The Saga of RK Act 1.

Morning came swiftly, almost too swift. I was the first to awake, as the sun rose over the trees quietly, and the dawn roused me from my rest. Everypony else was in the tent next to me and Dash, sound asleep. I didn’t open my eyes immediately and just felt her heart beat against my chest, her breaths hot and calming. I opened my eyes and saw that she was still asleep, her eyes closed and her hooves twitching every once and a while. I simply lay there, watching her breathe and twitch and have her peaceful sleep. I was so contempt with laying there, simply watching her sleep.

“Mnh… rk…” She whispered my name, in her sleep! She let the corners of her mouth turn up and her grip around my neck tighten. I felt so loved. I didn’t care what any other pony thought of me, so long as she still cared. Then, I saw the corners of her moth go down. “…no… no no no…” Her grip around my neck tightened even further, to an almost uncomfortable level. She began to whimper a little, then let a little tear fall out of her closed eye, letting it land on my cheek. Oh no, she was having a bad dream.

I hugged her a little closer, letting her know that I was there, for her. She continued whispering “no” and her grip stayed uncomfortably tight, until her eyes shot open, tear stained and red. She didn’t say anything, just hugged me.

“Shh… it’s okay, it’s okay…” I said, holding her close. Soon, everyone else awoke and our plans began to play out. I suited up and equipped the pitchfork and chopping ax for our grand battle. Twilight helped Dash get equipped into her armor, turning her from the pony I knew into a warrior pony. I began to explain the battle plan to Dash. “Okay, first, we’ll execute a recon; see if there are any stragglers or guards. Then, I’ll rush in, you behind me, with my shield, where we’ll wipe ‘em out.”

“And if there are guards?” Dash said with a questioning look.

“We’ll formulate a plan from there.” I explained. “Dash, considering you can fly, you are our best scout right now, so, if you can, fly around and find the cave.” I asked Dash. She nodded and took to the skies, circling around the forests to the East. Dash returned a few minutes later with the news.

“No guards, but there’s obviously living things in there, screeching and screaming. Probably able to tell that we are around.” Dash said in disgust.  I picked up my shield and pitchfork.

“Alright, we’ve got a nest to clear. Let’s go!” I shouted, running into the forest, my shield up and pitchfork at the ready.

The forest was dense and jungle-like more towards the East, the trees massive and entangled in vines. I kept my eyes wide and spotting the tiniest strange detail. Dash kept close, her wings spread out and the blades gleaming sharp. We soon spotted the cave, the entrance was, as confirmed, not guarded, but there was definitely something crawling around inside, and it was not happy.

“Okay, what I’m about to do is very stupid, but you gotta work with me on this, alright Dash?” I asked, uncertainty of the plan I was about to conduct. Dash nodded. “Okay, I’m gonna set my shield on fire, that’ll spook ‘em into a corner where we’ll finish them off.” Dash stared at me, disbelief painted across her face.

“You’re not serious… are you?” She said, staring at my blacksmiths gauntlet that I wore on my shield arm.

“Well, they hate fire, and man is legendary for his use of fire, so… yeah.”  I shrugged.

“You are gonna get hurt.” She said with a bit of annoyance in her voice.

“I know.” I smiled.

Man is also legendary for his stubbornness, hehehe, this is gonna be good.

‘Oh lord, what are you thinking… oh ,right, I’m your brain. What am I thinking?’

I pulled out the bottle of lamp oil that was thoughtfully provided by Applejack (who also protested this plan, but whatever) and slathered it onto the front of the shield. I began having second thoughts as I struck a flint and steel near it in a vain attempt. ‘Maybe this was a really stupid idea, I mean, jeez, the fire’s gonna be freaking hot, it’s supplied with oil! You’re gonna get third degree burns or just no skin when this fights over.’ I decided, however, to ignore my better judgment and lit the shield on fire. The heat hit me like a nuclear wind, searing and incredibly uncomfortable.

“You okay back there?” I shouted to Dash past the pain.

“Its stuffy, but I’m alright.” Dash shouted back as we entered the cave, striking a Spartan stance as I entered, shield up and pitchfork ready to stab. We almost immediately heard the monsters shrieking and running away, hissing at the fire. I continued my slow assault feeling the fire rage on in front, proving a magnificent deterrent.  I began to hear a lot more of them up ahead, hissing and snarling. By the acoustics, we were entering a much bigger area where the shield would prove useless, unless…

“Okay, I’m gonna do something else that’s probably gonna freak you out.” I shouted to Dash. I focused my power into my right hand, feeling the shield burn as I pointed my exposed finger at the shield. I then focused intensely at the shield.

“RK, what are you doing!?” Dash shouted alarmed, seeing that I was beginning to buckle under the loss of power in my body.

“Oh… nothing too spectacular.” I said with a strained voice, as my power soon took hold, The shield began to levitate out into the cavern, swinging violently a few  black, oozy figures that looked like a pony that was dipped in tar. They were animal-like, however, hissing at it as they ran around the cavern attempting to get away from it. I then smashed the shield into the ground and we rushed in. I stabbed one in the side and flung him over my shoulder, causing him to scramble as he hit the ground. Bu then, I noticed as it paced around in a circle, then fell over dead. They are affected by their own poison?

Evolution did not prepare them for you, eh RK?

‘Evolution or not, this is almost silly how they can be killed by their own poison.’

I continued to stab at the crowd of seven that I was focusing on. Meanwhile, Dash was slicing through them like butter, making some of them simply run away, whimpering, deeper into the cave. Most were smart enough to stay away and attempt to psyche  me out, hissing and snarling at me as they paced around the fire, uncertain of their next action. Then, one lept at me, it’s teeth exposed and its black ,almost insect like eyes filled with hate. I didn’t notice him until it was too late. His teeth dug into my shoulder, forcing a painful scream from my mouth. I soon felt… so angry… angry… ANGRY!!!

Aw yeah, here we go!

‘Oh no, no no no! NO!’

It felt like my veins had magma from Hell itself flowing through them, rage taking over my body. I ripped the monster off, who immediately regretted its decision to jump at me as it was held by its neck, snapping and hissing at me. I then looked into its eyes, and it began to whimper. I then threw the horrible thing into the shield fire, causing ear-shattering screeching to emanate from the living inferno, who ran around his brethren, causing panicked monsters to run around the cave.

“Oh my Celestia, RK! What in Equestria did you just DO!?” Dash screamed, slicing a few monsters that ran by. I simply grunted in anger. I pulled out my ax and brought it down on a straggler.

Yeah, yeah, YEAH!! GET 'IM! OH, THAT ONES RUNNING AWAY! QUICK, KILL 'IM!

‘STOP ENCOURAGING HIM!!!’

What? Oh let me have my fun! SNAP HIS NECK! OH CRAP! Holy crap, did you see that!? That was freakin’ brutal!

‘Stop! You’re scaring Dash!’

WRING HIS NECK! GET- Heh, uh, what?

I finished slaughtering another one with my bare hands. I was drenched in ooze, making me almost as black as them. I looked over to Dash, who was staring at me with eyes full of fear. She was scared... of me. I looked down at myself, noticing the horrifyingly massive amounts of blood or ooze or whatever I was covered in. I snapped back into reality, the anger leaving my body. I stared at my armor, fear taking hold.

“…no… I… Dash…” I tried to say I was sorry, that I lost control, but I couldn’t talk. I vomited, my lunch lay on the floor, as I collapsed on my knees. “Please… I just…” I covered my eyes, My hate was replaced with fear and sadness, the magma replaced with icy cold water, for fear that I had lost her trust. I thought the world was coming to an end. Dash walked over to me.

“No, don’t be sorry. We still have a nest to destroy. We’ll talk about this later, okay?” Dash said, looking into my eyes, showing she still cared. I was given a new boost of energy, knowing that she still cared made me feel better. I got up and picked up my ax.

“You’re right, let’s go.” I levitated the fire after us, so that we could still see. We moved forward, the monsters ahead whimpering in fear. We were about to wipe them out, finish ‘em off, destroy the-

“GRRROOOAAAARRRGGG!!!!!” An ear-shatteringly loud roar from something VERY big emanated from the cavern deeper in. I looked back to Dash, who was wide-eyed and shaking, then shook out of her fearful state and put on a war face that encouraged me forward. I held the fire before us, letting it guide the way. When we entered the next chamber, I was scared out of my mind. A nightmare feeder that oozed blood red and was a s tall as a bear was sitting in the chamber, waiting for us. It jumped up and let out the roar that we heard earlier. I knew we couldn’t take this one. I began to levitate Dash.

“WHOA! RK WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Dash shouted as I set her down in the cavern path leading to the other cavern and, ultimately, safety.

“Go.” I said with force as I levitated a boulder to cover the exit.

“What!? NO!!!” She screamed. I then focused on the problem at hand, the blood feeder. You and me, one on one. I won’t make it, but neither will you. The monster snarled at me, then snapped at me, I drove the ax into its head, but it only stuck into the goo. I ran around the monster for a moment, trying to find its weak spot, only to find it didn’t have one.

‘No, that’s impossible, everything has a weakness. We just aren’t thinking… FIRE! Throw fire at it!’

Seriously? That just seems too… easy.

I began to focus on the fire, which gave the monster enough time to strike, but it didn’t bite or kick, it launched its goop at me, covering me in the blood-red substance, weighing me down to the ground. The monster walked over to me, it’s knife-like teeth gleaming in the fire light.

‘Oh GOD! I can’t believe that this stupid body is going to quit now! C’mon, PUSH FOR THE SAKE OF BEING ALIVE!’

Well, I ain’t  letting this body die now…

I felt a strange surge of power, of strength. I felt so… ANGRY!!! I began to scream, but then, in the monsters eye, I saw a reflection of myself. My eyes began to glow… BULE?!? WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING!? I pulled off the goo like a sticky note. I raised up from where I lay, certain of my demise, now certain of my victory. The monster simply stared at me, and began to whimper. I grabbed its throat and tightened my grip, unable to think, only to act. The monster put up a pathetic fight, kicking its legs about but little else. I screamed in it’s face, my eyes glowing with rage. After a few minutes, the kicking stopped, and I dropped the limp body. I placed one foot defiantly on the corpse and let out a primal screech to inform the gods of my victory. I was so angry, I didn’t know why. I then collapsed onto the cave ground, exhausted and tired. I then fell asleep, slipping into the void, staring at the shadows that danced around the cave.

Two days later.

I awoke, again on a hospital bed. I felt so… tired. I opened my eyes, expecting a repeat of the first time. Like I was in a kind of Purgatory, forced to forever repeat what happened over the course of the week. Instead, I saw Dash sitting in a chair directly across from my bed, her eyes glued to me. When my eyes opened, she simply blinked, like I wasn’t actually awake again. I stared back.

“…RK?” She said quietly, as though she couldn’t believe it. I smiled.

“Yes, Dash?” I replied, my smile wide. She cried out in joy, running over and hugging me.

“They said you might never wake up…” She said, hugging my head close to her chest. I stared into her eyes. She got angry all the sudden. “Do NOT do that again, do you understand me? Never do that again.” She cried, hugging my head close to her fluffy chest. I looked up into her eyes.

“Promise.”