Into Ashes: Act II

“Prince Mustang!” I say aloud.

His eager smile only grows at the mentioning of his name. “Hm-hm, yes, you are a smart one aren't you?” he says, accent sounding fine, his voice just as smooth and suave as his short, neatly groomed mane.

I look to the blooming magical barricade, glowing bright but transparent just in front of me. I have no chance, I wouldn’t have the ammunition or the time to break through this before being brought down by swift retaliation. A single bullet would simply melt away as the barrier absorbs and diverts its energy. Again, I find that I am beaten. And how bitter it is to face this once more, to not only be at the mercy of my enemy but to know I got myself here in the first place. But also just as self evident as my lack of sight to freedom, a feeling of unsure questioning. Mustang has me where he wants me, no way in or out of this. But he continues to stand there smiling.

“Don’t be alarmed.” he says calmly. “I came to you in peace, and with no quarrel. Please, relax. There is no need to fight, we all have reason to remain calm and collected don’t we?”

“What is this!”

“This for you my friend, is but a chance. A chance to find yourself a better life.”

A better life.. “Oh not this shit again. Mustang, let me go. Now. You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”

“Ahh but I do. I know of your plight all too well.”

I fire once at the barrier to my front, and of course the round simply disintegrates as the barrier falls and is quickly brought back to glowing life by the other unicorn. It was a threat, a message to show him I am armed and ready to fight.

“Such a useless weapon in the arms of someone so desperate.” says Mustang. My rifle shines with a light green aura, and is suddenly pulled away by the unseen force of his magic. Behind the his own protective blockade it floats, laid down on the floor before him. “As I said, I bring you peace, and I bring you a chance. There is no need for such barbarity.”

“Give me back my rifle! I’m not playing Mustang!”

“Give it back or what?”

“Or --”

“Exactly.” I feel my hands suddenly become alight with the same green aura. They slap together, bound at the wrists and completely out of my strength to control. Prince Mustang now holds me as his hostage. “I’m sorry for this. But you leave me no other choice but to have you restrained. I just want to talk, that is all.”

I struggle to slip free of the braces. “Go to hell!”

“Oh, so unkind. What did they do to you? How cruel could Twilight have been to you for you to display such ill tempered aggression?” His horn flashes softly with his last words.

Suddenly I feel calm and stop resisting. All my frantic thoughts seem to flash away with his light. I find myself somehow captivated by his calm and amiable demeanor. But, how could he have known of my dealings with Twilight? What more could he be aware of, and how could he have come across it? “.. How do you know all this? How did you know I was coming?” I ask, my mouth shaking slightly, feeling hollow as focus slips from my mind.

“News of humans in Equestria travels fast nowadays. Faster than it used to, certainly.”

“But you knew I was coming?”

“I have my ways, grounded in mysticism of course.”

“You’ve been spying on us!”

“No, not true. Not true at all. You have much to learn my dear friend, much to learn. Come, bring him to the crypt, where any stragglers he might have brought won’t disturb us.”

Against my own will I feel some phantom aberration place its ghostly fingers around my shoulders, pressing me forward. The unicorns before me tread backwards down the hall, still careful to maintain their shield in a wary disposition. Its glow is all that lights the hall so absent of visibility. And so blinded am I to where it leads as well as to what propels me forward. But we soon come to a halt. The unicorns enter a vast but vacant room. All that lies inside is a sturdy wooden table, dressed with plates of apples. A familiar sight, a familiar feeling. Again the phantom forces push me forward into the blackened room. But soon, the entirety of space gleams with the faint glow of candles, all burning in the same ghostly green hue as Prince Mustang’s aura. I am politely seated in a chair. A unicorn is even so kind as to have pulled it out for me as I approach and rest in its cushioned fabric. The Prince sits opposite of me across the table.

“Care for an apple?” He says, still holding that bold smile of satisfied confidence. His words, like the setting and the tactic, ring just as homely in my ears. I can almost hear Twilight’s own voice speak as he mutters this conversant phrase. But I abstain, my hands still bound together prevent me from opening on the offer.

“I see you have taken a more tranquil way of thinking to this all. Here, let me get rid of those awful bindings for you.” A bright flash of the horn. The glowing and flowing ribbons swirling around my wrists wisp away in an evaporating cloud. “Leave us.” he says once more, and with that all of his entourage exit and head back out of the castle.

“Now, isn’t this better? Just the two of us? No distraction, no foul play. Just an honest unicorn trying to make his way, and a wayward human finding his life anew.”

Ever more do I feel my mind seeming to travel down its own trail of thought, free of my cognition. In my mind I am torn, a struggle to think want I want against what so naturally fetters within. “What is all of this.” I ask, fighting whatever it is that obscures my cogitation.

“All of this? Why this is but a negligible fraction of my dominion. My voice and word carry far across these lands. Magic has a profound effect over those who are emotionally vulnerable, you know. But content are those who follow me, their lives made so much easier in my care. What a pitiful sight this world has turned to. My only goal is to help those in need. I’m sure you can see why I present myself so agreeably.”

“Twilight tells me otherwise. Don’t think I don’t know who and what you are. You’re a warmonger, Mustang, a control freak. I've heard enough about you.”

“Oh dear troublesome Twilight. She’s really broken you from seeing the truth hasn’t she? Poor you. But I do not blame you for falling under her misguided facade. She plays a hard game doesn’t she? Indoctrinating you to her order with such brutish force. Unlike myself, however. I go to great lengths to take care of my own, those who are willing to put aside their fears of this dead world and live in a new harmony. I am no villain.”

“But you want to take the Elements for yourself! So Twilight can’t use them to balance out the magic or whatever.”

“Quite the contrary. It is true that my own quest is to seek them, but for a much different purpose than you have been so polluted to believe by Twilight’s own selfish ploy. I have tasked myself with reforming them under a new epoch. One that would repair so many of our shattered lives, and help us rebuild our culture in a kind of new harmony.”

Through my fogged mind I manage to find but a sliver of my own personal ideation. “Lies!” I shout. “I see what you're doing! You're trying to turn me against them!”

“Turn you against them? By whatever do you mean? My wish is to unite our forces and finally bring peace to these wildlands.” His horn flashes once more, brighter than before. And again, my own thoughts disappear into a cloud of murk. “Look how poorly they’ve treated you, how aggressive and barbaricthey are. Keeping you locked up in that prison, beating you senseless. What kind of life is that for you? I would never let that happen. Have you not noticed how nourished those around here are?”

Harder do I push my thoughts through the fog to become alert, aware to his plan. For that brief moment, my thoughts reign free. “I see what you’re doing!” I shout, slamming both fists on the table. “Don’t think I can’t feel you using your magic to control my mind!”

“But what good would that be? All I ask from you is your.. Communion. Turning your mind into a husk would do me no good. I only mean to keep you subdude from taking hostile action. Your thoughts are otherwise free to your own will.” Once again his horn comes alight, and I feel a calming relief wash over me. It puts away my negative thoughts. No, no! It’s a trick, he’s in my head! But.. I can’t, quite.. disagree with what he’s said. Yes, I have received hardly anything kind in the several days I’ve spent in Twilight’s care. Even without my thoughts being in the hands of another, it’s a fact I simply cannot ignore. “So what is it you want?” I ask. “If you’re after the Elements, what are you going to do with them?”

“The Elements are dangerous tools in the hands of the unfit. Twilight is the unfit. Look at all she’s lost as their caretaker. So many innocent lives wasted, so much of their magic is now forever lost. She’s lost control of the Elements, scattered them, corrupted them, their magic runs weak and dry. It is my only hope that I may somehow restore their impunity and reshape them. In a better image, one more suited for this new world.”

“That’s exactly what Twilight wants.”

“No, not true. Do not forget that her and I used to form an accord. There is still more for you to learn. Twilight still holds to the old ways, ways unfit as I said. Magic simply isn’t the same in this fresh apocalypse you see. She only brings us closer to our downfall with her ignorance, just as she has done to four of the six keepers of the Elements. Such tragedy, such incompetence. We simply cannot allow her to follow through. We must usher in a new era of magic, one that shuns the way of old and is better suited for these abysmal days of gray. That is why I want them, why I need them, why I must have them. And it is with this that I need your help.”

I find myself chuckling at this, being in the exact same position for the second time today. “But why me? Why is it always about me finding them?”

“Your strength, your heart, your character! It’s far more potent than even our mightiest sorcerers. We can all agree that with our lack of knowledge of their locations, that reacquiring them will be a task of the highest difficulty. You and you alone possess the strength and courage to find them. You also have a great advantage we are all envious of. You have no connection to magic whatsoever, which aids you in ways I cannot explain. All I ask from you, is your hand in assistance.”

“But what’s in it for me?”

“Just think of it, think of all you could have if you were to have found me first. You’d be treated like pure royalty, given whatever whenever you asked for it. I feel so horridly disgusted knowing what they did to you. And look, you see all that have joined me. So many have abandoned Twilight and her failed society, and for good reason I must point out. They see my logic, they understand it, they see how much better their lives can be in the aftermath of The Inferno by living in this new era by my side. You could have it all the same.”

It.. does.. seem.. undeniable. Twilight once mentioned that Prince Mustang had created a force much stronger than her own, and it is now that I begin to see why. Somehow, whatever he offers them is just.. Better. Better for their lives. They don’t have to struggle and fight to survive anymore. This could be better for me as well. And it makes sense. We’ve caused so much havoc to this world, upset the balance on such an incredible, incomprehensible scale. Who’s to say that with the reshaping of the world, there WOULDN’T need to be a reshaping of magic to compensate? “I.. see your point. But if I choose to side with you, I have one request I'd like to make first.” I say, feeling guilty, feeling as if I am the betrayer. But I do not hold to these thoughts, the evils I’ve faced in captivity are a great tool of separation. Still however, there is but one facet I must tend to. One loose end I must make sure is tied for my own personal closure.

“Yes, anything you want. Whatever it may be I can make it so. What is it you want? Name it and it is yours my friend.”

“.. Fluttershy. She deserves her own freedom. She shouldn’t have to be so caught up in this. She’s allied with Twilight, and I feel their friendship is something that might.. Keep her tied to the old ways. I don’t need you to convince her to join your side, I just want to know she’ll.. Be okay.”

Mustang begins to act sheepish, unsure of what to say. I can see it in his face that he is attempting to form a response in his head. He tries to speak but his words start as incomprehensible babbles. “Umm, yes, Fluttershy, of course of course. Yes, I can, erm, somehow show her the light of the situation.”

“But is it a guarantee? You don’t get anything out of me unless there’s a guarantee.”

“... Yes, I am sure, that after time, she will want to side with you and live in new harmony as well.”

“But how can you be sure?” Just as quickly as he fell into a sheepish posture, his confidence in his own words bolster back into fruition.

“Fluttershy herself is a key, one of the six Elements. I’m certain that after some convincing, she too will see my ways, my light, and will feel compelled to join our cause as well. She might even spread this view to Twilight, so that we can finally put an end to this tragic strife and once again find ourselves united.”

“Fluttershy.. Is an Element of Harmony?”

“A conduit more or less. But yes, along with Twilight she does hold a quite significant landing in the realm of magic. She is just as important as Twilight, who, with Princess Celestia’s good grace may one day see the truth as well.”

“A conduit? What does that mean? I thought the Elements of Harmony were some sort of necklace or jewelry?”

“This is a true Element.” From out of nowhere, he raises his hoof and on it a sparkling golden necklace. In the center, a vibrant jewel, lightning bolt in shape, glittering red as the dim light bounces off its lustrous surface. An exact match for what I was instructed to find earlier. Prince Mustang is already in possession of it. This mission was a failure from the start. “Is.. Is that, the Element of Loyalty?”

“Has she not told you anything?! Oh my goodness, she sent you here with so little knowledge just expecting you to follow through? Oh, oh how corrupt could she be. She’s just using you, abusing your ignorance for her own gain. How could you stand for this, for being played as such a fool?”

“Now that you mention it, it does kind of seem that way..”

“It IS that way. What is she doing, how foolish can she be! I feel for you. But you have to set things straight. You have to make things right. Don’t let her bully you, control you. Join us. Do what is right. Help us find what we have lost, help us mend the world.”

Hesitance plagues my mind. But, it does somehow seem that I could have more for myself. I could have the closest thing to what I have been dreaming of for so long. A life, a home to call my own, a chance. But how can I be sure this is what he can provide? “I don’t think I’m entirely convinced.”

“..Is that so?”

“Well. How can you prove to me that you can give me what you say? How do I know you have what I want?”

“Hmm, I see where you are headed with this. But please remember back. Remember that I said I have come to you with a chance. A chance, singular. Not more than one. This is your time to decide, this is your chance. Don’t make the wrong decision. This is the one time you’ll be able to make it. Take it now, or take it never. Do I, or do I not have your word?”

“Jax!”

“I..”

“Jax! Come in! Jax where are you!”

“I..” Wait, that’s my name, that’s Twinkle’s voice, calling me over the radio. I hear it, but Mustang does not. “Jax, I’ve been found! I need help! They’re coming! Shit!” The radio goes silent. Twinkle’s in trouble! But what can I do about it here. I’m still trapped, but with the Element just out of reach.

“Prince Mustang! Sir!” A frightened unicorn bursts into the room, sweating nervously and frantically out of breath.

“Yes, what is it! Why must you interrupt my meeting of grand importance!”

“W-w-we’ve found more of them sir! There’s fighting! My team is already engaged, but they’re being held off by one of Twilight’s warriors! Another team reports a similar contact outside the walls!”

Shit. Both Twinkle and Duke have been found! And now they’re fighting for their lives, waiting on me to come to their aid. But here I am held captive with a weighted decision and the inability to break free.

“Well go get them! Send everyone if you must! But do not harm them unless you are forced to! Go!”

The unicorn scrambles away, and Mustang and I return to our discussion. “Time is fleeting human. I need your answer now. But please, just think of all the good that could come your way.”

I’ve already sworn my allegiance to someone, to Twilight and Fluttershy. But at the end of the day, I know that my own needs come first above all others. Survival and Idealism rarely work well together.

“So do I have you? Or do I not?”

I continue to think, but the choice is only clear. If Mustang’s dominion has grown so large there has to be a benevolent factor behind it. Perhaps there is room for me as well. “..... Yes.”

His grin widens exceedingly. “Hmmmm Excellent! I assure you your decision will meet you well. There is much to tend to of course. But with you at my side, my influence will only further in increase!”

Further his influence.. Influence.. His influence over others..

In my head I hear yet another calling back to earlier today. Twilight’s voice, it resonates in my mind. Hazy at first but becoming clear as my memory protrudes itself against the fog. Do not underestimate him. He can use his powers to influence the minds of others without them ever knowing. I know he’s been playing with my mind in some way, I know I’m acting outside of my own character. It’s his magic. He’s been using it to control my thoughts, but to what extent? How much of my agreement was of my own doing? How much more does he plan to.. Corrupt me to his will?

Once again, that resentful beast I have for their kind comes forth within my soul, eating away at the calm and raising me to a boil. A boil of anger, of hate, of distrust. He’s just trying to use me as well! The same as Twilight has tricked me. The only difference between them is their tactic. Mustang has been using his own abilities to keep my control, while Twilight simply plays on my ignorance of her plight for the same. Both of them want to use me for their own gain, but who is the greater of the two evils? The one who promises prosperity to all but has them under his psionic spell.. Or the one who’s lost everything to incompetence and now leads a failing society, keeping their own intelligence locked away in the shadows? Both disgust me, both are evil. Both are my enemy as they have been since my birth. I still cannot deny that this is the home that I now live in, and must play my part to protect it. But I find myself not wanting to align with either side, as neither of them are deserving of my creed. My trust goes solely to that of my only friend. She is all that matters to me still. Perhaps, for now, I must continue to play on the side of Twilight, so that I might someday find myself free on my own path with Fluttershy. She doesn’t deserve to be caught up in this war either. To hell with Mustang, and to hell with Twilight.

“The moment we clear this place of hostiles we can begin integrating you within our great society, and your prosperous future will be set in motion!”

“I hope you don’t plan on hurting those hostiles, Mustang. I brought them here with me. I hate to say it but those are my friends.”

“They-They’re your friends? Well of-of-of-of course I knew that already but, I am displeased to admit it myself but, these are my enemies you see. They’ve killed my own, and the more time passes the more I fear I might lose another to them.”

“They fight you only because you treat them as hostiles.”

“Where is this coming from? I thought you had sided with me, with my side of this great quest?”

“I might have, but somehow I just can’t quite see things the way you do.”

“.. You’re beginning to sound like I don’t have your full trust. You’re beginning to sound like you’ve lied.”

Powerfully does his horn begin to glow, I can feel his influence burrowing into my brain like a worm. But I remember back once more, to something he mentioned about his magic. Magic has a profound effect over those who are emotionally vulnerable. Emotionally vulnerable. I see more now, he’s been playing against my emotions, building them up so that he can have high levels of control within my subconscious. What a heinous act of distrust. If there is one thing I detest it’s being manipulated. Mustang has gone too far with this since the start. But I cannot allow my anger for him to manifest further, I must calm myself. To break free of his power.

I take a deep breath as he stares into my soul with displeasure, clearing my mind of all thoughts, focusing only on peace. But as I do, I feel his grasp clenching tighter. I put all my effort into my breathing. In.. and out. In.. and out. Slowly, calmly, putting aside all feelings for everything, relying only on my personal resilience. In.. Thoughts of the war come to mind, the horrifying experiences, the loss.. Out, peacefully, kindly coming to terms with all that pain, blocking it out so it can’t be used against me. In.. My wife, my daughter, both their lives cut short.. Out, they deserved a better life, and at least they are now free from all pain and suffering. In.. My hatred for Mustang and Twilight, all the lies, all the manipulation. Treating me no better than a disposable tool.. Out, I do not blame them, for as myself they are just trying to survive and maintain control. I repeat this until I am at peace. Peace will self, mind and body. At peace with any of my negative history that could be turned to darker usage.

Mustang continues to subdue my thoughts. I feel it all slipping away as I fight back for inner peace. But a hollow region of thought lay untouched and to my own. The smallest portion of myself is still free It is this that holds the only line of defence against his authoritative allure. If I am to free myself completely, I must cease his gaining flow, I have to stop him somehow. He will not stop until he is defeated, and I cannot gain my freedom until then. I must take his life.

There is a single oversight, one monumental failure on Mustang’s part. Though he has done away with my rifle, he has left me with one crucial tool hidden away within my belt. My knife. It’s still there, I feel the sheath against my waist.

As the ravaging fight for control continues, Mustang keeps his full focus on his attempt to completely destroy my psyche. But with that last dwindling sliver of thought, my hand finds itself reaching down and grabbing that comfortable, recognizable handle. From the sheath it slides, stuttering in and out as the civil war rages within. To hurt Mustang, or to help him. The last free thoughts I have continue to shrink, but further does the knife slide to its own freedom.

I put one more heavy push into keeping myself in tranquility. Almost entering a dull trance with the only thing still keeping me tied to conscientious alertness, is the struggle I wage against he who sits before me. But this is enough, this is all I need to pull the knife completely free of its cage. I grip it behind the backwards blade, throwing my arm over my head and with one powerful forward swing I let go. In the swiftness of the motion, Mustang does not see it coming. Through the air flies the knife, spinning with grace and elegance before finding its resting place deep within his midsection.

His eyes explode open, but his head drops limp. A steady stream of red drains from his jaw, spilling and splattering to his lap and to the floor. From his hoof the Element falls, clattering and dancing on the hard stone floor before becoming still. All the candles that light the room extinguish with his death. There is silence, only faint echoes of fighting magic from somewhere outside. But then, erupting cacophonously from Prince Mustang, a ghastly phantom figure. Red and dark just as his spilled blood, rising from his body. Screaming, bellowing with a demonic voice the likes of which shatters even my own calmness and rattles me to the bone. It’s own blood-light fills the room voluminously. It fully leaves him, appearing as a tortured face. Distorted, eyes beaming, its screaming rings ferociously in my ears as it swiftly shoots through the ceiling and is gone from sight. It’s voice disappears. I continue to sit, my thoughts now free and to myself. Free to contemplate what they hell I just saw.

But at the noise outside I divert my thoughts. There’s still a task, there’s still a mission to be accomplished. Now that my head is free of clouded extortion I remember what I came here for. For.. Twilight.. But more importantly to gain my freedom.

Lying just across the table on the floor is the Element, clear and mine for the taking.. If I can find it in this dark. I get down on all fours and crawl around until I brush across its smooth but cold metal plane. The ringing and pinging, zipping and zapping of spell conjuring still rages on outside as my fist closes around my prize. I’ll leave Mustang where he lies, the knife has him pinned to the back of the chair. Upon retrieving my knife, his corpse slumps forward, splashing down in his own blood as he hits the floor. A fitting end for someone so twisted. Given that once I killed him and my thoughts were freed, I begin to wonder why others haven’t been freed as well. Perhaps they believed in him so truly that they had been completely indoctrinated over time. Or maybe, like me, they’re just not sure what they.. Want to believe in anymore. But nevertheless, the two I brought along are now under siege. This does present me an opportunity to abscond alone with my prize, free of all conflict. But.. How would I find my way back without at least one of them? And what if they somehow escape as well and return after me? How would I explain that? That means I unfortunately have to further my time to their aid, despite not wanting to. As Twilight said, it’s important that we all come home together, so maybe I can use saving them as added leverage for my own emancipation.

I fumble around and down the hall I came from, back into the square room with four exits. To my surprise and luck, it would appear blatantly obvious that all guards within the vicinity have gone to fight, giving me a shining opportunity to slip away with my Element and not attract much attention. Also to my surprise, my foot stumbles upon the hard knock of my rifle. Still where Mustang had laid it on the floor, untouched and untampered. With it now firmly back in my arms I can use its optics to find my way back out of the darkness and into the shallow light outside.

I quickly find the exit, and a hasty ammo check is in order as the zipping and zapping only grows in volume. 5 rounds left in this magazine, one in the chamber, plus another ten in my final mag. Hardly enough to take on so many foes. Just another reason why escaping with my team to cover me is a good idea.

The moment I look outside, back out into the dusty, rocky excavation area, I find the northern exit wide open. No guards, but no sign of Duke or Twinkle either. But there it is, a gaping hole is all that stands between myself and my inexorable elusion. Out of the castle I come running, up a small hill, and back out into the ash which falls black under the night sky. To my left I notice the light show that had been causing so much commotion. About 200 meters away in the lowground, a flurry of brightly glowing bolts in all colors shoot across the ground. Most of it directed at one point in particular where sporadic blue bolts are firing back. That’s got to be either Duke or Twinkle, possibly both making a last stand under fire. I see a single bolt fired too close to them, a glowing shield flashes its light and deflects the bolt away. The shield holds, and whoever casts it appears to be making a hasty retreat away from Mustang’s forces. Again, I am faced with the decision to simply abandon whoever may be over there in favor of a wide open escape.

“Jax I see you don’t move!” I hear the voice of Duke call over the radio. In no time later I see him galloping towards me out of the darkness. “Jax! Jax!” He shouts as he runs. “Twinkles over there! We have to help her out!”

“How the hell did she get all the way over there.. Wait, Duke, I have the Element --”

“You do?! Awesome dude! But we can’t leave yet, not without Twink!”

“Duke now’s our chance to make it out with no trouble on our tails! I’m sure she can hold her own to cover us.”

“No way dude, I’m not doing her dirty like that. We have to go help her, now! Let’s go!”

“Wait Duke --” He runs off back towards the firefight. *Sigh* Perhaps I shall assist him, after all he’s my ticket home and it would look better if we all made it back in one piece. “Sit tight Twinkle” I say into my radio. “Help’s on the way, just hold them off a little longer.

“Twink! We’re coming Twink just hold on!” shouts Duke as he runs.

There is no response from her as the fighting rages on.

From here, through my scope I find all of Twinkle’s opposition in cover behind scattered rocks. All of which block any shot I might have. Based on their firing positions I count about eight of them, all aimed a Twinkle as I watch her dive behind a rock in an attempt to distance herself. But it does look like it’s working. Everytime there’s a break in fire she manages to hop behind another rock and gain space. Though I don’t have a shot at any of them, I can still scare the living daylights out of them with my own fire. I promptly remove my silencer, power the weapon to full, and take aim to a random pony behind a random rock.

St-KYOOSH!

The single round with such power behind it turns the rock into nothing but dust. Every pony scatters at the sound. It blasts with such a magnitude it briefly knocks the wind held within me. Feeling like an ardent punch across my whole body. It is unclear what happened to the one behind the rock. The impact cloud is so thick that not even my optics can pierce it. But it is enough to buy Twinkle some time, as her opposition now cowers behind cover with their shields raised. With them suppressed, I sprint into the fray. Jumping over slabs, vaulting over boulders, sliding down hill with such speed and grace to Twinkle’s last known position. I make it all the way to her in a matter of seconds, excited urgency flowing like a broken dam. I slide to the ground behind her, resting on the same cover with both our backs to the enemy. She’s excited to see me, but in a less than enthusiastic manner. “Jax what are you doing here!” she shouts, surprised by my sudden appearance.

“Tried to get you over the radio. You didn’t answer.”

“I lost my radio! In case you didn’t notice I’m kind of tied up at the moment!”

Duke comes running up out of the darkness. “Twink! He’s got it! He’s got the Element of Loyalty!”

“What! But, how’d you find it?”

“Long story.” I reply. “And in case you didn’t notice, I have them kinda suppressed at the moment. Now would be a good time to leave yeah?”

“Well if you have it then go! I’ll hold them off while you get back to the enclave!”

“This is no time for heroics Twinkle, we have a perfect escape route to the north.” As I say this I can see in her face, hesitance. She wants to prove me wrong somehow, not wanting to agree with me but she knows that I am right.

Duke, ready to make a hasty beeline to freedom looks to us. “Come on Twink! Remember our style our motto, let’s get outta here before they pick back up!”

I come to my feet, looking over our cover to make sure it’s still clear, and it is. “Let’s go Twinkle!”

The three of us clamber to a full sprint away from the scene. In this dark it is unlikely they will be able to keep a steady bead on us as we move like shadows. We head north, which at this point is our only known way out of here. Behind us, the entire compound alive with sentries frantic to gain closure on us. In no time we come to a trail, and follow it away. But just as we get onto its dusty lanes, we run right into a patrol of three returning from duty. We come sliding to a stop, diving into a ditch beside the trail just as they open fire. Likewise they fire a flurry of suppressing bolts as they too take cover in a ditch opposite the trail from ours. Their suppression flies just inches overhead as we hug the ground. They smash and spark against the ground all around us, hissing and whistling as they disperse their exploding energy. While my own weapon certainly is dangerous to them, their magic also poses a significant threat to me. I am lucky enough to never have been hit, but I’ve had enough close calls and seen others fall to know of its searing heat. I’ve never fought alongside the Equine kind, but we must work to eliminate them before we can advance.

“So what’s the plan.” I say, panting, looking left to Twinkle and Duke. Surely with they’re experience they’ve dealt with this before as well. I personally know I could take them out, if we weren’t pinned down.

“What-cha thinkin’ Twink?” asks Duke, somehow happily exhilarated to be in this situation.

“I’m thinking.. I’m thinking I can hold up a barrier. We can crawl along this trench until we run out of ground or make it out of here.”

“You sure you got enough left in you for that?”

“Yes, hold on, get ready to move.”

She rolls on her belly, crawling up over the ditch to project her shield. But just as it comes up it sparks out of existence. The very same bolt that hit her barrier passes through, striking her directly in the face. It sizzles like a hot pan of grease as she screams out in pain, drops flat, and covers her face with her hoof.

“Twink! You alright? Please tell me you’re alright!”

She grunts. “I’m fine Duke. Not the first time I’ve been hit there.”

“What was that?” I ask. Usually a barrier would be more than strong enough to deflect any conventional weapon.

“I’m out.” she says, still covering her face.

“What do you mean you’re out! Out of what!”

“I’m out of magic! I used it all up to get away from the compound!”

“Out of ma- what? How does that even happen!” In my dealings I’ve never seen a unicorn run out of magic, nor have a seen such wide use of their weakest attacks and defences.

“It happens okay!” She is angrily embarrassed. “Don’t worry about it right now!”

“Okay, then Duke. Do the same thing.”

“I can’t! I’m not good with shields!”

“What does that even - how can - ggrrm.” I groan in frustration. Looks like it’s down to me to finish the job. Maybe if they too run on limited magic, I can just wait until they run out as well. “Will they run out anytime soon?”

Twinkle continues to tend to her injury. “No! They won’t! Don’t worry about why, we need to get out of here! There’s more coming!”

“Certainly would be advantageous to know why!”

“Fine! They can back each other up, the more of them align their auras, the more access they have! There’s a lot of them, they won’t run out. And there’s just two of us.”

“And I’m running low myself!” says Duke.

“Well that’s just great.” I look down the the length of the ditch. There isn't much distance before it levels off to meet the trail. Think think think.. You have one unicorn with no magic, the other can’t hold a shield as is running out. And then there’s me.

The hail of sizzling, sparkling bolts wizz overhead incessantly. What could I do to subdue them? I could risk taking a hit myself but somehow humans are more susceptible to damage than unicorns. It’s not something I’m willing to risk….. Perhaps a modified Battle Drill 1a is in due order. Yes, that should work. If I can use Twink and Duke as a distraction to divert their fire, I can strike at their flank!

“Alright I got a plan!” I say, clapping my hands together.

“Let’s hear it!” Duke says, still all too unnaturally excited by the danger.

“Duke, you can’t hold a shield but can you at least project one?”

“I can try!”

“Good, take Twink with you. Crawl down away from me a little bit, then throw your shield up and get their attention.”

“But it won’t hold!”

“I know that, just get it up long enough to get their attention! They’ll think all of us are moving that way.”

“Ahhh I see what you’re planning! Sure thing! Come on Twink!”

“Good! Just wait till I give a signal!”

“Right!”

They both crawl away, low and slow, safe from being hit but just barely. The bolts fly over so close we can all feel their heat as they crackle on by. I crawl away from them, securing a nice spot in the deepening trench. Duke stops and looks to me, ready to try our untested plan. Untested and unanticipated seems to be the theme of the night. But he looks ready and confident, he has his arm around Twinkle to comfort and protect her. “Now!” I shout. A bright green bubble flashes in around them, and immediately most of their fire is directed straight their way. All it takes is one hit to knock his shield out, but he summons another which falls just as quickly. But they haven’t fully taken the bait. Aimless bursts still impact around me too heavily to get a shot off myself. Duke starts firing back with his own weak bolts, not with any aim to hit them but just to further the distraction. Once their fire is lifted from around me I look over to them. They are completely distracted. They all focus cautiously on Duke and Twinkle, unaware that I’m still over here. I crawl up, taking perfect aim at the closest unicorn to me. Full power is not necessary, and would only damage my rifle if used too often. Half power should suffice. That’s usually standard. Just as I’m lining up my shot, with the enemy only 25 meters away, the same unicorn I aim to kill spots me. But I take the shot. And at the same instant of the trigger pull, he projects a shield to counter me. It’s a direct hit against it. An outbreak of sparks fly from the impact, turning the metal slug into molten slag as it bounces off and shoots skyward. But his shield breaks, sending my opponent staggering in powerful disorientation. For them, holding a shield against such kinetic force is like wearing a mask to protect against a punch. Though it doesn’t hit them directly, they still absorb some of that dissipated energy. This is why they often work in pairs. But I have no time to waste. Another quick pull of the trigger. A direct hit just below his neck. His entire chest implodes, his head falls completely severed. As the bullet leaves his body, everything in the rear half of his body explodes outward in a shower of gore.

Three rounds left. Before I take aim at the next, he’s already aware of my position and retaliates. His aim is all over the place. I can tell just how shaken he is after being showered by the bloody mess just beside him. I take cover anyway. These Equine are smart, smart enough to only allow themselves to be fooled once. So much for that plan, but at least I have taken out one of three remaining foes. More are soon to arrive, I must take out the other two before that happens. If only I had a grenade.

The enemy’s fire is now split in half against myself and Duke. How to handle this.. A diversion could work well here. The same unicorn who engages me is still quite shaken. If I can keep drawing his fire and gain the attention of the other, it might give Duke a chance to fire back.

I take an aggressive stance, trying to make myself look as if vying for a firing position. I keep my head barely above the ground, rifle pointed their way. They switch between holding a shield and returning fire, unsure of our next tactic. It’s quite a challenge to keep my head up, the shaken unicorn’s aim only increases with time. But it does catch some attention of his partner. The one I am to kill taps the other on the shoulder, directing him to my threat. His partner fires at me like a machine gun. I’m forced to keep my head down as vibrant red streaks graze just above me. But I have their attention, they direct ¾ of their fire straight at me. A few bolts land just to my front, the sparks they explode into rain all over my back. It singes and tingles all the same as roasting neath an electric fire. I look to Duke. He has his head down as well, avoiding the all to inaccurate fire. “Now Duke! Take a shot!”

He sees his opportunity, poking his head up just enough to aim. But he misses, firing and firing again, his aim countered by their own. But he lands a lucky hit, the fast firing unicorn falls off balance and is stunned. Now's my chance. In not even half a second I'm on target and I pull. His back half explodes out in a similar fashion as with the other, drenching the remaining unicorn with his innards. I keep watch, he screams with utter horror and disgust as he wipes himself off, pushing away the leg that had landed on top of him. He retreats, staggering and shaking as he crawls out of the trench. But we can’t let him go back. He’ll only give us away to reinforcements.

I power my rifle down, admitting to myself that half power has always been grossly unnecessary. I tone it down just enough to cripple him, aiming at his back leg. I take the shot, and he falls to the ground unable to walk. He now cries with a mix of disgust and dismay, but we don't have time to listen as we make our fleet footed escape to the north. We hear shouting behind us, they have our scent and know our trail. They fire at us from afar. Twinkle takes another hit but she keeps running, only slowed for a moment. She brushes it off entirely, too gleefully excited to finally break away to notice the pain. The streaks fly on by with vigor, they only light our way as we slip into the darkness. The still glowing embers of a bolt freshly smashed scatter around us. It's just enough to give us hue against the black as we blaze across the serrated ground. But we make our distance, the force in trail fades away as our effervescent exhilaration shines. We look back we see them giving up the chase. We’ve made it too far too swiftly for their over coordination to ever have a chance.

After some time running we come to a stop. Through my sites I see nothing but the endless blue tone of the evenly cooled ground behind us. None have followed, we’ve done it. We’ve escaped with Loyalty, all that remains is our journey back. I hold the Element, staring into it as I pridefully congratulate myself on a victory well earned against the odds. “I can't believe we did it.” I say. The others breathe heavily to regain their composure.

“I can’t believe we killed all those guys. Damn.” says Duke. He flops to the ground and continues to respire.

“We did what we had to.” Twinkle says. “We lost more today but at least we’re one step closer to fixing this. Jax I.. I didn't expect you to come back for me.”

“I didn't either. But hey, we’re a team right?”

“Yeah.. We’re a team..”

Duke throws himself upright. “We totally smoked those dudes! They’ll never find us out here, we’re just way too fast! Ah, man, what a day. Twink you did awesome! Holding off all those baddies by yourself!”

“Yeah.. Awesome..”

“And you too Jax!.. Something wrong Twink?”

She lets out a hard sigh as her pain finally sets in. “No, nothing. Let's just get home so I can get my magic back. And give the Element to Twilight.”

With that we head on through the abyss. Back towards the enclave, back to Twilight so I may return half of my owed favor.