The Wolf and the Rainbow

Chapter Fifteen

Moon Howl dodged the attack, just as the warpspawn threw its twisted claw at him. While it dug into the dirt, Moon Howl flew up and ready himself. “Get everypony out of here, now!” He yelled, just barely dodging a second swipe from his opponent. The Charger quickly dive bombed at the warpspawn, but only managed to clip its shoulder and cause black ichor to seep out.

Twilight nodded, rushing off to evacuate everypony from Ponyville, while Rainbow Dash had Scootaloo get on to her back. However, the mare looked up towards Moon Howl. “What about you? You need to get out of here too!”

Moon Howl quickly avoided an energy blast from the warpspawn, before he struck its arm with his blade. “I’ll be fine, I will hold it off until everypony is clear!” He called out, avoiding another energy blast and circled around the attack. Moon Howl rammed his blade into the warpspawn’s chest, feeling an abnormal crunch before having to pull his blade out and avoid another swipe. “Once you are all clear, I will fall back until reinforcements arrive!”

Both Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo went wide eyed, the fact he said back up was needed… Meant that thing was extremely dangerous! The mare looked back at the filly, who was holding on to her back, and saw her shaking. Then she looked towards the Charger, still trying to fight off the warpspawn. Rainbow Dash could tell, he was fighting it differently than the manticore or Timberwolves… His attacks were more thought out, more careful. He wasn’t using his usual overpowering and frontal assault attacks. Then, it hit her.

“He knows there’s no way he can beat it, alone.” She thought, now having to make the hardest choice of her life. Flaring both wings out, preparing for flight, Rainbow Dash turned around, and ran… “Don’t die, you big idiot!” The mare yelled, trying to hide the tears, but the salty water droplets fell from her face glistened in the fires.

Moon Howl landed on to one of the wrecked buildings, and watched the mare escape with the filly. He slowly smirked, and gave a low laugh. “Can’t promise that…” He whispered, before locking his helmeted gaze on to the warpspawn. “Alright, you twisted excuse for flesh!” He roared, slamming both forehooves forward, pointing his blade’s tip towards it. “I hope you’re ready, because the Vlka Fenryka show no mercy for your kind!”

The warpspawn slowly stepped forward, causing some of the wrecked buildings to collapse. “You will… Be first to die.” Its voice was wet and strained, but Moon Howl could not underestimate the daemon. The warpspawn’s wounds were already starting to seal up. “Master… Will be… Pleased.”

Moon Howl flared both wings out. “Many tried, but all have failed…” He suddenly launched forward, his sword held off to the side. “For Russ, and the All-Father!” The Charger howled, his speed causing streaks of light from both his helmet and sword.

The warpspawn threw its arm forward. “Prepare to die!” It roared, from every mouth, as their attacks clashed!

The Charger’s blade bit into the daemon’s claw, ripping into it and caused black ichor to spray everywhere. However, the force coming from the daemon caused Moon Howl to be sent, crashing, into a building. Without hesitation, he got back up, and charged forward to clash with the daemon again. It tried to strike him with a beam of energy, but the Charger was moving too fast for its attack, and came up hort. Once close, Moon Howl quickly delivered precise strikes into his opponent’s legs, trying to force it to the ground…

But the warpspawn was already on to his attack, and tried to stomp on him with its rear hooves. Moon Howl was able to dodge the attack, but the impact’s force knocked him back. When he recovered, the daemon followed with another energy blast, and sent him straight into another building. It scowled, when Moon Howl pulled himself out of the wreckage. “You are… Tenacious.” The warpspawn prepared to fire another beam of energy. “Annoying.”

Moon Howl smirked. “Can’t help it, you hit like an Ork Grechin.” The Charger prepared to charge again, readying his blade. “Plus… This is my pack’s home, and I’ll die to protect it!” His voice snarled, and Moon Howl charged forward.

“Then die!” The warpspawn shot its energy beam, only for Moon Howl to fly up, and dodge the attack.

When the Charger readjusted his position, in mid-air, he quickly dive bombed towards the daemon. “You first!” He howled, the daemon preparing to strike at him with its claws.

-Just Outside of Ponyville-

The Mane Six were breathing heavily, each mare focused on evacuating every single pony, while Moon Howl distracted the invader. Twilight looked around, trying to count everypony present. “I-Is everypony… H-Here?” She asked, while Spike, who joined them shortly after the initial attack, double checked for her.

“We got everypony… From here t-to Sweet Apple A-Acres here.” Rainbow Dash said, while Applejack rested with the rest of her family. “Go ahead, and send some kind of signal… To Moon Howl.”

Both Twilight and Rarity nodded, their horns lighting up. The two shot up a streak of magical energy, smiling at the successful mission given to them. When the beams reached up high enough, both streams exploded into a flare of sorts, causing the everypony to smile. “That should get… His attention.” Twilight said, the group nodding.

Though, there was no sign of the Charger flying their way, even after several minutes. The mares looked towards Ponyville, and could see the erratic beams of energy. That told them something none of the mares wanted to know, the daemon was still fighting something, even a pain filled roar echoed to them. They all went pale, going wide eyed, at the realization… Moon Howl was refusing to retreat form the battle!

“W-What is h-he doing!?” Rainbow Dash screamed, attempting to fly off and get the stallion herself… Only to have a lavender aura suddenly incase itself around her, effectively stopping the mare. “What are you doing, Twilight!? Let me go, I have to go and get him!” She demanded.

But the princess refused to let her go. “No, Rainbow Dash… I will not let you get yourself hurt, doing such a thing.” Twilight said, having Rainbow Dash pulled down to the ground.

“W-Why!? Moon Howl knows that thing is much stronger than him! He could die!” Rainbow Dash tried to pull free, her eyes tearing up from the realization and panic. “I have to go help, I have-!”

“You’re not doing a damn thing!” Twilight yelled, cutting Rainbow Dash off, as she looked towards Ponyville. “I learned something about the Vlka Fenryka, earlier today, that explains his current actions and why.” Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight, wondering what the Charger told her while the daredevil slept. “When facing off with a powerful foe, especially when civilians are in danger, the Vlka Fenryka have been known to stay behind and sacrifice themselves until a greater force arrives to deal with the foe.”

Rainbow Dash just looked at Twilight, eyes wide. She knew what that meant, but the others did not. The mare didn’t interrupt her friend, and allowed the alicorn to explain.

“If Moon Howl knew he could not win, alone, that means he also knew we wouldn’t be safe.” Twilight continued, not noticing the tears coming from her, or the others, own eyes. “If he were to retreat, now, the warpspawn would have followed him straight to us… So, he decided to stand his ground, and hold the creature off until we either get too far away, or help arrives to fight it.” The princess' hold over Rainbow Dash disappeared, the mare not moving an inch.

For some odd reason, while looking at the burning Ponyville and hearing her friend explain… Rainbow Dash could see Moon Howl, fighting the warpspawn. The Charger bleeding, his armor damaged, his sword soaked with black ichor. All the while, refusing to give up, and continue fighting against his, just as wounded, opponent.

“Now… Moon Howl refuses to give up or give in… He would rather die, taking the foe with him, rather than seeing all of us harmed.” Twilight finished, the group watching Ponyville. However, they were caught off guard by a new sound coming from the village.

A powerful, and feral, howl echoed form the burning village, causing the group to go wide eyed. They were surprised, even further, when somepony yelled. “Look out!” And five shadows leapt over the Mane Six! By the time the mares could see who it was, they were but shadowed silhouettes, bounding at high speeds, heading towards Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash and Twilight did catch a glimpse of one’s wood-like claw, after the five leapt over them. Both mares looking at one another. “Was that?” The daredevil asked.

“I-I think it was.” The princess confirmed her friend’s suspicion.

-Only a Few Moments Before-

Moon Howl breathed heavily, his lungs were on fire and he was slowly growing weaker. Blood stained his armor, both the daemon’s and his own. The two were fighting a vicious battle, the like nothing normal could survive… And the Charger was losing. He is strong, and skilled, this is the truest of things, but he could not take on a daemon of sorts, like this, alone… Without some form of back up.

The Charger tried to keep hold of his blade, but the blood loss was making it hard. “One more hit…” He thought, still defiantly holding his ground. “I can only take one more hit.” Moon Howl’s combat strength was at their limits, and could not be pushed any further. “If only I had a pack to-?”

A voice suddenly whispered. “The Vlka Fenryka are never alone.”

Moon Howl looked around, trying to find who said that, but only saw his opponent. The voice did not belong to it. “Who said that?”

The voice continued, like it was on the wind itself. “The Vlka Fenryka are never alone. When they howl, their brothers shall answer. For we. Are. Wolves!” The Charger didn’t know who it was, but they were inspiring.

Even as the warpspawn closed in on him, its own body dreadfully wounded, Moon Howl felt like he could still continue fighting. A primal, and feral, urge started to burn within his soul. The kind that would reduce a normal warrior into an animalistic form. However, the Vlka Fenryka were always in such a state.

Moon Howl could feel the wolf within him wanting out, it wanted to be set free. “Howl, let your brothers hear your voice! And fight, as one!” The voice sounded more demanding, and the Charger could not hold it back any longer… He gave in, to the urge that he had felt since arriving here. To let it out, before his last moment. A testament to the a Vlka Fenryka’s refusal to go quietly into the darkness.

The Charger took a deep breath, and raised his head to the sky. When he released the breath, within his lungs, the winds were filled with his feral wolf howl! He allowed Equestria to know, why he was known as ‘Ayden Wolfhowl’! His voice was powerful, ferocious, confident, and proud; like it was a Thunderwolf howling instead of a Vlka Fenryka.

The warspawn staggered, it had never heard such a thing before… The powerful howl sent a chill down the daemon’s spine.

-Friendship Castle-

Chaos Star was pulling book after book from the shelves. “Where is it!?” He hissed, scanning each book title he brought over. “I know she has it!”

When a powerful howl roared around the study, it caused the unicorn to freeze. He had heard that kind of howl before… But thought it was impossible! There was no possible way one of them could be here.

“That can’t be…” Chaos Star’s eyes darted around the study, as if he was searching for some great threat. “One of the Emperor’s Wolves, here!?”

-With Moon Howl-

The warpspawn looked at the Charger for a moment. “A chance to call… For help?” It asked, eyeing his wounded foe, before pulling its bloody arm back. “Too bad… They’ll be too late… And you will die alone.”

Moon Howl grinned, his body still shaking. “Where there are wolves… A Vlka Fenryka will never fight alone.” He said, still trying to take a defiant stance.

The warpspawn flexed its claws, preparing to attack. “Foolish… Sentimen-AGGH!!!!” It was cut off, the moment a set of razor sharp, wooden, jaws snapped down on to the daemon’s arm!

The warpspawn looked at what had attacked it, and saw a Timberwolf tearing off its twisted flesh! Before it could attack, a second snaped down on to its other arm, while three more rushed over to Moon Howl. The daemon tried to use its energy blast to get them off, but the two moved too and quickly dodged his retaliation.

Inchor dripped from their jaws, as the two rejoined their pack. Now, it looked like the five Timberwolves were protecting Moon Howl… They were protecting their Alpha!