Prologue: A Red Stained Night
The stench of death was a pungent one. One could never mistake it for anything else, due to it's very obvious odor.
Upon entering the cemetery, this is exactly what Platinum Cross realized as he crossed under the splendidly made marble arches of the Pristine Pony Sisters Chapel. His saddlepack was adorned in what appeared to be several small boxes, along with a shovel and small crate.
The smell of decay was strong, and yet many of the cadavers in the cemetery were unsuitable for the historic event that Cross wished to put them through. As he slowly made his ways into the depths of the burial grounds, he realized just how insane his grand plan sounded.
To the average pony, creating a spell to save the recently-deceased would probably sound like something straight out of necromantic folklore. To the well educated, it would sound incredibly difficult and perhaps even risky. To an expert like Platinum Cross, it sounded more akin to a challenge.
However, no matter how important he thought this test was, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about this cemetery. He picked up his pace, entering into a quickened trot so that he may reach the fresher burials. As he passed the twelfth row of gravestones, he could sense the remaining magical energies left over by a recently-deceased being.
His eyes widened, and he grinned in excitement. He broke out into a full gallop towards the gravestones emanating magic.
'I'm so close I can almost taste the magic!' He thought, as the streams of magic flowed past him.
Cross crossed into a side path, following a trail of particularly strong energy. He traveled along the bright blue stream of magical energy, eventually coming to what appeared to be a smaller grave off to the side.
It looked quite quaint, with only a few words inscribed upon it, underneath a carving of a rose. The words read
"Here lies Dusk Dance, our beautiful little colt. May he pass from this world into the other in peace."
Cross's will faltered for but a moment, as he came to a resolution.
"A foal should never pass on before earning their cutie mark. This is who I've been searching for." He said, lighting up his horn and removing the shovel from his pack.
As Cross began digging, he noticed a flickering of light coming from the chapel. He ignored it however, thinking it to be the caretakers of this home of the dead. After several more minutes of digging, he'd finally reached the wooden casket of the grave. Noting it's shoddy craftsponyship, he realized that this poor colt's family must have been quite poor. Cross would not let his emotions get in the way of progress though, and thusly he shoved them aside.
Lighting his horn, Cross quickly yet carefully lifted the beaten casket up from it's earthen prison. After making sure it was sufficiently lifted, he used a spell to force at least most of the dirt back into place. Placing the casket onto his pack, he secured it with the remainder of the rope he'd brought with him. He quickly retreated from the cemetery, heading back to his clinic.
Upon entering the comforting reception room, he quickly entered into his operating room, placing the corpse upon the table. He drew a piece of magically enchanted chalk, before slowly and precisely drawing a large circle around the table. After crossing the last lines of the sigil, he tossed the chalk to the side. Platinum Cross smiled at his work, before beginning the spell.
Drawing in the life-forces of the plants and animals in the surrounding area, he concentrated their essences around a single point, melding them together. He shifted their essences around, before carefully lifting the colt's essence out as well. He then transferred the mixture of essences into a potion bottle, before looking over his notes one last time.
Seemingly satisfied with his progress thus far, he split the remaining amount of the colt's essence into three chunks, and combined one of them with the others. He then poured a specially brewed compound of Bogwater, Frog Flesh, Unicorn shavings, and Manticore bone marrow into the bottle as well.
After mixing the second fragment of the Child's essence with the potion, he poured it into the body's mouth, forcing it to drink it. He then levitated a scalpel over to himself from his trolley, before slicing it across his hoof wrist. Hissing in pain, he held it above the colt, allowing it to flow down the child's throat. Finally, he added the last piece of the child's soul.
Using a final burst of magic, he sealed the magic within the sigil, making the process incapable of being prevented. Suddenly, he heard what sounded like a hundred ponies marching around. Quickly and carefully, he made his way to the front of his shop, the eerie glow of his sigil encasing him in a blue light. Outside of his window, he saw what appeared to be a large gathering of ponies, many armed with a torch for light, or some type of sharp tool. Being a curious stallion, he was about to open the glass window when he heard a shout.
"RETURN THE BODY YOU FIEND" A male voice shouted, followed by many "Yeah's" and "Do It's" He looked at the one who shouted it, unable to discern his face in the darkness of the night.
"I cannot do so, my fellow friend. I am on the verge of a glorious revolution in medicine!" He shouted back, hoping to convince them to end this.
"So be it, Doctor! STORM THE BUILDING!" That same stallion roared, before leading a charge of ponies at Cross's shop!
Cross quickly retreated into his operating room, tossing several cabinets and chairs towards the doors in hopes of slowing them. He heard the shattering of glass, and a brick smashed into the wall next to his head, narrowly missing crushing his skull. Deciding to fall back, he retreated into the walls of the Operating Theater. He barely managed to make it into there, as they banged their hooves upon the door.
"YOU MONSTER! LET US SEE OUR SON! He heard a mare shout, and he became confused.
"Your son is in here for the good of Equestria!" He said, glancing back to the sigil, which was now growing brighter.
"GIVE HIM BACK TO US!" He heard that same stallion shout, before a large hoof-print was dented into his door.
"That is exactly what I'm doing!" Cross countered, smiling as the Sigil exploded outwards in a shower of beautiful blue light.
The door was suddenly flung from its hinges, sending Cross into the opposite wall, his body smashing against the wall with a painful THUD. Cross coughed up a small amount of blood, before groggily looking over towards the remains of his door. His eyes barely managed to focus on the sight of a Stallion and Mare, both staring at the Operating Table, and the currently mumbling Colt upon it.
"By Celestia's mane..." The Stallion mumbled, before looking over to Cross.
"What witchcraft have you committed? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" He roared, his eyes burning with a hatred unseen before by Cross.
"I gave you... your son back" Cross mumbled, before stumbling upwards. "And... this is what I got?" He said, before his viridian eyes focused on the countless notes he'd taken on his now-successful project.
"You monster... what kind of black magic do you practice? I thought you were our FRIEND" The mare shouted, looking at both Cross, and her foal at the same time. Cross took this moment to suddenly pull his notes over to himself, before looking sadly to the two parents.
"I gave you your foal back, and you attempt to kill me? LOOK AT HIM! HE IS AS ALIVE AS YOU AND I!" He screamed.
The two were taken aback enough for Cross to suddenly begin his teleportation spell. Cross had nearly completed it, before suddenly a hoof struck him across the muzzle. He was thrown to the side, causing him to smash into a potion-rack and become covered in them. His vision swirled, before he swung back in a bit of rage.
His hoof connected with the stallion's muzzle with a sickening CRACK, and the stallion stumbled backwards into the mare, who then tumbled over onto her side, knocking down several ponies with torches. One such torch impacted the stallion who'd hit Cross, and both him and his wife were suddenly engulfed in a dark green fire, as they began screaming. Seeing this as his escape, Cross quickly threw his remaining power into a Teleportation spell, and vanished from the operating room.
Reappearing several hundred meters away, Cross looked on sadly at the burning carcass that was once his home, and he saw that several fireponies were now surrounding it, rescuing those who'd been inside. Along with the two parents he'd seen before, now heavily burned, he also saw their colt. Smiling sadly, he realized he'd accomplished his goal all along.
Platinum Cross turned, and began trotting into the Everfree Forest, still dripping potion, with much of it seeping slightly into his minor cuts and bruises. He passed underneath the dark canopy of the Forest, and vanished in the depths of the wilds.
To Be Continued
Author's Note
How'd you like it guys 'n gals? This was my first ever published story on Fimfiction, and I really hope you all enjoyed it. Please, provide comments and tell me of any errors you find. A proofreader or two would be appreciated, and if you can sign up that'd be great. Contact me via a PM to inform me if you wish to help.
The Everfree Forest is a strange place for many reasons. Could it have been the strange abnormal way that nature took care of itself? Perhaps it was the disturbing abominations of evil that lurked within? Or perhaps it was the only true normal place on Equus, and the rest of the Garden World was instead abnormal?
Perspective is a beautiful thing, as it allows you to answer these types of questions.
For example, the viridian eyes which tracked Platinum Cross's form throughout the entirety of his trek within the forest. It was very likely that he was seen as a type of Invader from their perspective. Only through direct confrontation would he know the answer for sure, and this was exactly what he'd planned.
As he came upon the wide river Platinum Cross's plan came into fruition. Quickly making his way across the wide girth of this torrent of water he immediately cast a mirror spell upon himself. He then made a quick turn to the right, coming into the dark covering of a tree's mangled roots. He waited for several moments, before hearing a very faint crunching of leaves. Acting solely on reflexes, he lunged outwards from his hiding spot, and he tackled the strange stalker to the ground.
Time seemed to stretch on forever during their struggle. Hoof against hoof, head to head, and muscle to muscle they battled for supremacy much like some type of hungry wolves over prey. Luck seemed to favor Cross however, and as his foe fell underneath him, pinned under his sheer expertise and strength he was able to finally lay his eyes upon his worthy adversary.
The creature seemed so foreign to him that it took him several moments to even realize it's similarities to an Equus Ferus. It was so close yet so different that it unnerved him slightly. However, being a stallion of medicine this did not put him down. Giving himself a sketch of this strange species in his mind, he finally began to speak.
"Can you understand me, strange one?" He asked as he held it down.
For several moments the air surrounding the two was tense. The feeling subsided as the black, chitinous creature finally spoke in an echoing voice.
"Yes, intruder. We speak your common-tongue" it spoke, it's feminine voice giving off an echo of dozens.
"Very well then. What are you, and why were you following me?" Platinum asked, his face twisted into a scowl.
"Would you not also watch those whom intrude upon your territory?" it replied.
"Alright. What exactly are you?" Cross asked, his eyes shifting over the form of the pseudo-equine.
"We are known by many names. The most common thus far is ‘’Scavenger’.” it said, looking tiredly at Cross.
"I'll let you up then ‘Scavenger’, but in the name of Celestia, if you try anything..." Cross told her, before lifting her up with the help of his magic.
Not even a full second had passed before Cross was suddenly tackled with three more creatures. Being thrown to the ground, he found back valiantly, kicking and bucking at his assailants.
CRACK
The sound of a bone shattering under force met his ears as his hind legs caught something mid-kick. Wincing slightly at the squeal of pain behind him, Cross took this distraction as his time to escape. Quickly he brought his hind legs close to the ground and himself, before kicking off of the ground like a spring. He was flung away from his attackers by the momentum before he broke off into a sprint.
Hearing the buzzing of wings and a few faint shouts Platinum Cross kept his pace. He weaved between the trees, above and under bushes, and finally leaping over rocks. As he ran he could feel his heart pounding in his chest as it pumped his adrenaline around. He seemed to go on for several minutes before the buzzing ceased. It was shortly afterwards that he slowed down, catching his breath.
Suddenly his escape was cut short as he was slammed into a tree by his side, dazing him. His vision was swimming with stars as he gazed back up at the apologetic face of the first changeling he'd ever met, before a wisp of green magic enveloped his body. He felt the majority of his limp form go numb as he was removed from the scene of the most recent ambush. While being carted away he could swear he heard the whispering of that Scavenger, vaguely mumbling only eight words.
"I'm sorry it had to come to this"
In the darkness...
For Platinum Cross, words were unable to describe the pain he was currently in. It felt as though every single nerve ending within his body was firing off simultaneously with pain. This horrible torture seemed to go on endlessly, ceasing only for moments at a time before coming back at full force. Every moment of his life at this time was nothing but pure agony, and it felt as though his body itself was fizzling away and changing. His eyes barely responded to input and he was vaguely able to spot colors outside of a neon green hue.
As this eternal torture dragged on for what seemed like hours, slowly Platinum Cross began to respond to stimuli again. First to return was his hearing, and he was able to slowly but surely listen in on what sounded like a raspy whisper. Shortly thereafter he began to feel again. The pain had finally subsided and in its place was what seemed to be nothing. It felt as though he was floating mid air much like being levitated, however it still distinctly lacked the warn, harmonious feeling of Magic.
Finally he summoned up all of his energy, and his eyes very slowly opened. He was greeted to nothing but darkness, and he immediately feared that he’d gone blind. After a short time of calming himself down, Cross was finally able to see that the area around him was merely very dark. Slowly, the details began to appear. First, he realized that he was in some type of… cocoon.
Next, he noticed that the area surrounding the outside of this cocoon was very dark, with a tinge of green to give it an ever so slightly noticeable outline. As he gazed outwards from his organic prison, several thoughts came to mind.
First off, he realized that the beings he encountered before were the most likely culprits of this kidnapping.
Then his brain came to the conclusion that they must be preparing him for something, due to the fact that they’ve left him alive instead of using him for food or slavery. However his thoughts were cut short when the pod broke open. suddenly, whatever was keeping him afloat was gone, and he quickly fell out of the pod. Covered in what felt like spoiled medical paste, Cross was unable to move for quite a time.
Looking down at himself in order to ensure he was still whole, he was greeted with a terrifying sight. His body seemed to have been replaced instead with what looked like a carbon copy of the being he’d met before.
His torso seemed to be made of a charcoal-colored material. Testing it with one of his tough, chitinous hooves he realized that it also seemed to be made of a similar, yet slightly softer material. His mind was panicking, knowing that this body was most definitely not his normal one.
Cutting through the panic, he was suddenly able to sense something was off about his magic. Quickly lighting his horn, we began to cast a basic-
SLAM!!
There was a monstrous sounding boom, as two needlessly-large doors opened much too quickly, bashing themselves against the walls of the room. His spellweaving was interrupted so quickly that he lost all sense of his magic for several moments. Upon gazing in the direction of the disturbance, Platinum was rewarded with a very intriguing sight.
Standing tall, seemingly as tall as Celestia was some being very similar to his current form. It sported both a horn, and insectoid wings. Its two lime-green eyes focused on Cross, and a smile was then etched onto its face. It began to slowly trot its way towards Cross, with its slender legs moving like that of a Daddy Long Legs moving towards its prey. It suddenly spoke in an echoing, motherly voice.
“My newest child. How are you adapting to the new for you’ve been given?” It asked.
Cross merely looked at it fearfully, able to sense the immense amount of both magic and some type of foreign power emanating from it.
“You may call me Chrysalis… And I, am your new mother” she said, before her horn lit itself. A thin green beam was flung from her horn before it struck Cross’s horn itself. The last images seen by Cross before his slumber were those of Bright green eyes surrounded by an all-encompassing darkness.
Author's Note
Sorry for taking so long. I rewrote this chapter eight different times before I thought it was acceptable.
