Brights' and Night's first night in the desert was very uneventful so they spent most of their time talking and figuring out what still worked from the game. Pretty much everything from the game still worked save for a few select items that had special requirements. They found out that their Keep had to be somewhere on this planet because Brights' could still summon his insects. Night is an avid star gazer, he came to the conclusion they had to be on a different world because none of the stars matched the charts he made from the games night sky.

Their first night they could not find a cave to sleep in once dawn came so Brights summoned his Crag Scavenger. This insect has a big upper body supported by two strong fore arms, with razor sharp claws for tearing into the earth. Its body comes down to a point where the back half is supported by centipede like legs. The creature is blind and relies on a strong sense of smell to get around as well as feeling vibrations in the ground. It could also spew acid from its mouth. Thanks to its help they had a place to sleep on that first morning in the desert.

It was now night again and they found themselves in an uncomfortable silence as they followed Jirwolf to the minotaur village for something felt wrong this night. The air was heavy with the sent of blood and death which only grew as they kept following Jirwolf. They moved at a quickened pace weapons at the ready, and eyes peeled for any sign of danger.

As they followed Jirwolf, soon fires could be seen in the distance. They thought them to be campfires but as they drew closer they could see the fire spreading and the sounds of battle being waged. Jirwolf disappeared into his amulet because he was out of energy. Night quickly took to the air and Brights run with all his might. Once Night was over the village, he could see Jirwolf was right they looked like minotaurs but not the ones he was used too. Most wore tribal clothing and fought with matching weapons. Some wore more western style cloths. They were being set upon by coyotes made from sand and dust. They chased down the minotaurs young and old with burning, soulless red eyes.

Night watched as the minotaurs put up a valiant effort against the coyotes but every time they would destroy one it would soon return. He saw a young female fall and two of the coyotes pounce. He could no longer watch, he had to act. "Shield Crash!" He dove out of the sky with the force of a cannon smashing into one of the coyotes destroying it. He quickly turned to the other and slashed through its face. Sheathing his sword he held out his hand to the young cow. "Are you all right miss?"

Little Strongheart looked to this armor clad titan in fear. He fell from the sky stopping her death but she knew nothing about him. She slowly reached out to him only to see the coyotes reform behind him. "Behind you, watch out!" She quickly jumped up and tackled him to the ground as the two coyotes flew over head.

Night got up and quickly charged the coyotes that had grown in number a few feet from them. He stopped and swung his blade hard. "Shatter Wave!" a crescent blade flew from his sword into the group destroying a few. The blade then shattered sending tiny shards into more of the coyotes, destroying them but they soon reformed . He looked over his shoulder at the girl "What are they and how do I stop them?" He soon jumped into the fray again destroying them left and right.

Little Strongheart could not believe what she was seeing. This stranger was not only keeping her safe from multiple enemies but fighting them to a stand still. She soon snapped out of her aw as a second one showed up flying over a tipi as he yelled "surprise", a wicked scythe in hand. He waved his weapon and called out "blade Wave" sending out a wave of energy destroying some coyotes and stopping at the side of the armored figure.

"About damn time you got here Brights! What kept you?" Night snapped as he struck down another coyote only to watch it reform.

"These things attacked me before I could get close so I had to fight my way here. No matter what skill I use or even my weapons ability they wont stay down. Doesn't look like your faring any better, so don't yell at me you Neanderthal." Now they were surrounded with the girl between them. The ring of coyotes jumped at them. "Night down, Buzz Guard!" Brights through his scythe causing it to spin like a saw in a circle around him taking out the attacking coyotes.

Little Strongheart watched on as the two figures fought side by side keeping her safe and making it look like a cake walk. Any coyote that dared to come too close weather by itself or in a group was soon cut down. They fought like monsters and used attacks she thought only the strongest of worriers could use, even some her tribe could.

Night looked around the village and saw most of the minotaurs were in the middle and faring far better them him and his brother. "Brights lets go to the middle there are more minotaurs there and they are holding better then we are." He took the girl by the arm yanking her to her hooves making her follow.

Brights quickly passed Night taking point only to see a lot of the enemy stood in their way. He drew his scythe back and threw it "Buzz Ripper!" The scythe spun like a saw blade and rotated counter clockwise through the enemy clearing a small path before it stuck into the ground near the other minotaurs. "Speed Up, Agility Up!" Brights flashed green and then blue as he drew out his twin daggers. As they ran he did a series of flips and spins sending out waves of energy from his daggers keeping the way cleared as they drew closer to the center of the village.

Chief Thunderhooves was looking round franticly for his daughter. Everyone knew once the coyotes attacked you had to get to the center of the village for safety. He and his warriors kept the coyotes at bay while the young, old and the cows were kept safe in the circle. Out of the corner of his eye he saw something flying toward them. It was a spinning blue blade and it ripped through the coyotes with ease. It stuck into the ground near him and his warriors and he saw it to be a wicked looking scythe. From the same way he could see someone running through the gap in the enemies to them destroying more as they went. This strange creature soon slid by the scythe placing it upon his back daggers in hand sliding into the circle and taking a side by one of his worriers. Another clad in formidable looking armor dragged his daughter into the circle and took his place next to the other creature.

"Thank you for saving my daughter strangers. When this nightmare is over we will have words at the celebration." Thunderhooves look down to the two strangers.

"Now is not the time for ideal chatter we need to keep these beast at bay. Shatter Wave!" Night said sending out a wave into the enemy destroying a few.

Thunderhooves was surprised this stranger could use one of the marshal skills but now was not the time for chatter they had an enemy to hold.

"How do we get rid of these things they wont die?" Brights yelled as he stabbed one in the head.

"They are shadows, spirits of rage and hate brought to life by a dark force only the light of dawn will see them gone from this land for a time." one of the worriers yelled.

"For a time, how often do they attack?" Brights asked the worrier to his right.

"Twice a week at most but only at night. Once day breaks they will vanish." Thunderhooves said slamming his war club down on two of the coyotes.

Brights smiled and laughed aloud "You hear that Night they hate the light! What say you give them a bath brother these dogs stink!" He then destroyed two more coyotes.

"This is no time to joke my friend dawn is still a long ways away!" Thunderhooves yelled.

"Just watch I got this!" Night slowly strode forward igniting in golden fire. "By the light of the radiant dawn I cast you back into shadow!" The coyotes began to cower in fear and back away. He pointed his sword into the air and all the flames flew off him and began to spin around gathering into an orb above the tip. "Solar Radiance!" The flames burst outward washing over the whole village making a shimmering dome of light. As the light spread it healed the injured. As soon as it hit the coyotes they howled in pain cracking, shadows flying forth till they shattered just like when the sun rose. Some had the right idea and tried to run but the light spread too quickly and soon not a single coyote was left.

Night fell to one knee stabbing his blade into the ground to help keep himself up. Bright ran over and grabbed him helping him to his feet with a bit of effort for he was worn-out as well just not as bad as Night. "You did well brother take it easy I'll deal with the minotaurs. I got to say big guy you give a whole new meaning to blinded by the light."

Night could not help but laugh at Brights he was too worn-out to do anything else. Cheers erupted behind them as the minotaurs ran over giving thanks and praise. Brights and Night nearly fell if not for a few of the cows caching them. Night saw the one he saved to his right while an old cow took his left from Brights. Brights was held up by two young cows.

Now that both were steady on their feet Thunderhooves approached. "Thank you friends you not only saved the life of my daughter Little Strongheart," he held his hand out to her showing who she was "but also sent away the dreaded spirits saving us from a long hard fight till dawn. I am Chief Thunderhooves leader of the buffalo tribes of these plains and I thank you from the bottom of my heart." Thunderhooves took to one knee and placed a hand over his heart bowing his head. Soon after all but the four holding them were in the same position.

Thunderhooves stood looking to them with a worm smile. "Come we will give you a place to lay your heads. Once everyone is well rested we feast in celebration for our victory and in remembrance of those who have fallen!" Everyone gave out a victory cry and soon made their way to their tipis. Night and Brights were put into the same tipi and left to rest.

Author's Note

Hello everypony hope your enjoying the story thus for. I will be leaving a picture here to show you what the Crag Scavenger looks like. Again the picture was acquired from Bing images and used without permission. If you know the artist give them my thanks.

These are the Dust Coyotes

Little Strongheart