Chapter 25

– The Hunter –

Tumbleweed held the revolver in his magic, the gun shaking inside his magical glow. It wasn’t due to fear, but rage. I could see in his eyes that something had set him off.

“Tumbleweed, the hell are you doing?” Stormy asked.

“Answer my question! Where did you get this revolver!?” Tumbleweed demanded.

“Sweetheart, what has gotten into you?” Rose asked.

“Mama, look at this gun!” Tumbleweed yelled.

His mother did as he asked, and when she did, her eyes grew wide and she turned to look at me.

“What is going on?” Meadow asked.

This was all moving so fast, I didn’t know what to think. I tried to make sense of the situation but the gun pointed at me was commanding most of my attention. Desert Rose, a weapon that had seen a lot in the week or so I had owned it.

At that moment, it clicked in my mind. Tumbleweed, Rose, Desert Rose, those names repeated in my mind.

I looked at the mare, “Are you… Desert Rose?”

She gasped, “No one said my full name. How do you know it?”

There it was, now I understood what was going on. Of all the ponies I could have found in this place, I never would have imagined it could be these two. The memories of the ruined building where I fought Achlys came flooding back to me. Not the fight itself, but what I found just before she found me.

“Sergeant Sage Brush. You’re his wife and child, aren’t you?” I asked.

Tumbleweed grew more angry at the mention of the name, “So you admit it! Where’s my daddy!?”

“Where is my husband!?” Desert Rose demanded.

I looked down for a moment, but quickly gathered the courage for what I needed to do, what I needed to say.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” I said, my ears flattening on my head.

Tumbleweed started shaking harder, dropping the gun onto the floor and pounding his hoof into the metal. Rose screamed at the realization of my words and fell over, crying her eyes out. Stormy immediately ran up to catch her and hold her as she sobbed.

I didn’t move, I couldn’t comfort them. Not when I was the one who broke their hearts.

“Can somepony explain what is going on?” Meadow asked.

“Sergeant Sage Brush was a member of the Desert Rangers. I found his body when I left Hydra Junction. He had been killed, and he left his belongings to anyone who would take them to his family.” I said.

I then remembered the holotape that I had found with him. I took it out of my saddlebags and showed it to the family.

“I have his final words. I could play them if you want.” I offered.

They both took a minute to respond, but they eventually nodded. I played the tape in my pipbuck and as the words washed over the room, the crying started again. I just let the words sink in and let them have their moment to mourn.

Tumbleweed was the first to say something, “What happened to him?”

“I didn’t see how he died. But there was a mare in the same building that could have been responsible.” I said.

“A mare?” Rose asked.

“She wore a cloak and had a chain kama for a weapon. She wasn’t normal. My friend Ratchet nailed her to the wall with railway spikes and she pulled herself off like it was nothing.” I explained.

“Was she a pegasus?” Tumbleweed asked.

I looked up at him, “Yes, she was. How did you know?”

“Achlys.” Rose said darkly.

They knew her name!
“What do you know about Achlys?” I asked.

“She’s a Fury. Why would a Fury be all the way up north?” Tumbleweed asked.

“Fury?” I asked.

“Not surprised you haven’t heard about them. They tend to keep to the Southern Badlands. And even down there, only a few ponies have ever seen one and lived to tell about it.” Tumbleweed explained.

“What are these Furies?” I asked.

“No one knows. They are tough mares that won’t die. Bulllets, explosions, radiation, nothing seems to bother them much. And they can fight like no pony else.” Tumbleweed said.

Meadow walked up, “I used to live in the South when I was little. I’ve never heard of these Furies.”

“They’ve only been around about fifteen years or so. And again, they are still a big mystery to most ponies. I only know about them because of rumors from down south that the rangers hear.” Tumbleweed said.

Finally, I knew something about these mares. Achlys, Algea, they were Furies, and they came from the Southern Badlands.

“Did you also know about a mare named Algea?” I asked.

Tumbleweed went pale a little, “You know about Algea? Yeah, that one is especially dangerous. Not much is known about her other than she’s crazy.”

“Why are you so interested in the Furies?” Rose asked.

“Because they are responsible for the attack on my stable. And they’ve attacked me several times in the past weeks.” I answered.

“You fought not only Achlys, but Algea as well? Horseapples.” Tumbleweed said.

“I survived, but they could have killed me if they wanted to.” I said.

“Probably just playing with you. Why you anyway? Who are you?” Tumbleweed asked.

“My name is Shadow Strike.” I said.

Rose’s eyes widened and she pointed a hoof at me, “The Badlands Guardian. The one who helped Hydra Junction and kicked Mayor Rich out of Sandpit.”

The mention of Sandpit made me flinch a little, “Yes, I guess that’s me.”

Tumbleweed’s eyes widened too.

“So you’re the Guardian. Now I really feel bad about pointing a gun at you. I’m sorry.” Tumbleweed said apologetically.

“No. I’m the one who should be sorry. If I had found the Sergeant sooner, maybe I could have saved him.” I said.

“If Achlys got a hold of him, I doubt you could have done anything Shadow. Damn those freaks.” Tumbleweed said, hitting the metal floor again.

“So, why are you two here? I thought the Desert Rangers lived in Fort Trough? I asked.

“We do. But when my husband went missing, we left to find him.” Rose said.

“But why? It’s dangerous out here. You’re pregnant ma’am, you shouldn’t be out here.” I said.

“What do you want me to do then!? Wait at the fort and watch my son go missing looking for his father? I couldn’t bear to lose him too.” Rose sobbed.

“Mama.” Tumbleweed said softly.

I looked down, “I’m sorry. It wasn’t my place. I apologize.” I said.

Rose didn’t answer, only sobbed as her son embraced her.

“How did you two get here?” I asked.

“The Hunter. That thing that prowls the stable. It grabs ponies out in the wasteland and brings them here. Tosses you in the lower parts of the stable and hunts you like an animal.” Tumbleweed explained.

“So this thing takes ponies and hunts them for sport?” I said.

“Looks like it. It grabbed me in my sleep, and I was on top of a building.” Stormy said.

“So this thing gets around pretty easily. And it’s invisible. An interesting opponent.” I said, putting my hoof to my chin in thought.

“So, any ideas for getting rid of that thing?” Meadow asked.

“I need more information about it. That writing that was on the wall outside the door. It was a language I didn't recognize. Perhaps this is a safe zone it allows its prey to use?” I said.

“Why would it give its prey a safe room?” Stormy asked.

“To give them time to rest and plan. More of a challenge.” I answered.

“So we are just animals to that thing?” Rose asked.

“Appears so. Meadow and I saw a unicorn get killed by that thing upstairs. Did you know him?” I asked.

“Oh that guy. Yeah, he kept hitting on Mom. Last time we saw him, he just ran up the stairs like an idiot.” Tumbleweed said.

“How long have you all been in this stable?” I asked.

“Mom and I have been here for about five days. Stormy only got here two days ago.” Tumbleweed said.

“Five days? How have you survived that long?” I questioned.

“Luck and ranger training mostly. Mom gets food from the forest area, and I keep the monsters busy. Ran out of ammo this morning. Stormy was out looking for some when she met you.” Tumbleweed said.

“And this thing doesn’t go for Rose? When she’s all alone picking from the forest?” I asked.

“That’s the weirdest part about the hunter. It won’t bother with Mom. I swear I’ve heard it walk right past her.” Tumbleweed said.

I thought about that information for a moment. Why would it ignore Rose? What reason could it have for not hunting her? And then it hit me.

“She’s pregnant. A hunter doesn’t kill females, especially if they’re already with a child.” I said.

“So as soon as Mom has the baby, she’s not safe anymore?” Tumbleweed asked.

“I would assume so. This thing truly acts like a hunter. But why here? And where did it come from? Have you heard any rumors about this hunter?” I asked.

“We heard some hearsay about disappearances, but most chalk that up to slavers and raiders.” Tumbleweed said.

Meadow stepped in, “Well we won’t learn anything here. We need to get to the Leviathan’s tongue. Moonlight doesn’t have much time left.”

I felt a chill run down my spine at her words, “You’re right Meadow. We need to get to the herb.”

“What do you need that stuff for anyway?” Stormy asked.

“My friend Moonlight was poisoned by basilisk venom. We need that herb to cure her.” I said.

“Oh, why didn’t you say so? Count me in.” Stormy said.

“What, why?” I asked.

“Because you and your friends saved my life. Least I can do is help you save another.” Stormy said.

I smiled and nodded to the pegasus, who grinned back at me.

“But what about us? And the Hunter?” Rose asked.

“Don’t worry. As soon as I have the herb, I’m getting all of you out of this place. This Hunter has killed for the last time.” I said.

Rose and Tumbleweed smiled at me, both seemed calmer than when we originally met. I floated out my ammo for Desert Rose and left it with Tumbleweed.

“Take this ammo. Desert Rose is rightfully yours after all.” I said.

Tumbleweed took the ammo and picked up the revolver from the floor. He looked it over and looked back at me. He looked like he wanted to say something but was silent.

I turned to the door, “So Stormy, do you know where the staircase to the next level is?”

“Hell yeah I do. It’s further down the hall and past some old barricades.” She answered.

“Good. Let’s get to the lower level before that Hunter shows up again.” I said.

Stormy led us through the hallway, claw marks and burns lining the walls. This place was much more damaged than the upper floors. I wonder how many ponies had made it up there? Or if any had managed to escape?

Though perhaps they would have spread the word about this creature and this stable if they had. No, this thing was good, and it was smart.

“Stormy, can you tell me anything about this Hunter, anything at all?” I asked.

“Well, it’s smart, that’s for sure. The bottom level is huge, so it sometimes lays traps. Not to mention this thing is near impossible to track. Can’t see it, except for a subtle glimmer in the light.” Stormy answered.

“So it’s probably using some kind of invisibility spell.” I said.

“Or it could be using a stealthbuck.” Stormy said.

“Stealthbuck? What’s that?” I asked.

“Never heard of one? Well, it’s like a portable invisibility spell. Made for non-unicorns.” Stormy said.

“Stealthbucks are only supposed to last a few minutes aren’t they?” Meadow asked.

“That’s true. Perhaps this thing has a way to recharge a stealthbuck.” Stormy said.

“Either way, this thing can’t be invisible all the time. Even the best invisibility spell has flaws. We’ll find this one.” I said.

Both mares nodded as we continued down the hallway and closer to our goal. After a few more twists and turns, we eventually found a large barricade, just as Stormy said. Desks, filing cabinets, and more furniture were stacked on top of each other all the way to the ceiling. The only hole in it was big enough for a pony to squeeze through.

“That hole is small. How does the Hunter get between this floor and the bottom level?” I asked.

“No clue. It seems to get around wherever it wants. Nearly got me and Tumbleweed a day ago when it found a way around a locked door on us.” Stormy said.

“So this thing is well aware of the layout of this place. Though I get the feeling it might be more than that. Let’s continue to the next level.” I said.

Meadow went first, her horn nearly getting caught on a desk leg, Stormy went in afterwards with no problems at all. I soon followed, the cramped space reminding me of those obstacle courses Master Zala had us sneak through for training.

When we made it to the other side, we soon found the entrance to the stairwell. I slowly opened the door and looked inside, not seeing any movement nor feeling the presence of anything.

“Please tell me there are no spiders in this one.” Meadow said.

“Oh, I wondered where that thing went. It used to be in the forest area. Guess the Bugbear must have kicked it out.” Stormy said.

“Yeah, it’s in the main stairwell. Something we might have to deal with as we get out of here.” I said.

“Actually, Tumbleweed and I were working on getting the elevator working. The kid is really good with tools. Unfortunately, the main breaker is on the bottom level. If we can get that elevator working, we can take it right to the first floor.” Stormy explained.

“Excellent. We’ll keep an eye out for it once we get down there. Come on.” I said.

Meadow and Stormy followed close behind me as we descended down the stairs. I admit, I was nervous. This Hunter was intelligent, so it would be a difficult opponent. I doubted it would let us leave without a fight. Just because it’s invisible doesn’t mean it’s invincible.

The door to the bottom level came into view and as my eyes searched the area around the bottom of the stairs, I immediately stopped. The girls stopped immediately as well.

“Shadow, what’s wrong?” Meadow asked.

“Look there.” I said, pointing my hoof to the bottom of the stairs.

Both mares looked at the direction of my hoof and saw a thin wire. We traced the wire towards the wall and up over the area at the bottom of the stairs. A bunch of tin cans were tied up in a bundle.

“It’s an alarm. Tripwire pulls at the cans and they rattle, alerting our Hunter.” I said.

“Good eye. That sure wasn’t there when I got through here.” Stormy said.

“The Hunter must have put this here recently then. Perhaps it was preparing for its next victim.” I said.

“Let’s step over it and keep quiet.” Meadow said.

I nodded and we all stepped very carefully over the tripwire. The door was right in front of us, no trap in sight. I carefully opened the door with my magic and looked out into the huge area that was Level 5.

The place was massive, like nothing I had ever seen in my stable. It was like an underground jungle, with large trees and huge foliage all around. We came out of the stairwell on a cliff face, overlooking the vast area. The canopy made it near impossible for us to see everything below, but the outer borders of the jungle told us that the plants had basically taken over. I could see most of the old doors around the walls of the level. Some were open, some were closed.

“This is… this is impossible.” Meadow said.

“Yeah, I pretty much had the same thought when I got here. Thought this thing had taken me to some other world or something. That theory got blown away as soon as I saw the metal walls.” Stormy said.

“This technology is incredible. To make an environment like this underground, it’s simply astounding.” I said.

“Yeah, it’s something I guess. So, are you ready to do this?” Stormy said.

“Yes. First thing’s first, where’s the basilisk?” I asked.

Stormy pointed off to the left side of the floor, “Right around the back left corner of this place. It’s by the mouth of a cave.”

“It would be far away.” Meadow sighed.

“Well, better get started. Stay close and keep an eye out for anything.” I said.

Both girls nodded and we were off down the cliff and into the jungle. The floor of the jungle was soft and warm, like it was a real jungle. StableTech really outdid themselves with this kind of work. Did the Ministry of Peace fund this thing? And where did they get the technology?

“Oh, by the way, watch out for poison ivy. Stuff is everywhere.” Stormy said, hovering in the air.

“Says the pegasus that can fly over it.” I said jokingly.

“No need to be jealous.” Stormy said, hovering in front of us and giving us a wink.

I rolled my eyes, but I could swear I heard Meadow’s breathing get a little more noticeable. I looked back at her and she seemed fine, other than the nervous whistling.

We continued through the jungle, eventually finding a river running through it. For Luna’s sake, what kind of place was this?

Stormy landed at the water’s edge and took a drink, “Ah, now that’s the stuff. Come on guys, have a drink. It’s really refreshing.”

Meadow and I took a drink ourselves and she was right. It truly was pure and refreshing. I took out my canteen and filled it up. They must have had a water purifying talisman somewhere on this floor.
“This place cannot be real. Even the well water Mother and I use isn’t this pure.” Meadow said.

“I agree. Something about this place seems off.” I said.

“Well, I have no idea. Magic’s never been my thing. You know, kinda need a horn.” Stormy said, pointing at her forehead.

“Pegasi still have magic. Without it, you couldn’t even fly from what I read.” I said.

“Yeah, and getting to sleep on a cloud is a nice bonus. Also we don’t run out unlike you horn heads.” Stormy said jokingly.

Then she flew right in front of Meadow, “Speaking of horns, yours is huge. Never seen a unicorn with something like this.”

Stormy tapped on Meadow’s horn, making her reel back a little.

“I’m.. I’m not a unicorn. I’m a Kirin.” Meadow said flustered.

“Kirin? Never heard of ‘em.” Stormy said, shrugging her shoulders.

“They were a very isolated race. They avoided contact with everyone and kept mostly to themselves.” I said.

“Oh ok. Can you do magic, or is that thing just for show?” Stormy asked.

Meadow blushed a little and the markings on her horn lit up, making her bow float in the air in front of her.

“Oh, so the whole thing doesn’t light up like a unicorn? That’s cool. Is it made from the same stuff? Kinda looks like you got a tree branch growing out of your head.” Stormy said.

Meadow pouted at that comment and turned to walk away.

I looked over at Stormy and she looked confused, “Was it something I said?”

I rolled my eyes and moved to catch up to Meadow, “You know she wasn’t making fun of you.”

“Leave me alone.” Meadow said quietly.

“Meadow.” I said.

She then turned to glare at me, “I said leave me alone!”

I stepped back, and she huffed and started walking again. It was strange, I thought her eyes went all white again, like that other time.

“I think I pissed her off.” Stormy said, landing next to me.

“Yeah, looks like you did. Nice move.” I said.

“Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it. I think her horn looks cool.” Stormy said defensively.

“Well apparently, she took offense. Let’s just give her some space for a bit.” I said.

Stormy and I followed behind Meadow, giving her some time to cool off. I was trying to understand what set her off. Maybe she was bullied back in Olympia? She must have been the only Kirin in her age group. Maybe the other foals picked on her because she was different. I knew that feeling. Maybe I could talk to her about it later.

Suddenly, my fur stood on end and my legs locked up. Something was here.

“Something is watching us.” I whispered to Stormy.

“Wait what?” Stormy said, looking around.

“Act normal. Don’t make any sudden moves.” I said.

“Think it’s the Hunter?” Stormy asked.

“Maybe. Keep walking, we don’t know what we’re dealing with. Let it make a move first.” I said.

We continued walking and nothing happened. Whatever was watching us didn’t make a move. It was either testing our nerves, or playing with us. Neither scenario was appreciated.

“Shadow, Stormy! Over here!” Meadow shouted from up ahead.

We rushed through the foliage to find Meadow standing on a large boulder, looking back at us. When we stood next to her, she pointed straight ahead. What I saw in that moment made all our progress worth the effort.

There it was. A large skeleton, longer than any creature I had ever seen before. The body seemed to stretch on across the basin and into the trees farther inside the complex. The skull was enormous, larger than the boulder we were currently standing on. Fangs as large as stalactites, and more sharp teeth lining the jaw.

“That’s it alright. So, where’s the plant we’re looking for?” Stormy asked.

That made the blood in my heart go cold. I looked across the skeleton and didn’t see any Leviathan’s tongue from where we stood. I jumped down off the boulder and ran in a panic. There had to be some here, there just had to be!

“Shadow, wait!” Meadow called after me.

I did not stop, I reached the skull of the beast and searched around frantically for any sign of the herb. All around the head of the snake was nothing but moss and rocks. There was nothing. I traveled down the length of the body, my keen eyes desperately looking for anything. The longer I looked, the more my heartbeat increased as panic dung its way into my soul. This was our only chance to save Moonlight. It had to be here!

“Shadow, stop.” Meadow said behind me.

“Keep looking, it was to be here.” I said.

“Shadow, you need to calm down. You’re sweating and your breathing is irregular. You’re dangerously close to having a panic attack. You need to relax.” Meadow said.

“How can I relax when I failed!?” I said, hitting the ground with my hoof.

She moved up to my side, “You didn’t fail. We still have more of the body to search. We’ll find it, don’t worry Shadow.”

Stormy landed on my other side, “Hey come on, don’t get all emotional on us yet. I’ll do a fly by across the whole beast. Back in a flash!”

Stormy launched up into the air, barreling into the treeline and following the path of bones. I sat there, unmoving as I tried to regain control of myself. Meadow was right, I can’t have a panic attack now. I needed to focus. That Hunter could be anywhere out here.

Then, a feminine scream filled the jungle.

“Stormy!” I yelled, jumping back to my hooves.

Meadow and I raced into the jungle, looking for the pegasus. We followed down the length of the skeleton, dodging bushes and large tree roots. After about five minutes of running, we stopped as we saw her.

Stormy was trapped on the ground, in a net. She struggled as the net had wrapped around her torso, trapping her wings and her legs. She couldn't move.

“Stormy!” Meadow shouted as she ran towards her, pulling out her hunting knife.

As I stepped to follow her, something caught my eye. Something in the tree above Stormy. A shimmer in the light, like sunlight reflecting in the water.

“Stop! It’s the Hunter!” Stormy shouted.

As Meadow reached Stormy, the shimmer moved like lightning, jumping down and towards her.

“Meadow, above you!” I said, running towards her with all my speed.

She didn’t have time to stop before the being had landed in front of her. A thump was the only indication she had that something was in front of her. She tried to turn and run away but she stopped, being lifted into the air by the Hunter grabbing her by the mane. She screamed and tried to kick at the invisible assailant.

“Let go of her!” I said, jumping up and directing a kick at whatever I could behind her.

My leg connected with something hard and it seemed to backpedal a little. It didn’t drop Meadow, but almost. I drew Venta as I turned to land on my hind legs and push off the ground for another attack. My blade slashed at the invisible force holding her and sparks flew off as my blade connected with the Hunter. Whatever this was, it was tough.

I felt it try to grab at my leg, but quickly drew Umbra, using the hilt to knock it away. Meadow screamed as the fighting caused the Hunter to pull at her mane, still holding her above the ground. I landed on the ground once again, Venta flying beside me. I couldn’t cut this thing, so I took the only other option I could think of.

Venta slashed again, but this time, I cut through just the back bits of Meadow’s mane, cutting just the ends of her mane, enough to free her from the thing’s grip. She fell to the ground and quickly got back to her hooves. We both saw her hair being held by something, like it was floating in midair. Then it dropped the hair and we heard it leap away.

“Meadow, free Stormy!” I shouted, Venta and Umbra at the ready as I searched for any sign of movement.

Meadow nodded and shakily took her hunting knife and started cutting Stormy free. Another thud came as the Hunter landed behind Stormy. Meadow flinched and was parazled, unable to move. Stormy struggled against the torn net now, trying to get free.

Meadow could not see the Hunter, but in her mind, she saw an invisible hand reach out to grab her again.

“Not this time asshole!” Stormy shouted, having gotten her legs free.

She kicked at the shimmer in front of her, making contact and drawing out a screech from the Hunter. The first noise I had heard from this thing since coming here. Stormy then spun on the ground, freeing her wings from the net as well. She launched off the ground and kicked with all her might at whatever was above her. Making contact, another thud was heard as it seemed she knocked the Hunter down.

“Let’s go! We need to get it out in the open, away from the trees!” I shouted.

Stormy nodded and helped Meadow back to her shaky hooves. She held onto the Kirin and helped her run in her dazed state. We ran through the path of bones and back out into the clearing where the skull was. As we landed in the clearing, I spun around and readied my weapons for whatever came out of the treeline.

But nothing came. We waited for several minutes as tensions rose all around us. Our eyes darted in every direction, looking for any possible sign. But as more minutes went on with no indication of movement, the tension started to dissipate.

“Is it gone?” Stormy asked.

“I think so. I don’t sense anything.” Meadow answered.

“It probably fell back to regroup and think of another tactic to use on us. We probably caught it by surprise when we fought back.” I said.

Putting my weapons away, I turned back to the skeleton.

“Either way, we still need the Leviathan’s Tongue. Stormy, did you see any sign of it before you were captured?” I asked.

“Oh yeah, I saw it right before the Hunter caught me!” Stormy said.

“Why didn’t you say anything!? You know what nevermind. Take us there!” I said.

“What if the Hunter attacks us again?” Meadow asked.

“He’s lost the element of surprise now. We’ll be on high alert, so it’ll be more difficult for him to sneak up on us.” I said.

Meadow nodded and Stormy took off again, slower than last time so as not to lose us. After some time following our pegasus friend, she landed next to the skeleton and stopped. We arrived next to her and she looked confused and distraught.

“Stormy, what’s wrong?” I asked.

“They were here, right there! I know this is the spot. They were right there, nestled into the bones!” Stormy shouted, pointing at the bones.

But the herb was not there, little stubs left in the dirt but no herb.

“Could you be mistaken?” I asked.

“No! I know this is the spot. They were right here!” Stormy shouted at me.

“But where did they go?” Meadow asked.

I stopped and pondered the situation we found ourselves in. If Stormy was truly so confident that the herb was here, then where did it go? Then a thought occurred to me, and it made me furious to think about it.

“The Hunter. I think he stopped following us to-” I said.

My explanation was interrupted by the snapping of a twig behind us. We all turned to see that a small bag had been dropped and broke a small twig on the ground. It must have been dropped from high up to make enough force for that. I looked into the trees, looking for the shimmer.

“Shadow, I think it’s baiting us.” Meadow said.

“I believe you’re right. Somehow it knows why we’re here.It's using that to taunt us.” I said.

“How can this thing know why you’re here?” Stormy asked.

“Maybe it heard us talk about it. Who knows how good it’s hearing is.” I suggested.

“So, what do we do?” Meadow asked.

I said nothing and started walking toward the bag. Nothing happened as I was approaching it, but I was on high alert for anything out of the ordinary. As I reached the bag, I quickly picked it up and opened it.

Sure enough, the bag was full of Leviathan’s tongue, more than a dozen pieces of the stuff. It looked like it was good quality.

Then, the bag flew out of my hoof, by some kind of little string attached to it. It went into the trees, going higher and higher.

“No you don’t!” I said.

Umbra flew through the air and cut the string before embedding itself into a tree. The bag fell once again, before something snatched it out of the air and landed with a thump on the jungle floor.

I took out my new shotgun and fired a blast in the direction of the thump, not seeming to hit anything. Pulling the lever to load in another shell, I soon found myself struck by something from the side. It knocked me over, but I spun on the ground and regained my footing, firing another shot in the direction of the strike. This time my shot hit something and made sparks fly off.

A piece of black armor-like material fell to the ground, spraying green goo alongside it. More of the green substance began to drip off something as it stood there.

After a minute, another shimmer came and the invisibility that had hidden the Hunter from us wore off, and we finally got a look at what we were up against.

It was huge, bigger than me, about as tall as Artemis was. It had thick black armor all around it. At least I thought it was armor. The substance was cracked on the foreleg where my shotgun hit it. It didn’t look like any metal that I knew. It had large broad shoulders, strong legs, all supporting its large frame. Blades were attached to its forelegs with gauntlets. It wore a helmet, showing a horn and large green eyes staring at us with interest. No pupils, but I could tell there was intelligence behind those eyes as it just stood there, watching us.

“So, done hiding?” I asked, trying to sound confident.

It didn’t talk, only making this hissing sound as it stood up on its hind legs. It stood tall and on the ends of its forelegs were claws. It attempted to slash at me, but I jumped away. An arrow of light flew over my shoulder and towards the Hunter. Amazingly, the arrow simply bounced off its chest. Not even a scratch.

“This thing is magic resistant!” I yelled back to Meadow.

Stormy flew in behind the Hunter and spun her body around, using the momentum to strike at the Hunter’s side. She connected and while she did wence upon impact, the Hunter was pushed back a few feet.

Stormy landed by me and rubbed at her hind leg, “It’s like kicking somepony in power armor.”

I had no idea what power armor was, but I didn’t have the time for questions. The Hunter recovered and the horn on its head glowed green, firing a bolt of green magic at me and Stormy. I pulled Stormy back as we jumped away, the bolt missing us and impacting the ground. The ground glowed for a moment before turning into a puddle of goo.

“Ok, it’s shooting plasma at us. That’s not fair.” Stormy said.

“Keep moving, don’t let that stuff even graze you!” I shouted.

I pulled out my shotgun, loading another shell in and firing at the Hunter again. However, It jumped a good several feet in the air and dodged it. It landed behind me and went after Stormy. The pegasus took to the air, dodging a slash from the Hunter. It jumped again, landing in a tree high above us. Meadow appeared at my side and took a physical arrow from her quiver, firing at the Hunter again. It simply deflected the arrow with its blade gauntlet.

Meadow groaned in frustration, “I’m really starting to hate this thing.”

“I’ll get its attention, see if you can hit it while its back is turned.” I said.

I rushed forward, to the base of the tree. Umbra was stuck in the base so I pulled it out and looked up to see the Hunter staring down at me. I could feel as if our eyes met.

Stormy came barreling towards our assailant with a loud yell, trying to deliver a spin kick to its head. But it ducked and jumped down from the tree, heading right towards me. I jumped back and avoided another slash as it impacted at the base of the tree.

As it landed, I jumped at it with Venta, slashing at its chest. My blade dug into the armor like substance, not deep but enough to sting a little. The Hunter didn’t even flinch, using our close proximity to slash at me again. It got me right across my cheek, drawing blood and making me jump back again. It followed me, more slashes came my way as it didn’t let up.

As I turned to move away from it, it roared in pain as an arrow dug into its shoulder. It ripped the arrow out and turned towards Meadow. It must have been glaring at her, though I couldn’t see it through the helmet. It fired another bolt of plasma, missing Meadow just barely as Stormy pushed her out of the way.

While its back was turned to me, I saw the pouch of Leviathan’s Tongue dangling off its hip. I quickly tried to grab at it, but the moment my hoof made contact, I was grabbed by a clawed arm. It threw me in the direction of my friends, and Meadow thankfully caught me in her magic before setting me down.

We didn’t get any time to rest before it came at us again. We all scattered and it seemed to go after Meadow. Venta flashed through the air as I closed the distance, slashing across its back and making it hiss loudly. Stormy then came from above, drop-kicking the Hunter in the head. The kick staggered it for a moment, and that was all the time I needed.

I jumped at its waist again, and this time, I was able to grab the small bag from it. I jumped back with the bag, Stormy and Meadow coming to my side. The Hunter recovered and saw the bag in my hoof. It rushed at us.

Meadow’s horn then glowed brighter than I had ever seen it before. I didn’t know what she was doing until I looked back towards the Hunter. Vines grew from the ground, catching its legs and making it fall to the ground. More vines appeared and held it against the ground. It struggled with the vines, making some snap. It couldn’t keep up with the vines though, ending up stuck to the jungle floor.

Meadow staggered on her hooves as the glow from her horn faded. I could tell this was draining her.

“That won’t hold it for long. Stormy, help Meadow. We need to find somewhere to hide!” I shouted.

Stormy nodded and picked up Meadow by her forelegs, making the Kirin squirm as she was lifted into the air. I ran as fast as I could, Stormy flying right above me. I didn’t know how much time those vines would give us, but I was determined to make every second count. I had what I needed, now I just needed to get out of this place.

“Shadow, I see a door up ahead!” Stormy shouted from above.

I looked ahead and indeed there was a door. A typical sliding stable door, at the edge of the jungle. Maybe it was an office for scientists.

Stormy made it to the door first, dropping Meadow and opening it with a push of a button. I caught up and ran inside with the girls, immediately closing the door behind us. The door had an emergency lock on it, so I pulled it. A red light appeared on the door controls, indicating that the door could not be opened from the outside.

“Think it can get in?” Stormy asked.

“Maybe, so let’s not waste time. We need to think of a way out of here.” I said.

Meadow collapsed onto the floor, panting for breath. Stormy and I were immediately at her side.

“Meadow, you ok?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine. That spell just takes a lot out of me. I might have overdid it.” Meadow said, laying her head on her foreleg.

“Shit. How long till you can walk?” Stormy asked.

“A couple minutes. A drink of water and some rest and I’ll be ok.” Meadow said, pulling out her canteen.

“Alright, five minutes.” I said.
I looked around the room, looking for anything that could be useful. The office was larger than I originally thought. Monitors lined the walls and several computers sat on desks that were mostly intact. However, only one was still glowing that familiar green. I walked over to it and typed at the keyboard.

The computer came to life and asked for a password. I started my usual routine of hacking, but this computer was a lot harder to crack than others I had encountered. I stopped before the last attempt, not wanting to get locked out. I sat back in the chair and decided to look through the drawers of the desk to get my mind off the computer.

When I opened the last drawer, I was met with the sight of two items. One was a pink memory orb, and the other was a small key. What could have a lock that small?

Then I remembered the small book I had found in the locker room on the previous floor. I dug it out of my saddlebags and picked up the key in my magic. Taking the memory orb and placing it in my bag, I floated out the diary and placed the key to the lock and amazingly, it fit. The lock was released, and the book fell open.

The first page read, “Diary of Dr. Fauna.”

Dr. Fauna, that was the name of the scientist from that other journal entry back on the first floor. Was that locker I found hers? And was this her desk, seeing as the key was hidden here?

I turned the page to the first entry and began to read.

Day 35

They deleted most of my journal entries from my computer, but as long as I’m careful, they can’t stop me from writing this down. This stable wasn’t what we were told it would be. Sure there are a lot of animals and creatures down here, but that was just a front for something else. I don’t have all the details yet, but I will find them. I doubt Fluttershy was fully aware of what Stable-Tec had planned for us.

So the computer I found earlier was hers. All those corrupt files were some kind of cover up. What was really going on in this stable?

Day 45

I finally managed to hack into the mainframe. And what I found confirmed all my fears. The animals are not the main priority for the Overmare, it's the jungle on the lowest level. It’s so small right now, but still larger than it was when the stable was closed. The rate it is growing, it’ll cover not only the bottom floor but also could spread throughout the stable. I’m still reading the research notes. How are they making them grow like that?

The jungle? Well it has grown a lot from what I can tell of her description. She was correct and it did spread. But what made it grow for so long? I continued on to the next entry.

Day 66

Proper Sentiment nearly caught me in the mainframe today. She sent the Chief of Security to search my office. The nerve of her!

But that won’t stop me. I am determined to find out what secrets this stable holds. I have been sending reports to Fluttershy through our old communication channel. She hasn’t responded, but I pray to Luna that she is ok. I have no idea what the outside is like.

Anyway, I have found something new. It is encrypted, but I have a friend on the research team who can break the code for me. Don’t worry Fluttershy, I won’t let them get away with lying to you.

MInistry Mare Fluttershy, there she was again. Just like at the EREC facility. What was she doing operating in the Badlands? Why did she help build a stable in a swamp? What was going on?

Day 92

It took forever, but my friend finally cracked through the encryption, and what I found made no sense. This stable wasn’t meant to protect animals at all. They were only a front to the public. The true goal of this stable is, terraforming.

I had heard theories about it, but never truly thought it would exist. I had heard of unicorns using magic to breathe life back into gardens and crops, but never an entire ecosystem. The amount of magic it would take to make the parameters in their simulations would be on level with the Princesses and more.

We have a reactor in the stable, but nothing that could ever make something like this possible. Where were they getting the energy from? I haven’t finished going through the information, so perhaps I will find my answers.

Terraforming? The act of giving life back to a barren land? That was impossible. No magic like that exists. It’s just science fiction. But it did kinda explain the jungle in this stable.

Day 96

I feel sick. This can’t be real. I know where they are getting the energy for terraforming.

Life.

It’s slowly draining the life out of every creature in the stable. The reactor was developed by the Ministry of Arcane Science. It slowly drains life at a pace where the subject barely notices. As long as the environment is not lacking in material and nutrients, it doesn’t spread beyond large animals and other fauna. The basilisk we have here in the stable is showing signs of age far beyond what it should. Manticores and other animals are sick too. The steroids we were told to give them weren’t for their health at all. It was to help them grow to feed the machine.

However, that’s not the worst part. We had somepony admitted to the infirmary today. It was poor Notebook, my friend who helped me decrypt this very information. He had been taken by the Overmare two days ago and seemed to vanish before showing up again in the infirmary. Proper Sentiment said he had spent too much time near the reactor and was suffering from radiation poisoning. I know now what is really happening to him.

The reactor was draining him. It wasn’t designed to take from ponies, but it did. We have been living down here with a machine that has been draining our very lives away. All to see if they could make terraforming real. I have to get this information to Fluttershy. She will save me. We’re friends, she can’t leave me to die in her-

The writing cut off there, most likely when she was caught and had her diary confiscated by security. That’s why I found it in the locker.

So that’s what was up with this place. Why we didn’t find any bodies, or other animals other than the large ones we had encountered in the upper levels. The reactor in this stable was draining everything of life. The panther and the bugbear were so large because of the steroids they were given. Or maybe they just adapted to grow bigger to survive the machine draining them.

One thing was for sure, we needed to get out of this stable. Or it would drain our life away.

“We need to leave,” I said.

Meadow and Stormy looked at me with curious eyes.

“Well yeah, that’s kinda obvious. We got a Hunter trying to kill us.” Stormy said plainly.

“He’s the least of our worries now. The reactor of this stable is sapping life from every creature here. Including us.” I said.

Both mares' eyes grew wide from that statement.

“You can’t be serious, Shadow.” Meadow said quietly.

I showed them Dr. Fauna’s diary, all the details. The more they read, the more scared they looked. Stormy especially.

“So this thing has been draining us ever since we got here?” Meadow asked.

“Yes, and it’ll keep going as long as we’re near it.” I said.

“I’ve been here for days, and Rose and Tumbleweed have been here longer..” Stormy said.

Her eyes went wide, “Rose is pregnant! What about her baby!?”

I didn’t even think about that. Shit! We needed to hurry.

“We have to get them out of here! Now!” I said, moving to the door.

“But what about the Hunter? How are we gonna get past it?” Meadow asked, sounding scared.

I stood there, trying to think of something that could work. It was too fast for us to just outrun it. Not to mention it knew the terrain better than us. It would catch us if we tried to run.

However, there was one way that could work..

I looked at them with serious eyes, “When I open this door, Stormy, you fly Meadow up to the door and get out of here. Find Tumbleweed and Rose and take them out of the stable. Don’t look back and don’t slow down.”

“But what about you?” Meadow asked.

I looked out the window of the office, “I’m gonna buy you girls the time you need. I’ll keep his attention while you go. I’ll catch up as soon as I can.”

“What!? That’s suicide Shadow. You can’t fight that thing on your own!” Meadow shouted.

“No way am I leaving you behind. You saved my life!” Stormy shouted at me too.

“I know this is hard. But it’s the only way. You need to get out of this stable. Rose especially. Her baby might be in danger.” I said.

Meadow had tears in her eyes while Stormy growled and kicked one of the desks over, smashing the already broken computer.

That set off another thought in my head and had me pull out the diary again. Searching through the pages again, I got to the last page and found what I figured would be there. The password to Dr. Fauna’s computer, Fluttershy.

I moved quickly over to the computer and typed in the password, unlocking the computer. The display showed me all her files that were still intact. And a map of the stable! I quickly downloaded it to my pipbuck and found that the reactor room was here on this level. On the other side of the jungle.

Another entry on the computer was a file labeled “Reactor”. I clicked it and it gave me a code. When it displayed the code, a voice came out of the speaker.

“If you are hearing this message, then I am dead. But I can still make things right with your help.

My name is Dr. Fauna, and I implore you to destroy the reactor in this stable. The code given to you in this file was created by my late friend Notebook, the last act of his life. Enter it into the console of the reactor room and it will cause the reactor to melt down. You will have 30 mins before it blows.

I know that whoever finds this message will make the right choice. At least, I hope you will. Let this evil place die and be buried.

This is Dr. Fauna, giving her last farewell. I’m sorry, Fluttershy.

The code to overload the reactor. Even if I couldn’t kill the Hunter, I could bury it with the stable. This reactor needed to go, before it hurts anyone else. Two birds, with one code.

“Shadow?” Meadow called to me.

“The reactor. I can destroy it along with the stable.” I said.

“That’s insane!” Stormy said.

“I can lead the Hunter into the reactor room and trap him. Then use the code to overload the reactor, destroying the Hunter and the stable.” I said.

Stormy looked away for a moment, “It could work. But what if you get stuck? What if the Hunter kills you? I can’t let you die here!”

I moved up to her and put a hoof on her shoulder, “Stormy, you don’t owe me anything. I need you to get everyone out of here. Please.”

Stormy looked at me hard, but eventually just smiled.

“You better get out alive. Or I’ll come drag you out myself.” Stormy said.

“I will.” I said.

I looked to Meadow who was still upset about this plan. She was crying now, and when I approached her, she looked at me in rage.

“What about your friends!? What am I supposed to tell them? That I left you here to die?” Meadow shouted at me.

“Meadow, Moonlight needs that herb. Ratchet and Saskia will understand. I’ll be ok. I’ll make it back to your house. I promise.” I said.

She choked a little as she sobbed, and then she hugged me. Something I wasn’t expecting but I didn’t stop her.

“You better come back. I don’t want to lose my first real friend.” Meadow said.

I was shocked once again. We hadn’t known each for very long yet she called me her friend.

“Meadow..” I said quietly.

A loud crashing noise came from outside, like a tree had fallen down. Stormy went to the window of the office and got a worried look on her face.

“It found us. And it looks really pissed off.” She said, looking back at us.

“Then you two need to get out of here!” I said.

I passed Meadow the bag with the Leviathan’s Tongue in it and she put it away in her saddlebag. Stormy opened the door and we ran outside to confront the beast. It screeched at us with a loud hissing noise. I took out my shotgun and loaded as many shells as it could hold.

“Stormy! Go!” I shouted before firing.

The shot hit the Hunter square in the chest and pushed it back into the tree that it had knocked down. Stormy gave me one last look before lifting off. She grabbed Meadow by her barrel and flew up towards the door. When the Hunter recovered and saw the two flying off, it looked like it was about to jump and pursue them. But another blast from my shotgun stopped it again. It turned to me.

“Your fight is with me now. They are no longer your concern.” I said, cocking my shotgun.

The Hunter stood its ground and we began to circle each other, waiting for the other to make a move. I was more patient than it as it lunged at me. I dodged and fired again, hitting it in the shoulder, causing another spray of that green goo. It must have been blood.

If this thing bleeds, I can kill it.

I had to get to the reactor. But first I had to get some distance from this thing. I began to move across the field and into the treeline. I could hear the Hunter chasing after me, so that was good. I took a moment to stop and take a quick look at my map. The reactor was definitely on the other side of the jungle. Surprisingly I was going in the right direction.

The Hunter landed in front of me and tried to slash at me. I dodged it and fired another shot from my shotgun, impacting its chest. It seemed to be less effective than it was earlier. Perhaps it’s getting used to the pain.

I blocked another slash with Venta and made another attempt to run for the reactor. I made it a few meters before something caught one of my legs. I fell to the ground as some kind of bola tied my legs up. I took out Umbra to cut through them, but the Hunter was right on top of me by the time I got to my hooves.

I didn’t have time to dodge as it struck me with enough force to slam me against a nearby tree. The blow knocked the wind out of me and my shoulder felt like someone used it to break a rock. When I recovered, the Hunter was on me again, slashing at me. I ducked and its blade got stuck in the thick tree. I took this opportunity to slash at it with Venta, cutting through its armor plating and causing more green blood to splatter the tree.

It hissed in pain and turned to try and knock me away with its forearm. I jumped away and ran again towards the direction of the reactor. I made quite a bit of progress as the Hunter took its time to free itself. And as I burst through the trees, I found my destination.

Dead animals and skeletons of all kinds of creatures littered the floor of the jungle. Several of the skeletons I could tell were ponies. So this is where all the staff and residents ended up. They must have tried to kill the reactor and died for their efforts. I needed to end this quickly. The closer I was to this thing, the more life it would drain from me.

The Hunter burst through the treeline and crushed the skeleton of a manticore under its weight. I turned back to see the door to the reactor, closed. Of course it had to be closed.

The Hunter just stood there, unmoving for a moment. And then it did something I did not expect. It reached up and started to remove the helmet it had been wearing. When the helmet hissed and fell from its head, I nearly lost my lunch.

The head’s shape looked kinda like a pony, the face was anything but. Large mandibles decorated its mouth, chittering and revealing the green insides of its maw. Large blue eyes with no pupils stared at me with silent hate. The rest of its head seemed to have that same black armor like skin. As I looked more at this thing, it reminded me more of an insect than a mammal. The horn on its head was crooked, almost unnatural and nothing like a unicorn.

“You are one ugly motherfucker.” I said with disgusted fascination.

It let out a great loud hiss and its horn lit up, firing a bolt of green magic at me. I dodged, only to realize that it moved swiftly in front of me and grabbed at my throat, pushing me back until I impacted the wall. It knocked the breath out of me and breathing became near impossible as it had a firm grip on my neck. It leaned in and chittered at me, the mandibles almost touching me as it stared at me.

I did the only thing I could do, fire a blast of sparks right into its face, slightly singeing my own mane. Thankfully I closed my eyes to avoid any major damage. It was enough to make the Hunter let go and recoil. That gave me time to catch my breath and fish out a potion from my bag. I pulled out an ice blue potion bottle, the label read, “Whiteout”. I drank the potion and felt the icy chill go up my spine as the potion took effect. When I opened my eyes, the Hunter was already recovered and ready to attack once more.

It charged at me again, blades ready to cleave off my head. It seemed slower than before, due to the effect of the Whiteout. I dodged the attack with ease, sliding my way closer to the door of the reactor and turning to face my opponent once more. My reflexes and reaction speed were increased for a short period of time. I had to get this thing into the reactor core before it wears off.

The Hunter charged at me again, only this time I waited until the last second. The blades came down and barely missed me, cutting clean through the door. The door was cut in a diagonal line, making part of the door fall over due to its weight. I took the opportunity to jump through the hole in the door and into the reactor room. The Hunter was too large to fit in the hole and tried to reach for me, failing miserably.

I had about a minute before it cut completely through the door. I had to move fast. I went to the control console and typed in the code that I had gotten from Dr. Fauna’s terminal. I didn’t initiate the command, only leaving it ready. One push of a button, and the command would overload the reactor. Now came the hard part.

The door fell over, having been torn to shreds by the Hunter. It glared at me and slowly advanced, caution now apparent in its movement. It must know I’m up to something. I slowly moved towards the door of the reactor. Even with the door closed, I could feel something tingle on the back of my neck. It was like I was being drawn towards the door. The reactor was still very active, and the closer I was to it, the worst the effect would be. I needed to get out of here.

The Hunter screeched and charged again, making me jump back. My back hit the door leading to the reactor. I looked over and saw the control panel. I pushed the button and the door lifted up. I turned my head to see the life sucking machine. More skeletons lined the floor, several wearing radiation suits. These ponies died either trying to turn this thing off, or protect it. I could not tell.

The Hunter came at me again, making me jump inside the room and dodge multiple slashes. I only had about another three minutes before the potion wore off. The Hunter then tried firing bolts of magic at me, not seeming to care about the reactor in the room. Did this thing not realize where we were, or what this machine was? Had the reactor been draining its life force as well?

The Hunter flew at me again, only this time, it changed tactics. I dodged the slash of its blade, but did not react in time to dodge the bolt of magic that it fired at me point blank. The blast impacted my shoulder, burning clean through my barding and burning my flesh. I screamed in pain and hit the floor, trying to fight through the pain. I dodged another bolt by scooting across the floor. Venta came out and collided with its blade as we struggled with each other. My magical strength was failing me. But with one last push, Venta cut clean through the blade and cut across its face. Green blood splattered the wall and my face, but I did not look away from my opponent. It reared back in pain and held its face, screeching loudly. Now was my chance!

I pulled back and moved towards the door of the reactor. The Hunter recovered and saw where I was heading, moving to intercept me. My shotgun came out, along with five more shells. Loading them quickly, I fired a shot at the Hunter. My shot hit its torso, knocking it back but not enough to stop it. I fired again, another hit to the torso, again it did not stop. Another shot, this time making it fall to its knees. I was in the doorway, almost to the button. Once again, I fired, and hit it in the head. This made it stagger back and hit its back against the reactor itself. It slowly fell to its rear, sitting with its back against the machine. It seemed to not be able to move anymore. I looked away from the creature and hit the button to close the door. I then turned towards the control panel, and that was a big mistake.

A great pain tore through my burnt shoulder as something pierced clean through it. I looked through the tears and saw that the other blade was lodged into my shoulder. I looked back at the door and saw that the blade had pierced through the door and was connected by a cable leading back into the room. It had a harpoon gun in its wrist blade!

The cable then began to retract back into the room, pulling me towards the door. I screamed in pain and rage, trying to get the harpoon out of my shoulder. It wasn’t budging. My magic sparked painfully, causing me to fall over as the harpoon still pulled at me. I couldn’t see straight, the pain making my vision blurry. I needed to do something!

My magic wasn’t working anymore, the Whiteout had worn off and I could not reach any of my other potions. The situation was dire, and I could not see a way out.

“I am not dying here! I can’t!” I screamed as I tried with the last of my strength to pull the harpoon out.

It was in vain. I was helpless. I failed…

And then suddenly, the force pulling me back stopped. I turned to see the cable connecting the harpoon had been cut. What could have done that?

I then heard the control console for the reactor beep, indicating that somepony had pushed the activation button for the code.

“Warning. Warning. Reactor set to overload. Please evacuate the immediate area. Repeat, evacuate the immediate area. Estimated time to overload, 30 minutes.”

What was going on? Who pushed the button, who cut me free?

I spun around as best I could, “Who’s there!?”

Run.

I heard a voice in my head say. Then the warning came again. I couldn’t stay and ponder who or what was helping me. I needed to get out of here. I took out a healing potion and a bottle of White Wood Sap, to help me move faster and stay moving. The potions worked their magic and I was already moving up the stairs back to Level 3 in ten minutes. I kept moving, noticing the dead Bugbear as I moved through the forest area. The others must have killed it in their escape.

When I reached the stairwell on Level 2, I could tell there had been another fight. The spider was dead, and its guts were everywhere. I thanked the Goddess Luna that my friends had cleared the way for me. As I reached the ground level, I was starting to run out of breath. But I couldn’t stop until I was far enough away from this place.

As the door to the stable came into view, a noise caught my attention and made me look back. To my horror, the Hunter was running down the hallway. Running may not have been the right word, more like it was moving quickly on a broken leg and half torn face. It screeched at me and fired another harpoon at me. I dodged it barely.

“Why won’t you just die!” I yelled.

One last shell left in my shotgun, and my magic was failing. I took it out and jumped, turning in the air, holding the gun to my non injured shoulder. I pulled the trigger with my hoof and it miraculously hit the creature in the head. It fell over again, and this time it didn’t try to get back up. It laid there, looking at me. It moved its claw to a device on its wrist and when it pushed a button, explosions went off blocking the entrance to the stable.

“NO!” I screamed as I tried to get through the rubble.

And then the Hunter did something that scared me to my core, it laughed. And what made it worse was, it sounded like me. This thing was mimicking my laugh.

I had no more time. This thing had won. I simply fell to the floor, crying as the realization of my situation fell upon me. I was going to die. There was no time to find another way around. The Hunter had most likely collapsed the whole front room. I couldn’t escape. The reactor would blow, and I would be caught in the destruction of this stable. This was the end…

As I laid there, ready to meet my Goddess and accept my fate, I swear I saw a purplish blue hoof appear from nowhere, and then a loud explosion rang out before everything went black.

Author's Note

Hey guys, Hades here.

Writers block struck again, but here is a new chapter for everyone.

Shadow really likes getting into bad situations huh?

How about that Hunter? Persistent bastard isn't he?

And who pushed the button, or cut the cable?

The world may never know XD

See you guys next time,
Hades