Equestrian Souls: Fires of War

EQUSTRIAN SOULS
Chapter eight: beware of toads
Written by TheCrimsonDM

Froggy bottom bog was a dense forested wetland filled with deep pools of water, vast patches of mud, and twisted trees growing from islands of hard dirt. Me and Moon Shadow tried to stay on the hard ground as much as possible, and the few times we were forced into the mud we found it mostly shallow. We still kept out guard up and moved slowly though, there was no telling where deep pits of mud would be.

After half an hour of traversing the bog we came across a sign nailed to a tree. The sign was made of old wood. There was also a six point star painted on the bottom of it, indicating it came from Twilight’s kingdom. The sign read.
“Beware Toads ahead”

I looked at the sign, I was at a loss as to what to think about it. Could frogs actually be a threat? I looked at Moon Shadow who simply shrugged at the sigh. I gave a sigh before continuing onward. I don’t see why they would post a sigh warning ponies of frogs.

We continued moving for another half hour. The two of us had noticed that there were some creatures fallowing us from behind the tree line, keeping just out of sight. The numbers of these creatures seamed to simply increase over time, causing us to become very concerned. We may just be walking into some kind of ambush.

We found ourselves in a small clearing full of hoof deep muddy water, with the trees looming high above us. I didn’t like the look of this at all, it could be the perfect place for a set up.

Suddenly something wet and slimy shot out from behind the tree cover, wrapping itself around my leg. It looked like a long gray meaty vine, with sharp barbs digging into my flesh. With extreme force the thing pulled back into the woods yanking me off of my hoofs and onto my belly, and then dragging me forward through the mucky water.

Instinctively I pulled my sword free from the sheath and slashed at the thing that had me grabbed slicing through it neatly. The blood now coating my sword was a dark purple, and caused my sword to steam where the blood had touched it. Then I felt water covering my face and torso as something splashed into the water in front of me. I was surprised to find a pony shaped creature was now standing in front of me.

The creature had pale skin, bulbous black eyes, and a large mouth. A set of clawed fingers were attacked to its…hooves, and there was some webbed skin attached between the claws. It also lacked a mane, a tail, or any fur. This thing could possibly be a mutant of some sort. It opened its mouth, and I saw that this creature’s tongue had been recently been severed, what was left was a gray meaty vine, with barbs. The creature also had no teeth.

It began inflating its chest like a balloon and then it vomited purple goop similar to its blood in color. The vomit almost hit me as I jumped to the side. I looked down and found that my cloak had been hit by its vomit, and was beginning to dissolve where it had been hit. I screamed aloud to Moon Shadow. “They have acid blood and spit.”

The creature walked forward and swung its claws at me. I ducked underneath the claws. Using my short sword I stabbed its soft underbelly, and tore the blade out the creature’s side. The creature fell into a pool of its own acid blood and intestines.

I looked back at Moon Shadow who was dealing the same kind of creatures. He was maneuvering around them, and using his magic to cut them up. I noticed he was not using his explosive shuriken spell. Probably for the best considering they had acidic blood.

Another one of these things had just launched itself from a tree towards me at frightening speeds. He flew with the top of his round head pointed towards me. I quickly rolled out of the way, bringing my sword up for another attack as the creature flew past me. My sword drew a line down its side as it passed, and then it crashed into the mud behind me with a large splash.

I took a look at my new weapon, now covered in steaming purple blood. Then the blade broke in half leaving me with nothing but a handle. Damn it, how many of these things was I going to go through. I threw the handle at the nearest toad thing. Then it hit me, these must have been the Toads from the warning.

I pulled out my warhammer and using my telekinesis I began to smash the toad in front of me. I could hear its bones crunch with every successful hit. These things may be fast when jumping but they moved awkwardly when trying to walk. I took advantage of that, and didn’t let up until I smashed its head in. Very little blood had spilt onto the hammer, and I splashed the hammer through the water to quickly neutralize the rest of the acid. My idea seemed to work.

There were more and more toads showing up by the second, I found three of them jumping at me at once. They moved fast enough that there jumping tackle would hurt, but slow enough for me to dodge. I rolled into the water again dodging them. As they landed in the water behind me I stood up, and as they turned around. I unleashed two fireballs into their group, creating and firing both of the fireball spells at the same time.

The explosion destroyed their group, and I was thankful for that. I wasn’t sure how I made two fireballs at once, but now was not the time to think about it. Another toad inflated while looking at Moon Shadow who was fighting some more toads by himself. I couldn’t reach the inflating toad in time for melee so I unleashed a flamethrower from my horn. The toad sucked the fire right down his throat, burning his insides. After I stopped he stood there for a second before letting out a puff of smoke from his mouth, then he fell over dead.

I dodged another swipe attack and retaliated with a hammer blow to its face. It fell on its back and I unleashed another hammer swing down upon its skull which fractured with a horrific cracking noise. Then something crashed into my side sending me rolling in the water a good twenty feet. I dropped my Hammer as well.

I stood wincing at the pain steaming from my ribs. I think one of them might have broken from the attack. I saw a toad a few feet away from me begin to rise from the water. I unleashed another flamethrower on this one, burning its skin horribly. It took a swipe with its claws at me, and I ducked underneath. I then raised my forehooves and smashed the creature in the face with enough force to send it staggering backwards. I then unleashed a fireball onto the monster.

The explosion killed it, but I could feel a throbbing pain in my skull. My nose was also starting to bleed again. I couldn’t keep using magic like this, it was going to kill me faster than these monsters. I looked around us, and saw that Moon Shadow had killed a decent chunk of them himself. Though there were more and more of them surrounding us, the majority just waited at the edges of the forest, replacing the members that fell in battle. I couldn’t think of any way to survive this.

Suddenly I felt something sharp ripping through my armored barding and scratching my flesh underneath. The wound burned almost as bad as the sewer hollow’s weapons had. The toad next to me looked almost happy about the wound he inflicted. I was about to hit him when I felt something sharp and slimy wrap around my hind leg and pull.

I found myself being dragged towards the tree line where five of the toads were simply waiting to strike at me. I quickly pulled out a black dagger and cut the tongue off of my leg. The toad whose tongue I cut recoiled in pain as the other four toads pounced towards me at once. I rolled back onto my hooves and ran away dodging there jump attack by a second.

Suddenly another toad appeared next to me, and took a swipe at my side. This time the claws bit deeper into my armor and my side causing me to yell in pain as it dug into my flesh. I reacted by sending a fireball into its face, I was close enough though that the explosion knocked me onto my side.

My horn was now hurting as well, and my vision was getting blurry. We had to run, if it was even possible for us to escape. I tried to stand but something in my head began screaming in pain, and with a sudden force blackness enveloped my world.

***

I found myself standing on my hind legs wearing some kind of white lose fitting outfit. There was a black belt made from cloth wrapped around my waste, and I was standing in a sand covered ring. My mentor stood off to the side, her white outfit contrasted with her blue fur and rainbow mane. Her black belt was wrapped just under her wings. She blew a whistle and my opponent came in to the ring facing me. My opponent was older than me by some number of years, she had yellow fur and a bright red mane.

My mentor was named Rainbow dash, and she stood proud before the two of us saying. “Alright fillies, this is your final test. Whoever wins this is the new champion of the Ten second ring. Rules are simple, beat your opponent in ten seconds flat or less. Three…two…one…FIGHT.”

The red haired mare rushed me, and rolled to the side. She struck out with a rear hoof nearly reaching my face as I leaned back to avoid it. I then put myself on my forelegs and lifting my body I gave a mighty apple buck. My opponent obviously had dealt with this before, and dodged easily. She grabbed my rear leg and swung me into the air, and over her shoulder. She was trying to throw me out of the ring. I couldn’t allow that. I reached down with my free hooves and grabbed her forelegs the second she let go of me. I had stopped myself from being thrown out of the ring, but it wasn’t over yet. I than pulled her legs down, and got on her back, then I wrapped my lets around hers and kept her pinned underneath me.

She tried to struggle as the last few seconds went by slowly almost like minutes before Rainbow Dash said proudly. “We have a new winner. Light, you have become the new champion. And that earns you a fight with me personally. When you’re ready for it.”

I smiled and let go of my grip, and my opponent pushed me off her back. She stood up saying. “Aw shucks, ah thought ah would’ve had it this time for sure.”

I smiled at her saying. “I’m simply better then you Apple Bloom.” I then stuck my tongue out childishly at her.

She gave a huff and stuck out her tongue as well. We stayed like that for a few seconds before the two of us burst out laughing. We may be opponents and rivals but that didn’t stop us from being friends. Although seeing a pony nearly ten years older then you stick there tongue out like a filly was rather humorous.

***

I found myself standing on my rear hooves beating one of the toads in the face repeatedly with my bare hooves. That one memory had unlocked every memory of martial combat that I had learned from Rainbow Dash. I found several more dead toads lying around me. And my foreleg’s were sore from the blood splatter of the toads.

Another toad appeared next to me and took a swipe at me. I ducked and moved in closer to him. I then smacked it in the head causing it to stagger back, I struck again causing it to fall on its back. I jumped and landed with a rear hoof cracking open the creatures skull. These things could be killed easily enough, but there were so many of them. I quickly splashed my hooves through the water to neutralize the acidic blood as it began to burn.

Suddenly a series of arrows flew down and into the toads surrounding Moon Shadow. Moon Shadow looked exhausted and was covered in red scratches. The toads fell over dead from the flurry of arrows. Then a second flurry of arrows flew around me hitting the toads, most arrows doing head shots.

The other toads watching us left, leaving me and Moon Shadow wondering about what just happened. I saw a blue coated Pegasus with a bright purple mane, also wearing leather armor land in front of me. There was a spring bow attacked to her left foreleg, and a quiver of arrows on her right side. Her wings had a light covering of metal armor protecting the bones, the metal was so sharp however that it rivaled a sword.

She smiled saying. “Looks like you two were having fun.”

I knew this had to be my contact, so I said. “We have been looking for you, Masquerade sent us to help you.”

She grinned saying. “Awesome, I needed some help with the moonlit butterfly thing. The name is Rainfall.”

“I’m Altar Light, and this is Moon Shadow.” I introduced us.

She looked around quickly before saying. “We should begin moving, we killed enough toads to scare ‘em off for now, but that doesn’t mean they won’t return. “

I gave Moon Shadow a drink from my healing flask before the three of us continued onward. We needed to get away from the toads before they struck again. With a new companion our journey was going to feel a little less lonely now.

We had walked for a few minutes in silence listening for any trace of the toads. My wounds were stinging me with every step, we needed to find an Altar soon. I finally decided to try and take my mind off the pain with conversation. “So why don’t you tell us about yourself?”

Rainfall answered. “Well I am a Pegasus, and I used to belong in the Rainbow Cult. I’m related to Rainbow Dash after all.”

I exclaimed. “Wow.”

Moon Shadow had snuck off again. I was hoping that he was keeping an eye on us, or on our surroundings. I then looked at her and said. “I haven’t seen a pony using a bow and arrow yet. I’ve seen plenty of crossbows though.”

She smiled at me saying. “Yeah, bows are a little more difficult to use. But then again only a true markspony is capable of using them effectively.”

“You sure are good with that. How did you learn?” I asked.

She pondered this for a moment before saying. “I was taught by my father, Pegasi have always preferred using ranged weapons. We leave melee to the earth ponies.”

I had remembered seeing pegasi using those armored wings to tear into monsters before. So I could only imagine what she could do with her wings in addition to being an archer. She seemed to be the who was one leading us, and I now curious about our destination I asked her. “Where are we going?”

She looked back at me and smiled saying. “To the castle ruins, that’s where the Moonlit thing is after all.” She turned her head to the side and said to the forest. “You know I can see you there, you’ll need to hide better than that to fool me.”

Moon Shadow walked out from behind one of the trees, I would never have known where he was had she not reviled his position. He trotted up to my side before returning to a normal walking speed. I shook my head in disbelief at how good she was at spotting my sneaky comrade. I looked to Moon Shadow and asked. “Why were you hiding from us?”

He replied flatly. “I don’t know if she is a danger yet. Thought it best to hide until she proved otherwise, a sneak attack could end a hostile interaction quickly.”

My comrade was a strange one. He goes from feeling terrible about his past deeds, to being stealthy and dangerous. Then again, I was the one now punching monsters to death. I supposed I simply attracted odd company. I noticed that Moon Shadows eyes looked a little different though, they seemed…darker.

Moon Shadow then asked. “Do you know a griffon named Storm Feather?”

She seemed to perk up at that and said with a grin. “Oh yeah I do, he is one of the best fighters I’ve ever met. After a battle with him, I decided to quit the Rainbow Cult. He’s one of the few who shares my sentiment that the grudge between our two clans is stupid and old.”

Wow I guess there was a lot of history behind the pegasi and the griffons. I really hoped that he didn’t mind working with Rainfall. I don’t know why but I had a feeling that she might be staying with us for a little longer than just this little side quest.

We finally arrived to an old rope bridge that lead across a slow moving river full of dark disgusting water. The bridge was a little scary, but Rainfall simply flew across. Moon Shadow went first his hooves being much more careful then mine. After that I went across. The bridge swayed a little at my walking but it didn’t do much else. I was surprised considering the old rope bridge looked to be in terrible condition. Maybe it was magic keeping it up all this time?

The sun shone down on this old castle with persistent intent. The stone worked walls had lost their color over the centuries. I felt as though I recognized these walls though. The front doors were missing completely allowing us a view inside. The inside of the castle was lit up by a strange white light. I poked my head through and looked up to see the missing roof and beyond that the night sky and the full moon staring down at me.

I quickly pulled my head back out and looked up again to see the bright blue sky and then forced to look away as the sun began to burn my eyes. I stared at my comrades and asked. “Okay somepony explain this to me. How come its daylight out here, but its night time inside the building?”

Rainfall shrugged while Moon Shadow explained. “This area is steeped in fey magic. Some areas of the world have such strong magic attuned to them that they completely break the rules of reality. The entire Everfree woods is a little like this. It’s why Twilight built her kingdom outside of the area.”

I sighed and looked back to the castle before us. We were going to have to go inside and fight a giant monster. I felt like something was wrong here but what was it exactly. I searched for the answer before it finally hit me. This was the castle of the two sisters.