Life Level

"And we are back," Leandra says happily as they enter through the Ponyville gate.

"Yeah. Back to the high and mighty asshole," Trial mutters to the side.

Both the dog and Sentire slaps him upside the back of his head, with the dog using his tail.

"He isn't listening in then. If he was he would already be here," Trial says as Daring stares at him confused.

"Who?" Daring asks curious.

"What was his name, Dank Shimmer?" Trial says trying to remember his name.

"Who?" Daring asks more confused.

"It's DUSK SHINE!" a stallion yells.

"Who was that?" Leandra plays innocent.

"A prince?" Daring says as Rainbow stares flying past looking at her before hitting a lamp post.

"Oh my gosh!" Rainbow yells happily. "Daring Do!" Rainbow yells getting off the lamppost and flies down to them. "I have so much questions."

"Oh Rainbow. It is a pleasure to see you again," Daring says carefully.

Rainbow giggles excitedly as she skips in place. "What have you been doing? Another book I bet?"

"Well it is a long story," Daring says, noticing one of Rainbow's eyes follow Trial as he walks by like hers does.

"Great. What are you doing with him?" Rainbow asks quietly.

"Long story short I tried to get something from him and fell for him," Daring says bluntly.

Rainbow blanches and blinks slowly. "What…?"

"I pledged myself to him, but I am not against a little fun on the side," Daring whispers to her before wiggling her eyebrows at her.

Rainbow stops and blushes as she steps back a little. "Um…okay…"

"I will keep you in mind." Daring teases.

Rainbow gulps as she shivers at her tone. "Good to…know…I'm going…to…get Berry…yeah…" she says before flying off quickly as she can.

"Oh smooth," Leandra says smirking.

Daring smiles. "I pride myself."

"Now try those moves on Trial more." Leandra teases.

Daring hums as she taps her chin. "Maybe I should."

"You coming or going to stand there all day?" Trial calls as the two were very far behind.

"Hold your dick!" Leandra yells and winks to Daring smirking, who chuckles as they walk to catch up.

"Oh my," a pony says.

"I don't think it's over," Sentire says walking beside Trial.

"I know, but we need to regroup and take stock to see what we will need to head out again," Trial says.

Sentire raises an eyebrow. "You've never needed a restock and only food and drinks."

"Yeah and we also should check our gear and see if it needs maintenance," Trial points out.

"You need new gear," Sentire says as she taps her handle of her scythe.

"Maybe I have to check mine and see if they are damaged. I suggest you examine your weapon as well," Trial says opening the door to the house.

Sentire taps her blade and hears it ring slightly. "Maybe not," she says walking in.

Five days later, everyone was doing something. Whether it was examining maps or researching like Daring or expecting their weapons and equipment like Trial who had an assortment of knives, a pair of tonfa, and a tanto on the coffee table in front of him.

Sentire slowly swipes the sharpening stone across her blade and looks up periodically at Trial as he kept arranging and rearranging his weapons and tools. "Do you hate me?"

"Why would I?" Trial asks, sharpening one of the throwing knives.

"Because of my affiliation. You hate the gods," Sentire points out.

"No, I just don't like how they are so useless to us and yet we are suppose to praise them endlessly?" Trial asks bitterly.

Sentire hums before hearing a knock at the door and goes to get it as she places her scythe down. "Ye…oh. Dusk," she says seeing him in the doorway.

The three, hearing that, kept working, but moves anything too revealing out of sight.

Sentire sighs and looks back at Dusk. "Let us talk outside," she says pushing him outside more and closes the door behind her. "You came for something?"

Dusk sighs. "I got more places for you to look. Don't know if it's there or not even by how much monsters are there," he says giving her a rolled up parchment.

Sentire smiles as she takes it. "Thank you for the help. I think I would have been lost without all this and to keep us busy for a while."

Dusk sighs. "Well the asshole is still taking about me and I can't say crap without him going off into a tirade. At least I can talk to you freely," he says looking down to her.

Sentire smiles a bit. "So what am I expecting?"

Dusk hums. "Simple things. Just some weapons, armor, and rings and those kinds of stuff used by old soldiers. Now lost. Nopony is bothering because there isn't much to it. There is also some spirit sightings on there. I guess you can do something…with that scythe of yours. What can it do?"

Sentire smiles greatly. "Many things. But I rather not tell yet. Not yet unless necessary."

Dusk shakes his head. "You are a weird group. Weirder than Berry."

Sentire smiles before walking back inside. "I got more places to go."

"Traps." Trial says bitterly.

"We getting paid?" the dog asks, making Sentire pull out the squirt bottle and start spraying. "Ah! Quit it!" he yells trying to hide behind his paws.

"Yes. The state has authorized the payment," Dusk facepalms.

"Who the heck asked you…" Trial starts.

"I just found this stuff for you buddy. So at least show some gratitude." Dusk says frowning as he crosses his arms.

"Come on now. Let's not start a fight." Daring says pushing Trial away.

"What she sees in him, I will never understand." Dusk says.

Sentire wonders is she should tell the truth and looks to see them in the next room before leaning up to his ear. "She was changed. She was a male changed by an artifact. It makes you and others think that it's always been this way," she whispers.

"What are you talking about? Daring has always been a mare," Dusk says.

Sentire shakes her head. "No. She was a male before. She is just changed and now the world thinks she is just female. That's the power of the artifact."

"Sentire, I think you have been looking into those things too much," Dusk says.

Sentire stares at him before sighing. "Never mind," she says looking away.

"Alright, I will be heading out," Dusk says.

Sentire nods as he walks away before she turns to him. "Dusk?"

"Yes?" Dusk asks turning around.

Sentire fiddles with her fingers as she tries to keep an eye on him. "Thank you for your help."

"Um…no problem," Dusk says before following a awkward silence. "I should go now," Dusk says before running off.

Sentire smiles a bit more as she watches him run off.

"I wonder how much we are getting paid?" the dog asks.

Sentire kept smiling at the door as she holds up the spray bottle at him.

"So what's the job?" Trial asks as they rode on a train as they called it.

Sentire hums. "Collect more artifacts. And deal with any monsters that may be running rampant."

"Got it and will you calm down Leandra," Trial says as to her as she kept fidgeting.

Leandra whimpers as she cowers against him. "Can't. It's shaking too much."

"I am the same way yet I ain't going to piece over it," Trial reminds.

A sudden bump in the car made her jump and hug his arm tightly as she yelps, making her whimper louder.

Trial sigh and starts holding her as Daring comes back with a drink.

"Would she feel better with this?" Daring asks holding the glass out to him.

"No. I don't want any alcohol," Leandra whimpers.

Daring looks to Trial and holds it out to him.

"No thanks. I will drink after the job is over," Trial says.

Daring looks to Sentire as she looks at her map with the dog lying next to her on the seat. "Want it?"

Sentire looks and looks to the drink before reaching and taking it. "Thank you," she says before holding it above the dog and he reaches up with his head and opens his mouth, letting Sentire pour everything down his gullet. Once she was done, she tosses the glass back to Daring who catches it and they all hear grumbling from the dog before,

BURP

"Excuse me," the dog says grinning as he lays his head back down.

Daring waves her hand in front of her to wave the breath stink away. "At least the prince gave us bits and brought us a train car so we are not bothered."

"Tell me you actually brought a weapon Daring," Trial says as she relaxed in her seat.

Daring looks to his before digging around her belt and then stop. "Oh," she says reaching into her shirt and then pulls out a knife. "Does this work? I usually fly and out trick anyone trying to get me."

"You think that is your knife?" Trial asks.

Daring looks over the blade. "Who else could it be for? I mean it's nothing to your tool, but still," Daring jokes.

Trial rolls his eyes as Leandra chuckles a bit at that. "At least you're helping Leandra," Trial says patting her as the train kept going.

Daring smiles. "No problem."

"How much longer?" Leandra moans.

"A few more minutes." Daring says and makes Leandra groan.

"So what are we looking for, any specifics?" Trial asks.

Sentire looks through the map. "An old ring and a small sword. Our first two stops."

"Anything more like what makes them unique or traps?" Trail asks.

Sentire shrugs. "I do not know. Only the locations."

"I can help with traps," Daring spoke up.

"Oh. Please share," Trial says smirking.

Daring proceed to inform them about her abilities before the train came to a screeching halt.

"This must be our stop," Daring says smiling as she gets up and goes to the door as the others pack up their things and Leandra cheers as she rushes out the door first and kisses the ground. "Save those for me," Daring speaks up smirking.

"And that is the mouth you kiss," Trial says looking to Daring.

Daring smiles and leans over and gives a small peck on his lips. "Better?"

"No. Was just saying," Trial says looking to her and let's his eyes travel down her covered chest by a thin green jacket that was loosely buttoned up and some shorts that fit the soft green color of the forest ahead.

Daring sees him staring and smirks as she leans over to his ear. "Best part. No panties today," she whispers.

"Oh. Someone is a tease," Trial says placing his hand on her flank and squeezes as the dog fake gags.

Sentire blinks confused as she looks around and the train starts moving again and seems to head north as she spots an old moss and vine covered building while the train station has seen better days. "No one comes here?"

"Oh yeah. This place was a lost cause. Just a simple money pit and nothing came from it," Daring informs looking to her as Sentire looks through the cracked glass of a ticket booth and sees nothing but a few papers scattered about.

"Then the ruler was too complacent. I bet people still live here," Trial theorizes.

"After he sent his brother away, the nobles seized the opportunity to take more power while making it look like Solaris was still in rule. This is one of the nobles' chances gone bad," Daring explains as they start to walk off the station.

"Leandra, remind me to look into any contracts to kill nobles in this land," Trial says.

Leandra sticks her tongue out and gives a lazy salute as Sentire looks to Daring and sees her winking at her, making Sentire smile as they start to walk along a dirt path into the forest.

"FLAMETHROWERS?! WHY!?" Daring yells as they escape a collapsing tomb.

"Less talk! More running!" Leandra yells running like the dog beside her as Sentire and Daring ride atop him.

"There is protective, then overkill, and then just sadistic," Trial says getting through the exit that was closing.

Daring yells as she ducks low with Sentire and the dog jumps out of the doorway with Leandra following close behind as the sliding door closes. "Did anyone hang onto the piece?" She asks slowly looking up.

"I got it," Leandra says as she now had feline like features, including ears as she holds up ring in her hand.

Sentire hums as she takes it and looks it over. "So where to next?" Daring asks and Sentire gives her the map as she kept looking at the ring.

"What do we have first?" Trial asks walking over and petting Leandra.

Daring hums as Leandra purrs and smirks to the dog who growls at her and Leandra sprays him with the spray bottle as she snickers. "There is a cave nearby for the next one. It's marked 'Small Sword,'" Daring reads.

"I meant the ring. What does it do?" Trial asks.

Sentire frowns slightly as she tosses the ring to him. "It causes the wearer to be hidden for a second. But it can't stop whatever you leave behind such as hoofprints."

"Basically a trinket then," Trial says tossing it to the dog's open mouth.

The dog snaps it up and licks his chops. "Yes. Though it could give you a second to catch your breath and think," Sentire says shrugging.

"You all take your time to do that. Seems the ruckus drew a few things," Trial says reaching in and brings out his wires as Leandra backs up as wolves started to emerge, looking like that were mutated by something.

"Wha…what's wrong with them?" Daring asks as she takes out her dagger.

"Looks like they are infected with something…damn. Looks like I will have to get rid of this wire after this and use my spare," Trial says getting ready to attack.

Sentire raises an eyebrow as she reaches into the dog and pulls out her scythe, gripping it tightly as the wolves growl heavily at them with the dog growling back.

"No. Don't touch them or get near them. We don't know what they are infected with. It could be something we can contract on contact," Trial instructs.

"So you deal with them alone?" Daring asks frowning.

"My wire is the only one that can do it at range," Trial says twitching his hand.

"What are you waiting for?" Leandra asks pushing them all, except Trial back.

With that Trail unleashed his wires, slashing up the ground and the forests trees. He kept lashing out, not focusing on one target, but going for an area to attack, trying to keep the wolves back that they didn't cleave into pieces.

"Seems to be working," Leandra says as she makes sure no wolves got past.

"And he will have to burn it just in case?" Sentire asks confused.

"Yes. We don't know what is going on or what these things are." Leandra says frowning.

"And if they are infected with something, it will be in their blood," Daring adds as part of the forest starts to be leveled.

"Maybe we should move back more," Sentire suggests.

"Can either of you see the wolves?" Daring asks as the dust from it was very thick now.

"I can," Leandra says as she kept backing them up slowly.

"How many are left?" Daring asks.

"Just one. And Trial has it tied to a tree. Slice it Trial," Leandra calls.

Trial doesn't move as the dust clears and they see the wolf secured against a tree bleeding and it's blood showing the wire.

"That is small," Daring says as Trial grips the wire together before giving a yank and the wolf yelps and is cut short as the wire cut into it and rips it apart, slicing the tree into pieces before he lets go of the wire.

"This was a good set," Trial say not bother to reel in the wire and starts removing it from his fingers.

"So…are we safe?" Daring asks.

"Yeah, I can't sense anymore," the dog says as Trial took out a canteen and splashed some of it's contents on the wire's end.

"Then we should move away from here before something else comes by," Leandra says leading the others around the carnage.

"Don't worry about that," Trial says lighting a match and flicking it into the air before walking away.

They watch as the match landed on the wires and fire broke out before traveling along the wire and into the mess of dead bodies and trees, burning away any and all evidence they were there.

"Now we should go before pegasi come to douse the flames with rain," Trial informs.

"Yeah. I want that little sword and see what it is," Leandra says excitedly as they follow.

"Come on you," Daring says grabbing his ear and pulls him away.

"Ow. Ow. Ow," Trial painfully says as he was dragged off.

The dog starts laughing as he was pulled away, while none of them were aware they were being watched the whole time.

"Get some traps ready. Seems we have a group that I like from what I have seen," the figure says as they watch the group walk off deeper into the forest.

"Yes commander," another figure says before it slinks off into the dark forest.

It has been two days and the group sat at a fire as they sat with a dead giant spider nearby. "I hate spiders," Trial says as Daring pulled webbing off of his clothes.

"I feel your sentiment," Leandra says burns the webs off of the blades they got.

"There, there, you two," Daring says.

"Quiet," Leandra says watching the blades.

"Just let them burn in the fire a bit. It won't hurt them and will burn the webbing away," Trial instructs.

Leandra nods as she watches the webbing start to blacken and clump into balls. "Your metal is good," Sentire says watching theirs.

"Which reminds me. We need to add a forge," Trial says making Leandra blush in embarrassment.

"Where? We just had a temporary home and…" Sentire stops as she remembers each and every building in Ponyville and remembers not one single building was a blacksmith, "the only one left is the castle."

"Yeah, technically, I slipped in the bill of the house with other expenses to him," Leandra says.

"Nice. I should let you into our bed now," Trial says as he wraps an arm around Daring.

"I think you mean my bed as I have used it for more than you," Leandra says smirking to Daring.

Daring sticks her tongue out at her.

"Oh. You broke in already before I could with Daring?" Trial asks.

Leandra just reaches over and slaps him upside the head.

"Oh, my lioness is a little upset?" Trial teases and Daring finishes.

Daring smirks. "Want me to kiss her?"

"No. She wants…" Trial suddenly stops and was on alert with Leandra and the dog. "We aren't alone anymore," Trial says.

They both look up at him as they slowly get up.

"Monsters?" Daring asks.

"No," Trial says before holding up his arm and a dart bounced off his metal bracer.

Daring yelps as she is struck by another dart and Leandra swipes hers away while Sentire gets hit in the neck as well before she pulls it out quickly as she grabs her red hot scythe and turns toward where the dart came from and tries to stay upright as the last dart goes to the dog and he nearly reacts as he looks to where it supposed to hit him in the chest before looking behind him to see it hit the tree trunk.

"Let's see what I can get," Trial says bringing out his spare wires and swipes at where some of the darts came from.

The tree line before them have some wood chips broken off before it slides down and falls over, showing a group of camouflaged ponies with nude, green paint, and leaves behind them, waiting with blow darts and some are loading up the next dart.

"So tell me, which one of you will die first?!" Trial calls swiping at them again, making most of them to run only for a few to been caught by the wire and dismember an arm and a head.

Half of them run out at them and Trial swipes his hand, making some of them lose their limbs and head as Sentire shuffle up before reeling her scythe back and swipes across them, cutting three of them coming at her daggers, and slices them in half as she stumbles more and uses her scythe to hold her up.

"There are more," the dog calls before being bombarded by darts. "Crap!" he yells as the darts dug into him sending him to the ground.

"Seems someone wants to capture us," Trial says before swiping near Daring's prone body.

A yell of pain came from there as Trial keeps watching them as Sentire tries to lift her scythe, but then loses her grip and falls to the ground.

"Enough!" a yell shouted, making them stop.

Trial stood his ground as he and Leandra were the only ones standing.

A purple mare with a short blue and light blue mane and long tail, wearing a royal purple robe with black chest armor with an armoured skirt on her sides with yellow highlights and and a yellow star on her chest, black gauntlets with yellow highlights surrounding it, black leg armor below her knee with yellow highlights surrounding it, and sandals for her hooves, walks out of the forest and over to them as she carries a sword that Trial knew was old. "You took out many of the citizens here."

"And you attacked us," Trial counters.

"You were stealing our valuables," she argues.

"More like we found something you had no knowledge of bandit," Trial shoots back.

"Bandit? You're the one who just walked in here and decided to grave rob the land," she says pointing her sword at him.

"And yet you are the one who attacks," Trial points out.

The mare frowns. "You were going to attack us first. Now then, how about you leave?"

"We will after getting our final objective," Trial says before several ponies threw something, temporarily blinding them.

Leandra groans as she covers her eyes and they both wait as the light dies down before they open their eyes again and sees that Daring is gone. "Daring?!" Leandra calls as they also see that everyone else is gone. "Damn! They took her," she says going to Sentire and tries to wake her.

"Those bastards," Trial says calm, but still angry.

"Where the heck could they have gone?" Leandra asks out loud as she shakes Sentire.

"We have to find them," Trial says before looking to the dog. "And his nose is our best chance to do so," Trial growls.