Friendships in the Mist

Abaddon awoke to the sound of chirping birds as the orange glow of the morning sun came through his tent. He stood up and yawned as he closed the opening and grabbed his armor. Each part of his suit were intricately smithed to make a hardened shell that was resilient to deadly blows, yet simple enough to equip and remove whenever he pleased. He strapped his spaulders along with his vambraces as they linked together in unison with other components. After armoring his legs, he reached for his helmet. He held it up and admired the way it looked like a weapon itself. Being crafted of the finest minerals and materials, its hue and form certainly struck fear to who ever gazed upon it. Positioning the helm over his head, he put it on and straightened it. Having completed his suit he then reached for his cloak, which to his surprise wasn't near him. He then remembered that he had left it with the strange girl he came across in his journey. With his entire body armored, Abaddon picked up his sword and exited the tent.

Shielding his eyes from the rising sun, he took a glance at his surroundings. Every inch of the area he had been on was bright and colorful. Flowers bloomed as the grass under his feet had a brilliantly healthy hue of green. His eyes strained as they tried to take in such a variety of colors. The campsite was small but spacious enough for his needs. He turned to his right to find his steed Acherus where he had left him during the night. In front of him was a small campfire pit that had been used, while on a log sleeping was the young woman he had rescued. He wondered how she was able to sleep with all the morning noise and light, but merely brushed it off as just over exhaustion. However as he looked beyond his encampment, he noticed that everything else was dark. The trees grew densely around the camp as a single opening in the canopy allowed some light to shine through. Yet even with that source of brightness, the forest around him looked as though it never knew the dawn; As if it remained in eternal night. Even though he was accustomed to the dark, this revelation made Abaddon wonder what true peril he had put himself in.

"Although this land would be a perfect mark for Avernus, I shouldn't stay long if I am to return back quickly", thought Abaddon.

He turned around and began removing his belongings outside of his tent. When he finally finished that task, he then proceeded to take down his temporary housing. Pulling on the stakes that held it up, he allowed the tent to collapse and flatten in order to fold it. As he finished rolling the tarps into bundles, he then stuffed them into a sack that was nearby. Abaddon then began picking up his things and putting them into saddle bags. While walking around and grabbing Items, he wondered how he would venture outward through this treacherous new environment. He certainly didn't know how he got here, and knew just as less how to get out. As he picked up a cup from the ground, the lord took a glance at the sleeping woman. He then remembered when he asked the timid girl questions the night before. She did agree when he asked if she lived nearby, but he never asked if the young lady knew her way. Hoping that he wouldn't soon have to wander aimlessly through a deadly forest, Abaddon finished picking up the last of his belongings and made his way towards the idle form of the maiden. He was about to grab and shake her when he was stopped by a familiar sight. Even though he had seen it more than enough times to recognize, the woman's complexion always had him step away in awe. The expression she had on her face was so peaceful, and the way she slept curled on the log only added to her innocent demeanor. His trance was then broken when he saw the girl begin to stir. As she started shaking and giving a slight frown, the man stepped back and watched the young woman rise from the log. The girl's bare form was unraveled as she sat up, catching Abaddon off guard. He expected the woman to suddenly scream for her nudity, but he noticed that the little maiden's eyes were still shut from the exhaustion. What happened next only surprised the lord.

"...Oh, good morning Angel.", yawned the drowsy woman. "I just had the most terrible dream with a dragon and an angry whispering man..." Abaddon was not amused by this remark but allowed her to continue. "He saved me from the dragon, but then he wanted to keep me prisoner and sell me to save his family." The man was baffled by the woman being completely oblivious to his presence, but he couldn't help but wonder one thing: Who was she referring to as Angel?

With sleep still claiming most of her body, she let out another quiet yawn. "I'm just glad that it was all just a dream...", sighed the timid maiden as she tried to stretch her arms outward. The attempt was halted however when she suddenly felt her arms wouldn't separate. She suddenly opened her eyes and looked up to where her hands were, only to find them bound in rope. The frail maiden then saw Abaddon standing in front of her. The two stared at one another until the girl suddenly felt a chill envelope her. Looking downward, her eyes widened in surprise when she noticed that her chest was exposed. Without giving Abaddon a chance to prepare, the woman gave a startled shriek as she grabbed the cloth and covered herself. The lord could hardly stop the ringing in his head as he tried to maintain his posture. After the noise subsided he looked back at the timid woman, who was now back to cowering in silence. With his mind at ease, Abaddon finally greeted the cowardly prisoner.

"Good morning small one. I take it you slept well?", asked the lord.

As he expected, the girl was back to giving him the silent tongue as she slinked back into a hunch. To his interest her voice was not raised above a whisper, much similar to his own voice. However he felt that it was pointless keeping quiet since he already knew that she could talk perfectly fine. With a gentler tone than he could take, he continued.

"I hoped that you are fully rested and awake. There is a long journey ahead of us and we mustn't waste any time being lazy", said the anxious warrior. His response was met with silence as the girl frowned at his command. Abaddon quickly corrected himself. "I mean, we wouldn't want to keep your family worried?" It was with those words that the young woman's face lit up with what appeared to be a smile. Abaddon couldn't tell the girl's expression since her face always showed a sense of worry. None the less he would accept any form of gratitude, even if she did look depressed. Hoping to get more information, he took a seat across from the woman and began to explain his dilemma.

"Before we head anywhere out of this glade, I had one other question to ask. It is not that I don't know my way around a forest, it is merely that I don't know this land." Abaddon saw how the expression of happiness in the girl faded as he told her. "Since I am a foreigner to this new world, and I was wondering if you by chance know where we are?", asked Abaddon. The young maiden looked right and left, making Abaddon hope that her imprisonment wasn't in vain. As she looked back up to him, she gave a puzzled look and shrugged. The lord was distraught at the girl's response and asked a different question.

"Well then, do you at least know where your homeland might be?"

The woman thought for a moment as Abaddon waited. She then pointed to the ropes that binded her and gestured for him to untie her. The lord thought this to be a ruse for the maiden to escape, but knowing that he could merely chase after her with ease he obliged. After removing the rope and stake that pinned her, the girl began stretching and bending her arms and legs. She then pointed to a tree and walked towards it, all while tying the warrior's cape into a make shift garment. Before Abaddon could react, the girl began to swiftly climb up onto the branches and to the forest canopy. He looked on with amazement at how fast the girl climbed up without a second thought, almost as if she were raised by squirrels. She stopped at the highest point of the tree and began looking to and fro as the lord watched below. Just then she started waving her hand and pointed in a direction towards the North. Abaddon gave a sigh of relief and called to the girl.

"Splendid work! Now if you wouldn't mind getting down so that we may start traveling?"

The lord however noticed that the branch the maiden held on to swayed from a gust of wind. Abaddon's eyes widened as the girl lost her balance on the branch and began plummeting down the tree. He watched as the young woman screamed as she fell, trying desperately to save herself from crashing to the ground below. Just then her fall ceased when she grabbed a large bough that was a few yards away from the top. The girl hung onto the stray limb with both hands, but could barely keep a grip on the decayed surface. With haste and anticipation, Abaddon positioned himself under woman to catch her. Granted her height wasn't as dangerous as before, the lord took little chance at allowing his only lead to suffer an injury. "Let go! I will catch you!", shouted Abaddon as he held out his hands. However the woman stubbornly held on despite his calls of safety. All of a sudden the sounds of cracking were heard as the tree limb broke, once again dropping the small girl. She let out a cry as she descended with the now loose bough following her. Realizing the severity of the situation, the warrior quickly chanted an incantation as he caught the girl before she could touch the ground. The timid maiden gave a sharp scream and pointed as the log came tumbling down towards them. It was at that moment that Abaddon finished chanting and raised his palm upward as a torrent of energy gathered around them. In an instant, a misty haze enveloped the two and created a transparent sphere that repelled the crashing tree branch. Bits of wood and shrubbery flew about as the log shattered upon impact, while the shield left the two people inside unscathed.

The shield began to dissipate as Abaddon lowered his hand and looked at the girl. She had her body curled into a defensive pose as she trembled, waiting for her inevitable death. It wasn't until Abaddon lightly patted the girl on the head when she suddenly screamed and jumped in fear. However her outburst ended when she opened her eyes and saw that the log was in splinters just a few feet away. Looking to her right, she was faced by the deathly gaze of the person who saved her twice. She gave a startled yelp as she moved away from him and hid behind a log. Seeing that the ordeal was over, Abaddon stood and made his way to where the cowering girl hid. "Young one, are you alright?", asked the lord. The small woman nodded as she hid her face from his sight. "Then you can tell me if you saw where we need to go." The girl slowly stood up and pointed towards the same direction to the north that she had given when she was up the tree. Without further delay, Abaddon walked over to his steed and began packing as he responded. "Then we have no time to waste. We must be off before it turns night again." Although she hesitated at first, the child-like woman slowly made her way towards the only protection she had at the moment.

With his supplies packed and the saddle being fitted on Archerus, Abaddon made the last preparations before starting his journey. As he fastened a buckle on the seat, he turned to see the woman slowly approach the two. She staggered close to the man's steed as she held the cape around her. The lord saw that the girl had a strange look on her face as she gazed upon Acherus. It wasn't fear or caution, but rather a show of curiosity and even wonder. She then suddenly raised a hand and walked towards the mount. "Do not approach Acherus! He is tame only towards me.", warned Abaddon. His words were left unheeded as the young woman placed a hand on the horse's cheek. The man was ready to grab the rein, but found that his steed didn't object the stranger's action. To his surprise, the mount was actually calm and welcoming to the girl. Abaddon knew just how disapproving and hostile death chargers were toward unfamiliar people. Acherus was no exception as the steed had killed many that attempted to tame him, leaving Abaddon as his sole rider. This, along with its intimidating appearance, made others fearful of even looking at the beast. Yet despite all of the warnings, this complete stranger did not show any signs of fear as she brushed along the mane of the frightful horse. "How can this meek child be fearful of me, but not towards my own steed?", thought the lord. That fact that both of them had an intimidating appearance, it was only common sense that made him question the maiden's true intentions.

Deciding that enough time had been wasted, Abaddon grabbed the maiden and pulled her away from the steed. "It would be wise to start our journey rather than delay it", proclaimed the lord. The expression of joy the girl had was suddenly replaced by fear as she looked back at the faceless man. The lord then released his grip on the girl and commanded her to wait. Having finally put everything on the mount, Abaddon stepped on a stirrup and raised himself up onto Acherus. Looking down at the girl, the man couldn't help but chuckle how he towered over her minuscule stature. He then stretched out a hand towards the maiden and signaled her to grab hold. The woman hesitated from the gesture but complied and took the hand. She then shrieked as she was swiftly lifted and placed behind the warrior. Having remembered the direction the girl pointed towards, Abaddon steered the rein and called to his mount. "Acherus, ride my steed!" At that the horse began galloping and the lord was speeding through the wood, all while burdened by the companion that frantically held fast to him.

The forest the travelers rode through was clear in its state of welcome. Various branches and vines surrounded the three as they entered the thicket. Abaddon made due by swinging at each jutting piece of shrubbery that barred the way. However the more he delved through the rotting jungle, the faster he realized just how enclosed the path was. He also noticed that although the canopy above him allowed a few rays of sunlight to go through, the majority of it shrouded the entire area. Although sight wasn't an issue, Abaddon couldn't tell if it was still night or day. He looked behind and saw the girl still holding for dear life, all while having a permanent state of terror on her face. He pulled the rein to stop his mount and turned to face the woman, who still had eyes widened in shock. "Pardon, but is this too fast for you?", asked Abaddon. The girl nodded as she kept her grip around the man's waist. Grudgingly, the lord decided sparing the child of a heart attack by taking a slower pace. As he slowed, he started to notice strange and unbelievable things. Many exotic plants and trees that Abaddon hadn't bothered to look at stood out radiantly. Flowers that shined without sunlight and trees that seemed to intertwine with one another. Just then he caught glimpse of what appeared to be a treant, but found that it was just an old tree with an intricate hollowed maw, followed by more just like it. While some appeared normal, he couldn't help but admire how some trees looked as though they had faces carved into them. Yet as he took a closer inspection he realized that there were no chisel marks present. The lord felt a strange presence as he stayed near the trees, and when he looked back at the young woman she also appeared distressed. At that he commanded the horse to move on, away from the dead eyes of the forest.

As the road through the dark thicket went unhindered, Abaddon heard a grumbling sound come from behind. It didn't take long to realize that the small maiden never had a meal before their journey. However he did not have the time or place to search through his bundles for the traveler bread. He then felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around quickly, only to scare the source of his distraction. The maiden had a hand over her midsection while pointing toward one of the saddle bags with the other.

"Your need for food can wait. We need to travel a safe distance in order for us to rest", said Abaddon. The woman's face turned red as her stomach protested again.

Not wanting his bounty to starve, Abaddon reached toward a saddle bag and began to blindly rummage through. After nearly cutting himself with one of his knives, he managed to find the last of the bread. He then handed the loaf at the girl, who happily accepted and took a small bite into it. All of a sudden another growl was heard, but not from the satisfied woman. Abaddon sighed as he then turned back to face the front. Now that he remembered, he also didn't eat a thing when he woke up. Attempting to hide his own hunger, he began ignoring his stomach and trying his hardest to not think of his next meal. Just then he felt another tap on his armor.

"What is it now!?", cried the lord.

Abaddon couldn't believe his eyes when he saw what the small maiden had done. The last ration of the bread was split in two, with one half held out towards the lord. Looking back at the young woman, he saw that she didn't even look away from him. Although the gesture seemed genuine, Abaddon found it strange that the hungry prisoner would rather share her small morsel than to eat it whole. With another cry from his belly, Abaddon took the half from the tiny hand and replied, "With gratitude." Just before another smile could break out on the woman, the lord turned around as he stuffed his mouth with the measly bread. It was then that Abaddon noticed the light of the sun coming out of an exit. With high hopes, the three made their way out of the enclosed forest. The lord hid his eyes from the brightness of the day and waited for his vision to return. Just then he whiffed a foul odor that seemed to come from his surroundings. When his sight finally cleared, he staggered from what laid before him. The entangled forest was now a filthy bog that stretched wide for about a mile. Its muddy waters stayed a putrid shade of green while a terrible scent complimented the aged wastes. Looking at the ground, Abaddon saw countless stained bones and skeletons of what looked like people and animals alike. The scenery was only cut short by another forest that was across from them. Turning toward his new found companion, the lord glared with fury.

"Do you take me lightly? Am I a jester to you?" asked Abaddon as he did his best to hold in his anger. The maiden shook her head silently as she pointed forward. The man swiftly grabbed the hand and brought the girl's face close to his helmet.

"You'd better have a good explanation as to why you led me here, lest I turn you into mince meat."

However the young changed her meek expression and pouted as she pulled her hand away from Abaddon. She then began to turn the warrior around while pointing again to where she wanted him to look. After finally turning back toward the swamp, he looked up and found what the woman was signaling at. Just beyond the murky bog, past the darkened wood was something Abaddon neglected to have noticed before. High atop an enormous mountain was what appeared to be a castle fixed on its side. The sheer grandness and height of the white towers defiantly stood tall amidst its natural foundation. There were no words that the lord could have come close to say about the impressive structure. He only wondered how the whole thing wouldn't plummet down the side of the cliff. Suddenly he felt another tap on his armor as his prisoner pointed toward the castle. "It appears I was mistaken", replied the lord. "Your skills did lead us closer to your home." The girl only blushed as she hid behind her pink hair. Finding that the day had turned to noon, the lord knew that the only way to his destination was through the stinking marsh. Without hesitation, Abaddon had Acherus proceed into the swamp.

Having gone only a few feet into the waters, the stench of decay had only amplified as Acherus pressed on. The murky surface had reached up to the steed's knees when Abaddon began to cough from the fumes. Each hoof forward made disgusting sounds as the mount did its best to traverse the mud. Although the next forest wasn't as far, Abaddon felt each second as though it were a minute in the swamp. His helmet made it impossible for him to cover up the smells and his gauntlets were too big to mask through. Thinking that this environment would have been too much for his companion, Abaddon hasted the steed as he looked behind him again. However he found that the young woman only casually held her nose. She didn't give a frown or bat an eye, she only covered her nostrils as she breathed through her mouth. Abaddon was about to ask her well being when Acherus suddenly gave a sharp whinny. Drawing his sword, the lord looked around himself for his attacker. Just a few yards behind them were ripples that grew as they neared the travelers. Suddenly a flash of scales broke the surface of the bog as a large head appeared, followed by a second and third. The girl frantically put her hands on the lord's arm and made a worried face. Not wanting to deal with more hassles, Abaddon grabbed the rein and shouted, "Acherus, fly!" At that instant the horse began to muscle its way through the swamp as Abaddon watched a fourth head emerge. With land merely a few yards in reach, the lord began to focus energy on his blade as his four attackers rose their heads above them. However the serpent-like necks came together as they shared a single body and legs. Abaddon had heard of hydras, but the time and place he managed to find one was highly inconvenient. One of the heads let out a roar as it lunged at the trio. Abaddon swung his blade, causing the charged mist coil to stagger the raging beast. With one head retreating, the rest all roared as they rushed in from all sides. As one hoof set itself on dry land, Acherus suddenly kicked forward just as the monstrous heads impacted on each other. With no other openings, Abaddon commanded his steed once again to sprint into the forest.

Abaddon could hear the loud bellow of the hydra begin to fade as the mount sped through the new thicket. He felt the squeeze of the maiden get stronger as Acherus trotted. The rider pulled at the rein and began calming the restless horse. With the danger far behind them, Abaddon thought best to find the end of this new forest. Not only did he and Acherus have their fair share of excitement, he also was concerned of his fragile prisoner dying from fright. No point in claiming a bounty on a dead hostage. Looking at his new surroundings, he noticed they had stopped near an open field filled with blue flowers. The entire plant was blue, having only three petals with three leaves surrounding it, all being supported by a thin blue stem. Judging by its size and quantity, the lord perceived it as some exotic weed. Just across from the field of strange flora was the path they needed to take. "It appears that fate has gifted us with this scenery", proclaimed Abaddon. Just as the rider ushered his steed to move, Abaddon heard the woman gasp as she pulled at his arm and shook her head in disagreement. "Child, I have fended off a wild hydra. I believe I can trim a few posies." With that argument the girl ceased and looked on with a worried face that made the lord's heart twinge. Facing away from the coward, Abaddon led his mount through the patch of flowers without heeding the prisoner's warning.

As simple as the task was, Abaddon traversed the vivid flowers with little resistance. In fact, he felt a calming peace as each leaf brushed itself along his boots. Although Acherus snorted and kicked a few times, the mount ceased after it ate one of the buds. The lord chuckled at the pathetic obstacle that he passed. From what the girl dramatized over, he expected another wild animal to be hiding amidst the plants. He even noticed that the girl had lifted her feet and legs as they went through. But in the end nothing happened. Abaddon turned to see the look on the woman's face.

"It is alright to admit your error", said Abaddon. "One such as you can often make foolish assumptions at such a young age."

The girl did not stir as the man poked fun at her.

"Of course since you are afraid of a even mere flower, you are ignorant of what is rEALLY A THREAT."

The man choked as he heard what he had said. He grasped around his throat for any tight ends to his clothing, but found nothing. He turned to the young maiden and saw that she was just as surprised as he was.

"DID MY VOICE-", the lord squeaked until he silenced himself.

Abaddon began to panic at what was happening. For some unknown reason his voice had changed from a haunting whisper to a high squeal. Never had the warrior ever talked in such a pitch. Looking back at the woman, he saw that she was holding back what looked like a smile. Trying his best to make a low sound, he began to do voice keys. However each attempt were met with squeals and squeaks that almost made Abaddon sound like a rat. He then heard light giggling come from the woman, who had her hands covering her grinning mouth.

"YOU WILL HOLD YOUR TONGUE IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU!", yelped the lord as he pointed a finger towards the girl.

However he pulled it back when he saw that his finger had turned a soft shade of pink. The lord watched in horror as the rest of his gauntlet matched the vibrant color, followed by his arm and the rest of his paldrons. He soon found himself changing until his entire armor was covered in the unintimidating color. The girl was in the verge of laughing as tear drops began to form around her eyes. Grabbing the rein, Abaddon attempted to ignore his blatant metamorphosis.

"ACHERUS, GO FORTH AND LEAVE THIS ACCURSED FOREST!", yelled the rider. His command was met with a meow from the idle horse.

Having held back her feelings for so long, the young woman finally began to laugh after hearing the steed. Abaddon stood silent while the soft giggling of his prisoner mixed with the steed's new feline noises. His mind was in a mess as he took all these new revelations at once. After having lost his treasure, losing his way home, taking in a cowardly prisoner that made him foolish, traveling with said prisoner in a stinking forest, it ends with him now becoming a living joke? He couldn't decide on either going on a rampage, or questioning his own choices in life. With this act of ridicule going beyond his limits, he drew his sword and began chanting. Without even caring of its new pigmentation, he raised the blade above him and squeaked, "APHOTIC SHIELD CLEANSE US!" Upon swinging the sword back down, a torrent of mist rushed in and began creating a sphere around the three. The girl ceased her laughter as the surrounding energies began to whirl violently. All of a sudden the pink tint on the lord's armor began to fade back into its cold blue sheen. When the color on the warrior reverted completely, he punctured the sphere with his sword. The resulting stop caused the barrier to shatter and disperse in all directions. Hoping the spell worked, Abaddon hummed a tune and found that his voice was back to normal. Acherus had also stopped meowing and was back to sounding like a proper equine. The lord turned to face the girl who was in complete silence after witnessing the spectacle. Just before Abaddon could say anything, he heard a raspy voice in the distance.

"Did you guys hear that?"

Turning towards the sound, Abaddon saw that some bushes began to move and rustle from an unknown entity. The young maiden behind Abaddon suddenly let out a yell as though she wanted the stranger to find them, which made Abaddon swiftly cover her mouth with his hand.

"C'mon, I heard something over here!"

Abaddon was about to engage the intruder when he began to hear other voices come from the forest.

"Slow down Rainbow! These heels weren't meant for outdoor use."

"Well maybe you outa think of that insteada' dressin' for the gala."

"Oh my gosh oh my gosh! Can you two hurry up? I wanna see what made that big boom! I mean I thought I made a lot of noises, but wow that one took the cake! Speaking of, who wants cupcakes? I've got white, chocolate, strawberry, carrot, neapolitan..."

From the tones of each voice, they all sounded female in nature. However he wondered if these voices were just another trap made by some unknown beasts to lure him in. This forest was already ridiculous and he had struggled with what it threw at him. Although he would always stand and fight, he was often supported by allies. Without taking the chance, he began leading Acherus out of the road and behind a nearby boulder. Holding the girl close as he hid, the lord waited for the strangers to reveal themselves. All of a sudden he saw a flash of blue fly past and disappear into the distance. Hearing the voices coming closer, Abaddon prepared for the inevitable.

"... pineapple, red velvet, and devil's cake. Oh wait I forgot, why were we going over here again?"

"Rainbow Dash said she heard something and we're going to investigate. However if she had stuck to the group, we would have found a better route to take."

As if the lord thought he saw everything, out of the bushes and shrubbery came the most strangest people he had ever seen. The first to come out was a lavender haired girl with streaks of pink flowing through, holding a map and compass as she walked. The second was another girl who had the most messiest and tangled hair that Abaddon had ever seen; It was made stranger with the hair being a deep magenta. Another girl emerged from the thicket, wearing what looked like male attire and a large backpack; She wore a hat while her blonde hair was tied on end. The next person to approach was a another purple haired young woman. However she had dressed very differently and was highly inappropriate for the environment that surrounded her. All four of these multicolored women looked extremely young and too small to have been wandering out in a forest by themselves. However he remembered hearing a fifth voice voice among them. Was the raspy voice he heard in his head? All of a sudden he saw something come flying towards the girls. Its enormous blue wings covered itself as it landed. However upon opening them, it revealed another girl with a cascade of colors flowing on her hair. At last they were complete. An entire group of vixens who looked like they had their heads painted since birth.

"Man, you guys gotta pick up the pace if you want to get places", spoke the rainbow haired girl.

"Well Rainbow Dash, if you haven't noticed, some of us weren't born with wings!", responded the purple haired woman.

"Oh, but one time you did have wings, Rarity. They were so colorful and sparkleriffic!", spoke the pink haired tramp.

"And they burned when you flew too close towards the sun, like I warned you", said the streaked maiden with a stern voice.

"Oh come now Twilight, I said I was sorry. You can't blame me for being fabulous!", retorted the prissy woman.

"Can we put this littl' talk aside and get to the real problem? Why in the hay are we here insteada' lookin' fer Fluttershy?", called the blonde haired woman.

"I told you AJ, I thought I heard Someone. It almost sounded like her!", responded the winged girl with a paint pallet for hair.

Abaddon could hardly believe the band of misfits that had gathered. Most of them had hair that didn't look natural, their height was no taller than a child, and they exhibited no means of defending themselves . Adding the fact that one of them had wings, they also had the most ridiculous names. Pinkie, Rarity, Ayjay? The more Abaddon thought about it, the more he began to suspect them of being clowns or entertainers. Regardless of what they did as a trade, the lord began to wonder just what kind of inhabitants were living in this world to have such ludicrous traits. All of a sudden he realized that his prisoner was much like these ladies, even having what looked like wings on her back. If he went into the direction that they came from, he would most likely find the exit out of the woods. Just then he overheard the winged vixen and the hat wearing blonde argue.

"Well what if yer wrong Dash? What if what ya heard was just some bird squakin'?", spoke the blonde.

"I'm telling you, I know what I heard and it wasn't a bird!", shouted the rasping tomboy.

"Heeheehee, you rhymed there Rainbow!", spoke the mop haired girl while gaining the cold stares of both the young women.

"Look", began the streaked teenager. "The longer we stay here arguing about who heard what, the longer it is that Fluttershy has to wait before we rescue her."

"You don't think I know that!", yelled the harpy. "I care just as much about that poor girl as all of you." Her voice broke for a second as she wiped her face with her arm and continued. "I hate to imagine what horrible things that dragon may have done to her. She could be cold, starving, hurt, scared..."

"Or she could be right here next to this spooky looking man who has her stripped and is holding her against her will", said the magenta haired girl as she stared smiling at Abaddon, who jumped back in shock.

"Pinkie", groaned the winged woman. "Now is not the time for your little... wait, WHAT?!"

With his cover blown, Abaddon quickly grabbed his pink haired prisoner and drew his sword along the maiden's neck. The group came running towards the trampy woman and all cried out in unison.

"FLUTTERSHY!"

Abaddon swiftly mounted onto Acherus with his prize in tow and gave a warning to the small women

"You will stay where you are if you deeply care for this wench."

The rainbow haired harpy cried out, "I won't let you get that chance, creep!" With one powerful motion, she flapped her wings and was lifted off the ground. Abaddon grabbed the rein as he commanded Acherus to escape. Going through the magenta and lavender haired women, Abaddon rode off with the silent woman through the passage that the others took. He looked back to see the other girls starting to give chase. But without steeds they were just as helpless as his bounty. They were almost out of sight when all of a sudden he felt something collide from his side. Turning, he found the blue winged vixen clawing toward his prisoner.

"You leave Fluttershy alone, and I'll only beat you half to death!"

Abaddon shoved the woman off as he picked up speed. However the persistent girl recovered and flew alongside the lord. The lord saw the anger and desperation in the woman's face as she made another dive. The lord retaliated by swinging his sword as she swooped in, causing her to swerve away from the deadly edge. The woman then accelerated past Abaddon and landed just a few yards in front. As the warrior neared at full charge the girl's wings spread out, causing the horse to raise its front hooves in surprise. Having tired of the stubborn adolescent, Abaddon raised his sword and began to conjure a mist coil. However it seemed his prize knew exactly what he was going to do. In a quick response she bit Abaddon where he held his weapon, causing him to flinch and drop the blade. Before he could react, he felt something wrap around his neck and suddenly pull him off his steed. Grasping at what had caught him, he looked up to find the blonde pulling at him with a rope. As he began to move toward his long sword, the woman quickly tightened the bind, knowing that he wanted the weapon. He then reached toward his pocket to bring out the blink dagger and used it to cut away from the she-brute. Just as he recovered his sword, he realized that the other young women had shortly caught up with the duo. Making a battle stance, Abaddon began his attack toward the girls.

Swinging towards the messy haired girl, Abaddon thought that she would be the easiest to maim. However she easily dodged the attack and began to skip around the lord playfully. He swung another blow, but again she merely jumped over it and continued her frolicking. Each time he tried to strike her, she always ducked or spun out of the way as if it were a game. Just then she jumped into bush as if she wanted to hide from him. He then lifted the sword as he charged the mana within, letting loose a mist coil at the shrubbery. With the blast connecting, Abaddon was confident that the spell had finally triumphed where his brute force couldn't. All of a sudden he heard a voice behind him.

"Wow, you're really bad at fighting huh?" Frantically swinging overhead, the enraged warrior made another attempt at slaying the girl, but saw that she cartwheeled away towards the lavender streaked maiden.

"Tag Twilight, you're it!"

"Wait, no! Pinkie!"

Without giving a second thought, Abaddon made a dash towards the young woman who was referred to as Twilight. Hoping she wasn't as acrobatic as the other one, he swung at the helpless woman who threw her hands out at him. However as he neared her, his vision became clouded in a pink haze. He then felt the ground leave him as he floated a mere few feet away from his target. As he looked back at the woman, he noticed a strange horn like protrusion begin to glow among her flat streaked hair. Abaddon flailed and moved about as he did his best to escape. But no matter how he struggled, he merely stood in place as he was lifted higher and higher. All of a sudden he felt himself plummet as the force around him disappeared. As he neared the hard ground, the lord conjured another aphotic shield that softened his landing. Looking back at the streaked woman, he then saw a bright flash that grew until it shot out and impacted against his shield. Although his barrier held on, Abaddon now realized that this Twilight girl was some sort of sorceress. Seeing another glow appear before him, he side stepped and began to advance in a serpentine pattern. When the light from the girl's hands peaked, Abaddon dove in as the blast destroyed his shield. Emerging from his defense Abaddon lunged at the young magus as she held out her hands once again. However the strike was blocked as the lord noticed the girl mimicked his spell with a slight pink shield surrounding her. Abaddon then saw the strain in the woman as the blade began to slowly pierce forward, showing her limit.

Just before he could claim another victim, he heard a familiar gasp to his side and angrily turned until his heart once again melted. The silent pink haired girl whom he had rescued looked at Abaddon with horrified eyes. The lord then pulled at the hilt, preventing the sword from going any further. That familiar stare was a force beyond his own understanding that took hold of him and reminded him of what they had been through. His trance was then cut short as the lord felt his neck being pulled from behind.

"Hang on Twilight, I'll hold him off!", shouted the rainbow haired vixen as she tried holding the warrior in a choke hold.

The two struggled to gain an upper hand on the other. One using his size and sheer strength to break free, and the other using her wings to haul and restrain. However due to her small stature, it was an act of desperation.

"Hey uh, AJ?", called the shrieking girl as she held with her might. "Can you help me with...?"

"I'm on it sugar cube", said the blonde haired woman.

Abaddon tugged and pulled at the tenacious rainbow haired woman who grasped at him. Even for a size so small, she surprisingly held strong as she jerked his head back. Just then, before he could lift his sword and slice the wings off the harpy, it happened. When the woman suddenly released him, Abaddon felt an enormous threshold of strength impact his rib cage. He felt each bone in his side snap as the kinetic forces shook his entire body and made him drop his weapon. The resulting strike then threw him a few yards away, where he crashed on a hard tree. Falling back down, Abaddon did his best to hold in the agony he felt all around himself. However the pain was too much as he then coughed up his own blood. Never had he sustained an attack of this caliber. This power seemed rivaled only by the attacks he had endured from a hero dubbed the Earthshaker. As he looked up to see his assailant, he found himself being surrounded by the misfit travelers. It was silent for a moment until the women spoke to one another.

"Applejack, I think you kicked him too hard", spoke the twilight wizardress.

"Nah, I only tried to soften him up for Rainbow", replied the blonde woman. "Ain't my fault he's as soft as an apple pie in a rainstorm."

"If you ask me, I think you should have done it harder!", the winged tomboy proclaimed.

"Ugh, that thing is repulsive! I wouldn't imagine what he had done before we arrived", whispered the lavender haired maiden disgusted.

"Whatever he did, he has much to explain for", said the sorceress with a curious look on her face.

"We'll start by asking what you were doing with Fluttershy back there!", spoke the harpy as she dragged the lord's weapon and tried to lift it.

Abaddon was at a loss for words. He had imagined his death at the hands of a Year Beast or an army of heroes. He could not fathom his fate at the mercy of people who looked like they belonged in a child's fairy tale. Nonetheless, one was already threatening to kill him if he didn't answer. Seeing no other option than to wait for death, Abaddon did his best to speak.

"I am...", said the lord before his own blade was pointed at him.

"I didn't ask who you are, I said what were you going to do!", screeched the teen. "If you don't say it I'll return this baby to sender!"

Seeing the girl beyond reason and knowing fully well what would happen if she did try to kill him, Abaddon closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.

"WAIT! STOP!"

Everyone, including Abaddon turned to face the objector. There in robes and ruin was the pink haired girl whom Abaddon met with during his quest. She rushed through the girls as she placed a hand on the short tempered harpy. Pushing the sword aside, she then stood next to Abaddon and began tending to the man.

"Fluttershy, get away from that monster!", said the woman as her wings flustered in protest.

"Don't hurt him! He was only trying to defend himself", cried the girl named Fluttershy.

"Why would you be defending him!", objected the rainbow haired tomboy.

"He saved me from the dragon!", shouted Fluttershy.

As soon as the words were heard, the blue winged girl's jaw dropped as the sword followed. The rest of the young women were also standing in surprise as they began whispering to one another. The lord looked at Fluttershy as she placed a hand on his shoulder. The woman would have never stood this close back when she was silent. But now it seemed she didn't want to leave his side as she tried to comfort him. All of a sudden, the twilight girl stepped forward and spoke. "Fluttershy, is this true?"

"I would be dead inside the belly of that mean dragon if this hero hadn't came and rescued me", spoke Fluttershy as she smiled at the lord.

Hero. That was a word Abaddon didn't think anyone would ever call him. For some reason he actually liked the title that the maiden gave. But if the girl really knew what he had done in his past life, she would have a different point of view. Looking about the small group of women, he saw that most of them had changed their gaze at Abaddon, save for the woman who was still trying to pick up his weapon. "If he's a hero, why are you naked?", said the tomboy. The kind girl responded, "He lent me this robe when my clothes were ruined." Before the tomboy could prompt another question, Abaddon interrupted.

"Pardon my intervention, but may I ask a question?"

"Quiet you!", barked the tomboy. Her outburst was quickly hushed by the streaked sorceress as she nodded.

"Who are all of you, Where am I, and how do you know this child?", asked the lord.

Before any of them could answer, the girl named Fluttershy spoke up and looked at Abaddon. "I can explain. Twilight, can you help me with him? He's badly hurt." Twilight agreed as she cautiously stepped in. She held out her hands as they softly glowed and began holding them against the tender wound. "Alright", began Fluttershy. "It happened about four days ago..."