The Sword of the Reaper, Armor of a Cyborg

Day 3:

Status: Draining energy, Finding new source, ally in tow

Twilight was the first  to come to, greeted by sunlight and silence. Her friends were still out cold around her, and corpses of timber wolves and a manticore. Could this have really just happened? Something taking these animals out with ease and even earning the respect of one of them? No, no no no no no, she had to write back to the princesses tell them what happened, she was far too out of her depth. But she's a princess now, she would be expected to do this calmly and with her emotions obeying her. She decided to wait and return with the others when they came to. Hopefully they could get the royal guard to help out at least. Applejack was next to meet the daylight.

"Wha? Huh? Everypony ok?" Applejack said with worry.

"I'm fine Applejack and everypony else is still out cold." Twilight replied as Rainbow got up.

"Ugh, oh hey guys, please tell me that I was dreaming..." Rainbow asked nervously.

"Big metal thing that took out three timber wolves and convinced one to follow it, then cut a manticore in half, THEN CRUSHED ITS HEART IN IT'S CLAWS?" Applejack asked with some sarcasm and some fear wearing off.

"Yeah"

"Then no it wasn't a dream" Twilight said, disappointing and sending a shiver down Rainbow's back. Soon after the other six slowly began to wake up, and agreed that it would be best to notify Celestia. The got out of the forest as fast as possible, eager to leave behind whatever 'it' was. They all agreed to wait with Twilight at her library until the princess sent help or replied. Spike wrote the letter as fast as possible, describing every detail that Twilight had said about the attack and the creature, and sent it on its way. A few minutes passed until a letter was returned, it read;

This appears to be too serious to let you go alone, I have sent Shining Armor and ten stallions to assist you, I must ask you to find the creature again so that it can be calmed or detained if necessary. Should the situation get out of hand, I will personally come to your aid. Be sure to bring the elements and Spike along as well. Good luck, Princess Twilight.

"Well that's a relief, we now have an escort." Rarity said enthusiastically.

"I just hope my brother doesn't get carried away, him and his scores..." Twilight sighed.

Half an hour later

The guards arrived in two chariots, there were four pegasi that pulled the carriages, three unicorns (including Shining Armor) and three earth ponies. All of which had white coats and golden armor. Twilight and the elements were there to greet them. As the situation was explained, the expressions on the soldier's faces slowly began to decay from the stern ready-for-action faces that the guards are known for, to a more worried look trying, and failing, to hide them.

"So any questions?" Twilight asked the group.

"No, ma'am." They replied in unison.

"Then lets go."

"You heard her" Shining said keeping his composure. "We don't want this thing out doing anything else."

"Yes sir!" they seemed to be confident. It didn't last when they eventually got to the scene.

Dyce was going a little slower than he could, to let the wolf keep up. It didn't matter he was nearing his destination anyways. Another clearing was ahead, he was prepared for anything this time, though Spyglass assured him that there was nothing moving other than himself and his new companion. He was running through what to call him. Wolf? Too generic. Picard? Doesn't fit. Jeff? No. He was leaning between GLaDOS and Altair. GLaDOS because it doesn't seem like a real life form, and Altair because it has the potential for being an assassin. He viewed the clearing, nothing. He whistled to his new pet. "Altair, scout ahead, see if you can find anything while I look for the source." It stared at him. "Well." Dyce realized that it probably couldn't understand him. He whistled again and pointed in the general direction of some old ruins. It seemed to understand this however and began to slowly crawl towards the ruins. "Excellent. Spyglass, where exactly is the anomaly?"

"There is a cave down to your left, proceed 50m forward and it should open up to the source."

Easy enough, he thought. He found the cave and activated night vision in his visor. He was amazed at the amount of crystals that were lining the cave walls in streaks. As he got deeper he noticed the crystals glowing brighter, and brighter. The cavern opened up to a massive opening. In the center of this opening was a structure made of the same crystals and pulsing with light. "Spyglass, can you identify what exactly this is?"

"A tree."

"A tree? Just a tree? Then where is the energy source?"

"The tree is giving off the energy readings. It does not seem to be made of organic matter but nothing matches this except for a tree."

"Uhh... Okay then... How do I absorb the energy?"

"Make contact and break the surface of the shell. I will convert the energy into a usable form from there."

As he stepped up to the base of the 'tree' he noticed eight symbols carved into the surface. At the bottom there was a moon, above it was a sun, in the center was a purple star, and on five branches there were symbols that he recognized from those equine from earlier. Even the purple star he noticed on the large purple one. Running his hand along the surface, he scratched the surface of the shell, then plunged his hand into the brittle yet strong exoskeleton. "Analysis, complete initiating energy drain." Spyglass said. Dyce could feel the new energy coursing through him. He looked at where his hand was in the tree, it was becoming darker, almost like charcoal, with crimson angular lines going through it. I was no much, only about 30cm around his hand. He was about to ask when he heard a voice.

"WHAT IS IT DOING!!!!!" It was a feminine voice.

Whatever it was, it just interrupted his dinner.

It was understandable when Fluttershy didn't want to go back into the clearing when they reached it, so she stayed back until they came for her. The guards were astonished at the scene. Their original composure was gone by now replaced by fear and a slight hope that they didn't find this thing after all. Twilight just let them absorb the situation until one of them spoke up "Wha-what is this thing?...." said one of the pegesi.

"We don't know that's the point," Twilight said "we need to find this thing before somepony runs into it and provokes it."

This seemed to give a bit of courage to the soldiers. "We should move on, do you know where it went?" Shining asked his sister.

"Well, the blood goes in that direction towards the old castle ruins." Twilight replied.

So the continued towards the castle of the two sisters that has long since been neglected until recently. If the creature wasn't found they could at least look through the collection of books to find something about this thing. As the group entered the foyer of the once great fortress they heard something in another room scratching against something. Entering the room the saw a lone timber wolf clawing at a book shelf looking for something. The others probably didn't notice the fact that it was the same wolf from before, the pattern on its head was identical to the one that followed the metal biped. The surprise was short lived however, the wolf glanced at them and went crashing through the bookshelf if was looking at. They ran towards where it was, there was a hole that lead deep into a cave that the elements remembered all too well. They ran after it, and found it seemingly lost at a four way junction. Before anyone could protest the guards sprung into action and threw a spear into the wolf's chest before it could dart down a corridor. it slumped to the ground and stopped moving except for wheezing and bleeding resin. "WHY DID YOU KILL IT?" Asked Twilight and Fluttershy.

"It would've attacked us." Answered the guard that threw the spear.

"COULDN'T YOU SEE IT WAS LEADING US RIGHT TO THE METAL THING?!?!" Yelled Twilight with anger in her voice clearly evident.

"What?!?" The guards retorted.

"That, WAS, the timber wolf that was adopted by the biped!"

"Oh....." The stallion began to look sheepish and regretful.

"Well no choice now. We need to split up. Girls, you go down that passage while I and Shining go down this one, the rest of go down those two."

"Are you sure Twi?" Questioned Applejack.

"I agree, we should stick together dear." Rarity added.

"I know, it's not the best thing to do. but now we have no way  of finding it without trial and error." Twilight responded.

Unwillingly, they all went their separate ways, hoping to find the thing.  Twilight remembered these crystals in the walls, the familiar pulsing in them that reappeared when the elements of harmony were returned to the tree.... THE TREE! That must be what the thing was after! She began to gallop down the tunnel with her brother in tow. The large cavern came into view and she saw more then just a familiar sight. The creature was doing something to the tree. It had its claw embedded in the tree. and the once turquoise area around the claw was blackened with pulsing red shapes. "WHAT IS IT DOING?!?!" Twilight exclaimed a little louder than she had hoped, because now the creature was looking at her with its metal face. She heard her brother draw his blade. And the creature, Followed suit.

Dycerton saw the equines, one with wings and a horn and the other with a horn and a blade drawn. 'Is this a challenge?' he thought to himself. 'Fine then, I have enough energy to destroy a metal gear.' He drew his blade, allowing crimson light dance along the blade. He walked away from the tree and stood on the opposite side of the room as the horses. The one he guessed was a male, stepped forward. Ignoring a protest from its identified sibling or mate. They stood staring at each other, swords in hand and...aura? possible electromagnetic aura? He made a not to analyze that later. It seemed odd to him, the fact that this male was protecting a female that he was attached to in some way. Dyce could see in it's eyes that it wouldn't back down. So why should he? He allowed the horse to make the first move. It charged, it took longer than he would to cross the distance, more than enough time prepare to counter. As it got close he step to the side and kicked it into a wall the satisfying crack of at least two ribs broken and some fractures.  It got up, coughed up some blood, and turned towards him, eyes filled with rage and astonishment. It moved back to its position on the other side of the room from him. It was Dyce's turn, he closed the distance, knocked the blade out of its hold and  pinned it to the tree, sword against its neck. It went from anger to pure fear. Dycerton decided to take a proper look  at his enemy, his visor split in the middle and he watched the pupils of the horse shrink in terror. It knew that it was helpless to him, unless... A large bolt slammed into his head with enough force to knock him off balance. He looked over to the the winged unicorn, tears streaming down her face and glowing horn. Another bolt hit him in the shoulder, he was prepared for it and it merely forced his shoulder back a bit.

The winged unicorn talked between tears, "WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHY ARE YOU FIGHTING?"

"I accepted a challenge" Dyce replied lowering his sword to his side.

"WHAT CHALLENGE?" she asked while looking to her sibling.

"He drew his sword first, a sign of a challenge. Drawing my sword meant I accepted." Dyce replied cooly.

At this point in time his opponent was raising his sword. Trying to regain his stance with the broken bones. Dyce looked back to the thing now identified as a sibling, and pointed with his free hand to the injured competition. "THAT, is a challenge."

"MY BROTHER isn't stupid he was protecting me fr-----"

"Twilight," the brother cut her off "it's right, this is a challenge."

"Alright then," Dycerton stated "if this is a challenge then what are the steaks?"

"Me and my men will do what you want for the time being, to an extent."

"Humph, against?" he put emphasis on the last syllable.

"If I win, you will surrender, and come as my prisoner to Canterlot."

He though for a moment, "Agreed."

He wanted this over, so he could claim his prize. So he charged, and kicked the golden blade into the air, and on its way down cut it into pieces with four strikes. The pieces fell onto the brothers head, stunned he said "T-th-that blade was enchanted, it was indestructible!"

"Apparently not." Dyce replied with a laugh. He whistled........not hearing anything he whistled again.......nothing. 'Where was Altair?' he thought.

"Uhh..heh...heh....." Twilight nervously chuckled.

"What did you do to Altair."