3 Ponies and A Supercomputer

It was too late. The machine had it’s way once again. The voice of the shadows echœd into my very being, pounding away at my insides. It was a tangible presence. That initial burst was said with a groping sensation of my insides. It was said with the splitting sensation of a whip upon my back. And it was said with a domineering pull of my head, of a bridle that could have been. The overbearing of its will over my mind made me capitulate. Closing my eyes I felt a drift.

Lyra struggled. The words that pierced my being resonated through her. We were kept in place, there around the fire. I was able to open my eyes, just a little at that moment. And at that moment I could see a shadow coming off of the fire that was there. It grew and grew, gaining in size in all ways. It seemed to retain a viscous form throughout the whole process. A blob it began as, but then as it ached and stirred as it began to take a shape. It seemed embryonic, until it stopped.

Before us layed a creature my eyes have never seen before. Thereon in front of us it stood tall, in a bipedal form. It’s flesh was darker than the night, and hair clung all over its body. It stood proud with a musculature that was unbelievable. It possessed a tail of a Peacock and a head of the Mule. The creature that GM had placed here for us made no move, with it’s chin held high looking as though we were unworthy of its presence. Suddenly the grasp that had held me and Lyra in capitulation let go. We fell to the ground before the beast, and we breathed heavily. While we were there a foul stench hit our snouts. It was a putrid smell that brought water to my eyes, and I could tell it intensified closer towards the beast. That beast, a Dæmon incarnate, reeked of burning flesh.

He lifted a hand up, beckoning us towards him, but we would not move. Even after all of the horrors that I have faced this one seemed to instill a kind a artificial fear in me. It beckoned to us again. This time I stood up trembling. Lyra seemingly enchanted by this beast stood up and took a step forward. Something about this creature had flooded Lyra’s mind with memories of old. She timidly approached the creature slowly as it commanded. So far it had made no indication of attack. Lyra got even closer to the beast, seemly undeterred by its aura, she looked up at him.

“Is this a human---” said Lyra

“Silence!” The beast said. It was a powerful shout, however, these words did not bring us down like the previous ones. I had a feeling that this was not what had spoke earlier.

I eyed the shadows around the fire, that didn’t seem to die. With the fire’s flickering I saw new forms all around us, taking all shapes. A bead of sweat formed on my brow, sliding down my face. Where the hell was Lucky. Lyra wasn’t taking notice of what was all around us, and that creature remained silent. That silence was broken, however, when a new creature came out of the shadows behind us.

“I saw you two hanging around the fire there. I thought maybe I’d join in,” the new creature said coming towards us. His features were of decay, most of which was covered by the hood and robe he donned. He moved slowly, looking like a hunchback. The creature, that stood like a monolith before, looked straight at the Hunchback. “Now we don’t need there to be any problems do we,” The Hunchback said. He was confident even before the monolithic creature that had been with us.

“Go, Live another day,” he said to the Hunchback. Me and Lyra watched in dreaded anticipation for what would unfold.

“I have made plans for tonight, and I they start off here. I will go where I please, and you cannot stop me.” The air became cold, and time seemed to slow before the two. What the Hell am I watching. A straight to Goddesses conversation is happening right in front of me. And it isn’t between one of us. This must be GM’s doing, but even after all of the years, it never sent something like this to us. Seemingly intelligent creatures!!!

The monolithic beast stared down the Hunchback. What unfolded was not what we had anticipated. The Hunchback moved towards us. And then in a split moment, as he began to kneel to sit, he burst into flames. He let out a long terrible scream that was deafening to hear. My ears felt as if were blistering as he rolled all along the floor. Lyra went down to her elbows from the noise. The scream didn’t let up, it kept going and going. The monolithic creature then went to him, and, with a single hand, grabbed and lifted the Hunchback up through the flames, tossing him into the shadows that had engulfed all of his light. We did not see him after that. The shadows from the fire dissipated.

“You have seen what happened to that vile creature, you have seen what happens to those who do not follow as I say,” The monolithic creature said to us. “Now come over to me.” After seeing what had just occurred we made no argument. “Good. now you, the green one, lift up your hoof.” Lyra slowly lifted her hoof up at his command, and the beast placed something there for her. “Keep this red cloth close to you until I say otherwise, do not lose it or I will do onto you what I did onto him.” He looked back in the direction that he had threw the monster before. “Understand,” He said. I had a feeling it wasn’t a question.

“Yes-s,” Lyra said. She was half way in fear and in amazement with the creature that was before her.

“Now, the both of you may call me Adramelech. We will be travelling together for awhile,” Adramelech said. What is going on!?