Sunset Shimmer. A mare who set high goals for herself. A mare who is feared in the halls of Canterlot High School. A mare who was once a student of a Sun Goddess.
Now she finds herself in a unknown world.
Having no memory of how she got there and in a body that's not her own. How will this once accomplished mare survive in this hollow world.
(MLP:EG x Hollow Knight) (Cover Art is mine and I know it ain't good.)
Darkness. It surrounds me. Calling to me. Trying to devour me and reduce me to nothing.
I lay curled up in a ball as I watch the all-consuming dark slowly eat at this white room I found myself in. I don't know how I got here or even my own name. All I know for sure(and don't I why I know this) is that if I let that darkness touch me, it will be the end.
I stare out into the dark, as claw-like arms emerge from the blackened floors.
I'm scared.
The claws lash out at me but can't quite reach me from where I'm laying.... yet.
Why is this happening?
As the darkness slowly moves closer, I try to recall how I got here. But all I get are random images and sounds that are disconnected from one another.
One shows a large white mare, with a mane and tail the color of an aurora that flows in an unseen wind, gently smiling down and seems to be talking in a kind voice. However, the sound coming from this image doesn't match. Instead, I hear a girl crying and begging for someone to stop bullying her.
This... frightens me. Was I the one begging, or was I the one who caused her to beg?
As the darkness continues to come closer, more disjointed memories come to the surface. A moon with a silhouette of a mare on it. The sounds of a child asking questions. The image of a large white mare embracing a small form. The sound of two mares arguing over one future. A dark mare staring down at me with her dragon-like eyes while saying, "The night will last forever! HAHAHAHA!!"
I don't know why, but with the last memory, the darkness seems to surge forward a bit more.
Maybe I should just let the darkness consume me? I thought bitterly. Maybe then I can be at peace and don't have to deal with these confusing memories.
As these thoughts cross my mind the darkness surge forward at terrifying speeds. Just before they reach me.
"Sunset."
A voice called out to me.
"Sunset, today I will be teaching you a very special spell."
A spell?
"Now it's a bit old. You have to use an incantation to get it to start. And it will only work in certain situations."
Is this another memory?
"Why am I teaching you such an old spell?" - the voice giggles before continuing- "Simple my student. The reason is-"
Student? I-I think only one person... No, one pony has ever called me their student. But what was her name?
"Now repeat after me."
Maybe I should follow along? I mean don't have anything better to do.
"In Winter days, and Ice cold nights."
In Winter days, and Ice cold nights.
"To those who suffer from Chaos might."
To those who suffer from Chaos might.
"Keep up your struggles despite the price."
Keep up your struggles despite the price.
"For soon help shall come."
For soon help shall come.
"From Harmony's Light!"/From Harmony's Light!
When I finish repeating what the voice was saying, I felt something stir within me. The darkness stops its approach and hover just inches from me with its claws, and slowly backed away like it was trying to avoid waking some great beast.
It failed.
Rainbow colored light burst free from my body and engulf the surrounding area and spread outward. Driving back the dark until it was no more.
I stared at the light in awe as it begins to circle the area me. And I felt whole.
My disjointed memories slowly began to make more sense.
My name is Sunset Shimmer and I am a Unicorn. I have four hooves, a red and gold mane and tail, and a yellow amber coat. I'm the personal student of Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria, my home country. The Princess took me in at a young age due to the unfortunate or some would say fortunate death of my parents during a rather powerful magic surge I had as a foal.
From what I heard about my parents, they weren't the nicest of ponies.
I ended up traveling to another world when the Princess and I argued about my future. Becoming an Alicorn like her. In that world, I hoped to obtain the power necessary to become an Alicorn. But all I got out of it was the title of a Queen B of a worthless High School.
After spending several years in that world I... I began to miss 'Home'. So since the portal was going to open soon I decided to swallow my pride(For the most part) and forgive Celestia for trying to keep me from my destiny. But...
But I still can't remember what happens after I step through the portal, I thought bitterly. I swear if Celestia-
*CRACK*
Huh? Looking around for the source of the noise I just heard. I notice that the rainbow light that was surrounding me had started to tear a hole in the room I was stuck in. When the light finally succeeded in digging a hole it quickly left through it.
Well, that's one way to make an exit, I thought as I moved closer to the hole. But then again it saves me the trouble of finding a way out myself, so lucky me.
As I moved closer to the hole, I began to feel lightheaded and I slowly started having trouble breathing.
Wha -cough- is going on? Does that hole led out somewhere toxic or, - I stopped moving when a chilling thought crossed my mind- Or does this room have an Air Renew spell in it?! I thought in horror as I quickly ran to the hole to see if my theory is correct.
You see, an Air Renew spell, as the name applies, is a spell that can restore the air in a confined space to breathable levels. It's mostly used for an underwater activity like scuba diving. However, this spell has a bit of a flaw in it. You see, when, say the room I'm in at the moment, has the AR spell cast on it, if the room were to be changed (Like adding a hole in the wall or a large enough crack in it) could cause the spell to critically fail. And since this room doesn't appear to have vents, you can understand why I'm panicking at the moment.
Running up to the hole, I immediately stuck my muzzle into it and preyed to Celestia and the gods above that I wasn't about to inhale a lungful of toxic.
*Deep Breath* Oh sweet Celestia! Fresh -cough- air! I said to myself. Okay, now I just have to use my magic and-
....
....
And it's not working! Oh, sweet Celestia -cough- why do I have to get performance anxiety now of all time?! I desperately began to slam my hooves against the wall, hoping to either let air in or let me out.
Come on!
*THUD*
Come on!!
*THUD*
Just!
*THUD*
Break!
*THUD*
ALREADY!!
*CRACK*
On the last hit, the hole began to widen enough for me to get through. But before I could get through part of the ceiling fell and ended up blocking my way out.
Oh, you got to be kidding me! I screamed as I jump back to avoid another piece of the ceiling that nearly decapitated me. Just when I thought I was out -cough cough- I get drag right back in!
I watch as cracks started to appear throughout the room and allowing the darkness to returns through them in a liquid-like form. Acting quickly I began to chant the spell I used earlier to repel the dark again.
In Winter days, and Ice cold nights, to those who suffer from Chaos might, keep up your struggles despite the price, for soon help shall come, from Harmony's Light!
I felt the magic swell within me before being release and colliding with the liquid dark. However, just as I thought I succeeded in stopping the darkness, I watch in horror as the rainbow light is steadily push back. In a last-ditch effort to save myself, I tried to use my magic again, and thankfully it works.
A green-cyan aura appeared around my horn acting as proof that my magic was working again. However...
What can I do?! I thought in a panic. I can't teleport without knowing where I am. And I don't think my magic will do anything to that dark liquid, except for that... rainbow.
....
Smirking, I turn to face where the light was holding the dark off and pointed my horn towards it, using one of my darker spells to drain it into myself. I quickly charged through the dark liquid towards the block hole while using part of the light to shield myself.
Do or die, I won't stay in this Tartarus pit of a room any longer! I roared as I charge a spell that combined my magic and the light into one in the hopes of blasting away both the debris blocking the hole and the darkness surrounding me. I jump onto some scattered debris before leaping towards the blocked hole and releasing my spell.
And then the world went white.
In the White Palace, the Wyrm felt something that shouldn't be.
In the Garden, the Root turns her waning gaze downward in curiosity.
Within the Dream, the Light senses another threat to her throne.
Deep underground lies a land devoid of light. Where life is swallowed by an endless void.
Within this void-like land, lays a lake of black and laying near the bottom of this blacken lake was an egg. An egg so dark that even obsidian couldn't compare. No one could see the egg, even if they knew where to look. And so here this egg will sit, lost and forgotten to the end of time.
*Crack*
Or it was supposed to.
A long, narrow crack had formed on the surface of the obsidian egg letting off a rainbow-colored light. This light slowly engulfed the egg, cleansing it of its obsidian black shell until it was a pale white. Then the light slowly lifted the pale egg from the black depths of the lake and moved it to a dock close by. Unfortunately, the dark lake wouldn't give up its treasure so easily.
Black claw-like tentacles shoot out from the lake and wrap themselves around the egg. Despite the damage, the light was afflicting the dark tentacles they kept trying to pull the pale egg back into the deep. This went on until more cracks began to form on the egg and dark tentacles began to seep into it through the cracks.
As the two forces struggle to try to claim the egg as its own, the unthinkable happens.
The egg exploded.
The two forces seem to stare at the egg fragments in their possession for a moment, before both the light and tentacles drop the fragments roughly at the same time. The tentacles quickly retreated from the scene of the crime as did the light by fading away like it was never there, to begin with.
During the two ancients forces struggle to claim the egg as their own, a small object was sent flying from the egg in its last moments.
This object was sent hurtling to a set of docks, skipping across it and the ground like a rock over a body of water. On its last skip, the object had formed a crater, letting up a cloud of smoke and dust hiding it from view.
Pain. Pain is all I can feel as I lay on the cold hard ground.
But pain is good. Pain means I'm alive. Pain means I'm not dead yet. Though...
"Note to self, don't mix *Cough* ancient unknown magic with an explosive spell," I said with a groan.
My body felt like it was thrown at a rock... and the rock won. My ears are ringing like Canterlot wedding bells. My breathing was erratic, causing my chest to feel like it's on fire. Honestly, it's like I'm breathing for the first time or something... well, that or it could be because of all the dust that in the air around me.
As the pain throughout my body began to subside, I tried moving my head. Despite some protest from my body I managed to get my head to move to the side to get an idea where I am.
The first thing I notice was a tower of some kind built in a large dark underground area. This tower is fairly wide at its base and seems to stay that way till you near its top. It also appears to be a lighthouse, if the faint white light shining from the top was anything to go by.
I was also in a crater.
The second thing I noticed was the fact I'm not in Equestria. I figure this out because of the way I had to turn my head and how my body is laying is off. If I had gone back to Equestria I would have turned back into a pony, and a pony turning their head around and even laying on the ground is different than what I'm feeling.
Deciding I spent enough time monologuing and seeing how the pain I have been feeling since waking up has lessened a bit, now was probably the time to see if I can move. It not like I have anything better to do. So I slowly moved my right arm up near my face to push myself up only to freeze when I notice something off about my arm.
I didn't have a hoof or even a hand.
Now, most people would panic, when confronted with this kind of information. But most people didn't have to change species before, have they?
So ignoring my 'handless' nub of an arm, I focus on bracing my right arm to the ground then pushing myself up with my left. It took several attempts, but I eventually got myself to stand without falling over like a drunk office worker.
Now that I got myself standing, I began to take a closer look at my current... form and all I have to say is.
"What... am I looking at?"
My body was covered by a grayish-white cloak that was brunt near the edges and looks like it was made from some kind of plant matter. My body itself was odd, it shares a similar shape to a human but that's where the similarity ends. The majority of my body is white, while some portions of it were an out of place black. And just like how I saw them earlier my arms ended in nubs instead of hands and from the looks of it my legs were the same way.
Overall, I don't think there's anything wrong with my current body, besides being sore and looking odd. So with that out of the way, I decided to get some walking practice in, seeing that I have nubs for feet too. And let me say, it was just like walking as a human.
"One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, thr" - trips on a rock- "Bucckk!"
As in, when I first turned into a human that is. A lot of stumbling, falling down, and cursing at unseen gods and Celestia before I finally got the hang of it. Also, I learned that my body seems to have a hard exterior that has just enough give for rocks to hurt. Yay.
Eventually, I was able to get myself to walk decently, after that though. I have a choice to make. Either take the stairs, that I notice while walking around, that go up into the tower or take the conveniently dark path that leads to a bridge and into the endless black.
.... I'm damned either way, ain't I?
"I HATE stairs," I cried as I continue to sluggishly climb up what seems to be an unending number of stairs for the last ten minutes. "I never hated anything so much in my life! Well, besides Celestia, but I'm over that!"
In hindsight, climbing a several story tower just after learning how to walk, was a bad idea. I'm not too prideful not to admit it, so when I finally reached the top of the tower I did the most reasonable thing collapse from the stain the climb up had on me.
I decided to check out the tower on the sole fact that it had light coming from it. And if there's light, there will be people there for me to use to get my bearings. If not, oh well. Hopefully, there will be a flashlight, candles, or a map, and possibly food and water or other little things for me to use and take.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself up and took a look at the lighthouse top before heading inside.
The top of the lighthouse was in the shape of a dome with several large windows with an oval in the center that has two horizontal lines going across it. One near the top and the other near the bottom of the oval with several lines going across the window. Additionally, the roof of the lighthouse has several spikes-like blades scatter across it, and the way inside the dome didn't have a door.
Walking through the doorless frame, I enter the lighthouse interior and was... disappointed over the lack of items I wanted to stea- I mean to borrow.
I found a lantern that has some kind of fireflies that glows white when I turn the knob on it. There were also several chests in the room, but they were filled with Geo, also known as fossils, which was worthless to me.
Besides some books I couldn't read, a satchel, a large tube that was using a horde of those white fireflies I found earlier in the lantern as a light source for the lighthouse itself. And some giant jars that reminded me of lava lamps. In the end, I found there wasn't anything of real value for me here.
So I wrap the lantern's cord around my waist and put the books into the satchel and took it with me. As I moved to leave the room, I notice my reflection in one of the jars and decide to get a better look at myself.
Besides being coated in some dust, my body was roughly the same as I first saw it, white and gray with some black mix in.
My head, however, was a bone white color and had an overall squarish shape to it. There were four horns on top of my head, two on the left and two on the right side near the edges that separate the top of my head from the sides. The horns are conjoined near their bases, the lower bigger horns point upward and have a slight curve to it, while the upper smaller and thinner horns curves in a similar way to the lower horns.
The oddest thing I can say about my head was my face. It was almost completely flat and had no visible mouth or nose to speak of. Thankfully my eyes are visible in my reflection but, they were like hollowed pits that could stare directly into a person's soul.
But before I could look for more details about my new form, I notice that the glowing white goo in the jars started to gather near me. Curious, I decide to stare at the goo to see what happens.
And I wish I hadn't. I really do.
"Oh god!" I screamed as I jump away from the jar in horror at what lies inside. The white goo slowly gathered together to form several small figures that tried to reach out to me but were stopped by the glass.
I watch in ever-growing horror as the insects-like souls began to beat on the glass as they silently scream at me. I slowly back away from them until I passed the doorless entrance where I did the most natural thing.
I ran.
I ran as fast as I could, ran from that room, down the stairs nearly falling down them just to get away from those jars. And by the time I realized it I was already back by the crater I crawled out of.
"Oh sweet Celestia," I said while panting. "I read about them, but I never thought I see a soul-jar in person. God, they really are horrifying like those old tomes said."
"I need to get out of here," I said to no one particular as I turn to face the dark path I saw earlier and more importantly, away from that lighthouse. Turning my newly obtain lantern on, I started to walk down the dark path and hopefully somewhere safer than a necromancer lighthouse.
I never noticed the figure watching me from atop the lighthouse as it disappears in a flash of light.
“I hate you,” Sunset said with venom dripping off each word as she stared at the mangled remains of the satchel that she ’borrowed’, before turning her gaze back to a pool of black water with a black shelled creature floating atop the water. Staring blankly at her with its six black dome-like eyes along with a book impaled on one of its many near blade-like tentacles.
Sunset can’t help but feel like it’s being smug to her.
“I really hate you,” she said again before throwing the mangled bag, and the few ruined books it held within, at the creature. And watch as the creature flails its tentacles about, reducing the mangle bag and books to mere scrapes.
Clutching her left arm as a drop of silvery-white blood dripped through a poorly made bandage. Sunset glares at the creature before turning around huffing.
“You’re not worth my time anyway,” Sunset muttered as she walked away.
Earlier
After escaping the white room and ending up in a crater with her ingenious but reckless thinking, and then witnessing the horror that resided within the nearby lighthouse. Sunset decided it was best to leave it and the surrounding area as soon as she possibly can.
With no other choice but to travel along the worn-out walkway she found, Sunset eventually stopped when she discovered a small portion of the walkway had collapsed into the black liquid covering most of the cavern floor.
Seeing no other path for her to take, Sunset took several steps back from the edge of the collapsed walkway before running back towards it and jumping high into the air before landing on the other side. A certain rainbow-haired sport-nut would’ve been impressed with Sunset jumping a 13-foot gap if she didn’t have her arms out in front of her like she was doing a superman dive the entire way across.
Lowering her arms, Sunset took a look at her legs then the gap she just jumped then back to her legs then the gap again before saying, “Interesting, either that’s normal for my new species or I’m just that amazing. Either way, I still need to get out of here.”
As Sunset continues her journey across the ruined walkway she kept encountering portions of it that had collapsed into the waters below, however, with her new-found jumping prowess she could get across them with ease. However, Sunset couldn’t help but feel like someone was watching her when she jumped across any the of gaps she came about, but every time she stopped to check her surroundings, she found nothing.
“Maybe I’m just being paranoid or...” Sunset muttered as she stares at the dark waters below. “No, it’s probably just the dark getting to me. As soon as I get somewhere with more light these feelings will go away.”
Eventually, Sunset saw the cavern wall, where she can see a tunnel entrance connected to the path she been walking on. Immediately picking up her pace Sunset jump across the last remaining gap she can see in the walkway when, without warning, several black tentacles shot out of the water and tried to impale her had she not, in her rush to reach the tunnel, jumped higher than she normally would and was just out of reach of the ensuring tentacles.
Hitting the ground with a roll Sunset eagerly took off running, sparing just enough time to glance behind her and sorely wishing she hadn't, as several tentacles were trashing against the ground causing the worn-out stone walkway to crack and crumble under their assault.
Nope nope nope and even more nopes after that! Sunset thought as she ran in a blind panic through the tunnel and jumping over a pool of black liquid, causing more tentacles to surge forth.
"Buck!" yelled Sunset as she ran, jump, and dived through the flooded tunnel, doing her utmost best to avoid the puddles and small pools of water and any tentacles coming at her.
"Okay,-" jumps over low reaching tentacles "- this -" dives off to the right and nearly falls into the water "- is getting -" runs in a zigzag line as tentacles smash the spot she was at just before "- ridiculous!"
After using her poor imitation of parkour to escape the tentacles and to travel through the tunnel itself, Sunset finally made it to the end of it. And all she has to do now was jump across one more pool of black water and she is home free.
Breathing heavily, Sunset stared across the still liquid in front of her.
"Okay Sunset, you've done this before, just run then jump. Run then jump. Simple as saying one, two, three, and jump out of a tree." She took a deep breath and began sprinting towards the edge, leaping with all her might.
This single jump got Sunset across water easily. However, when she was just land on the other side a tentacle shot out of the water hitting Sunset in her side and causing her to scream out in pain. But before it could wrap itself around her Sunset was engulfs in a greenish-cyan light and disappeared for a moment then reappeared a half-dozen or so feet away from the tunnel exit.
Sunset stood, holding her bleeding arm to her side. However, silvery-white blood began to slip past her fingerless hand and fall to the tunnel floor. She slowly removed her hand from the wound to see how bad it was.
Ohh, I'm gonna need stitches for this, Sunset thought, as she stares at the half-inch deep cut in the upper part of her arm. But it could have been worse so-
*Thud*
Startled by the sudden noise, Sunset quickly looks at the tentacles in fear that they might be trying to reach her like ones before.
The tentacles remained near the black liquid, barely moving. Sunset followed the outline of the tentacles to where they were attached. There she saw a long and slender chitin-covered body, with six bowl-like eyes on what she assumed to be the head, though she couldn't see if the creature had a mouth.
That was all it was doing. Staring at her, and maybe waiting for something else to happen... It was unsettling, to say the least. Having so many dead-like eyes watching your every move, for a chance to drag you under the dark waters to eat you, piece by piece.
Possibly waiting for me to get near it again, she thought bitterly, before noticing a book that has been partly impaled on one of its many tentacles hanging on by what was left of its spine. Huh, that looks like one of my-
The Books!
Quickly, Sunset reaches for her bag only to find empty air, looking downward, Sunset was easily able to find where her bag was. Or whats was left of it anyway.
The satchel strap had received a large cut that ended in an uneven tear(most likely caused by the combined weight of the books inside of it). The satchel itself was split open from bottom to top, with the tear ending near the flap itself. This caused the inner contents of the bag to spill onto the ground. Further ruining the nearly torn apart books were the silver and black stains caused by Sunset's wounds.
Taking a slow, deep breath before reaching down, Sunset ripped the broken strap free from the rest of the bag. Trying not to wince, she used the ripped strap as a crude attempt to bandage her bleeding arm.
"I hate you."
Present
I can't believe this! I climbed a ridiculous size lighthouse(that was underground for some reason), saw something that could easily pass as nightmare fuel, and finally survived a scene from one of those hentai that Snips and Snails like so much.
And the worse thing about all of this? Is that I don't have anything show for it! The bag and books I stole are gone and I nearly lost my arm too!
Well, it's not a complete loss. I did learn I can use magic in this form. But the pros are going to be outweighed by the cons if this keeps up. I mean, I want to return to Equestria and all but if it means going through all this, then no thanks, nothing is worth that. Nothing.
...
Well, if it means I can use magic again than-
"..."
"- What is tha-oh sweet Celestia!"
Exiting the tunnel, I found myself on a bridge inside a massive cavern that easily dwarfs the one I originally arrived in. The cavern was obviously artificial, at least to some extent anyway, with how the walls were designed to resemble shells found on some bugs. But this wasn't what caught my attention.
It was the mountains of dead bodies, barely seen with the light of my lantern. The bodies filled me with dread. It wasn't just the amount or the bodies themselves, but the eerie resemblance they all had to each other, and especially me.
Don't think about it.
Oh great, I got turned into one of those species that people hate and want to kill off because they're jealous of them for some reason. I thought annoyingly. But then again, it's only natural for me to get turned into a species that others are jealous of. I mean look at my lif-
*Thud, Clank*
Having my thoughts interrupted, I quickly turned around to see where the sudden noise came from, only to find a corpse and a sword on the bridge when there wasn't one there before.
Slowly, I inched forward and grabbed the sword, noticing that the blade on one side is broken but the other side and very tip of the sword were fine. As I move closer to the body I notice black blood began to pool around it.
I poke the body with the broken blade to see if there was a reaction. But there wasn't. So I slide the blade underneath the body and flipped it over to get a better look at it.
I wish hadn't.
The body, as I suspected, was almost a carbon copy of mine... with a few key differences, of course, there is can only be one Sunset Shimmer, after all. Instead of four horns like mine, it only had two that pointed upward and instead of a whitish-grey cloak like mine, it has a stone-grey one. And finally, while my body is mostly white with black spots here and there, the body was-is black and-and-
- Sweet Celestia I'm gonna be sick! I thought as I hastily turned around and throw up. Trying and failing to not think about the being's black body and how it was missing its lower half and possibly its organs too, seeing how I didn't see anything but black blood pouring out of its torso.
Don't think about it.
How can something so small have so much blood! As I try and fail to throw up for some reason. I began to hear more thuds and thumps from all around me. Taking a look around, as I try not chock on my tongue, I notice little blurs falling all around me. So, despite the dread I was feeling, I choose to look up.
I wish I hadn't.
I could see a light shining high up in the cavern, possibly near the top, and I can just barely make out a platform within the light with several figures standing near its edge tossing things down.
My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as each one tried to hold my attention as the sounds of thumps and thuds echo around me.
This is a mass grave, like the ones that one human had made-
Don't think about it.
I have my magic so I should be fine, but... I don't know how to use-
Don't think about it.
I need to get out of here. The exit is up there, so if I start now I should make it in an hour or two... But they could be waiting up there to take care of-
Don't think about it.
So engrossed in my thoughts as I was, I didn't notice that something had approached me and started tugging and poking me in the side. Without much thought, I turned towards the poking and saw another one of those creatures that looks like me on the ground bleeding.
And at that moment, the one thought I been trying to ignore, trying to pretend it wasn't there. Came rushing back to the forefront of my mind and before I knew I was saying... no, more like asking the bleeding out creature a question.
No... No! I won't die in this hole! I thought, raging at the very concept of my death.
"And neither will you," I said to the creature before moving over to the bisected corpse. Using the broken sword, I found, I cut off the plant-like cape around the corpse neck and brought it back to the injure creature.
Carefully cutting the cape into inch-wide ribbons, I carefully wrap the improv bandages around the creature injures despite it flinching when I tighten them. “An~d there! That should do it,” I said to the creature as I finish bandaging its injures to the best of my ability.
I really should have paid more attention to both Princess Celestia and my human health teacher when they tried to teach me basic first aid, I thought regretfully. But I guess that’s how life is. Never knowing what will come in handy until it too late. Or how fleeting life can be. Being here one moment and gone the nex-
*SLAP* No! Don’t think like that! Your better than this Sunset! You are better than this... and besides, it’s not like I don’t have a source information.
I just need to get it to talk.
“So, do you know what’s going, and who’s trying to kill us off?” Sunset asked the injured creature as it was tugging at the bandages wrapped around its arm.
“...”
“I know it’s not the best stuff to use for a bandage, but beggars can’t be choosers,” said Sunset, as she looks back towards the now cloakless torso. “Beside, let's hope it doesn’t come back to haunt us for taking its stuff, right?” Sunset said in a joking manner.
“...”
“... Listen, I know we just met and all but I really need your help. I think I hit my head, an-and the details of what going is kind of fuzzy and-and please help me. I-I don’t think I can do this on my own.”
Buck! Sunset screamed internally. Of all of these bucking creatures out there, I would get the mute one!
“Do you happen to know a way out of this cavern?” Sunset asked keeping her inner turmoil from showing on her face. Which, in hindsight, was easy, seeing how her face seems to be a solid white bone of some kind.
The creature nods its head and pointed up. Sunset looks up to see where it was pointing, only to resist the sudden urge to facepalm when she saw where it was pointing.
“I mean besides the hole that would lead m-us to get beaten and thrown back down here to die,” Sunset said a bit forcefully as her patience starts to wear thin.
The creature tilted its head like it was taking a moment to think before shaking its head to say no.
“Of course that will be only way out,” Sunset muttered before asking. “Then do you know how to get up there?”
If that’s the only way out then I have to start forming a plan. Maybe use this... thing, as a distraction for my escape or I can use my magic... if I can figure out how to use by then. Or maybe I could...
Nodding its head, the creature began to look around the ground where it was sitting before finding a flat rock and picking it up. It then pointed at Sunset, then at itself, then back to the rock and then up to the platform up above, while at the same time it was lifting the rock up and down.
Sunset stared at the being trying to figure out what it was trying to say. After about a half-minute of silence, Sunset said, “Are you saying that there’s an elevator we can use to ride up to the platform?”
Repeatedly nodding its head the creature stood up, albeit with some difficulty, and pointed towards the platform and directly from there pointed to a spot beneath it.
“So the elevator is there? Okay, we go there, ride the elevator up, see what we’re up against and if we can, make a run for it,” Sunset told the basic outline of her plan to the creature. “So how do we get down there? I don’t see any other path coming to or from the bridge.”
The being pointed down to the countless corpses below them then to the spot where the suppose elevator is.
Sunset looked down to the many corpses below her, before turning to look at the creature and said with a hint of disgust in her voice, “Are you sure there isn’t another path?”
The creature took a moment to look around before turning back to Sunset shaking its head and again pointed down towards the corpses.
“I was afraid you were gonna do that. But that leaves the question on how are we going to get down th-”
Before Sunset could finish her sentence the creature had already jumped off the bridge. The creature fell around four stories before landing with a loud crunch, as several skulls beneath its feet shattered from the force of impact.
“Wha-how did you?” Sunset said before suddenly facepalming. “Of course you can survive the fall,” she muttered. “If you can survive an over mile long fall from the top of the cavern while injured, than something like this would be child’s play...”
“But if you can do that, than there is no doubt that I can as well.” Taking a deep breath, Sunset stepped up to the edge of the bridge. With but a moment of hesitation Sunset jumps off the bridge, then a few seconds later a loud crunch echoed across the cavern as Sunset landing shattered the bones of the dead around her.
“Huh, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Heh, just goes shows how great I am from being a pony to a human to...” Sunset stopped as the creature stares at her. “Oh! Umm, you didn’t hear that, did you?” Sunset chuckles nervously. “Sorry, I tend to say weird things to myself now and again, so just ignore that, okay?”
*Hiss*
Faster than Sunset could react, the creature rushed towards her and drew its sword and swing at Sunset.
Where it went past her head to hit something above Sunset that she wasn’t aware of. All Sunset saw when she turned around was a black smoke-like mist flowing into the dead below them.
“What the heck was that?!” yelled Sunset, but instead of answering her in any way, the creature sheath its blade across its back and grabbed Sunset’s arm and began to pulling her in the suppose direction of the elevator.
“Wait, hold on!" yelled Sunset as she yanked her arm free from the creature grasp. "I can walk just fine on my own, goat-head!”
The creature turns to stare at Sunset before reaching up and rubbing its horns in a dejectedly.
Great. I hurt its feelings.
*Sigh* “Look, I’m sorry for calling you goat-”
*Hiss*
Settled by the sudden hissing Sunset spun around to see black mist rising from the corpses around her and gather to form a black sphere that spun for a moment, then quickly expanded to form a body that had tentacles for its lower half and a familiar square head with two glowing white holes for eyes staring at her.
Sunset stood there frozen in shock as the shade began to slowly move closer to her, but before Sunset could react, Goat-head had already ran past Sunset with its sword drawn and proceeded to cut off the shades head.
As Sunset watch the shades body turned back into mist and flowed back into the bodies around her she couldn't help but blurt out, "What the buck was that?!"
Goat-head stared at Sunset before taking a stance with its sword as hissing erupted around them as black mist began flowing out of the bodies around them.
"Oh buck this! Goat-head, ignore them and find a way back on to the bridge!" Sunset yelled as she ran towards the cavern wall, attempting climb back up. Goat-head followed after Sunset but ended up stopping ever few steps to attack any shade that got too close.
As Goat-head reach the wall Sunset had slide back down for the third time in a row and screamed, "Aghh! These hands are useless without fingers! What kind of species develops hands without fingers or claws?!"
As Sunset kept yelling at her lack of fingers, Goat-head kept attacking the shades that approach them even though its attacks were getting slower and sloppier after each kill it made.
After her sixth attempt Sunset had decided climbing back up to the bridge using the wall was futile endeavor.
"Buck this! I'm gonna try to teleport so stay close to me, got it?" Sunset said as she tried to teleport and failed to do so.
What's wrong with my magic?! I can feel it and even draw it out, and I know am capable of teleporting with it. So why can't I do did it now?! Turning around to tell Goat-head to keep fending off the shades until she could figure out what's wrong, Sunset finally took notice of Goat-head condition.
Goat-head bandages were dipping with blood as it hunched over bracing itself by using its as a cane while tried to catch its breath. As a shade moved closer to it and Sunset, Goat-head lunges forward and impaled it, causing the shade to dissipate and for Goat-head to fall to its knees.
A shade made its way for Goat-head and with it struggling to stand even when using its sword as support. All hope seemed to be lost for Goat-head, as the shade reach out for it with its dark tendrils before it was suddenly run through with a half-broken blade.
"You owe me for this!" growled Sunset as she dragged Goat-head by its neck behind her as the shade dissipate around her blade.
"NOW LISTEN UP, YOU UNDEAD FREAKS! MY NAME IS SUNSET SHIMMER! PERSONNEL STUDENT OF PRINCESS CELESTIA! AND FUTURE ALICORN OF EQUESTRIA! AND IF YOU THINK I'M GONNA DIE HERE BY YOUR HANDS, THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER THING COMING!"
Goat-head watched Sunset roared at several dozen shades that was surrounding them. Despite the fact Sunset was trembling, she stood protectively in front Goat-head as she held her ground without backing down or a shed of doubt in her voice.
Goat-head was in shock that Sunset would risk herself to save its life.
Pointing her blade at the oncoming shades Sunset yelled out, "FINE! IF YOU WANT TO DIE AGAIN SO BADLY, I GLADLY GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT!"
With a dim greenish-cyan light appearing her in eyes, you could hear the smirk that wasn't on her face when she said.
"Come at me, if can you that is!"
And so they did. Three shades moved towards Sunset with their tendrils reaching out to grab her.
They never made it.
Sunset ducked under the first one and thrust her blade upwards, running it through the shade body until the tip of the blade was poking out of the top of its head before it dissipate into black mist. The second shade came at Sunset with it tendrils reaching out to ensnare her. Thinking quickly Sunset threw her sword at the shade, stunning it for a moment, before Sunset sent a skull, glowing with her greenish-cyan magic, flying and impaled the shade in its back causing it dissipates.
What the!?- Did I just- But how?... Burst! That has to be it! Sunset thought excitedly. Wait, I hate Burst!
While Sunset was distract with the two shades and her sudden use of magic. The third shade, decided to take a shot at the injured Goat-head. Seeing this Sunset picked up her sword in her greenish-cyan magic aura and sent it hurtling through the air and right between the shade's eyes, causing it dissipates before reaching Goat-head.
So it was burst, Sunset thought in disgust. Of all the magic styles out there, why did it have to be burst that works?
Ignoring her inner turmoil, Sunset turn around hoping that her display of superiority had scared off the shades or at least buy herself some time to figure out how to teleport again. Unfortunately her efforts were in vain as the shades showed no sign of retreating or slowing their advance. And to make matters worse for her more shades kept forming, causing them to become a miniature horde.
"You all don't know when you're outmatched, do you?" Sunset growled out. "But that's okay. Your nothing but shadows that don't know they're dead yet. But I'm merciful, so let me help you on your way."
Goat-head watched as Sunset eyes glow brighter as the greenish-cyan light in them began to spill out as the shades got closer to her.
"BY TURNING ALL OF YOU TO ASH!" Sunset screamed as she held her hands out in front of her while a miniature sun formed between them.
Oh, I'm gonna regret using this with burst or pass out, probably both, Sunset thought as she aimed the miniature Sun at the center of the shade horde and launched it. As the fiery sphere traveled across the dark abyss, leaving a trail of fire in its wake, any shade that was caught in it were burned away.
As the miniature Sun reached the center of the horde it suddenly expanded, lighting up the abyss and burning away everything it touched. The shades, the surrounding corpses, even part of the bridge near them wasn't spared this fate. If it weren't for Sunset pulling Goat-head near her, shielding them both with a barrier, then Sunset's "Calamity Sun" would've consumed them along with everything else.
As the light from false Sun began to dim Goat-head open its eyes to see the damaged Sunset had caused with her spell. All the shades that had formed and were chasing them were gone, as well as a large number of corpses and a chunk of the bridge too.
Goat-head was in awe of Sunset power and tried to point it out to her but Sunset wasn't responding to it, Goat-head then notice how shallow Sunset breathing was and began to panic thinking she was ill or worse.
While Goat-head was fussing over Sunset condition, it failed to notice several figures staring down at it and Sunset. The figures jumped from the bridge and landed below it, crushing the bones of the dead in the process. Noticing the loud crunching noise behind it, Goat-head spun around with its sword drawn ready to face the new threat.
As the Pale King worked on one of his constructs, he suddenly felt a surge of magic from beneath him. Turning his gaze to the abyss, he stood there for several minutes waiting for any other signs of activity before opening a nearby drawer and pulled out a piece of paper with the words "Abnormalities" and added a new tally in a long list of them, with many of them being crossed out, before placing the paper back and continuing his work.
In a cave within the Abyss, several vessels could be seen lying around doing nothing, tossing stones to another or practicing with their "Nails". This went on for some time before a sudden tremor following a bright light coming through the cave entrance, startled them and leaving some in a daze.
Confused over what just happened, several vessels decided to head to the cave entrance only to stop when they notice a vessel standing near the cave entrance. This vessel had three horns, one going down each side of its head and one near the center of its forehead pointing upwards, it also had a bush-like collar for its cloak, it was easily half a head taller and much wider than its smaller siblings.
It stood there looking at the group vessels before several larger vessels like itself, began making their way for the cave entrance. They stood in front of the three horn vessels staring at it for a time, before it finally spoke.
Two large vessel clash with one another as a ring of smaller vessels formed them. As their nails grind against each other, the four horn vessel with a black cloak started to taunt the other vessel.
"Is this all you can do, Val? Grind against your big sister. Such a pervert you are, little brother," giggled the black cloak vessel as she backs away from Val as he suddenly tried to grab her by her throat. "But that understandable, you are at that age after all."
As she kept mocking him, the dark royal purple cloak vessel with one short horn on the left side of his head and a large one on the right with both horns facing inward calmly said, "Please, Umbra, as if I ever degrade myself by laying with you."
"So you are willing to lay with your own siblings. For shame, Valiant, for shame," Umbra said as she leaps away from Valiant and started to walk along the edge of the ring of vessels surrounding them. "And here I thought you were suppose to be the Just and Honorable brother. Just when you thought you knew someone, but by the by, who's the lucky sib-WHOA!" yelled Umbra as Valiant lunged forward to impale her with his nail. Umbra quickly jumped over him and swing her nail at him, knocking him off-balance before kicking him to the ground. Valiant tried push himself up, but had to roll away instead when Umbra thrust her nail at him.
She repeatedly did this until Valiant mange to get onto his feet again and went on the offensive, pushing Umbra back into a more defensive stance. "Your going so hard, brother. You must want to release so badly!" Umbra said in a sultry voice as Valiant tried to pound her into the ground.
"I grow weary of your words, Umbra! Keep speaking about such things, and I see to it that you will never speak again!" Valiant said, finally snapping at his sister never ending taunts.
"Ooh! I didn't you know were into that kind of play, Val," Umbra continue to mock him in her sultry voice. "But seeing how Fab acts most of the time, it all adds up!"
"That's it!" roared Valiant as he tried to punch Umbra in her face.
That was a mistake.
Umbra ducked under the punch, dropping her nail in the process, and hit Valiant in the stomach with her elbow, stunning him. She then proceeded to grab Valiant by his horns and threw him into the ground before picking him back up again, by the horns, and throwing him out of the ring of vessels and into the closest wall.
Dusting herself off, Umbra began speak to the vessels around her. "That my little siblings is what not to do if someone taunting, mocking or even insulting you and how to win a fight. Isn't that right, little brother?"
Pulling himself free of the wall Val blankly said, "If words alone were all that are needed to stop ones foe than yes, but, life is rarely stop by mere words alone, Umbra."
Huffing, Umbra glared at Valiant. "Oh please, Val. When have you ever won a fight against me? Hmm... None! Besides your just upset that you lost... again." Umbra said cheeky.
"This is not about winning or losing. Words and deceits can only take you so far, Umbra. Rising my anger and testing my patience won't win you a true battle. Only assist," Valiant said coolly. "I thought you would had realized that after what happened last time."
"Bite me! You off hor-Whoa!" Umbra yelled as she nearly fall to the floor as the cave that she and the other vessels were in began to shake and rumble for a few moments before suddenly stopping.
Looking at each other, both Valiant and Umbra silently and quickly left the room they were in to investigate, leaving many of the younger vessels to pick themselves up.
"Do you think it might be another cave-in?" Valiant asked Umbra as they moved through the many tunnels that they and many other vessels lived in.
"Probably not," Umbra said as she turned down a side tunnel to check for any damage. "Since the last cave-in we reinforce the supports to prevent that from happening. Plus, we have more than enough room now, there's no need to risk a cave-in by digging for more."
"Hmm... true. Then we should go and ask Nito what happen," Valiant said as he started to walk towards the cave main entrance.
"Do we really have ask vision boy?" Umbra whined as she follows Valiant. "I mean everyone overlies on his sight already, instead of thinking for themselves!"
"... True, but our other option is to explore aimlessly until we found the source of the quake ourselves," Valiant said as they enter a cave littered with stone craved faces. "And I rather found it sooner than rather suffer for it later."
"Fine," Umbra groan. "But I swear, if he doesn't give us a straight answer. I crack his face!"
"Duly noted," Valiant said dryly as he notices a large group of vessels gathering near the cave entrance. "It seems we weren't the only ones who choose to find Nito."
"Yeah, real shocker there for ya," Umbra muttered as they push their way through the vessel mob and found Nito waiting at the cave main entrance. The three horn bush collar vessel just stood there silently staring at all the vessel before him like they weren't even there.
When Valiant and Umbra walk out of the mob of vessels Nito said, "The White Dwarf has risen," before he turned around and walked out of the cave leaving many of the younger vessels confused and one older vessel screaming.
"I'm cracking his face!"
Sighing, Valiant slowly followed a screaming Umbra as she attempts to assault an uncaring Nito. "It's going to be an eventful day, isn't it?" he muttered while walking out on to the bridge where Valiant witnessed Umbra pulling her nail out swinging at Nito, only for him to easily sidestep it and grabbed Umbra by her wrist preventing further attacks.
"...Done?"
"Not on your life!" Umbra growled out as she struggled to pull her hand and nail free from Nito grasp. Shrugging at her response, Nito started walking again dragging a still struggling and cursing Umbra behind him and with Valiant walking behind her.
"I take it that the White Dwarf was behind the quake from earlier?" Valiant asked.
"... Yes."
"And the glowing hole in the bridge?" Valiant said while eyeing said hole.
"... Yes."
"And the crater of burning corpses?"
"... Yes."
"I take it that the Dwarf is still down then?"
"... Ye-"
"Ahh! For all that is good can please say something beside 'Yes' already!" screamed Umbra as she continue to fail in her attempts to free herself.
"... Yes."
"I hate you!"
Ignoring their sister screams, Nito and Valiant walked up to the edge of the bridge before looking down towards the pit of corpses, searching for any sign of the white dwarf whereabouts.
"There," Valiant said while pointing just past the burning pit. "I see the light of a lantern down below."
"... Good," said Nito as he jumps off the bridge with Valiant close behind him. Half-way down Nito let go of Umbra causing her crash headfirst into a pile of corpses. As Nito and Valiant landed, crushing the dead beneath their feet, they could also hear the muffled screams their sister.
"I hate you!"
"Was that necessary?" Valiant asked, while watching Umbra struggle to pull her head free of the corpses that it was buried in.
Looking at Umbra struggling form all Nito said was, "... Yes," before walking towards the lantern light.
*Sigh* "I'm surrounded by children," Valiant muttered while walking towards Umbra trying to pull her head free.
