Chapters A Harsh Cure
Prologue
Clover opened the door to her master's study, expecting the old stallion to be gently dozing by his desk. It's been a long night of studying, a typical evening for the great Starswirl the Bearded. As his apprentice, it was Clover had taken in upon herself to check in once in a while, making sure to put out the candles, give her master a warm cloak, and set aside his notes for tomorrow. Years ago, this was an ocassional incident, brought upon by a particularly strong inspiration or the day having taken too much of a toll. Recently, it's been a nightly routine. Clover sighed softly as the wooden hinges creaked. Time marched on a little too quickly to her taste. There was still so much to learn.
"Master?" Clover called out softly, just enough to catch Starswirl's attention if he was still awake, but not enough to wake him if he wasn't. She heard no reply, so she stepped into the study. The flickering lights from the study's many candles had already dimmed to a ruddy, red-orange glow, making it difficult to see past the tall stacks of books and scrolls. Her hoof brushed against a spilled sheaf of papers before knocking against a spilled ink bottle. She made a mental note to tidy up in the morning. After a few steps, she finally caught sight of Starswirl.
Clover gasped, and rushed forward. She knocked over several book stacks in her hurry, but their dull crash went unnoticed. Starswirl lay back on his chair, his forelegs splayed outward, and his long, curly, white mane spilling across his face, and the back of his neck. His eyes were closed as if he was sleeping, but his eyelids could not hide the faint glow from them. His head shook from side to side as he spasmed violently.
"Master!" Clover cried out. She tried to come nearer, but as soon a she was a few feet away, a jolt of magic from Starswirls direction forced her away. She cast a light spell to get a better look at whatever was ailing Starswirl. His horn was glowing, and it was his magic that was enveloping the open book on his desk. The glowing words of a spell being inscribed appeared on the pages of the book. She cast a protection spell on herself, and pushed forward again. More arcs of magic struck her, but she gritted her teeth and reached Starswirl. "Master!" she called out again. "Wake up!" Another burst of magic punched through her shield, ripping a portion of her burlap cloak, and striking her hard on her shoulder. Her muscles tore and blood dripped on the floor, but she made it. She grabbed a hold of Starswirl, and worked on a dispelling spell. "Master!" She gave him a vigorous shake.
Starswirl's eyes fluttered open, and the hum of magic faded. "Clover..." he mumbled. He jumped to his hooves. "Clover! Are you alright?"
Clover clutched her injured shoulder, and gave a weak smile. "I'll be fine. Master, what was going on?"
A drop of sweat trickled down Starswirl's bushy eyebrows. The bells on his wide-brimmed hat tinkled as he picked it from the floor, and set it on his head. "Arcane nightmare," he whispered breathlessly. "I've had a few in the past. They come with delving into new spell-crafting knowledge. But this one..." He wiped the sweat from his forehead. "It was so vivid. It felt as if I was falling through the torments of Tartarus itself." He looked to Clover. "I'm sorry for hurting you, Clover."
"It's not your fault, master," Clover said. She gestured towards the desk. "While you were caught in that nightmare, you were trapped in that arcane nightmare, you were writing something on that spell book."
Starswirl frowned, and examined the book. "Did I? That's never happened before. Why...it is a spell! How could this have happened..."
Starswirl had sat down to begin studying when Clover put a hoof on his shoulder. "Master, perhaps you should rest first? The night grows long, and you've spent a lot of your magic."
For a moment, Starswirl opened his mouth to argue, but he snorted, and nodded. "Yes, you're right," he said. "Clear my schedule for tomorrow morning, Clover, I must attend to this immediately."
Clover groaned inwardly, already imagining the time juggling she'll have to perform just to accommodate this newest incident into her master's busy schedule. "Yes, master," she said. She worked a mending spell on her injury, and limped back to her room.
The following morning was indeed spent on that strange spell. Clover busied herself with breakfast, fending off angry nobles and scholars that Starswirl cancelled on. It was almost noon when she knocked on his study. "Master, I'm about to have lunch. Would you like me to make you something as well?"
"Clover, come inside," Starswirl called through the door. Clover did so, and found Starswirl leaning against his desk, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Have you made any progress on that strange spell?" Clover asked.
"Yes," Starswirl replied. "This is an evil spell, Clover, the manifestation of some rogue power from...outside."
Clover tilted her head. "Outside, master? As in the realm of magic?"
Starswirl nodded. "It's the danger of tapping into great magical power, Clover. We sometimes stumble into forbidden dreams that may unleash these abominations into our world. If this spell is cast, the entire world could very well be torn apart."
Clover gasped. "Then we should destroy it!" she said. "The kingdom's magical knowledge does not need to have this lying around."
The book floated towards the nearby fireplace and hovered within the flames. The fire crackled and spat, but the book remained untouched. "I've tried everything, from burning, to tearing, to my strongest spells," Starswirl said grimly. "The words have made this book invincible. Our only choice is to hide it away."
"How terrible," Clover said. "No matter how carefully we hide it, the world will always be in danger."
"Perhaps," Starswirl said. He mustered a small smile. "Don't be so gloomy, Clover, we will hide it well. Not only that, even if an utter imbecile of a unicorn were to read this spell aloud without studying it first, the amount of magical energy it requires is immense. It needs a caster of immense magical potential, and quite possibly a roomful of powerful magical artifacts to draw from."
Clover smiled as well. "I suppose the chances are indeed very slim, master," she said.
"Good." Starswirl closed the book, and patted Clover on the back. "Then, let us have our lunch, after which we shall rid the world of this horror."
A Harsh Cure
Chapter 1: Picking Up the Pieces
"Drive them back!" Shining Armor shouted above the clamorous din. Around him, the Crystal Guard replied with fierce neighs. They locked their shields together, and pushed gamely forward with their spears.
Like an onrushing current, another wave of...creatures crashed into their line. The frontal ones appeared as vaguely pony-shaped creatures so thickly encrusted with smoky white crystals that they appeared as walking statues. They behaved like rabid animals, charging the line en masse and flailing wildly away with spiky front legs. Jagged crystals struck metal shields, filling the air with a cacophony of loud bangs and crunches.
An energy bolt erupted from Shining Armor's horn, striking three of these creatures at once. Their crystalline outer shells shattered, revealing traces of something organic beneath. They made no sound, even as one of them squirmed helplessly after the bolt had shattered two of its legs. The rest of the Crystal Guard moved in for the kill. Their spear strikes found gaps between the jutting crystal formations, stabbing deep into the flesh beneath. Their shield slams shattered the same crystal formations, knocking their attackers back, and allowing the line to move ever onward.
Shining Armor eyed the advance grimly. He and his Crystal Guard had been fighting these things for days now. The initial onrush that began yet another attack was the easiest part. The hardened looks among his soldiers showed that they understood too.
On cue, the next wave flowed out with a barrage of hideous shrieks. They flowed out seemingly from every dark corner of the blasted wasteland that now marred the northern portion of Equestria's landscape. Like the first ones, they were also vaguely pony-shaped. But these weren't creatures of flesh and minerals. No, they looked like hazy images of ponies, made from glowing, purplish-pink smoke. Their features were sharp and fierce, as if something was pulling back their skin, narrowing their eyes and forcibly baring their teeth. The weapons of the Crystal Guard passed through them as if they were mere smoke. When they struck with their jagged, pointed hooves, however, they left bleeding wounds the same way all too solid weapons would. As these monstrosities advanced, the line of pegasi and earth ponies fell back, revealing a line of unicorn guards with spells at the ready. A barrage of energy bolts greeted these monsters, throwing them back in shrieking agony.
Shining Armor fired spell after spell along with the rest of the unicorns. Every muscle in his body ached. The constant spell casting left him drained and dizzy. No matter how valiant his troops were, they couldn't contain this attack for much longer. Whatever these things pouring out of Equestria was, their numbers appeared endless. The Crystal Guard, still reforming and retraining under their new prince, was far from prepared to take on such a massive threat. And for it to come from Equestria, the one border they never dreamed they had to guard...
How had all of this happened? It's been days, but Shining Armor was still reeling. Past events swirled around him like a whirlwind of one development after another.
It all came apart in a single morning. As he stood on his bedroom's balcony, taking in the first rays of the sun, an ominous flash spread across the southern horizon. He had his barding on in a matter of minutes. The urgent knocks on his door followed afterwards, along with news that made his blood run cold.
Equestria was in ruins.
He led the first investigation party while Cadence arranged rescue and relief efforts. The sight of the blasted land froze him and his Crystal Guard in place. Where there was once the lush grassy plains and verdant woodlands, as far as the eye could see, there was now only a barren, rocky waste. The air stank of ozone, the sky appeared as if they were looking at it through purple glass. Worst of all were the cracks, from enormous fissures to small hairline fractures across the earth. It was as if Equestria was one great ceramic plate that had been struck hard. The cracks pulsed with lingering magic; the tell-tale signs of a magical disaster. Though he was careful to hide it, the sight of this terrified Shining Armor most of all. He had spent years knowing the presence of this particular magic. He could recognize it even in minute quantities. There was no mistaking the presence of his sister's power.
Questions flooded his mind. How had this happened? Why? Where were the princesses? What of his sister? No answers greeted him as he and his guards made their way through ruptured landscape. What did greet them was a horde of these monsters, crawling out of the broken rocks and fallen trees. The party fell back, and what started out as an investigative foray turned into a desperate stand to keep these monsters from spreading into the Crystal Empire.
The shrieking, incorporeal creatures, "Spell Furies" as the Crystal Guard had taken to calling them, did not hesitate for a moment even as several of them faded into nothing from direct hits. "Fall back to the fortifications!" Shining Armor called out. He gritted his teeth. The few attempts he made to break the enemy advance had all been stopped cold. There were too many of these things while his own troops were few, under-equipped, and under-trained. It was still too soon after the Crystal Empire's restoration. They were barely prepared for minor monster incursions, let alone this!
A spell fury weaved past Shining Armor's energy bolts until it hovered but a foot away. With a deafening shriek, it swung its ghostly hooves in a wide arc, catching him with a glancing blow across the cheek. The incorporeal hooves phased through his metal barding, and scratched the flesh beneath, leaving shallow, but jagged gashes. With blood streaming from his face, Shining Armor had to back away while the unicorns behind him blasted the thing into nothingness.
"Your highness!"
A yellow-coated pegasus in the Crystal Guard's barding landed next to Shining Armor and fended off the crytalline shamblers that had rejoined the fray.
"Sentry," Shining Armor grunted. "How did the flying incursion go?"
Flash Sentry shook his head. "We barely got a few miles in when the furies caught sight of us. We had to fall back."
Shining Armor swore silently, and gestured for his troops to fall back. So his distracting assault had done little to cover Flash Sentry's incursion. He glanced at the bloodied, shredded remains of several crystal guards. Each move cost him lives. Soon, he would not have enough ponies to protect the Empire's borders, let alone try to find out what had happened. He looked southward. As more days of this frustrating standstill continued, the hope of getting to Twilight, and whoever else survived this nightmare grew dimmer.
The Crystal Guard fell back to the makeshift fortifications, where the stationed unicorns immediately fired on the spell furies. Raised, sharpened stakes, and trenches stopped the shamblers, but the furies had to be destroyed right away. Shining Armor added his own energy bolts to the barrage. To his right, Flash Sentry swatted a shambler's face with the butt of his spear, sending shards flying while the shambler fell back. A second one made a clumsy swipe at him, but he ducked, and jabbed the spear point between the gaps of the crystals around its neck.
"Highness!" One of the lookouts from the fortifications shouted. "We've got more coming from the east!"
Shining Armor nodded, and gestured for the guards with him to regroup with the fortifications' defenders. "Destroy these ones quickly!" he called out. "Then turn your horns east!"
Another pegasus landed next to Shining Armor. "Your highness," he said. "The southwestern fortifications are under heavy attack, and need reinforcements."
"I haven't the ponies to spare!" Shining Armor grunted. His troops were still struggling with the ones coming from the south. That an attack was coming from the east could mean that the southeastern fortifications had been overrun. They couldn't hold this border any more. They had to fall back to the Crystal Empire proper. He hated the thought of having to expose the Empire's citizen's to these monstrosities. 'Cadence,' he thought. 'Any time now.'
Flash Sentry pulled out his spear from the jaws of another shambler, and pointed to the distance. "Highness, over there!"
Past the approaching horde from the south, the looming figure of something was moving towards them. Shining Armor squinted at the sight. "Looks like they're getting tired of being stopped here," he said. "That's a leader of some sort, I suppose." He fired a few more energy bolts at the spell furies. The unicorn defenders were thinning out the swarm, but that was a small respite in the face of what was coming.
"We're barely holding as it is," Flash Sentry said between pants. He pulled out a few crystal fragments from his bleeding forelegs. "Highness, we need to retreat to the Empire!"
Shining Armor bit his lip. No...he couldn't. If he backed off to hide behind the walls of the Crystal Empire, it would be as if he had abandoned Equestria to save himself. Twilight and her friends had to be in there somewhere; holding off these monsters, and trying to set things right. He needed to push through to help them, not leave them to their fates. He looked to his troops. The Crystal Guard was being pushed back. Soon, the decision to retreat won't even be left to him.
To the far south, the distant sight of Canterlot's broken towers beckoned. So far away, and about to become even farther. Shining Armor was about call for a retreat, when a volley of arrows flew above him, and towards the massing shamblers. He recognized the barbed arrowheads and the black feather fletching. 'About time, Cadence!' he thought.
The volley passed through the spell furies, and crashed into the horde of shamblers. The Crystal Guard earth ponies and pegasi plunged into the gap. With their line temporarily safe, the unicorns were able to focus on driving the furies back. Shining Armor allowed himself a moment of respite, then looked back to the source of the timely volley. A squadron of hawk griffons, their longbows already drawn for a second volley, hovered above the fortifications. Another squadron, this time of eagle griffons, flew from the west, winging past their hawk brethren, and diving into the fray with their great spears.
"Reinforcements from the Aeries!" Flash Sentry cried out joyously. "We're saved!"
"Don't stand around waiting to be saved, soldier!" Shining Armor said. He fired off more energy bolts. He didn't hide his own smile however. Arrows and spears did well against shamblers, but he and the rest of the Crystal Guard's unicorns will have to do the bulk of the work with the spell furies.
The United Griffon Aeries were not completely helpless in terms of magic, however. Bolts of lightning streaked through the air along with blasts of icy wind. A few crow griffons, easily identifiable by their elaborate robes, and their gaudy bone necklaces, were interspersed among the hawk griffons. They weren't Shining Armor's main concern however. If reinforcements had arrived, she should be here as well. His grin widened further when a lone, pink pony flew past the griffons, and towards him.
In the first time for days, Shining Armor fell back from the front lines so he could get to Cadence. A dazzling array of light beams erupted from her horn as soon as she landed, driving back a converging swarm of spell furies. Cadence's fierce glare softened when she turned towards Shining Armor, she put a hoof against his cheek to wipe away some of the blood. "You're hurt," she said.
"A scratch," Shining Armor said. He looked to the many fallen Crystal Guards around him. "Far better than most."
Cadence's voice trembled slightly when she followed Shining Armor's gaze. "I'm sorry for the delay," she said. "The Taurus Empire was eager enough, but the Aeries took a while to get their act together."
"Don't beat yourself up over it," Shining Armor said. He closed his eyes briefly as a surge of healing flowed from his wife's horn to close the scratches and scrapes he had accumulated. "What's important is that we can push forward now."
With aid from the UGA, the front lines were moving ahead now. Shining Armor remained in place to catch his breath along with several of the Crystal Guards. Aldric, a high-ranking eagle griffon knight, led the charge, driving the shamblers ever back. Shining Armor recognized the lordly brows, particularly impressive even among eagle griffons, even at a distance.
A loud clamor, followed by mighty bellows, erupted from the east. It was a good thing the Taurus Empire agreed to send aid quickly. Their slower moving troops arrived nearly at the exact same time as the UGA's despite the griffons normally taking forever to get past their bickering to do anything. The massive, lumbering silhouettes of minotaur shock troops, three times the size of a typical earth pony guard. They held massive hammers and axes, each big even for them to need both hands to swing. All it took was a single two-handed blow to knock down even several shamblers, which the minotaurs waded through with impunity. The problem became apparent when one fury swooped past a minotaur, easily slipping through its massive swing, then going through its body. The minotaur crashed to the ground, and lay still.
There was little time to observe their allies' fighting prowess and problems, however. Shining Armor had to react to the change in the tide.
"Highnesses," Flash Sentry said. He bowed low before Cadence, who dismissed his gesture with a wave of her hoof. "Orders?"
Shining Armor focused on the large, ominous figure still at the rear lines of the enemy horde. "Sentry, gather our pegasi and join up with the hawk griffons. I want eyes on that thing. Harass it if you can and try to lead it between the UGA, and the Taurus troops.
Flash Sentry saluted, and flew off while Shining Armor directed the Crystal Guard's unicorns to finish off the last of the advancing spell furies.
"Prince Shining Armor!" Aldric called out. He flew back from the still charging line, and landed next to Shining Armor, a fierce grin on his face. "I had thought your wife was exaggerating to grease up the wheels that turn our bureaucrats," he said. The grin flattened into a grim frown. "The landscape alone tells me that she was on point. The UGA will see to it that this threat is neutralized."
"Thank you, Knight Aldric," Shining Armor said. "I'm sure the Aerie Lords are happy to keep the fighting here, and away from UGA territory."
The grin flashed again. Though Knight Aldric respected the gravity of the situation enough, it was clear that he looked happy to be able to stretch his wings in a combat situation. The overlapping armor plates around his lion torso looked newly-forged. The metal, light enough to let him stay in flight, gleamed white under the late sun's rays. His talons were tipped with hardened, razor-sharp blades, a bejeweled sheath held the long sword by his side. Even his great spear's shaft had markings delicately carved into it. All his equipment looked too raw to Shining Armor. The UGA may have a strong military tradition, but, like Equestria, its army hadn't been in a major conflict in a long time. It soldiers were eager to test themselves, but, with such a dire situation before them, Shining Armor wished he had hardened veterans to fall back on.
"Oh, you know my leaders well, Shining Armor," Aldric said. He looked to the front lines. "I see these monsters are still holding back something interesting in the rear lines," he said. "I'm all too keen to find out. You're coming, aren't you?"
Shining Armor nodded. "I am." He looked to Cadence, about to ask her to get to a safe point. At the sight of her determined look, he turned towards Aldric. "We both are."
With the shamblers and furies around it dwindling in number, the looming figure started moving. Above it, Flash Sentry and his pegasi circled around. With Aldric and Cadence by his side, Shining Armor galloped to the forefront to meet the thing. He squinted at the sight, trying to catch a good look despite all the fighting still going on around him.
The looming figure, as it turned out, was actually two beings. Most noticeable was the monstrous beast before them. Standing nearly ten feet, it resembled a wolf with its fur made up of pale-pink, crystalline spines. Its jaws hung open. No saliva dripped down, but its gem-like fangs glistened nonetheless. As it walked forward, its long claws scraped against the rocky ground.
Shining Armor knew better than to let intimidation distract him, however. Menacing as this beast was, its rider deserved as much focus. If not more. His eyes narrowed at the pony-shaped thing riding this monstrosity.
A long, long time ago, Shining Armor once fashioned a little pony doll for his sister using nothing more than a very long piece of string. The "rider" resembled such a thing: a pony seemingly made from coiled rope, about the size and build of an adult mare. Its head moved to stare back at him, its eyeless face showing no pity. It tapped its left front hoof against the beast once. In that single motion, the still creature burst into a flurry of snarling, savage movement. It lunged so fast that one eagle griffon, caught in the middle of a dive towards a shambler, could not move out of the way. The monster closed its jaws with an audible crunch, the poor griffon not even getting to scream before his body buckled in two. The beast did not eat, however. It tossed its first victim aside, and continued charging. The others had already dispersed from its path however. The pegasi and all the griffons flew out of reach, while the unicorns and earth ponies moved to its sides.
The rope-pony reared up, and spread its forelegs apart. The coils around its torso and forelegs convulsed like the vines of some magical plant. They flew out, coiling themselves in mid-air to form lassos. Shining Armor could only watch as the lassos caught a pegasus and an eagle griffon. The speed and accuracy of the attack would have made any rodeo champion gape in awe. The distance only made it more stupendous. After those few moments of surprise, he tried casting a spell to help the entangled ponies, but the beast was now charging towards his direction.
"Shining!" Cadence called out. She grabbed a hold of him, and flew out of the way. The movement jarred his concentration long enough for the rope-pony to yank at its victims. It hurled the pegasus into the jaws of the beast, which promptly crunched him up, and tossed him away. The eagle griffon crashed to the ground. The beast's claws dug deep, punching a hole in the griffon's chest plates, and stabbing his heart. At once, the extended ropes retracted into the rider's body as the beast made a swift turn.
"Interesting pattern!" Aldric yelled. He set his great spear low, and prepared to dive. About a dozen feet away, Flash Sentry swooped in with his sword out. His squad of pegasi was right behind him. The objective was clear: get the rope pony first. Without its entangling attacks, the ground-bound beast should be easier to deal with. Several eagle griffons followed suit. A veritable cage of swords and spears that swiftly closed in on this monstrous duo.
The rope-pony did seemed perturbed. Its mount stop halfway through its turn. A barrage of ropes exploded from its body, swirling around it in a whirling web of coils. Its attackers hesitated at the frantic display. A few continued to their charge, including Flash Sentry and Aldric. A coil of rope slapped into Flash Sentry's face, knocking him to the side, and slowing his dive. Aldric flew past the first whipping blows, only to encounter a dozen more. Shining Armor cast his spells. He struggled to grab a telekinetic hold of the ropes. Even with his best efforts, he couldn't hold on to them. Instead, he focused on shielding Aldric and Flash Sentry.
"Normal weapons may not harm that rider," Cadence said. "It looks to be made entirely of enchanted rope."
"Got something in mind, dear?" Shining Armor asked. He winced as several whipping strikes met his shields. This rider hit hard. Flash's sword cut down several of the ropes, but they merely extended again. One rope lassoed a pegasus, spherical shield and all, and hurled him to the ground. The beast swiftly savaged the sphere, its fangs biting with tremendous force. Shining Armor struggled against the assault, silently and urgently willing the fallen pony to get out of the beast's range before the need to conserve his strength forced him to drop some shields.
Flash Sentry shifted his course at this. He winged his way past the whirling ropes, and slammed into the beast's face. His blade ran down from its brow to its cheek bone, raising sparks as the metal ground against crystal. The cut missed the eye quite possibly by an inch. The beast snarled, and reared up, swatting at Flash Sentry with its front paws. He swooped in low, narrowly avoiding those claws, and picked up his fallen comrade.
"Cadence!" Shining Armor said. He didn't need to prompt his wife though. A blast of pink magic struck the beast in the face, allowing Flash to pull the fallen crystal guard to safety. Several pieces of crystal clattered to the ground.
With an eager cry, Aldric slipped past the whirling ropes, and plunged his great spear into the rope-pony's back. The point plunged deep, but provoked no reaction. Seeing all the ropes now converging on him, Aldric left his great spear behind and flew up. He whipped his sword out, slashing several of the ropes about to wrap around him.
"Told you," Cadence said.
"It's all well and good that we know what doesn't work, dear," Shining Armor said. "It would be better if we found out what does ."
Cadence circled the still staggered beast, staying just out of reach of those whirling ropes. Aldric joined them in the air while a few pegasi and eagle griffons turned their attention to chopping down the ropes.
The rope-pony reared up again. This time, instead of a storm of flailing ropes, it let out a fierce neigh. Two points of green light burst from its skull, finally giving its face some features. At the sound of its call, another swarm of spell furies rose up from the south, and joined the fray.
Shining Armor lent his magic to the offense as well. As the battle dragged on, the Crystal Guard struggled to keep up with the constantly reinforced enemy troops. Unicorns dropped on the spot, every bit of magic squeezed out of them. With fewer energy bolts covering them, the spell furies were slowly driving the pegasi and griffons from the air.
"That rider is what's bringing more and more monsters," Shining Armor said. "If we take it down, we might take the field." He looked to Cadence in time to see several beads of sweat drop from her chin.
"A pile of magic rope can't just come to life," Cadence said. She grunted as she swerved in time to avoid a spell fury's swoop. "There has to be something moving it. Something like a heart, or a spirit of some sort we haven't seen."
With one more pull on his straps, Shining Armor tossed aside most of his barding, letting the purple plates fall to the ground below. "We'll have to separate them," he said. "Toss me on that beast's back."
"Are you crazy?" Cadence asked aghast. "What if I miss? That beast will eventually shred your shield!"
Shining Armor smiled with assurance. "Don't worry," he said.
Cadence nuzzled Shining Armor briefly. "You come back to me, Shiney," she said softly. She dove into the wildly whipping mass, spinning past the ones that struck close. Her grip around Shining Armor's torso tightened as the rope-pony's figure came closer, and the lassos converged. With a grunt, Cadence tossed Shining Armor towards the rope-pony as hard as she could.
The aim was off. Shining Armor would have ended up sliding down the beast's side, but he was close enough for a simple short-range teleport not to drain him. "Sorry!" Cadence yelled out from a distance, just as she flew out of the rope-pony's reach. Shining Armor reappeared directly in front of the rope-pony, giving him a good look at last.
At first glance, it really did look like a pile of magical rope had animated, and taken the shape of a pony. But Cadence was right, there had to be some kind of controlling device or an animating spirit. As some of the rope composing it had extended to great lengths, a portion of of the rope-pony's insides were left exposed, like a string doll being unraveled. The great light that flared from where its eyes were also glimmered through the spaces where some of the binding ropes were looser. Perhaps there was something buried under all that rope; the source of that green light itself. Shining Armor only needed to work out this knot and he might just secure a foothold into Equestria's blasted ruins.
He let out his spell. By now, the pegasi had all flown to safety, allowing him to redirect the magic he was using to shield them onto himself. A purple dome materialized in around him and then exploded outward as he channeled a great portion of his remaining strength into a shield. The ropes converging on him bounced off briefly. They tried to wrap around the sphere, but it grew in size so quickly that they stretched and snapped.
The explosive growth of his shield worked as Shining Armor hoped it would. The rope-pony couldn't react fast enough and the physical barrier smashed into it with the force of a catapult strike. It flew off its monstrous mount, taking its whirling ropes with it.
"Now!" Shining Armor yelled out.
Without the ropes to entangle them, Sentry's pegasi, and Aldric's griffons swiftly closed in on the beast with their weapons. They tempered their rapid, opportunistic advance with caution, however. Flash led the way with swooping, but shallow cuts, his blade finding purchase despite the stiff, crystalline fur that armored the beast. More chunks of crystal fell to the floor, covered partially with purple goop that appeared to serve as the beast's blood. The eagle griffon's jabbed at the thing with their spears, never thrusting too deeply to get stuck. Hawk griffons peppered the beast with arrows, forcing it to fall back to get to its rider.
Shining Armor was faster, however. He cast another teleportation spell, wincing as more of his flagging strength leaked out into the spell. He put himself between the beast and its rider, unmindful of just how risky this move was.
The rope-pony's extended body parts retracted completing its body once more, and hiding the exposed spaces that leaked green light. Its "eyes" flared. Shining Armor didn't know if that was supposed to indicate some sort of emotion. If it did, he liked to think that he was starting to anger or frighten it. Hopefully both.
The ropes extended again. They didn't form lassos this time, however. They lashed out at Shining Armor with vicious force, strong enough to leave gouges along the hard, cracked ground they stood on. A force field would be useful now, as was that barding he had cast aside to help Cadence keep him aloft. However, Shining Armor had dismissed his spell in order to conserve his magic. He had, at best, a couple more spells to throw before going dry. His head was pounding from the strain, and it was getting harder and harder to focus. The rest of his body wasn't doing as great. He was panting, almost gasping for air. His legs burned along with his lungs, and sweat drenched nearly every inch of his fur. He looked briefly behind him, desperately hoping for incoming reinforcements, though expecting none whatsoever. The beast kept Sentry and Aldric busy enough.
Cadence was probably on her way. She was the fresher caster between the two of them, and possessed more latent magical power. She was, however, a notoriously poor flyer, known for running out of stamina very quickly. That she had lifted him, barding and all, for an extended period of time was more proof of her indomitable will than her physical conditioning. He could really use her magic at the moment, but he settled into dealing with this problem for a while before she could get here, even with teleportation spells.
Now, what exactly to throw at this monster before it could reunite with its mount, or overwhelm him with even more reinforcements? He had lost his spear much earlier in the battle, but still had his sword strapped. It could probably serve to cut down some of his opponent's attacks, but it was going to take magic to break this monster down.
Several coils of rope dropped to the ground and slithered towards Shining Armor. A few more rose up from the rope-pony's back like angry scorpion stingers. Their ends knotted into heavy balls. As they untangled from the main body, the same green light seeped out from the openings again. Shining Armor found his target. He charged in so quickly that several ropes overreached, and flew past him. One knotted end smashed into the ground so hard that the hard earth cracked. That blow would have broken bones if it landed. The temptation to shield up tugged at Shining Armor, but he didn't want to waste too much energy just to save himself.
As soon as he got in range for a sword cut, Shining Armor suddenly stopped, his hooves skidding as he forced a turn to the right. He drew his sword and sheathed it in magical energy. 'That's one,' Shining Armor thought.
At the sight of this, the rope-pony's eyes flared even brighter. More of its body unwound, and Shining Armor confirmed what he suspected. Underneath the rope exterior was a nebulous, pony-shaped, green glow. His instincts screamed target, but Shining Armor didn't rush in just yet. Partly because the swarm of ropes coming at him spelled death by strangling, whipping, or being torn apart, at the slightest mistake, and partly because there was something else past that glow. A small dark speck was floating past the ropes and the light. He just had to get a better look...
The moment Shining felt something brush against his back hoof, he knew he was in trouble. In a fraction of a second, he was dangling in mid air, a lone rope wound around his fetlock. His sword cut through it, but several more caught him before he could even fall a foot. Again, his shield spell flashed in his mind. He grunted as the ropes started to pull his limbs apart. He glanced at his enemy, then at his surroundings. He had knocked the rope-pony farther into the enemy lines. Some of his troops and the reinforcements were trying to reach him, but they clashed with enemy reinforcements. The best they could do was keep things at a stalemate so he could fight this creature one-on-one.
"One last!" Shining Armor grunted. He bid his time just a bit longer, waiting for the rope-pony to show some kind of overconfidence. It was a bit of a gamble, thinking that these monsters were prone to lapses of bad judgment, but it paid off. More ropes unwound from the monster, revealing a large enough section of that nebulous green glow. That small speck was a bit more visible now. It appeared to be a piece of metal attached to a short length of chain, like a piece of jewelry. That looked about as much a focus as it could get. Shining Armor cast his spell, disappearing from the grasping ropes and reappearing in front of the rope-pony. His enchanted blade cut through the last ropes it could muster in defense even, plunging deep into its glow. His sword point drove into the light as if it were tough, resistant flesh. Shining Armor pushed with all his remaining telekinetic might, but the point stopped a mere fraction of an inch short.
The sudden, high-pitched "cry", sent vibrations across Shining Armor's blade. He nearly dropped it telekinetically from the surprise. It wasn't the suddenness of the outburst, strange as it was, that gripped him. The voice that emerged...it sounded kind of familiar. It was a pony's cry he heard. Not only that, he knew this specific pony. He just needed to attach a name...
The knotted end of a rope smashed into the side of Shining Armor's face with the dull crack of his jaw fracturing. The next thing he knew, he was on the ground, with several ropes already circling his torso and legs. The rope-pony was still shrieking, and his sword remained fastened to that green glow. The ropes twisted and turned as the rope-pony writhed in agony, dragging Shining Armor against the ground. Sharp rocks and the unyielding ground scraped painfully against his hide.
Shining Armor tugged at the ropes around him, desperately trying to loosen them before the rope-pony's agonized thrashings killed him. It was all in vain. His vision was still swimming from that vicious knock to the face. His muscles burned, his many scrapes bled profusely, and all the wild motion made it impossible to get a good view of his bindings.
Several pink beams cut through the bindings, followed by a quick flash of magic. In an instant, Cadence was standing next to Shining Armor and helping him up. "Sorry, I took so long," Cadence said. Each word left left her mouth accompanied by a pant. "Furies everywhere...ponies needed help." She looked at his banged up body, and prepared to cast another spell. "You're hurt. I can..."
Shining Armor put a hoof against her lips. "Not on me," he said. "I'll be fine." He looked towards the thrashing rope-pony, and pointed at his still impaled sword. Some of his magic still lingered around the blade. "Channel your magic into that," he said.
Cadence nodded, and pointed her horn at the rope-pony. Magic surged, bathing her in a nimbus of crackling pink arcs. She shut her eyes tightly for a second and grunted, sweat pouring from her brow. 'Come on, Cadence,' he thought.
A blast of magic finally exploded. For all its...pink, Cadence's magic was as devastating as she needed to be. Several beams of light converged on his sword, and poured into the rope-pony's center. It shrieked even louder as light built up within it. Shining Armor winced. The pained cry sounded so familiar, it felt as if he was hearing a friend getting hurt. An explosion followed, forcing Shining Armor to duck, and cover his face. Cadence's wing draped over him when she ducked, and covered as well.
The massive blast send large chunks of the blasted earth flying over them. To make matters worse, the still-surviving spell furies shrieked as well. Eventually, all the noise faded away, allowing both of them to stand and survey the field. The first thing that came to Shining Armor's mind was to check on the giant beast this creature was riding on. He turned around, hoping to find his allies victorious, but already expecting to do some more fighting. It was just in time as well. At the sight of the rope-pony's destruction, the beast howled forlornly, and charged towards his direction. Shining Armor braced himself.
Before the beast could cross the distance, however, an armored minotaur, almost as tall as the beast was, slammed into it horns-first. Shards of crystal flew from the already badly-injured beast as it fell to the side. More minotaurs charged into fray. With enormous axes and hammers, they beat on the thing. For a second, it appeared as if the beast was about to rise and fight to its dying breath. However, it glanced towards the remains of the rope-pony and let out a whimper before laying still.
With the beast down, the minotaurs let out a victorious bellow. The griffons echoed it with their own cries. Even Flash Sentry and his exhausted pegasi let themselves cheer. Shining would have joined them too, but even shouting felt too hard. He stumbled onto his hooves and limped towards the fallen enemy leader. With the rope-pony destroyed, the charging shamblers and furies swiftly dwindled.
"Shining..." Cadence trotted after him, offering her shoulder for support. When she caught sight of the broken remains of the rope-pony, however, she let out a gasp, and put a hoof over her mouth.
Surrounded by a great number of broken, burnt rope was the fallen, limp body of an orange-coated mare. Her corn-yellow mane had fallen across her face, and her tail partly covered the apples adorning her flank. Shining Armor's blade, the steel partly melted, was still impaled in her chest. He had seen this pony before. Beside him, Cadence mouthed a name, but her soft, confused murmur was lost to the loud victory cries. He looked towards the fallen beast. Where there was once a vicious, crystalline hound, their now lay a small, brown and white dog. The minotaurs and griffons nearby scratched their heads at the sight before moving on to join the Crystal Guard in their camp.
A Harsh Cure
Chapter 2: Moving On
Evening hardly made much of a difference across the alien sky that now looked down on Equestria. For a moment, Shining Armor pondered if it was still Princess Luna raising the moon. If the cycle of night and day continued, that meant that the princesses were alive, right? The continuing march of days should be a sign of hope.
Shining Armor shut his eyes tightly, and shook his head. He had replaced his ruined sword. Even if Cadence's magic hadn't destroyed it, he couldn't have brought himself to wield it again. He had sworn to use his weapons to protect Equestria and its citizens. And yet... He pushed the thoughts away just as he pushed back the tent's flap.
"Good to see you still alive, Prince Shining Armor."
Shining Armor looked up. The stink of blood and sweat still clung to him, and the rest of the Crystal Guard were still dragging back bodies, but he already wanted to look ahead. He was in the biggest tent in the camp, one that served as the Crystal Guard's war room. Several small, square tables had been lashed together to serve as a meeting table. Cadence sat by one end, gesturing for him to sit by her side. Nearby were representatives of the two nations the Crystal Empire had called to for help.
Knight Aldric grinned at him despite nursing an injured wing. His companion, however, proved less flippant. Shining Armor didn't recognize the crow griffon that sat by the table, he was familiar with the practice. The rare crow griffons did not enjoy a stellar reputation in the UGA. They had naturally shifty looks, combining the upper half of the cunning crow and the lower half of a stealthy panther. They practiced dangerous magic, sometimes through repulsive rituals. Several uprisings led by their cults certainly did little to improve relations with their eagle and hawk brethren. Nevertheless, no aerie lord was stupid enough to not have a crow griffon adviser to provide counsel with magical matters. Military positions followed the same logic. Knight Aldric may lead the UGA's troops, but this crow griffon would have plenty of say regarding how they were deployed, especially given the highly magical nature of Equestria's situation.
Over to the minotaur side, Shining Armor recognized both representatives. Battlemaster Great Fortitude, clad from hoof to horns in thick, steel plates, led the Taurus Empire's troops. He was the biggest, most physically imposing, bull minotaur that Shining Armor had ever encountered, which likely contributed a great deal as to why he led. Next to him was Spring Attack, his companion and second. It was a rare thing for a satyr to rise to such a high-ranking position given their standing in the Taurus Empire as second-class citizens, but not impossible. Shining Armor knew the rumors that it was Spring Attack who ensured that no other battlemaster could undermine Great Fortitude through foul play, a common occurence in the Taurus Empire's confrontational politics.
Shining Armor took his place next to Cadence. "I'm glad to find all of you here in a time of Equestria's great need," he said. "Thank you for heeding our call."
Great Fortitude snorted loudly. "Drop the niceties, Prince Shining Armor," he said. "The emperor didn't send troops because he was worried about your precious pony princesses." Cadence glared at him at that remark. "We're here to nip any more magical problems in the bud. The last thing the empire needs is dangerous pony magic leaking into our lands."
"One thing need not cancel out the other, battlemaster," Shining Armor said. "You still came to our aid. You are far from the only one concerned with this magical disaster."
"We would like to know what you have discovered so far," the crow griffon said.
"That's High Mediator Alessio," Cadence whispered.
Shining Armor's eyes widened. Having an aerie lord alone would have shown a great deal of investment from the UGA. The High Mediator presided over the council of aerie lords that served as the ruling body of the UGA. Having him here was certainly reassuring...and dangerous. "We are as lost on this matter as any of you, I"m afraid," he replied. "All our attempts to scout out what happened have been repulsed by these monsters."
Alessio scratched the feathers beneath his chin. "The residual magic is surprisingly uniform," he said.
"Indicating that all of this came from one caster," Shining Armor said. "We've figured out that much, High Mediator."
Great Fortitude thumped the table with a fist. "Then we find this caster, and gut him," he said. "Or her. Sounds straightforward enough."
Shining Armor shook his head. He knew what the source of the residual magic was. "Simple doesn't cut it, battlemaster," he said. "We are operating blind here. I would prefer getting a small force in to see the truth of the matter before we start marching armies in there."
"You're referring to the pony that the enemy leader turned into when it died," Spring Attack said. "Seems like this magical disaster's turned your kin into monsters, and you're not too keen on killing the lot of them."
Shining Armor's eyebrows furrowed, but he bit back an angry reply.
It was Aldric who spoke instead. "The UGA's willing to wait a bit as long as there aren't any threats coming our way," he said. "Of course, I want to make sure that there are griffon eyes in this small force you're interested in sending in."
"That is advisable," Alessio added. "I would like to know more details as to what caused this. For all we know, the Aeries are already on the verge of committing the same thing."
"Magic-users," Great Fortitude snorted. "Can't leave well enough alone. Fine. If it's a small force you're putting together, I want some of my troops to be part of it as well. The rest of us will secure Equestria's borders to make sure none of these fiends make it out. We will not wait forever though, Shining Armor. You had better find the strength to finish your corrupted ponies if no other choice shows up."
Shining Armor nodded.
"There's still the matter of these persistent attacks," Great Fortitude added. "We still have most of our Third Army stuck by the Crystal Empire's borders, your highnesses, the Taurus Empire would be able to help more if you actually allowed us to get to where we're needed."
"The Crystal Empire greatly appreciates your eagerness to aid us, Great Fortitude," Cadence said. "But you must understand that it's not easy to just let multiple battalions of minotaur heavy infantry past our borders. And that's not considering your ur-priests."
Great Fortitude rested his massively-horned head against his hand. The table creaked at the weight. "Princess Cadence, I assure you that if we wanted to conquer, you would most definitely know. As for our ur-priests, we've been trying to convince you since you first gained control of the Crystal Heart that they're not interested in siphoning power from it."
"I will see to your troops' movement," Cadence said. "They will get to where they need to be, but only under careful watch."
Discussion turned to logistics, but Shining Armor had trouble keeping up with talks. His jaw still hurt despite Cadence's healing spells, and his thoughts were elsewhere. He still held on to the hope that he would find Twilight safe at the heart of this growing madness. But if Applejack's fate left him cold and trembling within. Great Fortitude expected him to find the strength to finish off those who would be corrupted. What if all of the Elements of Harmony had ended up like this? He tried to imagine himself stabbing each of them in the heart.
When the meeting concluded, Cadence draped a wing over Shining Armor as they walked towards their tent. "Are you alright?" she asked. "You must be exhausted."
"I am," Shining Armor replied. It wasn't much of a bed that awaited him in his tent, but sweet sleep beckoned to him. He shook his head. "I'll have to decide who goes into this incursion team."
"I know of several reliable unicorns," Cadence said. "And that Flash Sentry is certainly a capable fighter. I'm sure they'll--"
"I will lead this effort," Shining Armor said.
"I expected that," Cadence replied. "Then, I'll go too."
Shining Armor stopped briefly and put his front hooves on Cadence's shoulders.
"Don't tell me I shouldn't!" Cadence snapped. "You'll need me, especially if you run across another one of these leaders."
They both fell silent for a while. "I will, won't I?" Shining Armor asked.
Cadence nodded, and wiped away a trickle of tears from her face. "After seeing the first one, I'm afraid the chances are good that you will." Her face hardened. "That's why I have to go with you."
"Somepony has to stay and direct the Empire," Shining Armor said softly. "You promised to supervise the Taurus Empire's troop movements."
"I can appoint someone!" Cadence said. "I--!"
"It has to be one of us," Shining Armor insisted. He glanced sideways briefly. "And if disaster strikes this mission..."
"Don't even say that," Cadence whispered. She held him close, and nuzzled his neck. "As dearly as I want to save who we can in Equestria, you are dearest to my heart. I'll watch it all be washed away before I lose you." She pulled back and held chin up with a hoof. "I'll stay because you're right, one of us has to. But promise me, dear husband, that disaster may strike this mission, but it will not strike you."
Shining Armor smiled, and pressed her hoof against him just a little harder. "I promise."
Tomorrow morning came all too swiftly for Shining Armor. Long, tender moments aside, he had agreed with his wife's recommendations. Two pegasi from the Crystal Guard will accompany him: Flash Sentry, and Lightning Dust, who had proven herself quite well over at the southwestern fortifications. Surprisingly, two of the best that the Crystal Guard's pegasi could offer were not even actual crystal ponies. These two would be highly-motivated. Shining Armor already knew that Flash Sentry's parents and his three siblings had a fine home in Manehatten. He didn't know much of this Lightning Dust, but the dark, eager look around her suggested that she must be looking for somepony in Equestria too.
For unicorns, he would be their best caster, but he had Moon Lance as a highly capable assistant. Moon Lance was a crystal pony, and had done more than his part to hold the line in yesterday's battle. Moon Lance was a young stallion, his coat the color of uncut turquoise, and his mane a carefully cut mass of sapphire strands. The horror of Equestria's sudden ruin and the days of constant battle had not completely taken away the gleam of optimism from those emerald eyes.
For the UGA, Knight Aldric looked ready to go himself, but allowed responsibilities to rein him in for once. He was sending Knight Gilda, a rather irritable-looking eagle griffon, Gustaf, a gaunt, hawk griffon archer, and Georg, a crow griffon. The minotaurs offered a heavily-armed and armored warrior: Whirlwind, and a satyr ur-priest called Combat Casting; Combat for short.
"Are you sure, these will be enough?" Cadence asked as she gave Shining Armor his helmet.
"Any more would make us to conspicuous," Shining Armor replied. He glanced towards the minotaur warriors, who were stomping their hooves and snorting in anticipation. "I think we'll have our hooves full with those two alone."
"Be wary of the ur-priest," Cadence whispered. "Especially if whatever caused this destruction looks the least bit exploitable."
Shining Armor could still feel his sister's presence through the glowing cracks. Cadence didn't need to warn him. He knew all about ur-priests, and their penchant for stealing magical power. Minotaurs and satyrs held no natural spell-casting ability. They did, however, have ties to their mad, nameless, creator deity, a monstrous being imprisoned for all eternity in Tartarus. Ur-priests specialized in siphoning power from this being. Minotaurs and satyrs alike didn't think of it as stealing. They felt that their races were owed this power by their reckless progenitor. That was all well and fine, but centuries of mastering the art of surreptitiously siphoning power from one source made ur-priests really good at spell-theft. Cadence didn't want them anywhere near the Crystal Heart for good reasons. Crow griffons may be shifty, but ur-priests had the penchant, and the experience. Shining Armor only had one answer to anything abusing his sister's immense magical potential.
"I'll cut him down myself if he tries anything out of line," he whispered back.
Cadence nuzzled him one last time before flying off to meet with Great Fortitude. Shining Armor looked towards his group.
"Highness, do we have a destination?" Flash Sentry asked. "Is it Canterlot?"
Though Flash's lips said "Canterlot", his eyes begged to say "Manehatten". Shining Armor shook his head. "Not Canterlot," he said. "Ponyville."
Knight Gilda gave annoyed click of her tongue. "Not that place again," she muttered. Her two companions did not recognize the name.
Whirlwind, scratched short, brown fur of his chin, and snorted. He was massive, even for a minotaur, likely bigger than the rest of the group put together, bedecked in enough metal to forge swords and shields for all of them. A huge hammer, sized to be wielded two-handed even by such a massive warrior, was slung across his back. "That's not the name of an important settlement," he said in a deep, rumbling basso. "It sounds like a backwater farming village."
"It is, you know," Knight Gilda said.
"Then, why are we making it our destination?" Whirlwind asked. "We're here to find the truth behind this disaster, aren't we?" He glared at Shining Armor. "Perhaps, the prince wants to make a stop just to check on his loved ones."
"Don't be an idiot, minotaur," Lightning Dust said. She didn't take her eyes off the south. "The Elements of Harmony are in Ponyville, not Canterlot, a disaster this massive has to involve them."
"Dust!" Sentry snapped.
Lightning Dust shrugged her shoulders, and glanced back at Sentry. "What? The Taurus Empire's going to know at some point." She shifted her gaze to Whirlwind. "At least this guy knows we're not screwing around."
"Perhaps you have been," Whirlwind growled. "Keeping such powerful magical artifacts in backwater farming village. Were they in some glass case for display in a place anyone can go to gawk at them? By the nameless one, you ponies have been spoiled by your natural gift for magic."
"That's enough," Shining Armor said.
Shining Armor had seen the reports on Lightning Dust when she joined the Crystal Guard: impetuous and arrogant, her superiors were quick to point out, but certainly dedicated, ambitious, and physically gifted. He had hoped the Guard's discipline would temper her. The previous battles to safeguard the Crystal Guard had proved just that, but that didn't mean she had lost her rough edges. In her barding, with her blade at her side and her spear across her back, she certainly looked the part of a gallant, disciplined warrior. At least until one got to her un-helmeted head. Her golden mane was swept back, to keep strands from falling into her eyes. She had a sharpness to her, from her look, to her features, to even her mane-style. There was a firebrand under that disciplined veneer, Shining Armor expected to use it well. Doing so would require controlling that lip though.
Next to her, Flash Sentry looked more reliable. Shining Armor didn't need reports. He had worked with Sentry on multiple occasions, not even including the desperate last few days. Sentry was reliable, disciplined, and tough. An easy fit, not just for this mission, not just for his abilities, but also because the familiarity helped Shining Armor stay at ease. Unlike Lightning Dust, who didn't seem to have a personal stake on finding specific survivors, Sentry was obviously concerned for Manehatten's state and that of his family's, a possible liability, but Shining Armor was more glad to have something in common with somepony on the team.
Combat laid a hand on Whirlwind to calm the big minotaur down. Though he distrusted ur-priests as much as Cadence did, Shining Armor suspected that he was going to rely a great deal on this satyr.
If Whirlwind did all he could to appear as big and intimdating as possible, Combat appeared to be doing the opposite. Satyrs were only half as tall as minotaurs. Their gaunt faces, their gangly limbs, and their tendency to hunch over, aided in making themselves appear smaller. Combat, however, had gone to the extra mile in making himself appear weak and pathetic. His stiff black fur came out in unkempt patches. A few bald spots marred his neck and portions of his face. Crude, dark brown string, likely gut, tied together his long, ratty goatee. One of his back-curving horns was broken in half. The other had its tip missing.
"It's as Lightning Dust says. Ponyville will hold our answers." Shining Armor continued. He pulled out a map, and traced a route southward. From the Crystal Empire's borders, it was a southwestern push, just brushing past Cloudsdale, then by the base Canterlot, then Ponyville. The state they would find Cloudsdale in would provide more clues to just how badly messed up Equestria's environment had become. Likewise, even a pass by Canterlot might show how the princesses were. If they were lucky, they would find survivors from either of these places to work with.
Then it was onwards to Ponyville, where he expected these glowing cracks and fissures to congregate. From the looks of the devastation, it was entirely possible that there wasn't even going to be a Ponyville, just a gigantic crater filled with residual magic. Destination set, Shining Armor led his party into Equestria.
The first few hours proved a grim, but encounter-less trek. Typical of an explosive destruction, the outer reaches of Equestria proved the least damaged. Shining Armor had hoped that he could follow the river from the Crystal Mountains up to Cloudsdale at least, but the water had disappeared, and the ground was so badly damaged, that any traces of a riverbed had disappeared. This was going to be an additional obstacle. He was missing landscapes. Farther in, where the destruction was greater, things were likely worse. The pegasi and the griffons scouted ahead carefully. All it would take was leading a swarm of furies to their location, and things would quickly escalate. Each scouting trip brought similar results. Nothing was appearing as it did on the map.
It was when they had to check their direction that other problems grew evident. Shining Armor had pulled out a compass while consulting with his map, only to discover that the needle was spinning wildly. The sky itself didn't help. The sun was nowhere to be seen, but sunlight still filtered through the purple tinged atmosphere. There was no telling their direction through the sun's position. As of now, they were in a rocky plane, full of jagged outcroppings that allowed for a great many hiding places.
"I could try a location spell," Moon Lance suggested.
Shining Armor considered it. Something was clearly wrong with the magic around Equestria. Casting spells deeper into the realm might be hazardous, but it was better to try it now, while they were relatively safe and close to the edges, than discover the consequences of spellcasting when they were much deeper in. Location spells varied in strength: a weak one helped the caster spot a missing toothbrush in a slightly cluttered bathroom, stronger ones could follow week-old tracks after several days of rain. A spell to determine their cardinal locations shouldn't be high on the power scale. Shining Armor nodded, and Moon Lance's horn started glowing.
Shining Armor's eyes narrowed when several motes of purple light seemed to dance around Moon Lance's horn, like tiny fireflies attracted to his magic. He glanced towards the others. Moon Lance didn't seem to mind, neither did anyone else. He blinked, and shook his head. Perhaps he was just seeing things. Nothing bad seemed to be happening to Moon Lance anyway.
"We're still on the right track," Moon Lance said. He cancelled his spell, and shook his head briefly.
"You alright, Moon Lance?" Shining Armor asked.
"I'm getting this strange stabbing sensation in my head," Moon Lance said. He rubbed his temples with his hooves. "Nothing too bad, though. I wouldn't recommend casting anything if you don't really need it."
Whirlwind snorted, and banged his armored fists together. "No major loss," he said.
Lightning Dust snorted. "Good luck punching those spell furies, minotaur," she said. "A bunch of your fellows tried, and lost fingers for their trouble."
Whirlwind raised himself up before growling. "You have a sharp tongue, horse-bird, be careful I don't blunt it with my hammer."
Lightning Dust merely smirked, and hovered ahead.
"Let's keep moving," Shining Armor said.
A Harsh Cure
Chapter 3: Determining a Path
It took another hour of slowly trekking through the wastes before the group finally encountered a landmark they could use. The pegasi swooped in from scouting out Cloudsdale, while the griffons swiftly followed after checking out Canterlot.
"We've got half of Cloudsdale still floating up there," Lightning Dust said.
Surprisingly, it was Knight Gilda who reacted first. "Survivors?" she asked. She tapped her talons against the ground impatiently.
"Didn't see anypony," Lightning Dust replied. Her expression darkened further. "Well...we saw something."
Beside Lightning Dust, Flash Sentry nodded. "There's some kind of monstrous...thing flying around Cloudsdale's remains," he said. He glanced away, lips grim and straight. "It didn't resemble a spell fury. Given the identity of the last unique monster we encountered..."
"That would be assuming too much, Sentry," Shining Armor said. "Let's just take note that Cloudsdale must be being used as some kind of outpost." He looked to Knight Gilda and the other griffons. "What about Canterlot?"
"Correct me if I'm wrong, your highness," Gustaf said. "But I'm assuming that Canterlot isn't supposed resemble a mountain of gems to make even a dragon blush."
"No," Shining Armor said. "Did you spot some kind of unique monster in there as well?"
"Not visually," Georg rasped. His talons plucked nervously on some beads he was wearing around his neck. "I sensed such a creature through magic. Something has settled in the capital, and has been doing a lot of redecorating. From the taste, you'd think it was some kind of demon magpie. I also confirm what Moon Lance felt earlier. This place is affecting any magic, not just unicorns."
"What of the princesses?" Shining Armor asked. "Any sign of either Princess Celestia or Princess Luna?"
Georg shook his head. "Knight Gilda and Gustaf searched high and low while I magically scanned as thoroughly as possible," he said. "Not even a trace."
Shining Armor cursed under his breath. He had expected this, but he had hoped to have found something by now: a stray group of surviving ponies, one of the royalty, his sister. Especially his sister. The barrenness of the surrounding land was becoming more and more oppressive. As they moved deeper and deeper into Equestria, even the groups of shamblers and furies had stopped appearing. The still, stagnant air seemed to magnify even the smallest sound. Each ragged breath they took, each loose pebble that skittered across the ground, each clink of their armor and weapons, grated on Shining Armor. Equestria, his beautiful homeland, was never this silent and drab. The songs of birds, the lively talk among ponies, the normal hubbub of daily life, always filled the air. Every turn showed vibrant colors and pleasant sights.
"We push onward then," Shining Armor said. "Ponyville will answer some questions."
"It better," Knight Gilda muttered. She took a gulp from her canteen, and fell in line with the rest of the group as Shining Armor took the lead. Lightning Dust's report seemed to have knocked some wind out of her. Shining Armor thought it was odd when Lightning Dust herself, who was born in Cloudsdale, didn't seem too perturbed. Indeed there was some kind of eager look to her. She had seen something in Cloudsdale, perhaps in that unique monster flying around it.
Ponyville wasn't far off from where they were. Indeed, they could already see where it on the horizon. Shining Armor's eyes narrowed a the side of what would be his sister's force field encapsulating all of Ponyville. Was that a protection spell? Had Twilight managed to save the village at least? He wanted to believe so, even though he knew that Applejack had apparently not enjoyed that protection.
Getting to Ponyville, however, became increasingly difficult. Massive, glowing crevasses made traveling by land nearly impossible. On several occasions, they had to rely on teleportations and their flyers carrying the others across.
"Thanks for being a gigantic, armored slab of steak, Whirlwind," Knight Gilda said as she and the other griffons air-lifted the minotaur across a deep chasm. "I needed the workout!"
"You're welcome, griffon," Whirlwind replied. "I like my drumsticks lean."
That was the last chasm they had to cross before they finally got close enough. For their troubles, they were greeted by the impassive purple walls of Twilight's barrier. Combat Casting held on to his bone-linked necklace and extended a palm towards the force field. "Impressive magical strength," he said. He looked to the others, Shining Armor, Moon Lance, and Georg in particular. "We're not going through this any time soon."
Shining Armor, his horn also glowing as he examined the powerful barrier that encapsulated Ponyville, could only nod. This massive dome had all the signatures of Twilight's spellcasting. But it was off. He had worked with magical shields for most of his life, and he knew more than anypony about stability, strength, and other variables. This one's construction just felt...sick. The size was impressive, without a doubt, but it gave off the presence of a gigantic tumor, a diseased thing feeding on Twilight's magic. It had to go, and further examination already gave him a clue.
"Perhaps not soon," Shining Armor said. "But it's not impossible. This shield is already damaged."
"Aye," Georg said. "I can sense it, like hairline cracks on a fine diamond. The thing is, even a cracked diamond is extremely difficult to break."
"Then we shall add more cracks!" Whirlwind said. "Clearly, we've done something already to weaken this thing. We just need to do more."
Shining Armor concentrated further, forcing himself to look beyond the horrid state of this shield and what it could mean for the seeming source of it. What had been done to damage this thing? The only unique thing the Crystal Empire and its allies had done was...
The answer was obvious of course. He glanced at the others. The casters among the group were quick to recognize it as well, but the rest were only a few moments behind to get a grasp of the situation. "This shield is being powered externally," he said. "If we break its sources, it will weaken enough for an onslaught."
"We already killed one of its sources," Whirlwind said with a grin. "And we already know where two others might be. Things are looking up."
"No, Whirlwind," Shining Armor said. "No, it's not."
"Your highness," Flash Sentry said. "What do we do next? Do we return to the Crystal Empire and regroup?"
Lightning Dust crossed her front hooves across her chest. "Empire troops will take forever to clear a wide enough path to this place! And that's not counting working with our neighbors here. It's already a miracle we even got them to the borders."
Shining Armor shook his head. "We should...but we can't. There's a time element to consider as well." He looked to the shield. "This thing is pulsing, like a very nasty boil about to burst. I don't think we have the option of spending enough time to get our main forces here."
"He's right," Georg said. "The Aerie Lords will squawk forever about how many troops to devote to this endeavor."
"Imperial troops will get mired on the way," Combat added. "And we'd insist on clearing every location. If we want to break this shield down and get to the source of this madness, we can't wait for a full frontal assault."
Flash Sentry looked around worriedly. "Highness, what exactly do you mean by 'burst'?"
Shining Armor's frown deepened. "I don't know," he said. He closed his eyes, trying to piece together some conclusion with all these little fragments of familiar elements in the magical shield before him. All he could focus on was what Twilight had to do with this. Was she trapped somewhere inside that dome, being forcibly drained of her magic to power this thing. Or was she standing at the center of this madness as its willing perpetrator?
"Your highness?" Flash Sentry asked again.
"We can only guess, Sentry," Shining Armor said at last. "That's why we're trying to get to the heart of this. I suspect, however, that the initial magical blast that ruined Equestria is only a herald, the first effect of some kind of spell."
Combat Casting scratched his goatee. "That's an ominous conclusion, your highness," he said.
"The flow of magic since that first explosion hasn't stopped," Shining Armor said. He pawed the ground, and looked a his armored hoof, wrinkling his nose at the lingering magic on the grains of dirt clinging to the metal. "This is all one spell: the blast, the devastation, those monsters pouring out, and this shield. The longer we wait, the more time we give it to complete. I don't want to see what lies at the end of this spell."
"Then let's get moving!" Whirlwind said. He hefted his hammer across his shoulders.
"That flying one doesn't look like it's going to leave Cloudsdale any time soon," Lightning Dust said. "Unless it's stupid enough to let us bait it into charging to where the rest of the group is." She smirked. "Well, if it is Rainbow Dash..."
Knight Gilda glared at Lightning Dust. "Is that why you're so eager?" she asked.
Lightning Dust shrugged. "I wouldn't mind pitting myself against whatever monster Rainbow Dash...or the Element of Kindness. Whichever that monster is."
"It's true that the first unique encounter we faced was Applejack, the Element of Honesty," Georg said. "And that these immense sources of power could be responsible for her unique appearance in comparison to the rank and file of these creatures. But perhaps it's too early to assume that the others followed."
"We'll see then," Lightning Dust said. "I'll bring the flying monster's head, and watch with the rest of you if it transforms into Rainbow Dash's." She flapped her wings as if to take off for Cloudsdale already, but Flash Sentry stood in her way.
"Stop right there, Dust," Flash Sentry said. "We move out when his highness says so."
Lightning Dust snorted. "You sure you have the right cutie mark there, Flash?" she asked. "I think it should show a nose that's a particular color!"
To his credit, Flash Sentry simply frowned, and held his ground.
Shining Armor pondered for a while. He didn't know the extent of Lightning Dust's animosity towards one of his sister's friends, but that was hardly important. It shouldn't be that surprising either that the griffons knew much about Equestria's most powerful sources of magic. It wasn't like Equestria ever bothered to hide it. All the UGA's agents had to do was ask around and they'd eventually know all about the Elements of Harmony and the names of the individuals that currently abandoned them. The more pressing concern however, was whether he should split the party up or concentrate their efforts.
Their time constraints meant that they had to break this dome down as quickly as possible. Defeating multiple sources of what's powering it right away would make things swifter. Especially if it was true that the Elements of Harmony had turned. That would be five.
Shining Armor shut his eyes tightly for a brief moment. No, it was six. By the Crystal Heart, even considering it felt like some small betrayal. Besides, if this was Twilight's shield, she should be inside, unlike the others. She could be better off. Or worse.
The problem was that he may be underestimating these creatures. It took the combined might of him, Cadence, and a number of troops to take down the monster Applejack had become. Separating his flyers would mean leaving a trio of griffons and two pegasi to deal with the flying monster. His ground team would just be him, Moon Lance, Whirlwind, and Combat Casting. A risky proposition. Without backup, a mistake in any of these fights would doom them, and guarantee that this spell would continue with its next phase before.
What a gamble it would be then. Play it safe now, and ensure the survival of his group. Put his trust in their fighting skills, and he might, just might, save somepony within that dome.
The others looked to him. Lightning Dust, Knight Gilda, and Whirlwind, looked the most eager to try. Flash Sentry, Moon Lance, and even Gustaf, didn't share that enthusiasm, but they were loyal soldiers ready to lay down their lives on his decision. Combat Casting and Georg appeared to have their doubts. Understandable. They had a better sense of the powerful magics at work here. Perhaps they were simply being pragmatic. Chances were, there were no more ponies left to save here. Not even the Elements of Harmony. Especially not the Elements of Harmony.
Another moment passed before Shining Armor made his decision. "Get ready," he said. "We're splitting up."
A Harsh Cure
Chapter 5: Settling the Score
"Cloudsdale Team" they were called. Nothing fancy. Lightning Dust didn't mind. She shared it with some decent fighters anyway. Knight Gilda looked pretty strong and capable, as well as motivated. She didn't seem to like the thought of taking out Rainbow Dash, but the thought of leaving it to somepony else didn't sit in well with her. Lightning Dust had trained with Flash Sentry, never did flat out beat him in a spar. He'd do. As for the other two: Gustaf the archer, and that creepy-looking magic crow, Georg, they better pull their weight. At least, they should stay out of her way.
Up ahead, the few remaining clouds of her once proud home city floated like scattered feathers. Not even a trace of Cloudsdale's buildings remained. If she didn't know that this was where Cloudsdale was supposed to be, she would have mistook those clouds for just a random, and odd, formation of clouds.
"Dust!" Flash Sentry called from behind. He took his place flying next to her, a frown already creasing his face. "You know, I recommended that you be picked for this mission because you're one of our best fighters," he said. "Not so you can gainsay our prince."
Lightning Dusk smirked. "Aw, did I embarrass you, Flash?" she asked. "Go buy him flowers, I'll pay."
"Sorry," Flash Sentry said. "I didn't realize treating your superior officer like your superior officer meant you wanted to rut him."
Lightning Dust didn't reply to that, preferring to take some small measure of satisfaction that Flash Sentry was having a bit of difficulty keeping up with her. She looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the monster she had seen earlier. There weren't a lot of places in Cloudsdale's ruins to hide in. Not that this monster was really interested in hiding. No, if this was Rainbow Dash, it was going to charge them at first sight. Now, if it were the other pony, the rather timid one who was supposed to be the Element of Kindness, they might be in more trouble. She banked on that not being the case.
The Elements of Harmony had been somewhat celebrities in Equestria since the restoration of the Crystal Empire. Though she had left Equestria for the Crystal Empire following her failure to join the Wonderbolts, Lightning Dust still kept up with the news. Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie; the great heroines of Equestria, the Elements of Harmony, responsible for saving the land several times. It wasn't hard at all to get plenty of information about them. Applejack, a frequent participant in rodeos and known for her roping skills, had turned into some kind of ground-based rope monster. These transformations were still based on something. Following that trend, any flying monsters would be one of the two pegasi. Fluttershy, however, was often derided as a winged earth pony, both for her terrible flying and her affinity with plants and animals. She wouldn't be up here, flying around like she owned the skies. No, the monster here had to be Rainbow Dash.
"Hey!"
The griffons had finally caught up with Knight Gilda at the lead. She flew next to Lightning Dust, a death glare fixed on her face already. "Don't blow your stamina out showing off, dweeb, we're here to save what's left of your precious kingdom, not win races."
Lightning Dust raised an eyebrow. "Dweeb? Oh, you hurt my feelings, Knight Gilda. Maybe later you'll put gum in my mane or give me a swirly."
"Dust," Flash Sentry said. He put himself between her and Knight Gilda. "We'll need a plan of attack. We saw how fast this monster was."
Lightning Dust snorted. True, the monster was fast. When they scouted this place out, the monster had circled the clouds only once. That quick pass already told her plenty. First, it was big, bigger than a pony, with enormous wings of multi-colored, scintillating wings; a dead ringer for Rainbow Dash, even if Lightning Dust didn't bother with the rest of her deduction. Second, it flew at great speeds, making it impossible to catch anymore details beyond the most obvious. "Do we?" she asked. "It's big and fast. We'll draw it out, surround it, and pick it apart."
"Sounds easy," Georg rasped. "But all plans sound easy when discussed in safety."
"Give me a few more days of scouting and I'll offer you a detailed report, crow," Lightning Dust said. "Oh wait, we don't have a few days because that ugly purple pimple around Ponyville's about to pop. If you want more details to make a better plan, we'll need to poke this thing and see what it actually does."
"True, we need to engage," Gustaf said. "But that doesn't mean we need to make it a decisive battle right away. We can always retreat and regroup once we determine its abilities. No need to get anyone killed."
"As Prince Shining Armor had suggested," Georg said. "I shall focus on magical analysis once we sight it. Keep it busy, and wait for my report be we either commit to the attack or fall back."
"Look at you, large and in charge," Lightning Dust said.
"You misunderstand me, Miss Dust," Georg said. "Crows never take charge. We do advise though, you'd be wise to listen."
Lightning Dust snorted again. "This is Rainbow Dash we're dealing with," she said. "I'm the stronger and faster flyer. We'll down her with this one attack."
Georg simply bowed his head and pulled out a necklace made of small, preserved, eyeballs from one of his robe's many pockets.
Knight Gilda's frown deepened. It took a lot for Lightning Dust not to laugh at the sight. The group flew in closer, and hovered at a spot that Lightning Dust and Flash Sentry knew the monster was going to pass.
"Knight Gilda looks ready to gut you," Flash Sentry whispered.
"Guess she knows Rainbow Dash too," Lightning Dust whispered back. "Maybe an old friend reluctant to see her go." Her grin widened. "Or maybe an old rival who wants to be the one to beat her, and can't stand the pony who keeps acting like she's got Rainbow Dash's number."
Flash Sentry let out a sigh. "I know about the Wonderbolts Academy incident, Lightning Dust," he said softly. "I overheard Shining Armor discuss it with the princess when we signed up. I even caught a glace at the letter Spitfire sent them."
"What about it?" Lightning Dust asked.
"If you're pushing for this immediate confrontation because you want to get back at Rainbow Dash..."
And Lightning Dust let out a brief laugh at last. "You're close, Flash," she said. "But not close enough. This isn't revenge."
"Then, what is--"
The flash of colors amidst the purple haze that was Cloudsdale cut Flash off. He and Lightning Dust drew their blades. Before they made their way to Cloudsdale, all of them already had their weapons enchanted. The monster was approaching and, at its rate, they'd have about a couple of seconds before the battle was joined.
The monster...Lightning Dust snorted. It was Rainbow Dash, so she may as well acknowledge it as Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash's transformation appeared more drastic than Applejack's. While the latter still retained the shape of a pony, the former had turned into something else completely. It was difficult to see the monster that owned the storm of prismatic feathers that blew around it. Lightning Dust squinted at the assault of colors. Sunlight struck the feathers, bouncing off them in a visually painful dazzle. Was this thing perpetually molting? It had to be regenerating those feathers just as quickly or it should be bald by now.
The fancy, highly distracting wings, were connected to a creature more lizard than pony. Her hairless, nearly transparent skin glistened, her red eyes had no irises and showed no emotion. In contrast to her ridiculously flamboyant wings, Rainbow Dash had become plain and streamlined. Her muscles, lithe and taut, bulged with each flap of her enormous wings. She had no visible mouth or ears, and her nose was nothing more than a small ridge on her pointed face.
"Well," Lightning Dust mumbled through her blade. "Time to check out what she can do!"
She zoomed in, pleased that Flash Sentry had not opted to scold her, instead flying close to back her up. Rainbow Dash answered her charge with a powerful flap of her wings. More feathers fluttered before them.
'What is this chicken move?' Lightning Dust thought. 'Can't even meet my charge?'
Several arrows whizzed past Lightning Dust, but the shots were all wide. Rainbow Dash didn't even bother evading.
'Great,' Lightning Dust thought. 'I've got a cross-eyed archer to back me up.' She moved in even closer. Rainbow Dash hadn't grown any claws or fangs. Her legs still looked a bit like pony legs, although her tail had turned into a smooth, lizard-like appendage. As Rainbow Dash gently flew back, Lightning Dust closed the distance, her blade swinging straight for the chest. Shining Armor had stabbed Applejack in the heart, where her Element of Harmony was apparently residing. The blast from Princess Cadence's magic had shattered the artifact and killed the monster. The same may be applied for Rainbow Dash.
The swing appeared to strike true, but all Lightning Dust felt was air. Nearby, Flash Sentry also swung and missed. Rainbow Dash answered by simply continuing her lazy flutter backwards. Knight Gilda let out a fierce cry, first swinging with her sword, following it up with a left claw. When both missed, she flapped her wings to hover briefly, bringing to bear her lion hind legs. Both claw strikes also missed.
"Damn!" Lightning Dust mumbled. "Is she some kind of ghost?"
"You three!" Georg called out. "Fall back!"
Flash Sentry sheathed his sword. "Dust, regroup!"
Lightning Dust brushed away some of the annoying feathers constantly fluttering around her. Even falling back felt like she was losing to Rainbow Dash. She swallowed her pride, and backed away, however. Rainbow Dash didn't seem interested in attacking. Several more arrows flew towards Rainbow Dash, but missed by a wide margin. How this stupid hawk griffon even got out of basic training was starting to baffle Lightning Dust.
"It's the feathers," Georg said once they were close enough. "They are distorting the light around it. The creature appears closer or further away depending on where you view it. That's why your attacks are missing."
"Then blow them away, crow," Lightning Dust said. "You can cast spells, right? A bit of wind should get rid of them!"
Georg opened his mouth, but the Lightning Dust heard nothing. The sight of the crow griffon disappeared into a blur of rainbow colors. Something struck Lightning Dust's shoulder, sending her spinning towards the ground. The struck shoulder burned in agony and her left foreleg hung limp. Even trying to move it hurt. It took several precious seconds for her to right herself and look around. More feathers fluttered around Lightning Dust, the tell-tale sign that it must have been Rainbow Dash's charge that struck her and the rest of the group. At a distance Flash Sentry and Knight Gilda had just recovered. Georg and Gustaf had to be nearby. The more important thing, however, was to locate Rainbow Dash before another charge ripped her in half.
Flash Sentry and Knight Gilda had recovered already. They didn't look as badly injured as her.
"Lightning Dust," Georg rasped. He was hovering behind her as it turned out.
"Wind please, crow," Lightning Dust said.
"Set your shoulder first," Georg replied. When Lightning Dust didn't do so right away, he grasped her left foreleg, and pushed it up. She cried out loudly as bolts of pain ran down her shoulder and spread to her leg and back. Georg muttered something in his language, and the pain diminished slightly.
Lightning Dust moved her left foreleg, grinning when it didn't hurt as much. "So you have a use after all," she said.
"Try to follow my example then, pegasus," Georg replied. He flew back and pointed the necklace of bones towards Rainbow Dash. His beak moved, and his other claw was clenched into some kind of sign. Lightning Dust didn't bother listening. It was humiliating enough that the enemy landed the first blow on her. That this crow was telling her to step up was more so.
Rainbow Dash was lazily circling them, not even bothering to maintain the blinding speed she used to smash the group.
'Lazy, typical," Lightning Dust thought. 'Never could push yourself.' She clamped down on her blade again and signaled towards Flash Sentry and Knight Gilda for a pincer attack.
A gust of wind finally came from Georg's direction, sending all the prismatic feathers spiraling away. The barrage of light distortion hurt Lightning Dust's eyes, forcing her to look away. For a few moments, she had a clear view of her target. Gustaf fired again, his quiver already have empty. This time, the arrows flew true. They would have found their mark, but Rainbow Dash was quick notice the change in the situation. As soon as her little light trick was neutralized, she flapped her wings hard, easily turning into a blur of colors.
"That's more like it!" Lightning Dust snarled. She flapped her wings hard. The feathers were only going to be gone for as long as Georg could maintain that wind, which wouldn't be for long. It didn't matter if it only lasted seconds, because the next one already saw Lightning Dust by Rainbow Dash's side, blade raised for a killing strike. She looked at those black eyes for a second, searching for, hoping for some sign of panic. Not even an "Oh, crap!" in those eyes. Well, it didn't matter. Her vision clear, Lightning Dust's blade struck true.
The glistening, translucent skin offered next to no resistance. Lightning Dust had sliced through tougher onions during her time in the Crystal Guard. Rainbow Dash's monstrous form was clearly built to be fast, and maneuverable. Heavy, bulky armor was out of the question. No blood leaked out, however. Instead, arcs of magic exploded out of the cut, like a small geyser of light.
Flash Sentry and Knight Gilda followed suit, but Rainbow Dash had already recovered and easily flew out of the way.
"Keep up!" Lightning Dust shouted at the two. She followed after Rainbow Dash. For a while, it seemed that she was the only one. Even Gustaf's arrows didn't seem able to catch up with them. Rainbow Dash stared at her with those insipid black eyes, not even able to give Lightning Dust the satisfaction of a pained screech. More feathers fluttered out of those ridiculous wings, and Lightning Dust's eyes were starting to hurt again. Soon, she'd start missing with her swings again, unless...
Before the feathers could take their effect, Lightning Dust strained her wings for one more burst, crashing into Rainbow Dash's torso and hanging on for dear life.