Dark Ascension

Clover... Super... I'm sorry but this could be it. I've been your mentor for many years, and to fall in battle like this would be an honorable death, but only if you were to survive... "Who are you. Why do you stand in my way?" I shouted at my attacker. "You need not know that Old Man. You can know this, I am only referred to as DA-2" DA-2... it sounds familiar... but I can't quite put my hoof on it. No matter, I need to get rid of him so I can assist the others.

"You are brave, I'll give you that Old Fool. But I am no fool. Your magic is widely known, a bad aspect for you sadly. It isn't hard to guess what you can do. So don't think your magic will help you."

Damn. My Magic will not be good here. I could try to mix some spells to add unpredictability but I don't think he would be stupid enough to fall for it. I'll have to resort to close-range assault it seems. Luckily for me I didn't only learn magic from my master. He taught me the ways of the blade as well, should the real need arise for it.

"I tell you what Starswirl, I've always been a fighter of honor, unlike my... associates. I'll let you draw your weapon. Call it an act of mercy before I slay you..." he glanced over at me, not knowing that he will get more than he bargained for. "You presume much my friend... calling me old. Old I may be, but this body is far from decay, far from ruin! I may die here today but I have planted the seeds of the future for my apprentices. Don't think that they will fall to your colleagues, they are not weak. They are not cowardly. They are strong, valiant and brave. And I will stand against you, if it means I can still be with them after this day! Enough talk. I think it's about time we got this started" I summon the blade given to me by my mentor, which he has not given a name. He stated that "A blade's name can only be found in the wielder" and I never knew what he meant. Did it mean it was called Starswirl? No... Now I know. This blade. A silver streak of metal the glistens in the sunlight, has a name. And I WILL find it.

I charge at the foe who also charges in retaliation. This is my chance to divert him. I blast a bolt of fire at him then sidestep to the left, hoping the fireball will avert his attention away from him. "A Simple fireball? You are losing your touch old man," he taunted me. A blast of water smashed right through the fire and was poised to strike my hind legs; still in the way of the assault. I tried to bring them in but I was too slow, the water bolt blasted my legs and I was forced to the earth. "Age getting the better of you?" more folly taunting. He lunged his dark blade toward me but I dodged just in time. I bucked his underbelly and sent him flying, enough time to counterattack with a lightning strike. I intended to paralyze him with this attack but he somehow got up without being fazed, as if he hasn't even moved yet.

"How? How do you persist this much? I can understand that you wouldn't fall yet, but you look as if you've just had a heal spell cast on you. I know you haven't either. What are you...?"

The Pony merely laughed at me. He smashed the ground with his hooves, while his horn was flashing. This must be an earth manipulation spell. I leap into the air to avoid any ground manipulation, appendages or other. But nothing... Had he feigned me out? I took this chance to fire a bolt of ice at his feet, anything to try and keep him in 1 spot to finish him off. The blue sparkle left my horn and dashed right for his position, poised to strike. It connected! He was froze on the spot. I raced towards him, blade in tow and my attack had connected. Smoke? All that appeared was smoke when I attacked. Then his entire body... evaporated into smoke, but that isn't possible unless... he was a fake?

"It's what I like to call a dead ringer..."

Right behind me, sword to my back, he grinned. This was it. Do or Die. I gripped my sword with my magic as hard as I could to apply maximum force and swiveled around. "One Strike Will Decide our fate!"

This can't be happening now. We haven't traveled for more than 2 hours and already, foes approach us. I hope Starswirl and Super are alright. "Who are you? Why are you attacking me for no reason? And where are my friends?"

The figure was in some kind of black cloak, similar to mine except for the color. Was he trying to hide as well? I always conceal my identity for combat purposes. If people don't know I am a Unicorn, they can't expect magic right away. Is that his plan too?

"Little Girl, why don't you go on home. I'll give you this one chance to walk away, since your friends declined our offer,"

Our? Who else did- No! He must have allies attacking the others! I have to get to them. Now.

"I hear your magical skills are quite different to your friends. You don't use offensive spells do you, Mrs. Clover?" He knows me... this seems really bad but I can't think now.

"Yes, it's true. My magic is... different from them. While they may cast fire and ice, I don't cast at all. I fight with allies." My magic... some would say it is cruel, but I really don't think it is, as I can use offensive spells, but I only use this magic in dire consequences, like now. "Why don't you demonstrate little girl. There is a deer right there. Go ahead." He's taunting me. Does he want to see my magic so he can somehow imitate it? It's a risk I can't take, but I need all the help I can get. I channel the magic through my veins, then shoot a beam of bright yellow and green towards the deer, connecting both of us.

"Clo... ver..." the deer stutterly pronounces. "Clover" again it says. "My friend, you have heard my plea for help. Please, I beg of your assistance in combat against this foe," I try to ask the deer for help in the battle. It may seem folly. A Wild deer couldn't do much could it? But this spell? No. This spell enhances the capabilities of animals to make them more experienced in fighting, but not offensively. Defensively. Protecting what they love, this deer wishes to protect it's natural habitat and I wish to protect my friends.

"Fascinating... You can control nature. It seems like a cruel twist of fate for this poor creature. It could have escaped with it's life, but now I have to cut this poor deer down along with you, now don't I?"

!!!

He... he knew I could do this. He is trying to warp me. But why? I thought he wanted to- KILL ME!

A blade seeped across my cloak as I backed out of the way, nearly cutting the binds keeping it on me. But then again, what was the point. He knows I am a magic user.

I shoot some fire and ice attacks at the foe to try and avert his attention, just like Starswirl taught us, but it didn't work. He simply flew straight past- Flew straight past them! He is a Pegasus!

This changes everything. I have to think smart about this, his aerial movement means he can attack me swiftly from any direction, but likely means he can't take many hits before falling. I envelop myself in a ring of ice swirling around me to prevent him from attacking at close range. He came prepared though, a bow and arrows in hoof as he draws and fires.

The arrow is stopped clean by my ice barrier, but he will likely try applying fire to counter this.

In one hoof I hold a fireball, ready to throw at him at the right moment, and with magic a blade for quick melee strikes if necessary. He zaps down at me, and his blade enveloped in fire crushes my barrier.

"You fight well girl. You would do well for us. DA-1, DA-2 and Me, DA-3. I'm sure soon... you will get to know us,"

"Go to hell! I'm not going to fall to scum like you today," I screamed in retaliation.

"Oh Girl... I admire your resolve... your bravery. But Hell? Why, I'm already there!"

The Deer charges towards him in an attempt to ram him down, but it only takes a blast of fire to defeat the deer. How!? The spell is supposed to help these animals protect, not be defeated. Then again, magic is only as strong as it's user. This likely means I haven't perfected the spell.

I shoot an ice bolt at him and he swerves around, I quickly shoot another making him rebound it back with his blade, but the quick reaction makes him fall to the ground. I take this chance to hurl the fireball at him, it connects!

A large blast of bright orange spreads around him, it looks like I have won. But I can't assume, so I grip the sword just in case.

Nothing. He's gone. Ok, time to find the others. To my right, I hear Starswirl's battlecry, to my left Super's magic blasting away, so where should I go first? "Hm... I think Starswirl can handle himself, so I better go help-"

"Maybe you should help yourself first.... girl"

Behind- his sword to my throat, his free hoof holding me by the neck. My blade falls to the floor.

"I... am DA-1, we will meet again soon, Super Effective"

What the hell is he talking about!? "What do you mean, soon? Finish the fight coward!" No effect, he sends me flying, right back to where I was before.

"I... am DA-2, we will meet again soon, Starswirl the Bearded"

Meet again soon...? "What are you implying? That you intend to flee and leave me alive?

"You are observant and very intelligent, I'll give you that Old Man. I relish at the chance to fight you again soon..."

He dissipates almost as quick as he appeared. I can think about this later, I must find out what happened to the others. I turn back to go to where we split up.

"I... am DA-3, we will meet again, Clover the Clever"

We will meet again? Does that mean he is not done? "Wait. One thing. Why are you leaving me alive? And if you are, you better leave my friends too,"

"Do not ask questions.... they will only lead you to your ruin faster. Your path of wisdom and mastering the arcane is filled with lies, betrayal and you don't even know it yet..."

DA-3 Flies off before I can get a proper answer. He shoots one last warning arrow, I guess to assure me he isn't joking. I can't stay and think about what he is or what he is doing. I have to find the others. I turn back and walk to the center of the field.

Oh... Ow... My head hurt from the impact. I had smashed into a tree thanks to my foe who sent me flying, though you probably know that already. I saw the others coming back towards me and they stated they were attacked by foes very similar to mine.

"So... they were all wearing black cloaks and all had a kind of dark, ebony sword," Starswirl stated.

Clover followed up, saying "Also from what we have gathered, two were unicorns while the one I fought was a Pegasus, yet he was able to be as deadly as the magic users"

I had to state the obvious. "But what does DA mean? Why do they have numbers, like they are only categorized in the certain DA?"

Starswirl himself had no answer for this. "I do not know Super, but I know this, they are deadly, they are intent on seeing us dead and they will come back. The only thing we don't know, is why," I also had to say this. "Did anyone else notice their voices? They sounded... hellish. Like, bugs or something," I added. Clover was clueless. "I heard that too, but I've not heard it's like before. Have you Starswirl?" she inquired. "No... I haven't. And I'm glad I didn't because those voices sounded more than hellish, they sounded lost. Black. Like all emotion had been taken away. Like husks," We finished talking and went to check out stocks.

I checked my saddle back for supplies after that last fight. 4 healing potions, 1 herb and the medallion left.

This is bad, considering we have barely traveled a quarter of the length there. But as long as we conserve our resources, we can make it. Starswirl would take us back now if he didn't believe we could make it, and it is certain he believes we can. But now we have the threat of these... DA ponies coming back to attack us.

We finish preparations and set off across the field.