Kulggen padded along the dark tunnels as silent as a shadow. His breath was slowed to the point of almost still and his hooves made no sound at all against the hard ground. His eyes glowed a light pink as he looked around the cave where light dares not shine. He crept around a stalagmite and his target came into view, the heat signature of another pony. Kulggen slid his dagger silently from its sheath and climbed a nearby cliff, giving him the higher ground as he waited for the right moment to strike.
Barra sat in the middle of a small, dark tunnel where he was training his younger brother in stealth attacks. He sighed inwardly and shook his head at his brother’s pitiful attempt at being silent. His breathing was still too loud, and his hoofsteps, though silent, were still too heavy, sending out little vibrations as he walked. Barra knew exactly where he was.
Even with his eyes closed, Barra could see his sixteen year old brother perfectly. He was short by Whedab Jivi standards, but slender as the rest of them. His long white mane tied into a ponytail that hung down to his knees. His black fur a perfect camouflage down here where no light would venture. Kulggen’s flank stood bare, not yet having discovered his talent. His pink eyes glowing slightly with infrared sensing sight that the Olath Ussen developed through generations of evolution to survive in the harsh environment of the Eboncomplex.
Kulggen crouched low on the edge of the cliff and prepared himself to attack. His eyes glowing with determination as he watched his brother. He waited a long time before growing impatient and leaping off the ledge. His form was perfect, his movements silent as ever. Even the air barely shifted as he flew toward his brother, dagger in mouth. One second he was closing in on his brother, the next his brother seemed to just disappear completely. He landed on his knees and rolled forward to make as little sound as possible and came up in a battle ready crouch.
Barra appeared above his brother and lashed out with a forehoof, hitting him in the between the withers and causing him to drop to the ground. Barra stood above him, an intimidating figure. Twenty-eight years old with a shaven head and a short tail for improved movement speed and silence. His eyes glowed a dark red. And his coat seemed a shade darker then the blackness that surrounded them, if that was even possible. His flank sported a dagger with a wisp of shadow spiraling around it. His dark mark, as they call it, was a symbol of his talent being stealth and assassination.
Kulggen looked up at his brother and smiled sheepishly. “You could hear me coming, couldn’t you?” He sat up and picked up his dagger, returning it to its sheath.
“Loud and clear,” Barra replied. He looked at his brother and smiled affectionately, “but only because I am one with the shadows. You probably would have succeeded in your attack had you been against a different opponent.”
Kulggen’s ears perked up at the statement. Had his brother really just complimented him? His mood improved considerably and he and Barra headed home. They sneaked through the tunnels and caverns of the Eboncomplex, always keeping a cautious vigilance out for any danger that might be lurking nearby.
The Eboncomplex is a vast honeycomb network of caves and tunnels miles beneath the surface of Equestria. It is home to many species of vicious creatures with voracious appetites. Strange, unexplainable, and unpredictable weather patterns tear through the darkness. Life was hard for the Olath Ussen when they were first banished to the Eboncomplex. They lived life on the very edge, scavenging for food and fighting amongst each other when they found any. In order to prevent starvation, they turned to hunting other creatures and feasting upon them.
Several generations later, they started to adapt to the environment. Their eyes grew infrared receptors, allowing them to “see” in the darkness. Their coats took on shades of black, and gray. If their coat did happen to be a colour, it was such a dark shade as to still appear black or gray. They grew tall and slender, allowing them to better hunt the creatures that had once hunted them. They grew sharper teeth to help chew meat, which had become a big part of their diet since they had learned to hunt.
After several more generations, cities were raised. The Olath Ussen cleared out huge caverns and claimed them as their own. The Whedab Jivi discovered several edible plants and animals that could be domesticated. Thus they started several large farms. The Briquimchy studied the weather, and in time learned to predict and then control it. The Equneora discovered a new source of magics, and many powerful spells were created.
Barra and Kulggen turned a corner and the city of Thac’zil came into view. Hundreds of giant stalagmites and stalactites filled the cavern, and each was hollowed out to make a home. A large castle made of obsidian rose above the city, waiting for their princess to take the throne and guide them back to the surface. Farms rested near the middle of the cavern, and huge towers of magic surrounded the city. At the very center of the cavern floated a large orb of blue light, an artificial sun created by the equneora to sustain the lives of the Olath Ussen.
Barra and his brother made their way through the city complex and finally arrived back home. Kulggen’s mood jumped even higher as his hooves touched down on his family’s land. He always felt more at home on the farm than on the battlefield. He ran through the fields for a bit before making his way toward his stalagmite house.
His two sisters were out in the field harvesting crops to take to the market tomorrow. The twenty year old twins, Sarol and Elg’cahl, did everything together. Long white mane and tail were braided, the tips dyed green by poison with little blades hidden in the center. They had light gray coats of the same shade and their eyes glowed a pale purple. The only way one could tell the two apart, was by their dark marks. Elg’cahl’s was a small bowl with a skull and crossbones on the side and was filled with a bubbling green liquid. Sarol’s was an anvil with a skull and crossbones and a hammer on top. Elg’cahl made all kinds of poison, some to paralyze, some to induce sleep, and some to kill. Sarol made all kinds of weapons to be filled with her sister’s many poisons.
Silinrul, the eldest brother at about thirty-five years of age, was also just returning home from his hunt. He was tall, with a short white mane and tail. His coat was a darker shade of gray then his sisters’ and his eyes were a dark purple. His dark mark was a shield with a spear, sword, hammer, and whip crossed behind it, marking him as a weapon master. He was dragging a volgorth, a rather large birdlike creature that prowled the Eboncomplex, into the shed to be cleaned and readied for cooking.
Kulggen opened the door and walked in to find Uuuniloh, his mother, tending to Silinrul’s gear by the fire. She was cleaning the blade of his spear and his armour of blood before setting about sharpening the spear back to razor sharp quality. She was eighty-seven years old, but she didn’t show it, her hooves moving fast and precise as she slid the whet stone along the blade’s edge. Her coat was black, her mane and tail were the same white, tied up in a bun, and her eyes were the colour of blood. Her dark mark was of a hawk holding a bow in its talons. A rather large bow sat above the fireplace, and though most can’t use a bow, she could easily put an arrow through a target from a hundred yards away.
Kulggen headed up to his room and lay down on his bed. After a while he checked to make sure no pony would bother him anytime soon. His sisters were still out in the field, Barra and Uuuniloh was cooking the volgorth into a soup, and Silinrul was honing his hunting skills. Satisfied that everypony was busy, Kulggen crept back to his room and closed the door. He walked over to his bed and crouched down beside it. He reached under it and felt around for something. A moment later he found it, a small seam, barley a hair wide. He slipped his dagger out and placed the tip in the seam. With a twist it popped open to reveal a secret cubby with a small black box inside. Inside the box was a diary, but this is not what he was after. He lifted the diary out and slid his dagger down the side of the box. Another twist and the false bottom came out to reveal another diary underneath. It was old, raggedy, and falling to pieces. This was his most prized possession, and he guarded it with passion. It was the diary of one of his forefathers before their banishment. It had been secretly passed down through his family ever since.
Kulggen hopped back up on his bed and settled down in a comfortable reading position. He opened the diary and began reading about life under the sun. He read about all the fun they had, all the smiles they shared, and most importantly, all of the different colours. One passage even mentioned a rainbow, and even though he didn’t know what it was, the way it made his forefather’s heart soar, it must be something wonderful. He only read for a few minutes, not wanting to get caught, and put everything back under his bed. He then lay back on his bed and dreamed of life under the sun. He dreamt about basking in its warm glow, going to parties, laughing and having fun, seeing a whole world of colour, and seeing a rainbow for the first time. Oh the magic of a rainbow, his imagination would take flight and show him many possible forms for a rainbow. It could be anything, and so it was everything.
Kulggen was jostled from his daydreaming by a knock at his door. He rolled off his bed and walked over to the door. He opened it to see his mother also knocking on his sisters’ door for them to come down for dinner as well. He wondered how long he had been daydreaming for, but just shrugged his shoulders and headed down stairs. Kulggen and his family sat down and gave grace, an old family prayer said in a tongue that Kulggen didn’t understand but was told one day he would, before digging into their soup.
Dinner went by as usual. The food was cooked to perfection. The mood was acceptable. But no pony spoke. All was silent at the table. As was the norm down here. No pony had fun, no pony smiled, or laughed, or threw parties, or anything. All the ponies down here did was survive. They hunted for food, made weapons and armours, feuded amongst themselves for land and power, and waited. They waited for their princess to come save them from this hell. To return them to the surface so they could live once more under the open night sky and bask in the warm glow of the sun.
Kulggen plodded silently back to his room to retire for the night. He would need plenty of sleep for the next day. Silinrul was going to take him on a raid. With any luck, he might get his death mark, however much he didn’t want it. His heart was set in a world of colour and peace, not darkness and death. As his head hit his pillow he drifted off to sleep, dreaming of such a world full of rainbows.
*****
“Scootaloo, wait up!” Cried Apple Bloom as she and Sweetie Belle tried to catch up to their excited friend. Scootaloo had awoken them and demanded that they just had to come see what she had found, despite the fact that the sun wasn’t even up yet.
“I still don’t see why we had to get up, sneak out, and traipse off through the Everfree, all because Scootaloo said she found something. I was having such a wonderful dream, and what was she doing out here anyways?”
“Aw shoot, ya know how that filly is. You should be used to this sort o’ thing by now.”
“I guess you’re right, but it was such a wonderful dream.”
“Hurry it up you slow pokes, it’s just over that next hill!” Scootaloo shouted over her shoulder.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle hurried over the hill and a little ways further before coming to a large clearing. There were several trees they could not identify, some bearing strange markings on them, and some that even appeared to be made of stone. In the center of the clearing was Scootaloo, standing before a stone slab and beaming proudly at her discovery. Behind the slab stood a large obelisk made of some strange black stone with more of the strange markings on it.
“Whoa, what is it?” asked Sweetie Belle as she walked over to the obelisk. She looked it up and down before reaching out a tentative hoof and touched it. She retracted it as soon as she did though. “It’s warm, and pulsing. I think it’s magic”
“Ah don’t think we should be here,” Apple Bloom said, a look of worry on her face. “What were ya doing out here this late and deep in the Everfree Forest anyway?”
“I don’t know. I heard this voice calling out to me, so I followed it.” she replied. “I ended up here where I found this and rushed back to tell you two.”
Apple Bloom walked over to the stone slab and noted that it too had the strange markings on it. She took a closer look and realized that they were actually letters, making up words in a language she didn’t recognize. Sweetie Belle came over and they all stared at the strange words.
“Ah wish ah could read it,” said Apple Bloom.
“I wonder what it means,” said Sweetie Belle.
“It says ‘Ghil ulnen l'Olath Ussen, N'rieth whol jal avariel.’ and it means ‘Here lies the Dark Ones, Sealed for all eternity.’” Replied Scootaloo.
Her two friends turned to stare at her incredulously. She stood waiting for either of them to respond in any sort of way, but grew impatient before long and prompted for a response.
“What? You asked, so I answered.”
“But I didn’t expect you to answer. How can you read that anyways, it’s no language I’ve ever seen?” Sweetie Belle asked, looking back at the stone and turning her head sideways in an attempt to find the hidden words.
Scootaloo shrugged her shoulders and looked at the obelisk. “I don’t really know. I just look at them, and the words come to me. Like a far off memory, whispering into my head.”
“Okay, well now ah definitely feel like we shouldn’t be here. Strange voices calling ya, weird symbols, you speaking in tongues, and now memories whispering in yer head, what is this place anyhow?” Apple Bloom put in, looking around uneasily.
“That’s probably because we shouldn’t. The words on the trees say this place is forbidden. And I don’t know, probably a tomb or something.”
“Then why did you bring us here if you knew that?”
“I don’t know, I thought you two would like it.”
“Well ah don’t.”
“Me neither, let’s get out of here.”
“Oh come on, where’s your sense of adventure? We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders after all.”
“Mah sense o’ adventure is a sleep, which is where ah would be and prefer to be. Now let’s go home, get some sleep, and maybe we’ll come back later, when it’s light. Okay?”
“Okay.” With a sigh Scootaloo turned to leave, the others following suit.
As they turned to leave they heard a loud crack behind them. They turned in horror as one of the trees came tumbling down toward them. Scootaloo managed to push her friends out of the way but could not get clear herself before the tree crashed down on top of her. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle ran over and began searching for their friend. Scootaloo popped up out of the branches beside the obelisk appearing unharmed save for a cut on her left foreleg.
“Oh my gosh! Are you okay Scoots?” asked Apple Bloom.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied. She placed one hoof against the obelisk and another on a branch and pried herself free.
“Come on, let’s get home and have Nurse Redheart take a look at you,” said Sweetie Belle.
They left the forbidden grove and started the long walk back to Ponyville. None of them noticed when the blood from Scootaloo’s hoof sank into the obelisk. When the obelisk started glowing, they were already too far away and the trees were so thick they blocked it out. They were way out of earshot by the time the obelisk started to sink into the ground. They had made it all the way back to Ponyville before the obelisk fell free of the earth, leaving behind a hole in the ground leading deep into the planet.
*****
Luna race through the castle corridors, a book held tightly under wing. She wore a worried look, tainted with a hint of fear as she practically flew pass the guards patrolling the halls. Her breaths came heavy, and perspiration from her exertions was plainly visible upon her brow. In her panicked state, she bolted right by the large ornate doors leading to the throne room and her destination. She came to a screeching stop as the realization hit her, turned around, and ran back the other way.
Luna burst in to the throne room without hesitation. The large room echoed the booming of the doors slamming into the walls. She didn’t seem to notice, not being able to hear anything over the many thoughts and scenes running through her head. She rushed up to the throne, ignoring all else. The aristocrats and their business could wait, she had an urgent message for her sister. She looked up and opened her mouth to begin her panicked tirade, but stood with her mouth agape before an empty throne. She turned to see the whole throne room was empty. She then looked toward the clock and realized just how late it was. Royal court was adjourned for the evening. Celestia would be in her private study attending to either more paperwork, or a friendship report from her star pupil. Luna charged back through the large doors and headed toward her sister’s study. The large doors once again sent out a booming echo as they slammed into the walls, this time almost taking a pair of guards with them.
A short while later Luna burst into Celestia’s study, startling her sister and causing her to drop the scroll she had been reading. Luna was completely out of breath by now, and perspiration clung heavily to her as she stood gasping for air. Celestia looked upon her sister with concern and levitated a glass of water over to her, all the while wondering what could have disheveled her so. Luna gladly accepted the water and drank deeply.
Celestia waited for Luna’s breathing to calm before speaking. “Dear sister, what causes you such great worry this evening?”
Luna looked upon her sister in bewilderment before replying. “Sister! Hath Thou forgotten about the prophesy laid down by the Great Dragon Queen? She foretold the return of…” her voice dropped to a whisper as she poke the next as if it was taboo, “…The Dark Ones!”
Celestia chuckled lightly, much to her sister’s dismay. “Oh Luna, such is the thing that drives you into hysteria? Remove such thoughts from your mind, for I have taken extra precautions in assuring the Dark Ones never again walk upon Equestrian soil.”
Luna’s mood did not change in the slightest. “Dear sister, tis not just some legend, tis prophesy. Devine precognition of what is to come that not even you nor us hath the power to change. In three days hence, during the lunar eclipse when the moon becomes red as blood, they will come forth from the shadows, and if we do nothing, they will slaughter everypony they come across.”
Celestia looked at Luna and frowned. “Sister, please listen. We drove the Dark Ones underground long ago and sealed them in with an obelisk filled with your power and mine. The only way they can be free is by the blood of a Dark One, and seeing as they’re all trapped down there, none of them can use their blood to break the seal. So please, think no more on the matter, okay?”
Luna looked at the book still under her wing before replying sullenly. “Okay.” She turned and left her sister’s study and headed back toward the library.
“Oh Luna,” Celestia whispered to herself when she was out of earshot, “you are right about prophesies, but I really don’t see how the seal could be broken.”
*****
Nurse Redheart sat at her desk in the walk-in clinic, reading a book she had just gotten from the library earlier that day. It was the fifth book in a romance series she was borrowing from Twilight, whom has all the books in the series. Just as the wood cutter was about to burst into the wedding to confess his love for the princess, she heard the familiar sound of the door opening followed by three sets of hoofsteps. She let out a sigh and looked up from her book to see Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo walking in; three faces she would like to see a lot less often than she does inside the clinic. Redheart sighed again as she got up to assess the harm their latest escapade caused them.
“I really wish you girls would be more careful. Couldn’t you try your hooves at less dangerous talents?” She asked as Scootaloo hopped up on a chair and held out her leg for examination.
“We weren’t crusading this time though, honest.” She replied, “We were just out in the forest.”
Another sigh, “You know how dangerous it is out there, what in Equestria were you girls thinking.” She looked closely at the cut on her leg. The bleeding had already stopped and the wound was well on the mend. Redheart once again marveled at the young filly’s healing speed. She wrapped it in a bandage just to be safe and smiled at Scootaloo. “It should be fully healed in a couple of days.”
“Well it aint so dangerous at this time, most of the monsters are either asleep, or just waking up.” Piped in Apple Bloom as Scootaloo hopped down and tested her leg. Satisfied with how much less it hurt she smiled up at Redheart.
“Thanks Nurse Redheart, see you later.”
“Goodbye Nurse Redheart.”
“Yeah, see ya later Nurse Redheart”
“Goodbye girls, please be more careful out there.” She said as the girls turned and ran out the door while tossing around crusading ideas. The last thing she heard was the unison shout of ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders blacksmiths’ as the three disappeared down the road. She sighed again and shook her head before heading into the supply room to get the burn ointment she was sure she would need later.
Redheart sat back down to pick up where she left off in the story, when the sound of the door opening once again interrupted her. She looked up to see Derpy Hooves, the town mailmare, flying in with her satchel full of mail. She sighed yet again as Derpy crash landed in a heap on the floor. A twist and a hop had her back on her hooves though.
“Muffin call,” she said as she reached in to her satchel and pulled out several letters. She handed them to Redheart who laid them down on the edge of her desk. Derpy smiled and waved goodbye before dashing back out the doors. She climbed higher into the morning sky before heading for her next destination.
It was another perfect morning here in Ponyville. The sun shining and the birds chirping. The market place filled with both venders hawking their wares, and ponies looking around to buy produce and other things. Ponies flitted about left and right, attending to their morning business. The weather ponies went about moving clouds and evaporating the morning dew.
The air was a little chilly on this mid-autumn morning, but Derpy didn’t mind. The cool winds would keep her alert and moving so she could complete her rounds. She did a little loop and spin before diving for the next stop on her route. She went to land on the balcony, but misjudged the distance and crashed into the railing, again.
“Muffin call,” she said as Twilight Sparkle walked out onto the balcony. She reached into her satchel and pulled out a night blue envelope sealed in wax with the crescent moon symbol of Princess Luna.
Twilight looked at it in confusion for a moment before griping it with her magic and levitating it over to herself for a closer look. “A letter from Princess Luna? But why send it by mail, unless she didn’t want Princess Celestia to know about it, but that doesn’t make any sense.” She said to herself. She turned and walked back inside the library as Derpy flew off to deliver more mail.
Twilight walked down stairs and placed the envelope on a table. She removed the wax seal and pulled out the letter, unfolding it and smoothing it out. It was a solid black parchment with white stars and all the moon phases around the border. As for the letter itself, the parchment was blank. Twilight stared at in in confusion for a moment while trying to understand why the princess would send her a blank letter.
A scream rent the morning air, followed soon after by many more, and caused Twilight to drop the letter. She turned as Spike came bursting into the library, face livid with fear and horror. Behind him ponies ran rampant through Ponyville screaming in horror. In the distance she could hear the smashing of timber and the angry roaring of some creature unknown.
Without waiting for an explanation, Twilight steeled herself and charged out the door. Spike collapsed on the floor and curled up into a ball. He shivered violently and started whimpering and crying as the traumatic event played throughout his mind once more.
*****
Kulggen and Silinrul sneaked silently along the outer edge of a kal’daka den. Silinrul signaled Kulggen to wait and ran up ahead. He looked around the edge and spotted several carcasses strewn about the floor of the cave. He looked back to his brother and signed to him in the secret hoof language developed by the Olath Ussen.
Kulggen, see that cliff to your right? I want you to climb up it and wait for my signal to begin the attack. Remember, these are cruel creatures that will kill you on sight and are a lot faster and stronger than the both of us. It’s absolutely imperative that we take them by surprise with speed and precision. Do you understand?
Kulggen nodded to his brother and began to climb the cliff as quickly and silently as he could. Silinrul watched him for a moment before getting into position himself. He waited until Kulggen was perched and ready before slipping over the edge and creeping closer to the cave entrance. He peered around the edge carefully and was relieved to see that none of them had detected the duo.
Kulggen watched intently as his brother unsheathed his spear and readied himself for combat. He followed his brother’s lead and unsheathed his dagger and steeled his nerves. He then focused on his brother and waited for the signal. Silinrul’s left ear flicked twice and as one they dove into the cave like shadows of death.
*****
Uuuniloh sat at her desk gazing into a bowl of water. She sprinkled some lacrima powder into the bowl and watched as the water began to froth and swirl around the bowl. Images of a rival farm began to appear upon its surface. She guided her extended sight into the barn and beneath its floorboards, down to a secret meeting that convened every fortnight. She then realized she was first to arrive this night, and so waited patiently for them to start showing up.
Several minutes later and a corner of the room got darker, announcing the arrival of the first. An Equneora stallion stepped forth from the darkness and took a seat at the round table. He was rather tall, with short black hair and an even darker coat. Even his eyes were black as the darkest night. His dark mark was black wand that was only visible due to the purple aura surrounding it. Uuuniloh recognized him as Oloth Faer, the house mage.
Oloth Faer sat quietly with his eyes closed and head tilted back, a scowl of impatience painted clearly on his usually calm face. Uuuniloh felt that something was very wrong with this scene. Olath was usually the last to arrive and always had his emotions calm and collected. Why then, was he here first?
Her feelings were confirmed as he looked directly at her and climbed onto the table, his horn beginning to glow. Oloth Faer tossed back his hood and flashed a toothy grin, teeth filed down to sharp fangs. “Good evening my dear Uuuniloh. How’s the family?” The smile on his face disappeared and the joy left his voice. “Look, I’ll be short. You were careless. We know you can use magic and now we want to know how. You have no horns to channel the energies, nor do our spies tell us of magic implements being used. So you are left with a choice. Tell us where your magic comes from, or we will force it from your family through many wondrous hours of torture before killing you all. You have one hour to decide.”
Uuuniloh stared down at the image of Oloth Faer in fear and frustration. She grabbed the bowl and flung it into the fire before snatching her bow from the mantle. She then turned around to find her children standing before her, wearing similar expressions of animosity and trepidation. Uuuniloh nodded at them, and they all rushed off to prepare for battle.
*****
Panicked ponies fled passed Twilight Sparkle; jolting her, running into her, tripping her, all but trampling her in their blindly mad stampede to escape the unknown horror that awaited her at the edge of town. Another howl split the air, hurting her ears with its intensity. Twilight finally passed through the stampede and quickened her pace.
Twilight reached the scene and skidded to a halt. What she saw before her she would never forget. Such destruction and carnage had not been seen nor heard of in Equestria for many millennia. A large portion of the Everfree had been leveled and bathed in the blood of the animals that once roamed there. Whole buildings, once secure and happy homes, lay in shambles. Some were marred by deep gashes and holes, some were missing entire walls or the roof, and others were completely smashed to kindling.
In the middle of it all appeared to be pack of seven black haired cats, but they were so large and misshapen that it was impossible to tell. Each was about a quarter the size of an ursa minor, with long torsos and bulging muscles. They had huge paws sporting claws that were several hooves in length, and twin whip-like tails. Their eyes were the same red as the fresh blood that dripped from their long fangs.
Twilight gasped in horror as she realized that they were feasting upon the bodies of several ponies. She began to back away slowly while scanning the area for an escape route. A loud roar sounded behind her, stopping her dead in her retreat. Dread filled her heart as she turned to find one of the bi-pedal creatures standing behind her.
Twilight spun back around to see the others standing up from their meal and glaring right at her. She turned to her right and charged down an alley, eyes darting back and forth in abject terror. One of the creatures appeared at the end of the alley and slowly began to advance. Twilight dashed down a side alley, only to find it similarly cut off. She turned left into an empty alley and charged full speed toward the street.
Twilight emerged from the alley and skidded to a halt, surrounded by the creatures. She turned to run back down the alley, but was filled with despair instead as one of the creatures jumped down from the rooftops and blocked her exit. It was only then that she realized she had fallen right into their trap.
Twilight shook her head and tried to force herself to calm down. She chided herself for letting them lead her right into this situation. She contemplated on her options and figured her only way out, and the only way for her to live to see another day, was to fight. She looked around for something she could use as a weapon while summing up her opponents.
Large bi-pedal creature, looks to belong to the family Panthera. Long snout filled with large, sharp teeth, carnivorous in nature. Strong, corded muscles and thick skin, bred to fight. Thick muscled legs, fast movements. Work as a coordinated team and use trapping methods, intelligent. Weapon analysis; Razor sharp, bladelike claws measuring between twenty-four inches long on the shortest, to forty inches long on the longest and two inches wide, avoid. Thick neck muscles attached to lower jaw, teeth are six inches to nine inches in length and an inch in diameter, if that bites down on me I’m finished, avoid. Two tails, thin but long, hairless, swaying slightly in a controlled manner, possible weapon, watch closely and avoid. Environment analysis; Large ring of creatures blocking us in, twelve paces in diameter. Broken glass and debris scattered about, useful improvised weapons.
Twilight finished her analysis and levitated a flag pole and several pieces of broken glass over. She concentrated and brought the spell she needed to her mind. The pole and glass glowed purple and started coming together. Bright light flashed for an instant and Twilight and the creatures had to shield their eyes with their arms. When the light faded Twilight was satisfied to see her spell had worked correctly. Floating before her was a glaive with a glass blade.
The creatures watched as Twilight gave it a few twirls and swipes, testing its balance and weight. She then pointed it at one of the creatures. Its ears perked up and it looked at the others and began to speak in a language Twilight didn’t recognize. It stepped forward and the others shifted to fill in the gap behind it.
They can speak? And it recognized my challenge and accepted. Creatures are highly intelligent. I’ll have to really be on my guard.
It placed a paw on its chest and spoke, “Mavis.” It tapped its paw on its chest twice more and repeated, “Mavis.” It then said something in its own language and gestured at Twilight.
Twilight placed a hoof on her chest and answered its obvious question, “Twilight Sparkle.” She then watched as it spoke again in its language to the others before it raised its head and offered more words to the sky above. A battle prayer perhaps? These creatures are highly intelligent and civilized. Under different circumstances I would love to study them. Their culture, religion, way of life. It could be fascinating.
It finished its prayer and took up a ready battle stance. “Celestia, guide my hoof,” Twilight added in prayer as she also took up a stance of her own. Each of the surrounding creatures raised a paw sky ward and began speaking in their language, one by one lowering a paw. It was a countdown she realized, and Twilight steeled her nerves for the battle to come. A look of grim determination crossed her face as she called upon all her battle knowledge.
The final paw struck the ground and the creature before her wasted no time at all. It charged right for her, teeth bared and eyes glowing with determination. It was faster than she thought possible for a creature of its size and build. It cleared the gap between them in mere seconds, startling Twilight and causing her to drop her concentration. Her glaive fell to the ground with a clatter and all she could do was stare wide eyed as the creature’s claws swiped down at her.
*****
Oloth Faer appeared on a cliff overlooking the southern fields of house Wlalth. A group of six armoured ponies, three equneoras and three briquimchies, stood around a small table with a map and other various documents sprawled across it.
“Good, everyone is here.” He walked over to the map and looked it over. “Maral, what news from our spies?”
The briquimchy mare to his left looked up from her reports. “The spies are all dead. After your little talk with Uuuniloh, her and her kids started cutting them down in short order. All we managed to get was half garbled messages.”
Oloth sighed deeply, he figured something like this might happen. “Well, what do we know then?”
“We know that the weapon master and the little one left. The northern side to the eastern side is heavily guarded with some weird magic we’ve never seen before. And they have armour made of an unidentified material. Unfortunately nothing more is known about either, sir.”
“Okay, the absence of Silinrul will definitely speed things along nicely. It’s these traps and armours I’m really worried about. Anyways, here’s the plan. First we’ll send in a wave of tizzin as cannon fodder. They’ll trip most of the traps and hopefully we can learn more about their magic. Maral, you take Chath and Xar Zith and attack from the west. Har’dro, take the twins and attack from the south. As for myself, I’ll find mommy dearest and deal with her. If you come across any of the other three, be wary of their armour. Quickly find its properties, its weaknesses, adapt, and counter attack. Now move to your positions and await my signal.”
With a salute, they departed, leaving Oloth alone to his thoughts. This armour could prove to be problematic. However, when this is over and we have their magic, perhaps we could procure some for our own House Yorn. Oh I can see it now, mother will be so proud of me. She may even give me my own land. I could start a new house. Have Uuuniloh daughters bear my children. We would rise in power and take down house Yorn. Then, the rest of Thac’zil would fall beneath our hooves. Oloth finished his thoughts with a laugh before teleporting away.
He reappeared just outside the northern entrance to the farm. “Alright Uuuniloh, you’ve had plenty of time to decide. I promise to spare your family if you comply with our demands,” he shouted across the field. “Otherwise I can’t guarantee their safety, especially that of your daughters’. I think I might just take them for myself. What do you think about that? You’d become a grandmother after forcing them to bear my children. And your son too, the worthless one. I would make him my slave. Torture him daily. I might even…”
Oloth Faer’s rant was cut short as an arrow zipped across the field and slammed into his chest. He looked down and noticed as area around the arrow glowed a slight blue. It quickly began to spread across his chest and throughout his body. A look of sheer pain crossed Oloth’s face and he tried to scream. He watched in horror as his flesh began to rot and crumble away. Mere moments after the arrow had struck him he was reduced to a pile of bones and rotten flesh.
Uuuniloh smiled as she watched as Oloth crumbled to mush under the power of Elg’cahl’s poison, priding herself on another perfect shot. She was standing on her hind legs and had a large quiver on her back with ten different compartments, each filled with one hundred arrows. Every inch of her body was covered in black bone armour crafted by Sarol to compliment her prowess.
A low laughter filled the cavern, growing louder before dying out completely. Uuuniloh’s eyes grew wide with shock and horror as the ominous voice of Oloth Faer filled the void created by the sudden silence. “Dear, sweet Uuuniloh. You didn’t think that was really me now, did you? And here I thought you were smarter than that. Oh well, at least I have your answer now.”
