Author's Note
[Useless fact]
This story was supposed to be submitted 30 hours ago. Reason for delay? The pole that supplied the house electricity blew a fuse and set itself on fire making a beautiful fireworks display. After four hours of getting it fixed, the new fuse blew and set itself on fire like the last one did after a good night's sleep and a few extra hours.
Anyways, enjoy the story I made.
Cornered
Growl
Huuuuu...
Uuurrr...
I looked back at the growing zombie horde behind me. It was just a few yards between me and death. Even though, death isn't going to be a problem anyways. I'm going to die. No matter how I changed directions. No matter how I would lose them. No matter how many I kill.
When an undead came my way, I had to cut it down. I couldn't stop and cry for the loss of a friend I once had or an innocent pony turned feral. I had to keep moving no matter what. My legs felt as if they were turning into jelly. There was no time to stop. If I did I would be dead, like the rest of my friends.
I galloped through the trees of the Everfree forest hoping that I could lose the massive horde either running or stumbling towards me. It didn't work out as I could still see them. I can see their lifeless eyes as they fought to keep in front of the horde. I desperately tried to gallop harder to gain more ground but I tripped. Remembering that I'm losing precious distance from my inevitable death. I immediately stood up, trying to gain ground rather than lose them.
I saw another one in my path. It's face sported a few cuts and gashes but what looked incredibly disturbing was that it's jaw was missing and half of its tongue was cut off. I unsheathed my short sword and slash its neck with the blade. It's blood pours out the neck of the dead pony spraying the green grass with red. The pony falls down with a thud, never to come back up again. I continue running in an unknown direction. I sheathed the sword while my mind tried to think about the good things in life.
-[{(ooo)}]-
"Short Sword, Wake up! The changelings have invaded Canterlot again!" A loud voice disrupted my sleep.
"Who? What? Where?" I spin my head wildly around searching for any danger about to pounce on me.
There was no danger. I only heard the sounds of laughter and snorting as my friends pulled a prank on me. Served me right for dumping one of my unlucky friends into a pool full of cold water. He was so pissed after that. It started a prank war unfortunately and it only stopped after an accident in the kitchen that led to one of Princess Celestia's cakes to turn into a ball of flame.
-[{(ooo)}]-
Groan...
Raaaaagh...
Haaaww...
My brain snapped out of it before I rammed into a tree. I skidded to a stop before turning right. My hooves ache from all the running but I could not stop and take a rest. Last time I did that, I had to lose one of my friends for my life and the rest of us. Many of us broke down after that but we had to keep fighting.
Suddenly, an undead leaped from a bush. I didn't have time to pull out my sword as it tackled me to the ground. It's face was horrific. It's flesh was rotting and I could see its bones sticking out from its legs. I tried to push it's body away from me but the zombie seems to be stronger than me. I had to think of another way out of this before the horde comes in and kills me. I rocked my body left and right until I had the momentum to roll to my left. Being on top now, I could easily kill it.
I unsheathed my short sword with my mouth and stabbed it multiple times until its grip on me lessens. I could not bear to look at its face as I sheathed the sword and took off in another unknown direction.
-[{(ooo)}]-
"Hey team. We got a new assignment by Princess Celestia herself" Our captain Shield Breaker announced.
"Where is she sending us this time?" A cyan mare with a blue mane asked the squad leader. She's my sister named Seafarer. She was always interested in the sea and made ships out of cardboard and duct tape. Some of her ships would fall apart in water. The others were a success even though it fell apart after climbing aboard on it.
"I hope it isn't another one of those pie eating contests that we apparently needed to win" Ink Spill said emphasizing the word 'needed'.
"Oh quit it, Ink. You loved those pies and besides it was a surprise birthday party" I chuckled.
"Anyways, the Princess wants us to station ourselves in Ponyville. She wants us to escort the six element bearers living there to a dangerous magical field in some part of the Everfree Forest. If you sense anything hostile in the premises, be on guard. Signed, Princess Celestia" Shield placed the scroll on a nearby table.
"Dangerous magical field? Anything hostile? Ha! That's a piece of cake. I could do it with my eyes closed" Ink boasted.
"Oh shush you. When are we leaving?" A gold mare booped his snout. Ink Spill replied in a squeak.
"Right now actually. Let's get moving!"
-[{(ooo)}]-
Uuurrggh...
Groan...
Haaaagh...
The trees swayed gently in the wind as I sprinted through them. The horde is not giving up this time. The sun is going down soon and I won't have anything to light up in the forest. I jumped over a fallen log in my way and cleared it. I looked over my shoulder to see the horde engulf the log like a nothing. A few undead that were leading the horde tripped and fell on the grass breaking their necks. This made a cushion for any other undead that tripped over the log.
I ran for what felt like an eternity. I can feel my adrenaline lessen everytime I take one more step. I could not see clearly anywhere else than a few hooves in my way. This led to another encounter with an undead. It growled and swung its rotten hooves at me. I unsheath my sword and swung at it.
It lunged at me as I missed. I'm now on my back with an undead on me. The only thing between me and a row of sharp teeth is my fading adrenaline. With only a few seconds before the horde reaches me I kicked it with my hind legs and frantically searched for my sword.
I found it below a pile of leaves. I picked it up with my mouth, ignoring the dirt and leaves I didn't mean to grab, and sheathed it. I start running again then my legs buckle and I fell on the dirt. I felt tired and my eyes were closing by itself but I had to keep moving. If I could just wait until rescue arrives then everything will be the same again. Not this nightmare that I found myself in.
Will everything be the same? I always hoped it would be but it seems like it's not going to happen. These bastards took everything away from me. My friends and my only family. All it took was one bite and they all turned on me. Their coat turned into a darker color of itself and their eyes changed to white. It was traumatizing to snap one of my friend's necks or plunge my sword into their barrels. I couldn't stop crying.
Then the worst came in.
-[{(ooo)}]-
Nopony knew what happened. One moment it was peace and quiet, the next moment everything that was living died within minutes then turned into a rotting corpse that fed on living ponies. Multiple squads of the Day guard were stationed right at the edge of the forest while me and eight others escorted six mares into the forest.
I didn't even see what happened until our squad leader told us to run. All fifteen of us sprinted back to the entrance of the forest. All of us made it out. I made a headcount once we were behind the stationed guards.
Wait. Somepony wasn't here where there were supposed to be. I turned to face the forest and then I heard the most disturbing scream in my life.
"INKY!" The golden mare ran back into the forest. I tried to call her to come back here only to hear another one of those screams in response. The trees swayed and the wind was cold. All guards took position and readied their spears, bows and arrows, swords and magic shields at the forest. None of us were expecting ponies that ate and tore through flesh. It was a massacre that scared all of us.
Civilians were rescued either by the train or the carriages the pegasi carried to bring the Royal guard here. Buildings were on fire and the sky turned red. Blood sprayed the roads and walls of burnt buildings. If that wasn't enough, the undead ponies were mercilessly killing the living ones. The munching of flesh and slurping of entrails made me sick. I may have barfed twice now.
The remaining guards that stayed here were horrified at the scene. Some dropped their weapons in fear, most fought the undead and a few died because of the undead. After the final civilian was safely tucked away in either train or carriage. We were told to hold our position until rescue comes back.
Hours later, the royal guard was reduced to twenty four soldiers including me. We were getting pushed back slowly as the undead never seem to stay down unless we severe the head from the body or shoot them with a well placed arrow.
There some pressing issues now. The undead are swarming at us, surrounding us so we won't be able to go anywhere else. Soon we'll be dead like them. I turned my head to see Seafarer with a sad look on my face. If I don't do anything soon, all of my friends would die. What's left of my family would die. I made a brave face and slashed my sword to an undead's neck. I made it out of the circle of undead and most of the them looked at me with their dead eyes. I just needed to gather all of them to save my friends.
I ran back and forth getting just a few hooves away from the grasps of the undead as my friends escape. Seafarer shouting for me as I tried to round them all up. I ignored it as I kept running in circles. I looked back in the circle where I was supposed to be in. I widen my eyes in horror as the undead were still circling my friends. It didn't take long before I could hear them. Their blood curdling screams sent my entire brain on lock down. I saw something rise from inside the circle but my brain couldn't register anything but hopelessness.
A strong gust of wind knocked me on the ground. I scrambled to get back on my hooves. Everywhere I looked, there were undead walking or running towards me. The only way that wasn't filled with dead ponies was the Everfree forest and I took it.
-[{(ooo)}]-
I see a light at the end of this forest. I lost the undead and now I'm lost in here too. I move towards the light as I felt my adrenaline fade. The sun momentarily blinding my sight, I look all around me. I'm now standing at the edge of ravine. I heard something growl behind me and swiveled my head to search for it. The undead were coming out of the trees and had surrounded me making me step back until I could no longer step back. There was nothing I can do now. I'm going to die. It was inevitable.
As the undead walked to me, I saw my life flash before my eyes. For the first time in my whole life I felt afraid. I didn't want to die after all. I looked over my shoulder the ravine was deep. A stream of water was at the bottom of it but I doubt it would be enough to break my fall. I turned back at the undead ponies. I can see all of their faces. From their exposed ribs to their blood stained muzzles. From their unkempt mane and hungry expression.
I couldn't win this so I did what I could only do.
Before the undead could grab me, I backed up over the edge and fell. I can see some of them fall with me. Time seemed to slow down as I fell to my death. I remembered the time where I promised Seafarer that I would never leave her side until the end of time and she was so immensely happy about it.
We would draw, plan, sleep (even though it made some awkward memories) together. We were inseparable. I have never broken that promise in all my life and now I have and I regretted it. If I could change the past I would have stayed with her, desperately trying to push back the dead.
I feel the water coming closer and closer. I feel the wind flying by my mane and tail. I closed my eyes and accepted my death.
...
...
...
"I've got you, you've got nothing to worry about. Don't cry." Seafarer wipes his tears off his face with her hoof "It's gonna be alright. See? I saved you from the bad monsters" She pointed her hoof at the darkness at the corner of their room.
Short Sword buried his face into her chest still crying heavily. Seafarer wraps her wings around him further comforting him.
"Shh, it's okay. It's okay. I will always be there for you. I promise that" She nuzzled her cheek on his face as they both laid back down in bed. Shortly after, Short Sword started poking her feathers with his hooves. She giggled at the sight of this.
"You always seem to forget that I'm a pegasus and not an earth pony like you"