Equestria Girls: Hunting Season

Chapter Six Three Steps Forward

King Sombra

This had become quite the day. As I recall the revival altar I had in place seemed to work. The spell took much to long but had been beneficial. I seem to remember the spell being interrupted by a power flux in the form of a teleportation spell gone wrong it seemed or something similar. The spell continued though it seems the return location was misplaced by that interruption. Now I seem to have a new body so the spell must have had some kind of alteration woven into it.

I looked down at myself looking over my new limbs and stance. When I fell I could sense something off in my psyche that was telling me to land on two legs instead of four, I settled for a crouched landing. The Two what I could only assume to be females in front of me had been looking at me with curiosity before I had introduced myself but now the red haired one was laughing and the purple haired one seemed to be unsure of the reason. I was about to interrupt when the red head spoke first.

"Y-you hah! You have got to be kidding me? Right? King Sombra as in ruler of the Crystal Empire Pre Nightmare Moon? The Dark King? The one my friend Twilight and her crew helped blow up? That King Sombra?"

That had not been what I was expecting but she struck a nerve of mine with that last comment. "Now listen here child! I am still the true King of the Crystal Empire and I will not let my standing be insulted by such a small creature!" I walked up to her towering at my full height. "And I will see to it that you be punished for such insolence!" I raised my arm up ready to bring it down but I suddenly felt danger and stopped myself finding a blade neatly tucked under my jaw.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you King." Her words had a sting of blood lust that had me shiver, I was impressed.

"And who may I ask are you?" I questioned her as she made her way in front of me never removing the blade. She pressed forward driving me from her friend. Only when she was satisfied that I was far enough away did she bring the blade from my throat and answer me.

"I am Twilight not to be confused with the one from your world assuming you and Sunset come from the same place." She smirked at me probably feeling confident at her little victory. I could see the resemblance to the purple one from Equestria but it ended at the hair. Even her eyes despite being a similar color shined with a different light.

"Well met, then I shall remember you and your boldness. Now tell me where are we and who is this one who dares mock my defeat?"

"I'll answer that" The girl who had been laughing spoke up. I had noticed through the entire exchange that she seemed at wonderlust toward Twilight's actions, probably both surprised and pleased with her friend. "I am Sunset Shimmer former student of Princess Celestia and ex villainess."

"Former Student?" I asked curious.

"Long story short, crave for power lead to my own self banishment." She seemed quite easy going about this information enough to even speak of it casually.

"Well Miss Shimmer I would hold thy tongue when addressing those of greater power, and you Miss Sparkle I suggest make sure she does, your little stunt shall have no repeat and I understood?"

"Yes sir... King of Nothing." Twilight replied with a mock bow.

"Why you insolent!...." She just walked past me as if nothing had transpired. She looked back to me before giving me a shrug and then carried on her way deeper into the cave.

"Wow.... I have no idea when she got such massive balls but I think I like it." Sunset said apparently forgetting present company before following after her friend picking up what looked to be a massive sword on her way. That thing had to way at least three hundred pounds minimum. Maybe I should act on the side of caution around these two.

Sunset

Okay if I could see the purple princess's face right now this would be priceless. This whole situation has gone so far out of hand that she would probably eat a book.

"Hey Twilight?" She turned her head to look at me while guiding us through the dark tunnel. "I was wondering something?......"

I was hesitant to ask but I felt like keeping anything from her was bad when we needed each other now more than ever. She waited patiently for my reply.

"Well when we were fighting that Great Jaggi the other day you seemed to get really into the fight and today you both protected me and looked like you were going to launch yourself into battle back when we split with the hunters. I was just wondering if you um... enjoyed fighting and well.. I guess killing?"

Her smile that had been laced on her face this whole time slowly faded and she looked forward. It had been a minute and I was starting to worry when she turned back with a serious and grave expression. Never would have thought I'd see such strength in just someones eyes. I had not even seen a look like that in Celestia in the years I grew up studying under her wing.

"Sunset if I told you that I did not get some kind of enjoyment from all of this then I would be lying and I just could not do that to you." She smiled for a moment when she said that and I felt my cheeks pinken. Her face went back to stoic as she continued. "I have an understanding of both the scientific and magical worlds and I have only learned more and more since we came here what all of that meant to me. This whole world and mine and yours do not live in harmony but get affected by it. Harmony is not a constant just like evil is not a constant. There is no black and white wherever you look. We paint this world are own colors, I just happen to believe I can play a part in driving this fight towards a peaceful outcome. I will take my strength were I can after that. I am not going to let those around me make me feel weak anymore, not after all of this." She shook her head and gave me a look that shook my core, She seemed to glow with a invisible power and confidence that I was lucky enough to bear witness to. "Instead I am going to use this newly acquired skill and go where the wind takes me."

"So does this mean your not coming back to school?" I asked shocked.

"Yup!" She laughed and kept leading me and our newly found traveling companion further towards something deep in the massive cavern.

As we got closer to whatever it was the entire place slowly started to activate it seemed like one big machine. One by one large balls that hung from the ceiling lit up the cavern. Soon we could see the other end, and what we saw made me gag.

Hanging from the ceiling, surrounded in the glowing balls, suspended by large metal chains was the most horrid creature i could imagine. It looked vile it's whole body looked like decaying rotten flesh melded with metal plates. The wings were so large that they looked overgrown, to big for the creature despite it being on a similar size to the creature that split us up from the group. The creepiest part had to be the blood seeping from it onto the ground. It was so slow and rhythmic each drop of the crimson substance leaving a ripple in the pond it had formed beneath itself.

"The Equal Dragon Weapon." Twilight said as she stared at it in horror. Even Sombra looked to be turned off by such a beast, the look on his face was strange though, anger? I was going to asked why he was mad when Twilight cut me off.

"Everyone this is very important so listen carefully." She said in a whisper. "First lets find a way out of here."

We did what she said and when she thought we had gotten far enough away she spoke again still in a whisper.

"Okay this is going to sound crazy but I think it's alive."

"Um Twilight I don't think you saw the same giant blood soaked rotting dragon that we did." I said.

Sombra spoke up "I agree with the purple one."

"Really?" Me and Twilight had said that at the same time both of us looked to each other for a moment then back to the king.

"Yes really." He spoke irritably. "I don't know what kind of dark arts were used to create such a demon but that things rotting body should be a sign of the blood having already dried and drained away. The state of decay it's at it should be almost completely dry, but it was still bleeding steadily and almost looked muscular. Tis a wise idea if we avoid the beast all together."

"Exactly" Twilight replied looking back into the cave as if it would sneak up on us. "I saw a small door bellow it on its right that was dimly lit. If we can make it to that door I think it might lead to an exit it seemed to go upwards to probably further out of this forsaken place."

"Alright" I said. "Lets go quiet mode and slip past, if anything even slight goes wrong we bolt for the door, agreed?" With two nods we headed back into the chamber.

We were as silent as possible the only sound being the shuffle of our clothes and the dripping of the blood. I took this time to really examine the creature. I could see what Sombra meant there was in fact muscle on its limbs partially hidden by rotting flesh and the mixture of patches of fur and scales. This thing must have been alive for so long based on what the chief said. It definitely looked like it hadn't left. The chains not only wrapped around it but seemed be welded onto the metal and even some of the flesh on its body. We were getting closer and closer to the door when a small earthquake started up. It only lasted for a couple moments but the damage had been done. With far to much speed the creature shattered its cage and was in the center of the cave, meanwhile we bolted for the door. I was momentarily reminded of the encounter we had with a certain giant monkey as the thing slammed into the door behind us. We had barely managed to avoid being crushed by the falling rocks as we kept running through the corridor which seemed to become more metal the further we went. The metal soon changed to smooth rock then into dirt eventually exiting the side of a tall mountain. We could hear the creature bashing away far beneath the earth so we kept running following a path that led into another mountain range, this one covered in snow. Once again we returned to our traveling speed when we had put enough miles and a couple mountains between us and the beast.

Day had eventually turned to night and we tried scouring for some kind of shelter from the snowy downpour that was soon becoming a blizzard. We had ran and then walked for so long and the gear had become increasingly heavy with the weight of my sword still not being an accustomed thing to me. To my utter surprise Sombra was the one to grab my pack from me giving me nothing but a look before he walked further ahead. Deciding to think about it later I looked further up to find Twilight waving to us pointing somewhere. When we reached her I could see she was pointing at a small cave. We all quickly made our way inside. We started to unpack and set up a fire getting a camp site established quickly.

A thought made me laugh as I surveyed the quick set up and the single tent that we had put together. Looking to Sombra a small amused smile graced my lips and I shook my head. Camping with the King