Semita Exsules: Kings of the Crescent Moon

Semita Exsules: Kings of the Crescent MoonBy OrangejuiceheroChapter I: Contact

Ponyville, Equestria

1002 A.H. (Anno Harmonia)

Ah, 'twas a lovely day in the town of Ponyville, as it was  every day. Well, almost every day.  Ponyville was a quaint farming community just south of Canterlot, and right next to...well, the Everfree Forest. Many people wondered why the Apple family, the original settlers of the area, decided to build there homestead on the verge of the Forest. Some said it was for the rich soil, others said it was for the space, and a few really don't care at all.

But to those who lived on the forest's outskirts, the Everfree was a force to be reckoned with. The trees grew without assistance, the weather came and went as it pleased, and the animals that sought refuge in the forest...well, it's best not to mention them.

Travelers would tell passerby's of the horrors of the forest. They would weave tales about Manticores the size of houses, and of Cockatrices with a thousand eyes. Of hideous creatures that could burn down the whole countryside, and defeat even the mightiest of hosts sent to defeat them.

Well, Fluttershy doesn't seem to mind.

Yes, it was quite the mystery as to why the shy woman decided to live near the most dangerous woodland in the area. The woman's extreme fear of the forest was known throughout town, so why would she decide to live so close to it? Maybe it was to help the animals that lived on the forest's outskirts, as the florist Roseluck suggested? Or maybe to get away from the hustle and bustle of the central town, as her good friend Rarity speculated?

Well, if you wanted an answer, go ask someone else.

As of now, Fluttershy busied herself with taking care of the woodland critters that took refuge in her home. It was her habit to help those in need, even if there were many, as in this case. It was no easy goal, but since Fluttershy was pretty much Ponyville's unofficial veterinarian, it was manageable.

But something was off, as Fluttershy noticed from the last round of patients. It was just a small family of five rabbits (small by their means, at least) that were living on the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres. They were starved half to death, and their bodies were covered in cuts. Angel talked to them for a bit, and from what he could determine, something had driven them from their warrens.

Fluttershy didn't like that at all.

So now Fluttershy found herself along a path through Sweet Apple Acres.  Today, she wore a yellow turtleneck with a brown skirt that reached to her ankles. Her pale pink hair fluttered in a small breeze that went by, prompting the woman to hug herself to keep warm. Her Fury wings, large appendages of pale-yellow feathers that took up her back, twitched at the slight chill of the autumn wind.

Her wings weren't as muscular as other Furies. They were relatively small compared to, let's say, Rainbow Dash. She liked to spend her time down on the ground with the Terrans rather than flying around in the sky with the other Furies. It got her some odd looks from other Furies, but it was nothing serious.

Fluttershy passed yet another row of Apple trees, all planted neatly in rows. The tall trees were bare of fruit, having been picked by the Apple family. The farmers were in the midst of Apple Buck season, the major harvest of the year. It had been a hard season, however. Stampedes dashed through the orchards more often than usual, and all the animals were coming from...

The Everfree forest.

"Well, howdy there, Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy jumped at the voice, and spun around. It was Applejack, Stetson hat and all, carrying a large tub full of apples. The farmer was dressed in faded blue jeans and a stained white tank top, and her brown Stetson hat laid crooked on her mat of blonde hair.

"Oh, hi there," Fluttershy finally managed to squeak out. "How's it going, Applejack?"

The farmer gave the Fury a smile and set the tub down. "Mighty fine, 'Shy. Just finishin' up the west orchard while Mac gets the east."

Applejack clamped a hand down on the shorter Fury's shoulder, which made Fluttershy flinch. "Question is," the farmer began, "What are you doin' out here?"

Fluttershy opened her mouth to reply, but quickly closed it. If she mentioned the forest, Applejack was sure to follow along, just to make sure she was safe. Fluttershy would have liked the extra company, but A.J. was busy with the farm, and if Fluttershy interrupted that, the Apple family would be behind on production. She didn't want to impose or anything, and she should be done quickly anyways. There was no need to trouble A.J.

"O-oh, I-I'm just taking a quick walk.," into the Everfree Forest...no biggie. "I-I needed to buy some things a-at the market."

A look of confusion flashed upon Applejack's face, and the shy woman feared for a moment that her lie had been found out. A.J. was the Element of Honesty, after all. However, Applejack's smile returned after a few seconds, and she gave the Fury a another slap on the shoulder.

"Well, you be safe 'round here. Somethin's been stirrin' up the animals in the Everfree. All kinds of critters have been comin' out."

With that, Applejack went back to her work. Fluttershy stood there for a moment, thinking over her decision. Applejack needed to finish her work, sure, but was it the best choice? Fluttershy wasn't the bravest of souls, nor the strongest, and even though she had the infamous 'Stare' at her poorly-timed disposal, a crazed Manticore wasn't the most reasonable of beasts. But what was done was done, and the not-so determined Fury slowly walked away.

Now the Fury found herself in front of the Everfree Forest.  The howl of a far off Timber wolf sent a shiver down Fluttershy's spine, and the temptation to return home seemed too hard to resist.

Fluttershy took a deep breath and exhaled. She couldn't quit now, not while the animals were in danger. So the Fury mustered up her courage, and entered the dark abyss of the Everfree.

Luckily for the pink-haired woman, her trip wouldn't last long.

No, I'm being serious here. Only twenty seconds went by before a Manticore crossed her path.

The Fury sprinted through the tight gaps in the trees like a woman possessed. Sweat poured down her face like a river, and her feet ached with every rushed step she took. Behind her, a deep roar penetrated the darkness, shaking the undergrowth.

Flying away would prove useless, as her wings wouldn't be able to carry her fast enough, and the Manticore was surely gaining by now. Escaping by foot was Fluttershy's only option, but it was still too dark to accurately see the path the Fury was going down.

Next thing you know, she was tripping over roots in her rush. Like she would right about...now.

Fluttershy didn't see the roots when she went over it, but when her face began to say 'Good Morning' to the ground, her eyes widened to the size of saucers. On impact, her nose most definitely broke, an immense blast of pain signifying it. Next, her knee was bashed against some precarious rock, and the skin was shredded raw. Painful was one way to put it.

As Fluttershy whimpered in pain, the Manticore had finally caught up with her. The first thing the wounded woman saw were the beast's orange eyes, glazed over with the feeling of starvation with a hint of crazed villainy. Its face was covered in numerous scars, and the Manticore's burnt-orange mane was stained with...blood.

As the Manticore stepped farther into Fluttershy's sight, its burnt-orange fur could made out, along with the huge bat-like wings that were centered by its spine. The sensitive skin between the bony 'fingers' was ripped and torn in multiple places, and marks along its flank were still oozing with a crimson liquid. Passed that lay what many a man dreaded: the eight-foot long matte-black scorpion tail, hanging ominously overhead.

Fluttershy whimpered and curled up into a ball. She was shaking head to wings to toe, and tears streamed down her face. There was no way she could fly away from that Manitcore with the thick forest canopy in the way, nor outrun the beast. All there was to do was to close her eyes and wait for that final strike...

…

It never came.

"Komm zurück, bastard!"*

Fluttershy opened her eyes and snapped her head upwards. The Manitcore had the same idea as well, and pried its eyes away from its prey and towards the forest. More voices could be heard in the distance, along with armored footsteps on the forest floor. The Manticore shrugged it off, and turned his attention back to his prey.

"Da bist du ja!"**

Just as a pair of armored boots smashed into its skull.

From above the forest canopy fell a figure covered in steel armor, with the crimson wings of a Fury on its back. It bore a slim build, signifying the newcomer as a woman, though her face was covered by a red hood with a gold trim. What surprised Fluttershy the most was that the woman wasn't even armed, yet she was taking on a full-grown Manticore.

The armored Fury flipped off of the beast and took up a defensive stance between Fluttershy and the Manticore. The creature let out a furious roar and charged its armored opponent with a vicious look in its eyes. Undeterred, the Fury simply dodged the charge by sliding to the left, letting the Manticore collide with a tree.

As the Manticore was getting up, however, a sharp clinging sound echoed through the forest, and the beast went limp. A new figure, this one quite taller and more heavily built than the other, was also armored in steel plate, and had a steel pot helmet over his (Fluttershy guessed it was a he) head. A shield was strapped to his back in a haphazardly fashion, just begging to fall off at any point. Another defining feature was the midnight-black tunic over the chest plate, with a stark white crescent moon in the center.

But what Fluttershy's attention was drawn to was the blood-stained steel sword in the man's grip.

Fluttershy stifled a gasp, but it was already too late. The two figures glanced at Fluttershy, the shadowed hood of the Fury and the narrow slits of the other one's helm sending chills down the pink-haired woman's spine, and then shared a glance with each other.

The two nodded to each other, and the man stepped towards the shy woman. Fluttershy inched back cautiously, but the man was already too close, and the pommel of his sword came crashing down.

And all Fluttershy could see was darkness.