear, the nearby pre-war town of Hoofington. Though it would likely be difficult to find supplies that hadn't been looted over the past 200 years I was confident I would find SOMETHING I could use.
I set out down the hill towards the nearest houses. Most had collapsed either due to the bombs, weather conditions or simply the harsh hand of time. One seemed intact however, built like a log cabin.
I cautiously approached the cabin and checked my E.F.S. Nothing appeared to occupy the residence but that didn't mean it was empty. Using my magic I opened the front door and waited about half a minute: nothing. I peeked around the door frame into the home and found it remarkably clean. There were signs that somepony may have been living here at some point recently though the unlocked door and layer of dust suggested they had not been here in a long while. There were no obvious signs of looting and the heavy creak of the floorboards hinted that i would be able to hear people coming should they investigate.
Closing the door behind me I discovered the door and adjacent wall had been fitted with bent metal and a sturdy hunk of wood was leaning against the wall. I fitted it in place glad for the extra security measure and trotted to investigate the kitchen.
There was absolutely nothing there. I frowned at the empty fridge as if it had betrayed me somehow. But then why would I expect there to be anything there? This building was so convenient with its barrable door and thick standing walls, why should it provide me anything else? Closing the fridge I went about exploring the rest of the cabin. A few random ends, a total of 23 bottle caps and a small handgun with no ammo in terrible condition and a bedroll rolled up next to a bed upstairs. Sleep sounded good.
I peered out the windows one by one on all sides of the cabin, looking for enemies both by sight and using my e.f.s. Finding nothing I went upstairs to one of the bedrooms and shut the door. Using my telekinesis I moved the dresser and desk in front of the door and laid on the bed. I had been remarkably lucky today and decided that this was secure as I was going to get. Resting my head on the pillow I drifted off to sleep.
I ran through the halls, sirens going off all around me. Of course they knew I was coming, why wouldn't they? They were the oracle's henchmen after all and she could see the future.
Shouts behind me brought my attention back to the matter at hand and I spun around, hooves sliding until I had made a 180 degree turn. My horn glowed as I began to cast my spell and as soon as someone rounded the corner they were blasted with arcane flames. The guard fell over screaming and on fire as I turned and ran once more.
Approaching an intersection I stopped an peered around the corner. There was no one there but my e.f.s. told me they were coming from the right. I took the left path. They were corralling me, I could tell easily. I was getting farther and farther away from the stable door and every turn that could get me closer either had guards protecting it or guards approaching it.
Approaching another intersection I ran across, firing my recharger rifle blindly at the guards my e.f.s. told me were bound to be there. I could have stopped and used s.a.t.s. to kill one but I was not planning on murdering my way out, if I did that they'd be out for blood rather than just corralling me. Undoubtedly the oracle knew this too.
I turned a corner and was faced with two sentry turrets guarding a research lab. I activated s.a.t.s. and fired my recharger into one then began casting at the other, my aimed shots burning through the turret with ease.
While casting however the remaining turret spun round and began firing wildly at me. I had tampered with their targeting protocols a few months back during the last revolts when the rebel forces had taken this area and nopony had yet to get them aiming properly again. Though the shots were wild one bullet found me, digging into my shoulder. I roared in pain and anger and loosed arcane lightning into the turret destroying it for good.
In the time it took for me to take down the turrets the guards had managed to catch up. I took cover in the lab and locked the door behind me using a terminal. Looking around the room I realized this is where the oracle wanted me. There was nothing in the room, all of my research materials were gone, tables and lockers included, and the only exit to the room was the door I had locked behind me.
Through the door I heard the guards shouting to blow the door open and I ran as far from the door as I could. Cowering against the back wall the door opened gently, much to my surprise, and the oracle's power armored personal guards entered the room and fanned out, all of their battle saddles trained on me.
Then she walked through the door. The oracle didn't really appear special in any way but she carried herself with an almost regal confidence. Her light blue mane was short but extravagantly styled and stood out brightly against her dark brown coat. Any clothing she wore she always made sure that it showed her cutie mark, a crystal ball, as if her entourage weren't enough to remind everypony who she was.
"Ah Burning Myth, how clever you thought you were. Did you really think I wouldn't see through your little plan? I mean seriously, you were hardly subtle in hoarding supplies in this lab. What did you really think you would accomplish?"
I chuckled. The oracle asking a question was never actually a request for an answer, she already knew the answer. That of course didn't stop her from waiting for one.
"I see pointless questioning is a trait you picked up from your father, even when I fought for him against the last rebellion he always took too much time gloating."
She smirked at my response, "well when somepony has so much power why wouldn't you? I'll never be as power mad as the second oracle but that wont stop me from enjoying myself a little."
"So why the big show? The guards at the door were obvious but the elaborate trap? Leading me back into my lab? Why not just kill me outright?"
"Oh Myth, we need to make an example of you of course! We'll whittle you down until you're a shell of your former self and set you back into the stable to mindlessly go about your work, completely devoid of any will of your own. Nopony will think about escaping again for a good long while."
A shudder went down my spine. That was horrid! A fate worse than death. Of course I could possibly make it through with my mind intact and only give the impression that they had broken me.
"And if I choose to fight? Murder my way out or otherwise cause my own death?"
She laughed at my comment, "oh please Myth, we both know far too well that you would never be so rash as that! Even as we speak you're thinking that you could fake being broken so you can attempt this whole circus act again. If you hadn't had it in you to kill yourself off two years ago why would you think you had it in you now?"
My blood went cold. She had hit me where it truly hurt, calling on the memory of the darkest part of my truly depressing life. It also ignited a spark within me. This would not be my end, I would not let them take me. The memory brought pain, yes, but it also was what drove me to escape.
"Are you ready to surrender," she asked in a mocking tone.
My horn began to glow and I felt an odd pulse that seemed to reverberate through the stable and my horn was enveloped in an overglow. The oracle's guards closed in around her to shield her from a possible magic assault.
"Give up Burning Myth, there's no escape for you!"
'Oh but there is,' a voice echoed through my mind, accompanying another pulse that no one else seemed to notice. Another overglow enveloped my horn and the air around me began to churn.
"That's where you're wrong Crystal! I've still got a trick up my sleeve, one I've never used before! One you couldn't possibly have predicted!" Her eyes narrowed when I used her name. She hated when anyone used her real name instead of referring to her as the oracle.
"I've accounted for everything Myth, there's nothing you could be capable of that would escape our notice!"
'Oh how wrong she is,' the voice chuckled as another pulse echoed through me and caused another overglow on my horn. Whatever it was it seemed to be overcharging my spell, taking it to levels I couldn't have taken it by myself.
'Help goes two ways. For now, RUN,' the voice chuckled at the end, the pulsating power increasing in frequency driving my horn to produce a glow that threatened to blind and the wind blew wildly around.
"You couldn't be more wrong Crystal Ball! I know something you couldn't possibly know! I CAN TELEPORT!!" And with a final flash I was gone. LEVEL UP! New Perk: Additional Vocation - You have access to a wider variety of spells than most. Pick a new Basic-quality spell set to unlock. You gain (Versatility / 2, rounded up) spells in that spell set of your choice and may gain more later. This perk may be repurchased any number of times, applying to a new spell type each time. Quest Perk: Agent of Discord - you've been marked as an agent of Discord, when in the presence of Discord your abilities have a chance to perform beyond all expectations. You are also capable of sensing discord's magic.
I awoke with a surge of panic. Where was I? Eyes darting around in panic slowed steadily as I remembered the events of the past couple of days. Getting up I walked to the window and looked out towards Hoofington. The town appeared small and rural, my stable was likely the only one around. I strapped my saddlebags back on and headed downstairs. Removing the door bar I headed out towards the middle of Hoofington.
I needed to find another stable, that was likely the best chance I had of finding pipbuck technician tools I needed to remove my pipbuck. My pipbuck had to go if I were to evade crystal's far-reaching grasp as she had all the stable ponies' tags, including mine, and could track anypony anywhere. She would likely give my tag to the retrieval team so each one would always know where I was.
And then there was the retrieval team. There was no guarantee who would be sent out but it would likely be a small army considering my escape would have called into question everything that gave her the right to be in charge: her ability to predict everyponies actions no matter how unpredictable they think they are. My escape was a personal challenge on her rule that could destroy the line of oracles forever, not that anypony would mind. There WOULD be a retrieval team and they would hound me across the wastes, pin me down and then drag me back to be punished. They'd probably also break my horn.
I shuddered at that last thought. My magic was one thing I was incredibly proud of, it set me apart from anypony else because I was powerful in magic. And power is what would get me what I wanted. All I needed was time and research and I could pull my magical theories together into a unique form that nopony has ever seen before. I would become a wasteland legend through my magic! All I'd need is time and I would likely have to pay for that time in blood.
But that was the future. Today in the here and now I needed armor, food, safe sleeping arrangements and the location of another stable. A book I read mentioned that pre-war ponies would travel to other cities using trains so it stood to reason that a train station would possess at least a crude map of the lines to nearby cities and that's all I needed. If the station lacked a map I could always follow the rail line.
Lost in my thoughts I failed to notice the approaching wild dogs until they were already too close. It lunged at me, teeth aiming for my throat and I lowered my horn at it. Before I could channel any magic into it the dog slammed into me, its teeth scratched on my horn and we became a tangle of limbs. I pulled myself up and charged magic into my horn just in time for another dog to lunge at me. With no time to craft a spell, I stabbed it with my charged horn and discharged the raw magic into its side. I pulled my horn out and felt teeth sink into my side. Crying out in pain I grabbed my rifle with my magic and began to empty the sparkle breeder's charges into the dog until it slowed and began using the rifle as a club. I finally stopped when I realized the dog had died awhile ago and its jaw had simply locked into my side.
My first battle in the wasteland. Two dogs. Two dogs had caught me completely by surprise and forced me to stab one with my horn like a savage. I yanked the dog out of my side and downed a healing potion, trying not to focus on the pain or shame the dogs had inflicted on me and that's when I saw them. I had barely fought off two dogs and down the road was more. A LOT MORE. My eyes shot around, desperate for an escape and then I saw a subway tunnel. I dashed towards it as fast as I could, bounding down the steps and over the turnstiles. I charged my horn and turned, sliding 180 degrees and loosing a blind fire blast toward the turnstiles and managed to hit the lead dog in the face. Turning back around I dove off to the side into a doorway and closed the door behind me. Safe!
"Tickets please," an artificial voice inquired behind me. I turned and saw a protectron robot, shaped in crude imitation of a pony, looking at me.
I panicked. Charging magic in my horn I slammed into the robot with the same desperation that fueled my fight with the dogs. It said something and began firing lasers out of it's head dome at me but most missed as I held my horn in its chest. I pulled out and quickly spun around and bucked into it's dome and spun back around after a satisfying crunching sound and slammed my horn, charged once again with magic, into its side.
The light in it's dome head flickered off and it fell to the side, slipping off my horn. For awhile I just stood there staring at it and panting. The wasteland was a violent and chaotic place, I did not particularly care for it.
Once my adrenaline cooled down I realized the protectron had scored several long burns along my backside and the pain began to hit me. I opened my bag and examined what I had left, some food and water, my recharger rifle, a bedroll, some magical bandages and one healing potion. Holding the potion in front of me with my magic I examined it closely, rotating it. I should save it. I crudely wrapped myself with the bandages and felt the itch of their healing magic activate. Using the bandages instead of the potion would guarantee scarring but the potion was too precious to waste, it was my last one after all.
Scratching at the door confirmed that the dogs were still out there, giving me time to look around in here. It seemed like an office, probably where the managerial work happened for the metro. There was a strange pod against the back wall that was big enough to fit a pony inside easily, probably the protectron's charging pod. On the desk next to it was a terminal. Next to the terminal however was what appeared to be a plastic card my pipbuck labeled as a 'metro ticket'. I looked at it for a moment then upon a realization I began glaring at it.
'Tickets please.'
If I had grabbed a ticket and handed it to the protectron it probably would've ignored me, instead I panicked and attacked the thing meaning the scarred flesh on my back was a direct result of me losing my head. This wasnt like me, running around panicking and attacking anything that moves before assessing the situation. I was a stable-tec stable #36 scientist for crying out loud! It was time I started acting like it. And what I just found in a lost and found bin was going to help immensely.
I prepared a spell and opened the door. The dogs were surprised but instantly trying to bound inside and almost had me when I teleported. I was outside the office but still in the metro, looking at the dogs from the other side. A moment later there was an explosion and I was sprayed with a red spray and smacked in the face with destroyed remains, the wet and sickly warm mess made me gag but the job was done and my pursuers were dead.
I turned and headed deeper into the metro, dropping the the grenade pin behind me as I went. Chances were that it'd be safer than trying to travel above ground.
The metro tunnels were dark and musty and tunnels had collapsed denying me a straight path, forcing me to take routes through maintenance hallways that have been long forgotten. Wasnt going anywhere in particular but it still felt as if they were inconveniencing me somehow.
Most of the ancient lighting fixtures had died with time leaving precious few, weak and flickering, to light my way. I clicked my pipbuck light on to help fight against the encroaching darkness, it was nothing compared to the light that would come from my horn but it was better to save the magic. The air was stale and unmoving. Water dripped somewhere in the distance but aside from that all I heard were my hoof-steps. I did not like being underground despite growing up in a stable, I could not shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen down here.
Of course something already had. There were plenty of skeletons littered about the tunnels, likely they had retreated underground to escape the megaspells. Radiation likely seeped in and killed them before they knew they were dieing. Stopping at a particular pair that seemed to be locked in embrace I found myself wondering who they were. What kind of lives did they lead before the war? Were they lovers? Two random strangers who simply clung to each other for comfort during the end? What were their last thoughts? I shook my head of these thoughts and pressed on, no use dwelling on the dead.
After awhile of wandering the abandoned tunnels I stopped in what appeared to be a supply closet to eat. As I ate I looked over my notes on my pipbuck. I had the research mostly completed, all but one tiny little detail that I couldn't get my hoof on. Wasn't entirely sure what it was either which was infuriating. Finishing my food I removed the magic bandages and tossed them aside. As I thought the lasers had caused scarring, luckily though none of them had hit my cutie mark.
It was hard to tell how long I had been in these tunnels without glancing at my pipbuck, there was so little to break the monotony. Roughly an hour after my lunch I tripped on a skeleton. Sometime before or after that I found a suitcase filled with clothes. Even the tunnels seemed to blur together, barely recognizing if I was in an actual subway tunnel or one of the side access routes. Picked a rock up and threw it out of boredom, it bounced a couple times before stopping. This tunnel was boring. Why was there nothing down here?! Sure the tunnels were dark but some things thrived in the dark, why was this place sooooo empty?!
Turning a corner I found something to break the monotony: a makeshift home! A mattress laid in a corner and there were poorly constructed wood walls separating it from the rest of the tunnels. A bookcase held a glowing lantern, an assortment of nick-knacks, food and an old Ministry of Peace first aid kit. I trotted over excited to be doing something and opened the yellow box with the pink butterflies and my excitement was dashed. Somepony had left their empty health potions in it. The bookcase mostly had junk and the food containers were empty but a few bottlecaps, a .32 pistol and a few .32 rounds made it worth it. Sleeping was out of the question however, the bed seemed to be stained a reddish brown and there was half of a ponies skeleton on it, goddess knows what happened to the other half.
Leaving the makeshift home behind I was filled with renewed vigor and began to trot. Everything was looking good, I had traveled a considerable distance from the stable, the only threat I had faced was a pack of dogs and-
My thoughts were cut off as something slammed into my side with great force, throwing me ten feet into the wall. Wheezing for breath I looked where I been standing a moment ago and there stood a monstrous pony roughly double my size and with 8 legs. His snout was larger than it should've been, dried blood caked the fur around his mouth and the top of his head seemed flat.
"Sleipner," I managed to wheeze out and it snorted.
As soon as I stood it charged with its head lowered and I dove out of the way just barely. Before I knew it though its large maw was around me, rows of small sharp teeth digging into my rear. With a flick of its neck it tossed me across the tunnel again. Before I hit the wall however it ran and caught up to me and smashed into me with it's head. I smashed into the wall with extra force and bounced of the wall, back into its head and then back into the wall before I fell into a heap on the ground.
Bloody and dazed I levitated my healing potion out of my bag and downed it. This thing was far faster than the 8 legs should allow, I had to slow it down. Without getting up I charged my horn and teleported a ways down the tunnel, as far as I could see. I jumped to my feet and turned around, pulled out my recharger rifle charging my horn again as I did so which is lucky because the spell was ready just as soon as the creature's insane speed brought it too close for comfort.
Once again across the tunnel I spun around and slid into SATS, targeting its legs and let loose, unloading every charge I had at it's legs. Unfortunately I was unable to cripple its legs and it smashed into me, throwing me once again into a wall. I charged my horn as fast as I could and just as it ran into me again I teleported across the tunnel.
I spun around and began to fire wildly at its legs while charging my spell again. This couldn't last forever, i'd run out of magic soon and if this thing wasn't dead by then I would be. Thankfully I had a plan.
As the creature came close I teleported roughly 3 feet to the left and about a foot back. The creature, expecting me to have teleported down the tunnel spun around and did not see me. Taking full advantage of this I charged my horn and stabbed it in its front leg, discharging my potent strike. I then hopped around to the other side and did the same with the other front leg. The creature spun round, whinnying in anger and pain, and quad bucked me in the side. My world turned red and all I could feel was agonizing pain flooding every fiber of my existence, I barely noticed hitting the wall.
I struggled to get to my feet, pulling the remainder of my magic into my horn. I was going to die down here, I was almost certain of it. The despicable monster turned on my and charged just as it had before and appeared no slower for my efforts. With the last spell I would be casting I teleported as far from it as I could. Reappearing I immediately collapsed on the ground. immediately afterwards there was a thundering crash and loud rumbling, dust shook from everywhere and the ground trembled.
I turned to see what was happening, pain lancing through my everything as I did so, and through the dust cloud it appeared as if the tunnel had collapsed behind me. Creature must not have been able to stop properly after I stabbed its legs and crashed into a support pillar or something. Either way, unless it pulled itself out of the rubble, it wasn't my problem.
I pulled myself up slowly and then immediately collapsed, coughing up blood. Forcing myself up again I undid my pack buckle and it fell to the ground. I cautiously turned and began to dig through my bag for my magical bandages. From this angle I could see ribs sticking out of my chest, I was losing a lot of blood. Focusing I dredged up any remaining magic into my horn to grab the magical bandages and wrap them around me, as I did so the adrenaline that kept me going began to fade and my vision began to blur.
'Hurry!' I thought to myself as my vision faded and the bandages clumsily wrapped around me, try as I might though I could not delay the inevitable. Right before everything faded I was left with one thought: