Pandemonia, the Sunken Citadel

Chapters

Chapter 1: The Everfree Blitz
Chapter 2: The Cathedral of Hollows
Chapter 4: Temple of Kvasir, the Forgotten Saint
Chapter 5: The Macabre Streets of Pandemonia
Chapter 6: Areion's Monastery
Chapter 7: Erebos, Apostle of the Encroaching Darkness
Chapter 8: The Four Sentinels
Chapter 3: Eris, Priestess of the Damned

Chapter 1: The Everfree Blitz

Fluttershy had only one reason to venture into the dark, anarchic mass of wood known as the Everfree Forest. And even then, she sought to find an alternative that could keep her away for as long as possible. But there were some plants that could only be acquired from Zecora, the only sane resident of the chaotic woods. Only the rhythmic shaman could procure the healing herb of Kingsfoil in a usable condition, a plant used in a lot of her poultices and unguents and always in great demand.

This was the only reason why Ponyville’s animal specialist would even think about walking through the dirt roads, letting malicious eyes leer at her all the way. It was hard to keep a calm expression on her face as her nostrils were filled with the stench of decaying meat. Her morale soon crumbled, letting her legs break into a run. With each vicious roar her steps quickened, up to the point where she had to think hard so as to not trip over her green skirt.

“Why did I have to do this alone?” she asked herself, knowing the answer perfectly. It was because everyone else was too busy to help her. If only she had waited for a day she would have been able to ask Rainbow Dash to keep her company. But that was not the case. Right now she probably had a conga line of chimeras, cockatrices, timber wolves and other carnivorous monstrosities lining up to tear her apart.

Her senses were oversaturated with panic the second a large explosion roared in the distance, shaking her off her feet. “What was that?” she asked herself. “Was it a geyser?” she paused at the ridiculous notion. She knew very well that there were no geysers in this forest. Another explosion rang across the field then, she heard a sound she had hoped never to hear so close to her: gunfire. The bellows of war echoed across, each round sounding closer to her than the last.

Fueled by fear, Fluttershy broke into a run without care for whatever could be hiding in the shadows. She was forced to stop the second a large mass of green fell down and blocked her path. She froze in place, her senses starting to collapse due to the oversaturation of panic in her system. Standing in front of her was the charred corpse of an ogre. The next thing she remembered was her own scream. It wasn’t voluntary, but it was loud enough that it sent birds out of their nests.

She clasped her hands over her mouth almost immediately, but she knew it was too late. Where there was one ogre there were dozens nearby, specially if it was killed in a fight. And in response to her fears, a pair of bulky ogres crashed through the trees. Their glowing yellow eyes began staring at her, growling like a pair of rabid timberwolves. They raised their rusted axes, taking a lumbering step each as they tried to approach her.

“Oi!” one of them asked with a gruff voice. “Wai’s dis ‘umie no’ fightin’? Fink hee’s no’ a killa?” this achieved a swift pommeling from his teammate’s axe.

“You’z a zoggin’ git you iz.” it retorted. “Oll ‘umies is made fer fightin’!” it turned its eyes back to her, nearly burrowing its eyes inside its massive brow. “I’z gonna rip yer shiny teef an’ get a shoota!” It roared incoherently and charged. Fluttershy had barely a second to dodge the axe swung downward. She jumped back, letting the next attack pass harmlessly in front of her. She began dancing around the attacks, changing her footing every few seconds to avoid getting axed. “Stay still ya runt!” the ogre protested. “I’z wanna kill ya roit kwik!”

Fluttershy stared, legs now frozen in place as the green mass of muscle raised its weapon to end her. She curled down into a ball and squeezed her eyes shut. The next thing she heard was a sound like the crackle of thunder, then the quacking tremor as something heavy fell. She opened her eyes and widened them at the sight. Both ogres were dead, their necks were now charred stumps of an oversized body.

A human figure appeared from behind the carnage, wielding a bayoneted rifle. A black metal breastplate, caked with fresh blood, hung over a cream trenchcoat.

The head was covered by a black steel helm, attached to a canvas gasmask with glowing blue eyes.

“Are you alright ma’am?“ the soldier asked, his male voice a bit garbled by a spearker on his neck. He asked again, this time shaking her violently. “Ma’am! I need you to respond!” But the shock was still too great for her. This forced the soldier to slap her face, which turned out to be the fastest cure. “Equestria to Traveller!” he screamed. “Are you alright?”

“Uh… Yes, I’m fine.” she replied, shaking her head. “I’m sorry. I was just.. I…”

“Ma’am, are you aware that you’re in the middle of a war zone?” she shook her head. “Well then, let me be the first to welcome you to hell. Now, if you’ll follow me, I’d like to guide you out of here.” he said with a welcoming hand. She gladly took it, feeling the warm leather wrap around her palm. “Good.”

Their run through the forest was calmer than she’d expect, and it wasn’t until they arrived at a large clearing that they saw the green brutes again. The ogres lumbered forward, cutting off their escape route. Out of the dozen monsters, two carried metal objects glued together with duct tape and sheer ignorance of physics that resembled guns, the rest carried a variety of melee weapons covered in patches of rust.

“Would you jackasses mind getting out of the way? Twelve isn’t really worth my time.”

“Oi! Iz dat Two Sluggas?” one of the ogres asked, raising an inquiring eyebrow. “Eh, ‘oo cares. Kill ‘im!” it roared, hefting its slug-throwing weapon to bear.

“Get down!” the soldier barked, shoving Fluttershy to the floor, just before her ears were filled by the deafening roar of the two guns. The world around her slowed down to a crawl. She saw hundreds of bullets rip past her, some striking against the soldier. She could see as the bolts of iron bent and contracted as they crashed against an orange barrier on his body. The soldier toppled over, letting the sheer power of the bullets slam him to the ground, bringing his rifle to bear and unleashing a storm of blue magical bullets.

Fluttershy could do little but listen to the ogre’s wails as chunks of muscle disintegrated from the green masses. A gunner lost its head, splattering blood and gore to the trees behind him. The body toppled to the floor and let the gun run wild. Twenty shots sprayed from the primitive gun, showering the nearby humanoids with more bullets.

Two ogres died as the bullets tore their chests open, but doing nothing to sway the morale of the beasts. They charged, howling loudly as they raised their weapons and fired their weapons. Fluttershy rolled away, feeling as the bullets attempted to graze her skin. The soldier followed suit, dodging and weaving through the axe strikes aimed at him. He occasionally fired a bullet at the grey-skins, renewing the stench of blood on the fight.

In a fit of rage, the bulkiest ogre swung its axe to the ground. The strike sent dirt flying into the air and shook the ground more than she thought was possible. The soldier charged forward and slammed his knee against its chin. The ogre bellowed in rage, smashing the nearest comrade’s head into a fine red mist.

Fluttershy turned around only to find three more ogres, all wearing rusted armor and bearing axes, sprayed with a fresh coat of blood. She screamed in panic as an axe flew over her head and chopped the tree behind her. “I’z want ‘er shiny teef!” one of them roared as it ran. She hopped back, letting another strike miss her.

The soldier charged to her and fired three rounds, all of which bounced off the iron plating. She couldn’t hear anything he said, but she could guess he was swearing. He pulled out a metallic pinecone from his belt and tossed it, all while yelling “Grenade!” Fluttershy’s instincts dove her away from the object.

Fluttershy only felt the earthquake that followed. It was violent, and a little too powerful to have been caused by something the size of a hand grenade. She opened her eye to see the ground sink into an abyss. Large chunks of grass began to fall from view, sometimes taking the ogres with them.

She screamed again, her eyes frantically trying to find the soldier, and sprinted away. She bumped into one of the armored ogres and felt as the abyss swallowed her.

Chapter 2: The Cathedral of Hollows

Fluttershy groaned in pain as her body ached from head to toe. Every nerve protested whenever she tried to move, warning her about a thousand bruises that required healing. Worse still, her brain was stuck on the last minutes before she fell into that abyss. And no matter how many times she replayed the scene, she could only think of it as a nightmare.

She opened her eyes, letting her pupils adjust to the low light surrounding her. From what she could make out, she was inside of a titanic cathedral, with a ceiling high enough to fit the old Golden Oaks Library. Her surroundings, a near endless sea of wooden benches and cushions with an occasional marbled pillar, were bathed in an arctic light. A shiver crawled through her spine as her eyes met a statue at the end. It was enormous, easily rivaling a dragon with its sheer size, and made of a mix of every stone known to man.

She began walking slowly, keeping her eyes trained on the dark corners around her. On a small patch of broken wood she found the soldier that had helped her stay alive in the skirmish above. He was lying on the ground on his stomach. She could see a deep crack on the helmet. Worried, she began poking him, hoping that he’d show some sign of life. All she got was a simple moan.

She sighed in relief and began walking toward the statue at the end of the Cathedral. Each step began to weigh heavily on her, as if an invisible sack was falling on her. She fell to her knees by the time she was near, as the stone sculpture stared at her. Its eyes were yellow pearls, staring at her with a mischievous glare. The granite base had an iron plaque, the top and bottom sentences had faded beyond recognition, with only a few sentences visible:

Sanity is a lie, there is only Madness

Through madness I gain knowledge,

Through knowledge I gain power,

Power breaks the chains and sets us free

Fluttershy looked around in confusion, unable to process if this piece of information was of any use to her. The sound of heavy footsteps drew her attention behind. Standing in the vast hallway was her savior, the soldier in the cream coat.

The soldier had his helm tied to his waist, revealing a mass of silver hair. His chiseled face was marked by a thin scar that raced from his right cheekbone to his chin. His eyes, a pair of gunmetal blue gems, looked as if he was more dazed and confused than she was. He pulled out a small badge from a pouch from his utility belt. He flashed the iron symbol so she could see the inscription: Lieutenant of the Canterlot Fusiliers, III Platoon IV Company. “My name is Iron Cross ma’am, and I’m here to help you.” he bowed.

Fluttershy took a step back. Why was this soldier treating her like royalty? “A.. A pleasure to meet you… I’m… I’m Fluttershy.” She replied. The stare he produced in response made her squeak in terror, as if she’d said he had taken the last bag of snacks on a picnic. “So… So… Sorry!” she said, taking a step back in surprise.

“Are you The Fluttershy?, as in Twilight Sparkle’s close friend?” she nodded. His eyes lost focus on her, dropping his backpack in an instant and began rummaging through its contents. A few seconds later he pulled out a small black box. He pulled out a headset and tapped the microphone.

“Mayday mayday! This is Sergeant Iron Cross of the Canterlot Fusiliers ninth company! I have been separated from my platoon and am currently under the Everfree Forest! I need priority extraction for a VIP! Codename Kindness! Please respond!” he repeated the sentence again, then swore. Then he repeated it again, but nothing new happened.

“Does... “ Fluttershy began. “Does this mean that we’re alone?” she asked, setting herself on a bench. The soldier nodded his head. “Is there…” she took a deep breath, fighting back the tears forming on her eyes. “Is there anything we can do?”

This time, it was Iron who took a deep breath. “What can we do?” he asked, chuckling nervously as he joined her. “All I can think of is staying put. They’re bound to notice your absence soon, and they won’t find us if we keep moving.”

“But, do you think this place is safe?” she looked around, almost scared that a zombie would pop out. She knew it was ridiculous, but she was still expecting it.

“Of course not, but what choice do we have? The more we move the more it’ll take for them to find us.” he replied, “And we don’t know what monsters could be outside. There could be a thousand dragons sleeping around this place for all we know.” She squeaked in surprise. “But maybe…” he pulled two flashlights from his bag. “We can get to high ground. From there it's gonna be easy to fire a flare. Maybe we can get a better signal.” She grabbed the bigger lantern, while he fastened the other one to the left of his rifle.

“I want you to take this.” he reached to his belt and unfastened one of the straps. It was pistol holster. “I don’t want you to use it,” he said in response to her horrified expression “But I need to know that you have some sort defence in case something goes wrong.” she hesitated for a second, but still grabbed the holstered weapon. The nylon straps were too loose for her, so it took her a few seconds to tighten her new belt around her green skirt.

“You know how to use it?” she shook her head. “Let me give you a quick rundown,” he asked her to take it out. The weapon felt heavier than she thought it should be, and warmer than the opaque steel made it look. He extended his hand, gesturing that she hand it over. She gladly released it, and Iron began: “The glowing red button is the safety” he motioned to the light in front of the trigger. He pressed it and it turned green. “Then just point at the bad guys and pull the trigger.”

He fired the weapon down the hallway, letting the roar fill the vast space between them. “And don’t worry about ammunition, the clip automatically regenerates a bullet every five seconds.” He locked the gun and returned it. “Remember to only fire if you’re in danger, and always shoot to kill. Understood?” she nodded, more out of fear of looking useless than of actually understanding. “Good, now let’s see if we can get to high ground.” he said as he gestured to a spiral staircase near them.

A low moan rang across the building, shortly followed by a dozen more. They looked at each other in confusion, unable to properly tell where they came from. At the distance, near the massive oak doors that marked the entrance, came a lone corpse. The charred body staggered drunkenly through the benches, apparently immune to the pain from its constant blunders.

Several more bodies rose to its call, at least fifty of them were a few meters from the humans. Iron Cross raised his rifle in response. “Get behind me!” he barked. Fluttershy obeyed, scanning to the sides. A few more animated corpses rose from the benches. A loud moan to her right forced her to duck a weak punch. It never landed, as Iron swiftly smacked its head with the rifle’s stock.

The body reeled from the strike, gesturing that it was preparing for a second attack. Iron denied its chance with three bullets to the chest. The corpse fell to the floor and growled one last time before turning to ash. Immediately, the zombies’ walk turned into a frenzied sprint. The soldier turned and began delivering controlled volleys against the crowd. The loud roars began to flood the cathedral, and more groans were added to the cacophony.

“RUN!” Iron barked as he stabbed a nearing shambler. She obeyed, heading for the steel structure. He followed in a slower pace, blasting anything that came across their path. Fluttershy vaulted over the railing and began climbing as fast as she could, raising her feet over threes steps at a time. She glimpsed back down to Iron and sighed when he began climbing. On the stairs he stopped firing, instead activating a small cylinder. He dropped it and rushed to her. “Hold on!”

Fluttershy felt something pull her down, like a massive hand was trying to slam her to the floor. A brief moment later the tension was released, followed by a deafening pop. She looked down and noticed that the bottom was now a dry crater. There wasn’t any trace that the base of the stairs even existed.

She continued her ascent, swallowing hard as the sound of collapsing doors reached her ears. Immediately, the cathedral exploded with hollow screams. They were unable to see the chaos below because of the wall tightening around them. But the echoes bounced around them, haunting them as they reached a wooden floor. Fluttershy fell on the ground, heaving as her legs protested the burden, and extended her arms.

Iron Cross merely sat down and toyed with the black box. A few seconds later, he unslung his bag and imitated the pink-haired dame. “It’s no good, I’m still not getting a signal.” He sighed, glancing at the screen. “Come one,” he said as he got up “let’s check the place around. Maybe we’ll find some beds and a window. Or at least a look at the church.” She got up, ignoring the protests of her pulsing legs.

Before they did anything, Iron clapped his hands. The leather gloves began glowing with a grey aura, before turning into white. He gripped the handrails of the spiral staircase and squeezed hard. The metal turned to molten slag on his touch, breaking away from the posts that nailed it to the wooden boards. He continued by tearing out the metal step. The stairway fell, crashing and clanging as gravity reclaimed it.

“Now we can be sure that those creeps can’t follow us.” he said, clapping his hands to dissipate the melting glow. “C’mon, we still have to check the place out.” He said, heading to a small door. He opened it, bathing both of them in a frigid light. Fluttershy felt something crawl under her skin as she gazed at the polar citadel before them.

The city was huge, easily twice the size of Canterlot, with only a few pyres to break the monotonous white. Towers decorated the landscape, each a beacon that showered everything with the pale light. At the center, Fluttershy could see the most magnanimous building of all. It looked like a church made of silver, with a tower that rose far above the rest and glowed the brightest. And above everything was pitch blackness, only broken by a small hole, their hole no doubt, in the sky.

“Now this is something I didn’t know existed.” Iron murmured, letting his rifle hang by its sling. “There’s no way this is true!”

“Ho ho ho!” rang an eerily merry voice. “Is that fresh meat I see?!” Iron quickly turned to the source and aimed his rifle. The voice was above them, standing over a petrified gargoyle. The figure jumped from its perch, spinning like a yo-yo as he fell, and landed on the clay tiles before them. These broke under the titanic weight of the masculine figure.

The figure was about three meters tall, with a golden mask covering his head and a gothic spear on his left hand. At first Fluttershy though he was naked due to the detail on his breastplate, save for the red loincloth tied to his waist, but that could not be farther from the truth. He wore golden armor, tailored to replicate what she was sure was his actual muscular body. The main giveaway was the white gem, shaped like a sun, resting in between his pectorals.

“Greetings poor souls! Might I ask what brings two of Arion’s children to this accursed place?” His face frozen with a smile enhancing his light attitude. Both Iron and Fluttershy remained paralyzed. “Oh my, I seemed to have lost my manners!” He slammed his weapon on the ground and knelt. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sunlight Spear, a Custodian of The Sun.” Fluttershy raised a dubious eyebrow in response, while Iron lowered his rifle.

“I see that you do not recognize me, but I work for the great Princess Celestia.” he bowed. “And have been for a very long time. I have been tasked with keeping the denizens of this poor city under control.”

“So do you know anything about the mass of zombies that live down there?” Iron asked, a hand pointing to the cathedral. “Or are they something new?”

Sunlight chuckled, letting his hands clutch his strong stomach. “Of course I do! They are the husks of what once were proud citizens of Pandemonia!” he laughed slapping the air as if it were his friend. Fluttershy widened her eyes in horror. To think that those things below probably never died and that this man, who worked for Princess Celestia of all people, could make light of such a horrible situation.

Iron furrowed his eyes in thought. “So this place is called Pandemonia?”

“That is correct child!” Sunlight twirled the massive spear as if it were a wooden cane. He pointed at the pearlescent city. “This is decrepit place was once considered the bastion of knowledge, a beacon of faith and even the home of the greatest deity in this world.” he chuckled some more. “Now look at it, buried, desolate, a mausoleum to the greatest failure known to us.”

“But what happened? Because I’ve never heard of a city built under Equestria.” Iron protested. “Whatever happened here must have been greater than The Lunar Rebellion, Sombra’s Crusade or even Discord’s Reign of Chaos”

The golden mask tilted sideways. “Now it is my turn to be perplexed.” Sunlight Spear leaned pensively on his weapon. “The city was not built underground, but close to the city of Canterlot. It was after the riots that the city was sunken by my great Princess and her sister!”

Iron took a step back. “So that means that there’s no way back up?!”

“Of course not! You silly kitten! The point was to avoid the corruption that infests this place to remain here. Why would my beloved muse allow it to escape?!” the Custodian broke into laughter. “But fret not! For I may have a solution. After all, it was within the plan that some poor souls could find their way inside.”

“Great!” Iron responded, letting a smile paint his face. “What is it?”

“Sadly, I do not possess the answer to this conundrum. But I know someone who does.” he pointed to a building on the distance. “In the confines of the Celestial Archives lives a wizard known as The Red Cyclops. If there is someone who knows an answer to this plight, it is him.”

“And am I right in assuming you will take us there?” Iron asked, crossing his arms. “Or will you leave us to our fate?”

The giant produced a confident chuckle. “As a Custodian, it is my most sacred duty to take you to see the great Cyclops!” he looked around. “Follow me!” he replied, jumping off the roof with a frenzied cry.

Chapter 4: Temple of Kvasir, the Forgotten Saint

Fluttershy traversed Pandemonia on the shoulders of Night Blade, with Sunlight Spear carrying Iron in one arm. They passed through the slums, with the images of rotten ramshackle houses and desolate plazas passing off in a blur. Occasionally, she would see a pyre in the distance. The white flames burned brightly, but she felt none of the warmth.

After a few minutes of endless running, she could see what she believed to be the temple they mentioned. The marble structure stood proudly against the arctic light of the beacons, its pillars glowing triumphantly against the burnt houses around it. Sunlight approached the temple and swung a door open. “Let us hurry.” he whispered. This shrine was dwarfed when compared to the majestic height of the Cathedral. It stood barely four stories high, and with a life-sized statue of a dragon near a massive mirror.

Night blade grabbed her, his oversized hand making her feel like she were a doll, and dropped her near the mirror. It was then that she noticed that the reflection was not from a mirror. Instead, she was staring at a large, but fairly shallow, pool of frozen water. She looked at her hand, covered in dirt, blood and scratches, and submerged it.

The liquid felt smooth, easing away her pains as the damage melted into oblivion. She pulled out her hand to inspect it closer. The water had left her hand better than any spa could. She quickly sunk her other hand, feeling the warmth soften her.

“Truly the Pool of Kvasir is a sight to behold.” Sunlight mused, sitting cross-legged next to her. “It was his last gift before disappearing. He promised that no follower of Areion would fall to Mot or Discord so long as he could do anything.” he chuckled. “I am sorry, but I just feel so delighted to be able to walk these halls once more.” he settled Iron next to her. “I would sink him myself, but I fear that my armor may repel some of its enchantments.

She turned to face the soldier and worked through his uniform, tossing his armor into the pool. It wasn’t intentional, but she just failed to find a way to do it without hurting him further. His greatcoat came off, along with the harness that suspended his spare ammunition and his gasmask.

Removing his cotton shirt showed her a darkened, burnt and hollowed chest. It looked as if the wound was eating away at his organs, turning his skin into flakes of ash. The few patches of untouched flesh were covered in scars, some with blood still oozing from the broken stitches. She looked closer at a silver chain around his neck, a chain which appeared to be holding the corruption from spreading higher. Strapped to the center was a silver pendant, shaped like a winged sword.

She removed her boots and wrapped her arms under his body and made an effort to raise them. To her surprise, Iron Cross was lighter than Angel. She stepped into the pool, feeling as the magical water washed her legs. She looked down, feeling as her toes gripped the edge of the pool, and realized that they were steps. She began walking down, each step sending her body into paradise, slowly letting Iron’s body float across the water.

Iron Cross began to glow, his skin turning into a burning beacon as the water soothed. She removed her hands and stepped back. He floated for a few seconds, before the pool dragged below. The glow turned into a beam of white light, brighter than any of the flameless lanterns that dotted the hall. Fluttershy turned away from the pool, shielding her eyes from the blinding light.

Sunlight rushed to her and offered a hand, pulling her away from the water with little effort. She turned to look at the gates, those massive oak doors had been left wide open. From the damned streets entered a figure, clad in a blackened hood. The booming steps from the stranger echoed through the empty hall. Sunlight’s golden armor clinked as it turned to face the figure, bringing his spear to his hands.

A pair of ravens flew over the pool, silently flapping their wings before perching themselves on the stranger’s shoulders. The stranger cast aside its hood, letting the clear light illuminate a chiseled face. His skin was red, about as red as a tomato, a large scar decorating his shut left eye. His other eye, a stunning ruby in the center of a pearl, gazed at her. A halberd clicked with his steps, a massive weapon with a leather staff and a golden blade.

“It is strange to see The Red Cyclops away from his books.” Sunlight smirked, “And stranger still is to see him in a temple. After all these years, have you come to accept the existence of gods?” The wizard walked forward, the booming of a book tied to his belt adding to his personal symphony. He turned to look at Fluttershy.

“So it was true.” he murmured “There are mortals in Pandemonia. I did not want to believe it, I wanted to believe that Hugin and Munin were playing games with me.” he turned to Sunlight. “But where is the other one? Munin told me that it was warrior fighting with you.” the wizard turned to look at the pool. “Did you place him inside the pool?!” he rushed over and placed his hand inside. He scowled and used his magic to lift Iron, setting his body on the steps of the pool.

The cyclops placed a hand over his chest. “He is alive, but he will take time to recover.” sat down at the edge of the pool. He stared at fluttershy, letting a relieved smile play across his face. “I must record this.” he grabbed his book and pulled out a feather and began scribbling. After a few seconds he put the book down and faced Fluttershy. “Are you by any chance from the small nation of Equestria?” he asked.

She nodded, feeling as if the giant would crush her with a spell. One of his ravens perched itself on her left shoulder. The bird was about as large as an albatross, with white feathers mixed in between the black. The bird drove its head forward, motioning her to pat it. She gladly ran her hand across the smooth plumage.

“Sunlight Spear! Night Blade!” The cyclops barked. Both warriors turned. “Stand guard while I speak with her.” and they obeyed, silently walking toward the darkness of Pandemonia.

“Now please,” the cyclops said, turning his attention to Fluttershy “I want you to tell me what Equestria is doing today.” With a magical clap of his hands a wooden chair morphed beside him.

She sat down and sighed. The cyclops placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. “What is your name, child?” she began, but couldn’t control her nervous stammering. “I see…” he mused, “I am Spellbound, one of the last Celestial wizards.” he coughed. “I am pleasently surprised that Muninn has taken to liking you.” This got her attention. He usually does nothing but fly and eat.” she turned to look at him. “Truth be told, he lets Huginn manage the nest and everything else.”

“What kind of ravens are these? I never knew that they could grow this big.” Fluttershy asked, her voice growing warmer.

“That is because these are rare Valhallan Ravens, brought from across the ocean. Mother thought that their intelligence could keep me company during my endless nights of studying. And she was right.” he paused and muttered: “For once.”

“Oh. “ Fluttershy looked at the bird, who merely cried before nodding its head for another pat. She obliged. “I’m sorry for asking, but: are you alright?”

Spellbound chuckled. “I have been stuck in this city for a thousand years with no contact with other humans. The only sane people are those two guards there,” he jabbed a thumb at the door “and they are barely around. Considering that, I think I am doing well.”

“Oh…. I’m sorry,” Fluttershy’s cheeks began to boil in embarrassment.

“Do not apologize. I need no pity. I just wish I could have seen mother once more, at least to prove that I was right about everything. Too bad she can’t remember me.” he sighed, letting his breath release his sadness.

“Oh,” Fluttershy began trying to formulate a response. “Um… I’m sure she still remembers you. Once we get out then we can-”

The Cyclops chuckled, “You do not understand,” he kept laughing, resting his hand around his weapon. “My mother cannot remember me because this damned city has a special spell that erases it from history.” he sighed again. “In fact, ever since you fell in here you have ceased to exist in people’s minds. No one will come to aid us, no one has for at least a thousand years.”

Fluttershy’s entire body stopped out of pure shock at the words. “So…” she sighed, feeling as his words squeezed the life out of her heart, “no one remembers us?”

“While it pains me to tell you, that is true. I created the spell not just to keep the horrors confined to the underground, but also ensure that the ideas and demons created would not leave this.”

Fluttershy felt a sudden surge of adrenaline, “But, there must be a way to break it!” she felt the Cyclops eye her with curious worry. “Twilight told me that all spells can be undone! There must be a way to break it!”

Spellbound raised an eyebrow “I now want to meet this friend of yours” he began mumbling and wrote something on his book. “But that is for later. You are correct, all spells can be broken. And I can break it.” Fluttershy felt her heart skip a bear “The only problem with this is that we will need an army to breach the citadel’s center.” her heart sank back. “Hopefully those two guards will be enough, otherwise we will simply die in here.”

Iron finally gasped back into life, drawing their attention as he clutched his chest and heaved. The wizard turned to face him “It appears that Saint Kvasir’s magic is still leagues above my own.” Iron had his eyes staring at the cyclops. “It is a shame that he never left us any books to recreate them.”

The soldier turned to look at him, then at Fluttershy, then back at the cyclops. “I suppose you are the Red Cyclops that Sunlight talked about.”

“Unless you are blind I do not believe I need to answer that.” Spellbound spat. Iron grabbed his uniform and his rifle. He got dressed back in less than a minute, his hands working through the pieces with a systematic rhythm that he appeared to be robotic for a brief moment. With his armor strapped in place he marched toward the giant.

He saluted. “What now?”

“Now we need to get to the basilica, that’s in the center of the town. And that is when things will get complicated.” the cyclops pulled a scroll from his bag. He unrolled it on the floor to reveal what looked to be a map. Fluttershy was impressed by the radial layout of the city. At the center appeared a large circle, and everything seemed to sprawl from around it.

Spellbound snapped his fingers, letting a small tongue of fire appear in the center of the map. “That is where we need to go, and this-” he cast another flame, to its right “is where we are. A human would take three hours to get there, if they run.”

“Is it crawling with more husks?” Iron asked, turning his eyes to the cyclops. He nodded. “Then there’s no way we’d make it running. We barely survived the ones in the wall. Is there a safer path?”

Spellbound placed a thumb on his lips. His eye quickly darted from place to place, letting the flames die out. “Maybe.” he summoned a new flame, where they stood. “But it is only a matter of time-” he stopped to stare at Night Blade, who had his weapon drawn, and tilted his head. “Yes?”

“Sir! The gates have fallen, the witch is now in the inner circle.” he bellowed. “We must move now!”

Spellbound turned to Iron. “We will have to use my plan for the moment, and you will have to ride on the shoulders of both Night and Sunlight. It will be the only way we can keep the pace.” Iron nodded. “Then move out!” he barked.

Chapter 5: The Macabre Streets of Pandemonia

The more of Pandemonia that Fluttershy saw, the more sick she felt. The streets were abandoned, occasionally decorated with splatters of blood or chunks of burnt corpses. Every street was defiled, every house was destroyed, and she wished she could be away from all of it. Her lungs began to contract slowly, forcing her to breath faster. After a few minutes, she began coughing violently.

“Stop!” Iron yelled, “We can’t keep going forward!” The three giants stopped, Spellbound cursed loudly, glaring daggers from his single eye. .

“What is it now? Do you have to go relieve yourself?!” Spellbound roared, with the tips of his black mane producing embers. Iron Cross dropped from Night Blade’s shoulders and marched toward Fluttershy. “If we don’t move then those husks will be upon us.”

“If we keep going then both of us will die!” Iron barked, “This entire place is plagued with miasma, if we follow you then we’ll both die!”

Fluttershy’s head began to feel light, so much that she found it nearly impossible to keep her eyes open. She felt a brief moment of weightlessness and then felt her head touch the frozen stone. Something hissed in the distance, and a few more unintelligible screams. Leather began to cover her face, closely followed by a gust of wind.

She began to breath again, feeling as the clouds in her head dissipated. Her view was now obstructed by the lenses of a mask. She turned to look at Iron to notice a large tube extending from her mouth to the small console on his waist. She turned to Spellbound, then to Sunlight and to Night Blade.

Iron grabbed her head “Can you hear me?” he barked, shaking her head like a maraca. “Can you understand me?” She pulled his arms away and steadied herself.

‘I’m fine.” she replied, working her way to remove the gas mask. A pair of leather hands stopped her. “What happened?”

“You began to faint due to miasma poisoning.” Iron said “The only thing keeping you awake for the moment is the mask. So if you want to stay alive then I suggest you don’t take it off.” He removed a strap that kept the box in place and motioned to her. She reluctantly tied it around, making sure that the nylon was tied firmly around her waist.

“But what about you?” she was surprised to hear her voice coming from a speaker, and even stranger was how close she heard her own voice. Her hands caressed a steel helmet placed over her head, with a tight nylon strap tied around her chin.

“Don’t worry about me, mages have a natural resistance to miasma. So long as we don’t spend too much time in here or go any further then I won’t die.” He turned to Spellbound. “We need to find another route, one that hopefully doesn’t involve walking into an irradiated zone.” The cyclops tossed him the map.

“I think I know what is causing the miasma, and if you can barely handle this then I believe you should go through the alleyways.” Spellbound motioned to the buildings. “They may be confined spaces, but they will be free of the miasma of the pyres.”

“Why did you say you?” Fluttershy protested, keeping her eyes trained on the cyclops “Aren’t you coming with us?”

“Sadly we cannot. The streets are too narrow for us to traverse and our weight would bring down everything we stood upon. We will stay on the main streets and try to attract as much attention as we can.” he smiled at Fluttershy. “Do not worry, I will instruct Huginn and Muninn to watch over you. If you encounter trouble we will do our best to aid you, now go. We will regroup at the basillica!” he barked. Iron saluted and turned to Fluttershy.

“Ma’am, if you will…” he nudged his head toward the buildings and began walking. The buildings in this part of the city were made of white bricks, their paint now faded beyond compare. She could see the occasional corpse sprawled on the inside, other times they would be impaled on a post or nailed to a wall with a ballista bolt in their chest.

“What the hell happened here?” Iron cursed as they walked under a bridge, his rifle trained on a body that dangled from above. “It’s almost as if-” he was interrupted by a soft moan, coming from one of the bodies in front of them. “Please stay down…” he sighed. One of the corpses stood up slowly, letting its stick-thin arms support its weight as its charred skin flaked off.

Iron crouched, aimed and fired three rounds. Two bullets hit the husk, tearing through the flakes and turning it to ash. The corpse above them springed to life, dropping from its grave to fall on its head. Despite the sickening crack of its skull and spine, the corpse stood up and growled at Fluttershy. Her hands raced to the pistol tied around her waist, drawing it from its holster and aiming straight for its head.

The monster flailed its arms , slamming its hands on her face. She staggered back nursing the bruise with her left hand. She looked at the monster to see that it was now in front of her. It dashed forward, biting the air where its victim was a few seconds ago. She pulled the trigger on the pistol, feeling the pistol kick back in protest. The husk flew back, disintegrating before it could touch the ground.

She paused for a second, feeling her heart try to burst from her chest. She took a deep breath and turned to Iron. The soldier was surrounded by the monsters, using his rifle as a club to fight back against the ten husks that surrounded him. She aimed her pistol and fired three bolts. Two shots flew wildly, while the last one blasted ash from the head wound.

With her heart beating at her ribs she fired again. This time she took down two monsters, giving Iron Cross a chance to break from the ambush. He ducked over a few attacks, jamming his bayonet in response to the onslaught. Two more husks died, howling as they grasped their wounds. “Where the hell are they coming from?!” he roared, tearing apart the remaining zombies.

She shrugged, holstering her gun and walking over to him. She turned to see his left arm sporting a new bite mark. She gasped and approached the wound. “Are you alright?” He turned to her and chuckled. “Are you sure, that bite could be infected.” He raised an eyebrow and inspected the mark. She reached for her packet, but Iron stopped her.

“I think we should look for somewhere safe before we look to treat it.” he whispered, letting soft moans answer her question before she could even speak. They ran up a flight of stairs and entered a small plaza. Three armored husks greeted them, hefting axes at Iron as they shambled forward. Iron fired his rifle, his bullets tearing through the soft leather. The warrior staggered back, black ichor oozing out of the wounds in its chest.

One of the warriors charged past Iron, swinging its war axe at Fluttershy. She jumped back, feeling as the iron head cut through her left arm. She winced, feeling as blood poured from the wound, and reached for her pistol. She managed to fire three bullets at point blank, her shots tore through the thick iron breastplate and exploded inside, squirting ichor like a geyser.

The monster howled and swung its weapon, slashing her stomach, and cried in victory. She fired again, this time blasting its head apart with two shots. The corpse fumbled to the floor, like a marionette that has lost its strings, and dissolved into ash.

Iron ducked under a swipe, jamming his bayonet under the husk’s chin and pulling the trigger. Black ichor splattered across the grass and water, followed by the thud of another death. An axe buried itself in his right side, drawing blood as the warrior cackled. Iron turned and slammed the butt of his rifle on its head. He dislodged the axe from his side and swung at its head. Its head cracked like glass as the steel tore through both iron and bone. The monster lashed out, digging its nails on Iron’s left shoulder, in a last stand.

Fluttershy aimed her pistol and pulled the trigger. Three bullets rang out from her gun. One sped past into the masonry above while the others met their mark. Blood splashed across Iron, leaving a stump where the left arm once was. The monster turned to Fluttershy, causing her to fire three more shots. The head blew like an overcooked egg, splattering gore and bone fragments everywhere.

Fluttershy exhaled loudly, her breath warming her mouth, and turned to Iron. The wound on his side was still dripping with blood, but his face didn’t seem to register the severity. He turned to her. “Well, it seems Pandemonia still has surprises up her sleeves.” he joked. “We should try to get moving, hopefully we can find a place to rest for a while.” She nodded, staring at the large stone building with a silver horseshoe relieved into the front of the building. She knew that this was the sign of the Church of Lord Areion.

They approached the dark oak doors and slowly opened them, hearing the protesting moans of the hinges as they obeyed. The inside of the chapel was unlit save for the frigid light emanating from above and from the sides. Rows of benches covered the stone floor, surrounding a large golden pulpit near a marble altar. Iron smiled before collapsing like a log on the floor.

Chapter 6: Areion's Monastery

Fluttershy rushed Iron Cross inside the chapel, dragging his body slowly across the stone floor. She gasped at the red trail of fresh blood that poured from the wound. She began her work by removing his hefty haversack, hearing it rattle as its contents scatter inside. She flipped him belly-side up, taking in a good look at the wound.

The cut ran deep across his left side, breaking through the metal breastplate and reaching past the muscles. Her hands quickly worked through the clasps and straps that held it in place. The loud clang echoed across the deserted chapel, breaking the mute monotony. Fluttershy looked at the wound and then to the soldier’s bag. She dumped the contents, looking desperately for anything that she could use to seal the cut.

To her relief, a large red box rested at the bottom of the bag. She pulled it out and released the clasps. Inside she noticed a variety of syringes, poultices and other medical equipment. Her hands reached one of the thicker syringes and tested it. Its contents was a cool, flesh-colored sludge that felt silky at the touch. The label read: Derma-gel. For medical emergencies only.

She poured a small amount on one of the cuts on her stomach, feeling a surge of adrenaline enter her body as the pain melted away. She sighed and turned back to the body sprawled in front of the altar and sealed his wound. The bleeding stopped immediately, as the beads of crimson disappeared under the flesh-like gel.

She sat on one of the benches and let her fingers cross with one another as her wrists rested on the bench in front of her. She began to think about the fights that she had just survived. She wanted to feel the despair of their impossible escape, the sorrow for the six lives she had taken and even pity for Iron’s situation. She wanted to know that despite everything that she had seen, that she had done, that she was still herself.

But there was none of her usual panic, her common attacks of anxiety were nowhere to be found. Instead all she found was an unfamiliar calm. Her hands reached over to the pistol holstered on her hip. She examined the gun, feeling the cold steel on her palm as she scanned it. There wasn’t much to say about it. It was a weapon, a tool used mostly to end life. And she had seen its efficiency first hand. The images of flying gore and blood flooded her mind, yet she didn’t feel horrified.

The eldritch calm held back her tears as she remembered her life in Ponyville, now a distant dream, and knowing that her family and friends didn’t know that she existed. A hand grabbed her wrist and she instinctively whipped her hand to swat the entity back. Her hand was stung as it collided with flesh, the impact sounding loudly in the vacant hall. She turned to see Iron nursing a cheek, the wound on his stomach now a ghost.

“What the hell?!” he exclaimed, standing up and staring at Fluttershy. “What did I do to deserve this?”

“Sorry.” She squeaked. “I was startled!”

His glare faded as his eyes focused on a horseshoe nailed to a post, letting his hands caress the metal hoof. “Funny that our paths keep taking us to religious sanctuaries.” he mused aloud. “It’s almost as if Lord Areion was trying to commune with us...” his voice trailed off, letting his hands grip the metal amulet. “Or maybe he’s trying to shelter us from an incoming storm.” his hands trailed back from the altar and he looked at one of the aisles of the chapel. “Have you done any exploring?”

She shook her head. “I really haven’t had the time to, you woke up rather quickly.”

“Then we should take a look around the place. Maybe we can find some info that will tell us what happened to this damned city.” He began walking, both hands on his rifle. “Stay behind me.” he barked. She nodded and reached to her pistol. “Actually, can you give me that?” he said as he extended his right hand. “In these quarters my rifle’s not gonna be of much use.” He rolled his eyes, and she handed over the weapon. “Thank you.”

Behind the chapel they found stairs to two more floors, the first one simply had rows of beds and a kitchen, while the second had several shelves packed to the brim with scrolls and leatherbound books. Fluttershy reached over to a nearby table and grabbed the nearest scroll while Iron rummaged through the chests. The black writing upon the parchment was an artistry too beautiful for this world. So beautiful in fact, that she had trouble reading the intricate handwriting. But eventually she managed to decipher the scripture.

“First of May, year 1527 of our Lord Areoin: I have begun to keep this journal for the sake of my sanity. The streets have turned to crimson rivers as the Followers of Mot have begun to slaughter all those that do not follow their religion. We yet live because of Lord Areion and the efforts of Chaplain Psalm. They came armed with pitchforks and axes, only to die to the reverend’s crozius. Father Silver Chalice and Father Partisan also helped in the defense, although they barely survived the onslaught. We are currently tending to their wounds, although there is little hope to save them.

Second of May, year 1527 of our Lord Areion: Father Silver Chalice perished late at night due to the taint in his wounds. Father Partisan is not well, as the corruption spreads further into him. His body, once strong and joyous, lies diseased and malformed upon the altar. We have prayed, but Lord Areion has not healed him. We have barricaded the gates to the outside, now forced to watch as the Followers of Mot butcher innocents on the streets. They have tried to break our defenses, but Father Cassock has dissuaded them with a few arrows. So far we are safe, and pray that Areion will send his Daughters to save us.

Third of May, year 1527 of our Lord Areion: Hope has not come, and we fear that the Followers have become too large for the guards to handle. Their chants speak of assaulting the Basilica of Discord, claiming that it is their birthright. The Chaplain told us that the Daughters have been notified, but he had yet to receive a response from them. The other monasteries have sent word that they wish to rally for one final assault. Outside I see pyres blazing in the night, their cold light haunts me, I cannot sleep.

Fourth of May, year 1527 of our Lord Areion: Thank the Lord! His Daughters are on their way here, and they will bring the might of the Equestrian Army. The Chaplain has selected me to lead a group to secure an entry point for the army tomorrow. I still cannot sleep, my dreams have been corrupted by the pyres that light the night sky.

Fifth of May, year 1527 of our Lord Areion: The streets have been corrupted beyond recognition. Innocent blood has turned the streets to rivers, as the slaughter of Mot has been made apparent. Out of the six that set out, only Father Gyro and I returned. We were tirelessly ambushed by monsters around the streets, some were the trained hounds of Mot, others I could only describe as possessed husks of the dead. Chaplain Psalm has decided to move the remaining monks to defend the Basilica, which is still guarded by Discord’s Hunters and the last Custodians. I pray that the Daughters can bring an end to the nightmares, for I have forgotten what it means to dream.

Fluttershy set the roll down and sighed heavily. Her body froze in place as she stared at the pile of rolled parchment before her. A loud cough brought her attention over to the soldier. “Did you find anything useful?” he asked, leaving the rifle next to her. She nodded. “Great!” he grabbed a nearby chair and snatched the parchment from her. His eyes darted across as he devoured the text. The closer she looked, the more she noticed the bags under his eyes.

“Are you okay?” she asked him, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder. He turned to her and smiled. His right hand clutched a harness holding two sheathed swords. Both had silver grips tied around with leather, but the pommel of the first was shaped like the paws of a silver bear, with five toes held together by a gold-lined bar and the grip was. The other had no pommel save for a thick band at the bottom, while its grip was of black leather.

“Are you alright?” she asked again, tracing a finger over his chin. “Maybe we should rest for a while.” he shook his head.

“We can’t.” he snapped. “Just like the journal says, your don’t dream. All you can see is the burning pyres.” he pinched his nose bridge. “If we want to rest, we have to get out of here.” he walked over to a wardrobe. “Do you happen to know how to use any sort of weapon? Bows, daggers, anything?”

“I used to practice archery in high school.” she sighed.

“Good enough for me.” Iron snapped, pulling out a polished oak bow and a leather quiver. As Fluttershy began to tie the quiver belt she felt something press against her shoulder. “And take this. Just in case something gets too close for comfort.” he handed her a steel dagger, which held no beauty to it save for the tanned leather that covered the grip, and a belted sheath.

Iron began working on securing his swords behind his back. “Let’s go. Hopefully we haven’t lost too much time.” He said, strapping a dagger above the cuff of his right boot. “And if we’re really lucky, then we won’t have to get into another fight.” he rolled his eyes. “You ready?” Fluttershy nodded nervously on instinct, but she felt like ready was not the word she should use. Anxious was a better word, but she knew that she couldn’t speak.

“Then let’s go through hell.” he said as he opened the doors.

Chapter 7: Erebos, Apostle of the Encroaching Darkness

Fluttershy felt her skin crawl as the frigid light filled her eyes. As she adjusted to the frigid light, gazing upon the pallid limestone tiles of the plaza. She looked at the crimson streak that stained the floor and clutched her bow tightly on her chest. She felt Iron’s hand firmly press against her shoulder. “Do you hear that?” he whispered.

Fluttershy strained her ears, trying to hear anything out of the ordinary. She could hear a faint song in the distance, a vocal dirge sung by a thousand souls, getting nearer quickly. She turned to see Iron and nodded. They headed for the alley beside the monastery. The dark passage was cluttered by rubble, broken furniture and the odd corpse, and ultimately blocked by a tall brick wall.

“Give me a second.” Iron murmured. “I’ll climb over it and see if it’s worth the effort.” He backed up and ran up the wall. In two seconds he was sitting on the edge of the wall. “Looks like we’ve got a straight shot at the basilica.” he sighed, “Finally, a stroke of luck.” He dangled his left arm below, asking her to take it.

She nodded in agreement. Considering that they had been fighting nearly nonstop since they fell down, this small thing felt like the greatest blessing. She took a step back and dashed at the wall. She jumped at the last second, gripping Iron’s arm and feeling as he pulled her up. She sat opposite of him and gazed at the scene around her. She heard a sad voice in the distance, singing a morose dirge.

Iron turned his head around, as if he also heard the voice. “You hear that?” he asked, and she nodded. “What language is that?” She tried to listen again, focusing on the sorrowful voice as it increased in volume. She turned to face Iron, his face now filled with panic and raised an eyebrow.

“You think it could be trouble?” she asked

“So far almost everything that we have met has attempted to kill us.” he murmured. He dropped from the wall and motioned Fluttershy to do the same. “Come on! We don’t have much time!” he hissed.

Reluctantly, she dropped off the wall, seeing as her skirt billowed with the fall. She caught a glimpse of Iron turning to look away, with his arms ready to catch her. Fluttershy felt as Iron caught her, stumbling over as her momentum threw him off balance. They fell on the floor, with Iron being crushed between his saturated haversack and Fluttershy’s body. The song was growing louder every second, and Fluttershy could feel her body tire the more she heard it.

“Come on!” Iron barked. “We’re almost there!” His hand reached for the grip of his rifle and he pulled the weapon.They began to trot upward, but Fluttershy could feel the heavy dirge weigh her down. One brief look at Iron showed that he was not immune, his steps had grown slower, and his face gleamed with sweat.

It was after several agonizing minutes that they could see the three giants of Pandemonia. Both Sunlight Spear and Night Blade showed several scratches in their armor, and Spellbound was now sporting a golden breastplate with a beautiful white fur cloak while his arms were bare.

“You surely took your time.” Spellbound snapped. “Did you take the leisure route?”

Iron glared daggers at him. “There’s someone coming here, and their damned song has been slowing us down.”

“I know.” Spellbound said, his voice dripping with contempt. “I recognize the dirges of Erebos anywhere in the world. His cultists have tried to kill me over the years, trying their best to destroy the barrier that has sealed their prophets.” He turned to Sunlight. “Take the mortals into the basilica.” he turned to face Night Blade. “You too Night. I will stay behind and end the cultists once and for all.” Spellbound placed a hand in the air, creating ethereal ripples in the air. He snapped his fingers and the ripples opened, forming an arch large enough to fit them.

Sunlight nodded at the wizard and walked inside, motioning to Fluttershy and Iron to enter. Behind them Night followed, letting another snap of fingers close the barrier. Before them was a beautiful viridescent garden, split in half by a pale white path. On the other side they could see a pair of massive oak doors and golden steps leading to it.

A chill ran through Fluttershy’s spine as she saw several statues of armored knights on the edges of the stairs. The gigantic men stood tall and proud, with halberds and tower shields on their arms. The statues were the same size as Sunlight and Night, but their whith was enough to draw the breath from her.

The ground rumbled, shaking the dust off the ancient statues and forcing Iron and Fluttershy to regain their balance. The doors to the Basilica opened, revealing a figure clad in a dull grey plate armor. As they reach the golden steps Fluttershy saw that it was a man in the armor, bald and with dark skin.

“So the children of the Angels have finally come to steal our last home.” The armored man said. As he descended the stairs Fluttershy realized that it wasn’t that he had dark skin. Instead his head was inscribed with paragraphs of beautiful calligraphy. He reached for the iron mace strapped to his belt. “But you shall not succeed, for I am Erebos the Apostle!”

Sunlight took a step forward, pinning the back of his spear to the ground and pointing the front toward the stranger. “We have no quarrel with you heretic, leave now and we shall spare your life.” Night Blade grabbed his bow and knocked a massive arrow.

Erebos began to walk down the stairs. “Your arrogance has no limit, does it hound?” he jeered as he stretched his left hand. “Know that you are not in control here, for this is the realm of my Lord!” Bolts of black energy shot from his fingertips and struck Sunlight. His armor dented upon the impact, forcing the golden knight to take a few steps back.

Night Blade fired six arrows with near blinding speed at Erebos, who merely deflected them with swings from his mace. Two more bolts shot from Night’s bow, and one crashed against the dull plates and turned to splinters. “No weapon can pierce my faith, for Mot protects all.” Erebos barked. He swung his mace into the ground, causing an earth-splitting tremor.

Sunlight jumped into the air, slamming his spear to the ground as he landed near Erebos. A storm of lightning poured from the wound of the ground, turning the stone statues to dust. Erebos looked unimpressed, as the few bolts that reached him were quickly dissolved by an invisible barrier. Sunlight pulled his spear and thrust it against Erebos. The blade pierced through the plate armor and sent another surge of electricity into Erebos’s body.

Sunlight flung the body against a statue, shattering it as his body crashed against the cold stone. Without a word, Erebos rose and stared at the black ichor pouring from his chest. He coated his hand with the substance and positioned his fingers as if they were claws. A second later the ichor had hardened, transforming his hand into a bear claw.

“This is nothing hound,” Erebos taunted “there is no wound that will kill me.” he charged against Sunlight, smashing his helmet with a swing from his mace. Sunlight crumbled into the ground, his left cheek now crumpled inside the armor. Night Blade swung his axe down, but the claw bounced it back. He swiped, but Erebos deflected it with his mace. As Night backed away, Erebos used his claw to grab Night’s left arm. With a sickening crack Erebos crumpled the metal like paper.

Night fell into the ground, as his sword bounced as it hit the stone floor. Fluttershy turned to the body then at Iron. Iron gripped his rifle tightly and turned to her. “Go to him, I’ll cover you.” With a war cry, Iron charged forth. His rifle went mad as bolts of magical fire covered the battlefield. Three bullets found their mark, but were destroyed by the barrier protecting the apostle.

“Is the cyclops so desperate that he recruits worms to do the work of gods?”Erebos spat as he raised his mace. Iron fired two more shots, both of which met their mark. Erebos laughed and brought his mace down. It landed close to Iron, the force of the impact sent him into the air. Then Erebos turned to Fluttershy. “Grovel, and I may spare your life.”

Fear and instinct froze Fluttershy in place, but something took hold of her and released an arrow against Erebos before she could stop it. The arrow exploded in a puff of magical pink smoke. Erebos reeled back as he groaned in pain. “You insolen-” but he was cut short by Sunlight’s spear striking him down. Erebos turned to face Sunlight and shot another barrage of magical bolts. The custodian knocked two bolts away, letting the others graze his armor.

Erebos cursed and drove his fist into the ground. Eldritch tentacles erupted from the wounds on the ground, striking at Sunlight with inhuman speed. Erebos lunged forward and swung his mace forward. Sunlight used the shaft of his spear to deflect the blow, following with a quick slash against Erebos’s stomach. The blade scraped off a part of the paint, sparking as the metals collided. Erebos punched Sunlight, denting the breastplate and forcing him back a few meters.

Night Blade stood up, his hand clutching his greatsword on his right hand. He turned to face Erebos and leapt forward. He swung his sword down, forcing the apostle to reel back from the impact. There was something morbidly humorous about how his left arm limped lifelessly, it reminded Fluttershy of a limp noodle. And she would have laughed had she been in any other situation.

Night continued with a sweeping strike, piercing through the plated armor as beads of dark ichor escaped from a fresh wound. Erebos snarled and swung his mace, smacking the hard iron against Night’s helmet. Night backpedaled a few steps, and Erebos pushed forward. He drew his abysmal claw straight against Night’s head. Fluttershy let out a short gasp and fired an arrow. It exploded on Erebos’s chest, pink smoke covered the chest as the apostle tried to swipe it away

With a swipe of the eldritch claw, Erebos dispersed the cloud and turned to Fluttershy. “For being such a lowly worm you can be a great pain on me.” He raised his claw and focused. She could see as the abysmal energy gathered, knowing that she would die if it released. A blue bolt of magic struck the Apostle’s head, and Erebos changed his gaze to face the source.

Iron was yelling at the top of his lungs, firing wildly as he approached with his sword drawn. Erebos snarled and fired a bolt of eldritch energy at Iron. In response, the soldier rolled away. Iron dropped to one knee and fired . The dull blade bounced off, sending sparks flying as it skidded across the metal.

Erebos kicked Iron away and released a jet of emerald flames from his claw. The fire left black patches of soot as Iron rolled away. He stood up and fired a trio of rounds straight at the apostle, out of which none managed to hit the armor. Iron struck again, releasing a flurry of strikes that managed to lightly dent the armor.

“You will pay for that!” Erebos swiped forward, tearing Iron’s chestplate to shreds as the soldier dodged back. Erebos slammed his mace to the ground, sending Iron flying from the gusts created by the impact. Erebos walked slowly toward Iron, a snarl present in his face as he glared at Iron. “I will give you this worm, you are the most annoying creature that I have seen in a millenia.”

Erebos reached to grab the soldier, but managed only to grab the rifle. With an angry snarl he closed the eldritch hand, shattering the weapon into a thousand pieces. Iron grabbed the bear-pommel and drew a dull blade. He placed his left hand on his breast, letting his fingers wrap around the exposed iron sword that hung around his neck.

He closed his eyes and began to chant:

“I offer my life to the Lord, I pray that He accepts it.

I offer my strength to the Lord, I pray that he redresses it.

I offer my blood to the Lord, I pray that it quenches His thirst.

I offer my body on the altar of the battlefield, I pray He grants me a noble death.

I pray for His protection, as I offer all that I am.”

Fluttershy turned to see him, and noticed that his gunmetal blue eyes had begun to glow. It was a soft magic, as if the song itself was imbuing him with power.

Erebos fired a bolt of black magic, which Iron cut in half with a mere swipe of his sword. The magic crashed behind him, coating him in dust. He let go of his amulet and pulled out his pistol.

“Lord, make me fast and accurate. Let my aim be true and my hand be faster than those who would seek to destroy us. Grant me victory over your foes and those that wish to do harm to me and mine. And Lord, if today is truly the day you call me home, then let me die in a pool of brass.”

The soldier fired three shots from his gun, letting three bolts of lightning erupt from its barrel. All three pierced through the grey armor, spurting black ichor across the floor. “Semper Fi!” Iron yelled as he charged. The blade glowed with arcs of lightning as he drove his sword through Erebos’s right thigh.

The apostle howled in pain as more blood gushed from his wounds. With preternatural speed he swung his mace into the soldier, who dodged back as the weapon struck the ground. Iron stood his ground as gusts of wind struck him, and fired two bolts of lightning. Erebos raised his eldritch claw to stop the attack, but a swing of the electrified blade forced his hand back. Iron pressed on, severing three claws with another swipe of his blade.

The digits fell into the ground, turning to black ooze as they hit the ground. Erebos howled, his eyes bursting into emerald flames. He raised his hand and fired a massive torrent of green fire. As the flames died black orbs shot from the stubs in his hand, showering the field in dust and debris as they exploded on the ground.

Fluttershy dashed forward and fired an arrow straight at Erebos, blinding him as the bolt detonated in his eyes. She fired again, this time piercing the apostle’s neck with the tip of the arrow. A short sizzle started and ended almost immediately, as the arrow dropped from its spot without an arrowhead.

Erebos stabbed his stomach wound with his left hand, splattering the floor with drops of acid blood, and it emerged as if it were the first time. He summoned an orb and slammed it to the ground. A thick cloud of black smoke began to fill the air. The acrid fumes soon filled Fluttershy’s nostrils, forcing her to the ground as she felt her lungs contract. A second later she saw Iron shoving the gasmask on her face.

The air was stale, but at least she was confident that it wasn’t trying to kill her. She began to breathe slowly, letting the pain ease away as her lungs were cleansed of the smoke. Iron turned her shoulders so that she could see him. He was coughing violently, his lungs were saturated with the toxic fumes, but he simply raised a thumb. In return she gave him a thumbs up.

A powerful gust of wind hit Fluttershy from behind, dispersing the cloud of toxic fumes. Fluttershy turned around, and saw Spellbound walking beside her, his halberd gone and his armor stained in soot. “I apologize for our delay, but those cultists were tougher than I expected.” he turned to see Fluttershy, then Iron, Night Blade and finally he gazed at Sunlight. “What the hell happened here?”

“The Apostle was here.” Sunlight replied.

“Damn!” Spellbound cursed. “That imbecile will spoil my plans if we do not finish him now!” He turned to face Iron Cross

“Mortal, can you walk?” the soldier nodded “Then get up! Erebos may already be preparing the ritual to awaken Mot!”

“Who *cough* the he- *cough* is Mot?!” Iron barked between coughs.

“Mot is the main reason why this city is here.” the cyclops responded. “If that fool manages to wake him up, then you will stay here until I can send him back to sleep. If we can survive.” Spellbound glared at the gates. “I have a plan.” He turned to Iron. “You will take her to the top of the tower, stick to the sides until you see a spiral staircase. Then climb as high as you can. Once the stairs end find a red ladder and keep going up.

“Then go through the roof and into the belltower. There you will find a massive gem, the sole source of light here in Pandemonia. Destroy it. Once that is done you can use magic to contact people outside. And be mindful of the belltower guards, they will not mind cutting you down.” Iron nodded. “We will keep Erebos distracted, and if possible, end him.”

Chapter 8: The Four Sentinels

The inside of the Basilica had the same, frigid, forlorn majesty the outside had. Rows of infinite torches illuminated the titanic halls with cold blue flames. Fluttershy’s eyes turned to the massive statue in the center. An iron skeleton easily six stories tall, clad with plates of white armor sitting upon an ivory throne.

One hand held a glaive larger than the statue, the blade of the weapon arched with purple arches of eldritch lightning. The other was clad in a silver gauntlet, decorated by an amethyst orb in the back of his hand. The metal waist was decorated by rows of dark copper chains, held together with a band of white ceramic.

A brass band rested upon a silk headdress of grey and purple, a pair of peerless eye sockets glared at her from underneath. Fluttershy felt something crawl under her skin for an instant, and turned to see the silhouette kneeling at the foot of the ivory throne. Erebos rose from his posture to gaze at the crowd, his eyes now black orbs, and raised his claw. “Is it not enough that you have doomed us to obscurity?”

Spellbound stepped forward. “That is the least I could do for the blight you believe in.” He shot a bolt of white fire, striking Erebos in the chest and forcing him to crash against the foot of the throne. Spellbound punched the floor, piercing through the stone floor. The ground beneath Erebos lit up, letting a pillar of blazing fire engulf the apostle.

Iron grabbed Fluttershy by the hand and dragged her away. She followed, understanding that this was the distraction Spellbound had mentioned. To their luck, they had to run in a straight line before they found the staircase Spellbound mentioned. The climb up was long, so much that Fluttershy felt that she had climbed more stairs than she ever believed possible. Once they reached the top, they were greeted with nothing more than a small room and a red ladder.

“I’ll take the lead, in case there’s some surprise waiting at the top. If you heard any screams, run back down. Understood?” She nodded. The ladder was shorter than she expected, which she considered a small blessing. Iron dropped his haversack and pulled out the radio’s headset. “Fluttershy, if those guards attack us, I want you to make a run for the tower. Don’t worry about me, just run for the tower and break the spell. I’ve set the radio to loop, so you should get a response almost immediately.”

He reached for his haversack and pulled out a red pistol while she set the diadem on her head. “Use the flare to signal them. Hopefully they’ll come by in a few minutes.”

The black tiles of the basilica made a stark contrast when compared to the majestic ivory they were used to. Two human-sized statues stood defiantly over the entrance of the belltower, each a stark contrast of the compatriot beside it. The one on the right had a gothic armor, with a panther’s head cast in stone for its head, holding shotels in each hand.

The other was a bloated human, its body the shape of a grotesque bell trapped in a tight stone armor, wielding a massive battleaxe. The weapon was as tall as him, with the blade twice the size of his head. A shiver turned her head around, and she saw that two statues were perched over the archway where they came from. One of them looked like an armored minotaur, save for the twisted goat horns rather than bovine. It was by far the largest of the four statues, its ferociousness increased by the gargantuan warhammer it held on its arms.

The last statue was of human size, wearing a bovine skull with four eyeholes, its chest was bare, save for a small loincloth tied around its waist. It gripped a pair of crude machetes, and a bony tail enveloped its left leg.

A small shake later and the panther-armored statue began to shed flakes of stone skin. Its body began to crack as chunks of rock fell to reveal golden armor underneath. The statue came to life and dropped from its perch. The tiles cracked under the power of the statue, lifting a cloud of dust over the roof.

Iron raised his sword and pistol and neared the panther-knight. “You know the Plan!” he barked to Fluttershy, raising his sword. The knight raised its right arm in response, keeping the left behind its back. Fluttershy obeyed, running to the parapet on her left and doing her best to not turn to the fight. She entered the archway into the belltower and did her best to hop up the stairs. The battle began to fade away, letting her release her breath.

It took her a minute to reach the top, and half a minute to recover from the strain. In front of her was the biggest diamond she had ever laid eyes upon, a massive jewel half the size of her. She grabbed her bow and fired an arrow. The bolt split into a thousand pieces, with the trail of smoke being absorbed by the gem itself. She grabbed her dagger and approached it.

To her surprise there was a massive crack that ran from top to bottom, with a crevice large enough for her to jam her knife through. She pulled the dagger from the sheathe on her belt and raised her hand, putting what was left of her strength on this last strike.

.oOo.

Iron Cross stepped back as he deflected a blow to his left side, then quickly moving his hand to block one to the right. A second later he jumped back, feeling as the cold steel opened a thin gash above his stomach. He raised his pistol and fired three wild shots, which all did nothing but fly into the barrier. He swore, stepping forward and thrusting his sword at the knight. The blade chopped off a piece of the armor, one of the decorative spikes in its left shoulder.

The knight hissed, its voice echoing inside the hollow helmet, and backed away. It swung its blades at Iron, forcing him to duck as the metal cut through the air. A loud crack forced him to look at the minotaur statue and gape in horror as it came to life, closely followed by two more. The panther-knight jumped back, letting the bell-shaped axeman to fall on the ground. Iron needed less than a second to see the polished brass armor and know that his chances of living past the next five minutes had been drastically reduced..

He turned his head to see that unlike the armored figures in front of the belltower, these figures were made of rough leather. His instinct moved him to the side, letting the massive battleaxe crash against the ground. The butcher raised his blades and rushed into the fray, hacking the air as Iron stepped back. The minotaur swung its hammer down, causing the roof to collapse under the force of the blow. The gusts sent Iron back a few feet, leaving him sprawled over the tiles.

The minotaur leapt into the air, hammer raised high, and locked on Iron. The soldier rolled out of the way, barely escaping the crush. The force of the impact sent him flying like a ragdoll on a trampoline, sending him crashing face-first against the belltower.

Iron felt his body protest, each muscle aching after being smashed around everywhere, but he did his best to ignore it. With four enemies, all clearly superior to him and an exhausted body, he knew it was a matter of time before he screwed up or they killed him. He got back on his feet and saw the minotaur ready to charge. Iron grabbed the amulet on his neck and gripped it. He recited the litany again, feeling as the aches in his body died down. He turned to the minotaur, gripped his sword tightly, and screamed: “Semper Fi**!” as the hammer rushed to meet him.

A golden barrier stopped the blow, instead cracking the tiles around the soldier. Iron raised his pistol and fired. The bolt of white energy pierced through the minotaur’s chest, leaving a seared hole in its place. The beast staggered, resting its arms on its hammer, and rested. Iron rushed forward with his sword in hand to deliver a killing blow. The bovine monster jumped in and swung its blades forward, forcing Iron to cartwheel back.

The monster dashed forward, spinning on its heels and slamming the blades against the ground. Iron jumped back, raised his pistol and fired three bolts. Two of them crashed against the bovine skull, leaving craters of scorched bone in their wake. Iron dashed forward, driving his sword deep into the monster’s ribcage. Black ichor gushed out of the wound as the beast roared. It stepped back with supernatural speed, swinging its blades at Iron. The crude iron cut through cloth and skin, letting droplets of crimson blood stain the black tiles.

Iron staggered to the side, eyeing as the armored figures approached him. With a hand firmly on his pistol, Iron began to back away. In the blink of an eye the panther knight dashed in front of Iron and swung a blade down. Iron raised his right arm to meet the blow, but he missed. He winced in pain as he heard metal clatter on the ground. His eyes darted to see his arm, covered in blood, on the ground.

He jumped back, doing his best to suppress the pain from his former arm, and took aim at the knight. Six rounds poured from his barrel, none of which met their mark. He fired again, but the few hits he made bounced off the brass armor. Iron holstered his pistol and rushed to his severed arm. He threw himself forward and rolled on the tiles. He grabbed the sword and swung to deflect an attack. He rolled back as an axe fell in front of him and a another swipe of the curved blades attempted to remove another limb. He tried to get up, but his left leg didn’t respond. As he turned to see what had happened he noticed that it had been neatly cut from its place.

The panther knight prepared for one final strike, but a massive white explosion from above caught its attention. Iron looked at the top of the tower and sighed in relief as the cloud of energy spread over the rooftop. Iron’s body finally collapsed, the last thing he saw was his leg turn to dust.

Chapter 3: Eris, Priestess of the Damned

Fluttershy widened her eyes in surprise as she saw Sunlight Spear jumped from the roof of the cathedral as if he were skipping on puddles. She saw as he landed on one of the buttresses below and continued sprinting. The fall must have been easily six stories down, and she was confident they wouldn’t be able to make such a jump.

Iron wrapped an arm around her, the cold metal of his armor pressing through her thin linen sweater and even her cotton shirt. He grabbed his rifle, his hands glowing with magic, and fired at the ground. The bolt latched itself to the edge of the roof, producing a grey beam . “Ma’am, I will need you to hold onto me.” She clung to him tighter than any bear she had dealt with. “On the count of three we jump.”

Fluttershy felt her heart race faster with anxiety as each word left his mouth. Once the signal left his lips, she felt as his left hand squeezed around her waist and carried her over the edge. A gust of wind swept over her legs, freezing her lower body as her green skirt billowed out. They landed on the steep stone buttress, but she felt like her feet would slip under the smooth floor. Iron let go of his rifle and dissolved the magical tether.

She didn’t let go of the soldier, feeling as if she’d fall if she so much as removed a finger. He fired a second tether at the wall. She managed to get a quick look at his face, and was surprised at the reddish tinge on his cheeks. “Don’t let go…” he whispered. He squeezed her again and began running down the smooth tiles. There were moments in which she felt her legs step on thin air, on other times she felt as if she was about to trip.

By the time they were nearing the end of their path, Iron destroyed his magical line and fired the next line near the edge. They jumped down, letting the tether slowly ease them to the ground. She felt her feet land against the soft soil. They both sighed in relief, letting go of each other and staring at the massive cobblestone bridge before them.

“Well, that took you longer than I would have hoped.” Sunlight was using his spear as a crutch, resting his weight as if he weighed less than a feather. “But do not worry, for I understand that such mortals cannot compete against the mighty Custodians!”

“How far until we get to the Archives?” Iron asked.

“Not long, we must only cross this bridge, through the gates and then a brief walk across the city.” Sunlight was still resting, as if waiting to see what would happen. “Let us not tarry, for we do not want to invoke the wrath of Pandemonia.” His words produced a low rumble. Fluttershy scanned the source: the side doors of the cathedral. Another rumble sounded off, this time louder.

“The doors…” Iron Murmured, narrowing his brow to focus. A loud crack rang across the open space. “RUN!” Iron cried, grabbing Fluttershy and sprinting across the bridge. She had a second to look at the source of terror. The husks that had appeared before were now a tide. Hundreds, if not thousands, were shambling toward them. While most were naked, only wearing a burlap tunic, some wore rusted pieces of armor. From behind the swarm rose a creature, about the height of Sunlight, wearing a black hood and a bronze staff.

A pair of emerald cat eyes peered from beneath the cloak. Fluttershy felt a shiver slowly work its way through her spine. Her legs doubled their efforts, letting her run ahead of the soldier in the effort to escape. Her ears detected a brief twang in the distance. She barely jumped out of the way, letting a massive spear impale the air.

“What the hell was that?!” barked Iron, spraying bullets into the crowd.

“That fool!” Sunlight cried. “Keep running, I will stop the arrows!” he flung his spear at the wall. A moment later he disappeared with a brief pop. Another arrow struck the floor, showering them in debris. One of the pebbles struck Fluttershy on her left shoulder. She didn’t have the breath to scream in pain, instead releasing a faint cry to express her pain.

A third stake coursed through the bridge, brushing past Iron as it crashed against the crowd. The gates were four stories tall, with the doors themselves being ornate slabs of iron. The lieutenant grabbed his rifle and fired another tether to the parapets. He put his arm around her and with only a nod, reeled them to the top.

Sunspear stood proudly on the top, his hands now holding a loaded crossbow, next to a new figure clad in a midnight blue armor. “Glad you could join us!” Sunlight chuckled, holding his golden chest with his arms. “This fool is Night Blade, Luna’s Eternal Sentinel.”

The knight bowed. “I heard that you are looking for The Red Cyclops, and while it would be an honor to aid you in this quest, sadly I cannot aid you with these horrors attacking the gates. If you help me stop the tide, I will be grateful.”

Iron peeked over the parapet. “I don’t think we have a choice!” He cried as he brought his rifle to bear. “They’re already climbing the gates!” He fired a few shots at the husks, turning them to ash before they could hit the ground. But despite his accurate shots, Iron could only destroy less than a tenth of the climbers.

Night Blade began firing his bolts, nailing dozens of corpses as they intended to approach him. Sunlight joined him, firing smaller arrows with inhuman speed and accuracy. Fluttershy kept her distance from the edge, knowing that she’d be more of a burden to the warriors if she kept close.

It wasn’t soon before Iron was jabbing his bayonet at his opponents, while the survivors shambled to surround him. He began bashing his way out of the trap, occasionally firing shots to create a brief opening. Sunlight turned his weapon and fired a brief volley, quickly dissolving the mob before returning to destroy the invaders that had climbed near him.

“Thanks!” Iron yelled as he backed away from the parapet, blasting away as many enemies as his weapon allowed him. He would occasionally jab his weapon at the ones that survived, but he appeared to be focusing on not getting surrounded. “There’s just too many of them!” he roared. His rifle suddenly sprang open, hissing steam as if furious of its treatment. He dropped the magazine on the ground and kicked it toward Fluttershy. “Wait for it to cool down!” he barked, jamming another box into place.

She knelt down to grab the magazine, feeling the heat of the topaz against her fingertips. She picked it up, feeling a small heart beat on her palms as the topaz cooled down. She opened her knapsack and placed it under the packet of kingsfoil. She looked up to notice that the battle raged on, as the titans fought effortlessly while the lieutenant bashed his opponents ferociously.

In the distance she noticed that something was towering over the horde, something clad in a patchwork of red and purple fabrics, something that made her hairs stand on end. The mysterious person brought a brass staff to the air, swirling a cloud of magical energy as it circulated above her head. “Witch!” Iron yelled. “We’ve got a witch!” He stabbed a husk, destroying its head with a point-blank shot.

Both knights turned to face the threat immediately, absentmindedly knocking husks away. “Sunlight, you deal with the hollows.” Night Blade barked with his bow on his hands. “I shall deal with the monster myself.” He fired two of his spears at the witch, the reloading speed was far more than she could have accomplished in school. His proyectiles missed their mark, smashing instead against a blackened barrier.

Night Blade merely scoffed. He drew another arrow, letting the magical glow of his hands power the shot, and fired. The spear sailed through the air, slicing through the barrier as if it wasn’t ever there. It impaled itself through the witch’s heart, sending her back a few steps. He fired another shot, but it crashed against thin air.

The witch appeared behind Fluttershy, and she could see that witch was definitely the right word. Despite the hood, she could clearly see a pair of feline eyes glowing inside. The emerald orbs scanned her, forcing her nerves to go ballistic. On one hand she had a staff, but the other wielded a crooked dagger. “You will make a fine addition to our flock.” the witch whispered, her voice cool despite the fire in her eyes. She thrusted her staff and fired a ball made of the abyss itself.

The sphere exploded in front of Fluttershy and released a pair of eldritch tentacles. They lashed out at Fluttershy, wrapping themselves around thin air. She kept dodging the next few swipes, keeping her body as light as she could. Two bolts of blue magic crackled through the air, turning the abysmal sphere into nothing. He fired three more bolts, cursing when the barrier stopped two shots to the head.

“You wanna get her?!” he yelled “Then you’re gonna have to go-” he was interrupted by a green lightning bolt hitting him in the chest. He was sent flying a few meters, before rolling in the ground like a ragdoll. She could hear him groan in pain, but he still stood up. He fired five shots, all of which exploded before the witch. She glided toward him and thrust her blade, punching through his armor and releasing gushes of blood.

“NO!” Fluttershy screamed, She dodged more tentacles, and let the bolts only graze her skin. The witch sent another attack, and managed to seize her. The abyss tentacles didn’t have any feeling, but she knew that they held her in place because she could see them. “Let me go!” she cried

“So much despair,” the witch replied, her voice coming from inside Fluttershy’s head “for such a pitiful soul. But do not worry, for he will be joining us shortly.” she chuckled. Fluttershy struggled more. “Do not bother, the tendrils of Mot may not be the strongest magic-” a small crackle of gunfire interrupted her.

Iron Cross was prone on the floor, his rifle smoking as the excess heat left the barrel. He fired again, letting the shots crash wildly against the shield. He fired another volley, one of his bullets crashed against Fluttershy’s captors. The magic disappeared, letting Fluttershy free. “SUNLIGHT!” he cried, collapsing over his rifle almost immediately.

Two crossbow bolts broke through the Witch’s defense, piercing through her right shoulder. Ash spread from the wounds, the same ash that formed the husks. Sunlight’s electrified spear came flying into the witch, letting the warrior blink into existence as he thrusted his weapon. The witch stepped back, using her blade to swipe the attack away.

Sunlight took a step forward and thrusted again, this time letting the bolts of electricity lash at her like whips. Her shield stopped them. “So the hounds of Celestia still live?!” she hissed, swiping her blade at him. The attack was parried, followed swiftly by three strikes to the chest. The blade bounced away from the armor, managing to scrape bits of gold.

“My dear,” Sunlight interjected, thrusting his weapon ath her “true heroes of Celestia never die!” he took a step back and swung his spear over his head, sweeping the ground before him. The Witch stepped back, using her blade to parry the attacks.

Using the distraction, Fluttershy rushed over to Iron’s side. His face had lost what little shades of color it had to begin with, and a pool of blood was beginning to form around him. She found herself removing the haversack on his back and using her diminutive strength to turn him out. She worked quickly to remove the slab of metal and his blood-soaked trenchcoat, hoping that the wound would look like something she had seen before.

The wound ran across his sternum, with sickly green veins emerging from its center. She stepped back and opened a packet of kingsfoil. Feeling the cool leaves, she grabbed one and began mashing it against her hands. Once she was convinced of the thin paste, she began rubbing it across. She had no intention of believing that it would work, but kingsfoil had a habit of healing all sorts of magical problems. Maybe it wouldn’t heal him immediately, but she just needed to do slow down whatever was running in him.

She coughed on her sleeve rather violently, letting terror run amok as she gazed at the drops of blood mixed with green spores. She looked at her shoulder, where the bolt of magic had grazed her, to see her skin had an unnatural black tinge. She had expected her skin to have suffered burns, but her skin looked like it had been dyed black.

Fluttershy could see Night Blade joining the melee, using a massive claymore to cut through the husks that blocked his path. He thrusted through the witch’s defenses, managing to dislodge her left arm. She cried in pain, using her right arm to slam her staff to the ground. She disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving both knights swinging over thin air.

“That was rude!” Sunlight exclaimed, “One would at least have the decency to die when defeated! It’s not like she couldn’t just do it tomorrow!” He slammed his spear into the ground and turned to face Night Blade. “I appreciate your help Night Blade, without you I may have lost the painting on my fabulous armor.” he caressed his stomach.

“You need not speak of it Sunlight. It is my duty to fend off these miscreants.” the knight merely sheathed his word behind his back. “While I would enjoy your regular company,” he turned to look at Iron “I believe we have someone to take care of.” He approached and rested his body on his left knee. “I extend my service to all citizens of Equestria young one.” he bowed his head and extended an arm.

She met the hand, her arm was almost as big as his palm, and felt a cold kiss from the knight’s helm. “I am at your full service my lady.” The knight looked at Iron. “It is a shame, this warrior would have made a fine bodyguard for my princess. I suppose we should give him his last rites before he goes hollow.”

“Isn’t there something you can do?” Fluttershy protested, stepping in front of the body. “I need him.”

Sunlight roared with laughter. “My dear, this man has been stabbed with the blade of a witch. It would take a miracle-” he stopped and turned to the city. “Say Night,” she could tell he would be straining his eyes if he actually had them. “I do not suppose you remember where the temple of Saint Kvasir lies?”

Night Blade tilted his head, dumbfounded. “Of course I do, it lies in that direction.” He pointed at a tall dome in the distance. “As it always has been…” he sounded doubtful, as if he began to form Sunlight’s plan. “You could not be planning on-”

“Of course! Saint Kvasir promised all warriors that they would have his blessing! If he is meant to die, at least we can send his soul to Lord Areion.” he finished with a chuckle. “Come, let us not tarry any more. Miracles may happen, but I would rather not push someone’s luck.”