Broken Howls and Tattered Leaves

GAME OVER

Would you like to load save data?

Yes / No

I clicked on 'Yes' only to have it say that there was no save data.

"Fuck!" I yelled, tossing my controller across the room. It hit the wall with a loud thump. "That was the first fucking boss and it killed me?! How is that even possible?" I glared at the screen with intense hatred. The game I was playing had gotten a ton of good reviews and everyone I talked to about it said it was great. It was the first official video game that was set in Equestria, and being the Brony that I was, I just had to play it. It had an amazingly detailed character creation system, it even used some races that I hadn't even heard of before. I had decided to play as a Timber wolf mostly because no one else seemed to have played as one yet. Also, for each race, there was a different starting point and I had started in the middle of the rainforest. It actually went into a lot of detail about the Timber Wolves and how they lived. I had to hand it to Lauren, she really knew how to make a video game.

"Now I have to start all over..." I clicked on the 'New Game' option and raged yet again. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M DEAD! THIS IS A FUCKING GAME! LET ME START AGAIN RAAAGGGLEFRAGGLELASSSHHHHTAAAAAGFLAAACKKLIMMMM!" I was starting to foam at the mouth as my RAEG continued. I was RAEGING so hard that I didn't hear my friend enter the room.

"Dude, whats wrong?" he asked, concerned. I sighed and calmed down. There stood a guy, not much older than me with deep, jet black, short hair and one green eye and one gold.

"I just got Chess Game of the Gods and got killed by the first boss and now it won't let me start anew." I pouted. I was really liking this game too.

"Oh yeah, I had heard about the difficulty curve. Apparently they wanted to make it more realistic, so they made it so you can only have one try. I think if you totally wipe the game and reload to your computer, you can make a new character. I screamed my frustration aloud.

"But it took me almost 2 whole days to even download it the first time! I am NOT going through that again. Faust can suck my dick!" I yelled at the computer screen, rudely thrusting my hips and pointing at my loins at the computer.

"Dude, calm the fuck down. You are getting too worked up about this." Keith said patting me on the back. Keith was always there for me when I needed him and I guess that is why I liked to be friends with him so much.

"But... I was doing great! The giant boss spider-" I stopped. When did Keith have a golden eye? And why was it glowing? Keith saw me staring and grinned a very familiar smile. His eyes melted together and his body darkened and shifted. What was left was a dark blob with a singular glowing eye and a creepily wide grin.

"Wait... Keith?" I asked, starting to get freaked out.

"Nope... Just Chuck Testa." The blob said laughing. I laughed uncertainly.

"What is going on? Who are you and what did you do to Keith?!" I yelled, scared and worried for my only friend.

"Keith was never here. You are not home. You are actually just a spirit right now in a small demiplane that I made just for this moment." The blob explained. "You are actually very near death right now and the only thing keeping you alive is my will. Can't have my Chess Piece dying on me, now can I?"

My head started pounding as I started to remember everything that happened to me over the past week and a half. I shuddered as I remembered the Titan Spider and how it simply ripped me almost in two with a click of its fangs.

"I-I'm dead...." I was holding my head in my hands and rocking back and forth. "But I can't be dead. I'm right here..." I said, practically ignoring the blobs explanation.

The blob slapped me with a amorphous tendril. "Idiot... I am starting to regret choosing you. You don't want want me to regret that decision." I shook my head slowly. I was staring a real live god in what passed for his face and yet I didn't feel all that afraid. I felt that it wasn't going to harm me, but I could feel that he was starting to get annoyed.

"W-why me?" I asked slowly.

"I think the better question is, 'Why not?" The blob said.

"I'm just a nobody, why choose me for some stupid game?" I said. I was starting to get pissed. "You could have picked some sort of macho body builder or an Asian guy. yet you choose a weakling like me who could hardly defend himself!"

The blob just looked at me blankly and said. "Well, as you humans say, For teh LOLZ!" It started laughing and floated around the room for a few minutes before becoming alert. "It looks like you are waking up." It said sullenly. "Oh, and try not to get yourself killed again. I don't think I will have the power to bring you back. Unless you want to be a zombie?" It giggled again as the room faded into darkness.

A pinpoint of light broke through my heavy, wooden eyelids, causing me to groan hoarsely.

Ugggh, would someone please turn out the lights? I asked, rolling onto my stomach. Why do I hurt? My chest felt hollow, like something was missing. Although, I could feel that something above me by a few feet. I opened my eyes and saw that I was in a dome made of small saplings with a strange stone that hung above me. It was the source of my discomfort so I tried to knock it away. Only to have a sharp pain lance through my hollow chest. OW! What the fuck! I yelped in surprise. The dome slowly wilted and the stone was set gingerly onto the soft grass.

My eyes winced as the bright light of midday beamed in from the opening in the canopy in Terra's Grotto. Terra's avatar trotted slowly and smiled reassuringly as my vision became accustomed to the sudden light. She knelt down so that she was down at face level with me.

"I am simply overjoyed that you did not perish, Child of Man." She said, her voice held a tone of relief. "We had thought that you would perish when you did not awaken for the past two days. You were lucky that the fowl that you rescued has such a.... colorful vocabulary. Else I would not have noticed you as you landed." I blinked slowly, trying to think of whom she meant. I felt kinda stupid once the realization hit me.

Oh...him... I said dully. I really didn't like Keet, but after seeing him under the iron grip of fear, I could see what he really was. A frightened braggart. He may put on the strong airs, but inside he is probably quaking in fear. I mean, just about everything in the rainforest could easily kill him in a heartbeat. I actually kind of pitied him, because he reminded me of myself back home on Earth. I used to put on a show for everyone else around me to hide my ineptitude.

Terra lightly picked up the strange stone and rotated it so that I could see the large scratch that was in the stone. What is that anyways. I asked, looking at the stone warily. I could almost feel the scratch throb as I looked upon it.

"This is your Soul Stone." She explained. I was somewhat shocked that my soul wasn't truly a part of me anymore. "This stone was part of the ancient method I used to create the Timber Wolves of old. You are very lucky that it was only scratched, but unlucky that now your life is limited." She looked forlornly at me and frowned. "The only way to stay alive now is to stay near me, or find Gaia's Seed, the acorn that I asked you to find up in my canopy. I am sorry that I did not warn you about the true dangers, but it was supposed to be a test. I regret sending you up there without proper training in your nature magics."

I gingerly picked up the stone betwixt my paws and lightly rubbed it. I could feel myself touching it and it made my spine shiver. Or at least what passed for my spine. This... is me? All I am lives in this rock? And I am going to die? My face held a blank look as I processed all the information. I think I need some time alone.... I finally said, pressing the stone to my chest and allowing my body to place it in the empty feeling in my chest. I felt more complete, but I still felt hollow now that I knew that I wasn't actually a real creature. I was a construct of wood and ancient magics. Was I even truly alive now?

Terra looked at me sadly as I limped out of her grotto and out of the clearing where many of the Timber wolves looked at me in surprise. I didn't even know these wolves, but I could feel that they cared for me. I never even realized that they even knew who I was. The only Timber Wolf I was around was Strong Oak, but he was nowhere around. I sighed as I found a secluded patch of forest and lay down, silently sobbing tears of sap. I could hear the trees lamenting my condition and slowly seemed to move so that more light got through to me. Thanks.... I said to them, not knowing if they could hear me or not.

The sun was slowly going down, yet the forest was already dark and the lightning bugs flitted about, blinking intermittently as they looked for a mate. I was lightly sleeping at this point, the sap was already hardening onto my muzzle. I didn't hear as Strong Oak silently approached me.

What troubles you young pup? He asked, his mental voice held concern and worry.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked at his large, wooden form. I.... Am I truly alive? I asked sullenly.

Why would you ask that? Of course you are alive Twigleaf. I am speaking to you now, aren't I? He said sagely. I only sighed and replied.

But... all the Timber Wolves are just constructs! What does that make me? I was once alive, but now I am just some plaything for some god whose name I don't even know! I said I am just a puppet dancing on strings, being controlled from the shadows...

Strong Oak gave me a stern look at me and smacked me across the muzzle with his large paw, dazing me and sending me sprawling. No. Only you control your fate, not some god. The Forest Mother may have created us, but we are now our own creatures. She cannot control us like the golems of old. He said in a stern voice. Much like that of a father disciplining his son. We follow her not out of duty, or even for any sort of debt that we might have incurred, but rather that we respect her for the power that she has. She has the power to put us in her thrall, but she doesn't because she cares for us like her own children. You are alive. You are in control. YOU will decide your own fate in this world. Not Terra, not me, and certainly NOT your Chessmaster. Strong Oak looked down into my eyes with his stern stare which melted into a look of concern.

I couldn't help but shudder as he finished his short speech. I stayed silent as more sap dripped down my face, I was still speechless. This whole ordeal was too much for a normal kid like me. I was just a human kid that was thrown into what seemed like a frikkin war between the gods all because the god who chose me was bored and wanted to play. I had gotten used to my new body fairly quickly, but this near death experience was too much for my psyche to handle. Strong Oak turned away and slowly walked away.

Morning came slowly as my eyes adjusted to the still dark jungle. I walked over to a nearby flower that had a small pool of water in it. I looked in at the somehow haggard looking face that stared back at me. Sap was dried and crusting off of my face and my eyes seemed duller than usual. In only a few days my life had been almost extinguished and know I had been told that I would die soon anyways if I didn't stay in Gaia's Navel. As much as I wanted to stay here in the forest, my brony self wanted to see Ponyville and Canterlot at least once. Just how was I going to do that now? I was now stuck here.

"Hey Woody, whatcha doing?" A familiar voice called. I turned to see Keet perched on a low branch watching me with a disinterested look. I could tell he was hiding his worry and concern.

Nothing Keet..... Just... thinking about things.... I sighed.

"Right, whatever dude." He said. "Oh! By the way, Terra asked me to get you. She said it was urgent."

Urgent? All right... just give me a second. I replied, wiping away the rest of the crusted sap from my face. I really needed to get a hold of my self. Lets get going, come on. I pointed to my shoulders and Keet alighted onto them.

"Heh, well then. ONWARDS VALIANT STEED!" he cried out loudly. I flinched at the volume of his voice. For a little parakeet, he had some serious lungs on him.

We arrived as the light of the sun was starting to brighten the jungle slightly. Terra and Strong Oak were waiting on us with serious looks on their faces. Something bad was about to happen. I could just feel it. Terra was the first to speak.

"I have terrible tidings. The trees have informed me that a creature of immense power is approaching Gaia's Navel. It seems to be heading straight here and has no indication of slowing down. I have no information on this creature as my power does not work on it. If only my sister were here, then she could possibly identify the creature. It is practically destryong the forest and any animals that near it as it approaches." This was serious. Something was destroying the forest? And headed straight here? How? Gaia's Navel was hidden with powerful magic from those who did not know of its existence. Unless... It already knew...

"I want you and Keet to stop it before it gets any closer." She watched as I flinched. I was not liking this plan at all.

Are you sure you can't get someone else to do it? I asked. I had my fill of fighting to last me a lifetime.

"You are the best choice we have. You have stood up to the Ancient Spider and survived to tell the tale. If you do not want to fight, then at least watch it and bring some of the other Wolves to fight it for you."

I thought for a moment before answering. F-fine... but I don't want to fight it at all. I.... I paused. I don't think I could take anything right now...

Terra smiled and said. "That is all I ask of you Twigleaf. I will assign some of the Wolves to follow you. Please, stay safe."

Well, shit. A challenger approaches? No, I had a strange feeling about the creature. It felt familiar and yet, much different from me. It felt old, experienced, and deadly.... I was probably going to regret this decision, but my curiosity got the better of me. So, I set about preparing for the upcoming confrontation with a power that made me look like a speck of dust in a desert.

AN: This next short arc will be a crossover with Eathlome and his story An Iron Pawn. I do hope to see you there for this exiting arc! In other news, I have pulled out of the GGG because I had lost my drive to write for it and it had no prevalence to my story at all. I will still be sending Twig and Keet to Canterlot, but they will arrive after the GGG and will experience the aftermath. Also, after this crossover arc, I will be introducing another temporary traveling companion as they make their way to Ponyville far to the north.

May your minds stay sharp, and souls burn bright.

-Zee