Chapter 4

Darkness.

All he could see was darkness.

Captain Path Finder had just woken up recently and found himself staring at the pitch blackness around him. He wasn't sure if his eyes were either opened or closed, but then again it probably didn't really matter.

He knew he was dead, he couldn't move his body. His attempts were met with resistance as his body refuse to respond. Not only can't he move his limbs, he can't even hear anything nor can he say anything. There was something in his throat preventing him from uttering a single word from his dry lips and throat.

As he laid there in the darkness, his mind wandered off to a memory in the past. He remembered reading something about the afterlife. Depending on what you did with your life, you'll either go to heaven or hell. However, he has heard of some different alternatives, such as reincarnation, being able to reborn again into something else. But, the one that scare him the most was nothingness. Basically when you die you are taken to someplace dark, a place with absolutely nothing in it. A place completely voided of anything.

Path wonders if he was here, in the nothingness. Wonders if that Primal Dog killed him and desecrated his corpses. He wonders if Claymore and Moonstone had escaped and our already on their way back home to Canterlot. He hoped they were safe, hoped that his sacrifice would mean something.

He just wish there was a way to find out, but unfortunately he'll have to deal with not knowing the answer.

With nothing to do, Path looked to past to keep his mind working. There was point to it, as his mind will surely deteriorate over time. However, Path believe that he better remember them now before they disappear.

The Captain lived a pretty ordinary life, he had a mother and father, siblings, went to school, had a few part-time jobs, and some friends. All in all this was a total contrast to the many stories he hears from the new recruits about him. They would tell tales about him slaying giant monsters, defeating a squad of griffons by himself, and even having an affair with the Saddle Arabian Ambassador’s Daughter.

Most of these tales are somewhat true. He never slayed any monsters, he only defeated two young inexperience griffons and while Sahara was a very good friend, they were never in any kind of relationship.

While reminiscing about his past, Captain Finder thought he felt something crawling on his face. It was until the small something continued to walk all over his face that he realized that he was actually feeling something. The sensation was amazing, despite being annoying. He can actually feel the little guy walking all over his face. He can feel the little legs scrawling on his cheeks, nose, mouth and eyes. This proves that he was not in some black endless void nor is he dead. No, he was alive!

Path tried to move his arms again,but like before they refuse to obey. This time the stallion concentrated harder and felt his right hoof lifting off the ground a few inches. Focusing all his strength to his right hoof, Path Finder swung his arm upwards and accidentally smack himself in the face. squashing the small thing in the process.

After that action, the stallion can feel the rest of his body coming back to him. He can now move his legs, head, and mouth.

He check the squash thing on his hoof and discovered that it was bug of some kind. He couldn't see what it is, but he can tell that it had many tiny legs. Wiping the bug's remains off his hoof and face, Path carefully trot around to get a good feeling of the place.

His hooves feel the rocks and dirt around him. Along with the other miscellaneous things around too. Path grab a long rod shape object from the ground and stash it away for later use. He examine more and found several squishy things that feel like flesh. He didn't need to be a detective to know that he was standing among dead bodies. Then again the rotting smell should have been a dead give away.

As much as he want to get out of here, there could a be chance that one these corpses can have something useful on them. So Path began scavenging the bodies around him. While the majority had nothing on them, he did managed to find a few useful items.

The first was a small knife, it feel pretty worn, but it still can be useful. The second was a pack of matches and the third is a piece of cloth. Path tied the cloth to the one end of his rod shape object. Then he took out a single match, lit it up and quickly moved it to the cloth. The piece of fabric was caught on fire, casting a bright yellowish light that illuminating the place.

Using his new torch, Path took a look at his surroundings. Bodies of Diamond Dogs laid dead in this dark narrow tunnel. The rod shape object he was holding was revealed to be a long piece of bone.

Finally having enough of the scenery, Path trotted along the tunnel passage way. He had no idea where he was or how he was going to get out of here, for now the stallion was just going to have to wing it.

The fire from his torch burned brightly in the darkness of the tunnels. Path trotted cautiously, keeping his ears sharp for any of those beast that might come after him. So far he has heard nothing, but he kept the knife firmly in his grip, ready to strike. He just wish he still have his equipment, his saber would be really helpful right now.

Path Finder wanders the tunnels aimlessly, hoping it would lead him to the surface. He had no idea how long he has been traveling in these tunnels. At first it bothered him, but as he goes on, time just seem irrelevant at the moment. It didn't matter what the time was if he can't find a way back to the surface.

His thoughts were interrupted when his stomach grumbled. 'Damn, forgot none of us had any food in last few hours.' He thought to himself. 'Gotta find my way back to surface soon.' Captain Finder pressed on, moving his tired legs forward.

Suddenly the sound of growling can be heard from the shadows ahead of him. Path stopped in his tracks and went into his battle stance. Squeezing the knife in his mouth, the stallion ready himself for what is coming next.

Slowly, Path can see the vague shadowy silhouette of a Primal Dog. The beast made himself known by growling menacingly at the pony. If this was to intimidate him, then his warning fell on deaf ears as Path didn't back up. Instead he move forward, bringing the light from his torch to meet the dog.

The Primal Dog reacted frighteningly as he backed up. This was noticed by Path and continued to trot toward the dog. Again the beast back up. 'By the goddess, these dogs are afraid of the light!' To test his theory, he swung the torch forward. This action startled the dog. Deciding to be daring, Path charge at the dog with his torch. The dog in response yelped and ran away from the charging stallion.

After chasing the dog for a few second, Path slowed down and watch as the dog disappeared from his view. The stallion smile at the results and is now in possession of something that can defend him from these mangy beast. However, the downside is that now he is heavily reliant on it for both light and defense. Not only that Path knows that this torch won't burn forever and he only have a few matches left. This pressured him to find a way back to the surface even more.

Continuing his trek, Path's mind wandered to that imprison dog back in Canterlot. Spot shared the same reaction to the light like that last dog, except less animal like. He used to wondered why Spot didn't like the light, but now the answer was clear to him. If Spot was held captive here, here in the darkness. His eyes must have adapted to the dark. For so long Spot has never seen the light of day. Trapped down here for who knows how long.

Path wonders if that why these Primal Dogs are like this. They were nothing like what the ancient scroll describe them as. 'Perhaps these beast are the descendents of the Primal Dogs.?' Path thought. 'Maybe instead of dying off, the Primal Dogs somehow survived. They thrived in the darkness beneath this hill and went on long enough to create offsprings. Then those offsprings went on to create offsprings of their own. This means that the Primal Dogs have slowly changed their appearance for every generation, each one adapting them better in their environment.'

Captain Finder smile at figuring out these dogs, too bad he won't be able to tell anypony about his discovery if he can't find a way out of this hellhole.

The stallion shook his head. 'Dammit, can't let my mind wander like that. I must stay focus if I want to get the hell out of here.' Path press onward again, trotting along the endless dark tunnel passage. Occasionally, he would find another tunnel leading to a different direction. Whether he went in that one or another, it really didn't matter. He was still trotting in the same tunnel over and over again.

'This just never ends!' He shouted in his mind. 'At this rate I'll be too exhausted to even trot my way back to the surface.'

Path stopped in his tracks. “Maybe there is no point to this.” He said to himself.

“Maybe I'm just wasting my time.” He began crouching down.

“There is no escape here.” Path was now laying on the ground. He shut his eyes and relax his body.

“Perhaps I should just stop here and just let it end."

As soon as he said those words, Path heard the sound of someone's scream, echoing along the tunnel. This sound triggered something inside his brain as he recognizes the voice. “Claymore?”

The stallion instantly stood up and gallop after the source of that sound. He eventually came across a small room where a Primal Dog was munching on something. The dog sense someone was behind him, as soon as he turned around he was blindsided by the light from the torch, he react frighteningly from this.

Path watch the dog cowering against the light, but his eyes were not on the dog. Rather it was the piece of dark blue limb hanging of his mouth. Recognizing the dark blue limb of his friend, Path dropped his torch and tackle the beast to the ground whereupon he starts to pummel the dog with his forearms.

“YOU BASTARD!” He shouted to the dog as he swung his left hooves to his face. “YOU ATE MY FRIEND!” He swung with his right hoof. “I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!”

Despite his best efforts, the blows from his punches was not enough to kill the dog. The beast grab the small pony and smack his head against the wall behind them. He drop the pony so he can get up and finish him off. Lifting his left claw up, the dog brought it down upon the stallion.

Path reacted quickly and bucked the approaching claw. This broke the beast's paw and reel back from the pain. The stallion was not finish yet, he hop backward and buck the dog's chest, causing him to stagger back. The dog trip on the torch and fell on his back.

The stallion saw this as a perfect time to strike, picking up the torch he hover it in front of the dog's face. The light was causing the dog to howl in pain as it was hurting him. “Burn you son of bitch!” Path then brought the torch down and burn the dog's face. He howl even louder, the loudest Path has ever heard. The dog flail around like a madpony. Soon the howl lowered and the dog stop flailing, he was dead.

Taking the torch away, Path look down and saw the big burnt mark on the dog's face. It was a combination of pink skin, burnt fur, and black charred spots.

He dropped the torch to ground, the fire from it was starting to run out. The dying fire flickered, but the stallion did not care. His attention was elsewhere. The dismember limb hangs from the dead dog's mouth, Path pulled it out and looked at it. “I'm so sorry LT. Claymore.” He apologize to the lifeless arm. “I'm so sorry I couldn't save you.” Path closes his eyes and let the mood sink in.

“Captain? Is that you?"

Author's Note

Cliffhanger! Just who could it be?