Chapters The Game: Aether and Mind
Prologue: Decisions and Goals
Awaken.
I don't know how much time has passed, but the voice, this agonizing, torturous sound boomed through my mind was what forced me to awaken from my peaceless slumber. A loud, ear-piercing beeping noise rang through my skull. I could do nothing but whine like a dog and roll around in agony as the music of torture burned painfully, it was like my mind was being shredded apart, countless images flashed before my very eyes, disappeared and then were brought back into irrelevancy. I grit my teeth, forced my eyes shut while tears began to form, and the salty liquid began to fall like rain. My eyelids weren't able to hold back the tears, and neither could they shut out the burning light that forced its way into my eye sockets. In one quick motion, I pried my hands away from the sides of my pounding head and prompted to shield them from this torture. The pain didn't stop, and such, I curled up in a ball, my limbs pressing hard against my body while letting the suffering wash over me. Despite the voice-only ranging for a moment, its power still echoed through my mind minutes later. I tried to bring out a thought, but my brain wouldn't let me, they were only aggravating the spiritual menace.
"Stop..." I rasped, my throat was remarkably dry, and so was my tongue, for a matter of fact, the very air was dusty that breathing itself was a chore beyond belief. I forced my breathing to slow down, gulping furiously between swallows of air and saliva. The pain was declining moments after those words had left my lips, a wave of relief and pleasure washed over me as I could finally hear my own thoughts again.
Open your eyes.
The voice rang through my skull again; this time, the pain was but a shadow of its former self, more of a daggers sting than a broadswords repetitive cleaving. My thoughts were broken in the middle of them, their very memory erased after they were halted. I ever so slowly pushed my hands away from my face, the cold instantly invaded the wet skin and draining all sensation from it. Shakingly, fearfully I opened my eyes, my vision the vision was blurred, for just a moment, and then what lay was revealed.
"AHHHH!!!" I let out a scream, one that shredded my throat, a surprise that I didn't vomit blood seconds later before my hands dug into some kind of powdery dust or sand and pulling me backward. My gaze was forcefully fixated onto the visage of a nightmarish monster, its teeth as long as pencils and sharp like a dagger. My eyes wouldn't dare to blink and awaited some kind of reaction while the image grew smaller by the second. Two large eye sockets with purple pears, gleaming with a dark shimmer, a frightening aura radiating from those soul gates, gazed into my very being, while it was hidden some kind of tar-like coating. My eyes weren't able to wander much, but my mind took everything in, including the two great horns that protrude from the sides of its skull and the heavy armor it wore.
I jerked violently as I heard a yelp, it was my own, from the sudden cold touch against my back. I had hit a wall, cornered by the beast, and then, my eyes widened in utter shock when I realized the full volume of the situations. The creature I saw in front of me, with its great armor so heavy that it would be impossible to be worn by an average human, was impaled by lances made of some kind of white material that had seemingly burst out of the stone floor.
"What the fuck...?" I muttered in absolute terror as all my emotions were drained from me, stolen away by the horrors surrounding me. I was in some kind of chamber, one that was presumably left untouched for a very long time by the looks of it. I could make out several more of corpses, more than half of them looked identical, while the other was a mix of various creatures from mythology, all framed in posses and expressions of agony. A bipedal dragon, and a giant humanoid crab, the rest of them were all covered in too much armor to have their race made out.
With my mouth open agape slightly, my teary eyes that have just barely dried, looked at the room I was in, piles of dust and corpses surrounded me as if I was partaking in some kind of necrotic ritual. My eyes slowly wandered up in hopes of seeing the sky, but I was only met with glowing, pulsating crystals embedded in the ceiling, with a large white circle hovering in the air, stopping a pillar of pure light. Pillar? It was true, there was some kind of beam of pure white light in the middle of the chamber.
"What is that?" I asked while my gaze was drawn to the core of the laser, a floating and in, form-, shape-, intensity-, and color-changing sphere. I cannot explain it, but it somehow radiated something I can't put in words, it was so natural, pure even, that I could not do anything but admire it. I don't know why I felt drawn to it like a moth to the flame, for some reason, I saw something inside the weird orb, just a moment long, before in vanished, a voice or image perhaps, I cannot remember. I groaned silently while attempting to rise, only to stumble and fall forward. With a grunt, I landed painlessly on an unusually large pile of dust, showering the space between me and the light in a veil of ash. I coughed violently while swatting away the airborne sand while my other limbs supporting my body, the cold stone floor, was less than comfortable.
My movements halted in a heartbeat when my actions have caused a hole in the cloud, it was the door. My breath quivered with absolute shock as all hope was drained from me, and I found why this place was left untouched for so long. The exit from this dreadful place was a metal gate, over thrice my size tall and by the looks of it so heavy that required at the very least ten men to pry it open. I was trapped in here, would this be my grave? I wondered for a moment while my gaze did not differ from the grand gate.
Grasp your destiny.
This message I barely noticed at first slowly entered my mind, it was so different, there was no agony, no pain or suffering, in it or me, but instead was more like heartfelt advice. The message's aftersound was like a soft tune, a melody or song on its own right. I can't explain it, but there was a deep, primal urge within me, that I had never known before that begged me to touch the sphere. As if I was suddenly granted new power, my body rose from the dusty ground smoothly with no previous soreness or pain.
I felt nothing, but the coldness invading my very being, thick clothes helped little to warm my skinny form, but I sensed nothing as my attention as a whole was focused on my new objective. I wobbly stumped forwards, almost falling again, but managed to catch myself in the last moment and walked further. The closer I came, the clearer it became that the voices I heard weren't just imagination, but I couldn't understand what they were saying but their meaning I understood: Continue. The orb that floated peacefully became larger and larger as my way shortened, more beautiful, and mesmerizing in a way I couldn't pry my thoughts away from being solely dedicated to appreciating its magnificence. The music that wished me to only hear it suddenly changed origins and was now on my left side.
My soothed eyes became clearer for just a moment, as I came to notice some kind of control panel made out of steel and floating crystals, half of it was broken off and scattered across the floor. The realization of the connection between it and the door worried me, not much for an unexplained reason. Through what lay behind, it caught my interest even more so than the phenomenon of colors itself. A giant knight in white and scarlet armor rested against a cracked wall with a massive hole behind it, a shattered shield, a broken sword, and a vial with a blue liquid inside rested next to him and the puddle of blood underneath the metal giant. I watched in confusion as a yellow smoke was leaking out of his helmet, but a second later, it stopped, and the room became a little bit colder.
I shook my head and turned my attention back to the center of the room, hoping that whatever happened to these beasts would not be my fate as well. My footstep rung louder than before as I approached the holographic disco ball as there was no dust anywhere near it, the only object in my path was yet another knight, a giant that dwarfed the scarlet one with his enormous black and spiked armor. I walked around the corpse, the aura it gave off made me tense up and struck fear into me that even made having a gun barrel pointed at my face seem harmless.
I swallowed my dry saliva and finally reached my destination, and the sphere took notice of my arrival. The music softened, allowing me to think about more than just it. What was this place? How did I get here? What happened? I wondered with much confusion, the memory was there, it laid on my tongue, but I just couldn't grasp it before it vanished yet again. The orb suddenly glowed and blinked, the contrast between those two was barely noticeable, and the reason for it was only known by the weird object itself. I jumped back as my eyes were suddenly dominated by a great light blue wall, I was about to flee, only to realize that there was nowhere to go, and thus dared to look closer, and saw...
Are you ready to merge? Yes/No?
As if a mirror had been shattered, the veil of comfort was all of a sudden lifted, and I could see clearly again. My blood began to boil, and my heart rate skyrocketed as I could my anger grow, and my fists bulge. This Thing had stolen me away; I was just about to head home before it kidnaped me!
"Who are you!?" I asked wearily while lifting my fists as I slowly walked backward. The sphere seemed to be surprised by my reaction, and yet, it didn't answer, just looking down at me. "Answer me, where am I, and what do you want!" I was absorbed by an anomaly, I didn't care if I was shouting at a deity or demon at the moment, answers were all I desired.
You wish for me to verbally communicate with you? It asked, it wasn't like the one before, there were no real emotions in its voice, it sounded more like a machine trying to interpret human speech, and it did a damn good job at it, so much so that it made me wonder if it wasn't alive.
"Y-yes, who are you?" I asked, surprised to hear when I didn't feel any hostility from it, just childlike confusion. "Why did you bring me here?"
Greetings, I am the Grand Aether Manipulator and Extractor, short: GAME. It is a pleasure to finally have found a user after my activation long ago, though I am sad to inform you that I did not summon you here. Entity Narious, status: deceased, had brought you here. The sphere spoke, lightning up whenever its calm voice spoke.
I lowered my guard and was about to ask who this Naious was and why he had taken me when a beam of light was fired from the sphere at the scarlet knight. I nearly jump fearfully away from the laser, gracing my side. I knew everything sounded insane, nothing made sense anymore, but for some unknown reason, I was calm in a situation where anyone else would've screamed.
I am unaware why he committed such deed, though I can only assume he wished for someone to become my host given that he used all of his remaining energy to summon a being: you. I turned back towards the voice and stared at it in surprise. Although our connection has not been formed yet, your weak mind is easily accessible, seeing that it never had come in touch with large quantities of Aether energy before now.
"S-S-stay out of my head, you hear me?!" I shouted at the colorful orb, its colors dimmed upon hearing my uproar and its changing of form slowed down, for some reason, I felt sorry. "Sorry, this-this is just too much to take right now," I spoke while holding my left hand against my forehead, feeling the intense heat from it, as if I had caught a fever. After a few moments of recollecting, in which the other entity patiently waited, I asked again. "I... am sorry, but I don't want to become your host, or whatever you're talking about, I just wish to go home. Please, just send me back." I answered while letting out a sigh, perhaps it was dumb to just straight up deny the thing in front of me, but I just was so tired beyond belief.
The sphere froze still for a moment, perhaps out of shock, worry or disappointed, I didn't know, though it suddenly burst back into life. I am unable to do fulfill your request, the location you wish to be brought to is too unstable to be traveled to at the moment
"What?" I asked in surprise, the sudden hectic reply and stared at it in confusion and worry. This creature was my only hope to get home, or at the very least out of this room, my whole life depended on this beings help as there was no way in hell I could get out of here on my own. "That's not a problem, I can wait, when is it stable enough?" I asked while I felt cold dread spreading across my back.
Never. My jaw dropped, and I could feel all my emotions being drained away. When entity Narious had summed you to this position, he created a large hole in the layer of worlds or fabric of reality as your kind calls it. At this moment, for your world's standards, gigantic quantities of Aether are currently flowing into your world and are dragging it closer to this realm of existence.
"W-What happens to earth if those two meet?" I asked, my legs were shaking, and my voice quivered with fear, adrenalin rushed through my veins as my heartbeat so strong against my ribcage that it hurt.
Total annihilation.
"No... no, you're lying, you must!" I shouted at the orb and took a step backward. It must be lying, just a cruel attempt to make me stay and play into its nonexisting hands, that must be it.
I am unable to lie to potential and current users, although I am able not to answer a request, withhold information if one of my restrictions demands it, or I simply don't know, lying, I cannot. It spoke calmy, while its ever-changing form slowed down as the color-changing did.
At this moment, my legs gave in, and I fell to my knees, I wanted to deny it, believe that this creature was lying to me in hopes to make me do what it wanted, but I couldn't feel the lie, its words were genuine. I have talked to many contractors and called out their dirt, but this was as true as it could be.
I felt my jaw clenched, but I forcefully tore it open with all my strength and spoke out my thoughts, all my hopes."If I become your host, would I be able to save it, or at the very least, my sister?" I asked slowly as my eyes were locked onto the floor, watching the giant corpse of the beast that came before me with only an emptiness growing inside of me.
Possitive, though the process of acquiring so much power may take a long time The voice spoke and watched me with caution and interest, I cannot fathom how I knew it, but I somehow could feel it just as well as it did me.
"I accept becoming your host if I can save Amber. I don't care what nightmares I have to go through if it means saving her, and perhaps the rest, those are my demands." I said as I rose to my feet and looked at the sphere with a hardened expression. I have perhaps signed myself up to a long-lasting visit to hell, but if there was one thing I knew, then that the devil always keeps up their deal, he just would sour the life of the one who signed his contract, and that I could live with. Some may call me insane for not asking to hear the fine prints or the orbs reasoning for wanting a host, but to be honest, the very fact that it agreed to my request, after seeing my hopeless situation as well as the powers it already wielded over me, there was nothing it couldn't do to me if I had not agreed to the deal.
The orb blinked up once, and all powers practically radiated as it answered me.Affirmative, The host has agreed to the request. Starting the modification process now. Please remain calm.
I slowly nodded, listening to the instruction that it gave me and took a deep breath. My eyes widened at the sight of seeing strands of energy in every color slowly part from the miniature rainbow sun and reach towards me softly and elegantly. I cannot fathom why I put so much trusted the GAME, many times more faith did I put in it than any goody two shoe contractor I have ever met before, perhaps it was desperation or even manipulation of my thoughts, but I could care less. I took a few steps forward to close the distance of the holographic vines and watched in awe as the GAME the slowly entangled me, not restrain me, but to simply gain a grip of my form. It wasn't like strings or spider webs that tangled themselves on me, it felt more like rays of sunlight, soothingly warming my skin. Some of the light limbs touched my chest and sunk into it, a fuzzy and warm feeling began to grow, taking away all previous worry as I witnessed the orb slowly gravitate towards me and eventually, phase into my chest.
The feeling was incredible, it wasn't like standing in the warm light of the sun, or even an orgasm, it felt like having reached constant joy, happiness, and fulfillment, but still leaving room for free thoughts, worry, and little fear and concern, was this inner peace perhaps? Once all the stands of light, along with their origin, have merged with my being, I felt all sensation leave me, my body became suddenly so light, and my vision began to brighten up before I was swallowed by a pure white and empty realm.
I lost consciousness yet again, but this time, I was happily accepting that fact.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Prologue: 'Character Creation'
Author's Note
Please don't be shocked by the large word count of this Chapter that is about 'Character Creation.'
This Chapter is solely dedicated to John's personal feelings about the situation he has fallen into aswell as the discomfort he experiencing while dealing with the entirely new and alien tasks to chose certain aspects of his new body. For a simple man with no previous grand desires or choices given in life, to now have to make permanent decisions that could very much so influence his life and goals, would make this the first big step and challenge on his journey.
Prologue: 'Character Creation'
I did not expect what happened shortly after, there really is no other way to describe it, perhaps it was just because everything that was happening was clouding my judgment, like the cocktail of bad mixed emotions that was brewing inside of me, making me want to vomit, or the constant shock that I was living through, but those were simply speculations about my lack of words. Other than that, everything was just peachy.
Not long after the GAME, or should I be just calling him Game, perhaps give him a real name? I digress. After Game here 'merged' with me, I lost conscience yet again and woke up to this, though, at the moment of euphoria I was living, it didn't seem to bother me, but at that time I also was completely unaware of what he exactly would do to me. No, the seemingly celestial being didn't back out of our deal or put me through endless torture, his action was actually very much so lovely sight for sore eyes. Whatever he has done allowed me to have a moment of peace and made me overthink the last event, sadly only for a short amount of time, as thinking was a bad idea.
The Game didn't put me on ice for a long time by the looks of it, as when I awoke, I saw nothing, but a pure white realm, no fluffy clouds or flying angels mind you, just vast emptiness with one detail painfully sticking out. There was yet another floating text box with 'Modification in process, please be patient' written on it. You might think this to be a forthcoming note after waking up, but if you take into account that for me, it was literally just a second that passed as if a switch has been flipped from being touched by light to being stranded literally nowhere, you might understand my confusion. I was not given a second to think about the possibility of it just ripping me off or it having stolen my body, as it was then I realized that I was bodyless.
The moment I looked down, I saw nothing, right-left and up showed nothing either, and the fact that I couldn't even feel anything made it all the worse. The realization of no longer breathing was unpleasant, my instinct kicked in and screamed at me to breathe, but there wasn't a mouth to open anymore, my heart didn't act upon my senses, and no adrenalin was there to calm me down. The lack of everything that made me feel alive, this depending and dulling experience, tormented me as if I had been turned to stone. Frozen still, I was forced to endure the horror. Seconds? Minutes? Hours? I don't know how much passed as there was no way to identify the flow of time, but I eventually calmed down, but it helped my nerves little as now dark thoughts crept in.
What did that bastard do to me?! Oh sure, at first its the whole sweet talk bullshit before you walk up in some ditch in Mexico without money or wallet. What did that thing even do, did it just body-nap me? It's probably currently walking through whatever is lying outside the big ass door with a massive grin on my face thinking how easily it ripped me off. Did I perhaps free some kind of great evil that was locked away, and I just helped it out? It would explain all those corpses. Man, I'm such an idiot, haven't I watched enough movies to know that you should not trust a freaking anomaly?!
I would've gritted my teeth in anger at everything, including myself, if I could at the very least, but it was then that the text box disappeared, crumbling away into shard that then turned to slowly vanishing particles. Out of the now free space, the 'air' slowly turned a vortex through which an all familiar non-carbon based lifeform came out, the small anomaly closing behind it shortly later.
Greetings Boss. There was no reaction that I felt when he suddenly appeared, not shock or surprise, neither physically or mentally. Modifications have been completed, though I am sorry to inform you that your physical form was not able to withstand the strain. It informed me with neutrality.
Not withstand the strain?, there was nothing that surprised me, although it clearly should have, and as such, I asked with curiosity. "What do you mean with that? What happened exactly?" Please don't tell me what I think you're going to say...
When I attempted to create and or implement the following Ethereal Organs: Soul Space, Mind Space, Aether Heart (Me), Magic Core, and the complementary Primordial Lines and Primordial Nodes, your body was not able to withstand the power and thus was destroyed, or more precisely, burst apart. Its voice, I don't know what it did to me, but I could feel something growing inside of me, and it was nothing nice. Whatever was calming me down failed.
"You fucking twat killed me?!" I screamed, I may not have a mouth, but I knew that thing was reading my mind, and given the way it shrunk when it heard my thought, it must've at the very least understood my irritation. "Of course, my body wouldn't have survived it if you planted a second heart in it, not even mentioning all the other things you stuffed me with like a damn thanksgiving turkey!"
...
Have you calmed down? it asked slowly. This comment almost ignited my anger again, but that thing must've had a pretty damn good reason if it wanted a host this bad and still blow me up. The chances of your physical form surviving the process were slim from the beginning of the procedure, had it succeeded then there wouldn't be any complications.
"But why didn't you just tell me all of that from the beginning?" I asked the anger was leaving me far too fast for my standard, but acting upon it wouldn't do me any good, I have already put too much distrust and anger into the being probably keeping me alive right now.
You didn't ask. Are you kidding me?! I have looked through your memories to further understand you, user John Weaver and come to the conclusion that you wish more than a simple answer as you seem to have little understanding of the purpose and power of Aether. Answer me this, what would you have chosen if I warned you of the dangers in advanced?
I remained silent, the game only replying with a single grey blink.
Should you have refused and acted based upon mortal instinct, you would've died in my chamber in a matter of days. Then we would communicate with one another here anyways I looked down already feeling kind of stupid and somewhat ashamed, not for mistrusting it, but instead not trusting it as much as it deserved at the moment. Please be aware of the fact that I wish no ill upon you, my duty is to ensure your growth and survival. To ensure you would not decease during the operation, I extracted your spiritual form and stored you in myself during the procedure as you would otherwise be dead, and I hostless.
"But, you are aware that... you've blown up the host, so to say." I slowly said, unsure if I sounded like a complete idiot to the supernatural being or not, what it thought about me was beyond me, waiting in some dusty chamber for god knows how long only to see a naked monkey with no clue about the very basics while, people or the hell those abominations were, with tons of experience died all around it.
You are misunderstanding the term host and the way I am using it. I am not a parasite, and although we share a symbiotic relationship, I am no symbiotic creature in the way you might think. I am only able to manifest in the mental and spiritual space, while you, with my help, can take control of a physical form, and as such, nothing of great value has been lost. The Game blinked rapidly while explaining this to me, I did not understand what it really meant, was it perhaps like some kind of gesture or something like that?
Wait, did that thing just said me straight in the whatever-I-am-looking-through-right-now that my body was not much of a loss when it blew it up? That... That actually hurt, and to think that this was the way the first conversation between humans and aliens would go... Wait, I'm the first human to talk to an alien right now, and I didn't even realize it yet!
I am no alien, you are not originating from my plane of existence. Ohh, right...
"But wait a moment, what do you mean with taking control? You're not just going to steal the body of someone and then get rid of them like trash, are you?" I asked, as convenient it would be to just suddenly become some king or president, I just could not bring myself to do that, ruining someone's life ain't something I could live with, hell, I am barely able to pick up pennies I find at a shop.
If Master wishes, you could add specific conditions to the host search to find a body able to withstand the power of pure Aether. The Sphere lighted up in yellow, blue, and green. With this statement, it had gained a lot of my trust, it didn't mean I would put my life in its hands, metaphorically as it already did that literally, but seeing as we were hanging on the same threat, it risked a lot just to listen to my demands.
"I want a nobody, someone no one would expect to be anything special, An individual that would not miss being alive or has anything worth living for to himself or others." I said, him or her, please let it be a guy I don't want to have to live with periods, to be a no one first as I put my survival in front of that of the person I would take over. One person would die anyway, as much as it pained me to think that I was at the very least honest with myself and the game. I had no intention for the game and me to join that note of death.
Affirmative, configurations have been added to the search. Please select one of the three worlds. Please note that these worlds are the only ones close enough to this plane of existence while still having a population of creatures able to sustain the great strain of the modifications.
[Krrag'nugk] [Slane] [Equus]
If I could, and by all goodness in the World, I would, then I'd lift both of my eyebrows at the sheer stupidity of these names. Also, who chose these names? The first one sounded like some Irish drunk choking on a chicken wing, the next one might as well be the title of some edgy teen rock band, and the last one was just the word 'equine' pressed into a name.
"So... is there like some kind of brochure or-?" I began to ask, slowly even as again, I had no idea if I was not buying the probably simple goods he was selling me.
Picking a world once will show you a short description, a second and third choice will be required to move onto the next step. I couldn't even finish my question before he answered, I just wished customer service worked as fast as he did.
"Sure..." I muttered, before realizing that I had no idea how to actually do this, so I tried a verbal command. "Kr-. Kra-. Kr-r-a-a-a, oh screw this, I pick the first one once." I shouldn't be impatient and all that, but putting the whole situation into account, then please don't have a heart attack over me having a trigger finger... Talking to your self in your own thoughts become so much less weird, and at the same time uncomfortable, if there is a telepath in front of you. The Game blinked once. Yes, I'm talking about you.
Krrag'nugk
This world is an incredible dangerous wasteland of sand and rock in which powerful monsters roam free, some of these beasts have been collecting and honing their power over Aether and magic for many millennia. The planet is also populated by the Shi'gan and Hap'nut, two warrior races that have been brutally fighting with one another for over ten thousand years over the scare resources available.
And that going to be a big fat no, I have no interest to die in some space fallout nightmare that decided giant mutants weren't enough. Sure, the creatures have no doubt great ways to survive, and given the fact that the Game just told me that I became more powerful with killing stuff, I could reach my goal much faster. It was a huge risk and reward situation, but I had no interest in dying by being stomped on or have my throat slit in my sleep. Next one!
Slane
Unlicked Krrag'nugk, Slain is quiet the opposite- Uhh~ -in the few good things it has. aww... Slane is a world that is brimming with much vibrant life of both plants and animals and is in its most basic form a paradise nearly untouched by all sentient lifeforms. The world does not possess species, only small packs or hives of a certain mutated creature called 'Shane.' The creatures on this world constantly change and evolve, the most powerful and oldest ones have been collecting power for millions of years. They are eagerly waiting for another creature to reach a certain threshold of power for them to slay and thus enable their next evolution.
Yes, I see the Games point, Shane is much, much worse than the first one that I can't speak out. Number one would allow for an incredibly hard start, but if I were to play my cards right, then I could use the most likely tribal system of theirs to make me really popular among the natives and basically build a wall of bodies around me. In other words, a hard beginning but an easy once I become powerful enough not to go down with a single punch.
Slane, on the other hand, is, as previously mentioned, the opposite. I could easily evade the dumb animals using my, for mortal standards, and not disco ball standards, high intelligence to survive and gain strength really easily and quickly. The problem was the risk of dying at the end by eon old beasts who quite literally are longing for my power. The very fact that these monsters have the same ability as I, even in a weaker form, hopefully, still gives them more reasons to kill me and makes them unpredictable. In other words, number three, don't fail me, I'm too young to die twice... or is it thrice now?
Equus (Recommended choice)
Equss is a peaceful world that has been saturated by the powers of Aether while balancing on a thin threat between staying at its current position and colliding with this realm. Although there are great monsters in this world, most of them are either locked away or far away from civilization. Most creatures in this world are sentient, while the most dominant is the pony race that is guided and protected by an immortal being who moves sun and moon. It is worth mentioning that the majority of the pony race is not welcoming of other creatures, but has the highest chance for survival.
I believe I have found my pick. The first and second one simply promise death, sooner or later, while this one sounds like some Disney movie world. The fact that they are ponies, or that I will most likely be a pony in the future, is a painful thought, I will not lie. Being some kind of animal, even if it's smart, is not something I am looking forward too, but I rather choose that than risking my hide, humility for safety, or whatever that one company slogan was.
"Wait, I just remembered something. You told me I get stronger by killing other creatures, but wouldn't that imply that I have to go around and murder these Ponies? Do they even look like ponies, or is that just a name?" I asked I had no interest to become a mass murderer, I loved my sister, but I wouldn't murder children to get closer to her.
Negative. The reason for choosing a world is not to harvest it, but to find a suiting body, as well as a resting place. Yes, the pony race, like the name implies, is made out of pony and pony-like creatures. The power of this realm we are currently located at is far too powerful to be exposed to for too long. We gather power by slaying creatures, correct, and you may even siphon the power from the mortal creatures, but it is highly inefficient. It is advisable not to gather much attention and instead focus on slaying the monsters of the nightmare realm who are saturated by the Aether, driven insane, or are manifestations of its power fused together with psychic energy.
"And I won't go insane, right?"
Affirmative
"Okay." I nodded, or rather just looked up and down as I don't have a head anymore, not that I am still angry or anything, no, absolutely not. "I choose Equus Once, twice, and a third time."
The world has been selected. Please choose a race. Species are ordered after my opinion, where the one on the far left is most advisable, and the one on the far right is unadvisable to choose from. It is also mentioned that the races listed are those that have the highest psychic energy surrounding them and fit your beforehand specified criteria, there may still be more.
"Psychic energy?"
The energy required to sustain your form in me not infinite; should you not chose quicker, I will be forced to make that decision for you as otherwise, it would result in the death of both of us.
"Right, sorry." I quickly replied, there was a time and a place, having a death clock above you isn't either of those previously mentioned criteria for discussions.
Please chose a race.
[Pony] [Dragon] [Minotaur] [Griffon] [Water serpent] [Diamond Dog] [Yeti]
Oh, dear fucking god, what did I sign myself up for... No time to drown in despair right now, there is always a later. Yeti and Diamond's dogs already sound like a problem, given that the first one probably lives in a frozen wasteland wich just invites death and not wanting to be some kind of shepherd dog or chihuahua is self-explaining. Water serpent sounded like creatures you would find in the ocean, but given the fact that I know practically nothing about it other than the saying that there is always a bigger fish, I'm going with a no. Griffon? As is the one from the myths? Why is it so far down? From what I know, it's supposed to be a mighty creature, isn't it?
The griffon's legendary power is sadly little match compared to the strength other creatures impose, it is also worth pointing out that the mortality rate of this race is incredibly high, caused by what seems to be a crumbling country. I'd like to mention that my ability to observe the inhabitants of this world is linked to how much they believe in said fact. Errors may occur.
Okay, I can see the pros, and they are by far not outmatching those of the cons. Next, there was the Minotaur.
Monotaur are creatures with incredible strength and prowess, and in times long gone, they were frightening warriors. After the fall of their clans, only small factions remained while the majority has fleed their homeland. Although they are alone, the work of a minotaur is most often very welcome as their craftsmen ship is legendary to the point that it nearly evens out the lack of natural Aether control. However, it can be acquired at a later point in time, but it will be severely more laborious.
That sounds really promising, and from what I know, I can keep some parts of being human, even if it comes for the price of looking like Frankenstein's creation. Still, Minotaur seems like the right choice. Now, tell me about the dragons.
Dragons are mighty creatures that have high potential once they reach adulthood. Their resistance and control of Aether are remarkable for mortal standards, though it is much harder for them to grow in strength beyond those of muscle mass. They are less intelligent creatures who are driven by their instincts like greed, and it can take several hundreds of years for them to reach adulthood, those few variations that d mature faster sadly posses a short live span.
I have no idea why you prefer that one over the Minotaur. I mean, sure it sounds compelling and all that, but for me, it seems like the fastest way to have a 'legendary knight' visit my cave. That is a big fat no for me. Please show me the last one.
Affirmative, please select a pony tribe.
...What?
[Unicorn] [Pegasus] [Earth Pony] [Hippogriff] [Thestral] [Changeling]
"Why did you color them?" I asked with confusion, it was unlikely to do it just for fun. Do I even have to ask for anything anymore, or should I just think about anything and wait for an answer if the game was already reading my mind anyway?
The options of Changeling and Thestral are subraces, lesser races or unknown in the eyes of ponies, they are likely to be met with hostility or outright violence. I am also not able to encrypt their thoughts as their minds seem to be hardened, and under complete control, lack of knowledge can mean death. The hippogriffs are barely emitting any psionic energy, although they don't seem to be met with hostility, they seem to be very much so displeased with pony kind. Earth Ponies are the labor force of the ponies and are not seen with much respect to the point that most of them are either not educated or have a well earning job outside of farming. Although their physical strength and resistance are admirable, the arts to learn them have been long forgotten. Pegasi are an excellent choice as they are often admired for their ability to fly and are responsible for the management for the wheater, thus often receiving much respect. Unicorn is the optimal choice as they have the highest control and resistance of Aether or the watered-down form they refer to as magic. Most of their tribes are living well and receive an excellent education, which can lead to a fast improvement in all categories.
Ouch... That fucking hurt... Apparently, it isn't talking to me, it is just pumping the information into my brain, and that was really painful. Okay, I get it. First three on the left are a no, I am not picking anything that I have no idea about, Earth Pony sounds like the life for someone who does not have a colossal task strapped onto his back. Pegasus seems nice at with the whole flying stuff, but Unicorn had the ability to control Aether, the very thing I needed to somehow save my sister- how the hell am I even supposed to do that?
Please hurry, time is running out at an excessive speed.
Oh, it had reread my thought, but it was right. Unicorn or Minotaur, the later sounded like the better choice, but I cannot forget that ponies are apparently the humans of their world, and unicorns were the best choice it seemed like. But hands... No, I'm making the right choice now. "I'm choosing the Unicorn."
Understood. Please be aware that you are unable to choose the look of your new body as you are not creating your own form. Though it is important to point out that the power of Aether under our control will eventually lead to physical changes.
"Okay, and that means what?" I asked the information that less choice was put upon me was, despite the possibility of looking like one of those show ponies, so relieving. This whole thing about choosing and everything felt like I was making every wrong call, well, maybe I was, and now I am currently ruining my entire life somehow, the hell do I know at this point.
It means that the power of Aether will empower your form, though it will sooner or later lead to appearance changes like height or coloration... I have found only two ponies who fit your criteria, one choice is clearly superior to the other so I would like to inform you about it... I must apologize; the opinion I was about to inform you about has just perished, though, on a bright side, it seemed like your new form does allow you to chose coloration at the very least.
Pleae select coloration of coat, mane, and eyes. Please note that these options are not permanent, but are likely to remain for a certain amount of time.
"What?" I was about to ask what the game meant before the memory about the rapidly shrinking time limit reawoke shortly after the colorful Sphere blinked once brightly. "Okay, fine, j-just, let me think." I thought with haste, I had no idea about ponies other than all the stuff my sister used to tell me about as a child. "O-okay, I-I ehm, damn is this hard, I take a light grey coat, silver mane and ehm, ehm damn It, I just listed off the details of Amber's favorite childhood toy. Urgh, fine, I go all the way then, deep navy blue eyes!" I shuddered inwardly at the thought of looking like a children's toy, literally like the Mr gray hay horse figurine, but at the very least I didn't choose pink in my rambling
nearly all choices that are available at the moment have been made. Please note that classes will be picked at a later time as the new body will be unable to absorb the powers anyways, as well as we are unaware of the inner working of the world we are about to enter. Making any hasty decisions should be avoided at all costs.
That seemed like a smart idea, and my opinion admittedly. It also had nothing to do with the fact that my brain was burning right now. I am not a decision-maker; otherwise, I would work in an office, instead of on the street. All of this is so new to me, and I am betting that the Game is just keeping me extremely calm and collective to make these choices.
The last remaining decision is optional and was implemented by my creator. You can choose to receive a random flawed trait; in return, you'll receive a perk. Please note that although the flaws can be undone after a certain time or power threshold has been reached, they can harden the beginning.
Okay, this seemed like a bizarre situation to be in. I played games before, and one of them had this very system, so I was aware of how powerful and yet dangerous this was. Once I had a character that had so little luck he couldn't beat the lowest level enemies while my second account was borderline overpowered to the point certain perks had to be nerves... but this was real life, I could die here, but the reward was too good to just pass up...
"Fine, I will play your slot machine once," I informed the game, who began to rapidly blink, speeding up to the point someone with epilepsy might've received a seizure. After a few moments after turning into a real disco ball, it slowed down before blinking once in purple. Its voice also became dull, almost grey as if it turned into a real machine.
Trait gained [Unatractive] Although some of your kind see you as beautiful, they will have no interest in having any kind of romantic or sexual relationship with you. The Charisma stat is reduced by 10%
Perk gained [Lucky Charm] You are more likely to find treasures in the artificially created challenge, training, and proving grounds.
?
In what way was that a 'Flawed trait'? That was fricking awesome! I have no interest in these animals anyways, so them not having any interest in me is a blessing, not even mentioning the perk, this sounded like I was... in... a... Game... Right, my life is a game now; it seems like, but the perk is still awesome! Should I try it again? Most likely not, b-u-u-u-t, one more try can't hurt, right?
Trat gained Asexual You are unable to have any sexual interest in any other being. The Charisma Stat is reduced by 10%
Perk gained Aether blessing
Okay, the second one sounds incredibly impressive, and the pay off is practically nothing. That's it, I'm happy, and I am stopping right here and right now-
The traits [Unactractive] and [Asexual] complement each other and thus become a new flaw. Flaw created [Different] Without having any love for anyone and none of them for you, you are likely to be seen as weird. Other creatures are less likely to want anything to do with you. Ponies are incredibly social animals, and thus you are ignored or seen as suspicious. The Charisma Stat is reduced by 30%
Okay, this-I can work with that. I mean, it sure sounds awful, but hey, at least they'll leave me alone, right? I mean, I'm a nobody, or rather will be, so what will they care about, right?
...
"Why are you so silent?"
The chosen host already possesses a flaw and thus will be added to your flawed trait list. [Weak] Your body is weak and feeble from birth on. Health, Stamina, and Health regeneration have been halved. Benevolent creatures are likely to either pity you or chose to help you in times of need.
For receiving another flawed trait, you received another Perk [Former Human] Although Humans have little ability in Aether, They have the potential to achieve excellent control and resourcefulness if given a chance. Aether can be assimilation, and modification has been enhanced, allowing for a 25% increase in Aether gain.
"Oh, this is really bad... no, I take it back; this is pure shite! Game, what the hell has happened?" I shouted, I didn't care if it was in my mind or out of an actual mouth, he could hear it anyways. What did he talk about earlier again? Both of ourselves is on the line? Has he become suicidal, or was this all just a game now?!
I am sorry, I am forced to follow specific rules and restrictions that were given to me by my creator. I am unable to restrain these commands, and I am sorry, but I cannot control it. It spoke, and I could only brace myself for the next thing that was about to happen.
The traits [Different] and [Weak] complement each other. The Trait [Differen] has been transformed into a new Flaw, while [Weak] will remain. [Outcast] You are physically weak and don't fit into the life of a pony. Not only will the effects of [Different] be forced upon you, you will not be able to have any senses of pony, as well as instincts that define your new species. You will remain with human instincts and are unlikely to act like a real pony, other members of your kind will take notice of that and are unlikely to want to befriend you. The Charisma Stat is halved
... Ouch...
I am deeply sorry for not haven looked into the body's energy, but I was very much so sure that further limitations would not be attached to us. We sadly don't have enough power to search for a new physical form, and the decision of the Traits and Perks are final. I apologize for my failure. The Game's colors slowly dulled, almost taking a gray tone, it must've felt like it failed its one purpose that it was made for.
"No, it's..." I tried to force out something, I was unaware of what exactly I was going to say, but all I knew was that it probably would sound dumb anyways. "Don't sweat, I'm sure we'll get though anyways, besides, I was the one dumb enough to roll the dice twice before." The Game's colors slowly brightened up, and despite everything that I have seen and heard since that Narious bastard stole me away, the only friend and ally I had was the Game. "Ready, partner?" I almost chocked when those words came out of me, I had nothing against it, mostly, but I am seriously not used to being nice to people outside of the family.
I appreciate your understanding and generosity, 'Partner.' The configurations have all been completed, starting spiritual translocation... Now. I watched with great interest as the Game came closer and closer to me and then sunk into me, yet again, but this time it was different. The first time I was overwhelmed by relaxation and inner peace, but now all my emotions were drained away, forcing me to a level of calmness I never felt before.
What was it doing? The answer to that question was answered not long after, as the realms around us cracked and shattered away, now leaving behind an ocean of colors, but unlike the gas and wave-like rays of the Game, these seemed like weaves of colors of astronomical size with uncountable miniature holes through which just as many white, transparent streams flowed, while a dark gas flowed out and passed us. I turned around, and to my surprise, I was able to do so, even when it was slow and tedious, but what I saw, I cannot ever forget.
A titanic orb of dark smoke, rumbling and shaking, reforming unnaturally and breaking apart in a matter of seconds while dark purple energy glowed around the sphere and lilac lines and cracks, dots and lines covered the whole construction. Despite the calmness, I was paralyzed with fear, and that was not to underestimate. There once was an anomaly that resembled a tine black smoke sphere the size of a golfball, floating stationary above the air, and vanished only hours later. All life, animal, and plant, withered away in seconds, the radius was so large in fact that it wiped out nearly all of North Korea's population. But this, I cannot put it in words, I just somehow knew that this thing made the very sun seem like rice corn in comparison. The fear was breaking through the work of the Game, the fear of dying that invaded my mind was replaced with the phantom feeling of death, and I could draw in my mind how I was slowly crumbling away to dust. Alone and forgotten in a dying world.
Before any more of the torment was able to gnarl on me, my vision was forcefully turned back into its original position. My vision blurring and almost making me sick, as I watched as the closest hole to us, was slow and carefully pried open. Suddenly, the creak stopped growing, and I shot forward, from zero to one hundred all the colors became blurry, melting into one another as if liquids were mixed, and yet, I felt nothing about this spectacle of psychic and speed. The hole came closer and closer, not even moving an inch as if I was flying with pinpoint accuracy towards in, and the moment we reached it, everything went black, not like before where I lost unconscious, but this time I was awake. I cannot really describe it, it was bizarre, almost as if all feelings, mentally, and physically, were slowly returning, slow but at an even pace, but I already knew it was completely different than being a human was, yet I should be grateful for every little flaw and perfection I got given my situation.
It was now that my adventure would begin, but despite the blatant attempts of the Game to forcefully make me ignore the sight I saw, I can never say that I would be the same man after that. Never have I felt fear so much to be destroyed like an ant, anger for weakness and desire to become more powerful, for a moment, it was like I stared at the exact opposite of me as if I were in my worst nightmare. I stared into an abyss made out of my worst fantasies, and it not only stared back, but it also reached out for me, in me, attempted to pull me in and perhaps make me a part of it. I cannot fathom how these insane thoughts came to my mind, but it was almost like when the Game talked to me, was this abomination perhaps alive? I don't know, and it scares me. What it was, if this is what the world outside of that gate was like, I did not know. But I knew one thing, it deserved a name of its own just for that...
...I believe I'll call this place, 'The Nightmare Realm.'
The Game: Aether and Mind
My senses slowly came back, but at the same time, it felt like all my strength was siphoned from me by the darkness surrounding me, this warm, pulsating, and wet prison? I cannot put in words; my vocabulary and my choice of words was never something grand or supreme; short answers made you go far when you were a simple low-class worker, a living cog. I attempted to squirm and struggle, but it felt like I was in some kind of tight rubber prison, my bindings would not give in and the rumbling and shaking made me so sleepy and sick.
I faintly heard screams behind these walls, but I could barely not understand what they were saying, but from the sounds of it, they were scared and in panic, but about what?
I tried to open my eyes, but they remained closed as if they had been glued shut, my mouth wasn't responding, it felt so senseless and wrong, what was happening? My limbs felt so fragile and feeble, all muscles and strength stole by the unknown?
"..!" These voices again, I slowly began to understand them, and yet I didn't. The sounds sounded so alien, a gibberish with purpose and rules. In my head, as if a world-renown translator was sitting in my mind, I could understand them over the speech of those outsides. Even when their sentences were broken..
"....!!!" Screams? What was going on? The words from earlier echoed within me once again? What happened, did something go wrong? No, Game probably wouldn't fuck this up this badly, would he? No, I am probably just too blind to understand it.
I waited in the darkness, hoping to find an answer, and to my surprise, it came, though not in the way I expected. Even with my eyes closed, I could see a large slit suddenly open from the abyss surrounding me, and from it a dreadful chill steamed inwards; it felt so horrible, and yet, something was calling for me, but what, it couldn't be the afterlife, could it? I had not much time left to think, as the small slit became more abundant by the second, or perhaps I was coming closer, I couldn't tell. The screams became louder and louder, starting from a painful groaning to a sharp cry, these sounds followed me as I slowly slide out of the gooey prison and into the origin of the cold winds as painfully bright light.
"...?...!...!?" I could hear their words of concern, but what were they talking about, I did not know, but perhaps I could find out. My eyes that rested so heavily, I slowly pried them apart despite the burning pain of the bright light; it was a wasted effort, for I could make out only little from anything further away than arms reach. A blurry figure, like a big blob, took up most of my vision, if I knew any better, I might've said that some kind of animal rested before my, mangled and bloated. Colors of blond at the very crown and white in the center, speaks of black near the top, below what appeared to be eyes too large be realistic. How did things come to this, why was and all the way they were?
"-?" I heard a broken voice from behind. I attempted to turn my head, slowly, shiveringly in an attempt to stay awake while the cold gnawed down onto my bones. I gave up my futile attempts, every action sapped me of the adding strength I had. How did it come to this?
"...-?" A female voice asked, mature, borderline ancient in her tone while filled with hints of concern and suspicion. What were they talking about? Their voice only echoed through this chamber painfully, the bright light burned my eyes, and the cold cradled me off to a slumber I might never wake from, was this hell?
My head fell back into its original position, back onto the motionless body, still staring with open eyes at me, my vision and rotten fantasy not easying my terrific imagination in any way, but what eventually did was the turning of my world. Gradually an unknown force, bearing neither warmth nor cold, only a horrendous shine, directed my vision to another point, the face of the mysterious force—a Pony.
'Ponies...' thought with horror, scraps of memory stroked at my mind, reminding me once again of my choices prior, though leaving out the warning most crucial, before it dawned me. 'I'm a pony...' I thought with frozen form while staring with wide eyes at the horned pony, a unicorn. A sentient, miniature horse wearing a doctor's coat atop his green coat, a stereoscope around his neck, and a large, fluffy mane atop his head while all below his face and behind appeared to my indistinguishable.
"..." The doctor spoke with a slow, shivery shake, his lips moved, yet even my eyes barely tracked his mouth's movement, my ears faired only a little better. He stopped and tilted his head while drawing me in closer, his voice now full of concern. "..?..?" His words sounded so twisted while my ears bellowed out in pain awhile, a loud voice boomed through the room.
' I'm... Okay?' I questioned myself while staring into the eyes of the unicorn, a deep pit forming inside of me while staring at my own reflections, his broken concerns now sounding much more reasonable at a horrifying pace.
My form appeared twisted and rotten, borderline dead as rib and bone showed through paper thing skin and fly thicks fur while the little layer of meat appeared to be on the verge of falling apart. Pale skin, white fur so close to another in hue one might not see the difference, a mane short barely showing in silver color could not even hide the pathetic, blunt stump of a horn protruding through my forehead. I broke my vision away from the doctor's eyes in a sudden motion, it hurt my necks while fatigue already settled in from this little motion. I stared downward, attempting to hide the truth, only to be met with more of the daunting news once my appendages came insight, thin and weak, only another sting into the weak ego I once had, faith and hope were crushed long ago anyways, however there was yet one thing not bleak tainting my vision. A green aura grasping my form gently, twinkling, sizzling, while also emitting a gentle, but also rapidly annoying becoming sound.
'Is that magic, or Aether?' I wondered with fearsome calmness before I blinked a bit stronger. 'How was I this calm?' I wondered, yet again, I could feel the horror building up, yet whenever it attempting to get hold of myself, it reduced itself to levels I could handle, like water pressure on a sink. Game?
...
'Game!' I asked again, my voice bursting through my skull with painful force, inducing a headache that lasted as long as the moment did, but an answer came not. 'Game?' I asked while panic slowly rose, only to be suppressed again, the thought and realization about the stupidy of screaming in one's head made my situation not better. Why? Why were things the way they were?
"...? ?... -?..." Asked a female voice, I tilted my head slightly, only to be met with two vague silhouettes, though not blobs anymore, their facial features hidden from me, yet their voices were female, I believed. The pair, both unicorn if my paltry eyes failed me not, wore both nurses, clothing, I thought, however, they were different in coloration in borderline neon tones. One of them appeared to me as old, her posture cranky with a blue coat and a short, blond mane.
"-??" asked the other unicorn woman, her voice filled with confusion. I double took if my eyes had not played a joke on my expense as I eyed the pink unicorn with hair braided or simply kept long, I knew not. What I knew, however, was that this one seemed younger, by a great margin but no child either.
The doctor jerked slightly, his body freezing for a moment, daring to let me fall to the ground was it not for his quick reactions. His look hardened as he stared at me, but hints of anger could not be hidden as he pulled a clipboard closer to his face, even when I could not see it with my own eyes, the reflection told me enough. The doctor pulled most pages away until he reached one letter on which's top and bottom were remnants of wax left. A sigil, as well as a large signature at the bottom, adorned the parchment, I attempted to decipher the cryptic writing. However, it was too blurry for me to see, not that I would've been able to read it anyways. The doctor sighed deeply before throwing the wooden piece of equipment in the trash.
"....." The older nurse urged, straining the doctor's facial muscles as he stared onto with mixed emotions, I could only watch his face sink slightly. "... ... ..?" His jaw tightened, perhaps suppressing the urge to bear his teeth? "...-......-???"
"-?...?!?" The pink one gasped, leaving me with a stinging pain in my skull as she pushed me feeble resistance to sound. Her face was that of horror as she held one of her hoofs in front of her muzzle in a futile attempt to hide her emotions.
I slowly turned my head towards the blue unicorn who walked up to the pink one, in an effort to stay awake while I felt my organs become heavy, who knew that breathing would be so tiring.
I could not make out much of her words; it was all a mash of threats, insults, and jabs, both physical and vocal, while she tore into the unicorn named, who I presumed if my gibber-ish hearing was correct, bore the name of Gentle Touch. One little detail that was repeated again and again in her rant was 'Silver Soul's law' that she mentioned every time when she pointed at me, a law just for me?
"... -!" Gentle Touch spoke as she pointed her hoof at me, who shook his head to throw off the tendrils dragging me to sleep, even when it sounded alluring to escape this reality for just a few moments... just a few hours maybe, yes, a bit of silence.
"I'm sorry." The doctor whispered under his breath while giving me a sad look before it hardened, and he turned around.
'Excuse me?' I thought with renewed energy.
"...-..." The doctor informed them as he slowly strode towards those two women, his head hung high with a cold expression. "Miss Touch...."
Gentle Touch stared at the doctor for a moment, her mouth slightly agape as if she wanted to speak out something, though these ideas suffocated in her throat as she lowered her head and remained silent. The doctor nodded and turned around before speaking yet again.
"Miss Tough Love-" The Doctor announced, catching the attention of the old woman. "..."
"..!"
The doctor nodded as his eyes went back to me, it was a look I have seen not all too long ago, pain. His eyes diverted from mine with heavy motion and landed into a vial filled with a clear liquid alongside a syringe lying atop a pillow being held up by, who I presumed to be, Tough Love.
'Vacination? That's the whole drama about?' I thought with confusion, though lacking the strength to lift a brow, or rather there not being a brow at all. The syringe penetrated the cork with a sharp motion, a stab if you will, before rotating slowly while the doctor closed his eyes and mumbled something.
"...-...."
The vial turned and turned until a label came into view, its name I understood not, but the symbol right below I did—a crossed pony skull.
'H-hey, G-Game, buddy, I might need your help here.' I thought with great concern as the needle was removed from the bottle with a pop. 'Friend, amigo, you remember the promise that you'd support me, well, I-I might need some of that right now.' The needle came closer. 'Anyone?'
The syringe fell to the ground, and I was suddenly jerked away from the doctor, whose face was painted with a look of pain the moment his magic's color was mixed with a blue hue. I strong limb suddenly enveloped my stores, pink in color and warm in nature.
"Miss Gentle Touch!." The doctor demanded as he threw his hoof out, slapping the ground underneath. I heard his entire sentence, he screamed, it hurt so much in my head. Please, silence him. Urgh...
"...-...-!!" She declared as she moved me closer to her chest, fluff.
"!?!" The old mare asked with surprise and hints of anger, while the doctor turned his face away, taking a deep breath.
"...-...-...-!!!" The said with confidence as she looked those opposing her in the eyes if she had gone insane or not, I did not know. She didn't look all too exhausted or anything that matter, although it seemed like she was pregnant also, motherly instincts perhaps? I could also be wrong, and she was just fat, everything appeared to me so blurry, not even sparing any emotions was within my mental budget.
"....-!" Tough Love, her actual name, attempted to voice her disproval of Gentle Touch's decision but was shut up by the doctor.
"............" Doctor Goodwill said as he moved closer to the mare, holding me, who, in return, took a step backward. The doctor stopped his advance and talked again, his tone a bit lighter while he almost urged her to do the opposite of his bidding. "...-......-...-...-...-...-...- -..." His tone sank into softness at the end.
I sank deeper into the fur as now Gentle Touch joined with harsh tones of her own, only fueling my torment evermore. "...--...-, --...-..." Gentle spoke angrily while tightening her grip with every word, yet it made my position only more comfortable, knowing that I was not alone, or rather, her fur silenced the cries of anger.
The blue nurse gave her a stern look, borderline glaring into her soul, but the determined expression of Soft Touch did not falter. In the end, it was Goodwill who gave in first with a sigh of defeat, or perhaps, relive.
"-...-..." The mare nodded, my fur-covered body pressing against hers, it was calming and warm, relaxing even. "............-?"
She nodded her head, no longer looking at others anymore, and instead focused on me, gently stroking my boney stomach. I don't know what was happening, or what the future would entail, but if I had to guess, I'd be going to her home.
Tough Love whispered something sternly while staring at me with a hardened expression. If Gentle heard it or not, I knew not.
"............." She said as she turned around, grasping a blanked near her and wrapping the soft material around my little form, I had gotten used to the cold so fast that now the warmth felt soothing beyond belive. "..... Doctor Goodwill, miss Tough Love." She spoke before opening the door, coating the grip with her magic before opening it and walking out of it.
In the last few moments, before she closed the door, I could make out a hear a few more empty words of the children's murder duo.
".........!"
"......................"
I am pretty sure she heard whatever they were talking about, given how slow much she slowed down her speed and then increased it after exiting the room.
After Gentle Touch had left the hospital, she immediately pressed my form against hers hard, it was nowhere near enough to crush me, but it denied me all vision of the location outside of the place that almost became my grave. Still, it was only a matter of time into I would see it anyways, and it seems like patience would be needed in masses.
We reached her home not much later, from the sounds I heard and motions I could sense, the little feeling I had at the very least, made it clear that she lived in some kind of apartment, a nice and fancy one for earth's standards with a real wooden floor! After entering the home, shortly having to create space between us to pull a pair of keys out of her saddles bags, she embraced me in a hug again. In other words, she even denied me a closer look at her, or rather, now our new home, before putting me in some kind of crib. The moment our physical contact was cut, a warm blanket ensnared me, pinning me down and forcing my vision upwards. A broad, tearful smile looked down at me; she couldn't help herself but rub her huge nose against mine one more time before leaving the room.
...
I took a deep breath while pressing everything I had against the mental restrictions. 'What the hell happened with my life...' I thought while staring at the ceiling with a deep pit forming within my stomach, all the while the warmth attempted to steal my conscience away. 'From a human, to horse, from earth to storeroom and celestial beings... Now I am looking like a dead horse fetus... In a world of ponies... And was nearly killed.' I took deep breaths while suppressing the urge to scream, blowing my worries into the world in a feeble attempt to retain the few strings that kept my mind together.
'Where are you, Game?'
My eyes shot wide open as I felt an alien, yet familiar sensation invades my body from my very core, coursing through my flesh and bone with its warm, soothing tendrils as I felt the discomfort subside, my heavy organs grew lighter, breathing easier and my heart's burden to keep this broken form alive less hard. The world was in seconds becoming sharper, both in visions and tone, while I felt a new strength course through my form.
Notifications appeared in my vision.
Syncresising with Host.
The Game returned.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter one: The Tutorial
I am sorry, but I am unaware of what is currently happening in the location you are referring to as 'Hell.' The position of 'Hell' is also unknown to me. The Game answered, his voice calm and unwavering, a truly magnificent feat considering the massive storm that was currently brewing inside its host who was only inches away from exploding.
'Where, how, what, why when-Argh! Game!' I couldn't take this shit anymore, I am trying to work with it, but even its attempts of helping me was a pain in my boney ass.
Boss, it seems like your senses are close to returning in full, and it is worth mentioning that their power has exceeded my previously done measurement to keep your mind calm. Would you like for me to restart the Passive Skill [GAMER's Mind]?
No...
?
Not yet, we need to have a little talk because this isn't working. Tell me, where, no, I get to that later, first, answer me this. Can you please describe everything that has happened from the moment I was kidnapped to now? I asked the Game, my anger was barely contained in myself, I need control of this situation and do that, I need answers.
I am able to replay the memory if you- It started, but I cut it off.
'No, I want you to put it into your own words, now please do so.' I could care less how stupid it was to have a conversation by talking in your head as if I had gone mad.
As you wish, after entity Narious had used his last energy reserves to summon a being that fit his criteria, you were brought to my chamber. After several minutes it took you to contact me, we made a verbal contract which stated that you would become my host if I were to help you to get strong enough to save Entity Amber. It started and then remained silent.
'Yes, yes, so far so good, we made a deal now please recall the second half in detail.' I told the Gamer- I really needed to give this thing a name...
After the contract has been made, you gave me the specific conditions you wished for the host to have. After that, I transferred your spirit into your new physical form before you made contact with the natives and- I cut it off again.
' And then I was almost euthanized!' I screamed in my head, and I could feel the presence of the Game shrinking slightly. 'You put me in a decaying body, okay, that was perhaps my fault that this is the end result, but the very information that THIS would be my future would've been fucking great in advanced! Also, where were you, I almost died, and you ignored me!' I was not gonna put up with this shite if this was going to continue as this practice would sooner or later end with me getting killed. This thing expects me to go around murder stuff that's been empowered, in other words, made it harder to kill, without giving me the most crucial information needed!
But, I already informed you about our new host. I gave you the information that our new physical form would yet be born, as well as that I wouldn't be available for the first hour to link this body to my system. It was only moments away after you have finished making the final decision. It informed me, but-
'What do you mean, you didn't say a single word to me. All I saw was this huge ocean of colors and one huge ball of this really nasty smoke, what was that and what was the white stuff that went through all the fabric?' I tried to put my memories of this place into words, but it only came out as a crude blabbering.
Interesting, I didn't think this was possible up to this point... The Game murmured, finally I could hear real emotions in it, concern, worry... Fear?
Hey-Hey, talk to me! What are you blabbering about, and why is that so much more important than me almost getting killed!? I could not understand its reasoning, but my fiery temper was even less accepting of its answer than I.
You had experienced the vision once before already, although it was likely, you have forgotten it as it is even troublesome for me to review it. What you have seen was the space between the different realities, although I attempted to shield you from its sight, it seemed like more Aether had aligned itself with your mind than I initially believed. It began its lesson as a teacher again, but for me, this was like teaching a fourth-grader quantum physics.
'We need to have a long lesson about all the Aether and Mind stuff because I do not understand one thing you are talking about.' My head was beginning to hurt from all the advanced stuff, I don't even know what Aether is yet! And what is with this body that-"Game, Can we please go back to the subject that I almost died and the fact that you don't seem to care about that one bit?! Also, how am I so-so... I lack the words..."
Active? Dynamic? Energetic? What you form is experiencing right now is referred to as an Aether Overload, it is responsible for your currently empowered state. To put your concerns to rest, in your state, the poison would've paralyzed you momentary, which would've, in return, given me the authorization to unlock several items left behind by my creator. To be exact, an antidote as well as a summonable creature that would've allowed our escape. He stated, his words cleared my hatred and worries greatly, but instead, a bitter feeling came over me.
'Fine... Fines, okay, I forgive you for the whole situation it wasn't your fault, and I am sorry.' I thought it clearly heard me as its presence came back in full. 'You need to understand that I am completely new to all of this, I have no idea about nearly everything, and now that we are in a new world, most of the stuff I did know is useless. I want you to talk with me in full before we do something, I want to hear your opinion and your advice, I need all of that for this to continue. Also, stop with the whole Master and Boss talk, as I see it we are even if neither us wants to be the boss, okay?'
Aff- very well.
'Thank you.' I sighed as I leaned back, my misformed body had twisted and turned during the conversation without me noticing, but these unfamiliar feeling didn't scratch my human mind, so perhaps it wasn't all my fault. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes, and listened to the noises around me. I heard many voices melting into another, a twitching from atop of my head was annoying me as its impulses got stronger the louder the sounds got. It smelled interesting, it was hard to describe, though the best way to call it would probably be homely.
Opening my eyes, I was greeted by the sight of the ceiling; it was made out of wood as well, what a real luxurious life this horse had, but perhaps I was just a misfortunate guy. My head slowly leaned to the side, and the rest of the place I was in came into view, it was like a rich guy's baby room. The walls were dyed in a light blue tone with various cute animals painted all over it. A large box and a wardrobe came into sight, they too shared the childish features and additions, bright colors and cartoonish details plastered all over them. I turned my attention to my right side and came into view of a rocking chair on top of a fluffy wool carpet, the pattern reminding me somewhat of those simple maps with a road on it. A little shelf came into view, filled with various toys, spare diapers, and even a feeding bottle.
Why was all of this here? This woman didn't know she was going to suddenly win a baby, an ugly one at that, before just recently. It also looked like she was already pregnant, to begin with, not long ago the offspring must've come out of her, so was she suddenly taking me home? I didn't know much about horses, but from my few weeks I worked at this weird pet store, I learned enough to know that animals don't want to divert any attention from their children, so what was my place here? Where was my 'older sibling' right now?
I wondered and pondered, my thoughts, at the very least, this time allowed my mind to calm down, to recollect myself and digest all of this stress, this whole nightmare. Despite the Game's attempts, I felt this burning feeling against the back of my neck, it was panic and sheer horror, pure dread even, and the dam that was holding it back was slowly cracking, it's horrible content it was supposed to hold back trickling into my mind little by little.
Would you like to start the Tutorial? Yes/No?
A textbox appeared above, blinking into existence with only one low ping ringing in my head once. The object didn't seem to be real, as it phased into the wooden grit of the crib. A tutorial, I knew what it was, I played games before, and to see this phrase was a beautiful sight for sore eyes. Although my Hooves were bound by the soft encasement, I already knew other ways on how to make my choice without making contact with these optical constructs.
'Yes' I answered within my mind, and a new Textbox appeared in front of me, albeit shortly.
Quest added: [The first few steps... (part 1)] Objective(s): Listen and do as the GAME says. Reward(s): ?
This is a short introduction to your new abilities. Please be aware that covering everything would not be beneficial at the moment. It is also worth noting that after the introduction, I will have to restart the skill [GAMER's Mind], which will possibly cause great fear, confusion, and despair. I will not be able to support you in any way during the rebooting process. The Game informed, as mouthy as his explanations were, dry and boring to add on top, I appreciated this new and slow learning experience already.
'I am ready for... I am just ready for this.' I answered, my overconfidence quickly dying away after a new wave of uncontrolled feelings crashed against my mental walls, reminding me of my situation, how dreadful.
Excelent answer, John. Let us begin with the most basic question: What is Aether. But to answer this question, you must first understand its connection with Mind. Aether and Mind are the two purest and oldest elements, they had existed far before the first star ever shone. These two energies complement each other, seek each other out, and even if overtime their forms have significantly changed and evolved, their real purpose has never been lost. Aether is energy, the purest kind, and all worlds are made out of it, all solid or spiritual materials that exist are either made out of it or draws power from it. Mind is purpose, even before life began to spread, it existed in storms that would ravage the clouds of Aether energy, transforming it over time into everything that exists, even the very space between things.
Aether is barely found in its pure form anymore, and neither is Mind, having discovered its 'hosts.' Although those two elements are fond of their living places, they will merge with each other when they are able to but never fuse, although they can search for alternatives, and that is what makes them so dangerous to an unexperienced user. Mind is the dominant force in any living body, and if a new entity, the Aether, enters it, considerable damage is done. The Mind, as you know it, is merely a construct of Mind, just like dirt and stone is for Aether, and the two forces will cause a tremendous turmoil in the vessel. Since most living beings are made mostly from Mind, they are able to give this raw power from purest to impurest variation a purpose, but if Aether becomes dominant, the sanity begins to crumble and shatter eventually.
If the purpose, in other words, control of Aether, becomes lesser than the energy itself, then uncontrollable changes will take place. The Mind will be reduced to its most basic functions, the bare minimum it can spend to keep the vessel alive, while Aether will begin to empower the rest of the form without any control. At this point, anything might happen, from growth to complete change into an insane or animalistic creature. Be aware that this is not always the case, as sometimes the Aether will be in balance with Mind long enough, to build a symbiotic relationship, and start to reinforce the container of Mind to be more efficient and adaptive to the newly acquired Aether.
I nodded, the information flowing into my brain unnaturally efficient to the point that I could most likely repeat every word he just told me on my deathbed. So Aether was the energy, and Mind was a purpose, that seemed like a little bit too easy...
So... Those two things are basically the foundation of everything, with Aether being the energy and Mind the control it had over the former. They will seek each other out, and if more Aether is on someone than there is Mind, they become insane, right? I asked, retelling his whole explanation in short, despite his already incredibly valuable help, I still needed to understand things for myself.
Affirmative
'That sounds easy, I just need to somehow have always more Mind than Aether, and everything will go alright.' I thought with a smile on my horse fancy growing, oh god, that sure will be fun to deal with later... wait! 'Why do I feel like there is a big 'but'?'
But that is not entirely right. If there is more Mind in the physical form of a living creature, there will still be consequences depending on the quantity. If too much Mind is available, then the Mind will overtake the physical boundaries, causing either physical decay from the overuse of power or inducing a state in which the affected one cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality. In other words, schizophrenia.
Those two cases are the simple least harmful side effects of a Mind oversaturation. Every creature that has an imbalance of those primordial forces with Mind being the more dominant, in other words, nearly every single one, the excessive psionic power will slowly leak into the reality you refer to as 'The Nightmare Realm' a fitting title. When these clouds of hostless Mind fall into 'The Nightmare Realm,' the abundant Aether energies will merge from with the psionic energies, creating mindless creatures following the concepts of their last host.
' And that is bad in what way?' I asked, the thought of creating creatures with just a few ideas based upon one's own imagination? It seemed like a child's dream would come true to be able to just create a fantasy world of their own. 'Wait a second, if that stuff would all that great your creator probably wouldn't have made a being able to control those two energies, right?'
You are correct, and your statement of me being a living creature is flattering. No problem? I agree that if this was the case, then the dominants of Mind would be a blessing, but that isn't reality. Most Mental energy that is able not to be shred into its most basic component by the tidal waves of energy are the most potent kinds. Fear, anger, hatred, all those variations, and many more of these harmful forms are the only ones able to pierce the walls between realms and reach The Nightmare Realm, creating physical manifestations of one's worst fears.
'That sounds really bad, and, wow... I guess I understand why you were happy to have finally found a host. These beasts must've probably already flooded the whole world by now.' I thought jokingly with dark humor, a weak little and embarrassing chuckle escaping my lips, sounding like a pathetic attempt at whistling.
...
'Why are you so quiet?' I asked, feeling the weight and uneasiness of the moment, pressing firmly against my mind as worry began to spread.
If too many Nightmares collect in a location or few, especially powerful of their dark kind gather at a weak spot in the fabric, they will no longer be bound to the grasp of The Nightmare Realm. In other words, they gain the ability to travel to other realities should they be close enough. Saturated with the powers of Aether and Mind, they are able to quickly destroy worlds, and if that happens, then... This the end of the first lesson, I am unable to continue any further for now.
'What!?' I screamed in my mind, a weak little cry that Gentle Touch hopefully didn't hear, escaped my lips as my eyes shot wide agape. 'How, I mean, what!? You can't just drop a bomb like that! Monsters that are born from nightmares coming to the real world!? How long until they get, here, will they get here eventually, can I even beat them?!' A tirade of question answered by my fear and concerns began to flood my mind. The emotions I felt when I stared at the black orb, they returned, and now that I could understand them, the once crowned fright of the unknown was kicked off its throne by the horrors of Aether and Mind combined.
*Ping*
I let out a quiet scream as I heard shrill beeping noise, similar to that of a heart monitor that couldn't sense a heartbeat ringing through my mind. It wasn't as painful as when I awoke in the GAME's chamber, but it still stung a little... Now thinking about it, was that Aether and Mind entering my body or the sadistic play of the Game? Maybe that is what the Game meant when it said I would die sooner or later without, I thought he was talking about dehydration.
The world we are currently in has still several years before Nightmares will be able to enter this realm should nothing extraordinary happen. By the time the first monsters appear in this world, you should be more than ready to destroy them. I am sorry, John, but I am not able to tell you any more, the restrictions of my creator demand me not to inform you about this until... somewhere in the future. Now, please calm down and let us move on.
'Calm!?... Yes, yes, just stay calm, John, everything will be alright, you are just trapped in a horse body whose sooner or later about to get murdered by Nightmares, yes everything's beautiful, I'm calm, yes calm, I'M FUCKING CALM!... I see why you wanted to suppress my emotions so badly, I feel lost and like shit... Just let us continue.' I let out a sigh, despite the mental fatigue, it felt good to just let it out. A few moments of silence, and all they did was make me sad. My life, the little puddle I had as a human, was gone now. From this point, until further notice, I would live in a Horse world, living as one of its inhabitants while secretively gathering power... Yes, this was the beginning of a new start, yes, a fresh start in a new world, thousands would take this chance without a moment hesitation, so maybe I should to until I can get back to Amber.
'Let us continue' I answered shortly after a long breath, a deep sigh and a little smile.
Aceptance reached this fast? I must admit, you have reached the first step quicker than my creator anticipated how long it would take for my host to get used to a new life. I congratulate to you. Now please, try to open your Status, you should be able to do so without my help.
And with that, he went silent, and it was quiet... an exciting experience so far. Having spent my life alone, to now have a second voice in your head was addicting. No, that was the wrong word, no longer lonely was more fitting, to have a second opinion or something to talk to... I sound like a crack addict with withdrawal syndromes.
'Status.' I thought, simply, if my ability to learn patterns has not yet diminished, then simply thinking it should do the trick. To my non-surprise, it actually appeared in from of yet another Textbox.
No Name (John Weaver)
Mp = INT x 10
Perks:
[Lucky Charm] You are more likely to find treasures in the artificially created challenge, training, and proving grounds.
[Aether blessing: Intelligence] Intelligence is doubled
[Former Human] Although Humans have little ability in Aether, They have the potential to achieve great control and resourcefulness if given a chance Aether assimilation and modification has been enhanced, allowing for a 25% increase in Aether gain.
[Unicron heritage] Unicorns are from birth on talented in the arts of controlling both Aether and Mind, even if it put the average horned pony to great risk of being corrupted without having a way to stabilize these two forces. Intelligence by 25%
Flaws
[Weak] Your body is weak and feeble from birth on. Strengh, Endurance has been halved. With Strength and Endurance halved, so is your Health, Health regeneration, Stamina, and Stamina Regeneration. Benevolent creatures are likely to either pity you or chose to help you in times of need.
[Outcast] You are physically weak and don't fit into the life of a pony. Not only will the effects of [Different] be forced upon you, you will not be able to have any senses of pony, as well as instincts that define your new species. You will remain with human instincts and are unlikely to act like a real pony, other members of your kind will take notice of that and are unlikely to want to befriend you. The Charisma Stat is halved
Skills
[GAMER's Mind (Passive) - Level Max] Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows a peaceful state of mind. Immunity to mass psychological effects and any other psychological effects.
[GAMER's Body (Passive) - Level Max] Grants a body that allows for the user to live the real world like a game. All wounds even severed body parts, and mutilations will heal in time. Acts of consuming foods and drinks, as well as resting and sleeping, greatly improve healing properties.
...Ouch... To see such a dreadful sight really hurt me to see. Having doubled intelligence, even though I still feel as dumb as before, as well as a twenty-five percent increase alongside a higher chance to find more loot somewhere sounded nice, but those flaws were really a punch to the gut. My most important stats, two out of three of my capacities, were cut in half alongside their regeneration; in other words, practically everything could kill me. What am I even supposed to do with Intelligence? I played games before, but I doubt I can just suddenly learn magic out of a whim, I don't even know how to use the stuff to not get me killed.
If I may interrupt, then I would like to point out that there is no need to hurry. We have a long time to fix your vulnerabilities. Have you noticed the bracketed numbers? Numbers inside the Square brackets are you real Stats, Numbers within the curved brackets are your Stats after they had the flaws and perks added, also called base stats as these serve as a base for any buff or debuff to be calculated into your current Stats. Numbers without anything attached to them are your current Stats, these like the name implies, factor in any currently done activity. Skills, Abilities, and resource regeneration will always draw from your current Stats, while capacities, like Health, are formed by taking your base stats into the calculation. The only times this rule does not count is when a buff or debuff has been cast to specifically effect one of these previously mentioned stats and abilities. Just because you've been made more vulnerable doesn't mean that your health or regenerations lessons, right?
'It makes sense, yes, but I have a question. Why?' I asked with a bit of confusion this very aspect of the situation that I am still far too calm about- was the skill that kept me sane active since the moment I landed in the chamber? I knew I couldn't just stay this fucking calm the whole time after being turned into a giant rodent! 'Why is the whole thing themed like a video game?'
The second these words were formed within the depth of my vastly empty mind, the floating Status blinked once and changed into... Something... I honestly had no clue what that was supposed to be. In the middle was my new body with its limbs sprayed far apart inside some kind of rune circle while various glowing circles surrounded it with numbers inside of them.
That was a sharp realization, and now here's the explanation: When I reviewed your memories, please stop the hidden aggression as this was for a more efficiently working relationship. The system you are seeing was designed so that no matter what being would become my host, the entity would not need to adapt to an Aether and Mind visualization it didn't understand, so where your abilities and skills. This 'video game-like interface' was the one that resonated with your memories the most. What you see here is a dynamic visualization of your forms physical Aether and Mind distribution, as well as how much it was modified and is capable of doing. The Game explained before changing the interface back into a much simpler version.
'That was helpful, so my life has thankfully has not been turned into a videogame, thank goodness, it was just was really simular like one. So with everything said, our new agenda is to collect tons of Aether and survive.' I commented calmly while a feeling of relieve, as it little as it was, eased my nerves slightly.
That assumption is wrong. As previously mentioned, Aether and Mind depend on each other, and know that most of their kind have chosen to transmute into various forms, it is far more complex than to simply kill them and steal their powers. Although I can siphon the Aether energy from a dead or weakened creature, I cannot simply pump it into your form. The Aether will always wish to bind itself to the Mind, and since the Mind is far too complex to simply merge with it, it searches for lower forms of the second primordial element. This lesser form is usually a memory or a mindset that the user has while fighting, killing, and absorbing its power. If you were, for example, using spells as well as a greatsword during a battle, the Aether would flow into your form to further enhances your abilities; in other words, it would raise the strength of your sword art as well as the spells you are using. This is not the case with me on your side.
The primordial energies are unpredictable, and it is my duty to ensure that they stay in line, as well as govern your process. As you have noticed, your class, this section will decide where the acquired Aether will flow into, should it say mage, then your intelligence and wisdom will profit from the newly gained Aether. Aether easily attaches itself to memories, it is how we learn and grow, even a mortal creature does so without realizing it. If you were to train with a sword, memories of you using the sword would form from Mind, and Aether will sooner or later come to attach itself onto this memory. This way, singular abilities can grow in power as well, but this is merely the case for you. Otherwise, it would be much more complicated to explain.
To ease your understanding, think about it this way. The more memories you have of doing something, the more Aether you will have available at all times, thus increasing your efficiency and performance. All of these memories will not only empower the used abilities, but also the overall 'region' of this ability, in other words, your class. All of your class' level's combined make up your overall level, and abilities cannot grow beyond this number.
'... I wish you were my high school teacher, maybe then I would've actually passed it...' I replied in awe because I had finally understood how the crap worked, at least, everything that Game told me so far.
It is good to hear that you are listening, although I am surprised why you didn't ask for me to just simply add the information into your brain, which, although I could've done to some extent, would not have been the right thing to do. Directly beaming knowledge would not create a memory, but this had paid off as by the looks of it please the ambient Aether, though be aware that the more of it you collect, the harder it becomes to reach new heights without damaging your form.
I nodded to its words, again, not every effective given my situation, but the thought was what counted. Suddenly, a Ping sound rang through my head, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a new textbox replace my Status Window.
Through the specific action of listening to the GAME's lecture of the basic understanding of Aether as well as beginning to understand the foundation of the two Primordial Elements, you've gained: One point in both Intelligence and Wisdom.
I... couldn't put the feelings I felt when I read this in words in words. It's just beyond me, but knowing that I had grown in power scratched an urge deep inside of me. It made me feel great and powerful, even if the aftertaste of this experience was only a fraction of the original burst, I could see this becoming habit, perhaps even an addiction if I'm not careful. I closed the message, and just as I was about to watch my new Status, the Game stopped me.
As much as I enjoy seeing you grow familiar with my mechanics and your enthusiasm for gaining power, I believe you first must collect your reward for the quest.
'R-right, sorry, I don't know what got over me, it felt so, so.' I was trying to put it in words, but the feeling was undescribably. 'Yeah, let's just continue.'
You have Completed the Quest [The first few steps... (part 1)]
You received: Observe
[Observe] [Active] This skill doesn't require any resources This skill allows you to 'Observe' an Objective, entity, or event and display its information. This skill only works with creatures or objects that are below your overall level or a maximum of ten levels above you, with each level, the knowledge gained will lessen.
This skill, albeit in a different form alongside an item that was consumed upon use, was what I utilized for scrying the information from this planet. Please be aware that it will be significantly inferior at the beginning and is likely to show us just the bare minimum of information, but it will one day become our most important tool. Knowledge is power, and Power is survival.
The Game was right, but this it hadn't to tell me, I was a courier for most of my career, information was in the end what decided if you lived, starved or died. If you carried around something reactive, then you needed information on the best route and way to handle the package if you didn't want to end as a smudge on the wall. It was also essential to know if you were up to the task; your pay decreased if you took too long, in the worst case going in the minus if you were to slow. This situation was no different, perhaps more demanding and challenging, but a significantly superior pay as well, and if I knew how most easily kill something, then the better it was.
I personally never killed anyone, but that was not because I was a pacifist. As a courier, even with those big fish looking over you, never were you safe until the delivery was in a vault. Depending on the worth of the cargo you were carried, you were provided with various 'accessories.' In most cases, it was a bulletproof vest, but once or twice, I was also given a weapon. If rich people give you a Glock powerful enough to pulverize bones, they don't expect you to lose their stuff to a bunch of hooligans. Auctioneers didn't like you murdering citizens, even in self-defense, it didn't sit well with their publicity, but they hated loses a lot more. Luckily, I was always able to avoid this kind of situation.
Most abilities will cost resources, in most cases, it is either mana or stamina, but sometimes materials or even health points have to be sacrificed to use a particular ability. This one is free, to use it, look at something, and give the command.
'Okay... Observe' I thought, not asking or questioning his instruction while looking at a small mirror that was lying on the shelf, myself in its reflection. A textbox appeared, and...
It's just you...
'Oi, don't you sass my boney ass!' I accidentally thought too loud, it's hard to explain, but since the Game was inside of me, it felt like my thoughts have been split into two. Personal thoughts that hopefully stay personal unless I am thinking about something, and those I used to talk with the Game and to use skills. It is scary how much effect this skill has over me, and that thing isn't even fully functioning as now I can still feel the amassment of negative emotions scrapping against my mind, I am scared of 'absorbing' them once the lesson is finished. My inner conflicted was shortly halted when I heard a ping noise.
Observe has leveled up by one.
Please try to use Observe again on the same object.
I let out a weak sigh, knowing full well that my buffer zone was running out, and soon I had to face these horrors I called feelings. 'Observe.'
It's you, No Name (John Weaver).
'At the very least it became less sassy, wait, why did it ready 'No Name' followed by my actual name?' I asked the Game with confusion.
As you can see, Observe has not leveled up, even though you used it in the same way. Experiences and memories of the first time doing something new or challenging are much more powerful and thus allow a larger quantity of Aether to stick onto them. Doing the same act several times would eventually yield results but is, in most occasions, ineffective. To answer your question, although this is your actual name, no being on this world except the two of us are aware of your name, and in the end, it will be entity Gentle Touch who will give you a name tomorrow when she will sign the documents. This was only a speculation, but it is very likely to be this way. Do you wish for me to 'encourage her' to decide a specific name?
'That makes sense... and no, I am probably just going to fuck it up by naming me something that has some dumb deeper meaning or chose something super weird that no one gets like Haiiro.' I thought with a small chuckle, most Japanese employers I worked with categorized their wares in color names in their native language. Haiiro meaning grey in this case. 'Now that I am thinking about it, how do I even understand them?' I just realized it, how was I able to understand an alien language?
I mentioned previously that my creator left behind tools and rewards that I would only be allowed to use during special occasions. The item I used to scry this world came in a bundle that would also translate the language of the body's species. It is a rather useful decision my creator made as otherwise I would've had to search through alien memories and create my own translator, or would be powerless at all other than improve your learning.
'I see... your, ehm, maker sure thought about a lot of stuff in advanced.' I replied, nervously searching for any theme for a Smalltalk, but I couldn't think of anything. 'So, how will this reboot go exactly?'
I will be honest with you, user John, what you will experience won't be a pleasant experience. It said, worrying me hugely as it never said anything less than logical or optimistic before. My creator wished for me to do everything in my power possible to make this situation seem like 'a dream come true,' but I don't want this journey to be beginning on a bed of lies. When you first awoke in my chamber, I was already suppressing your emotions; the pain you felt was the first startup multiplied by the feelings you felt: Loss, fear, anger, and many more, a taste, so to say, for what I would be doing now.
After the following mentally gruesome pain, in which you feel the full weight of losing everything you had, and nearly all you are, bound to a duty higher than anything before and more dangerous than all, while you crumble and beg for relieve... I was supposed to comfort you. I would be telling you that I was reducing the near-endless agony, that you were strong enough to withstand it and that I would be helping you on this journey. Become the one being you could trust most.
...
...Although you've known me only for several hours, and despite the supernatural events we already went through in such a short time frame, I knew you for nearly three months, not before you entered my chamber, but during the conscience transfer. I looked through your memories, and although I feel nothing while reviewing them as I am only able to take notes of them, I realized a... stinging detail... I had never had this much, as you mortals call it, fun before. I am aware that you are my first host, and perhaps my personal experience is only so great because I simply have nothing to compare it to, but that doesn't matter.
...
You may think of me as a construct, which in its self is true, an alien or a so-called celestial being, a tool to achieve your goals, but the journey you take me along is already all I can ask for. For millennia since my awakening, I was forced to watch the corpses around me decay, I knew everything about the facts I had, and everything else stayed the way they were. The moment you reached me, a device build for improvement, stagnating for seemingly an eternity, I finally got to experience what it was to live. Emotions, I wasn't aware I could even have them, from the joy of improvement to fear from being shouted at, gave me such a thrill, to teach and see something new, delight, and now to stray from my path and chose on my own? A relief.
'I... I am not good with such sappy stuff, but, I guess you're welcome?' I was speechless, something I rarely was, and the whole experience was very much so alien to me. I can't explain it, but in a way, I felt the Game's emotions and honesty, not like empathy, but more like if you were standing close to a candle.
That is all I am asking for. Please prepare yourself for the next few moments, you will cry, scream, and beg, but I will be there. Nothing will happen to you, and although I will not be able to respond for a while, please remember that I, too, am forced to live through this experience, and I will be there as well. The Game told me, his voice was still calm and collective, but the little shred of life that it put in its speech was noticeable. And John, I thank you, and I can't wait for the journey to start in the following days.
With this, the Game went silent, and so did I, attempting to stay calm, but eventually failing.
It started off weak, my breathing increased, little by little, my heart began to pump stronger by the moment as if I was riding a rollercoaster, but it worsened from here on. Memories flashed before my eyes, the passed hours, when I saw myself getting swallowed by the anomaly, I was paralyzed by fear, only to break into screaming, high pitched baby noises escaping my mouth as I wiggled under the tight blanket. Then came anger and hate, why me, of all people, to be taken away from my world? Fury lead only to despair as the first tears began to roll down my little eyes. My screams growing with intensity, and my wiggling becoming squirming as my toothless mouth pressed itself shut with painful force, my saliva nearly choking me as an agonizing feeling pressed against my jaw. I lost everything, my sister and the rest of my world, and now I was a monstrosity among animals. My dark thoughts, combined with my aching memories, melted into one nightmarish fever dream as I trashed against my binding. In my rage, I threw away the blanket, and I uncontrollably waved my limbs in every direction with no control over my form. It was so unpleasant, my hooves and neck lost strength only seconds later, but I couldn't stop to drag these powerless tools around more.
'I am no hero, nothing special, please stop this and let me go home! I don't care if people die, I want to quit, I'm selfish, just find anything better, anyone else!' These thoughts dominated my now vacant mind
I don't know how much longer I stayed there, perhaps a minute or two more, as I felt my mind slowly drift apart before Gentle Touch rushed towards the crib. She stared at me with a nervous look occupied by fear as she inspected me for any injury, her forehooves standing on the edge of the wooden toddler prison.
An especially loud howl flooding out of my throat was what snapped her back into reality. She used her magic to lift me out of the crib, I didn't even notice that I was transported away, I had already gone numb, my Mind exhausted, and my muscles ablaze. The next thing I know was that she took me into a firm hug, immobilizing me. I tried to scramble out of her pink grasp, but Gentle Touch didn't let go, it only enraged me more, to be treated like a child, but that was precisely what I was.
She hummed something, perhaps even sang, I didn't understand it without the Game's help, but I believe it was some kind of lullaby. I lost all my strength in a matter of moments as my anger and hatred melted away into sorrow, screams turned to sobs and crying as I buried my face into her fur, this soft fabric smelling like fresh, unpolluted air and real fruits. Gentle's belly was pudgy, warm and comfortable, I recognized this feeling, it was when I was still a child, the sensation of being held by a mother, If it was me or the now leashless body, I did not know, but I embraced this hug. My lips, as embarrassingly and humiliating as it is to confess, moved on their own and began to... suckle from her... teets, I wanted to vomit, so powerful and worse was it never despite all the junk I have eaten in all those years, but I couldn't stop.
Her Lullaby became a low whispering of comfort as she weakened her grip, but now all attempts to escape had already dried out and began to slowly rub my back. I felt so weak, pathetic, I hated her for doing this, but this body of mine welcomed it and greedily swallowed her... sweet mild. I don't know how much longer this nightmare went on, a horror story turning from fright to disgust, but eventually, I fell asleep.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter one: The other side of the coin
What was this feeling inside of me? This fuzzy and warm sensation in my chest that made the day seem brighter? I knew it, I've felt it often once, every day and night, during rain and storm, this emotion that I lost only months prior and only now has rediscovered? I know why, and the reason was right in front of me.
I looked with an unyielding gaze over the foal I had picked up only an hour ago from the hooves of that sick Stallion. The little colt stared back at me in silence, not judging me, but merely staring at my face with interest, confusion curiosity, all the stress had probably taken away all of his exhausted. Hopefully, he wouldn't be traumatized by this. I wish that horrible doctor would land in the dungeon for even thinking about murdering a foal born not even moments ago, but sadly, that was not the case.
If the colt really was meant to die, then he would have been in the right, no court or judge would've been able to even touch him, but something told me, that this just wasn't the case. The moment I laid my eyes upon the little pony, as much as he was born with so much misfortune, I couldn't help but feel something familiar, and that was when I made my choice. I took him home, I don't know what gotten over me to make this choice that would have such a massive impact on my life without even thinking about it in advance. I panicked, but waiting for a second longer back then meant the death of the little one.
A sigh escaped my lips as I removed my hooves from the railing and softly landed on the soft carpet underneath my hooves, it was Warden's idea to get it, he thought that-
This name, this one word, was enough to shatter my thoughts, my mood, and my spirit. With a quivering sigh, I turned away from the crib, and towards the kitchen, I could already feel the tear swelling, blurring my vision while the sting ripped deep into my chest.
My hooves clicked loudly against the wooden floor, perhaps it was just my mind playing a trick on me, but it almost felt like I heard yet another set of hooves. I shortly after reached the kitchen and set myself a kettle of tea before taking place on top of one of the three-seat in front of a large spruce table with a potted flower ontop. The other two being an exact replica of heard and a toddler seat.
'I should've gotten rid of all the stuff months ago.' I thought, waiting for my beverage to be finally complete while somber thought comforted me in my loneliness.
"Look at you, Gentle, you're a mess," I mumbled to myself as I stared into my reflection displaced on the porcelain pottery. My tears, those damn salty droplets, had washed away my makeup, now revealing large dark bags handing under my eyes, highlighting my easily redded eyes.
I closed my eyes, deciding that pitying myself was not worth my time yet again, but what was there else to do, the apartment seemed so empty since-
With a heavy thump, my head hit strongly against the table, my muzzle pressing against the top, but it helped little to suppress the choking noises as the tears once again flowed. For a few more minutes, I wallowed there, drowning in my sadness before eventually, the sounds of the teakettle broke me out of this agonizing trance.
"Why am I doing this to myself?" I whispered under my breath while wishing away the tears, staining my forehoof fur with tears and cheap cream, before looking at the screaming kettle. With an empty feeling eating me from inside, I levitated a tea cup alongside the pot and a set of various complementaries towards the table, the strain hidden under my pain to the point that it made me wonder if I had taken the objects in the first place.
A set of teabags, a jar of chocolate chip cookies, a sugar bowl with flowers painted on the side, and a little spoon. I couldn't help but eye the sugary treats, but my hunger had vanished already, and thus I put them back in the drawer. Without much of a thought, I put three cubes of sugar as well as a cheery tea bag and added water. I know what I wasn't doing wasn't healthy, but it was the only thing that was still able to lift my mood, and I was probably the last mare to fear to get fat, or rather, fatter.
I swirled the red liquid with a spoon, a small vortex formed, but I could still make out my face, even if twisted, those empty eyes have been haunting me for too long already. I closed my eyes and decided to take in the scents of the tea, at the very least, something to pull my mind away. The smell stung fiercely at the beginning, but over time evolved into a mellow fragrance, the fruity aroma remembering me of the times I would fool around in my father's hobby garden. Those were the easy times.
Slowly opened my eyes, greeted with the same scenery I see every day, again and again, I once thought that I could never get enough of seeing it, but now whenever my vision is filled with this place, I want to cry.
I moved my steaming cup towards me, the brew having already richened enough in flavor, and blew over it. This task was the only time of the day where I was alone in both form and thoughts. Deciding that the drink had cooled off enough, the cup was lifted by my magic and I took a long sip, sometimes I would even consume it one go to ease the pain. Seconds into the one pleasure I still had left, my eyes widened as a picture came into a vision, one I was told to put away so many times already, but in the end, never was able to.
On the piece of paper, shielded by a panel of cracked glass and a dusty wooden frame, were two ponies visible. A big Stallion, thick brown fur making up his coat and a short cut blue mane, stood proudly in a uniform next to a pink mare, long free-flowing blond hair reaching her back, in a wedding dress, a small bump could be made out there where he stomach was supposed to be. There was a golden plaquet.
The best day of our lives - Warden & Gentle Touch
Voices, I heard the voices again, two sets, each dominated by a different emotion, both involved screams, and cries. I felt the disgusting taste of bile in the back of my throat again, barely not masking the flavor of dread as the memories slowly came back into vision. But when the third set of cries joined the chorus, I lost all control and slammed the cup down onto the table, a crack ripping through the former pristine material, that no liquid was able to flow through the damage was a wonder in its self.
"Why are you tormenting me like this!?" I screamed back at the voices, memories, and visions of the past, wishing not to be forgotten and instead chose to haunt me. "What did I do to deserve this, have I not for Celestia's sake suffered enough?!" I cried the tears I thought had dried out slowly came aloft. I breathed frantically, staring the emptiness, but the last crying would not vanish. It was then that I realized that this sound was not imagination; it was from the foal!
'This-this isn't him, but-' But the thought was not completed before I ran towards the crib, I was worried why he was so silent, feared that he might be mute, but no, he has only now really woken up and seemed to be in pain. My nightmares of the past were replaced by the fears for the future as I galloped towards the colt. In what seemed to have minutes, I reached my destination with seconds and looked at the little one.
It was a heartbreaking sight to see him trash around in agony, his screams paralyzing me and saddening me at the same time. Tears flowed like rivers from his eyes, his face reddening, and his hooves damaging themselves from his movements. The crying spiked to a piercing howl, which awoke me from my clouded state. Quickly, but carefully, I levitated the foal in front of me as I sat down.
His trashing did not cease; it only angered him more when I wrapped my hooves around him, pressing him gently against my stomach. Did he perhaps think that Goodwill was holding him? It did not matter, I continued to keep him in my grasp, and his panic lessened at a rapid pace, anger morphed into fear and confusion, and then it became sorrow and sadness. My fur was socked in his tears and mucus, but I barely noticed it while I looked over the little one- my little colt -as he slowly calmed down.
I don't know what came over me, but despite the unbearable sight, I felt the warm sensation again, the one from earlier but so much more intense as a small smile formed on my muzzle. Was this happiness? No, it was more, but I could not put my hoove on it. As the colt's voice was reduced to a sobbing, I began a song, I cannot remember the lyrics, but my mother used to sing it to me when I was having nightmares, a soft little tune I hummed.
A shock coursed through my body as I felt a pair of little lips embrace my swollen teets. Although they never came to use, the swelling never stopped as more and more of the milk was produced. A sigh escaped my lips as I felt the pressure lessen, and I began to rub the foal's back, only encouraging him to continue. I took less physical pleasure, no, that was the wrong word, enjoyment as he greedily swallowed his fill, but it quenched my pleasant emotions slightly, deepening them in the richness of the alien sensation.
I don't know how long I've been sitting there, but at some point, the little colt, fell asleep in my hooves. I really need to find him a name, I cannot be calling him foal or colt forever if he was to stay. My gaze was fixated onto the horizon, watching as the sun was lowed, and the moon rose from the edge of my sight.
"Maybe tomorrow you get to see it little one," I spoke calmly, all fear and worry had long vanished, only a little reaction came as he buried his face deeper into my fur. "Seems like you need a bath soon," I mumbled, a light chuckle escaping me before carefully lifting the colt into my back in an attempt not to wake him from his slumber.
Wordlessly I trotted towards my bedroom, I did not give the decor any thought as I put the colt onto my side of the princess sized bed before I laid on top of the soft mattress as well. My weight caused a light shifting on the fabric's surface, rolling the foal to the side slight and his gaze into the moonlight. A sigh of relief escaped me when I realized that he was still asleep, slowly and gently, I then pulled the blanket over the foal and my body, before falling asleep in a heartbeat. This was the first night in a long time I was able to sleep without any worries.
The Game: Aether and Mind
When it came to sleep, I was always an odd one, of course, that was just a speculation, but from everything I heard, from madness to peace, I forever will take the took the crown. Unlike most people, I don't dream, I never do and never have in over twenty years. There is no time of peace and rest; it was always just awakening from one moment to another... But for me to have an average slumber was perhaps even more so of a surprise than to find out how much emotional pain someone can be exposed to before one would crumble.
The realm of dreams was perhaps just different here than it was home, after all, I was a 'talking' unicorn in a world of magic, was this really so much of a stretch now? I don't know, but I am determined to one day find an answer.
Through an ocean of clouds, in a world of light but without sun and moon and land, I floated through this vast nothingness, occasionally popping a few clouds, making them puff in their cottony glory. The realm was at peace, even though it all felt sluggish. I could not think in this space, but rarely thought of mine would echo in this land of skies.
Why am I not having Nightmares?
Was this all just a dream?
Who am I anymore?
At first, these voices, I could not recognize them, they sounded so unlike me, young, childish and softly, it was only a few moments later that I realized that that voice was mine, or would be one day. What would happen tomorrow, the day after, and all those that followed? No one could answer that question, but the hope that an answer might be granted to me was more worth than all the gold in the world.
My thoughts, I could've spent a little eternity wandering with them while floating through this realm, but fate chose otherwise. Before me, there where before a cluster of clouds was blocking my path, a rift out which a pale blue light shone opened, the contrast of these two worlds was like night and day.
I am unsure why I chose to close the distance between the crack in reality and me, but the light was soothing me in a way, allowing me to see clearly as if the tendrils that slowed me down would burn away and decrease their grasp upon me. The light, this wonderful source of illumination dawned ever so close to me, embracing me as I came into touch with it and stealing me away from this dreamland.
A gentle light, kind and yet cold, attempted to pry its path through the steep and tight chasm that resembled the little space between my eyelids. The tiredness, this unending fatigue pressed my form deeper into the soft and warm fabric beneath me, wishing me not to leave its warm radiance, but the calling, these wishes of the light didn't seize their attempts. Like a little caterpillar enjoying its stay in its cocoon, so did I yearn to remain in this form, yet the desire of curiosity to dare and see the great beyond of these walls was what eventually persuaded me out of the comfort of these blankets.
Slowly lifting myself, feeling these soothing tendrils let go of me, the sensation of the coldness flooding the formerly empty space caused a shiver to run down my spine, awakening me and prying my eyes wide open. I took a deep breath, savoring this feeling of emptiness. There were no emotions, no horrible nightmares harboring dark intentions, or any good thought praying to do the bidings of light, just this vacuuming caused by a great conflict in which both sides bitterly lost. In any other situation, I would've simply described it as feeling like shit, but this sensation was undeserving of such a simple title. The joy or pure harmony I felt when I merged with the Game balanced itself out with the horrific pain I felt ravaging my mind, in a sense, I was feeling fresh, young and the feeling of being lost was replaced with the desire to carve a new path a moment later. Yet, it made me wonder what chose to awaken me at such an hour, to honor me with such a power, to feel the grace of equal force of both sides of the weight, and embrace me with its gratitude. What?
I shook my head slightly, the weird emotions combine with this alien sensation caused quite a stir whitin me. The deep breath I had taken now left me as my head rose to greet my unknown guest, yet never could have a dream been able to reveal as sight so beautiful to me, one that even my wildest imagination paled in comparison.
I saw something that in my many hours wandering through districts and streets would faintly, rarely, make itself apparent. Something, that I many years ago, believed to have seen all of, but now I was proven not only wrong but happy at being so. An ocean of lights spread across the blue heavens, not this black skies polluted by light and fumes, but a clear ocean of colors. Perhaps to the creatures of this world, who had the privilege to see this, perhaps, mundane sight, it was nothing special or unique, but for me, it was a joy like few others. Gems, shining like miracles, illuminated the swirls and brushes in the sky like a paint none could ever replicate. Perhaps someone could if they dedicated their life to it, I didn't know, but if there was someone like that, I'd love to meet them. I let out an infertile hum as I felt this sense of awe wash over me. Yet as I gazed at the stars, the moon did not remain noticed. It wasn't like the rock I knew that orbited the earth, this one was shining like a pearl, yet under this serene rarity, behind the shadow of a unicorn's head which was eternally imprinted on it, I felt a twinge of sadness permeate this delightful sight with bitterness.
"...Wow..." I said softly under my breath. The first word I spoke since my arrival, and it justifies all the praise it deserved to be the first of many, just like this was the first time I ever saw a sky filled with stars, so I hoped that both of these events would take place more often than I could imagine.
"Do you like the sight?" A familiar voice rang from behind me, soothing and calming in nature, yet I couldn't help but tense up, my form freezing and limbs stiffen upon hearing of her awakening as if I was face to face with a predator. "No, don't mind me; I wish to watch it too." Gentle Touch spoke as she redirected her form and blankets to match my position, allowing her to rest beside me with the soft covers shielding both of us from the cold. Neither party spoke, both dreamers merely gazing into the starry sky.
A quiet chuckle escaped her lips, ratting the blanket that was drafted over my form quite vigorously. "I've been thinking about a name for a while now." She spoke, pausing her speech for a few moments. "You probably don't understand me, but I think I found the perfect name for you."
Oh, a name? I've been wondering what my new form's title would be, it would be a brandmark for the rest of my days on this world, with the emphasis of 'on this world' brought to new heights. Whatever the name might be, I would always be John Weaver, not age or time, form and place would be able to take that away from me.
"Star Touch."
My ears, those weird flaps of meat and skin, rotated abruptly into the direction of the mare next to me, taking the words in like a net, deciphering and decoding in an attempt to fully understand her words. Star Touch. Perhaps one day, I will live up to that name, and my stats will indeed touch the stars.
There is no 'if', only a when. One day those skies, the land, and seas of any world of any time could be yours as you desire. Any dream or thought will just be one wish away from being fulfilled.
Hello game, its nice to see you too. I'm assuming you approve of the name? He did not speak, but I could feel his desire of the name, or perhaps it was just my ego being inflated by his words.
"It seems as if you like the name too..." She thought loudly, even if her voice was as silent as that of a mouse. "Yes, my little Star Touch. I don't know why, but I feel like you are destined to do great things."
You couldn't be more right, horse mother.
No more thought went through either head, two souls now bound together, simply wasting their time away in the dim moonlight of the night until both of them, from both stress and fatigue, of mental and physical nature, fallen into the realm of dreams yet again.
"You are the most unique foal I have ever seen." Spoke Gentle Touch as she moved her hooves in a circular motion, slow and carefully kneading the soap into my hair, significant accumulations of bubbles rested across my entire body. At the same time, several of these bubbly soap-bergs swam around me.
I let out a sigh as I leaned into her touch. Warm water, I could barely even remember what it was like to bathe and these mild scents assaulted my nerves, never did I imagine that something could smell this good, or perhaps that was just the nose of a pony. You could not afford a warm washing unless you were rather wealthy; instead, you got a cheap deep cleaning shampoo that cleaned everything it touched. Of course, I sometimes had the joy of feeling warm water, but that was only through the process of decontamination of some really picky contractors. A small sigh, followed by a light chuckle escaping my little lips as my new caretaker began to massage my scalp.
"Who likes that? Who likes that? You like it!" She baby talked to me, a broad grin spreading across me as she leaned closer and bumping my nose with her's. That was a reoccurring theme with this pony. I decided to play along to heighten her mood and perhaps motivate her massage skills, even more. A giggle escaped me while my miniature form shook like jelly.
Her smile deepened, almost even looking humane in the way her eyes glittered as she moved to wash the rest of my body. Perhaps someone with a slither of dignity would strive to resist and try to escape the horse's grasp, but I was not that dumb. Any attempt to escape would, if it succeeded, end with me on the street and scouring for food, in the forest with animals attempting to make me their dinner or in the hooves of another pony and if that was the case, there was no guarantee that it would be a good one. Staying here was the most optimal decision as long as it didn't interfere with my actual plans, besides, I owed the mare the joy of taking care of a foal, even if that one was over three decades old and would one day be strong enough to bear the title of Atlas.
A greek titan who supposedly was strong enough to lift the weight of the world. Yes, should you not die during the process, you might be able to lift a planet, but that assumption is based on the weight and amount of Aether of the world as any pony can lift a world as long as they find the least heavy one.
I shuddered horribly as the horse lifted me out of the water and began to dry me, the cold assaulting me like predators do with the weakest link in the herd. A towel was wrapped around me several times and coating me with a thick layer of cotton. Initially thought that drying me would take an eternity, given the- in comparison to my human form -excessive amounts of fur, but the process was considerably shorter than I initially believed. A minute or two later, the fabric was removed from me, leaving me with a dry coat standing on a soft carpet.
"All clean and shiny, much better, don't you think?" She asked as she looked down at me, figuratively, of course, as these creatures towered me. Of course, the size difference was nothing unusual given that I was only about a day old, but still, having to nearly break my neck just to look an adult in the face would get annoying really fast. "Oh, you don't have to look at me like that, one day you will be even bigger than me." It took all my concentration to keep my ears from straightening, a baby at this year cannot understand pony language, but at the very least they could stand an hour after birth.
Sadly my talents at walking were unintentionally hidden away by the world when Gentle Touch ignited her horn, and a blue aura gravitated me closer to the magician, her lower stomach to be exact, as she sat down. I was again faced with this situation. I hesitated, I found it disgusting to just drink milk from the source, especially when a consumer is a middle-aged man and the source could have a small talk with you. Shyly I slowly opened my mouth, the lack of my gag reflex activating, making this only so more disturbing as I was yet again forced to feed. I shrunk slightly in discomfort when I heard her cooing in rhythm to my sucking, making me shudder. Despite the experience, I did not stop, my body just kept doing this action, even going so far and moving to the other teat. The sheer quantity was disturbing, and what otherwise only should've taken up two minutes had a duration of nearly six, just how much milk did she have?
At the end of this self ensued torture that hopefully allowed me to take a breath from nursing more for at least a few hours of freedom of this blasted act, she took me over her shoulder and patted me on the back. I cannot fathom how a foal could burp this loud, but for a moment, I feared that I had shattered her windows. A sigh escaped me as the sheer mass of 'food' made me feel like a water balloon, I seriously need to find a way to control my gluttonous self.
"My oh my, aren't you one hungry colt?" She sweetly asked and levitated me in front of her to face her face, I forced a happy smile of my own just to create the illusion of actually being jolly. She didn't need any reason to think that I might not be well; the last thing I need is a doctor discovering that her baby is, in truth, an alien from outer space.
After this little encounter, she took me to the kitchen and set me into a large toddler seat- again, where did she get all that stuff!? - while she ate two apples and stroking my back the whole time, each stroke sending shivers down my spine, never had I wanted and hated something so badly in the entirety of my two lives. After finishing her breakfast, core, stalk, and everything, she pulled me in one more hug before laying me down into my crib and saying her goodbyes.
"Be good little foal, will you? Mommy has some very important business to do." Those were her last words before she left me, the sound of her hooves hitting the floor and the impactful closing of the door signalizing the breaking of a new rule over my life.
'Game-!' I started with an excited tone mixed with relive, but I could not finish the sentence in my mind before I was bombarded with textboxes.
Through the unique action of seeing the night sky for the first time and philosophizing about it, you've gained two points in Wisdome.
Inventory has been unlocked.
Dungeons are now available.
The first Dungeon will automatically be entered in five minutes.
' What?!' My own voice, the dull and boring human sound, rang through my skull and hopefully making the Game aware of the apparent fact that what he was doing was completely and utterly insane! 'Have you lost your damn mind, I can't take on monsters yet, I'm half dead foal and not a trained adventure!' And then, my breathing calmed down, the effects of [GAMER's MIND] setting in, and then I remembered a few vital information with scary precision of what it said to me. 'You're not actually going to throw me into a damp monster-filled cave now, right?'
That is true, having us die on the second day would be quiet disappointing. Although the name of our destination is called a 'dungeon,' it is more of a place to train your powers instead of exposing you to dangers. The Game spoke calmly, soothing my nightmares of doing raiding in games, which would often end horribly even with over forty players.
'You really scared me there buddy, thought the point still stands, I'm in the body of a deformed horse baby, I doubt that I'll be able to do more than crawling.' I said in my head before a critical error burned itself into my thoughts. 'Won't the ponies notice if I vanish from the face of this world?'
That is a valid concern, but be put to ease by the fact that your physical form will remain in this realm. Your spiritual form is supported and stabilized in these artificially created pocket dimensions, but can't stay there for long periods of times as otherwise, it would start to degrade from being separated from your body for an extended duration of time. Your physical form would simply burst apart if it were to come in touch with a realm possessing so much Aether energy and thus will be put in a state of sleep while we are not present. The Teacher explained eagerly to the student how the string worked in the game of life.
'Oh cool... but doesn't that mean I can't die and can just repetitively clear these dungeons with no fear of getting harmed?' I asked all of this sounded too perfect to be true, my baby face twisting slightly in agreement. Although the information of my body not vanishing was more than useful and meant that at night I slay monsters and at the day I would be but an average... albeit less healthy, foal.
Three minutes remaining. You are still able to die in these dungeons. The damages received will not be visible to the mortal eye, but if you were hurt seriously enough, then even a slight clap to the side would be enough to end your life despite being physically in peak condition. Entering dungeons in your spiritual form will also result in a slower and more natural adaption of your body to the newly acquired power. The Game spoke, making me already shiver in discomfort at the thought of being this easily murdered after successfully conquering a dungeon. Two more minutes is remaining before the dungeon will be entered, I advise to use the skill [Observe] on the entity pigeon located near the window, as well as any other object you that may catch your eye
?
My gaze quickly wandered away from the ceiling and locked onto the window, a powerful beam of the morning sun radiated through the glass panel, but this sight was sadly ruined by a fat bird sitting in front of it. Not giving the situation much thought, I simply used the skill [Observe] on the feathered animal.
Flying Rat
... I mean... it's not wrong through...
[Observe] leveled up! [Observe] leveled up!
!
You surprise is quite amusing, if I may say so. It is very much so plausible that the first time use of [Observe] on an animal, any living creature for that matter, would be far more rewarding than using it on an everyday object. It would be quiet saddening if an ancient ruin were to give as much progress as a simple pencil. Remember, your gain of power is tied to your memories and how memorable something is, which is quite fortunate as this allows you to gain power without having to be anywhere physical, and that memories will remain forever due to the Aether, as well as me. The Game explained thoroughly, and while the Information was saved in my head for later review, I gave it little through while spamming the [Observe Skill] continuously at the nearest items possible. The moment he stopped talking, I bombarded every object near me and often not even letting the poor description finish.
Its a rooking chair- This item can be used to- A soft, cuddly and- a cloth representation of-
And this went on for a few seconds until familiar sound sent down pleasureful shivers down my spine. This feeling, it like a mix of adrenalin injection, as well as a deep sense of happiness.
[Observe] has leveled up!
The skill [Observe] is now able to give an accurate description of items, creatures, and events of the rank: Common and Below.
That upgrade came with a great surprise that even halted my train of thoughts and inner celebration, which then became a curiosity. Often you didn't need to understand a thing or entity to know how it ticks; you just needed to know how to figure it out, and the better you were, the more complicated riddles you could solve. It is also good to know that this skill is not tied to any stat, as otherwise, a mage would most likely be the most potent enemy to face as he or she could just find out your weakness and destroy you. A little smirk showed itself for a moment as the information was crucial, seeing that I needed to gain strength and endurance fast to no longer look like a corpse and be a slap away from being sent to the other side. Seeing as the seconds trickled down, I decided to try it one more time.
'Observe' I thought while looking at the bird.
Name: Pigeon
It a common Pidgeon found in cities. Is more information required?
At the very least, it spared me from having to read a Wikipedia entry about Pigeons. Why did it deeply sadden me to see that a common bird had better stats than me? That was the last thought I was able to muster before my head sank into the pillow, my form comfortably resting under the warm blanket as my eyes shut themselves and I fell 'asleep.'
Smirk. I have traveled a lot in my life, although not in any fancy way other than crawling across megacities and rarely through untamed wilds, this took the crown. In a matter of days, I have traveled through the realms of space, reality, form, and in a way, time and as much as the thought hurt, I never had so much excitement in my life before, but if I would have fun was still up to decide.
An endless ocean of white greeted me, but it was different than the inside of the Game, no, this was like a blank piece of parchment, brimming with potential and power, as if I stranded on land made of legos or perhaps even clay. I cannot fathom what god-like creature created this realm, or even The Game, or what spirits whispered these thoughts into my mind... But as if my body understood these ancient murmurs and moved on its own and- no, I acted with the guidance of the game -an image of what I would do began to form within my mind.
I looked down, I was in my human form again, this feeling of familiarity and homeliness fulfilling me with pride and joy, but these emotions were overshadowed by a wish to create. My bronze hand slowly closed, as if an invisible force was being crushed and formed in my grasp, particles, dust-like shards of liquid energy began to flow in streams, drawing lines of light in the air and eventually landing in a vortex that gathered in grasp. A glowing crystal, formed from all those individual pieces, brimmed and radiated with force and pulsated, a smile began to grow, for the first time in my whole life, I felt the sensation of power, to decide something so much bigger than myself. My smile reached its limits, and so did the catalyst of creation before I shattered it on the ground with my fist. Arcane energy waves burst like an unstoppable force in all directions, guided by my vision to create a place of growth and peace, the white wasteland slowly growing into place otherwise only seen in movies. The scenery changing so fast that I barely was able to take in such movements, like a pulse, the world was replaced by something else.
I breathed heavily as I slowly rose to my full height again, adrenalin was pumping through my 'veins' as I admired the realms before me. It was a small valley, perhaps just a considerable dent in the landscape, seeing the natural mountain walls surrounding me. A waterfall flowed into the little space and mounded into a peaceful small river flowing straight through the middle and into a cave illuminated by glowing crystals. Green grass grew around me as well as a few trees, those two things I haven't seen in nearly eight years, how time flies past one. Other than nature's beauty, there was also a comprehensive arrangement of training tools, and a pavement leading to a little wooden hut.
A deep sense of pride filled me, but that feeling only graced me with its joy for so long before it dawned upon me what just happened. A gasp escaped my lips, and my hands shot to my face upon the realization that I just used witchery, but the memory was so exhilarating, even more addictive than growing my powers; for a second, I thought that I stood above all. I need to be careful and not lose myself; otherwise, I might do something really dumb. Argh, I'm still a nobody, just a human in a pony foal body, be patient, and everything will go alright.
My breathing slowed down eventually, and as much as I, my body, or even both yearned to be drunken of power, I had no desire to lose control.
...
"Game? Hello? Hello!? Game, answer me!?" I asked calmy, which evolved quickly into a shout as my voice was unheard. "Great... just throw me into the cold water, I guess." I sighed before looking forward, the stone in front of the waterfall catching my eyes on instinct, most of them were wet, but few were far away enough and seemed to be warmed by the sun.
My eyes flickered into concentration and faded away just as quickly my mind switched between thinking and acting rapidly, unsure if I should try an idea or not. "Ain't gonna blow up so might as well try it," I whispered to myself, the lack of game, despite having it only for such a short time, had already manifested itself to firmly into me without making me feel like half myself when it isn't present. With little thought given, I walked towards the dry stone near the small waterfall, resting solidly in the riverbed.
I knew that all around me was but an illusion, a construct of the mind, but it was a damn well done. The fresh summer breeze flowing passed my hair, the sweet scents, a welcomed change to the smell of fumes and smog of the city. The light of the phantom sun radiating its warmth upon me, not too warm or cold, just right.
I halted upon reaching the edge of the water and stripped my body down to my trousers as I didn't want to make them wet, or perhaps it was just an excuse to be half-naked 'outside.' The first dip in the water with my foot was... blissful. It was cold, and the pull of the stream was calming, but I ignored it and walked towards the rock through the water that barely reached the middle of my shinbone.
My reflection in the water was as expected. A middle-aged man that looked like he has been stranded on an island in the carabiners for a weak and decided to keep the one shirt he had on the whole time. In other words, my torso was only slightly browned compared to my light copper body.
The particular rock was flat and smooth as if it was explicitly done so, but all that remained in my mind was the overwhelming thrill and unending hunger for power. Shaking my head, I sat down onto the rocky seat, the warmth assaulting my four letters as I crossed my legs, closed my eyes, and rested my hands on my lap.
I once heard that doing this would somehow strengthen body and soul, a man who was publicly known as 'Steel fist' said so, his name came from the fact that he was able to punch through sheets of steel, but no explanation was ever brought to light. Perhaps he was able to accumulate Aether and master its control? If so, then I wanted to do the same, and with such power, there would not be much left to stand in my path... Well, unless my opponent had a gun or was able to use witchery as well because then I'd be screwed.
I sat there for minutes waiting for any results, but boredom and fatigue decided to not show themselves, and an alien sensation began to slowly reveal its face. Something was happening within me...
A smile spread across my muzzle, and a little tune coming from my lips lifted my mood even higher. A new feeling of joy and energy was giving ever step more power as I walked through the cobbled streets of Canterlot.
The city was a beautiful sight for any creature of any origins. The lower levels were where the common folk lived, was decorated in ways seen nowhere else, various cultures mixing with one another as house after home, and shop, and after stand followed one another, various rustic-looking dwellings, as well as a few modern houses made up this part of the city. The real crown jewel that the capital of Equestria was located higher up the city that rested on the side of mount Canterhorn. The Higher levels was where the wealthy and noble lived, those buildings mostly consisted of lavish mansions and high-class stores where jewels of the highest quality and exotic foods were sold. Above those rich ponies was the castle, A titanic construct with towers that reached the skies, a monument of gold and marble, the place where the princess rested and ruled the land, rasing the sun and answering even the most commons ponies requests.
A sigh escaped me as the long path was slowly wearing me down; the extra weight resting on my belly really needed to be dealt with; otherwise, I might need a wagon to move me around.
"Gentle Touch, Is that you?" asked a familiar voice, making me turn around. A welcomed sight greeted me in the form of a friend of mine, A pegasus mare named Summer Breeze. Her orange fur seemingly gleaming in the sun, but the shine was extinguished by her azure mane in a way that made her seem soft in the light in away. Although the city mostly consisted of Unicorns, Pegasi were needed even here to regulate the weather.
"Summer!" I half-shouted toward her happily and took her into a hug, my right hoof over her neck and released her shortly after. "It's been ages, how are you?"
"Oh, you know, this and that. Weather will probably be exhausting in a few weeks since a thunderstorm is planned, but that is not important right now." She spoke happily, her head leaning from side to side and making several gestures with her large wings. "What I wanted to ask you was, what put you in such a good mood."
"Oh, nothing special," I spoke lightly in an attempt to hide my excitement.
"Come on, girl, you can talk with your old pal," spoke Summer Breeze as she leaned closer to my face, already anticipating an answer.
"Come closer." I quietly said as I motion at her with my hoof to which she complied. I was barely able to contain my joy, but I somehow managed not to let the whole world know about my deed. "I adopted a foal."
Breeze looked at me with a blank expression, worrying me, but her silence quickly evolved into a screeching noise of excitement. "I'm so happy for your Gentle!" She spoke happily as she nuzzled my neck in joy. "How old is the filly? Or is it a colt? What colors is the fur? Did you even get any sleep?" Her barrage of questions seemingly never stopping until I gently- heh -put my hoof on her shoulder.
"Summer, please not so loud," I told her calmly, stopping her chaos and making her notice the ponies around us starring at the two of us. Summer blushed like fire as she hid her face behind her wings. "I'm quickly going to sign the final papers; if you wait here for me, I can show him to you, but please listen to me while we go back to my place; otherwise, you might get to see an unpleasant surprise."
Summer looked at me with a confused expression, before suddenly tilting her head to the left like a bird and her ears twitching in curiosity, but a nod finished this most awkward this conversation before she went towards the local tea place. The shop was the most popular location to hang out for those with lower income, and the name being Golden Leaf was very much so worth its name is given the quality of the beverages they sold.
Without giving the situation much more thought, I continued my way towards the place I worked at. A simple hospital with rates cheap enough that it didn't take a leg to fix another, though it did make me wonder how many skeletons this place's closets had. I did not work there for long, just about two years because my previous working place closed down after it came out that a nurse was specifically giving overdoses to ponies paying extra, which resulted in the location closing down. Back then, I thought that this was the epidemy of walking the dark path on the medical way, but after yesterday I realized that things can be much crueler than that. How many foals did die there?
I halted as a shiver went down my spine, and a gruesome taste in my mouth began to spread like a poison. I shook my head violently, kicking these dark thoughts out of my head and entered the building in front of me.
Once Inside I greeted the secretary, a white unicorn mare, she turned her head toward me, her long white mane nearly knocking the items behind her over. She narrowed her eyes to slits before adjusting her glasses and smiling at me. "Ah, Gentle Touch, dear! how are you?"
"Oh, hello, Scribble Note, I'm feeling great actually, but I am sure someone as observant as you already know the reason," I said happily, the old mare was despite her age still working harder than two ponies half her age.
"Yeah, I already heard about it. Tough Love was fuming the rest of the day like crazy, you wouldn't believe it. She really needs to step down from all the anger, or she won't get anywhere near my age!" Scribble chuckled as she sorted a few papers, her grip on the material so firm that it seemed like they froze in the very air. "But, are you sure that was a wise decision to just take a foal to your home? I had my fair share of memories with the eight foals I had, and that ain't no easy task." Her voice lowering and dipped in worry.
"I know that it seemed like a bad choice, but now I am sure I made the right call. He's actually really easy to handle and only cried once after I brought home, not even realizing he was born but an hour later." I explained to the mare who's curiosity spiked upon hearing a description of such a quiet foal. "And you know what would've happened if I didn't do anything."
"Aye, the foal would've been yet another victim of Silver Soul's law of mercy. Damn those nobles and their view on 'mercy.'" The old mare snarled quietly but forced herself to calm down to keep her heart beating for another day. "Huff, anyways dear, don't let the words of an old mare bother you. Doctor Goodwill is expecting you in his office, you know the way." Her voice quickly fading back into professionalism.
"Thanks, I wish you a good day."
"You too, dear."
The little chat with dear granny Scribble gave me a much-needed boost in confidence to face the significant hurdle in front of me. The Hospital's interior was actually very nice, given its budget. Long colorful carpets, plenty sitting opportunities, and an array of pictures to lighten the mood of its patients. Unlike most hospitals, this place was not infested with the familiar 'Hospital smell' but rather the scent of orange; no one knew how or why, but that was just the flow of things.
I halted my walk and stared at a large oak door with the name Doctor's name tapped onto it's front. I took a deep breath, calming my nerves that have been set ablaze in our last confrontation before knocking against the wood. "Come in!" Was what immediately followed, not panic or surprise, just a calm reply.
'He knows it's me...' I thought with dread, a sigh escaping my lips before I entered.
His room was rather fancy, given the financial situation this location was in. A large spruce desk nearly ranged from one side of the room to another, four bookshelves, two on each side, contained dozens of heavy books. A shelf filled to the brim with various models and collection items ranging from gemstones to pony bones was displayed there. Behind the table was a large oil painting of the capital and the mountain from afar, and in front of the image sat Doctor Goodwill with a shy smile, but everyone could see that it was not because of actual worry to say something wrong.
"Ahh, miss Gentle Touch, come in, we have much to discuss." Spoke doctor Goodwill calmly as he went to his chair, he previously was watching out of the window with interest, was he looking out for me? He then motioning at me to take a seat on a large cushion. Real chairs were never on sale when there was money left, and the hospital never did any saving.
"Sure..." I slowly told him with an unsure look before taking a seat. The cushion was, as expected, comfortable even if it felt a tad flat when it came to the filling of the thing.
"Good, good." He said, before looking under his table, the shifting of papers filling the silence of us before he pulled out a single sheet, the color nearly pressing through the object.
'Must've been written not long ago...' I thought, any other pony might consider this to be a good omen to have something done specially for them, but for me it only made me wonder if this was perhaps the first case that an unhealthy foal made it out alive out of this facility. Birth for any creature was always dangerous, even with the help of magic.
"This is the formula for the adoption of... Ehem, while we are at the topic already, how are you going to name it?" Goodwill spoke as he pushed the document in front of me. There were various stains of ink and a spilling mark, the only reason that I didn't worry about this not being a real document was the large official stamp of the high court of Canterlot. "Do not worry about the imperfection, my desk is simply not the tidiest place at the moment."
"I see..." I said and diverted my attention away from the stallion in front of me and instead chose to inspect the paper. "Is that all, shouldn't there be any background checks or at the very least a few questions asked?"
"No, miss Gentle Touch, that are all the documents needed for the adoption of a foal, a true blessing for my wallet." He calmly spoke, it was nearly worrisome how he could speak confidently and comfortably with his professional voice at all times, the chuckle at the end did not ease my nerves.
"That is quite troubling..."
"Oh, finally something we can agree upon, but you must understand that Canterlot's- or rather in all of Equestria -orphanages and other facilities that take care of parentless children are overfilled to the brim to the point that officials believe that anywhere is better than on the street." Goodwill examined. It was a sad reality when it came to that topic, but that was just the truth. Even I had gotten several flyers to adopt a foal, colt, or filly when I have gotten pregnant, given my good financial situation at the time.
It chose not to answer the doctor's reply, Star Touch's fist real day should not consist of being all alone. The upper half of the document consisted of merely stating that you are responsible for the foal and all the damages it might cause, as well as you had to take care and raise it. Nothing surprising. The lower half was made out of questions that asked for your background, such as if you had to take medicine, had any illnesses, and how many bits you made a month. Those had strangely been already filled in.
"Do not worry, I have already written the answers to save the time of both of us, but please look over them just in case. I wish not to have to pay for another document."
I took him by the word and levitated the paper closer to me and scanned every single letter, even casting a spell to find anything out of the ordinary. My cutie mark being a soft white Feather did not just mean that my touch was light, but also was able to pick up nearly everything with both physical and magical touch. The paper was not affected by any strings or dirty tricks. My eyes then slowly lowered themselves to the last three free fields. On each side was about the parent consent, the second one was already crossed through, a painful reminder of what had happened... The last question was in between the signature of the soon-to-be-guardian(s) was the foal's name. I swiftly wrote my signature and carefully the name of my foal. Star Touch. Perhaps I was too afraid to make an error, but given that this would be the name he would be known for, it was better to be extra cautious than evidently name him Stare Touch. Once finished, I looked over it once more just to be sure, before sliding the paper back to the Stallion in front of me.
Doctor Goodwill read through the paper, making sure if every answer was filled out correctly, and then burst into a chuckle. "Ohh~ Ahaha... ha... oh, this is just too good to be true." his rant finished with a snort. "Anyways, I think everything is in order. I see you in three months, ma'am, please await the payment for your maternity leave as well as the pay for the 'incident' for the Incident in the following days."
"What was so funny?" I asked slowly, I did not know why I've gotten angry over his amusement, but I did not wish to simply let go of someone making fun about my foal, any for that matter.
"Oh, nothing-nothing, Just thought how fitting its name is given his health conditions. Nothing more."
"I see..."
I did not say another word, I just stood up, and left, leaving behind the doctor and the hospital, ignoring everyone calling me by my name or anything else related to my presence. His words managed to sour my mood in a way I never felt before given who said that. A stallion who made jokes a total of three times in his whole career if Scribble's word is to be believed, all made at the expense of other ponies sorrow.
This feeling inside of me, I can actually describe it in a way that sounded calm, rational, and understandable. In the darkness of my mind, I could see without my eyes, various lines of light slowly drawing in this vast emptiness, connecting and intwining with another. It was some sort of net, pipes perhaps or just a small game to entertain me? This state that I was in, it was like I sat in an ancient and slow train out of which you could jump out without having to worry about being hurt, but I had no destination. I had no rush to escape this journey, yet I knew nothing was holding me back to leave; for me, time passed slowly, but the world around me shot passed me. The lines of energy, I could gradually make out their meaning, the purpose of this web, and soon I could see it. As the last line connected with another, the whole construct lit up, blinking withing radiance before dimming, allowing the dots of energy flowing down these rails inside the silhouette that slowly revealed itself. It was the flow of energy, the leylines, and power, coursing through my body that was, somehow, before me in my mind. The most striking detail was perhaps the single little pear within my center, in the middle of my chest cavity from were seemingly all energy was drawn and distributed from and to.
This state I was in was pure calmness once the puzzle was complete, it was not peace or harmony, but it was close to it. It was like order, and yet it wasn't. My state could be described as stability within motion and change, refraining from choosing the path of stagnation. No thought was inside my mind during the whole ordeal, at the very least, not for long, but now I could not help but think about something with a precision I knew not before. For once, I could feel the power of Aether and the actual effect it had on me. Despite my rather boney and fragile form, I doubt that an average man with no weapons would be able to stand before me, even with the low stats I had. I cannot fathom, but somehow, I felt like I could probably break human bones with little to no effort, but that couldn't be true, right? Even the Pigeon had nearly as much as strength as I do, or perhaps I only now began to understand the real power of Aether and why I should be preparing myself for the nightmares to come.
*Ping* *Ping* *Ping* *Ping* *Ping* *Ping*
"AHHH!"
*Splash*
Five times did this blasphemous sound ripple through my mind, and as skittish and fearsome, I was of the situation and quest standing before me, it was not what shocked me. The second I was ripped out of my state of concentration, I felt a lightning course through me, as if the ground and world me would shatter, the walls breaking in and the cold, yet hot air burst in from the pressure difference, flooding the space.
My eyes simply stared up the mountain wall up, while my form laid motionless in the creak, the cold water bothering my little, the flow of the water even less so as it rushed passed my skin. The sheer state of being I was in... The faint memory feeling like the afterthought of an incredibly deep massage that left you laying for hours to come after having turned you to clay, still accompanied me as I stared at the textbox above me, rotated in the perfect way for me to see the words.
The name 'No Name' has become 'Star Touch.'
Through the unique action of finding your magic core, you've gained the skill 'Meditation.'
Meditation - Level 1This skill doesn't require any resources A serene state of Mind and Body where you fully become one with yourself. It lets you faster recover from fatigue and wounds and Increase the Rate at which you Replenish your Spirit. This skill will occasionally also allow the user to passively gain Wisdom points if they remain in this state long enough by becoming one with the ambient Aether around them. * Health regeneration increased by 10% * Mana regeneration increased by 10%
You have gained three points in Wisdome for finding your magic core, creating the ability [Meditation], and using the aforementioned skill.
You have been meditating for two hours, twenty-six minutes, and twelve seconds.
"The Fuck?!" I shouted out before quickly closing my mouth, only to realize that I am, in fact, the only being in this whole plane of existence. The information that my name had become precisely what the animal told me yesterday was no big surprise to me, the rest, on the other hand, was! How was I able to just sit there for nearly two and a half hours without even noticing it?! And then there was the fact that I gained another skill. Perhaps it was the after effect of the calmness I was drowned in, but even I could see the usefulness of this particular ability. This would allow me to heal faster should I ever get seriously injured; in other words, broken bones would be even less of a problem than it originally was already. Then there was also the fact this ability would allow for my mana to have a shorter restocking time, as well as a longer duration of use should I ever find something to use this resource on. This skill literally involves me doing nothing and would allow me to use level skills even faster, the ultimate leveling tool once it reached a higher rang, but that did not excuse the fact how long I was gone!
"Game, answer me this question, how was it possible for me to just lose so much time!?" I shouted into the air, questioning the celestial being inside of me.
This space already has time-manipulating power, so warping of perception might be an occurring side effect. The time in this chamber flows a little over three times than the world outside, only about forty-five minutes have passed while you were gone. The question you wish to ask concerning my sudden disappearance has to do with the fact that you created a space of peace where you would not be disturbed, banning me from interfering unless you allowed me to do so. While you previously did call my name, it did not give me an allowance to interfere and telling me to answer you didn't allow me to speak unless you had asked a question beforehand. Remember, you are in control while my purpose is merely to accompany you. The Game finally returned in his usual Morgan Freeman ways.
"I! You! Ah screw this, did the horsewoman return yet?" I asked after calming myself, again, the skills I already owned were basic but incredibly powerful, given what they did to me physically and mentally. That did not mean I wanted to stop or was satisfied; no, I would not consider stopping until I could create stuff out of thin air, and even then, the answer would be no.
Your adaption to the situation, as well as your cunningness to use the means you were provided with, is impressive. The skill [Meditation] was by my creator's words supposed to be seen as unappealing to my host and required an explanation, which you didn't need. Congratulations, you have fulfilled a quest that I haven't even revealed yet, the reward is yours.
ID Create - Level 1This skill doesn't require any resources Used to create Instant Dungeons. Stronger Instant Dungeons may be created at higher levels. Currently available ID list: 1. Training Realm 2. Locked until a certain power threshold has been reached
ID Escape - Level MaxThis skill doesn't require any resources Used to escape the Dungeons you have created. Be aware that sometimes the dungeons you create have special rules or conditions that may interfere with leaving the realm.
"Ohh, well, thank you for your praise, even if this [ID Escape] skill sounds rather ominous and foreshadowing," I said, my joy of being applauded at slowly mounding into suspicion and skepticism. "Does time in those other dungeons also move on as fast as now, or is it different?" I asked I wanted a full rundown even if it was months in advance, but I knew that the path to the horror hospital wasn't that far away, and it would only be a matter of time before Gentle Touch was back.
Generaly, the time in this world will move even slower as the dungeons you create will be closer to The Nightmare Realm as it will contain monsters to fight due to the weight of the Aether. This training realm will also have a faster flow of time, the more powerful you become. The Gamer said, his voice dipping slightly into excitement if I heard it right, was he anticipating myself getting beaten up or has he become genocidal and I was his superweapon.
"Wait!? What do you mean with the weight of the Aether- that sounds like something really damn important and-" I startled myself with my conclusion, and as I asked the Gamer for another dose of answers, I was cut off.
More information will be available at a later point of time, there is nothing I can do to fasten the gain of crucial information, though be put to ease when I tell you that no need of this information will require in the following years. Entity Gentle Touch has entered a one hundred meter radius. Please use the skill [ID Escape] to return to your physical form. The Game sounded as if his words were forced out, again so robotic, only his addition that information will not be of use for the time being contained emotion, albeit with a forced tone. His request to urge me to return to the real world, on the other hand, sounded a bit more demanding.
"Sigh... ade old form of mine and back to the prison I call- what the hell is wrong with me and poetry this day!? Screw this, [ID Escape]!" I shouted loudly to free myself from the dreadful tendrils of Culture, attempting to make me civil. Blegh!
The entire realm around my shattered into shards, vanishing like dust in the air, but instead of being greeted by the vast white again, I only saw the familiar ceiling again, and my senses slowly became familiar with my form and position. I was about to ask a question, what, I cannot remember, but it wasn't necessary. A loud clicking noise rang through the empty apartment, and I heard two female voices talking with another.
"Oh, Gentle Dear, I cannot wait to see the little one!" An awfully high pitched voice squealed in ways that made me question the rules of frequency in this world.
"I am sure you're gonna love him, just try not to gobble him up," I spoke the voice belonging to Gentle Touch and unintentional nearly making me barf if it wasn't for the game having gained control over my gag reflex.
'Great... another horse monster that will either love me to death or be disgusted at me...' I begrudgingly thought in my head and mentally crossed my arms.
Your assumptions are far more severe than they actually are. The breast milk you consumed, a rather large quantity, was complemented with the Aether energy you absorbed during your stay in the Instant Dungeon while using the skill [Meditate]. This caused your fur to grow out more and for you to gain enough weight to merely appear as slightly underweight. Although the damages this body had did not have any effect on your performance, they did heal as the body was yet too fresh to undergo such drastic changes, as well as prying eyes would've taken notice of your sudden development. This does, of course, not overwrite the flaw [Weak], and should you wish to gain a more appealing form, then you should consider leveling charisma.
'Wait, Charisma does more than just sweet talk idiots?! You need to give me a rundown of them the next time we are in the Training space.' I thought and demanded with surprise and shock as I heard this crucial information. I was not going to waste point on that stat, at least, if that was how it worked, but I am sure it would be beneficial to have a silver tongue if I were to make this place my home.
Affirmative
"And here he is!" said Gentle as she entered the room, not sparring me a second to collect myself as she hastily levitated me towards her and the other horse. I am no expert, but I am sure any other baby would've cried from being handled in careful Darth Vader style.
"Aww, he is so cute! Can I hold him!?" Asked the Gentle Touch's friend? I had absolutely no idea who the hell that was supposed to be, but I knew one thing, her colors did not make me wish to wear sunglasses inside for reasons other than being cool. Sure, her coloration made me think of a special edition Fanta, but her orange fur and the blue mane looked rather delightful, not forgetting the large wings which she used to hold and squish my face. Damn, those things were dexterous.
"Sure, just be careful. Although he doesn't cry a lot, I really don't want to tempt fate." Gentle told the Pegasus. You are saying that after you gave me away to a creature with wings?
The Pegasus did not waste a second to promptly put her butt on the ground and scoop me out of the air with her hooves. As it turned out, Pegasi had a large tuff of fluffy fur on their chest, the fact that she used to cover the rest of me with her incredible soft wings was just a bonus. If I ever were to live alone, then I needed to have a pillow, or even a bed out of that stuff.
"Awww, who's the cutest little colt? Who is it? Who is it? You are!" the mare cooed loudly in my face, and my body, on its own, began to giggle, although I believe Game said something about this form not being completely under control, or that was just my senses as a human baby being brought back to life. Urgh.
"I don't know what you were talking about, he looks fine to me!" The Pegasus exclaimed loudly as she poked my little stomach with a large feather on her wing's top, nearly feeling like an actual finger. Again, my infant form burst into a giggle. Gentle Touch now also took notice of my change, though she was seemingly too overjoyed by my sudden rise in health than the phenomenon.
"I swore he looked much worse before I left, do you think he had a magical surge and accidentally caused a healing spell!?" blurted out as if she had caught onto a trail to the holy grail five years ago. Yes, It was found, and it was inside a huge oak tree.
"No idea..." She mumbled as she hugged me tighter, but with all that fur and puff, I couldn't be crushed. "I heard that one filly once managed to turn her parent's saving into stone during an extra powerful surge even though no one ever saw it happen, although the Mare and Stallion were just a couple of steps away. But I am no reliable source for such stuff, I am a Pegasus, not a Unicorn."
Yess... feed me with your knowledge on how to cover up shit I might do in the future, pony whose name I still don't know... wait! I can just use [Observe!]
Summer Breeze ??? ???
That was to be expected, but at the very least, I have a name, but that does not explain why they all call themselves after one noun and an adjective or verb. Really, you can't tell me that they are all separated into actual tribes when the house is decorated as if I was in England just before or after the industrial revolution.
"You're right, it doesn't matter, I am just happy that he's well." Gentle Touch spoke softly before she took me back into her Hooves, much to Summer's dismay, though she did close the distance herself by walking next to Gentle Touch. "I knew that you were meant to reach great, and overcoming that doctor's expectations was just the first step." She spoke proudly and highly of me, just wait until the IQ test comes or elementary school before you can claim for me to have overcome others' expectations.
As tranquil as the whole ordeal seemed, it was ruined by a massive and powerful knocking against the door. Let's just hope that the first boss didn't just appear.
Author's Note
I might not show the stat window in every chapter despite the Main character gaining new points, but if you wish to track his growth then simply look at the 'Character sheet' chapter to stay informed.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter one: Preperations
I flared open my eyes the second I was aware of my surroundings, the tranquil place which I from now on would most likely see every day- or night for that matter -greeted me, though I did not welcome it. The sweet scents left me untouched, the heavenly rays of sun ricochet of off me, and the warmth only cheered me up a little as I walked with a great kick in my step towards the stone near the waterfall. Despite my actions and outside look, I was everything but negative; in fact, I was thrilled to be back, so much so that I wasted not an ounce of energy for such worthless tasks as appealing happy. My hands, such masterful tools granted by evolution tore off the fabric cocoon of clothes from my body, and I reached the beautiful rock that would probably have my butt cheeks imprinted on it after I was done. With a sigh, I plopped down onto the warm stone, crossed my legs, rested my hands on top of my tights, and closed my eyes.
This time, unlike my first attempt, the skill [Meditation] triggered immediately. It granted me the ability to heighten my regenerative powers to my current maximum, and that was not without reason. The energy lines that ran through my body became visible through a metaphorical third eye and allowed me to see both their origins and destination, a tranquil, colorful, yet clear lake inside of me in which a gray liquid rested.
'Let's hope I don't fuck it up...' I thought with a little smirk on my face as I tapped into this alien power as if I was born with it in the first... first-first place.
The energy leylines began to glow radiantly, but only those I allowed to. Slowly the liquid running through those veins leading towards my palms began to shine softly, and a sensation of power fulfilled me, my excitement rose, and a giggle escaped me as I just cast the first spell from my mind, not reflex.
Without even looking, I knew that my palms were storing large quantities of my power this very moment, begging to be used, I acknowledged their cry and executed their wish. My magic traveled through the air like spider threads, fragile, slow and invisible, but with a clear destination, and it was underwater. Although I could not directly feel the chilly sensations of the refreshing water, I was still aware of it.
The water was despite its never stopping motions seemingly tranquil with its clear surface, though that soon changed when six grey blobs began to rise from its shallow depths to the surface. This sudden anomaly did not halt once and even went so far and break the laws of physics by floating two feet above the water. And if that feat wasn't brilliant enough, the color splats, that turned out to be pure pebbles, went even further by rotating around the very being who defiled gravitation.
A smirk revealed itself on my face, but only momentarily as I could feel time begin to move at a far faster pace than it usually did, though not before one more message was sent to me before the pro gamer training began: 10 hours of grinding.
Total weight is estimated to be around 345 grams worth of rock. Mana regenerations surpass that of consumption; thus, the spell can be cast indefinitely until physical needs will arise. Please remember that an ordinary unicorn wouldn't be able to sustain a spell like you who can remain calm and collective, but also to perfectly cast most spells after a complementary skill or ability has been created. Have fun.
4 days later.
Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth... My mind repeated those three words indefinitely as I watched the ceiling swing from side to side or more accurately, I was being rocked, and my eyes simply lay idle. This simple task was just a warm-up, as soon I would begin to count the lines in the wooden ceiling! Yes, fear my superior intellect. Of course, all of this was just to reactivate my mind.
The ability [Meditation] was an incredibly powerful skill when it came to grinding, even more so in the future where I might be able to double my regeneration rate of mana. Sadly, it had one drawback: It was mind-numbing. No, that was perhaps not a suitable description, it was too relaxing. I would sleep ten hours a night, and then another two spread across the day, meaning twelve hours of simple meditation, which made up the majority of my time spent and during that time and that of the 'after-effect' I could barely mutter a thought. Now, what made it so horrible to be freed from such things as thoughts? Simple, EVERYTHING. With none of my crude and society insulting opinions, I was left with urgh getting comfortable with this body.
I had no problem with acting like one of these animals, but actually getting to a point where I did not constantly belittle the downsides of not having an adult bipedal body was a horrible thought. Enough of my own self-pity.
Those four days, I spend continuously acting like a little perfect angel, and I mean it. I was behaving like expecting parents were praying for the first years of their child to be. I did not cry in the night, only made annoying baby sounds when I was hungry, and gave my 'mother' an alert five minutes in advance before I had to defecate. I had no love for the horse, perhaps gratitude for saving me, empathy for being in her care, and appreciation for devoting her whole life towards me. Still, I have no idea about her, other than she was seemingly desperate for getting a foal and the fact that she had baby equipment in advance. She looked pregnant, but I am pretty damn sure that she wasn't, there was also the fact that there were several pictures with a mysterious stallion, but that was the end of my information gathering department's report.
There was really nothing more to say other than the progress that I made in those successful days. Gentle Touch did not really do much all day, not that I'd blame her. Apparently, she had gotten a vacation for becoming a mother, and I would've done the same as her: Being lazy. Though things were starting to become boring.
A loud thud brought me out of my sweet, yet stale thoughts, though the stopping of my constant motion was what caught my attention. Gentle Touch closed an old-looking, velvet book that was by the looks of it ancient given the way the pages turned into a light yellow hue. The horse smiled to herself as she levitated the object towards one of the bookshelves and inserted in carefully back into the place it belonged.
"Be a good little colt while I quickly get my purse, would you?" asked Gentle as she all of us suddenly started a conversation and walked towards her bedroom, leaving me with a risen eyebrow.
Was that like in one of those tv shows where a character started a sentence and ends it hours later after being silent for an eternity? Also, purse? Were we going shopping, as in, entering the outside world? Finally, that sounded amazing!
A little grin grew onto my face as everything was going according to as planned, well, the games plan, but I expected it, so I'm going to take credit. My little spiritual friend recommended for us to take every chance to gather information for him to build a perfect personality, as well as to do our own little shopping tour.
It's not stealing if no one will ever realize that it was taken in the first place. Acquiring items are perhaps one of the most crucial deeds that need to be done for the upcoming dungeon trip. You can absorb items into your inventory by merely wishing for an object to be stored. Since collected items cannot be traced back to us unless an individual directly sees us doing it, there is little chance as you don't have to make contact for the action to be fulfilled.
Ahh, stealing, a primordial temptation of us taking what we don't have and the fear for our belongings to be taken, not that I'd give a shit about those I steal from, no, I can now just do it without consequences! Who's going to accuse an infant?
I chuckled to myself, well, in my mind, at least as I focused onto the second thing that lit up my mood. 'Status' I thought joyfully as I stared at the sudden appearance of my status window, displaying my progress.
Star Touch (John Weaver) Level - 1 Class - None (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 50 [5 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 315 [44 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 10 [5 per minute] STR (Strength) - 5 (5) [10] END (Endurance) - 5 (5) [10] DEX (Dexterity) - 10 INT (Intelligence) - 31,5 = 32 (31,5) [14] WIS (Wisdome) - 22 CHA (Charisma) - 5 (5) [10] LCK (Luck) - 10
Nearly fifty hours of work allowed me to gain six points of wisdom and another three points in intelligence, which became a lot more thanks to my perks. Perhaps I should consider doing physical training within my mind to not be one-shooted by a rat, but for now, I would gloat in my progress. Speaking of progress, my skill did not stay stagnant either.
Indeed, you are growing in power, but you still have a long way to go.
Meditation - Level 6 (Exp: 66,67%)This skill doesn't require any resources A serene state of Mind and Body where you fully become one with yourself. It lets you faster recover from fatigue and wounds and Increase the Rate at which you Replenish your Spirit. This skill will occasionally also allow the user to passively gain Wisdom points if they remain in this state long enough by becoming one with the ambient Aether around them. * Health regeneration increased by 10% * Mana regeneration increased by 10%
Levitation - Level 8 (Exp: 0,00%)This spell allows the user to move an object with the power of their mind. The spell itself has no limits and is completely dependent on the power of the caster. * Maximum weight: 5.760kg (Int * 180g) *Cost: 1 mana per 18g per minute *Maximum Range between caster and object: 4,5m
'Haha, stare at my growth-wait a second! I gained about one level for [Meditation] every ten hours, but it literally changed nothing? What the hell, is that some kind of bug or did I waste all of that time!?' My mood delightful mood shattered from one moment to another as the information of stagnation trickled into my brain.
You did grow, though some skills grow in stages. [Meditation] only becomes every ten levels more powerful, it is also the time when growing rises in difficulty. It is also worth noting that you are growing, just not in power, but in control. Some classes and abilities depend on a certain level of control from other skills, thus why it is displayed. Would you like to review a thorough guide on the stats now?
'Urgh, fine, I'm not gonna complain as I probably would never, ever have had the patience or power to gain such skills in the first place without this whole system, so I probably should not start sounding like an ungrateful brat.' I mentally sighed as I accepted my now seemingly little growth, though at least I became more potent in levitation. 'Wait, I totally forgot about the stats, I thought I told you I wanted to hear about them the moment I entered the training dungeon.'
Yes, yes you did, though you also told me not to interrupt you whenever you started to train your abilities, in other words, the entire time you spend in the dungeon. ... Ohh... Based on your silence, I assume you have seen the error and wish to review the meaning of the stats.
Strength:
Endurance:
Dexterity:
Intelligence:
Wisdom:
Charisma:
Luck:
'I think... I think my brain is bleeding right now... stop warping knowledge in my brain unless I authorize it or its a critical situation, because, wow, that was a little bit much. Also, too much information on Charisma, because I sure as hell won't be leveling that stuff.' I answered groggily as my head throbbed, not from a headache, but rather from the information overload, it wasn't direct pain, or like stress.
'Denying what you are for at the very least several decades is not healthy, and even if you wish not to have a family, which would get in our way at such a crucial point of time, I see it not healthy to suppress the urges, and asking me to do the honor is not any better.' The game urged me, which I soaked in like a plastic wall.
'Naha, nope, nada! I ain't doing any of that. Perhaps I am a horse now, but I'm not gonna lower myself to fuck a horse, even when I am one. I mean, do I look like a pervert from harry potter? No to family, romance and sex. I like my lasagna without creme fraiche filling, thank you!' I answered truthfully and full of determination, making my point across. No sexual or romantic action for me.
A quiet thud brought me out of my thoughts as I saw Gentle touch, wearing a pair of saddlebacks on her back, as well as a folded stroller next to her. The mare wore a broad smile as she levitated me across the room and towards her.
'Holy fuck, I'm in Disney land!' I mentally cried out in both shock and amusement as my eyes met with a considerable castle way above us on the horizon. A white monstrosity of towers and unsafely build extensions made me wonder if there even were any laws of physics in this place. 'How fitting that I'm a Gamer and this world quiet literally seems to work on Minecraft logic...' A dry sniff escaped me.
"You see that little star? That's were the Princess lives!" She babytalk-ed at me with excitement as she halted her movement momentarily to allow me an even better view.
Turned out that the castle is not just hanging on the mountainside above us, it's actually partially inside the giant rock, softening my worries and fears of being crushed during an earthquake by an abomination of marble and gold. I just hope that this ain't where all the tax money goes.
The city reminded me of-no, scratch that, it was a medieval city with the feeling of colonization era London while keeping a European style. It was actually more beautiful than I initially thought with literally dozens of stalls and shops placed everywhere, making this place much more approachable than the concrete jungle in which you got lost after blinking once. Most buildings in the 'lower level' of the city- if the Smalltalk of some citizens complaining about the hard time their businesses are having is to be believed -were made out of wood, rock, or both, all having their own unique charm. Of course, knowing that this was pre-modern time, it was likely that the alleyways probably promised death, having a disease was a death sentence, and your life was practically worthless towards the higher-ups... basically my old home except for number two.
At the moment, Gentle and I were in some sort of market place filled to the brim with ponies, oh, excuse me, unicorns, haggling for the cheapest product. Yes, there were no price tags, they were all politely arguing in a surprisingly friendly manner which just made me wonder how they would be able to actually do their taxes.
"Greetings, Gentle, hows your day going?" asked a gruff voice as he smiled at my legal guardian. He seemed like the regular unicorn skin. Brown fur, a lighter brown tone for the mane and a hazelnut colored horn, as well as a receipt tattoo on his butt. What was that about anyway? "And what do my eyes spy there? Hello, little guy!"
"Oh, that's Star Touch. Come one, say hello to Short Bill." Gentle encourage. I just barely avoided the groan of the century when the Game took over and made me emit a light giggle. Damn, I'd be screwed without him.
"Well, aren't you a cute little fella, and what an interesting color pallet you have. Silver, white, and such beautiful blue eyes." Bill looked over my short form with a kind smile, though it quivered for a moment as he looked back at Gentle, probably noticing that I looked nothing like her. "Say Gentle, where did you pick up the little bundle of joy?" His tone shifted quickly into that of being nervous.
"Oh, I adopted him less than a week ago-" Gentle started, though halted momentarily, making it clear that the topic of death was much more touchy than it was on earth. "She died during the birth, the father was not found." Her eyes darted down as her hoof made a weak circling motion on the paved path.
"Oh!" Bill said, albeit louder than he initially thought. "Oh, I'm sorry for bringing up that topic, shouldn't have pushed my nose in other ponies business, huh?" The stallion said as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Oh no, no, it's nothing to feel sorry about. I'd probably ask the same seen as, well, he, Star looks so much different than his mommy." Gentle said to lighten the mood considerably with a smile.
"Oh, ok, but at the least let me make it up for ya, the first apple's on the house, what do ya say?" Bill said kindly as he lifted a red, large, juicy apple with his brown magic and put it in Gentle's saddleback, making her mouth's corner arch up even more. See parents, that is how you get free stuff with children in tow.
Suddenly my eyes made contact with a blue aura, immediately warning me about social interactions. Why isn't her aura pink?
Gentle lifted me in front of the little stall of the Stallion while positioning herself next to me. "Look, Star, those are apples, and they're delicious." Yes, and the sky is blue. "We need five apples, so which ones do you like most?" I'm not even the one who's going to eat them, so why bother asking? Or is she perhaps using me as one of those truffle pigs?
'Game, the skill says that I can carry a maximum of about six kilograms for a minute, but can the time be reduced for higher weight?' I asked while acting as if I was actually sniffing for the best smelling one.
Yes, though the one-minute threshold is the highest weight that can be carried around before an adverse effect may be applied. After the task has been completed, your maximum mana capacity will be reduced by about twenty percent for a certain amount of time. The game informed me.
'Good, take as many as you can get without making the decline obvious, then put them back in a way that leaves as much air as possible between the fruits.' I commanded as I gave away all control.
Gentle leaned closer with a great smile arching from one side of her face to another when she saw an apple twitch slightly, though her joy soon turned to shock when she saw not just one fruit rising but all of them. The ponies surrounding her too noticed of it just as fast and looked with astonishment as about twenty kilos of apples defied the laws of physic. The red fruits twirled in the air, drawing lines in front of the majestically colored foal, and the most beautiful were pulled out and into the Pink mare's pouch. The fruits flew in such a strange, yet unique pattern that they didn't even notice several of their juicy comrades simply vanish. The whole spectacle had lasted about ten seconds before the apples all flew back into the little wooden container, much better arranged for a matter of fact and making the products appear much more appealing.
"Well, I'd be..." Muttered Bill as he looked at me with pure astonishment, probably questioning if he had not drunk one too many ciders before opening the stand.
Gentle's mouth hung wide agape as her eyes darted between me and the fruits in such rapid succession that she likely gotten a little bit ill. 'How, no foal could have such fine control. To levitate an object with such precision meant to have to apply equal force from every direction. To move meant that slightly more power had used on one side while keeping the force on the rest of the object the same, meaning two tasks at the same time, but Star just... He did that with dozens of apples, all going in different patterns and directions.'
"Bill, I'm so sorry, I didn't think that.-" Gentle started hysterically but stopped herself when she noticed one striking detail, not one apple was damaged or even scratched in the slightest, meaning that they didn't even get in contact with one another despite the little space in between the fruits.
"There ain't no damage on them apples," Bill spoke loudly, causing quiet the chatter behind Gentle Touch. I couldn't help, but let out a childish giggle, this time, it was real as the shocked expressions of the inhabitants of this world were just too amusing. Why did I just sound like a bootleg villain of the eighties?
My reaction seemingly caused Gentle to snap out of her trance and levitated me closer towards her. Now my muzzle was facing her, but instead of finding worry, concern, or even anger, I discovered that she was seemingly proud of my action, well, of what she believed I had done.
"You're really something special, I don't think I could do that with practice," Gentle said with a light tone as she rubbed her nose against mine while being overloaded with the pride of knowing that her child was a young master mage. Of course, for me, it was effortless to do as the Game was practically a supercomputer and was likely able to create fake money if the tools were given to him.
Gentle, now having realized that she was still the center of attention, quickly put me back into the stroller before pulling out her purse with her magic, only to be stopped by Bill. "Ya know what, this one's on the house, this little old stand hasn't seen this much attention, well, ever," Bill said with a smile.
Gentle paused for a moment, before putting her purse back into her saddlebacks and quickly left, pushing me along with her. The middle-aged mare expected scandalous comments as she trotted through the horse of unicorn, but all she heard was praised directed at her son and his incredible magical abilities. A nervous little smile spread across her face as she slowed down her tempo slightly.
'You're awesome Game, and you know it.' I thought proudly as I viewed the loot I had gained, a total of ten apples.
The following status effect has been applied: Mana exhaustion(Small)
Mana exhaustion(Small) Reduces your total mana capacity by 20% for five minutes.
Pain was an interesting sensation, or rather, the lack of it. I was aware that the inside of my horn and to some extent, its outside felt sore, like a muscle you trained too much. I was aware of the discomfort, but I was not actually feeling it, there was not even shock or surprise in play as the information calmly manifested itself into my mind, like a simple scratch for a war veteran who was already far too used to such a thing.
Your praises are very much welcome, even if they are unnecessary. My help is not a free addition to our partnership, but the bare minimum requirement. Also-
Through the unique action of impressing the citizens of Canterlot, you've gained two points of charisma
'Wait, you gotta be kidding me right now, there ain't no way that's the name of this city!' I thought in outrage and shock.
'Inventory' I thought begrudgingly with a giant frown that was luckily not noticed by the ponies around me. The loot I, alongside the game, had gained was quite large if I may say so, and the power of making an object in a five-meter radius around to just appear in my inventory was freaking awesome. Still, the name of this city left an awful taste in my mouth. It was not the butchery of the name Camelot, but the fact that they have done so without even knowing the place, to begin with, so it made me wonder if this was a coincidence, as ridiculous as it sounded, or if there was more to it.
Inventory
I had stolen a lot, mostly from the ponies wearing the fanciest clothes. Although I could've easily made entire purses 'disappear,' I had no interest in ruining other people's lives, even if they were animals. There was also the fear that a too sharp spike in crime would've made future that harder. The bits accumulated were taken from 71 different ponies and the knife, as cute as it was, I had just accidentally taken when it fell on the ground alongside a strawberry that no one noticed despite having rested there for like three minutes. I may have not eaten those little red pearls in many years, but I loved those to death, no other fruit could compare.
Memories and thoughts can seep through the weave or reality and manifest themselves in other creatures' minds. The story of King Arthur was incredibly popular, so the thought of it could've gained enough mental energy for it to descend in other worlds.
'Doesn't that means if enough people believed in a deity that it might become real too?' I asked carefully and with great interest.
I have no data on that subject, so I am unable to give a clear response. Of course, it seems like the question of religion will not be answered today. While you mention the topic books, it is worth noting that books are perhaps the easiest way to gain skill, and as such, should be acquired by any means possible.
'Why are you mentioning that right-oh.' I asked, only to have that question answered when Gentle stopped in front of a large building. There was a large sign, and although I could yet not read, I did, however, understand the meaning of the painting of a book on it. The building was about three stories high with far too many windows and a roof that was mostly made out of glass, revealing its juicy content to me.
Gentle fidgeted with her purse floating in front of her face for a moment, before letting out a sigh and putting it back into the saddleback, but not before giving it one more glance inside. "I didn't think that they'd give me so much money, but should I really." Gentle muttered with concern, looking left and right before finally halting her gaze when she met my eyes.
'I want those books, Gentle. I want the power that they hold, not just the knowledge but actual power. Do not disappoint me.' I thought grimly, but on the outside, I was happily wiggling in my far too comfortable seat.
"Well, let's just look at what kinds of foal books they have available at the moment for lending," Gentle said with a little smile as she turned towards the building's entry and pushed me along with it. She would soon regret her choice as she now had to carry the stroller up the stairs, which had taxed her considerably judging by the strained look and the few drops of sweat on her face. The heavy bags made it no easier either.
'Huh, it seems like the extensive use of magic does have physical effects on the user as well' , I thought with surprise as I saw Gentle push the stroller forwards through the open glass doors and towards the counter.
You have correctly deduced a fact about Unicorns by puzzling information together. You've gained one point in Intelligence.
'Ahh~ sweet, useful growth.' I gushed over the gain in Intelligence as it was much better than plain old charisma. Ain't no way I'm gonna sweet talk a horse, I'd rather rob him or her.
"Ex-excuse me?" Gentle asked in between gasps of air, making me wonder just how out of shape she was, given that other than her round belly, she seemed to be healthy.
"Yes?" asked a shy voice, originating from a young mare sitting behind the counter of the library. The mare had a light red mane that was divided into two shorth pigtails. Her coat was that of magenta, and her tail was curly. Her purple eyes swayed from my mother and onto my, hidden behind a pair of glasses, your ancient elementary teacher would wear. Her original somber mood spiked as a smile spread across her face. Why were these ponies so easily manipulatable by foals, although come to think about it, I haven't seen a single other younglings than me until now. No, stop it, the problems of this world ain't yours, John.
At this point, after a long break in which Gentle let the mare molest me with her eyes, she finally spoke up once again. "Do you know where I can find any foal books, preferably ones with pictures?" Gentle asked as she pulled me into her hooves once again. Apparently, the sheer storm of smells from the market was enough to overshadow her scent on me enough for her to have the desire to reapply it, in other words, use me as a brush.
"Third floor, ma'am, though you have to leave your groceries at the desk as the food could make the books dirty or leaves crumbles, but do not worry, I'll gladly watch over them." The librarian answered, still eyeing me with a little smile that sure as hell wasn't beginning to creep me out. On the other hand, nearly everything was weird when you were small, so perhaps she was, by this world's standard, not a creep.
Gentle nodded with a smile and levitated the saddlebacks alongside me into the air, before disposing of the products in the stroller. Not shortly later, I was placed onto her back, and her little red purse with golden lining floated in her aura. If she was worried about her money being stolen or if she simply wanted to know exactly how much she had left, I did not know. Gentle slowly walked forwards towards the stairs located at the other end of the room while swinging her hips in rhythm, most likely to rock me side to side, which was actually pretty calming.
I took the opportunity to once again bolster my reputation with the locals as this place would be one I would visit perhaps more than once, why was pretty obvious, looting. I turned around rather quickly and waved at the librarian with a large smile, even if this one still didn't have teeth. The librarian took notice of my action and waved back at me if I didn't know any better than I'd say her heart just melted.
'Idiot. Observe.' I thought with a mental scowl. I had nothing against these beasts, but having to act like this was stabbing my inner human.
Empty page??? ???
My act lasted no longer than five seconds before I turned back, my face not facing the incoming bookshelves, but before I could sharp my senses, I was assaulted by the fiercely yet strangely pleasant scents. I had only once ever smelled this fragrance this firmly, it was when I transported the diary of some two-hundred-years-old poet towards an archive that still had books made out of paper instead of one huge ass server room. My eyes closed automatically as I took in a deep whiff, my ears standing up to take in the soft steps of my means of transportation, but other ponies I did not hear, or perhaps they were just so silent? I cared little, as the library was one of the few places I ever could find peace and sleep without waking up feeling like shit.
Item added to inventory.
This soft tune, any other man would've perhaps screamed in shock, but I was not just used to it, I was awaiting it, I was like a simple tap on the shoulder while sunbathing. My eyes opened slowly as I once again found myself back in this beautiful place, and in the corner of my eyes, I saw yet another book disappear. One might think of it as risky to steal while being in the line of sight of the librarian, but the object taken did not make any sound or create a light, they just softly stopped existing from one frame to another, even I who already knew of this cheat ability had to actually concentrate to notice the sudden absents of the object. Now that I think about it, how much could I actually take with me in my inventory, or for a matter of fact, what was the most massive thing I could steal. If there was no restriction, then I'd take the freaking Eifel tower and switch it with the tower of Pisa as traveling there was much cheaper than a single night in France.
There is no direct measurement on how big the acquired item may be, though for a thumb rule let's just say the requirements for the inventory absorption are that the object has to be non-living and still have to be able to carry it around without the use of magic. *Item added.* Corpses are excluded. You can customize your training room in any way you like, though be aware that this place has limits in both size in energy, so do not expect to be able to gain high tier equipment or skill books. But if you'd like, I could unlock a feature of the skill [ID Create] once you can enter your second dungeon, the option is called [Empty]. Although you are not actually creating a new dimension, you are, in a sense entering a new layer of reality below this one, a mirror of this location with nothing but the surrounding objects and yourself. Be aware, however, that you do little other than wander through these mirror realms as you have not direct contact and can't gain anything from the objects present unless you encounter another creature who can travel through the layers. *Item added*
Game, if you ever decided to quit this job, should really consider getting a career as a narrator. I haven't realized it up into now, but your voice changes slightly based on the context and length. Short piles of information are spoken crisp and understandable, while longer ones are expressed in a smooth and gentle voice like in those old documentations about dinosaurs or Disney movies.
I am doing everything in my- *Item added* -ability to not become stale too fast for your tastes. The change of vocals was actually my own idea as you seem to dislike the instantaneous information transfer and are not one who likes to listen to long speeches. The Game spoke crisply with an active and young voice, it was not that his actual sound changed, just the way his words were delivered.
'One day I'm going to ask you to read me some book of this world with morgan freeman's voice, and it will be awesome, I know it already.' I thought with much enthusiasm, this trip was exactly what I needed in this nightmare.
My daydreaming about seeing any hope for this joke of a world was cut short when my movement suddenly halted by Gentle Touch, who abruptly stopped. The mare let out a long sigh as she stared up ahead, only to see that the next stairs to the highest level were located on the other side of the building, meaning not only that she had to walk even further, but also more time to steal stuff. Well, the game did the whole stealing as I was suddenly drawn to another site, one that really made think.
There were books for sale; by the looks of it, they ranged from adventure books to academic ones, now this was nothing unusual given that we were in a library that probably wanted to earn a little bit extra. No, what set me off was the price of these freaking things. The cheapest books had some beige pegasus in an Indiana Jones outfit that went for 150 bits to academic books going from 250 to 300 bits. If we just guess that the average book costs 200 bits and five apples cost one bit, that what most of these fruits went for, then we can simply multiply the bits of the book times the number of apples and end with 1000 apples. Let me repeat that one book is worth one thousand fucking apples!
But that isn't even the cherry on this pile of shit. Now, those apples were, if I took a guess, all two hundred grams, meaning that five of them would cost about one dollar fifty by current eath pricing, or here they cost one bit. One bit is about one dollar fifty, multiplied by 200 meant that one book costs like 300 dollars! Let me repeat it, one book costs three-hundred fucking bucks, no wonder that Gentle's books look yellow and old, her cavemen ancestors probably have contributed to the collection!
Item Added
My eyes nearly bulged when I saw what the game just pulled off. There was a massive pyramid of empty books stacked on one another, and through the little openings, I saw the inner filling vanish while leaving the structure itself intact. Not only that, but he also took six-packs of paper and a few ones lying around, in addition to that even a few feathers and pots of ink vanished aswell. We were so damn lucky that there was literally nobody around.
'Game, what are you doing!? I thought we were only here for the skill books?' I hissed in my mind, I had no interest getting stuck in juvenile prison over this, and even if there was no way in hell that it could be traced back to me, the human without magic in me protested against taking such risks.
I am sorry if I have surprised you, though your calculation gave me an idea. I can take over your body and work with pinpoint precision. In other words, I am not only able to copy any book you might encounter that we then can sell but also review your memory from your old world into this to earn large quantities of currency. However, modifications would be needed to fit it more into this world's standards. The Game explained with hidden smugness that I could feel radiating from him.
...
'You smooth disco ball, you're a genius!' I thought with a grin, a real one that Gentle Touch didn't see alongside the library heist of the decade. 'Wait, how much stuff can the Inventory even store?' My joy suddenly warped into a sudden realization.
Thank *Item added* you for your praise. The inventory space is not based on matter or size, but rather the energy the amount of Aether it contains. The exact amount cannot be measured as there is no unit, as well as the fact that objects each vary in energy levels far too much to even attempt such thing. I can, however, give you a basic idea. With each overall level, your inventory space will grow, so if your's is capped at one hundred at level one, then it will reach two-hundred at the second level. I will inform you in advance when you reach seventy-five percent inventory capacity. The Game burned the information in my brain!
I winced silently in discomfort to hide my agony from my caretaker while cursing as much as I could. I don't know if the Game was implementing these tutorials in my skull so I will not forget them, or if he simply decided that he had not the time to ransack and talk at the same time. Damn, fuck does that schmuck a-a-and the pain is gone again...
A silent sigh escaped me as I leaned my head back, staring at the passing ceiling, before closing my eyes yet again and taking in the quiet atmosphere. My thoughts began yet to wander again as now there was time to think, nothing to do, and my emotions stable. What will this journey come to, and how long will it take to return? The Game said it would take several decades, but would I still have a place to call home by then? Even when I don't agree with the idea of starting completely new in this place, there might be some scraps of truth in there. Of course, I would still continue my search for power, even if it was just for the sake of reaching power levels to escape the actions and controls of others, but still. From what I heard was that I'd be fighting monsters pretty damn soon, and this is probably every nerd's dream, but it still doesn't make me worry any less about the coming days.
I pried my eyes open once again, I ignored the constant pop up messages and took in another deep breath, an open window nearby let in the cold and fresh air in as if I were on top of a Canadian mountain, crisp but not freezing. This place was much more enjoyable and peaceful than the old place was, and although I'd miss the internet, living in a fantasy world might not be that bad, even if I was a horse monster. I had far too little knowledge of this place to make any decisions, that's why I am not plotting anything, not even as simple for the coming years. Still, from the first few glances, I'd see myself living here if I were able to get stuff from back here, I wonder if Amber would like it here, but wouldn't she have to be pony as well for her not be discriminated? Maybe I could learn transformation magic and turn myself into a human living on earth like a deity given the powers I would one-day accumulate, but what would I do if it came to that? Reshape humanity? Travel back in time and rewrite history after my mind? I did not know what the future would bring, but the thought of growth and to one day be my own master with no one to obey was a surprisingly thrilling thought.
"F-f-finally! Huf, huf, I really need to lose the baby fat." Gentle muttered in between extensive gasps, attempting to gather enough of the gas to not faint.
'So she was Pregnant! Now, what happened to Star Touch 1.0?' I wondered, though, once again, the cruel will of the world once again oppressed my thoughts by now physically ripping me away from my comfortable thinking place. Surprisingly enough, my new location was not my guardian's embrace or the ground, but rather a comfortable pillow.
My eyes widened in surprise as I soaked in my surroundings. Apparently, my mother walked through a two feet wide gap between a pair of bookshelves, which lead to a secluded area that looked like a really expensive and much larger version of the children's waiting area from some fancy hospital. The walls here had much fewer windows, which all needed first needed to have their parental lock unlocked before they could be opened, while the actual barrier between this elevated place and a freefall were all colorfully painted with various animals, trees, flowers and lots of foals happily reading. Several shelves held children's books, and the ground had not only an extra soft carpet, but several large cushions and bean bags were placed here as well. The only thing this place still needed for it to be one hundred percent child-friendly was a 'Please don't run' sign. Oh, there actually was one!
"Now... where is it?" Gentle Touch asked herself as she looked through the somewhat limited amount of books present, though then again, if they were anything like the toddler books from Earth, then this might be better than the use of sleeping pills. That is an acronym for a cheap bottle of whiskey and a punch in the face, though only poor people use that method.
"Ahh, there it is!" Gentle explained loudly as she pulled out a rather heavy-looking book which had its corners somewhat ripped and dulled. Still, it was in better condition than I expected considering that it's placed in here were ravenous beasts called 'foals' are released.
Looking up, my eyes met with the cover of the book, though the title I didn't understand. It's bizarre, they used the same numbers, but their words and letters looked like a bunch of wavy and wobbly lines and snakes, it was infuriating like the cursive writing of an ancient doctor with arthritis.
Gentle Touch smiled softly as she slowly walked up to the most giant beanbag, which was conveniently located right next to me, before climbing the large cushion and laying down with her hooves folded beneath her barrel. The book floated in her magic grasp and was brought between the two us shortly later, now with the first page revealed, showing a significant mountain. I was about to question why a hue rock would be so crucial in a book with literal Gold trimming when my eyes focused on what was on, or rather, hanging off the stone. A large, beautiful city rose from the mountainside, the whole construct seemingly defied the rule of gravity on an entirely new level with most of it hanging in the air, but the crown of the masterpiece was what rested higher. It was a large marble castle with tours reaching the heavens, though atop all stood a titanic union with wings, flowing rainbow mane, and a crown. Behind the alabaster pony stood the sun, radiating equally like her horn.
'We are sitting on a huge death trap, thousands of feet in the air...' I mentally mumbled aghast of the new information trickling into my brain. 'A single earthquake, a bomb or a super-powered magic attack and the entire capital will fall. At least, I think its the central power node of the country. Why do I think about this! Game, are you liste-n-ing-wow, that feels go-o-o-o-o-d~' My panic was suddenly greatly soothed by an aline, yet unnaturally familiar sensation, warming me in ways I had never seen before. There was no thought about fighting it if that even was what I would've done, I could I did not know, but it was astounding.
This Pony, an immortal being who watches over the weak... I have only little memory of my creator, if I once had it or not, I do not know, but the energy these creatures have toward, I believe her name is... Celestia, it's but a fraction, as great as it is, compared to what I feel towards my maker. The Game mumbled loudly, if he was aware of the effect of his actions or not, I did not know, like so many times I already said it and I meant it every time, there was so much to understand. Though from what I could recognize from his voice was a hint of sadness, no, not the tone of his voice, but something more profound.
My fur stood up, my ears folded back while my eyes now were only half-open. I shivered slightly as my form weakly rooked from side to side as this comforting aura caused goosebumps across every square inch of my hide. My mind was flooded by something that made painkillers and endorphins seem like a watered-down version of the substance responsible for my current state. My ears flickered slightly as I heard Gentle's voice, though it stumbled between loud and muffled, and for some reason, for god's sake, I could not tell, I began to lick her fur. The aura of her's wavered, though the fear of the item being drop I never felt. Gentle's head swiftly turned towards me, her eyes wide open by surprise, though her look of shock quickly melted into that of joy.
"Awww, aren't you just the cutest little furball." Gentle cooed as if she was talking to a housecat. Despite her sudden reaction, my form did not seize this unholy act, though thankfully, the horse did end this torment, only to replace it by another. My vision was quickly met with that of pink again, though this time, it was not of fur, but that of her nipples. "Just please do it quickly, it would not be nice to be caught." Gentle giggled to herself.
I cannot remember much past this moment, everything became blurry like a suttle drug rush or a happy fever dream. All I know was that I heard many voices, though none of them were of shock as they presumably came after the feeding was long over. I faintly remember Gentle showing me the rest of the book, something about the moon, though little did stick to my mind as even the Game was absent, I think he took a few more items with him while I was partially gone.
"Awwwhwhwh~" I slowly blurred/yawned out as my limbs reached out into the white nothingness while soft rays of light gently woke me from perhaps the most exceptional slumber I was ever lucky enough to experience. With one motion, I leaned forward, taking note of the soft grass underneath me while rubbing my face with my left hand.
Good noon sir, you have slept for approximately two hours, and all your energy has been regained. The Game chirped, his mood surprisingly cheerful, though that was perhaps just my imagination.
"Two hours? Damn, do I feel good, did I miss anything." I asked lazily while my eyes slowly adjusted to my surroundings, for a second, I was even shocked to find myself in the training realm again, or rather, an unknown place in my mental absence.
After you have fallen asleep after the third book entity Gentle Touch reviewed to you, she took you back to the stroller where you were examined by both mares and were screeched at while both of those creatures were plotting to eat you due to your high sugar content. After Gentle Touch had lost interest in their plans, she took you, alongside a few books and the groceries back home. Your physical form is currently lying in its crib after having its diaper changed.
My hand nearly shoot passed my face with enough force to snap off my nose when my brain actually made the conclusion that I was almost eaten. "Urgh, somethings never change no matter what edge of the universe you're in," I muttered while getting into a more comfortable sitting position.
Now would be a good time to review the skill books we have 'Acquired.' Would you like to absorb them all at once or review each book individually first? You can always revisit the books with my help should you wish to personally read them or write a copy of them. The Game offered and making a large text box appear, the options being: 'Absorb all' and 'Review individually.'
"I can't read them anyway, so just beam the information into the cave that is my skull," I said jokingly, a little giggle escaping me, a clear indication that the effects of whatever happened still haven't worn off. Though the drug did wear off after I was assaulted by the following.
For Absorbing over ten books with some being replica and others requiring more than one source to create a skill, you've gained the following skills
Language Understanding: Equestrian - Level MaxThis skill doesn't require any resource To understand a written language is like gaining a new sense equal to that of seeing and smelling. You are now able to understand any text written in Equestrian as well as write flawlessly in this language. Continuous reading and writing will cause a gain in Intelligence or wisdom.
Fireball - Level 1150mp to cast [Fireball] is the first spell in the arsenal of the pyromancer aswell as the most versatile. When cast, the caster has to understand that he or she is handling a living and breathing form of primordial power of both creation and destruction. Unlike real fire, those brought forth by magic and kept alive by mana do not just burn the flesh of the foe, but directly attack the life force, but that comes at the price of a lower chance of setting an enemy ablaze. -Grand Arch Mage Ul'salium *Damage: 170 (Int * 5) *Chance to set enemy ablaze: 10,2% (Int * 0,3)
Ice Bolt - Level 1150mp to cast [Ice Bolt] is the first spell in the arsenal of the cryomancer aswell the magic from which all other ice magic stems from. The art of frost magic is not about the act of fulfilling an object or creature with energy but quite the opposite. To master the cold is harness thermal energy to absorb it into the surrounding by using mana as a catalyst and battery to absorb the warmth. As the spell is powered by magic, it's properties are different than that of normal cold in the way that it uses the targets life force to freeze it like a parasite. - Eldritch Lich King Quefestos *Maximum Damage: 102 (Int * 3) *Chance to slow target: 20,4% (Int * 0,6) *small chance to freeze the enemy, possibility depends on enemy health.
Mana Bolt - Level 1Mana bolt is the most basic spell of the arcane offensive tree. This spell is completely made out of mana without any spell matrix attached, meaning that although the spell is easy to learn, it's impossible to master as the strength completely depends on the mana used. As powerful as this spell is, the caster should not put all hopes into a single cast of magic because if it misses, then you are left without any mana left in you. - Grand Arch Mage Ul'salium *Maximum Damage: 315 (1 mana = 1 damage)
Mana construct - Level 1Mana construct is perhaps the most universal and flexible spell to have ever been created. This spell can have its use and execution changed based on user and situation by creating a spell matrix that has to be powered once or continuously by magic. Be it a shield, wall, stairs, or even armor and platform, any object can be brought to reality with this magic. - Manijios, the fanatic apprentice. *Size and durability can be decided by the user *One square centimeter has to have at least one mana point invested into it *Maximum Durability: 472,5 (1 Mana=1,5 health points) *Maximum Range: 1 meter
Stun Bolt - Level 1Stun Bolt is, despite the low requirements in both mana and experience, an odd spell. Nearly every mage knows how it is cast and what it does, but no one is aware of how it does for what it was made for. It is, however, to be believed that the effect varies depending on what you believe the spell does, but the outcome is always the same: The affected area of the target, depending on the strength of the spell, can cause everything from stiffness and numbness to complete loss of control on the spell's area of influence. -Grand Arch Mage Ul'salium *Deals no damage *15% chance to stun the target. *Spell cannot stun targets who's Intelligence, Wisdom, or Strenght is more than 1,2 times higher than that of the user. *Cost: 50 Mana
Mana Knife - Level 1Mana knife is a spell that's in a unique position given its properties. It can be as much of a weapon as it can be a tool for utility. But then there is also the fact that although it has no matrix, the user can decide if he wants to fuel the spell once for it to permanently stay in this form of for it to be powered continuously and allow it to act as some sort of short-ranged beam. -Manijios, the frustrated apprentice. *Damage: 68 (Int * 2) *Casting cost/Single use: 30 Mana *Continous use: 10 mana per 51 damage (Int * 1,5) per second.
For Absorbing over ten books with some being replica and others requiring more than one source to create a skill, you've unlocked the following Job Classes.
Cook
Cooking Proficiency (Novice) You are able to cook something basic without setting everything aflame.
Scribe
[Writting Proficiency (Novice)] (Passive)
"Christ on a stick, I can taste the universe!!!" I screamed aloud while facing the artificial sun, though unlike the real one, my eyes were not set ablaze. The power that streamed through me was overwhelming in every sense as not only new information was warped and woven into my mind, but powers beyond mortal reach were granted to me. I don't know how or why, but I understood magic in ways never seen before, it was so much more, yet indescribable to my tongue. I formed my hands to fists as I could feel the mana in my veins itch to be used and forms, woven and forged into pure power.
"Hehe... Now would you look at that." I slowly spoke with a broad grin spreading from side to side as I saw the mana in my palms condense and burst forth and form itself into a short stick made out of energy. The blade made out of grey energy was a mere 20 centimeters long and looked more like a stream of greywater shooting forth with high speed that was stopped at the tip, I knew it was easily as powerful as an actual dagger. However, it weighed nothing and was not limited by size and sharpness.
HUB updated
My vision flashed once, my eyes losing the ability to see for a single moment before returning, though different than before. In the left corner of my view, I could make out a red health bar, a blue mana bar with 30 mana missing, and lastly, a green stamina bar. At the bottom of my vision, I could make out a row of inventory slots with all my food and the knife I picked up. A level and experience point display rested above my inventory. At my right corner, I could see a map of the training room, and below it was a condensed quest and chatbox.
"Oh, this is giving me old MMORPG vibes really hard," I said with a smirk as I retracted the blade, and to my surprise, I regained all the mana I used to cast the spell. So If I don't actually use it, I get back my magic? Nice. "Hey, I'd like to ask you why picked up the classes about cooking and writing, shouldn't be something like mage be more important?"
I am sorry, but your enthusiasm on your new powers is warming my inner core, seeing us grow and strengthen and fulfilling my purpose is such a thrilling experience. The game spoke with pride in his voice. There were books about the teaching magic present, but I have already gathered several classes from another source. His voice trailed off somewhere else.
I cannot fathom how, but my mind instantly jumped to the only plausible opportunity where he could've gotten his hands on something, or perhaps, someone who had enough knowledge on magic to gain a class. "You robbed the corpse of that masked guy in the storeroom!" I shouted loudly, making the Game's presence lessen slightly. "I am so proud of you!" my voice burst out full of joy and pride.
That was highly... to be expected of you. The Game spoke quietly, before returning back to his monotone tone. Please be aware that I had to sacrifice a legendary item to gain these classes, so do not expect to be able to steal the class of every enemy you slay. It is of great importance to mention that all classes had been reduced to their basic form as otherwise, the sheer energy consumption of any available skill would've killed you. Here are the following available classes:
[Warrior] [Necromancer] [Mage(Arcanist)] [Pyromancer] [Cryomancer] [Archer] [Engineer]
"Huh?" I asked with confusion seeing as in the Game's opinion, the classes that benefit from my perks and stats were apparently not the best choice... Was that a fucking Necromancer in place two?!
The Dungeon we will head to in a few minutes will feature many weak enemies, and none of the skills we have available are able to deal damage to several units at the same time. A caster's strength only exists as long as he or she has mana except for the summoner, which we don't have available, and the necromancer who would be able to raise a personal army.
"But, I, ehm, aren't those people who raise the dead, I don't know, the bad guys?" I asked with my previous confidence gone as I twiddled with my fingers. I was ready to do anything to gain power, but would Amber really recognize me if I became a lich?
No. No magic is good or bad, the purpose is what matters, it's just most uneducated and fearful people claim it to be accursed teaching. Of course, it does enable the user to do horrible deads, but it can also allow for good to be done like the mending of flesh and bone like a doctor, lifting curses, letting souls get their final rest, and several other feats. Also, Nightmares are not alive, they may seem so, but they don't, they are unable to feel anything other than what they are supposed to and even lack a soul.
I would not go for the Necromancer, no matter what, but the Game's word did speak the truth. I had no mana potions or have any way to protect myself other than offensive magic; most definitely, I would get a few minutes to eat and rest wherever I was going. To be honest, I care little where I would go, as long I could gain power.
"Is there anything else you tell me about the place?"
Sadly, no, though, as the first dungeon, it should not be all too challenging compared to what you'll face in the future.
Do we have to go now?
Yes, the first dungeon will seal our bond, it is also necessary to further advance. After the completion, we will not be able to visit any other dungeon except for the training room for a very long time, but otherwise, our skills won't be able to level further than level ten or reach rank 2 in some cases. Every further day we wait for we prolonge the upgrade timer greatly. If it makes you any happier, you are currently able to house a total of two main classes. Once you can visit the second dungeon, it will be three, but job class slots are unlimited. Still, you should not rush to chose another class unless you have thoroughly thought about it have gotten yourself in a sticky situation.
"I see..." I mumbled to my self quietly as I stretched my arms a little bit, just habit, nothing more or else. "Fine, I may not like it, but I do have to agree that it seems logical. I choose the warrior."
You have chosen the following class: Warrior
Melee Proficiency (Novice) You are able to wield most melee weapons at slightly higher efficiency and potency, as well as have slightly higher strength and endurance than an average being. You receive the following buffs while having this class equipped: *1,5 times higher strength *1,5 times higher endurance
My jaw dropped, and out of instinct, I attempted to summon my status upon seeing the textbox as well as feeling not only more power, but healthy as well. However, my curiosity was not sated in the end as the world around my shattered into an ocean of colorful particles, and I was cast into a cast abyss.
You Have entered a Dungeon
Author's Note
Some people have already asked this question, so I might as well answer it right here and now for everyone: When is the time skip? I am not exactly sure when, but my guess is that it's going to happen in one to two chapters.
With those two chapters done, the first 'Arc' will end, and the story will not be updated for some time as I will be putting some attention back to my other two stories. Though I don't think the wait will be all too long.
View Online
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter one: The First Dungeon (Rewrite) [E]
I stood petrified with hands frozen in place as I eyed the world, melting into that of the void in which all colors, all forms, and senses were consumed into a quagmire of time and space. I gulped as the sensation of my head growing light became more apparent the closer I came to the bottom of this abyss. Unfortunately, before my mind was even able to come up with an idea to reach higher ground, my body was forced down a peg, mayhaps two, as the balance of my form shifted forward. My eyes were forced to stare into the dark, endless pit, while my limbs were glued tight onto the physics-defying elevator platform, craving to propel me towards my meeting with the underworld.
I took deep breaths in the hope of retaining consciousness, using any thought to keep me active while staring at my feeble hooves. It was true, my humanoid body was morphed to resemble that of my mortal shell, only leaving me with angry thoughts and an ever-growing worry that the Game, haha, was rigged from the start in somebody else's favor.
My remaining air was pushed out of my lungs all of a sudden, the moment my hooves reached the ground, the actual fall damage, if it can even be called that given that I received no real notification of my health dropping was the lesser evil compared to the sudden sensation that invaded my body.
My left, front hoof surged to my muzzle as the fetid, musky air attempted to overtake and destroy my tongue and nostrils. 'F-fuck, oh, goodness, crap-what is this smell?' I cursed in my mind while coughing silently, memories of me eating food out of the trash can in my old life could not compare to the inhuman reek this place bore. My overly large eyes stopped tearing up for a moment.
"Right, dungeon." I forcefully removed the hoof from my visage, despite my body's apparent refusal, and attempted to get used to the stench. It was not very effective. It didn't matter. I slowly ripped my eyes away from my hooves to see the world surrounding me; however, not much could satisfy my hunger for knowledge other than a few crumbles. At least, if one considered pebbles, rocks, and boulders as crumbles. The dungeon appeared to be a cave, not unusually large. Still, one should not suffer claustrophobia either, with various Stalactites and stalagmites decorating this hole in the ground, only a far off source of illumination, flickering vividly where a collection of multiple voices resided. A shiver traveled across my spine, the laughably badly illuminated cave system bore temperatures that would likely, in time, kill me if it's residents would not do so earlier.
I shook my head and took a deep breath in hopes of calming my heart beating firmly in my chest, however, it did little to ease the scribbling sensation in my stomach or the bottomless pit that hoped to swallow me whole. "E-Everything's alright, just gonna slay some monsters." I mumbled to myself. After the thought of the dungeon came to my mind, the purpose was not far off, and more importantly, what task I had to fulfill, but it left my quivering at the mere thought of killing, rivaled only by the idea that I was not able to do anything. Forcing myself to stand up, I unintentionally turned around, however this attempt to ~~flee~~ relocate was denied by a smooth stone wall on which a strange symbol resided: A goat's skull with six eyeholes and horns.
Attempting to leave a dungeon before completion will result in it becoming unavailable for about 170 hours. Are you sure you wish to leave the dungeon? Yes/No
"Eh-ehm, no?" I sputtered nervously, leaving me with the textbox blocking my vision just a moment longer, before disappearing as if it was judging me for just a second if my answer was ultimate or not. I gulped yet again; in this humid, cold cave, I could not even shift the blame onto nature's work.
You seem to be stressed.
"Ahh!-that's nothing, pal!" I screamed, before morphing it pitifully into a lie, which was pushed through my teeth with a shivering smile. "I just, well how can I say it, have never killed anything other than a few insects and bugs before, ya know?" A confession any other sane person would find honorable, or at least, at times more heartfelt, a standard.
I see... The Game asked suspiciously. I am not a coward, but neither do I have any kind of chivalry, I just never did anything... final. While I do wish to feel sympathy with you, which I can't due to my restriction based around emotions towards the nightmare spawn, I do encourage you to remember two things. If you don't kill them, they will kill someone eventually, like, for example, entity Amber, who, coming to my second point, you'll never reach without completing this task.
I felt a deep pressure forcing me to stay silent as if dared to burst were I to utter a sentence worth of letters. "Fuck you..." I mumbled, before throwing my head into a grid of items, my inventory, pulling out my knife stuck between my gritted teeth. "phuk ephrihing." I muttered under my breath while silently daring my path forwards. I pushed down my personal care for both my mind and soul, hoping that I could at least swallow it long enough to not break down amidst the task. My newfound bravery lasted as long as the burning flame of anger did in my chest, residing next to my heart. However, this fire grew dimmer with each clip and clack drawing nearer towards the amassment of horrors.
"Hugh?"
"Kragh!"
My eyes widened as I rushed towards the nearest boulder, heart hammering with stress daring to shatter ribs and life as the sudden action caused a burning sensation in my throat and legs. Pressing my back against the natural defense, bidding my growing and shrinking body behind it in hopes to be left unfound and unheard, I shivered in a horrific concoction of dread, fear, and adrenaline.
A mighty slap caused me to jerk violently, almost setting me off into a gallop, however, I was not on the receiving end of this treatment. I gulped silently, achieving little in drenching my parched throat in saliva, as the complaining from the other side grew louder, bordering a yearning, before peeking my head just slightly over the boulder, a decision I regretted immediately.
Ten goblins stood over there in the broad intersection of the cave, six of them armed, and fearsome looks adorning their otherwise meek looking forms. In terms of size, these beasts were slightly larger than me, but only by a few inches, less so if my horn was put into consideration. Their green bodies appeared to be malnourished, like starving children. However, their overly large heads and bloated stomachs spoke against this theory, as did the little muscle mass that allowed them to carry weapons that would better fit into a human's hands. Their heads were bald, pupils that of a goat and teeth yellow and rotting did little to take away even a slither of worry as I eyed them like a world terror.
I flinched as the next slap was delivered.
While six warriors stood guard, there were four more of the vermin-like race, much less prominent members of their forsaken race, smaller, weaker, slower, too slow for the more significant members to the point they used more physical means of encouragement to speed up the process of their work. Mining. These weak rodents worked away at a stalagmite bearing dozens of small, red, jewel-like stones gleaming in the fire's grace beautifully, yet, their beauty was marred by the constant picking of the mining tools, hoping to excavate them from their stone prison, but with little avail as their weak muscles lacked the strength to fulfill the task. Eternal imprisonment and torture, too weak to perform the duty, but kept too low by the master to do the job.
'Slaving them away until they can't even stand, just to push them even lower out of spite.' I grumbled angrily under my breath while pondering ways to get past the pack. 'Why do a bunch of rodents even have interest in rubies?' I thought, before using [Observe] on the horde and the stones. I was... impressed, in a sense.
Nitorium
"Strip mining..." I put the knife in my hoof, and mumbled to myself, a sense of realization left me awed for just a moment, was it not for these circumstances I might've even praised them for their ingenuity. However, I was not given the time to see the error in my thinking, as my muttering attracted the attention of a club-wielding goblin who turned towards me. I hastily pulled my head down, in hopes that my failure of stealth was left unnoticed, but it was already too late as I could hear the nightmare tumbling towards, its steps slapping the ground carelessly.
I cursed the world in my mind, but mostly my own idiocy to make such beginner errors, given that staying out of the enemy's eyes was what I've been doing for twenty years. I closed my eyes tightly, pushing away the thoughts and opening them with a clearer mind. I concentrated on the steps of the goblin, the beating of my heart, both growing louder as time went on. My dread of the task ahead was nibbling away at my bravery, while my mind was repeatedly telling me to finish the job, my body begged me to leave, flee to never return, but before I could make a final decision, one more pair of eyes joined my little panic attack.
"huh?"
I enveloped its neck with my [Levitation] in shock, pulling it in a firm hug, his back facing my front, and stuffed my hoof into his mouth. "F-fuck, just stay quiet." I mumbled to myself in between several gasping breaths of air, rocking back and forth while my captive thrashed in my grip while screaming at myself why I haven't slit its throat yet, it was so easy, nothing could stop me, but yet I hesitated. Staring into the nothingness I held my breath, building pressure to keep myself awake, the goblin’s attempt to claw out my eyes helped in that regard, however, my hopes of the problem solving itself grew dim.
-8HP
I ground my teeth as I felt the goblin's teeth gnaw into my flesh, daring to crack my limb's bones with its surprisingly strong jaw. Yet, despite the notifications of pain, the alien perception of sensation lacking mortal pulses, I could do nothing but stare idly at the beast chipping away at my flesh, health, and dignity.
Host, it would be for our best interest if you were to snap its neck eliminate the threat immediately. The Game urged with great assistance, yet all it achieved was making me quiver and shiver even more.
'I, can't, okay!' I shouted in my head, I don't kill, I just don't. I don't care about anyone's life, but it also means that I don't want to end it. 'There's gotta be a different way, can't we, I don't know, just grow some plants and kill them?' I begged silently while the goblin's attempts grew desperate.
John, you cannot show weakness or- The Game's voice cut off, my icons and indications, map and items left with a sudden motion as if the cord of television was pulled from the wall socket.
'G-Game?' I asked with concern as the world around me grew a bit quieter. It lasted not long. A new voice entered my mind, darker, grimmer filled with a cold undertone of disappointment, which was underlined by subtitles and a textbox that froze my blood.
Detecting resentment against the annihilation of the immortal's plague. Refusal will result in the failure of the following quests: Savior of the sibling, Host of the G.A.M.E, The Goblin Hideout.
Failure in the (3) previously mentioned quest(s) will result in:
Further refusal will lead to termination. Starting countdown for Last chance.
5
4
3
My pupils shrank to pinpoints, and my body locked up in shock as the numbers ticked down like the deathly ring of an old clock. My flesh became numb, the seconds felt like hours and my only noticeable change in time, besides the numbers ticking down like a falling guillotine blade, were the droplets of sweat rolling down my coat. Looking from side to side in tact of my heart, I tried to find any tangible solution to this situation, but all I could find was the ever-increasing, acidic taste in my throat.
2
1
13HP
I stared with wide-open eyes at the goblin while deep breaths of air left me, clouding my vision with white fog while my ears were filled with the muffled cries of the beast, yet all I could hear was a static, borderline beeping sound. I shakingly pulled out the knife, droplets of black, syrupy blood spattered across my body and face, tainting and painting it in ways to resemble my blackened soul, however, this thought only fuelled my act of massacring while the empathy for my victim never came to fruition. I rammed the knife into the soft, feeble and flimsy flesh over and over again while staring into the void, only twitching occasionally as some of the slightly burning blood landed on my eyes and inside of my nose and mouth. Again and again I struck, until it moved no longer, never would it again, and I ensured that I did it, only to stop when a new text box, followed by a cheerful, diddly sound woke me from my trance.
You have Leveled up! 1-->3
I held my gasping breath for a moment, failing in doing so and releasing a tearful sob as a burning sensation traveled down my throat. I slowly looked down onto the back of the goblin's head, the body sliding off slowly with a sickly squeaking before falling onto the floor with his face turned towards me. The throat shredded, bits and pieces of flesh hung by thin threads while a torrent of black, syrupy blood gushed out of the wound, one that could be easily mistaken for the work of a rusty saw. I held my hooves in front of my face, hoping to cover it up, hiding the shame, only to smear the blood into my face and making my deed more apparent. I shook my head quietly, before leaning forward and heaving, but no bile came, only the burning sensation of the goblin's blood in my throat, allowed me to give a hint of penance. Despite trying countless times to vomit, only tears flowed in my shocked desperation to wash away the tainted sensation coursing through my insides.
for taking damage, you received the following skill: Physical Damage Resistance.
Physical Damage Resistance - Level 1
For reaching Level 3 or higher with the Warrior class, you received the skill: Power Strike.
Power Strike - Level 1
I slowly shook my head, pushing away the messages and thoughts while cowering into a small ball, pushing my knees against my chest, tainting only more of my body in black. "I want to go home, Game..." I mumbled to myself while shaking my head once again, but the shame could not be shaken off, yet no regret for the goblin's death plagued me, it was the guilt of having killed something, but no tear shed for my victim, just the shell of my innocence.
...You have activated a warning, you cannot leave the dungeon before you have eliminated a sufficient amount of Nightmares. [1/11]
I slowly rocked my head, hoping it was all just a horrible, gruesome dream and wishing away the bottomless pit that grew in my stomach, the sensation of emptiness growing more powerful by the moment. The peaceful world of the ponies appeared to me now much more of a blessing than the dead human world or the forsaken nightmare realm, as it allowed me to at least numb myself in its softness. I gulped silently, peering through the gap between my hooves, the goblin's body continued to bleed, yet as I stared at it, I felt nothing. No pain, no despair for it, just the thought that I ended a creature's life, as wicked as it was, only slight irritation originating from the dead body plagued me. My eyes trailed over towards my first victim’s weapon, a simple club, stained with red and black blood, if I was in a less somber mood, I might've made a joke how edgy the few droplets of blood made the piece of wood look.
Goblin Club
I gradually turned my eyes away from the blood smothered weapon, before pulling out a bottle of water from my inventory, only for a sharp sensation of refreshment to rush down my throat, an unwanted sense of rejuvenation. At least it erased one reminder of my murder.
Killing the remaining threats might lower your burden by decreasing the amount of time you have to spend with the duty. Do you want me to absorb the corpses and any other remains into our inventory to reduce the vision time of the deceased bodies?
I snorted strongly in defiance, gradually pulling my limbs apart, tearing my eyes away from the corpse and nodded meekly, the evidence vanished, just like the books at the library, but still, the puddle of blood remained, fluids could not be stolen this easily, just as the memory. I shook my head, droplets of various liquids, mixed into one cocktail, sprayed around me, as I put away the knife and equipped the club. I wanted not to spend any longer in this dreaded place than needed, in any future dungeon that required me to kill. I just wanted to go home to... mother, anyone for that matter, yet I could not talk about it, or fear the full extent of my deed as it was blocked by a mental barrier, leaving me in a state that could only be described as chaos at its worst.
I reared myself up against the boulder, my limbs shook, unsure if they had gone numb or mental weakness affected the physical world now as well. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, channeling the mana residing inside of me through the mana lines and coiled it around the bone, before ultimately funneling at the tip. The liquid magic burned with passion and anger, opposing my genuine emotions, flickering gently, before taking form as a fireball, floating just inches above my horn. I opened my eyes and aimed it at the archer, who pointed his bow at me and fired an arrow. My pupils shrunk as the arrow pushed my head to the left, shaking me from my numb prison and redirecting the fiery projectile towards the miners and their ore vein.
As if a flashbang went off, the cave was engulfed by an eye-melting light that was only rivaled by the ear-shattering noise it created, closely followed by the bone-breaking shockwave produced. With squinting eyes and ducked head, I watched as the miners were ripped apart by the explosions and their body parts scattered in the middle of the room, soon from which a great, black puddle with dozens of un-ignited pyromantic gems inside formed. The archer closest to the spire of fire that singed the roof was blasted away, however, he survived with a severely burned back and a possible broken leg as he jumped away at last moment's notice.
You have Leveled up! 3-->4
By leveling up, Health, Mana and Stamina have been refilled.
You have Leveled up [Fireball]! 1-->3
I slapped my head with great force, pushing aside the notification and newfound fear of fire, before jumping over the boulder with a club in my mouth and my horror in the back of my mind. As the closest goblin came in range, he stared idly at the fire before turning toward me, I swung my club upwards. With a vast, mushy crunch, his nose and teeth were crushed into a sprinkle of calcium before the flesh bag tumbled to the ground with a wet slap. The Goblin rubbed his bloody face with his palm and attempted to stand up with the other. His attempt was interrupted when both of my forehooves were rammed into his skull with exhausting force, spattering his skull content across my body.
-42HP
You have Leveled up [Physical Damage Resistance]! 1-->2
I grit my teeth with shut eyes while my head was forced downwards by a goblins club, whose wielder grinned smugly with an uneven grin. With newfound anger, I threw my head upwards, causing the Goblin to lose balance and trip a couple of steps backward, and rammed my horn through the underside of the monster's jaw. A torrent of blood glazed my face, followed by a maelstrom of wild scratches as the goblin choked on its own blood. However, its torment came to a sizzling stop when a mana blade erected from the tip of my horn to impale his skull. With a heavy breath, I retracted the magic weapon and tilted my head to let the squishy corpse fall to the ground with a splash, adding only more liquid to the giant puddle, borderline pond, in this cave created from monstrous creatures that could only be called juicy.'
My body jerked to the side as a sharp, 'whom' shot passed my left ear, taking bits of fur and skin with it before the sound was ultimately ended with a loud 'thunk.' Spinning my head upwards, I was confronted with the sight of the last three remaining goblins, one wielding a knife, the other another club, and at last the charred archer. The archer goblin, with his left side burned, stared at me with a half molten face, glaring at me with utter hatred while pulling back another arrow. Why did this sight give me a craving to flip coins?
With a grunt, I created a plate-sized shield in front of my head, knowing full well that it was unlikely that the goblin would aim for anything else given the rage-filled look it gave off with its red eye. I jumped backward in shock, nearly slipping in the oily substance, as the arrow penetrated the shield and was stuck in the center, the tip scratching my nose and dealing a single point of damage. With a huff, I used the time until the next arrow would hit its mark by the enraged gang leader, to use [observe] on said quarter portion.
Name: Goblin
Goblins are the most common Nightmares, some even say that they were the very first ones to ever be 'birthed' into a once beautiful realm. Although they lack strength, they only require little to become more. Their biggest strength lies within their resourcefulness, as well as their strategy to overwhelm their enemy, before devouring their fallen kin and the prey. Do not let them call for help.
You have Leveled up [Observe]! 5-->6
Rolling my eyes at the cryptic demographic of my cave-dwelling enemies, I eyed their health pool and my remaining mana, as well as putting my health and stamina into consideration if my plan had any chance to succeed in my suicide mission. I flinched with a hint of strain as the second arrow hit my shield, not far off the first one and just like its predecessor, creating cracks in my defense. I lowered my head slightly while eyeing the quiver of the devil, only one more crude arrow remained, I would've smirked if it was not for the number difference.
The Goblin grunted angrily as he kicked his quiver away and pulled back the last arrow, aiming directly at my left eye. I took deep breaths while my vision flickered between my foes and the falling barrier, occasionally eyeing the arrow that now flew in my direction. With a loud crack did my shield shatter into bits, and the arrow fired, slowed from the impact but not stopped, embedded itself into my chest. I grunted dryly staggering backwards, before eyeing my health drop by another forty points, leaving it now at ninety points of health after the regeneration circle began anew. I snorted at the smiling goblin who let his bow drop and attempted to pull out his knife, but his grin faded when I gathered thirty points worth of mana into a [Mana Bolt] that was sent sailing into the archer's skull. The Goblin fell with its back facing the ground to the floor with both sides of its face equally burned, his companions were not amused by his sudden death and rushed forward. With a grunt, I scraped together the majority of my remaining mana and conjured a [Stunbolt] from the tip of my horn, creating a green flare, and sent off to the club wielder, who shielded his eyes from the bright light, before tumbling to the ground with a seizure-like twitching.
You have Leveled up [Stunbolt]! 1-->3
I smiled vividly as I waited for the shaking goblin to reach me while panting lightly, my intention was only to create space between the attackers, yet it worked greater than I originally anticipated, even if the light, physical exhaustion was not planned from practically using up but the last bit of mana. I bit down onto the club with great force, eyeing the rushing goblin with slight respect for its ability to run on oil, before jumping forward and whacking the wooden tool across his face with [Power Strike] sending it to tumble. I gave him no chance to recover, and my initial attack was followed quickly by another one, after which I was left panting while creeping towards the shaking goblin before delivering a final one, killing it and collapsing onto its corpse in exhaustion.
My shivering body rested on the animal's hide like a park bench, panting as hard as it could, while I stared at the nearly completely depleted stamina bar, rivaled only by the mana meter. 'J-just one more and I get to go home, j-just one more.' I slurred in my mind as I slowly pushed myself onto my hooves, strings of blood separated with a disgusting 'schlub' as I picked myself up, my steps emitting similar 'plitsch' sounds as I trotted through the black swamp.
The stunned Goblin laid with his face down in the soup, the occasional bubble reaching the shallow liquid indicated that the beast was at least still alive. With a pitious gaze, I levitated the goblin's former knife and floated it above its neck before stomping on it, causing the body to buckle slightly and vibrate as I twisted it deeper, which in turn momentarily increased the bubble count before they disappeared.
You have Leveled up! 4-->5
You have Leveled up [Mana Construct]! 1-->3
You have Leveled up [Mana Bolt]! 1-->3
You have Leveled up [Power Strike]! 1-->3
You have Leveled up [Mana Knife]! 1-->2
You have Leveled up [Physical Damage Resistance]! 2-->4
I sighed with disgust, lowering my head before mumbling quietly. "ID Escape."
ACTION... denied.
My eyes shot wide open, only to be met with yet another, familiar textbox which's content left me speechless, in a sense, empty to the point dread affected me not. '10/11 Goblins defeated.' I thought with a chuckle, a bitter one, before sinking into my knees and into the broth while watching the bodies and weapons just disappear, leaving me in this blood funnel, yet what horrified me most was that I felt not a single thing.
"I feel... nothing?" I mumbled to myself. Borderline genocide, massacring and defiling the bodies, not even mentioning assassinating a paralyzed green-skin, these deeds just left me empty, I could feel the shame creeping up my soul for what I did, but only from a selfish perspective, it felt like I could’nt even shed a single tear for my victims. "Just... empty."
Correction. I, under the restriction, thus including you, are unable to feel any emotions towards the nightmares other than anger, spite, or irritation, but regret and sympathy are forbidden. The Game answered calmly, though his approach seemed softer than before this nightmare trip. His words left me only chuckling to myself as I slowly crawled towards the darkness, or, more specifically, the next illuminated interception. nightmares are not alive, they are mere remnants of mortal and immortal negativity that act upon the given guidelines, but are not sentient in any way. Think of them as life-like golems.
"Like you?" I asked bitterly as I pulled out the arrow embedded into my chest with a flinch and threw it carelessly into my inventory. My wet steps echoing through the cave as I stepped out of the bloody pond, and drips that fell off my wet fur followed me.
Although I am not 'as alive' like you, I am still sentient, able to think and feel harm done, they, however, do not. The Game replied, slightly aggravated, yet less so that I insulted his sentience and more to the fact that I compared him to them. It does not matter what we think anyway, I was made for this purpose, you are bound to this cause, and it's better if you close your heart to them. Otherwise, you might become a shell of yourself. Another reason why I urge you to enjoy your time outside 'work,' lest you desire to see no humanity, as your race calls it, in yourself.
I snorted under my breath while rearranging my Hotbar, removing the empty bottle and the fruit knife and adding the much better goblin knife and club. Halting for a moment, I chewed my inner cheek flesh despite my clinched jaw's protest, I hated that the Game was right, even more so the fact that he disliked this truth just so much, but agreeing seemed too petty-less for me. Thus I silently followed the dark path, shivering occasionally. Stopping for a moment, I narrowed my eyes at the blurry sight of what appeared to be a wooden door with something in front, something snoring.
"How the fuck is that sloth still asleep? At this point, the dead should be screaming at me to shut up." I mumbled, before snorting out a white cloud of air into the cold cave.
Higher ranking goblins hibernate when they are not needed in the clan, thus saving nourishment, as well as increasing their lifespan. However, there was supposed to be another low ranking goblin somewhere around here... The Game started, before trailing off into nothingness as if he was checking his memory for any holes.
"Great, not only is the dungeon buggy as fuck, I now have to deal with a boss." I sighed while shaking my head and sitting down behind a line of rocks acting as cover going past the goblin towards the wooden gate adorned with metal. "Got any stories while I wait for my health to regenerate?" I asked by pushing my burning spine against the cold rock, releasing several light pops.
While I lack stories, I do have a few facts, if you are interested. I licked my lips in hopes of removing at least some blood, only to be suddenly plagued by the burning sensation in my throat, almost like highly concentrated vodka. I take your silence as a yes. As you have most likely noticed, you are currently a pony, this has to do with the fact that these realms were designed, so that you can practice and learn the first steps, however, since you will be forced to physically enter the nightmare realm in the future, it would be disadvantageous for you to complete them as a bipedal. You can, however, visit them as a human afterward.
"Good to know." I said with a jerk as I squeezed my hoof, several drops of blood falling to the floor. My eyes slowly traveled upwards to the top left corner of my vision, my three bars: health, mana, and stamina, nearly filled up entirely. I shook my head with slight dread, before pulling out my new knife and using [Observe] on it.
Goblin Dagger
I perked my lips at the textbox, resisting the urge to whistle while inspecting the short blade with a small grin. With a slow turn, I directed my eyes towards the weapon itself. A long, crooked, jagged tooth with sharpened spikes and a skin handle, judging by the color it once belonged to a goblin, the weapon as well. With a light pop, I put the weapon between my teeth, hitting not only on the weapon but also through the disgusting taste, before hopping over the stone railing and sneaking towards the sleeping goblin—a goblin with a fascinating taste in fashion.
The Goblin in question was much more prominent in nearly every aspect compared to its underlings in muscles and height, at the very least one to one and a half heads taller than me. The Goblin wore a knight's helmet with several vertical slits in the visor and a large, luxurious red feather attached on the top, while the rest of its body was covered in tailored leather armor, seemingly perfectly latching onto its skin. A large halbert, clearly too large for the wearer, rested firmly in the green skin's hand while it laid against the gate, on the other was a small, round shield attached.
"Hmmm, this seems a bit problematic." I mumbled silently, before using [Observe] on the goblin, alongside its equipment.
Name: Goblin Guard
The Goblin Guard is the first boss you'll encounter on your journey through the various dungeons. Although this is the very first big task you'll have to face and prove your worth, it is not as impossible as it may seem. Every race scales differently when it comes to weapons and stats. Use their disadvantages.
You have Leveled up [Observe]! 6-->7
Knight Helmet
Knight Halberd
Goblin Shield
Leather armor
'Great, bastards not only ripped but stacked as well, gotta use some leverage over the pea.' I thought darkly as I sneaked my way towards the slumbering menace with impressive efficiency, given the otherwise damned noisey hooves. I held in my breath as I squeezed myself into the little gap between the warden and the gate, before popping the dagger into my mouth, rearing myself upwards and staring at the hole in the defense. 'Just one more goblin, and I can leave, but maybe... just maybe, I'll take out every last one of these slave drivers, so later I won't have to do it.' I thought grimly, before ramming the dagger right in the green flesh.
132HP
-76HP
The blade sank into the goblin's back with little resistance, however before I could even pull out the weapon, a great force made a sharp impact into my rips, digging deep and threatening to break them in addition to the cracks already created, before I was sent tumbling into the air. With a hard impact, stealing away yet another five hit points, I scrambled to my hooves while teeth gritted against one another. I turned my head slowly towards the goblin, feeling a crick building up, before jerking slightly at the sight of an orange glowing halberd head that quickly disappeared.
"Fucker’s got magic..." I mumbled to myself, before grabbing the knife from the ground and levitated it next to me, ain't no way in hell I'm sticking my neck anywhere near that executioner.
The Goblin Guard used a Martial Art called 'Goblin Strike,' a more advanced and race-specific version of [Heavy Impact], a technique used to break armor.
Snorting loudly, I glared at the Goblin, who craned his neck before slowly making a move towards me with his two-handed weapon in grasp. I fired the weakest [Mana Bolt] at the Goblin's head, who, in return, dodged it by titling his helmet to the side. The Goblin lowered his head in retaliation, two purple gleams twinkled in his helmet, before charging towards me with a borderline howl-like growling. Lowering my stance, I awaited his arrival while twirling my knife anxiously, before jumping onto my hind legs, evading the wide arc of the Halberd by hair's breadth, before ramming the knife through one of the helmet's slits. The Goblin, much to my surprise, did not yield any reaction. It dropped his weapons and punched me in the face, followed up by his shield smashing across my face and a kick to my chest.
With a deep grunt, I forced myself up, daring not to fall to the ground while spitting several globs of blood to the floor. "Status." I hissed angrily, before looking up my reserves.
stamina: 120/150
'Fuck, already half the life juice's gone.' I thought while glaring at the Goblin, I was anxious about killing it at first, but now looking at things, it was the only way to wake up. Either it or me and that bastard, if the Game was to be trusted, wasn't alive either way... I hope I never see other creatures this way.
The Goblin Guard threw his helmet to the ground with a sneer, fistfuls of blood flowed, as a continuous deluge of the dark liquid. The Guard, with his one intact eye, while the other bled strongly, glared at me while the little hair on his head waved through the non-existing wind. With a scream the guard once again charged me with impressive speed and his shield pointing forward.
With a frown, I lowered my horn and channeled large quantities of mana, taking every step of my foe into consideration of how long I could afford to charge before I would regret it. Time seemingly slowed down, daring to lull me into a false, comfortable sense of security while the buzzing of magic shunted out nearly all outside sound. With a grat buckle and a stagger backward was the mighty [Mana Bolt] fired at the Golbin's shield, a loud crack broke through the cave as it shattered into countless pieces. The Warden's arm could not stand against the force and broke at several locations, significant bits of leather broke off from the armor, but the wearer refused to give in and continued its charge. My eyes widened in shock as I realized the real purpose behind the suicide charge, but it was already too late for me to avoid being skewed by the Halberd.
-42HP
I coughed up a blob of blood, before glaring at the mad grin of the Goblin who had yet to stop his charge. Raising my hoof into the air, I used [Power Strike] onto the wooden pole, creating cracks that traveled deep into the wood, a second sent splinters flying in every direction, and with the last one did the weapon break in two. The Goblin staggered greatly, his feet losing footing in the process, and dared to tip over, was it not for a regular punch to the face, followed up by a deep cut into the Goblin's throat with the dagger.
The Goblin stared at me with wide, bewilderment filled eyes as the purple gleam vanished, letting the body slip off the dagger and plummet onto the floor with a great rattling of leather and metal bits.
"F-fuck." I forced out between gasps and pop in my ribs as they set themselves back into place. Closing my eyes from the horrendous cave for just a moment, I attempted to ignore the alien sensation of my body regenerating at such an incredible pace in seemingly every corner of my body. I jumped up in shock as I heard a clashing of metal against stone, only to be left ashamed at the sight of the broken Halberd head, previously embedded in my chest, laying on the floor. With a sigh, I shook my head, holding a hoof to my forehead, before granting yet another text box my attention.
You have Leveled up! 5-->8
You have Leveled up [Physical Damage Resistance]! 4-->6
You have Leveled up [Power Strike]! 3-->5
By leveling up, Health, Mana and Stamina have been refilled.
My surge of suddenly found joy was quickly quenched when three facts became immediately apparent. "Game, did you forget to heal me before the Guard?" I thought while running my hoof across the text box, eyeing its surface that wavered like water upon touch.
You denial of the task has greatly complicated and increased my workload, triggering a worst-case scenario fail-safe can cause minor Inconveniences. The Game replied while keeping his attention to our conversation a bare minimum, presumably being busy enhancing my body.
"Aha..." I said out awkwardly while looking at the Warden's corpse, still in place, and most importantly, his gear utterly destroyed beyond any hope. "I guess I should've been a tad more careful, that poleaxe could've been pretty useful." I mumbled to myself with a dry sigh as I picked up the two pieces of the Halberd with my magic.
Your concerns orbiting around the well being of this simple equipment is to be expected, however entirely unnecessary. The Game answered nonchalantly, before the corpse, as well as the shattered equipment, were sucked into my inventory.
"What's that supposed to MEAN!" I asked, before letting out a shriek as I was enveloped by a tight, for a moment, a nearly water-like substance that stole away my vision momentarily before allowing me only a few strips of vision. "Wait." I spoke out loudly as I lifted my left hoof, a shield attached to the hoof, and lifted the visor upwards. "How does that even work." I said with amazement while inspecting the Halberd that was shrunken down to my size, well, if I were to stand on my hindlegs, that is.
The armor bears enough of the smiths, as well as the previous owner's belief that it will protect the wearer from harm. Just like any other item, simply connecting it to our entity, allowing me to make small changes by supplying it with power, almost like a limb extension. However, I can only change the item in ways that won't contradict its purpose or injected belief, like restoration and adjusting to size. I cannot use it to create near infinite amounts of metal by clipping the head, as the mere intention is enough for it to end futile. Do not ask how it works, you lack the mental capacity for that task at the moment. The Game explained while granting me a tad more attention while my body grew in strength and slightly in size.
I stood frozen still for a moment, before shaking my head at the deep burn the Game brought upon me, before letting out a hum. "So, we can leave?" I asked, while looking at the great gate, a deep gash adorned it, a requiem of its former guard. A strange tingle invaded my chest for a moment, followed by a ghostly shiver, waking a hostile sense of curiosity.
Possitive.
"So... what's behind the great door?"
The end of the dungeon, the reward for completion and-
"Reward you say..." I mumbled loudly while rubbing the underside of my helmet with great interest, my eyes fixated onto the massive wooden trunk keeping the gate closet, but why was it outside of the chamber, and not inside? It was almost like they were trying to keep something inside.
While there is the completion reward, I would advise not to enter the room ahead, as it also holds the, at least it was supposed to contain, the last remaining goblin. The final boss, if you will. The Game hastily explained while once again bringing up the topic of a missing Goblin. Did you not wish to return to the waking world as soon as possible, my host?
His words hit me in a rather, sensitive way, making me flinch slightly, only reminding me of a complete lack of empathy for my deeds. Now I could only ponder of the horrendous sensation that plagued me after my first execution, but no matter how much I wished to relive this penance once again, a mental barrier kept me from going any further than mild anxiety and discomfort. I was no fool, I knew that I was being manipulated, what ancient being would create something like the Game, only for the mortal counterpart to fail the genocide of nightmares. I could at least understand that aspect; however, it didn’t mean that I would flow with this course of pushes and nudges without at least a hint of resistance.
"Yes, yes I do." I clarified while slowly crawling my magic around the wooden trunk keeping the gate closed. "However, I know myself too well. If I were to just blindly leave this place behind, I wouldn't be able to not think about it every night and day until the job is done." I explained firmly, before pushing the wooden rectangle upwards with a sudden motion, causing splinters and dust to fall off the geometric form. "Sides, this got personal." I thought back at the goblin miners, even if I knew that they were not alive, mere constructs to help me grow stronger for some enigma, who are trapped in these dungeons until I free them of this servitude by destroying them, the bitter taste of rotten nostalgia left me in an unreasonable mood. I was no more a package slave.
With a deep, unnerving creek did the ancient gate open, releasing a torrent of deep growling and a great wave of musky air, bringing tears to my eyes like onions and acidic waste. Coughing loudly, my head slowly rose upwards until my gaze met with the sole entity of what could only be described as a throne room.
The walls were dimly lit with crystals of various sizes and colors growing out of the green goo-like stone, only increasing the borderline royal appeal with a large number of pelts on the floor and trophies of many unknown war beasts. However, the most distinctive addition to this room's decor was, without a doubt, the throne, an amalgamation of countless corpses sewed together into a single piece of furniture, resembling a horrendous aberration worthy of the war bosses ass. The plus-sized goblin slumbered, daring to shake the entirety of the room to crumbles. His enormous belly jiggled strongly with each snore, barely contained by his cloth pants and a golden belt, the only other clothing being a shoulder plate with a skull, that of an orc if the novels did not deceive. His face, despite being in a state of slumber, was filled with anger, twitching and jerking as if it was reliving old memories from battles, the large black beard, the greats tusks, scars covering his body and the great, wooden, blood-stained club only reinforced my theory.
"What... is this sensation?" I thought with a quiver of my brow, feeling a sense of pressure in my chest, squeezing my heart ever so slight, even the mild sickness I initially believed to have been caused by the stench seemed comforting. "D-doesn't matter. Now, onto the task." I thought with limping confidence while a zealot-like rush of decaying overconfidence pushed me forward. Lowering my horn and letting mana channeling in great masses into the bone, I kept my eyes glued onto the skull of the giant goblin.
John, with all due respect, this is a horrible idea. Please cancel this spell and reconsider your course of action.
"I'm pretty sure I've got this, one bolt of this and this thing won't be in my way much longer." I spoke through grit teeth as I felt enormous pressure form in my horn, unlike other spells where the mana is directly converted into the spell, here the energy was still in its primordial form.
I highly advise you to use [Observe] on your target and see that-
"I've got it Game, I can think for myself."
No, stop!
"I said-" I started loudly, only to be interrupted by a loud grumble, followed by a slightly higher yelp of surprise. The goblin stared at me for just a second, before his left arm reached for his club with lightning reflexes. With a jerk, I fired the bolt, bearing nearly two hundred and ten points of mana at the boss's skull, only for it to hit its right arm that took the hit instead. With a bright implosion, did the mana bold release its power, carrying enough energy to separate the arm from the body, letting it soar through the air and finally fall to the ground with a loud smack, releasing copious amounts of the black liquid bearing a strong, alcoholic scent.
You have Leveled up [Mana Bolt]! 3-->4
[Observe]
Name: Hobgoblin
Hobgoblins are Goblins who have absorbed enough Aether from creatures they have slain, unlike most other Goblin variations who had to reach a certain skill threshold. These sturdy nightmares who put all their focus in purely physical damage and defense as well as the search to fight the next worthy opponent to push them towards their next level of evolution ??? If fighting these brutes, it is advised to keep distance or dodge their attacks at all costs.
*Goblins and Orcs are natural enemies that often have territorial fights with another, both share similar features and are easily enraged.
My ears clung to my skull while my eyes opened widely, knees shaking at the numbers significantly for just a moment, before I turned around and bolted out of the room, taking the precious moment while the Hobgoblin stared at his amputated limb with surprise while the hints of indomitable rage began to show up. With a sudden motion, I rammed my hooves into the ground just outside the chamber, eyeing the Hobgoblin that rose from his throne and lifted his club high up. With a great thud did I slam the gate shut and rammed the trunk back into its original place, before bolting back the path I initially took, already dreading that it would not hold the giant.
'I-I regret it, I regret everything.' I thought with chattering teeth as a great roar echoed through the cave, causing the very rocks, stalactites, and stalagmites to quiver in fear, the sudden war cry was only rivaled by the eardrum-shattering thud and creaking of wood. 'I'm sorry Game, I shouldn't have touched that beast.' I pleaded silently, my mental rant interrupted by yet another, lesser crash against the wood that broke the trunk, given the loud crack and the creaking of metal.
Although I find your humility and regret flattering given my original warnings, I would advise you not to waste time and think of a way to damage the Hobgoblin as much as possible, before feeling the dungeon. Otherwise, you might be caught off guard by a well-rested, and most importantly, enraged boss.
With a final impact did I hear by far the loudest, clearest, and most rage induced howl I hope I'll ever hear, one that with the mere force of the monster's lungs, pushed every last strand of hair backward. My ears shook as they were assaulted with the sound of dozens of steps every second, as if the runner was daring to reach record-breaking speeds, only to be momentarily stopped by a wall or falling debris. I pulled the break-in last moment to avoid a stalactite impaling me like a boney kebab, before I continued my run.
"That fucking bastard is trying to collapse the cave!" I cried loudly, before evading yet another falling rock, caused by yet another seismic wave. Turning my head around for just a moment, a decision I deeply regretted, I spotted the charging brute rushing into the stone wall with enough force to create many cracks. "He is already here!" I shouted, staring at his silhouette in the darkness, the purple gleam slicing through the darkness in a fearsome manner. With widened eyes, at minute's end, I gathered the entirety of my magic into a single [Fireball] spell, daring to bring me to the floor from exhaustion, before hurling the flame orb towards the giant target.
I did not expect to see this sight, and it was borderline embarrassing admitting that I was dumb enough not to realize it yet, but it appeared as if goblin blood is highly flammable. The Hobgoblin burst into flames like a giant torch, while his severed stump spewed fire like a dragon, his health points rapidly decreased, but his pain only spurred his speed further.
By making a correct assumption through the use of observation and practice, you earned one point in intelligence.
I would've let out a hollow laugh, were it not for my attention being needed elsewhere. With steady steps did I run over the large blood pool littered with the explosive gems. I was running over a lake of oil and dynamite. My eyes shot wide open while adrenaline rushed through my veins with such force I feared for my heart bursting as I took off, not taking any interest in any tissue or muscle damage I might receive. A moment later, my heart was no longer the loudest thing I perceived.
My ears were filled by a powerful, deafening ringing as an invisible force pushed me forward with great force and heat, singeing the fur on my back. I watched in slow motion as the cave rushed past me, and the beginning wall of the dungeon crashed into me. I heard countless breaks and cracks throughout my body, teeth broke out, ribs cracked, and I couldn’t feel my hindlegs, yet I was frozen still with emptiness as I slid down the rock, my blood tainting it with a great, scarlet smear. After several seconds did the ringing slowly decline, only to be replaced by the howls and roars of the Hobgoblin while the sounds of crackling fire grew ever so bold, until finally, after nearly half a minute, did the die out, just like the warmonger himself.
You have Leveled up! 8-->10
You have reached the maximum level possible at the moment.
You have Leveled up [Physical Damage Resistance]! 6-->7
You have Leveled up [Fireball]! 3-->5
By leveling up, Health, Mana and Stamina have been refilled.
With a sickening crunch, did my upper body sink downwards, reconnecting the two parts of the spine in the most disgust invoking way possible, before I fell onto my back, forced to stare at the Hobgoblin, or what remained of him at least. His charred body stood frozen on its knees, staring towards the ceiling with a look of rage imprinted into the corpse. With a shake, I shakingly scrambled onto my hooves and gave the corpse yet another look, only to take note of the empty sockets in the skull, shivers ran across my newly reformed spine.
Congratulations on beating the first dungeon! The Game congratulated me as the corpse and club vanished into my inventory, adding a distinct weight to it, before continuing his speech. By killing the final boss, you have earned this realm's treasure.
Do you want to accept the Goblin Hideout's Bounty?
"Y-yes..." I mumbled as I watched as the last few flames faded away, scraps of skin and burned flesh flew through the air like embers after a devastating forest fire. "I want to leave..." I mumbled quietly while sinking my head with fatigue. I expected a heavenly sensation, a bath of pride indulging me in my accomplishment, yet only spite and a subtle hint of disgust resided in me. I felt nothing for my victims, just that I murdered them all, every last one of them, and even the little, shining light in this darkness that was the justice served onto the slave drivers made me not feel like a hero any bit more.
You've gained the following rewards.
Gentle Touch This skill doesn't require any resources Your touch can be anything from normal to any way that is pleasureful. The effect is decided by the user.
Spiritualist (Class)
Spiritual control You are able to see and call the spirits and draw power from them. Your senses are heightened by their guidance and can receive blessings by praying to them and fulfilling their wishes. * The ability [Spirit Senses] is available while the class is chosen. * Meditation allows you to gather faith. * Maximum Faith capacity 100 Faith.
Spirit Senses 1 Faith per minute As a chosen one by the Spirits, your senses are heightened to levels beyond to that of a normal mortal. * This ability can be turned on and off. * Smelling is Enhanced * Hearing is Enhanced * Seeing is Enhanced.
Pure Aether (Small) Permanently increases all stats by 10.
I sighed pleasantly as I felt the new power enhance every last bit of my body and mind, like deep cleaning in a hot tub, washing away the dark thoughts for just a moment. Closing my eyes and basking in this crisp, yet smoothly enveloping sensation I uttered under my breath calmly. "ID: Escape." The cold and hostile stench of the dungeon was replaced by a crisp wind and a warm light shining onto my back, opening my eyes I stood once again in the Gamer's Dream, but now the moon hung high, the sky, however was empty, lacking every last light in the blue sky. I didn’t question it as I laid down onto the soft, imaginary grass, folding my legs under me and resting my head onto the meadow.
You have approximately six hours of left. Do you wish for a dreamless, slumber, my host? The Game asked softly, lulling me deeper into this exhaustion erasing darkness.
"Yes." I answered, and my consciousness slipped away like a log in a gentle river, carrying me away to an endless ocean where worries and woes mattered little to none.
Gentle Touch awoke groggily amidst the night, feeling a weak tapping against her back. She rubbed her eyes to wipe away at least a little bit of sleepiness. The Mare's annoyance of waking at such late, or perhaps an early hour, was washed away at the sight of her little Star mumbling in his sleep while moving his hooves around.
Gentle smiled while thinking curiously. 'What I wouldn't give to know what you're dreaming little Star.' She smiled at her little wonder foal, before laying herself to bed again, but this time with her adoptive offspring in hooves.
It would be for the better if she never found out, ignorance is bliss after all.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter one: One Special Colt
Nearly a whole week... I thought with a quiet sigh, looking out of a window, the peaceful and happy scenery invoked an alien sensation inside of me, and what it was? It's the feeling of content in ways my old self could've only dreamed about. This world, even if this was perhaps just a thin oil-film-like layer on top of the ocean that I was seeing, it was beautiful. There was no smoke rising into the sky, no building stealing sight away from the world or sky, plants actually grew on the side of the road and people, that sounded absurd, they smiled and talked with one another. I hated to say this, but I liked this place, not my position, but if I had the chance, I might attempt to bring Amber here, she'd kill for a sight that was not made by her or one of her colleagues.
My gaze slowly swayed from the glass panel between me and the rest of this world. I was still debating whether or not I was sleeping in a hospital or in a lunatic home and that all of this was just a dream, one where ponies talked, and magic was a thing.
Gentle Touch.
My eyes stopped at the sight of the mare eating a sandwich, a bunch of grass and a few dandelions between two sliced of bread, how this tasted good was beyond me, but then again, so was much of what was happening to me at this point.
I closed my eyes as I leaned my head back. The rush, the sweet scents of clean air in combination of fresh grass, fruit, and a humble whiff of lavender flared the life in my chest to new heights. This sensation of feeling mother nature's wind flow through my fur and empowering me with her beauty.
I soft ring broke my concentration, forcing me out of my zen-like state, my limbs twitched out of reflex to open the door, only to be remembered that the rest of the body was stuck in a toddler chair.
Gentle giggled, crumbs of break falling out of her mouth. "That's just the doorbell." She said before swallowing her food before putting her breakfast on her plate and walking towards the door.
Gentle Touch was an intriguing being, she was also lonely, either that or she thought nothing weird about holding so many conversations with a week old baby. Other than the previously mentioned flaw, she was rather lovely. Because of that very reason, I would never tell her about my endeavors or the fact that her child is a thirty-year-old naked ape who possessed a toddler corpse, of course, I wasn't going to tell it, anyone, either way, but she deserved to be a happy mother, a good one of a dream child. Why I liked her was even unknown to me, perhaps she just reminded me of my mom? Nah.
The soft clicking of the door signalized that she closed the door, though the sound of her hooves sounded off like she would speed up or slow at random. What? I was young once too, so of course, I knew how to listen to footsteps. She eventually did return with a letter in her aura, a golden seal in its middle.
Gentle stared at the piece of paper for a moment, taking a deep breath, before opening it, the crack of the broken seal caused her to nearly jump. The Paper was swiftly pulled out and opened. "Dear Gentle Touch-" She read out loud, a pause was made shortly after. "Your adoptive child's magical measurements have been acknowledged by the magic tower as well as the government of Equestria, and thus we'd like to invite you to come to Canterlot Castle as soon as possible to test if there is anything else noteworthy about Star Touch to allow him to grow up healthy. The Guards at the gate will show you to the right room, simply show them the letter, and they will bring you to the right room. Singed by... Iron Grace..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes did in ways that made me wonder if this name had any meaning in this place.
'At least this name didn't sound all too absurd.' I thought with a mental roll of the eyes. I honestly had enough of shitty names, especially after getting a skill that was literally named after my mother... adoptive mother is what I wanted to say.
Gentle Touch froze, still staring at the piece of paper, only to be brought back to reality a moment later... The mare impressed me yet again by inhaling a whole sandwich with such speed I thought for a moment she deleted it. After Gentle had swallowed down so much food that could see her throat bulge, she levitated me out of my toddler prison and back her back. Not even bothering to get the stroller. rude.
I was starting to think that going to the castle by summoning was equally as unnerving as being called to the mayor's office with no explanation. Either that or my mother was going insane if there was anything to say about her fast walking pace, unnerving mumbling, or her shaking.
"Everything's going to be alright, it's just a check-up for your incredibly talented foal, nothing else..." Gentle Touch mumbled to herself as the corners of her mouth twitched with each syllabus spoken.
If I may say something. The Game spoke calmly, suggesting that-
'Where have you been? I've started to miss you, you've been gone the whole morning.' I asked within my mind with confusion and worry.
My apologies, young host. I've been spending the better part after our victory with rerouting the gained power to ensure that nothing would sweep over our capacities. It would be a shame if our time window for power growth would be shortened due to a leak, wouldn't you agree?
"I have no idea how any of that is supposed to work, but I am grateful that I have you to do the paperwork, so to say. Damn, all those people in online stories make the stuff seem so easy." I thought with a sigh before I pursed my pips and blowing away a lock of hair that impeded my vision.
Everything that exists is based on uncountable of incredibly hard to explain rules and laws. We just try to make sense of it. Now, the origin of entity Gentle Touch's worries might be the fear of having you taken away. The Game guessed, though how it came to that conclusion was very much so beyond me.
'Why would she be scared of that? I'm a half-rotten pile of bones with skin. Sure I have a lot more magic than the average foal, but that's it.' I thought with a snort, I was only ever special in the regard that I never wanted to be unique or well known.
That is what they see in you now, but what you could become one day is what could make her fear become real. If the government decides that you would be better off living in a castle with proper teachers and personal to raise you than a lonely mare working in a cheap hospital, then there would be little for Gentle to interfere with. The Game's reply made me wonder if he had not tapped into the memories I had of reading conspiracy theories on the wall in dark alleys.
'If you say so...' I thought calmly, there was little for me to change about anything happening anyway, so why bother at this point. Just as my head leaned forward, the gates of the Canterlot came in sight, a golden wall of bars keeping away the dirty peasants from the pristine towers of marble. In between our destination and us laid yet another obstacle, a guard wearing golden horse armor that looked more like plates of butter iron strapped onto their bodies. Why did they look exactly the same?
Their armor is enchanted, most likely to keep their identity hidden. The Game answered my question faster than I could've ever googled it.
Ahh...
"Halt, who goes there?!" asked Guard #1 with a stern voice. His fur was white while his mane was that of blue though which a pristine horn poked out.
Gentle twitched vigorously, before shakingly pulling out the letter, holding it out for the Guards to see. Guard #2 grabbed the letter with his magic and looked over it, the magic around the piece of paper intensified momentarily as he cast some sort of spell on it.
Guard #2 spoke calmly and professionally. "Everything seems to be in order, ma'am." The Guard then turned to his companion and nodded, signalizing the opening of the gate as both horns ignited, enveloping the entrance with their blue aura and opening the barrier between royalty and commoner. The Guard who checked the letter turned towards us, replying only shortly with a "Follow me." before leading us towards the castle.
Gentle slowly nodded, albeit filled with uncertainty before following the Stallion with quite some distance between them.
As soon as we traversed the gate, the sight on the castle seemed to shift ever so slightly. From afar, the structure looked nothing like a piece of plastic, but now its details were revealed. Where there previously was just plain grass before the walls now stood works of art, marble, clay, and metal alike, some spewed water like a fountain, other allowed plants to be grown on professionally while a few exceptions held plaques holding names and titles, few deeds were listed as well. While Pony made creations equaled with no doubt the work of humans in the renaissance if not overcame perhaps due to the use of magic, the gardens made me almost tear up. As cold-hearted as I was, spending countless hours in flower shops, despite having a crimson red thumb, made my worries melt away. The scent of lavender, the fragrance I felt so far away came from this very place and now in combination with other flowers created a symphony, one that was underlined with the noon sun warming me. There were many I knew, even if the lack of roses was a surprise, but what shocked me, let dread seep into my bones, was the sight of mystic blooms.
As much as this sight was beautiful and the opportunity to have some familiarity from home, I could not take it and diverted my eyes until the gardens were out of sight.
...
"Woah..." My ears twitched and perked upon the voice of Gentle breaking the silence. I sighed heavily, bevor looking up and pausing my somber mood. The halls were incredibly long while the ceiling was more than three times as high as the Guard, and the entire space was decorated. For just a moment, I caught a glimpse of the welcoming area, though my means of transportation turned away too fast for me to see what was there though what my vision was replaced with was, without a doubt, even more breathtaking. A ruby carpet that went on for what seemed to be miles covered our path, highlighting the sunshine that shone through the large windows and perfect landing onto the pictures of various ponies and creatures alike.
My mouth opened slightly, leaving a little gap between my lips to let out a quiet 'wow.' This world had its own celebrities, kings, and cultures, just like earth, but different. There were rulers, landscapes, abstract works of art and... and...
'Damn perverts...' I thought with a shake of my head at the sight of a giant marble statue of a female horse with a huge butt, looking thoughtfully upwards.
"We're here, ma'am," the Guard spoke, making both me and my adoptive parent look at the door he was pointing at. A large spruce door that was decorated with but a single name tag nailed onto it, reading 'Iron Grace - head administrator.'
"Thank you," Gentle said shortly to which the Guard nodded before bidding his goodbyes and leaving us alone. Her eyes stared after the Guard a few moments longer than was acceptable, making me wonder if she expected to see something that wasn't there. Finally, after a long pause, her eyes slowly turned back towards the door, though only a deep breath prolonged the waiting before the door was opened by hoof before Gentle enter with me into.
"Ahh, miss Touch, good to see you again. Please, take a seat." Spoke the one other being in the room, a stern and cold voice attempting to seem warm and welcoming. An iron-colored short coat enveloped her thin form that appeared to be trying to hide well-defined muscles while a short mane with the color of snow covering her head. Iron Grace's ears peeked through hair and stood like two towers while her long and seemingly spiral horn joined as player three, forming nearly a majestic crown. The only flaw in her appearance were the three large scars running across the left side of her face and over her left eye, though surprisingly she was one lucky horse as her eyes seemed to still be working, a shame if those vibrant green eyes were damaged.
The room itself looked precisely how you would expect an office to look like. A large wooden desk, several shelves, a large carpet, a couple of cushions instead of chairs, a few maps and flags of the country, which was a minimalistic white horse with horn and wings flying around the sun, and surprisingly another table, one you'd expect at the doctor alongside various tools which meaning I did not know.
'Again?' I wondered with a confused look and a tilted head. Of course, miss Grace probably thought of my doing as an attempt to better see her as this shifting of my legal guardian obscured my vision.
As Gentle sat down onto the cushion on the ground, the lack of chairs appearing somewhat worrisome, she levitated me up momentarily and playing me between her legs, my face pointing forwards.
"Hello... Iron. It has been a while, has it not?" Gentle asked with a cold look at the mare wishing to see us, or more precisely, me.
Iron slowly nodded her while one of her hoofs ran over her large scar, both mares sank into their positions slightly after her act. "I see you have gotten better after the incident," Grace said slowly, to which Gentle nodded weakly. "You know that I am not made for such talk, so just let us get this over with," Grace answered with a sigh, momentarily before another pony entered the room.
'I am unsure if their common past is an advantage or just another obstacle...'
Agreed.
A beige colored mare, short of statue though physically fit in nature, wore a doctor's coat and a stereoscope on her grey mane. There was also a crossed stereoscope and a syringe on her arse. "Sorry for the wait, but doctor Horsenpfeffer was sadly needed, so I was called up at the last minute. I'm Doctor Greymare, bye the way, heh."
'Let this world burn for all its sins.' I thought darkly while keeping the happy-foal-mask on.
"Greetings, miss Greymare. You are to inspect the foal by the name of Star Touch." Iron Grace announced and commanded with a calm voice. "Gentle, if you would put the colt on the table, please?" She instructed as she pointed her hoof at the table in the middle of the room to which Gentle obliged by lifting me with her magic and placing me on the aforementioned furniture.
Doctor Greymare trotted towards me with great anticipation, if it was a for the love of foals or the pure joy of her job was not known to me. "Well, hello there little colt, I'm miss Greymare, and I'm gonna have a really close look on you to see if you're healthy." Greymare crept closer with a soft smile while talking to me with a kind baby voice. I tried to stay in my role and just act cute, but I couldn't handle this voice, my heart began to pump strangely, and my head began to hurt while an alien pressure began to build up in my throat and behind my eyes, all while my jaw began to clench on its own, the only relief I found was when I slowly inched away from her. "Oh, no no no, everything is fine, you don't have to be scared. Don't cry, please?" She begged as she reached forward with her hoof, though leaving more than enough space between me and her stretched out hoof.
Although the souls of this body had long left this body, the way it should supposedly work and act will be strong until our control and imprint have been more significant than that of the soul before. The Game spoke as the worry, fear, and anxiety that was softly chocking me listened gradually
"Everything is alright, she isn't like that mean old Goodwill." Gentle spoke as she held my back with one hoof and stroked my chair with another. The accursed discomfort leaving me slowly, though its imprint, would haunt my sleepless nights for long. I slowly looked up to see her face, in the corner of my vision I could make out Iron Grace with a little smile on her face, though that vanished shortly later when she began to look at a clipboard.
"Is there anything I should know before we continue?" Greymare asked, to which my adoptive mother shook her head. "Good, now please hold still while I put this on your horn, we don't want to hurt ourselves here." Her voice was perhaps soothing for a newborn, but the urge to vomit rose ever higher with each word spoken, and although she seemed to care for the young, the urgency to finish this visibly forced away the want to give the foal she believed me to be a break.
Horn-based magic use has been restricted. Find the origins and deactivate it to retrieve the ability to channel mana through your horn.
My eyes darted up instantly upon hearing a well-known ping in my skull, which meaning I understood instantaneously. Although my eyes could not see the ring, I knew that it was there, though it did make me wonder why the ring was able to block my magic when I was able to use it from my hands just fine in the dungeon. Even if there was some explanation, couldn't I just unequip the ring?
In the dungeon, you were a manifestation of your being, but when channeling mana through your body, it is unadvised to transport it through your flesh as you have designated mana lines for that of which most lead to your horn. Your horn is a natural catalyst for spells, which allows for more precise casting and safer use. Yes, you could de-equip the ring, but that would spark many uneasy questions for the creatures around us. The Game advised with a cautious voice, seemingly whispering for some unknown reason.
"Now we'll have a look at your magic score in a few minutes with a bit more precise measuring device that what Mist Path used," Greymare spoke with a smile before plugging her stereoscope in her ears and pressed the cold metal against the left side of my chest with her magic. Her magic was red, and it made me wonder how the whole color system worked. "Hmmm, your heart rate seems good. And... so are your eyes." Grey said as she put away her stereoscope and pointed a stick with a gem at its tip at my eyes, the beam of the construction barely blinded me, despite its illumination power. A ping that did not originate from my thought broke away the doctor from her work.
"Ahh, the ring has finalized the scan, now let's see what it reads," Grey spoke joyfully as she pulled the ring off my horn, a sound notifying me of the removal of the horn chastity. Her face froze upon the moment her eyes met with the stone on the ring. Tapping on the gem seemingly did nothing to change what is displayed.
Iron Grace seemingly had enough of Grey's tomfoolery and barked. "Miss Greymare, the results if you must."
"Y-yes, but the ring must be broken," Grey said, though Iron's disapproving look spoke more than a thousand words. "The measuring device says that the colt's magical power is equivalent to that of a teenager, but matching both the high mana capacity of stallion, as well as the arcane strength of a mare."
"I see, now, please proceed with the examination." Iron spoke, her pencil feather scribbling away on the sheet of paper.
"Wait, Mist Path said that his magic was barely equivalent to that of five four-year-old foals; does that mean the ring measured more or less?" Gentle with a raised eyebrow, concerned if her wonder child was more or less wonderous. At least, that was what I assumed.
"Ehm... if we go by the numbers on average magical power across foals of the age of four with the gender not taken into the equation, then Star's magical power should be about seven times higher than that of a four-year-old," Grey spoke nervously. Gentle's jaw dropped a little and raised her hoof in a questioning manner, though she was shut down before even being able to ask by Iron herself.
"We are sadly on a tight time plan, so please let us finish the procedure." Iron Grace urged through the mentioning of the word 'procedure' made me twitch.
"Ye-yes." She stammered before taking a few steps closer to me and pulled a magnifying glass from the tray of tools and looked at my skin, at least, that was what I assumed she was doing. "This is worrisome."
"W-what is it? Is something wrong with him?" Gentle asked with worry and pulled me closer to her, she almost reminded me of my human mother when I broke my leg when the floor under my room broke in with me above. Damn termites.
"If I am honest, I can only guess what is wrong, but it is by no means healthy," Grey spoke as she enveloped me in her red aura and lifted me a meter into the air before pushing away the fur on my chest, Gentle gasped in shock while Iron could only wince slightly. "His skin looks like it was the victim a painful mana burn, but the flesh and fur are intact. Another option could be skin cancer that spread too fast and in the process killed itself off, though his fur is too healthy for that, I will scan him just in case. I advise you to step away from your son, miss Gentle, the spell could fail if your mana was were to be mixed with that of the spell." Once her words were spoken, she let me down onto the table again.
Well, I would've touched the furniture if it wasn't for the tight and robust hug of Gentle Touch. "No matter what is the answer, you'll continue being my foal." Her words left me weirded out for a moment, not in a disgusted or spiteful manner, I just could not make out anything with her words or what those words made me feel.
"Here goes nothing..." Grey mumbled under her breath, yet I could still clearly hear what she was saying, and it worried me a lot. I have been through too much to end up as a stain on the wall. A red aura intensified around Grey's horn, glowing like a crimson flame around her natural catalyst and my silhouette, though her actions only achieved a mild discomfort. My hair rose from the slightly electric touch, and the feeling just made me want to pop all my bones at once.
"I. I-uh... Just... give me a second." Grey's magic ebbed away after a few faithful and uncomfortable minutes, leaving the horse out-breath. "I-I got nothing." She forced out as she took another breather, she must've dumped all her mana in this one spell.
For mortal beings to attempt to understand Aether would be like to put a monkey in front of a spaceship. The only difference here was that entity Greymare was smart enough to use a spell that dwelled not too deep to keep her sanity, though it did leave her with barely any mana left. The Game's voice was just hardly hearable, but now it was like someone was whispering in a cave.
'What's up with you all of a sudden?' I asked curiously, though no answer came. A bottomless pit of dread formed in my stomach, the Game only ever went silent when I was either doing something according to plan or if I was in deep, uncalculated shit.
"What do you mean you've found nothing?! He's right there, you should've at least been able to sense that he's alive." Iron pushed herself up with her front hooves on her table, barking at the doctor with a glare. "Didn't they tell you that you've got to be able to cast a simple scanning spell, or are you just unable to do so?" Ouch, I had no idea what that was about, but it felt insulting.
"He-hey, it's not my fault! It's like his entire body is soaked to the bones with pure magic that my spell get lost in like a drop of water in the ocean!" Greymare protested and slapped the ground in front of her.
'Finaly! This world just got ten times more interesting!' I thought mischievously with an evil grin hidden within my mind. A deep, dark, and evil place from which nothing ever escaped. Not that my roommate was able to leave me anyways. Still, the sight of two people arguing was always such a sour-sweet sight, not that I encouraged it, but being a bystander was never a sin, was it?
"I hope I am not interrupting anything." Asked a voice as smooth as silk, sweet as honey and warm as the sunlight. Our eyes were all drawn towards the door, but who stood there was by no means planned, but upon her arrival, I felt the presence of the Game leave me entirely. A giant of a pony stood at the door, her head was shortly pulled down just for her to cross the doorframe although the rest of her slender figure fit perfectly through. The pony had pristine white fur, short and clean of any speck of dirt or lint while a massive chest piece of gold with a large magenta gem graced her chest. On her back was a pair of giant wings that were perfectly folded. Her long legs ended with golden shoes and let only the very top of her fetlocks show. Atop her long neck was her head, a sleek and petite face underlined her short and form perfect muzzle. Her eyes were that of magenta, though one was hidden behind her voluptuous mane, one that shone like a rainbow and flown in the wind despite the lack of the moving air in question. Through the water like hair poked a long, spiral horn. A crown, which's engraving I could not see, sat perfectly on her head.
In tow of the regal mare was another pony, a short earth pony whose color scheme fit that of the one she was following. An earth pony with a coat of white and brown mane that was formed into a large bun, her tail shared this style of hair too, and both were tied by a similar red thread. A large pair of glasses was placed on her long muzzle, and the white-collar alongside the red tie finished off her professional look if the clipboard and feather in her hooves or the butt tattoo of a feather and glass of ink weren't enough.
"Princess Celestia." Shouted a chorus you never expected to see in real life or at least outside boring sitcoms, though the ponies seemingly took it very seriously as they all bowed down only a moment later.
"There is no need for such courtesy." The pony who now was undeniably confirmed as Princess Celestia dismissed their publication of loyalty gently, but her attention was drawn away from the adults upon her eyes catching a glimpse of my feeble form. "And you must be Star Touch." Celestia smiled as she walked towards me, the tipping of her hooves on the marble floor felt like a countdown, one which's end I did not wish to meet.
'Okay, you can do this, just act cute and lovely without the celestial being that fucking left you with the only other creature that could possibly look past my facade!' My worries soon broke out in anger, though physically, I changed not and attempted to win her heart.
My previously somber mood was replaced with one of happiness and joy that I displayed with happy baby noises, or whatever you wished to call it while smiling widely and reaching my forehoof towards the princess. I honestly had no idea what to do, but I had great encouragement with the absence of the Game and the smell of Aether on the pony I was currently waving at.
'please don't kill me!?' I begged in my mind as the power in front of me felt like I was standing in front of an artificial sun.
Princess Celestia stopped her advance only a short distance away from me before a gentle smile spread across her face and leaned forward, her long neck allowing her to inch much closer than it was comfortable for me, with that being so close that her magenta eyes were all I saw.
"Hello little Star Touch, I heard much about you from Mist Path. You seem to be an exceptional colt." Celestia said softly and encouraged my ego but ultimately invoking only more discomfort.
If it was not for both [Gamer's Mind] and [Gamer's Body], then I'd be salivating, sweating, and filling my diaper in both ways this very second. The sweet Aether sang to me like a death metal band, and I believe my brain had a short circuit as I lost all control over my next action. I gave Celestia a lick on her muzzle.
Celestia stopped for a moment as if she froze, a feeling dread or just overwhelming cuteness washed over her, so much so that she completely ignored the shocked expression of those around her. Her response to this most treacherous act to coat the Princess of the sun with saliva? A lick of her own across the entire right side of the foal in front of her.
I had no idea what came over me, but a wave of giggling escaped me, jiggling and wiggling my entire form to my very own sound. My action only made the Princess smile more.
"I-a I'm sorry Princess, I'll make sure it won't happen again!" Gentle rushed to my side and pulled me a few inches away from the princess if it was out of respect or fear was unknown to me.
"Nonsense, let foals be foals as long as they can, but as enjoyable as this was I came for a different purpose," Celestia said as she enveloped me with a vibrant golden aura, one that warm and soothing to the touch, yet I knew that she could crush me like a grape if someone were to drop a whiff of pepper on her nose. "I heard that difficulties were surrounding the evaluation of young Star Touch, and I believe in having found them, for that reason, I believe I would be the best choice to finish the examination. Are there any objections?"
'Golden heart or she's damn good at pretending... Of course, she is fucking good at acting, she's immortal and has been ruling for god how long, she probably has a different persona for each weekday!' I thought with pride knowing that the ruler of this country would not be such a pushover as the 'president' or as he was unofficially known, 'Foot Licker' of mega-corporations.
"No-no, Princess, do as you like." Greymare injected as she took of the magic horn blocker before taking a few steps backward, presumably not to screw up the spell she previously urged was so unstable. "I'm just going to leave now." Although she attempted to leave with dignity by walking calmly towards the door and closing it slowly, the barrage of click and clacks, as well as the loud crash and hail of family-friendly curses, soured her plan.
'And now one had left the insane asylum. You won't be missed the doctor horse'.
The Princess nodded towards the adult before looking at her companion. "Miss Inkwell, please write down what I'm about to list off."
"Of course, your highness."
"Now, this may tingle a bit." Princess Celestia warned me, before the glow on her horn, from bottom to tip, began to radiate with enough power to make wonder if I would go blind if it would continue to brighten. The light, it felt like water that went through a sieve; on the one hand, I felt like my very being was being cleaned from the inside out by the warmth that shone through my very being, but on the other, I couldn't banish the feeling of violation.
"Superior Mana capacity and output, grand regeneration, grand magic regeneration, great mind, high body, infinite potential and growth, elemental control, superb strength, leather hide, spiritual force, and Divine power." With each word she spoke, I felt the warmth shover deeper into my very being, the presence of the game appeared shortly again, though only when it entered the very deepest layer of my being. "13 blessings..." The Princess slowly opened her eyes as she whispered out, her gaze pointed towards the ceiling, though her body was like stone, her eyes slowly rolled down and landed onto me. "You really are something special."
I fucking did not like that smile. I cannot put in words, but even being kidnapped across time and space and being beaten to the brink of death never let so much dread course down my entire skeleton. It was the look of someone who was searching for something for a very long time and had now found it. Me.
"Ehm, I may sound a bit dumb here, but what is a blessing?" Gentle asked sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head with one of her hooves. How she was actually achieving anything was beyond me, given that there was nothing to scratch with.
"You don't have to feel embarrassed unless you searched up the term in a dictionary; no pony would be aware of it. A Blessing is when a creature is born with a gift that allows him or her to either do things other members of their race can't, or do something better than even one with a cutie mark for it. Having one is incredibly rare; only a few in all of history had two, and only one creature, that being Starswirl, had three. Then there is also to mention that in the last eight-hundred years, although there were a few talented stallions, no other colt was born with a blessing." Celestia's face then lowered itself as she smiled once again at me. "Up until now."
"W-What exactly does that mean for Star and me?" Gentle asked meagerly, presumably in an attempt to muster up a few shreds of courage as she stepped forward.
Princess Celestia's smile faded slightly as she looked towards Iron. "Miss Grace, would you mind leaving us for the time being? You will, of course, be informed of all you need to know about this situation."
Iron Grace's mouth opened and closed twice, before she jumped into a salute and walked past Gentle, a soft 'good luck' left her lips before she vanished behind the wooden door.
'Now there are only four people left, three are adults, and two of them, with one being completely overpowered, are on the other team. Yup, the perfect scene to dispose of witnesses.' I thought darkly while attempting not to act indicated by the fact that I suddenly became worth killing over or reveal the chance that I very much so aware of the direness of this very situation.
"Miss Gentle, are you aware of how few beings are able to control spiritual, or even divine power?" Princess Celestia asked slowly, to which Gentle shook her head. "There are less than a hundred who bear spiritual power, barely any of those can even control this ability. If we talk about divine energy, it is entirely reserved for the highest of immortal beings, so far the only ponies who were ever able to hold Divine energy, with or without the addition of Spiritual power, were alicorns. A mortal pony would not be able to withstand so much power, which visualizes itself on the appearance of Star's surprisingly meager looking form despite being healthy, but he should take on a healthier appearance once he has grown into his powers, but until then his magic might cause harm before he can control it."
"Ehm..." Gentle attempted to come up with some kind of reply, answer, or anything alike, just a single sentence no matter how dumb would've been enough, but she could not force out anything other.
Princess Celestia took a few steps closer towards Gentle, the mortal mare's legs began to quiver with her ruler's form towering the unicorn. "Do you know what is even more unique about this colt?" Celestia asked, to which Gentle shakingly shook her head. "Please be at ease, I have no ill intentions," Celestia said, to which Gentle shakingly nodded her head. "Although he is still a unicorn, his regenerative ability outpaced the drain of age, adding now his ability to grow indefinitely and here might as well be sitting an alicorn without wings. In fact, if you said that he was an alicorn foal who lost his wings in an accident, even I might've believed it."
"W-What are you im-implying y-your highness?" Gentle asked, her quivering dimming slightly, though still not enough to allow her to not to appear like a coward. I did not judge her, cowards live, and I take a beating heart over a cold lionheart.
"If I may explain it to miss Gentle?" The pony with the name of Inkwell asked, to which the Princess merely nodded. "At this very moment, perhaps the most important foal in all of Equestria is sitting right here. I believe I do not have to further elaborate just how valuable he is to the country and how much he will achieve once he is of age. Based on his potential, it is not unlikely that ponies or other creatures who become aware of his distinctive traits might wish to get their hooves on him. I believe I speak for everypony when I say that everything possible should be done to ensure Star Touch to stay safe and reach his full potential at all costs. "
"I-eh-I... I don't know what to say, but I will try the best I can and more to raise him better than any other mare." Gentle swallowed, before promising sincerely.
"I agree that a foal should stay with their family, locking him up in the castle, and separating him would yield a pony most foul." The Princess said theatrically, though her choice of words disturbed Gentle and me substantially if I were to be observed around the clock, then I'd never been able to physically enter the nightmare realm and gain enough strength in time before Amber would be space dust.
"While I do agree on the Princesses statement, I do have to point out one striving detail that has to be spoken about, and that is your income, miss Gentle." Inkwell read off her clipboard through which's papers she searched. "It is too meager to raise a foal."
"What is that supposed to mean? I am more than able to raise a foal!" Gentle growled, her hoof storing on the floor while glaring on the secretary.
'Yeesh, never say a woman with children is anything but a good mother, or you'll lose some squishy parts.' I thought while the muscles of my face tightened.
Inkwell gave her a bored look before speaking coldly. "You are making 284 bits a month while your rent in 400 bits. The only reason you are not homeless as of this moment is because of your deceased husband's achievements in the royal guard and the currency your receive for raising a foal, but those will sooner or later dry out, and what then?"
'UH! Burn! I don't care from what universe you're from, but that gotta hurt!' I think I actually took damage from hearing that, and it took a lot of strength to not let out any sound after this comment.
"I-I uh... I-but." Gentle lost her steam and fell onto her rump dramatically with a sigh and a shaking head. A sorrowful and sorry sight and state of being in. It was one of hopelessness. How many times have I been in money troubles and fear of landing on the street?
'Now I feel like an ass for thinking that.' I thought while looking at the ground, or rather, the table on which I sat. I may be able to ignore the poor and those in need, but you never step on someone who was already down. 'Ah screw this, I can't take this.' I thought before gradually pushing myself onto all of my four hooves and wobble my way towards Gentle, her head now laying on the table, perhaps pondering about times more simple? I reached her shortly after, her eyes had only a moment to see me, she, on the other hand, had no time to notice me, before the head was caught in a full-body hug, even if my short limbs only reached halfway.
"Thank you, I needed that." Gentle smiled before she pulled me off the table with her own hooves and returned the hug. Her face buried itself into my hair on the backside of my skull. My heart hurt, it really did, and I do not know why, though the moment lasted short it felt like an eternity, before the loud clipping, and the sudden thud caused Gentle to jerk up and softly put me down.
"Do not mind me, I just wished to make a proposal." The very Princess sat on the ground next to Gentle, and her behavior turned from regal to comforting. "Inkwell, would you please give me the paper." Not a moment later did Inkwell pull out a large piece of parchment, one that was teleported towards the Princess a second later. "I believe this might soothe your worries and turn this most unfortunate situation in everypony's favour.."
I turned around, albeit a bit forcefully, and stared at what was presented to my legal guardian. It was a contract, one that promised a lot of money each month, though before I could make out the fine prints, it was pulled away, and without the game, I could not review the document.
"If you sign this paper, you will receive enough money for the rest of your life and more to not only live comfortably but raise as many foals as you could ever be able to. All you have to do is to change your working location to the castle infirmary and Star with you. Of course, no direct information on his 'extraordinary situation' is allowed to be spilled to public ears, friends, or family. At least one guard will be near you at all times, and any decision concerning Star will be made with me personally."
"I cannot-" Gentle blurted out, though was silenced by a shush of the Princess.
"Shhh, there is no reason to act prideful; there is nothing wrong with accepting help, and I promise that this way, Star will have the brightest future possible." The Princess promised as her voice became softer and more trustworthy by the moment, or perhaps it was just the excessive amount of Aether messing with my head.
"Is it really okay for me to get so much help. Is it okay for you to spend so much time in this situation?" Gentle asked quietly, her worries and anxiety from earlier became more like the insecurity of a child talking to her mother about an awkward topic.
"I usually try to not spend too much of my time on the private life of other ponies as saying goodbye once their time has come is always painful, but this time, with a foal that will not be left to dust by the tooth of time, I believe I might be able to make eternity a bit less lonely and this country permanently a little more granter than it already is." Celestia said kindly as she lifted the paper and a quill already dipped in ink in front of Gentle.
'Yeah sure! You're just doing this to make a friend. I've met your kind before, and your talk about me being worth a lot was just for show, hmm, yeah, no... You prepared the contract before we even came, this is all but a spiel! Gentle! Horse! Whatever the fuck you're supposed to be, don't listen to her!' My eyes widened as I puzzled the pieces together into one picture. My form wiggled and attempted to steal away her gaze from the paper, though her half-closed eyelids dip not sway or waver.
The mare looked at the piece of paper, then at the Celestia, who gave her a reassuring smile, and then back at the document before signing it, holding the parchment in her hooves while writing with her horn. With each letter written, my heart sank lower, I knew not what this was about, but no one did anything out of kindness, and most certainly not out of friendship for free.
The contract flew out of Gentle's hooves and into Celestia's vision, her eyes drifting over the paper and each individual line with pinpoint precision, before smiling gravely and giving it to Inkwell, who put it in her clipboard and swiftly left the room.
Empty, that was how I felt now.
My emptiness was still far more comforting than the golden aura that enveloped me yet again, and my vision was once more filled with Princess. "We are going to spend a lot of time from now on." The Princess smiled, this time more naturally, while I could only stare blankly.
"You hear that you're going to get to know the Princess. Many ponies would give everything for that." Gentle said with a smile as she leaned closer, her side almost touching the coat of the Princess, but I am pretty sure she wouldn't have minded it anyways at this moment.
The moon hung high in the middle of the sky, the night was in its full glory, and I believe the celestial bodies with their heavenly realms shone brighter and more beautiful than the days before. The sky was mesmerizing as ever, the stars showed themselves with all pride, yet this ocean of colors that swayed me every time before left me now untouched.
I apologize for leaving you... again, but it seemed like the alicorn had a better understanding of the most fundamental basics of Aether, even if some terms and bits of knowledge are false, than I originally anticipated. Had entity, Celestia, rank Princess, found out about me, then she might've tried to remove me, which would've spelled the demise for both of us. The Game spoke with a somber and apologetic voice, but his absent angered me not in the slightest, he always had good reasons for everything
'No, I just can't get my head around this. What is the Princess trying to achieve? I don't understand why she is wasting so much time and resources on me.' I pondered angrily with a scowl while my face did not move away from the moon.
'Perhaps Entity Celestia really does just wish for company. You heard her, she usually avoids friendship with mortals as she dislikes seeing them die. You, a foal who is immortal, due to the 'Blessing' as Entity Inkwell called them, would be able to seal the hole of isolation. This fact becomes more prominent given that she never bore a foal, at least, as far as I can tell based on the emotions she felt while being near you.' The Game offered a possibility.
'Wait, what do you mean with immortal!?' My head shot up, my reaction having nearly woken Gentle as she squirmed under the cover. 'Explain yourself.' I glared at the night sky while my upset feelings were directed at the disco ball in my head.
What did you think I meant when I said that the physical changes of the stat 'Wisdom,' which would've slowed down your physical aging once you reached maturity, was obsolete? I also mentioned that you could regenerate from any injury, you have even experienced this. Growing old is just the damage, wear and tear you take throughout your life and can't heal until the machine you call a body breaks down. Unless something kills you, we will live forever, and suicide, I won't let you commit as this goes against my programming. The Game slowly said something which made my heart dropped; the intensity and pronunciation burned itself into my skull.
'I'm... immortal...' I thought as I gazed at the stars, mixed emotions, some positive and other I could not make out bubbled in my stomach.
"Yes, but please don't neglect sleep as your body is still depending on it." The Game said, his presence leaving back into the deepest part of my mind, perhaps even soul.
My eyes were fixated onto the figure, the shadowy silhouette on the moon's surface as I let my thought wander around, some about the future, others about the past, though no thoughts on the present were ever formed. For just a moment, I felt like the shadow moved, and a voice began to sing, but perhaps it was just my mind playing a trick on me. I slowly shook my head, my hair, and my fur bending from side to side before my head sank slowly onto the comfortable cotton, and my eyelids became heavy. Despite everything, nightmares, monsters, Princesses and even celestial beings, I felt not burdened or scared, only anticipation and expectations greeted my future, while I would smile at the following days of being a simple colt in a new world, perhaps, a better one.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter two: New Friends and Plans
"Come one, Mom! We're going to be late!" I urged loudly, my voice nearly drawing into a whining. I increased my pace as I walked next to Gentle Touch, her facial expression, a kind smile, unchanging.
Gentle raised an eyebrow and said. "Star, we should reach the Princess in less than ten minutes, but she expects us only in half an hour. We won't be late."
"Yes, but too late to be too early," I argued with a tilted head, my mouth's corners twitching upwards slightly with each word spoke.
Gentle shook her head, giggling slightly under breath. "I'm sure the Princess appreciates how enthusiastic you are about seeing her, but a colt your age really shouldn't have to worry about time so much." She agreed before tilting her head forward. The sight of the castle drew near from behind the many mansions and ponies in our path.
Since the day of my first completed dungeon, four years have passed, and I still cannot believe it. With my perfect memory, it felt like I was only yesterday doing deliveries, but then again, I have been spending most of my nights, after having reached the highest currently available level: 10, watching movies and reliving memories. I do not actually need to harm something to level my spells, just doing it is enough, even if it isn't as effective, well, except of course [Physical Damage Ressitance]. Damage is damage after all.
My eyes arched up, watching my stamina bar carefully, I was able to walk indefinitely, I am not even sure if I need sleep, but my speed was limited with Dexterity being my second lowest skill with 20. I could not learn new skills, and gaining points casually was tedious and barely reaped any rewards during this off period given my form and the peaceful environment. The worst part was that the game stated that it would be yet another two years before I could face the next dungeon, my only comfort was that my body still grew, meaning that I was improving someway, even if the sweet aftertaste of that beautiful rush of power still would sometimes linger on my tongue. Now mentioning that.
"Mom, will we have breakfast in the castle?"
Gentle's ears perked up before answering with a soft tune. "Do not worry, it won't be long, the Princess said that she let something really nice be prepared today." Her choice of words was vague as if there was a surprise she wished to hide, which was weird.
'My birthday was last week, so that can't be it.' I thought with a raised brow. I shook my head, children were supposed to like surprises, not attempt to drive their parents crazy with questions, that is the duty of a brat. I never was a fatass or glutton, but this world's food, I am not kidding you, is like a dozen times better than even the organic food my parents cooked was rotten in comparison. Could I even get fat or thin anymore?
Negative, if it ever were to get to that point, I would automatically force-feed you any edible item in your inventory and or vicinity. I would also not let you gain weight, enforcing this by taking away your sense of hunger, hightening your metabolism as high as I can, or, if necessary, make you sweat lard.
'I did not know that you know what, just thank you for saving from having a diet force upon me.' I thought with quivering lips, not wishing to press it any further. The Game was really the only friend I had, and now, I do not call the sacks of chubby flesh on four sticks friends, they always make comments about how boney I am. Ponies sure grow up fast, or we monkeys are just super slow in the game of life.
Your're welcome.
"Greetings, miss Gentle!" Cheered young voice, waving her white hoof at us frantically. A low clunk echoed from her, followed by a cry of pain. "Ouch! Why did you do that, P-Ouch!" The mare cried again.
"Greetings, guards. The Princess is awaiting us." Gentle said warmly, she has grown in comfort towards other ponies considerably and began socializing not long after having been forced to be near many maids, butlers, guards, and any other kind of pony having some sort of purpose at the castle.
"Hi, there!" I cheered with a broad smile, although the two unicorn Guard Mares looked identical down to the last blue hair of their mane and patch of a white coat, a strategy to hide the personality and identity of the guards for their safety, it was always the same guards who would pick us up. The younger one was Lemon Tart, the other was Puff Pastry, an older mare. I have never seen them without armor, thus never their actual color, but they could be differentiated. There were also a few guards who I never met, the ponies guardians who follow my every step I take outside the castle, never seen them, but the game is picking up their frightening, strong power.
"Well, hello there your majesty, how are you feeling on this fine day?" Lemon Tart answered cheerfully, knocking about the unofficial title.
I was in no way of royalty, even the lowest baron was several towers above me, but given my close relationship with the sun Princess and being treated like the freaking crown jewel itself, I might as well have just as be that much worth to the country as an asset. I was in no way delusional, I was raised to be the perfect little patriotic dog of the princess, I have dealt with enough businessmen and women to know when I was exploited. I would not be dying for this country, but no reason not to build my persona.
I rolled my eye at her comment, ignoring Pony humor, which was nearly as low as their literal names, and answered. "I'm fine, just a bit curious what the Princess has planned for today. How are you two?" I do not hide my, for my age, high intelligence, Of course, I was not going to invent modern math formulas, but I had no interest in the baby talk. The Princess at least is pleased about my adult behavior, I have, after all, literally never done something wrong at this point with the Game keeping both my body and mouth in check.
"The hip is not what it once was, but other than that, I feel fine."
"Like always, super energetic."
"Now, should we bring you to her highness?" Puff Pastry asked politely, I heard how insisted Celestia was on them not doing anything to upset me, she was very insistent, apparently not fearing the risk of raising a brat.
"That would be nice." Gentle replied, to which both guards nodded. Puff pressed an emerald on the side of her helmet, letting it blink once. Not long after, a new pair of guards opened the gate and replaced them before the eccentric duo led us through the castle.
I did not need their guidance, my minimap showed me the halls better than any guard, not only that, I could place waypoints and even let a red, glowing line appear in my vision which I could follow to my destination. Not only that, but I could also track ponies withing a certain radius based on their Aether. Speaking of Aether, I still was unable to use [Observe] on adult ponies and get anything useful, their level was still too hight, thus out of reach for me.
My eyes darted forward, my mental countdown reaching zero as we walked down the last corridor to the throne room. The clinking of the armor got annoying, so I usually would just space out, I value the usefulness of my meatshields greatly, but that did not mean that I wished to gain a tinnitus.
A grin spread across my face as the door was suddenly enveloped by both a green and a white aura, once the door opened ever so slightly, I took off, slipping through the crack and towards the other end of the room. I could feel dozens of eyes on me the moment I began to wild charge and now more than three times as many watched me, yet no hoof was moved. My hooves clicked across the ground, even with the scarlet carpet between my hooves and the marble floor. The wind flew through my coat and hair, letting my mane wave through the air before jumped, taking off, and diving right into the hooves of a very special pony.
"Greetings, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, my Star." Princess Celestia said kindly as she levitated me in the air with her golden aura, well, no longer really in her hooves. I grinned sheepishly, showing off my pearly white teeth. I always greeted her like that since the day I could walk and jump. Celestia smiled as she leaned forward, dragging me closer, before rubbing her nose against mine, ponies loved body contact more than anything.
"Do I need a reason to visit mommy?" I said with playful confusion.
"I hope not that you one day have a reason not to visit me." Princess Celestia replied with faked horror, luring a little giggling from me, before setting me down.
Yes, I called the immortal goddess mommy, and no, that was no trick of mine to get more affection. She, deliberately, asked me to call her mommy even before I was able to talk, guess what was my first word, and to who I said it? Yep, well, Gentle had not long to wait before her official nickname was 'Mom.' The game won the bet, she wanted me to be her foal, assumedly because she feared to have a mortal foal turn to ashes in her hooves. While on the topic of body,
"Star, do you really have to do this every time? One day you might startle the guards, and something bad happens." Gentle urged as she closed in on us, shaking her head, yet not being able to hide the little smile. I could not help it; this was my little, devilish, and forbidden pleasure in this forsaken life: attempting to headbutt the most powerful creature in this world.
"It's fine, it really is Gentle Touch," Celestia said, waving away any concern that Gentle displayed. The Princess was warm towards Gentle, acknowledging her as the other legal guardian and friend, but it was clear that her word was final, even if she was damn good at hiding it. While mentioning hiding, I am pretty sure the guards in her throne room are not real ponies, they don't even twitch or move a muscle, they're like the Queen's Guard in England on a whole new level.
"Well, if you say so, your highness." Gentle sulked a little, rubbing her forehoof with another sheepishly. Another thing I found creepy about ponies was that they did not make any motion while talking, other than the occasional gesture. This might not sound weird, but it really is as if those people at markets that painted themselves silver and act as statues, suddenly started to talk, but not move. It's creepy.
"Gentle." Celestia started, quietly, before enveloping Mom's chin in her magic, lifting it until her eyes met those of the princess, and said. "It is just Celestia, you do not have to mention my title when we are supposed to be on one level, given that we are reading the same foal. Are we not?" The Princess said with both eyebrows raised, her hoof rested lightly on my head.
'I am, to this day, surprised that her friends and close personal are allowed to just call her by her name, not even mentioning title or rank.' I thought, this display still surprised me to this day, despite the Princess already having had this conversation on multiple occasions.
"I know, it's just, you are The, Princess Celestia ," Gentle said, albeit a tad louder than she wished to, making Mommy's smile sink slightly. "Do not take me wrong, I'm honored, it's-just-just weird for a pony of your standing to see me as your equal."
'She never said that you were equal to her, just that she wished for their views and opinions to be on one level.' I thought dryly. I read enough contracts...
Agreed...
"But, you already said it." Princess Celestia said she stood up from her throne and her comfortable cushion. "I am pony, that should be enough for me to be on your eye height, should it not." She asked, only for her gaze to slowly dip downwards to meet Gentle's eyes. "Metaphorically speaking, of course."
Gentle was about to open her mouth but was cut off by my stomachs grumbling, loudly I might remark, and it was another moment where I counted that karma and coincidence were a thing on this world.
"Oh, I nearly forgot. I apologize for letting you hunger Star, Gentle, and I were just carried away." Celestia said her hooves did not move, but her neck was seemingly made out of rubber as she looked down and back at me. "Now, I believe it is time to show Star the little surprise."
'I do not like that tone...'
'I correct myself, I fucking love that sound!' I thought joyfully as my eyes darted forward onto a red, square, porcelain coking form from which an intoxicating delightful smell radiated.
"Princess, when you said that a surprise would wait for Star, I did not think that it would stink that much." Gentle complained quietly as she held a hoof in front of her nose, attempting to shield her from the fragrance.
"Rest assured that although a mortal pony might think of such aroma as nothing more than stench, Alicorns and I believe Star too, might bear a different opinion, given that it is part of our diet." Celestia proclaimed with a high tone, her clear voice ringing through the long dining hall despite speaking typically.
I sat alone at a long table, able to host at least a hundred ponies, a plate, and silverware was given to me while it took much restrain no to just grasp the food as tear into it. I knew this smell.
"Princess, with all due respect, how are you able to eat something that reeks like an animal that was burned alive." Gentle complained her eyes watering slightly as she opened the window closest to her, much to my dismay as I was enjoying this fragrance.
"You are not entirely wrong." Princess Celestia said shortly as she walked towards me, sitting next to me on the ground, but even then, with me sitting on a chair with several cushions, towered over me.
"Huh?" Gentle blurted out, before taking one deep breath and walking to my side, taking place on the ground opposite from the princess.
Princess Celestia put on of her hooves on my shoulder, leaning forward slightly and asking. "Star, what do you think of the smell in this room?" Her voice was really smooth, and I can guess why she asked so carefully. My rips were showing, even after having been stuffed with a lot of fried food. This spiel of finding something that could put some meat on my bones went on to the point the chefs were getting desperate.
"It smells delicious," I answered joyfully, I could hear my mother's jaw falling and closing just as quickly as the delicious smells entered her mouth. "Is it food, can I eat it? I'm so hungry." I was always hungry. I might add as I did not gain weight, and my flaws were responsible for me being unable to even obtain or support more weight.
Mommy nodded gleefully, her magic gripping the corners of the pot and lifting it, before gently letting it down in front of me, pushing the plate aside as if it was just in case I needed a little taste first. With each centimeter, the container of goodness came closer my heart began to beat faster with enjoyment until my eyes met with a sight that could've drawn tears in my eyes if it was not for the game.
In the pot was a roasted fish, several cracks and holes showed that it was already deboned. Under the fish was a red, thick, and deep sauce in which potatoes, onions, garlic, and various other vegetables rested or swam. The smell of fish, any meat for that mater after nearly fifteen years, was a sight to behold. The aroma of the dish as a whole, but especially that sauce that might as well could've been soup given its subtle smell with various sharp stings. Citrus, tomato, garlic, onion paprika, and many other scents assaulted me, not even the game stopped me from salivating.
"Come on, give it a try." Princess Celestia proposed as she lifted a fork in front of me, letting the handle free of her power, allowing me to take it with [Levitation] the strain so little I could hold it indefinitely. I stared at the tool, before looking at Gentle, who nodded frantically while continuing to save herself from the scent.
I poked the fish once, the fork sinking into the white flesh as if it was butter, I think it was bass, but I honestly didn't care. The lightest touch caused juices to spill. I broke a sizeable piece off and put in my mouth before chewing ever so slowly, letting the taste spread. This might seem insane for a horse or human, but I have not eaten any meat in nearly one and a half decades. I swallowed the paste and let out a hum, the nourishment vanished instantly due to my ridiculous metabolism.
"This..." I said slowly with a quiet tone.
"Yes?" Celestia asked carefully as she watched me with anticipation.
"Is the best thing I have ever eaten!" I proclaimed loudly as I took another forkful, I did not wave my sight from the beautiful dish away, if the creature I was currently devouring had eyes then it would probably stare in either horror or let a single, sad tear roll down its dead body.
"Incredible..." Celestia marked, managing to draw me away from my feast. I turned to her, Celestia's gaze fixated with onto my body while a grin graced her face, Gentle on the other hoof watched only with amazement. Did it suddenly get warmer?
No. However, it seems like consuming flesh had a better impact on your form that I originally believed.
'What's that supposed to mean?' I wondered for a moment.
I believed the consumption of flesh would render your body sick and weak, poisoning you for the very least. I did not put into consideration that in a cooked form, you would be able to bear the digestion given that the line between Aether creature and pony is still blurry in some corners. The fish allowed you to gain some weight, whereas the vegetables were burned away instantly.
'What is that supposed to mean? I chowed down fried okra, hay and potatoes like a maniac, not to mention that all that stuff was battered, how did that no put fat on me?' I asked with confusion as I felt the stared draw onto me again, to which I simply stared at my rips. They were less visible thanks to my frightening metabolism.
The deep-fried food you consumed was not prepared in the same way you humans prepare this meal. Now that was incredibly worrisome...
"Go one, it's all for you." Princess Celestia encouraged me, her hoof slipping from my shoulder to the middle of my back. I ignored the last comment of the game and ate everything in front of me, bite for bite.
I felt a little warmer with each action of swallowing, or perhaps it was just the joy radiating from both parents, seeing as I for once did not look like a mummy. Talking about the food, it did make me a little bit hazy once I was done. I let out a yawn as I put the fork down, a small puddle of the sauce remained, but I was too tired to consume any more despite having the stomach of a wildfire.
"How do you feel, Star?" Mommy asked soothingly, her voice drawing me only nearer the realm of slumber while her comfortable hoof moved every so slightly upwards to the back of my head.
"I... I-*Yawn*, feel so tired, Mommy... I think I could just... fall... asleep." I had to force out each word as I felt a warmth spread through my entire body. As a matter of fact, I think my eyes were affected as well; everywhere were Mommy wasn't felt so cold. Yes... Mommy is safe and warm.
You have slept for about one hour.
My eyes opened wide, feeling all tendrils of fatigue ripped away from me as my eyes took in all that was around me. The room was a piece of art in its own right, at the bottom, I could see a large, fluffy cushion easily able to fit at least three ponies, under it was a large carpet made out of various kinds of silk, stitched into a template of the sun. The room, unlike most others I have seen, was circular with each piece of furniture handmade for fitting into this place. Several large drawers, a chaise lounge, an office desk with various document drawers behind. Everything in this room was simple, yet graceful, not what those bumptious rich people believed to be chic.
My eyes opened wide, my fur stood up, and my heart stopped for a moment as an electric sensation traveled up and down my spine as I felt something wet, warm and dexterous wipe across my back and to the top of my head. My nostrils flared open, whatever this alien creature's scent was, in enveloped my whole form.
The slimy creature suddenly retracted itself, and a soft, elegant voice spoke. "Have you slumbered well, my Star?" It turned my head towards the origin of the voice, testing just how flexible a horse's neck was before my eyes met with massive, magenta orbs. "You seem surprised, but I do not judge you, this is the first time you've fallen asleep on the spot, or is just my chambers decor that seems to have caught your interest?" Celestia rested on her bed, a large horse bed with all her regalia taken off, revealing her pristine white fur, even a patch of fluffiness there where otherwise her chest piece was.
I blinked audibly, I think my ears picked up the sound of a xylophone playing in tune with the motion of my eyelids. "Wow, what was in the food, I didn't think I'd feel so weird," I answered, rubbing my eyes as a cat would. Of course, I would never just accuse someone of such high power and status.
She drugged you.
'Oh now you're speaking normal!?'
"Oh, really?" Celestia asked with as she leaned forward, her legs were tucked in under her form, and stretched out her forehooves and letting them this way with me between them. "I will have to inform the cooks that they should be more careful next time, we would not want you to get sick, would we?" Her voice so smooth I nearly wished for her tone to crack, to find one imperfection in her speech lulling me deeper into comfort and marveling of her radiance.
"No," I said, stretching out the tone as I slowly stood up, a hard act keeping balance on a vast, soft surface, but I managed to slowly walk my way to Celestia, I really did not know what was drawing me to her, before merely collapsing in front of her chest and letting my head rest in her chest fluff. "But it was really warm and comfortable when I looked at you," I answered truthfully, Whatever she did, I wished not for her to find out that it did not work as much as she intended.
Celestia let out a low chuckle when she heard my response as she lifted one of her hooves and stroked my mane. "I think you just believed me to be a most adequate pony to sleep next to." She puffed her chest, enveloping my head within her fur, and if it was not for the lack of oxygen or a princess not willing to accidentally suffocate her adopted child, I would've remained in this position of pure joy. "Would you like to do some magic practice?"
My head jerked away from the chest of the Princess as my ears perked up. Up to this point, all I was shown was a basic understanding of the world, a little bit of math and basic magic control like, for example, levitation, but never did she offer this before. "Can we?" I asked excitedly, I was actually excited for something I did not master on the beginning, because, you know, a thirty-year-old human who went to college for nothing apparently and since my persona was the perfect son who never disobeyed and was always eager to improve I had to go through all that shit again. Yes, a square does not fit into a hole.
"Of course it is a bit early, most ponies only start magic practice with the age of six except for magic control and levitation, but I believe you are well above that already," Celestia said, praising my efforts and achievements as she ignited her horn and retrieved a most strange object, well, it was hidden behind a white cover. Still, the silhouette of the object beneath was a square, nothing you often see.
"This is a-" Princess Celestia started, only to be cut off by a loud knocking at the door.
A stallion behind the large double door of the solar princess asked loudly, yet politely. "I am sorry to disturb you despite your wishes to be left at peace, but Princess Mi Amore Cadenza wishes to enter."
"It's just Cadence" hushed a quiet, stern, and clearly annoyed voice behind the door, followed by a soft sorry, from the pony who wrongfully announced her.
"Let her enter, Guards." Princess Celestia announced the smile she always wore grew a bit once hearing the door click before the being in question entered.
"Aunt, do you know when-" The creature spoke softly, but her voice snapped off like a frozen branch of a dead tree when her eyes, those portals to unspeakable horrors, fell onto me.
'To all good and evil this world bears what creature have you dragged, birthed and created from the depths of the nightmare realm for such an abomination of this kind to exist.' I thought with absolute dread as my eyes were staring deep into its. The creature slowly opened its maw, a void rested within while an ever-growing screech bellowed out of her, she suddenly rushed forward, my paralyzed body was not able to act fast enough, and she picked me up, pressing my form against her while her powerful limbs threatened to crush my spine.
"Cadence, I think you are making Star a bit uncomfortable." Princess Celestia said calmly.
'I think my eyeballs are about to pop out!'
"But Aunt, I've wanted to meet my cousin for such a long time, and he is so incredibly soft and cute and adorable." Cadence pouted loudly, easing her grip around my nearly-burst-internal-organs.
'Now that I think about it, is Celestia technically by law my parent give that the contract gave her the power over all decision regarding me, thus making this weird alicorn, which I still don't know how they are made, my cousin?' I thought amidst my excruciating discomfort and embarrassment. 'Also, kill me.'
No.
Ultimately the pink demon let me down, yet not sparing a moment to rub her muzzle against mine the second I was on the cushion yet again. "I hope I have to chance to babysit you soon, just think all the fun we'll have." This statement nearly made my eyes water, but not from joy.
Now that I was no longer in immediate danger of having my life ended early, I took the time to take a better look at her. Despite bearing the title of princess, how that worked I had no idea, she wore no regular, but I do not think she needed anything to polish her look any further, although my personal opinion was that she needed a lot more cloth to hide all that pink! Her long legs were thin, but in no danger of malnourishment, those limbs lead to her slim frame was almost admirable, if it was not for her flanks, on which a crystal heart with golden pieces sat, equaled those of Celestia in terms of size. The two wings on her back began with pink at the base, but the further they traveled, they took on a magenta tone. Her face was the definition of petite as if she was bred for it, and her long three colored mane, bearing the colors of vanilla, magenta, and light purple, through which a long horn poked, finished off her look. I had no idea how to differentiate the ugliness from beautifying when it came to horse, but I believe she is one of the better-looking ones, not that I really cared about that.
"Wow, you have a horn and wings like Mommy! How did you get them?" I proclaimed with awe, waving my hooves in a slow, wide arc, before asking with great interest. I was on the path of power, if necessary, I would go through hell and back to gain enough strength to rip open the fabric of worlds, Amber will not perish before I do.
"Aren't you having high goals, Star?" Celestia spoke behind me, not questioning whether or not I was delusional, but rather seeing my aims as amusing. "I will tell you the story once you are older, you must understand that some ponies are born with some special gifts, other ponies with different while most don't receive any." She consoled, bursting the Buble for me. "Oh, don't be sad, you are just as special and even rarer than an alicorn." I mean, she was right, there were two alicorns and only me having that many 'blessings.'
It is possible for us to, at a later point, evolve, assimilate and acquire higher tiers in terms of evolution, even changing race if this is your desire, but I cannot tell if it is possible to become an alicorn from other sources than birth. If you desire to fly, then gaining ethereal wings is possible if your level in Spiritualist is reached, and specific requirements are fulfilled. The Game advised and counseled, letting my hopes of gaining power blaze with life yet again.
"Cadence, I will get to you, but first, let me explain how this here works." Princess Celestia declared as her magic grabbed the tip of the tissue, lifting the piece of concealment and revealed a... was that a Rubik Cube? "This here is a magic matching cube, it was build modified to allow for different kinds of arcane resistance. The goal is for all sides to bear the same color; this is done by twisting the sides, see?" She said as the toy suddenly turned and changed with incredible speed, leaving behind a rested and chaotic puzzle. "The time limit is one hour, though most foals of the age of six manage to do it in fifty, let's see how you perform." She said as she let the cube fall, allowing me to grasp it myself and feeling the weight, it wasn't heavy per see, but the resistance made it feel like three whole kilograms.
Celestia nodded her head with a smile, before turning to Cadence yet again, yet before she spoke, she grasped a bell with her magic from her table, ringing it once. "Now, Cadence, what did you wish to discuss with me?" She pried her hoofs off me and pulled herself into a more comfortable sitting position.
"Ah, yes, I got a bit distracted. I wanted to discuss with you when my regalia would be done with polishing? I've been wearing it for so long it, I feel a bit naked without." Cadence replied sheepishly, utterly oblivious that nearly her entire race is always nude!
"It should arrive today, if it does not come into your possession by the end of the day I will have to ask with Polished-" Princess Celestia was cut off by my sudden voice.
"Done!" I proclaimed as I showed them my work. Both Princesses stared down with confusion, then surprise as I rotated the cube, showing off the completed puzzle. Of course, I was only able to do so with the help of the game, who calculated the fastest way to victory.
"How!?" Cadenze blurted out as she waved her hoof forward. "It takes me more than a quarter-hour even after three hundred years!" She retorted, clearly appalled that a four year old beat her to something that-
"You're three hundred years old?" I shouted, no politeness or usual shyness, just utter shock, and the first time I broke the mold. "Sorry, I did not mean it like that!" I tried to take back, but it seemed like they were less taken aback by my comment than I initially believed.
"No, its fine, most ponies are surprised given that without the horn I would look no different than any other pegasus, I was just really shocked and embarased for someone your young age to break my record on the first try," Cadence replied as she rubbed her horn, but then sulked in the middle of her sentence, tasting defeat.
"Star, how old do you think ponies can become?" Celestia asked with a risen eyebrow, probably not wishing to explain the concept to death to a foal.
"Ehm, like a hundred years?" I asked with curiosity, my hoof touched my cheek as I awaited an answer. Most humans actually lived that long and would drop dead before they reached a state where they could no longer work, smart move government.
"Star, most ponies are lucky enough if they reach fifty years, most only become forty before-that is not important right now." Forty to fifty?! Just how old is my mother if she already looks like thirty-three?! "It is also why we, those who do not grow old, have to watch out for a fellow ponies."
My hoof dropped as did my jaw, I think I now knew why she tried to make my life heaven on earth, she did not only wish companionship, she hoped for another asset for her kingdom. A powerful stallion who would never die, protecting her land to death and to ensure I would not wander off and die, or even switch sides, she attempts to turn this bond between mother and son into a chain! Devious mare.
"Wow." that was all I could let out before the door opened, and a mare walked in, wearing a maiden's outfit, though showing little underneath. In tow of was a trolley, dragged behind her by her magic. She transported a large kettle of hot water, teacups, and cockies.
"Ah, the tea has arrived, thank you for that Dust, you may leave." Celestia thanked the maid, who, in turn, bowed before leaving. "Now, enough of talking, would you mind enjoying a cup of tea with me, Cadence? You may join if you wish, Star." She offered.
"With pleasure, Aunt."
"Teatime!"
'I hate being a child so much, can't I just go back being a human and hating literally every other aspect of life?' I thought with a frown, my face pointing away from the ponies watching me. I let out a sigh as I released the crayon and piece of paper from my grip and looking up.
I was sitting in the famous Canterlot Gardens in a wide-open, grassy area far away from the public space where sometimes tours were taken to view achievements on the florists. I turned back, a half-ring of guards watched from far away, a few pegasi watched from above, and I was pretty sure that somewhere there was a unicorn cloaked with an invisibility spell. You might think I was some kind of high-profile villain forced to pick up trash given how much security was at this very place, but no, this was the unofficial playground for the maidens' foals.
Of course, the idea of a maiden playground/daycare is genius. The Castle doesn't need to hire as much stuff as much and often when the maiden's get foals, meaning a lesser chance for thieves or traitors and those who are loyal have less reason to leave, but there ain't no chance that I believe that they need a whole squadron watching a bunch of foals.
'Maybe playing around with some of my abilities will cheer me up. Observe.' I thought bitterly, I was still seething from the fact that my caretaker tried to drug me. I mean, sure, I could regenerate from practically everything, but come on, this is excessive. I ain't gonna travel to Griffonstone, steal the Idol of Boreas, and proclaim myself the king of the dumpster-fire that is the race of these hybrids. Is there even one civilization that is not complete shit other than Equestria?
Name: Sugar Drop
Thoughts about you: She thinks you're cute.
'Changeling?' I thought with a raised eyebrow, staring at certain Filly. I have met her a few times before, can't say we are friends even with my role as the perfect little boy, but I never thought anything special of her. Her coat, so bright that you can barely recognize that her fur's color is a light cream tone, shone in the sun. Her long, light brown and somewhat unkempt mane waved through the wind as she jumped over the skipping rope.
'Game, let's keep an eye on this one, she might be useful or dangerous.' I thought as I ripped my gaze away from the pony, I had no interest with the adults saying I had gotten my first crush. God this sounds so weird, I'm four, but in horse years I'm like seven or eight.
Affirmative. The Game spoke, but just as I was about to finish my painting, the Game spoke yet again. 'I am sensing a Aether leak.'
'Aether leak? Let me guess wrong here, somewhere is Aether stored and is speaking out.' I thought with a roll of my eyes, was there even a pint in trying to answer the question the ultimate supercomputer.
By making a correct assumption, you gain one point in both Intelligence and Luck.
'Wait really, not transdimensional, chemical reaction where the plates between reality shift, causing some kind of wormhole?' I thought with a risen eyebrow.
Don't be ridiculous. The Game said, muting my suffocated growling, before continuing. I would advise for us to see the origin of this leak to prevent catastrophic to happen or miss the chance to grow in power.
My heart began to race when I heard the sweet words of growing my power. I pecked over my shoulder, eyeing the goods, and waiting for my moment to come. My ears suddenly perked up when I heard a familiar voice, followed by a nasty crack. I turned my eyes to the source, seeing Sugar winced on the ground, holding the fetlock on one of her hind legs, tears build-up, and finally, she let out a cry.
"Ahhh, mommy!" Sugar Drop let out a scream, before breaking into a wailing, alarming all guards who immediately left their posts, they did not know how I screamed or cried because I never did so before, so they always jumped in, assuming something happened to, that or these guards would be the worst defense against thieves.
I broke into a gallop as the horde of maids, guards and foals surrounded Sugar, keeping their eyes away from. One thing I learned was that these ponies were soft, incredibly so, and their nativity could not be put into words. The plants rushed past me as my hooves practically flew over the grass, my stamina depleting like rocket fuel before I made a sharp turn into a nearby bush with a large hedge in between me and the foal playground. I expected to hide and wait for another chance to run, but instead, I fell through the plants without taking damage, something which, by all means, should've not been possible.
My eyes were stuck on my stamina bar in the corner of my vision, flashing once, then twice, and final third time, before regenerating once again, it was close, and I had no interest to see if I could gain a debuff by overextending. I took a deep breath, cursing my weak form silently before looking forward. Four large hedges encased a tall moss pole through which's few cracks stone peeked through.
'Oh great, the first person visiting me in centuries is a little, feebles foal. Couldn't have Celestia put me in an amusement park instead of this cage.' A formless voice spoke, arrogant, annoying, and quite the opposite of serious in nature.
'Great, I'm getting insulted by a statue.' I thought with a roll of my eyes, at least, I believed that it was the stone column given that it blinked in its center every time the voice let out a word.
'Wait! You can hear me!?' Shouted the statue with sudden urgency. "Hey buddy, pal, I didn't mean anything I said all that time ago, come, peace?" The voice said, attempting to take away words it said not a moment ago.
I suggest that we first remove the moss, inspect the being, before continuing our investigation. The Game spoke professionally.
I stared at the statue with an iron gaze, only hearing an occasional 'eh' as if he was still clinging to the hope that I would take him, I belives it was a 'he' given the voice, before realizing that he could not hear my partner. 'Sure.' I said coldly as I began to rip away the moss covering his form.
'Ahhh! Sweet, sweet depth perception, how much did I miss you, now I'm gonna win dart night with the boys!' shouted the voice from the statue. His form was weird in every shape and form. It looked like dozens of creatures were stitched together, mule, pony, dragon, eagle, and far too many more I was not interested in counting, frozen in a most unusual pose, as if he was singing to the sky.
'I have never seen a gargoyle as chaotic as you, for a matter of fact I have never seen a gargoyle or anything that could even be as weird as you.' I thought with a risen eyebrow, making me wonder if in front of me was a sentient nightmare, but then again, even if the goblins were sentient, I would've done it anyway.
'Gargoyle?' The voice sounded appalled, insulted and sickening, before taking on a bored, dry tone. 'Yeah, I can see where you might get this... picture of me, but you are quite correct when it comes to chaos.' The voice suddenly boomed with life again, and a chorus of snaps echoed through my mind, only to be silenced not long after. 'Right, I'm stoned. Anyways, I am Discord, the spirit of chaos, master of confusion, ruler of all that is weird, etcetera, etcetera, alias, and more alias-e.'
It seems like our guest is a sprit. Really, I didn't know! 'It is advisable to equip the class [Spiritualst] and use [Spirit Sense]' The Game advised, to which I complied without argument if I didn't forget this skill after having it leveled it to level ten, I would've done so even without his guidance.
I am unsure if I am happy for using that skill or not because a large chunk of my health and stamina was just suddenly cut off when I unequipped the [Warrior] class, I felt not damage as percentage-wise I was still at maximum, but I felt definitively weaker. I am, however, thankful for what I was seeing. Discord's statue gleamed with Aether, it appeared as if an old television was having a seizure and every color it could project was projected at once, but under the stone, I could feel immense power, so much so that Celestia appeared like a lit candle, while Discord was a wildfire.
'Well look at that, I thought all Spirtulist who know at least a lick of their salt were dead. You might not be able to get me out, but perhaps we could help each other out.' Discord mused, his voice taking on a tone I definitively liked and yet despised at the same time. It was business talk and not the backstabbing kind. 'How about this, you keep my entertained once in a while and in return I owe you a favor.'
'Why are you imprisoned, Discord?' I stopped the charade as I asked firmly, he may perceive me as a simple foal, but I was not that stupid. 'Mommy wouldn't put you here without reason.' I jammed my jaw shut, I was already too used to calling the Princess Mommy that I did not even realize it before it was too late.
'Mommy? I never said anything about this 'Mommy,' only that Cele-.' His voice was abruptly cut how as he made a long, high pitched gasp. 'You're Celestia's foal? No, that old mare can't pregnant, I would know about that, meaning you're adopted!' My facial expression dropped to his sudden, and genius conclusion, but in sadness, more like a deadpan.
'Yes-s-s-s... So, you're trapped here why again?' I asked with boredom, it would only be a matter of time before my cover would be blown.
'Right, the apple really doesn't fall far from the log. Well, I am just going to cut this long and tedious tale short and sum it up. Ponies. Boring. Too much order. Stagnation. Balance tips too much. I came in and saved the day by bringing a bit of chaos, sure a few people screamed, a few tears were shed, but no one was killed or seriously hurt.' His monotone voice suddenly shifted into an energetic one where he retold the story of how he saved the day, before sulking once again. ' And then the two alicorn sisters used those blasted elements from that forsake tree of 'harmony' to turn me into stone. Now we're here.'
I raised an eyebrow, he didn't sound like he had the brain capacity to make up this long story, though there was one striking detail that falsified his story. 'There are only two alicorns, Mommy and Princess Cadenze.' I said with narrowed eyes.
'You think that giant horse face on the moon was there from the dawn of time to portray that ponykind has landed on the moon?' His voice was on the verge of laughing. 'That up there is Celly's sister, Luna, She banished her after she no longer fit into her vision.' His voice then broke out into shrill laughter, probably enjoying the fact that at least half of his imprisoners are locked up as well.
I nodded slowly, taking every word with a grain of salt, before making the conclusion that he was not evil, just completely nuts. 'So you aren't evil?'
'Of course I am, but I can make it worthwhile if you don't wish to be punished if you step over Tia's little line.' It was unfortunate given that this creature was more trustworthy than Celestia, she made it quite clear that I either stay her asset or stay her asset anyways.
' But Chaos isn't evil.' I remade, thinking back about my old room, which had several piles of clothes, all sorted, yet chaotic for most people.
'Of course it isn't! Is it?' Discords voice was barely audible as he questioned his own answer.
'No, it isn't.' I confirmed again, not even mentioning the fact that real villains don't call themselves evil. ' Here is the deal. I will keep you entertained until the day you are free, and show you how to be chaotic, without being Evil.' I had to choke out, feeling as if I was talking to a child in a cartoon. 'In return, I want your help and assistance if I ever get in serious trouble, not time out trouble, life-threatening trouble.'
'Hah, accepted!' Discord shouted loudly, making me wonder if he either not thought of the deal or I got scammed. 'We needed to make a bond anyways to keep me entertained, you didn't think I had any interest in you coming here and doing magic tricks once a week, did you?' Discord asked mockingly as his dragon foot suddenly began to glow, great quantities of Aether were gathered there all of a sudden.
I would advise accepting the deal. Spirits don't betray their followers, they only give them trades for power. This deal seems to be profitable. I will warn you should a deal be too dangerous. How do you accept the agreement... Touch his foot...
I gulped silently, telling myself that this was no different than what I was doing the whole time with Celestia, crawling in the good graces of a powerful being. My steps were swallowed by the steep grass, having not been cut in a long time, while I stared at Discord's petrified form, his repeating 'yes' became louder and more frequent as I came closer. I halted in front of his foot, lifting my hoof and slowly and hesitantly bringing my limb towards his while one last, stretched, and ever louder growing 'yes' beloved out of his surprisingly powerful vocal cords. My hoof made a loud clicking noise upon touch, and I felt a tingling sensation journey through my body, unlike electricity, sleep, or Aether alike, but more like an ever-changing sensation reach for my core, before implanting itself in me.
You have gained the title [Chaos Disciple]. When Title is equipped, you gain buffs on doing or being near chaotic events, activities, and or creatures. While being near any source of chaos, you gain faith. Using faith and Mana, you are able to use basic chaos magic like conjugation of items a manipulation of properties.
Congratulation, you have earned you first title. Title, like class, can allow you to gain buffs and use specific abilities, the big difference is that Titles usually are best when complementing already existing classes as their bonuses are generally very limited in variety, but mighty in those few aspects. Titles are displayed in your status or on your flank.
'Oh, I can almost feel the outside world through your senses... did the world get warmer or is that just my imagination?' Discord as he let out various sounds, I cannot classify or deny as 'child friendly' before making a comment that made my blood freeze. 'Eh, you might wanna cover-up that cutie mark of yours, even if its looks rather dashing, or you might (definitely) get into one Tartarus of trouble.'
'Cutie mark?' I thought as my head turned towards my flank, my eyes shrunk to pinpoints as I saw the image. It was a circle of black arrows, all pointing outwards with their backs connected in the middle of the mark, the symbol of entropy. 'Oh no, no, no, no this is bad, really bad!' I thought frantically as I tipped basically step danced on the ground as I bit back all profanities. 'Get of me, come one, unequip!'
Title and cutie mark have been removed. The Game announced.
'Wow, I can see what you meant that chaos didn't have to be evil, I amused myself deliciously with no one crying that their pet is breathing fire!' Discord cheered loudly, a quiet crack echoed from his voice, no, his tone did not waver, but I could've sworn I heard something burst. 'but buddy, just because you can just take off you little mark like a hat does not mean our deal is no longer on the table.' His voice suddenly darted in a severe tone, his voice blinking red once.
My mouth opened, closed, and opened again as I actually felt the sudden release of Aether knock out the air in my lungs. 'Mark or not, our deal still stands. Well, I try to amuse you pretty soon when no eyes are on me, goodbye my friend.' I thought as I turned around and ran straight through the hedge, knowing that I had not to worry about twigs whipping me.
' Friend?' Did I hear something?
I shook my head, the sweat being brushed off by the crisp leaves from the soft bushes before coming to a halt. My eyes peeked through the plant, but to my surprise, the crowd did not disperse yet, but then again, I only spend like three minutes back there, thinking was much faster than talking after all. A sudden idea caused my ears to twitch, and a smile grew from ear to ear, the perfect coverup.
I pushed my form through the bush and walked towards the gathering of ponies, through the legs I could see magic being used on the fetlock, the familiar sensation and aura it gave of made me point at a cooling spell, a good idea but not a practical solution. I pushed myself through the crowd, ignoring the bickering of the guards that they can't leave me unwatched while the maids could not leave the foals.
I enveloped Sugar in my Aura, the moment the onslaught of ice magic was stopped and levitated her towards me. The crows immediately took notice, backing slightly and turned their eyes to me. "What, she got to see a doctor, no?" I asked innocently as I put her on my back and feeling a strain less than what I initially expected, but given my stats, I was nearly as strong as a teenager, I just lacked size.
'Equip the Warrior class, she is fucking heavy!' I cursed silently, feeling that my stamina was drained by mere holding her on my back. My joints bucked lightly as I felt the strength I had known for the past four years.
"Are you sure-" The Guard started, his conscience hitting him given that he was suggesting to leave the poor filly to suffer, but it was perhaps better for him that being eaten alive by dogs for abandoning Celestia's son. His sentence was drowned by the quiet whining for Sugar as she laid with her back facing down on me. I wanted to just let her hang, but she was taller than me, which would've resulted in her limbs scraping the ground.
"If you don't want to come, that's fine. I know the way." I said, ignoring the fact that they could, for a matter of fact, not leave me alone, but even less so just grab me and pull me away unless I was in life-threatening danger.
"Wait for me, your highness, I shall accompany you." Said the Guard after a sharp poke from another Guard who wore a fancier armor, with having a light blue cloak stitched under it instead of the strap on armor.
'If you need to catch up on my rotten arse you are in terrible shape.' I thought with a roll of my eyes.
"You know, you are almost like Prince Blueblood, at least when it comes to pulling their will through." He said, walking precisely two steps to the right and one in front, keeping this formation as if his life depended on it.
I staggered a bit and turned my face at him, tilting my head and cocked my brow. "Are you calling me stubborn, or are you praising me my ability to actualize my beliefs?" That was probably the most stick-up-the-arse thing I had ever said, and it made me scared about advancing my inteligence stat if it would make me talk like this permanently.
"oh no, no, I was praising you. I would never say anything negative to you in any way, of course, not-." The Guard's voice was frantic as he went over any words in his head that meant 'no.'
"You don't have to be scared around me, I'm not going to bite you," I said calmly, shifting my weight and hoping for the stallions pleading to stop.
"Of course, I know that your highness."
"Then please act like that," I said, shutting him up ultimately. I didn't even want to sound mean, my persona was far too important to tell someone to fuck off, I just repeated what Celestia once told one of her petitioners in court. It was something about a noble complaining about pegasi polluting the sky or something.
"Thanks for the help, your highness." Sugar groaned, thankfully tilting her head upwards and avoiding causing momentary ear damage.
"No problem, and you can call me Star," I said, warmly, hoping for the chance of one more person to stop calling me by an unofficial title. I'm a courier, not the toilet seat king.
"Oh, thanks Star." Sugar said quietly, her head leaning back as I felt her body head up slightly. I hope she won't puke from the pain, or she will learn real quick how to run again.
"We have arrived, your Highness." The Guard said as he knocked thrice on the door, the thin, wooden barrier between the castle infirmary. Of course, the guards had their own little hospital, this was just for the small incidents. The door opened slowly, a quiet screening echoed through the hall, causing the pony's ears to twitch.
"Yes, did something happen?" Asked Gentle Touch as she opened the door, her garb was that of a nurse. A white uniform, a little mask, and a hat with Celestia's cutie mark on it.
"Hi, Mom!" I chirped, causing her eyes to fall onto me in an instant, though her most happy expression melted away quickly and turned into worry as she noted the filly on my back. "Sugar had a little accident."
"Oh goodness, what happened to her?" Gentle said dramatically but answering her own question, not a second later. "It doesn't matter, come inside." She ordered.
I did not waste a second with a nod or anything alike and simply entered. The Guard lifted his hoof as if he wanted to say something but was silenced when the door was shut in front of his face.
"Put her on the table, I can see from here where the horseshoe presses," Gentle said, hopefully unconsciously stating not only a pun but also telling a rather mean diagnosis. She pulled a firm and thick band-aid out of the closet along with a pair of scissors.
I obeyed the order and levitated Sugar onto the table, her legs dangling from over the side before I climbed a little staircase for foals and sat next to her. What, the marble floor was cold, and my legs felt a tiny bit uncomfortable after all the running. Sugar fiddled with her hooves while looking at Gentle as she pulled the hoof forward.
"This might twinge a little, so say so when it hurts. Also, you might want to hold onto something, we don't want you to fall." Gentle said as she started to unroll a bit of the brown band.
'On what is she supposed to hold onto, the table, the air, on-oh fucking me!' I thought as my eyes opened wide with dread, feeling a pair of eyes dig into the side of my head while a quiet squealing announced the unwilling movement of the filly next to me.
I turned my head to the right, seeing Sugar uncomfortably starring at me while trying her best not to fall.
This is a perfect opportunity to gain charisma. I am sure this event will be both memorable and impactful. The Game announced proudly a golden chance that, in my eyes, was more like a chocolate Santa, looks good on paper, but is hollow.
"Fine." I pouted as I held my hoof forward, but I expected not for two strong hooves to suddenly wrap themselves around me tightly while pressing her body against me. Sugar's cheek pressed against mine. Perhaps I would've vomited if she were to have gotten any closer to my face. I turned away sheepishly, this was the most contact I ever had with a female my (physical) age, even more than the time when Amber and I simultaneously fell down a few stairs. Embarasment I could live with, the grinning and snickering of my Mom was stinging, but what was alarming in every way was that the filly was draining my mana! Well, I was still regenerating more than she could suck away, still, thief!
Your mana embodies nearly the entirety of your various kinds of energy, basically, a watered-down form of Aether you can quickly replenish indefinitely. It seems like this Changeling is feeding off you and you sheer endless reservoir of emotions, for a matter of fact, it looks as if your 'mana' is even more potent than this race's primary food source, love.
'I don't give a shit as long as I don't end up like a husk!' I screamed inwardly as I felt her drool trickle down my neck as if she was feasting and now was stuck in a food coma. Her saliva wasn't even like water, but slimy and gooey.
You won't, completely ignoring the fact that this mosquito was using me like a freaking juice package!
"All done." Gentle Touch proclaimed. Get this leech off me! "And I must say you two look so incredibly adorable!" Pry the succubus from my untainted body! "Sugar, I think you're making Star a bit uncomfortable, would you mind letting him go?" Gentle said after waiting for several moments, waiting for any kind of reaction.
"But he's is so cuddly!" Sugar whines while continuing to put all Dementors to shame, both numbing my form and spirits alike.
"Sugar." Gentle Touch said sternly while narrowing her eyes at the filly.
"Okay..." Sugar sighed as she released the grip off me, having already stolen over a hundred mana points. "Sorry, but you were just so-" Delicious? Savory? Sweet? "-Warm. I got a bit lost."
"Sure, forgiven and forgotten," I said, albeit a tad forceful as I most certainly did not forget being used as a triple a battery. My eyes flickered over her form for a moment longer, feeling something that had changed about her.
Name: Sugar Drop
Thoughts about you: Embarrassed about losing control.
'Dear fucking god, she can't touch me, or she's gonna become more powerful than Discord!' I thought with rapid panic, only realizing far too late that Sugar was smiling at me while my mind was absent. I quickly turned my head away, but she did not turn away. 'I'm scared, she must think I'm tasty.'
Entity Sugar cannot reach a higher level than you, but it is a notable risk. She must've absorbed your pure energy to enhance her body unwillingly. It is suggestible to ensure she does not become a threat.
Quest added: Changeling beside or behind. *Kill Sugar Drop or *Win Sugar drop as your follower. Rewards: A random ring, three distributable points, ???
I was about to start a great debate about it was stupid that I had to fulfill quest when we were on the same side, on the same team, in the same, fucking Body , and he was unwilling to give me unique items but was cut off by Gentle Touch.
"You should probably take it easy for a while and rest. Now go out and amuse yourselves outside. I'm sure Star won't mind giving you company." Gentle spoke, the grin Sugar made I did not like, her aura waved for just a moment, and I swore I could see fangs. Sugar dropped down, not even bothering to be careful with her, apparently now healed fetlock, before leaving the room slowly.
"Mom, why are you grinning like that?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. I was very much so concerned why my mother was pushing me into the belly of the beast, literally!
"Oh, don't act like I want anything bad, I'm just happy you found a friend," Gentle said.
"Ok," I said dryly, before jumping down and leaving the room, seeing Sugar already waiting for me. "Goodbye, Mom," I said, before making the best smile I could muster, not too much of psychopath, but enough to not appear as bothered. 'Wish me luck and let's hope I won't get eaten alive.'
Author's Note
The reason why John made a deal with Discord was that he does not trust Celestia, of course, he cannot just leave her or just straight up call her up, she is just oo powerful and currently too useful for that. Although John, even with an increased intelligence stat, is not the smartest person, he does have a lot of experience in making deals, and this one can be easily be fulfilled.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter two: Social Interactions
"Morgan!"
A shrill shriek rang through the vast world of dreams, a plane of existence floating endlessly between the plates of the waking world and the nightmare realm.
"Morgan!!"
The dream realm is similar to the mirror world, a place in which imagination takes form. A great mystery about the mirror world is that when one travels to this location that they see an exact copy of the place they were just a moment before, just without any other life form. Any damage done and any change caused, will be gone when this realm is visited a second time, even if there is just a second apart, with no effects on the waking world. The truth is not what most would believe, the mirror world, just like the dream world, does not exist until a mind forms this emptiness rich with primordial power bound by the creation of time and space. When a thought enters this plane, it will take form after the last fading memory, with such speed and precision, that they cannot even see the bending of energy, and when the host of the dream leaves, this mirrored landscape ceases to exist.
"Morgan!!!"
This Gamer's dream, however, is bound to the host, to its soul, to its lifeblood: The sacred, pure Aether. Indeed, within this landscape, the host becomes equal to their wildest imagination, yet the only limitation is the realm faces is the energy and capacity of the host, an endless cycle of hunger and desire.
"Hahaha!!!"
The Gamer's dream that otherwise served as a sacred sanctum, a place of tranquility and peace to train and adapt, was everything, but what it previously was. The world was distorted, colors taking place there where they otherwise would never be, gravity there where it otherwise was no need for it, and insanity was given form. Islands floated in the lilac sky, creatures of myth and madness roamed the land, the ground a puzzled surface like a children's jigsaw, yet, in this chaotic eco-system, the sorest thumb pointing out of the picture rested on a lonely hill. A large, wooden table with books galore, shelves forming a wall and painting of ape-like creatures adorned the background, all of this stood on an elevated platform, illuminated and curtains prepared: a stage. Behind the table, atop of the seat, sat a little colt, his face full of strain, hardship, yet a small smile could not be hidden as he held his arms up and forwards as if he was holding something that wasn't there, but whatever it was, it seemed to be heavy. The colt's head frantically and desperately tilted to the right as if he either was close to breaking or attempted to look past the imaginary object as he let out one more time a desperate scream.
"Morgan!"
"Hahaha! I think my kidneys just fell out, hahaha!" An unusual, yet smooth voice ran out as it laughed out all that it had, the funny bone was perhaps already at its peak.
This most unusual fella sat in a broad audience, a large arrangement of seats and tables of high quality were placed randomly, yet the only guest was this creature. The floor was carpeted with crimson cloth, the dark atmosphere giving the urge to let all other than the one in front of them fade into obscurity.
"Ah, haha... haha..." I let out a little laughter, tired as I leaned forward, everything that kept me from falling asleep in my dream, would I then be 'de-dreaming?', was the cheering of Discord as he threw flowers, petals and chocolate coins at me. My throat hurt a bit, so did my mouth's arches, sore from acting and laughing alike.
I'd like to inform you that the time is up. The game replied, setting off a technical beeping of in my skull, once, twice and thrice, before letting me rub my scalp in annoyance.
"I haven't amused myself in nearly a millennia!" Discord said wearily, yet his giggling attitude could not be hidden as he whipped a tear from his eye, the drop clung to his finger, letting out a most unusual, deep, nearly showing laughter, before being catapulted away. Literally. Discord created a catapult, put the droplet in the basked, and fired the drop to the horizon. He suddenly stiffed as a ringing rang through his body, shaking up his form. "Oh, golly, what now?" He asked begrudgingly as he reached into his hip, the skin and fur deformed slightly as he sank his eagle claw into it, before retreating a training alarm clock. "Oh dear, oh my, the time goes by real fast." Discord muttered with annoyance, before throwing the most annoying machine over his shoulder, not long after an earth-shattering explosion followed, though he could only leisurely close his out of sync eyes.
"I guess the time is up?" I asked as I hopped from my seat, pressing that I never became an office worker lest I would have a square butt. Although Discord was still trapped in his rocky prison, he is, however, able to traverse to my dream realm when I have the title equipped. Here he is nearly as powerful as he would be in the waking world, almost frightening if I am honest, if it was not for the fact that Discord could not harm me here, or he would be expelled from this realm instantly, just flicking my nose was enough to be evicted. If I were to die here, he'd die too as the dream would shatter instantly.
"Yup, I'd love to hear, and see , more of your grand comedy skill, Star, but I am a chimera of my word. Once a week from nine to five in the morning, we don't want anyone to see our little secret, no?" Discord said as he suddenly appeared next to me, slowly circling me, not a threatening manner, but just to prove that he could not bear to spend a second of freedom doing nothing. "Now, I have to bid my farewell, and I cannot wait for our next little meeting. Perhaps one day, I can even see your show in person. Oh well, tata!" He suddenly explained, flicking my nose softly, before vanishing in a flash of light.
"Till next time," I said annoyingly, rubbing my muzzle with my hoof, as suddenly my form shifted, bones morphed and flesh mended. My body took on the color of Aether, colorless yet bearing all colors, the opposite of white and black. The mass came to a halt, and a human my body now was. "I am so fucking thankful I watched like two hundred seasons of standup comedy throughout those damn twenty years," I muttered as I craned my neck and sat down on the chair. The landscaped morphed back to what it was, like thick mud, and oil spillage in the sand, losing colors and retaining them just as fast before my beloved, little valley returned.
"Still, at least he is the entertaining kind of mad, not the one that attempts to steal your toes." I thought nostalgically as I leaned back, the chair still remained, as I began to hum a little. It was a soft little tune, if it was from a series, person on the street or a supermarket, I cannot remember, just picked it up when I was not paying attention.
Would you like the last three hours asleep after I unequipped the title [Chaos Diciple]?
"Yeah, that would be pretty nice," I said leisurely, leaning back into the chair with closed eyes, hearing the Game's soft voice slowly go down the countdown before I lost all sensation.
"Personal log on subject 'Succubus' number 001." I started with a monotonous voice while keeping my volume as low as possible. I leaned back, looking left and right, seeing if there was any pony on this floor's corridor. Once I assured myself I was alone, I opened the window in front of me and put on my binocular that I definitely have not stolen from a tourist who did not pay attention for a moment.
From above, I could see a peaceful little patch of grass, away from the Maiden's playground, with a large blanket spread out. A group of fillies sat atop the cloth, chatting joyfully, slurping juice and tea while munching on a mountain of cookies, mostly biscuits, and crackers were given by their parents. There was, however, one participant that stood out of this gathering, the little pony named Sugar Drop. She did not eat, rarely took a sip, and the quarter cup she poured herself was barely tapped from.
The subject's metabolism seems to be slower than might seem possible given the form, even with an Aether injection about one hundred seventy hours ago. Another possibility could be that the subject does not require any other substance other than a minuscule amount of water and emotion, or emotion-like substitutes to live off. The Game spoke in my head, listing of our discoveries as they occurred.
'Cheeking stats in 3...2...1...' I thought while narrowing my eyes.
Name: Sugar Drop
Thoughts about you: Wishes you were there. A little hungry.
Subject appears to slowly run out of the stolen energy; in less than three months, all the reserved Aether will be used up, leaving only the direct enhancements from the extraction. The Game stated, making my worries melt slightly, her stats were in every way inferior to mine, but that did not mean that she would be a cakewalk if she were to become my enemy. I like the rewards, but I don't think I could kill her... Proceding with the subject's skills.
'Sure.' I thought begrudgingly, my mind not in action completely as my physical form was watching out for any possible intruder while my mind was in turmoil on how to deal with this threat. She may not be able to hurt me directly, or kill for that matter, lest she wished to invoke the power of the sun on her, but she didn't need to. The fangs she had were not for ripping, but for injection and even if my mind was guarded, my bloodstream was not, I had no interest in becoming her food bank.
Or breeding stallion, given that your seed, or what would be formed on the day, would be of higher quality than any other stallion we have seen so far. Her body must be able to tell, that when you are this prominent at such a young age, then your adult form would leave a greater impression. A most peculiar and surprisingly direct instinct, making me wonder if we have time to find out more about her race's biology.
The Game inquired, nearly making me gag. I had no interest in sex, there ain't going on down there, even back then as a human, just was not my thing, but knowing that this would be the only source of 'experience' I might have as a horse, I think I will die a virgin, happily.
It appears as if it is time to consume another 'protein cracker' like entity Princess Celestia has prescripted you. The Game said, his voice pitched, and every word sounded like a rollercoaster of tones.
'This ain't over.' I grumbled in my mind as I grabbed into my saddlebags next to me and pulled out a 'protein cracker' or as I liked to call them, vomit bars. Do you know those disgusting soy bars? Yeah, just take it a couple of notches up, so it's for ponies and tastes like dog food, but worse... times were hard back then... What's up with this stuff burning so much in the throat?
The bar is coated with a lesser and weaker version of the drug she gave you when you consumed the fish. However, to hide this taste, she mixed in unknown animal fat and what appears to be a thick juice made from an unknown fruit. The burning you're feeling is the drug being burned away instantly; even when you lack the skill [Poison Ressitance], your metabolism is too strong.
'Let's just observed those skills, shall we?' I thought begrudgingly as my shoulder sank slightly, from one manipulative corporate overlord to another, somethings will never change.
Sugar Drop's skills
Love Harvest lv. 9
Paralyzing Bite. lv3
shapeshift lv. 28 (Permanently cloaked due to a high-level spell from an unknown entity.)
Chitin plating lv. 7
Levitation lv. 6
Love Regeneration lv.2
Perk's
'Chitin, what the fuck is that?' I thought with confusion, I was smart enough to know that the skill was about protecting the user, but I had no idea what the first part was. Love Harvest and Shapeshift were obvious, but the fact that it was such a high level and that a powerful entity cast it on her made me wonder if she was not a living time bomb given that she had access to the castle. Levitation I knew long before, and Love Regernatation was apparent given how fast fetlock healed, she didn't even bother to but the bandage on the next day. 'The skill Paralyzing Bite will be a real pain in the ass, one bite and I might as well become her toy.' I thought, shuddering at the mere thought of having to wear a collar.
You might have noticed the unknown perk. It appears that this 'blessing' as the ponies call it, has yet to be active, meaning that until it is used, we cannot scan Sugar's Aether to know what it does. The Game informed me.
'This is really bad, what if its something like, I don't know, Self-destruction or something.' I thought worryingly as I put down my binoculars, leaning to the side and supporting my head on my hoof.
"I don't think you should spy on ponies like that." This is much worse. "If you're interested in a filly, it's better to just be upfront and ask." The voice proclaimed with both worry and joy. I put my binoculars down and quickly turn around with surprise, seeing Cadance right behind me without any sound presenting her appearance in advance. "If you want tips, I'm always willing to help!" She chirped joyfully as she beamed at me with a pearly smile, her form risen slightly, and her wings twitching lightly.
I swallowed down my surprise, and disgust, which manifested itself with a bland look, before answering dryly. "No, just no." Cadance's mask cracked as her face turned from thrilled to heartbroken, even partly hurt, I do not like breaking my persona, but this turn was necessary if I did not want to be sold to some high-class mare. "I'm watching Sugar Drop, something is really weird about her, and I'll find out about it," I claimed while letting out a huff.
"Oh, really?" Cadance asked, her voice full of skepticism, nearly reaching the edge of her voice, making me wonder if she believed that I was in danger, or thought I was telling bullshit. "Why don't you tell me why you thin Sugar Drop is 'quote on quote, weird'." She actually spoke out the quote part while making 'hoof signs' in the air. Yep, ain't buying a thing.
"Well, Sugar Drop hurt herself, so I carried her to the nurses on my back." I began slowly, attempting to keep my statements as objective as possible, all while Cadance nodded and hummed to each slight pause I made. "Then when Mom put a bandage around her she hugged me and would let go, saying weird stuff about warmth." Cadance's mouth's arches quivered upon hearing that. "But that's not the weird part, she began to just slobber this goo on me, and I felt really weird, like I lost control on my magic, even losing some!" I said frantically.
"Hm, hm, hm..." The Pink devil hummed to herself, all while nodding, probably thinking about what I said, before answering. "I think you have a crush."
"No!" I retorted, stomping my hoof on the marble floor, feeling a slight resistance from my own energy, the game must've stopped me from accidentally using [Power Strike]. That was perhaps the best call; otherwise, the ponies a floor below us might've gotten a heart attack.
"Oh, Star." The sadist spoke, all while laughing. "What you are experiencing is perfectly normal. You're just a bit too young to understand it." I glared at her, this was perhaps the very first sign of aggression I have publicly shown, but I regret it not, given that Cadance took the hint, her amusement visibly dying away. "I see you are not very accepting of that, but I'm sure you one day will, but let me explain what I believe happened. Sugar hugged you, and you felt something new, our magic is connected to our emotions, and you released a bit of your unique energy. Normally when a unicorn released mana without a spell matrix, what happens is that it will either be absorbed into the air or combust. In your case, given that the reason was a 'new and unique positive emotion,' you shone a bit of your blessing on Sugar, presumably your regeneration, given that she does not wear a bandage anymore, as you previously mentioned." She spoke, even if unhappy with this option while looking out of the window. Her eyes were incredibly sharp, given how high up we were.
"I still don't think that was it." I sat down and crossed my hooves, much to Cadance's dismay, someone dubbed 'the princess of Love' how that does works? Probably only the person who has to wear pink her whole life understands. "How did you find me, Cadance, I'm not really somewhere popular," I asked with sudden realization and confusion, as well as sparked curiosity. Did they have a tracking spell on me?
"Oh!" Cadance exclaimed, surprise plastered on her face. "I nearly forgot, Princess Celestia, asked me to inform you that she wishes to talk with you and that I bring you to her." She said with a smile, not asking whether I have time or interest as she turned around and began to walk without me.
Only when she was a few steps away, I put the Binoculars back into my inventory, before following her just as she slowed down a pinch.
The walk towards Celestia was anything but pleasant. It was awkward with a pregnant silence, that would describe it pretty well if it was not for the employed ponies greeting us. I did not reply, Cadance merely nodded, she was really unhappy with my appalling reaction to her shipping theories, but if there was someone who should be offended it would be me. We reached our destination in a short amount of time, quietly, before stopping at a large gate, decorated with gold and, to my surprise, silver that gleamed with a magical and colorful shine. Apparently, silver, iron, and copper were incredibly expensive, with the first listed metal being a rarity. Gold, on the other hand, was abundant in this crazy world.
Cadance leaned forward until her horn touched the gem resting in the gate's narrow creek, before closing her eyes. She released several weak pulses of magic, some stronger other weaker with all of them being faint. With a loud click, the gem suddenly broke into two perfectly identical pieces as the door opened slowly.
"Star, would you mind waiting for a moment, Celestia and I have something to discuss," Cadance asked politely, though the insistence of her voice was hard to read for a pony, I was not a pony, at least in mind. I slowly nodded, knowing full well that, given she was called to get me, she was most likely to play snitch. "Great, it will be just a moment." She said the door opened briefly, allowing me to catch a glimpse of Celestia sitting on a soft matt, the room appeared to be a large hall, a perfect rectangle, with the walls, ceiling, and floor being a perfect, dark, smooth surface, before closing it in front of my face.
The door was not locked, but I had no interest in getting caught. The door alone was practically radiating magic like wildfire, and inside the room, the magic was much thicker, denser than anywhere else.
I thought not as I waited, the game remained silent as well. There was no reason to let worry and panic overcome me, for a matter of fact, I enjoyed the silence before the storm. After several moments, the door opened again, and Cadance walked out, she gave me a smile while holding the door open for me, but not saying a word.
I hesitated for a moment, my raised hoof hovering above the ground for just a second before I walked forward with each step noticeably executed instead of automatically. The gate closed with a loud thud, the room now becoming much darker, yet bright enough to see clearly crystals embedded into the ceiling ensured vison. Celestia sat in the same place as she did before, unmoving, but she did not bear the same, cheerful smile as before.
"Greetings, Star," Mommy spoke, her eyes, previously closed, opened as she put on the mask yet again. "Would you mind sitting with me for a moment." Oh, dear fucking god, just tell me how I fucked up!? I did not make much fuss as I sat down in front of her, my legs tucked in under my form. To this day, I have no idea how this does not fuck up my stomach.
"So... I assume Cadance talked with you about Sugar?" I asked slowly, awaiting any reaction.
Celestia slowly nodded, assumingly think about what she'll say or not make a joke on my expense. "It is not nice to watch ponies from afar." I opened my mouth in protest, though it was quickly shut down. "I am aware that her touching you was even less acceptable." My mouth shut itself with a click.
"I do not like strangers touching me, but that is not the point, Sugar sapped some of my energy," I clarified, my jaw clenching slightly, not from sadness, but frustration. I did not care about this world, and the game and the powers it granted me were all I had, having even the faintest scent taken from me was painful, insulting and infuriating to the point the smallest pettiness invoking act was like a war declaration.
Celestia nodded, this time the mask spoke not but perhaps her true self... or just another layer of her veil, who knew. "Your case is a special one, Star. Your body is growing faster than the rest of you is, your muscle mass alone is that of a colt at the beginning of puberty, and this can invoke... strange reactions from others, especially young fillies, Sugar is just... more receptive to that."
"What do you mean with that?" I asked with surprise, a hint of betrayal that was previously unknown to me showed its face. Although I saw her nothing more than an opportunity, there was still a part of me that wished this persona's lie to be true, even if this was mostly based around my young bodies yearning after parental figures, I believed.
"Sugar has two blessings, for a matter of fact, many of the maid's foals bear blessings, and some of them can have various reactions depending on what they are confronted with. Blessings can be as helpful as they are dangerous." Celestia replied, making me tilted my head in confusion.
"But how can a blessing be bad, aren't they supposed to make us 'special.' And why do so many Maid's have special foals compared to other ponies?" My curiosity was sparked as I asked carefully, not wishing to appear as stupid or insult anyone.
"Truth to be told, most of the staff were not employed here, to begin with, some had lived on the other side of Equestria and use this position merely as a disguise," Celestia revealed to me, her look softened. "Blessings improves a pony, but not every improvement is helpful given outside forces- Blessed ponies are at risk of abduction, getting used for others gain or... damaged for by simple-minded creatures, believing them to be undeserving of this power." Her voice turned to a sneer as anger crossed her mind.
"But what does this have to do with Sugar, I didn't do anything to her!" I exclaimed, somewhat offended by her accusation, of wishing me ill on another. I may not love my neighbor, but I most certainly did not want to harm any creature other than nightmares.
"I know that Sugar knows that as well, but her blessed body does not," Celestia stated as her gaze grew colder. "Her blessing cause ponies to become more relaxed around her and the other makes her appeal to those attracted to her gender more, letting her not only appear more approachable but also letting her more accepting with certain needs. Although she is a filly, her body already functions like the one of a young mare and is at great risk to herself and others. It is why most of her company is female, but given that only so few colts have blessings these days and that most of them are not able to resist, her seclusion from those of the opposite gender has left her in an interesting position where most colts are aware and keep a distance from her. You did not, knowingly or otherwise, not only that, you provided a bit of company that helped her greatly if the reports are to be believed."
"I...I understand..." I finally answered, after a long pause, feeling something weird turn in my stomach. This sensation vanished a moment later after I noticed it, the game's support was always reliable.
"I am not asking, or demanding, for you to keep Sugar company if you do not wish so," Celestia explained, her voice becoming mellow and friendly. "I do, however, believe finding friends would be healthy for you as well." I nodded slowly, keeping as little eye contact as possible, I accepted that she was right, but not that I would follow her advice. "Now, then, let us come to the reason why I called you."
I nodded slowly, standing up like my mentor did so, not pressing the matter any further. Celestia's horn glowed brightly, she had to if she wished to achieve more than a simple light spell (I can cast it manually, but it is neither Aether infused nor can it be leveled up, making it as useful as a match in a cave.) A loud click echoed through the room as a piece of the wall suddenly was shoved out and moved aside, revealing some kind of storage room. From this secluded and hidden room, a rack of weights was pulled out, a unique piece of equipment that was like a Kettlebell, however, instead of having a grip, a small spike-less morning star attached.
Celestia put the rack down, a reasonable distance between it and us, before speaking up. "Something that I noticed about you a long time ago was how great you control over mana is, however, your overall strength pales compared to it, it is why I believe the best of course of action is to train it."
"Am I weaker than I should be?" I asked with genuine surprise, so far, there was not one occasion I did not succeed at, but that was mainly because I'm just a few years away from being forty and the supercomputer in my mind.
"Compared to other foals? No, "Celestia clarified, eyeing the weights, before pulling the smallest, a one-kilogram dumbbell, to herself and let it wave left and right in front of her. "You excel given your age, I just wish to not let your other talents drift into obscurity," Celestia said calmly, not breaking eye contact with the training tool, before throwing it at me gently. I caught it with my magic, letting it float next to me. "The training is simple, we throw these weights at another while steadily increasing the amount of object in between us, it is to both increase your magical output as well as durability. Now, throw it back at me."
This situation is most profitable, we should, as your kind call it, 'milk this opportunity.' Even if we cannot increase the level of skill: Levitation, we can, however, improve our stats in this more hostile environment.
'Agreed.' I thought before throwing the weight gently back at Celestia and activating [Meditation] just a second later. I did not need to sit to use the skill, just stay still, or rather, not move too much.
Celestia caught the object, but it cannot be said that it was with ease as her brows twitched. Was using such delicacy this hard for her was there another reason for it, it could not be weakness given her strength. The object was hurled back at me, a tad faster after Celestia had found the appropriate strenght to not make me and the wall become one.
You gained one point in both Intelligence and Wisdom.
'I have hurled rocks heavier than this!' I thought with sudden surprise, a shiver running down my spine as I felt the sweet sensation of growth.
It seems as if this location is not only memorable for you but having to put more significant pressure on your mana lines is allowing your body to quickly adapt to the requested stats this environment demands of you. The game said thoughtfully, putting more attention to the task ahead, or in other words, preventing my face from being shattered, than our conversation.
"What do you think of Sugar, by the way, now that you know her reasoning?" Celestia asked curiously, barely paying attention to our training.
"I am not really sure," I admitted, still not buying that Celestia knew jack-shit about Sugar, given that she was a non-pony in the most racist country I have ever seen. "She seems nice, I guess."
"I see," Celestia answered, adding another weight into our little game, I increased my throwing speed to make up for the higher weight. greater velocity does not increase mana consumption, meaning that the time I'm carrying the burdens is reduced to less than a second, which allowed me to falter amidst training. "If you, however, do choose to be close to Sugar, please take my warning seriously. Do not put any of your parts into her." Her choice being wage and unclear, how could she describe sex to a foal that could possibly bid his time with a succubus.
"I... okay?" I ask unsurely, with a raised eyebrow, I was not dumb, I knew that animals fucked with another because of pheromones, but Star did not. "Mommy, can you tell me a bit about Cadance?" I asked, my voice rising for just a moment as I heard yet another ping, as my magic-related stats both rose by one yet again.
"Oh?" Celestia asked with surprise, nearly not catching a partially fast projectile I fired after the initial shock. "In what way has my niece caught your interest?" She asked curiously, her head leaning closer. A third weight joined our game.
"Well..." I started, think about how to put in words that she is fucking nuts. "She is always so obsessed with love, but why does she not have a stallion or foal?"
Celestia staggered for a moment, closing her eyes and taking a sharp breath. "Because we can't." I gave her a confused look while tilting my head, decreasing my throwing power, but not increasing the time in which my levitation was active. "Alicorns may be immortal, a large problem while searching for... loved ones that last as long as we do, however, we... let's just say as of now we are unable to have alicorn foals, we are barren, like a patch of land that cannot grow crops if this makes it easier to understand." The fourth dumbbell joined the game, this time one that weight around five kilograms, making the total mass nine kilograms. She put a lot of emphasis on the word 'now.'
"But Cadance was born three hundred years ago, while you are-been longer here than her." I quickly corrected myself, yet another two points were added to my stats, making my sudden change in speech appear even more frantic.
"Yes, that she did, however, she is not a true alicorn, a demigod if you will." Celestia stated, only making my worry that Alicorns were considered godly figures only more apparent, of course, the title of an ascended being was less meaningful here than back on earth, but still, I had no interest to one day deal with religious zealots seeing me as their messiah. "She was born from a mare, however bearing a demigod is dangerous as... during the procedure a great chunk of life-force of both stallion and mare is used."
"They're dead, aren't they?" I asked, not the best move on my side. However, I was not scared of mentioning the death of one's parents, dulled even, I had already seen it twice at this point, and undoubtedly I'd see it happen again in thirty or so years. The weights froze in the air, stealing away control for the one I was holding while Celestia stared at me with genuine worry.
"Star, how do you know what death is?" Celestia asked, her voice on edge, less of confusion, but more a tone of suspicion, probably ready to fry up the arse of the pony that openly talked about mature themes with me around.
"I sometimes dream of my first day, clearly, but I just watch from the side," I answered truthfully, I felt a lot for my birth mother of this world: Gratitude, sorrow, pity, and sadness. She died for my form to exist, my current position where I was the heir of the goddess of the sun, that was the least I could do. I'm not used to people doing something for me without demanding something in return. "I know that she died when I was born, my birth mother, how Mr. Goodwill tried to kill me and everything that followed. You took me in because you wished for me not to fall in the wrong hooves, not to do bad, right?" I knew not, she was hiding something, but that was unknown to me.
Celestia's jaw visibly clenched, wishing not to put on a mask, or perhaps she just had none that fit the situation. Her gaze was hardened, unsure if she was to feel worried, pity for me, or be concerned that I knew how she used manipulation on my mother.
"Star?" She asked as she put all the weight back into their place. Celestia walked towards me, stopping in front of me and putting her hoof under my chin. She forced me to look into her eyes, softly, while her face was pointing at mine. "I promise that when you're older, I tell you of your real mother's story, but it won't be a nice one." Her face darkened, I knew it was not a joyful, children friendly tale, but that was all I knew.
"No," I said heavily as I slowly walked towards her, even my steps as small as they appeared slower and more sluggish than usual. "She was my birth mother..." I started before stopping in front of her legs, my face not even reaching her barrel. "You and Gentle Touch are my real mothers." A fuzzy sensation overcame me as I rubbed my face against her form, the effects of Gamer's mind attempted to end these consuming emotions, but I let it happen.
"Oh Star," Celestia said warmly, radiating physical and mental warmth, I felt her attempt ping off my mental wall, something she noticed not I believed. She kneeled down, letting her body rest on the ground, enveloped my feeble form with her neck alone; it wrapped itself around me. I bit my tongue, wishing to just rush off, this feeling of suffocation draining me silently, yet escaping now would only reveal that I was not easily swayed, and yet, there was something different.
Minutes passed while we stayed like this, she waited for me to be the one to end it, but I enjoyed it too much, so much so that I wanted to make her feel this as well, using Gentle Touch on a goddess. The skill could not be nullified as far as I knew; however, it was easy to resist, yet Celestia resisted not.
She is smiling and is radiating large quantities of joy, happiness, and relief as if a great worry had disappeared. The Game spoke, his voice was now soft and gentle. My eyes slowly turned, and indeed she was smiling, her broad grin even more massive than when she acquired me, though this time it showed imperfection as if she was not planning this, still accepted it gratefully. How that was connected with my seemingly worthless skill, I knew not.
"14..." Celestia whispered to herself, her quiet voice, so silent, for a matter of fact, that it felt as if the Game was increased the volume of the world by three hundred percent. Does she think that was another blessing?
"Huh?" I asked with surprise, acting as if I heard nothing and pried myself away from her. I titled my head with confusion once in front of her face as our noses touched. "Did you say something?"
Celestia stared into my eyes for a moment, her emotions and regal attitude melted away as she friendly with a soft look. "Yes, let us continue for a little while longer."
I knew not what had changed with her, but something did that made her already great view on me enhance itself even further to a point I might've, for just a moment, thought that now she indeed saw me as hers, or perhaps there previously was something that stopped her from doing so beforehand.
"Ok, Mommy!" I said. Many times did I utter those words, all those empty breaths, and hollow sounds, but after all that time, I began to wonder if this was me or my persona talking. Could I still be considered as John Weaver or was I now just the gamer, perhaps Star was just as equal in my mind as I was, but who was I at this point? An amalgamation of three while hosting a fourth. I knew not, but somehow, if it was chosen by the character I possed at or maybe, I was a bit genuine there.
The training tour lasted a bit longer than either of us anticipated, neither knew how long exactly, but what we knew was that both of us smiled at another, and for me, it was not entirely just because of the points I gained, but what it was exactly I knew not. At least the Game seemed a bit happier.
"What are you looking at, Star?" Sugar asked, her body rested next to me, even if the distance was a bit short for my taste, legs spread out while her head, previously resting on her crossed forehoofs, titled at me. Her brown mane was put into a (sigh) ponytail. Her eyes glistered at me while the sun shone on her form, making her appearance appear to glow in the warm light of the summer.
"Oh, nothing special," I said coyly, my ears twitched to the sound of her smooth voice while my gaze did not stiff away from the show that was presented to me.
A large group of fools, a few parents in tow, stared at a small bed of dirt from which a little patch of most peculiar flowers grew. The grand and colorful flowers that grew in the gardens were what took many breaths away even after years of tending the plants; however, on this day, the blooms seemed to have played a little prank. Where otherwise white tulips sprouted, now where tulips still, but now bathed in a black hue. A sight that has never been seen before.
"It's quite interesting what my power does to flowers, but so much less than what you have been slurping." I said lazily, hazily even as my eyes watched the chaos energy rise from the ponies, a miniature maelstrom of chaotic energy. I absorbed my share only meekly, refilling my completely drained reserves, wishing not for the ambient power to form a path of madness leading towards me.
"I don't know what you are talking about!" Sugar said hastily, her form pushing herself away from me, yet her legs remained in place while she unconsciously inched closer yet again. She did not need to touch me, denying herself the attempt to absorb scraps of my mana.
"You don't have to hide it, I already know," I said, my eyes slowly waving towards her. Her form flinched when my eyes met hers, of course, that was when I thought of her most positive for just a moment and letting the Game release another burst of mana, making Sugar shiver. "See?" I asked calmly, without any spite or enjoyment in my voice, making Sugar wince. "Oh, don't be ashamed, I don't mind if you want a bite, just ask next time?"
"You're not angry?" She asked with surprise, yet the hint of mistrust and confusion could not be hidden in her voice. Her disguise wavered for a moment, or rather, the magic that surrounded her. Sadly whoever made it knew his or her salt because I could not see through it.
"Not really, you must be a special pony to absorb my magic like that," I said with a smile, my head turning to her flabbergasted look. I knew that spilling the beans that she was no pony would only end with her fleeing or doing something both of us would regret. "I'm sure we'll get along great." I cheered, my smile became a toothy grin, hiding my intentions, a fulfilled quest, and an ally if things get itchy, there ain't no way I fight all nightmares alone, not as equals if possible, a meatshield would do just fine.
Sugar's mouth opened, just for a moment, before she closes it and turned her gaze away from her, cheeks burning with a red hue. Is she sick, or does my breath just stink? "Thanks-" She started as her eyes slowly drifted toward me, her red face slowly undoing. "For being my friend."
'I never said that but okay?' I thought with confusion, not that I would react or answer to that statement, let her delusional thought push her to my advantage. I knew not why these ponies had such believe that friendship and hopes and dreams can really do something in the world, or why they would just blindly follow them. In the end, the one who shows no weakness stands last.
"No problem!" I answered untruthfully, I would not be her friend. I would pretend to be so and safe her flank from dying perhaps if it would not risk my hide, no need to waste your connections or assets, let the ignorance be a bliss for the little girl."Hey Sugar?"
"Hmm?" Sugar hummed in response, munching, whatever you wanna call consuming my mana. Her face turned to me with interest.
"Can you draw?" I asked with curiosity.
"Not really, but I'm good at writing, Mommy says that she can nearly read my sentences fluently." Sugar said with disappointment, before puffing her chest with pride. Children, thinking that sucking at one skill can be undone by being halfway decent at another, well, drawing was not really useful in the office, so that can be forgiven.
You are underestimating artistic skills. A high level of the scribe class can allow for the creation of spellbook, even create a new one by writing a story where it is mentioned in detail, you also require this class to learn runecraft. A high-level artist can draw objects and creatures into reality. The Game answered, blowing away my mind and opening my ways to the possibilities of classes. If this was what this class could do, then what was waiting at the top of the florist and builder skill tree?
"Do you want me to draw you?" I asked with interest, I did not have the class, and I sucked at it, but the Game could just make a mental picture and copy it onto the paper using my body. It was easy when you could move muscles down to the millimeter, not even twitching or shaking.
"You would?" Sugar asked with peaked interest. I nodded, it was sad I could not level a class I would get later on, but there were worse things. "Thanks!" She beamed a smile at me, I honestly was surprised that she found that so special, but then again, in a world were a single copy of a book cost like a nurse's entire wage, who knew how pricy a portrait was?
"No problem," I mumbled as I reached under me, I would've reached behind me if it was not for the eyes on me, and pulled out a pencil, yes a real piece of wood with a chunk of coal inside.
It was a prototype, and honestly nothing special, I have taken the coal from a passing wagon carrying charcoal and the wood was taken from a tree in my dream realm. It was actually pretty easy to construct it with the game using levitation to just sharpen the woods to be a smooth pipe, I did the same with the coal so that it fits into the hole, before pressing the thing together with crushing force. All it needed was a bit of sharpening with a knife and tada!
"Where did you get that thing?" Sugar asked with surprise and confusion, raising an eyebrow in response. "What even is it? It looks like chalk in a quill?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," I said calmly, flicking my hoof in response and making the pencil disappear behind my limb.
"How did you do that?" Sugar jumped up with excitement and a hunger for answers. She sat down a moment later, but her head titled left and right as I showed her my empty hoof.
"Like that," I answered as I reached behind her ear, Sugar froze as if she thought she would disappear if she were to move in the wrong moment. Sugar's eyes became pinpoints when I pulled back a white tulip, this one fed Aether and having grown to perfection with now a red hue adorning it. It was nearly painful to watch someone follow your plan so... perfectly.
"Wow." Sugar said in awe, eyeing the flower that probably smelled incredibly like Aether, given by the watering of her mouth. I let out a chuckle, she was like a cat having discovered catmint, not that I ever had one, but, well, pet store experience. I rolled my eye playfully before putting the bloom behind her left ear.
"Perfect," I answered as I pulled a piece of paper from underneath me alongside the pencil. "Sugar, can you put on a nicer look?" I asked, her empty stare could haunt dreams if one were to wake up to that face.
'Game, could you please help me out here, I think I broke her.' I thought with a sigh.
Gladly. The Game complied thankfully before he took control over my horn and used Levitation, to take control over Sugar's facial muscles, making her put on a petite, mysterious smile, like the Mona Lisa. Pona Lisa?
"Excellent, stay just like that!" I cheered, making Sugar twitch for a moment, daring to shift her, face, but controlled herself fast enough. The pencil with the Game's guidance shot to work, daring to come close to a printer in terms of speed, however with several pauses as charcoal was, well, flammable when too much heat comes with it in contact.
'I wonder...' My thought drifted as I saw outlines of Sugar's upper body take form. A sudden idea popped into my mind, what was if I were to push Aether into the drawing? I closed my eyes and done just like that. I felt the power of Aether drawing from my core and funnel into the paper. I could sense the glow of the object in front of me, seeing it with a third eye. I lost all feeling as I felt drawn into the work, time and location, condition and situation became obsolete as the drawing took form and became whole, so much more than a mortal portrait could ever be. Every light I could see with closed eyes, coal, and silhouette became once, coming and going with each heartbeat as the lines grew evermore. Every strain of hair, every slight curvature of the fur.
Her head turned to the right, her ponytail loosened and opened to cover any detail of the left side remaining. Her eye peered forward, passing me and fixated while the shivering, twitching smile attempted to remain unmoved. The mountains in the background flowed like water, tranquil, and still yet making the one in front of me ever more present, all attention drained and focused on this one point. Her smile, her eye's gaze, one of her ears poking through her mane and lastly the flower and each petal that stood out through her mane, yet complementing it at the same time.
*Ping*
For creating a drawing of the quality of (Masterpiece), you have unlocked the [Artist] class.
My eye snapped open, I was oriented. Where was? How much time has passed? What was I-wait, I remember! 'How did I, what?' My vision twisted and turned as a bottomless pit of emptiness suddenly became apparent, my mana dripping slowly into a vast vessel, an empty rain barrel with only a few sips steadily filling it. My heart beat painfully, feeling cold and shivering, my haunches lost all sense and my joints buckled ever so often. I knew not if I lost water, blood, or Aether, perhaps all three, but a deep emptiness nearly swallowed me.
I'd like to inform you that the drawing is complete. The Game answered, his voice seems a bit more cheerful than usual. I would also like to congratulate you on acquiring a new job class. Remember, the amount of job classes you can have is indefinite; however, your hobbies should not be too widely spread, or you might find all your creations subpar your standards.
"Is it done?" Sugar asked with confusion, her mouth's arches twitching, seemingly having gone numb long ago. My eyes slowly fell down onto the drawing, how something this beautiful could've ever been made in my hands (hooves) was beyond me. It looked like a picture was made of Sugar, the mountains in the background all caught down to the tiniest detail, however, the image was drawn in grey, yet colors were not needed as each careful line with a varying level of pressure and density allowed for a breathtaking panel. It was perfect.
Drawing of Sugar Drop (Masterpiece)
'Is it a consumable? There is no way it wants me to eat paper.' I thought dryly, feeling no compassion for riddles or jokes about the potential creation of my masterpiece, but quickly disregarding the assumption as I felt the effect. The memory invoked in the masterpiece must be able to absorb Aether and dispense it as an effect like the inspiration of a war speech.
By making the right assumption and piecing together facts, you've gained one point in intelligence.
I shook my head, depressing the urge to let out a squeal of enjoyment and pure manliness, *cough* before giving the sheet of paper to Sugar. A slight twinge went through rips as I gifted it away.
"This..." Her voice spoke quiverful while her hoofs that held the piece of parchment shivered. 'If you eat it, I'll get it back...' Her lip shook while her body shuddered, eyes started to water slightly as the fear of a destroyed drawing was growing sullenly. "This the best present I have ever gotten!" She exclaimed joyfully as she put the picture down carefully.
'Seriously, just how expensive is a fucking drawing for her to make such a big deal?' I wondered with confusion and hidden irritation as all the emotions were starting to-SUFFOCATE ME!
My ribs were threatened to break as the changeling attempted to squeeze every last drop of Aether out of my corpse. I was now confident that she did not see me as a juice package but a tube of toothpaste! Help me, she is killing me with kindness!
"Aww, I knew you two would get along just fine!" No, please, just kill me!
"Hello, miss Gentle Touch!" Sugar exclaimed. Please help me, I'm choking on affection.
"Oh, my oh my, what has stirred you up so much, Sugar?" Gentle Asked, utterly oblivious to my suffering. "A drawing?" She asked as she grasped the paper with her magic and looked at it. Her face twisted from confusion, to surprise and then joy. "I didn't know you could draw so well and in such a charming angle as well." What the fuck is that supposed to mean?! Release me!
"I... need... air..." I forced out, I had a higher strength stat, at least I thought so, but the way she held me disallowed me from escaping without killing her in a single hit, well, or causing severe burning.
"I'm sorry!" Sugar blurted out, noticing my slightly blue face that mirrored in her wide-open eyes and released me from her death grip, or well, freeing herself from a limited trial of life. There ain't no way I'd die like that.
"You are much stronger than you look." I choked out, I did not like being touched, but I liked physical retaliation even less, besides I had no interest, making a foal cry, that made them only more annoying. Sadly, my moment of peace was shortlived, before a strong hoof wrapped itself around my right side. I was forcefully pushed against Sugar and Gentle, as the mare held us in a hug.
"You two are so sweet, you would make such a cute pair!" Sugar explained joyfully, although her hug was less painful, it singed emotionally as I felt my souls die of shame, it was lucky that those buffoons were still fucking eyeing the tulips, what are they, pigeons?
If it interests you, one year for the earth horse is about six and a half-human years. taking into account that ponies grow up slightly slower and that a pony usually lives up to forty years, your would-be about ten years old in human years, and given the era you are, it is most likely you could be considered an 'adult' with fourteen years of age.
'That is nice and all to know when I have to pay taxes and all that shit, but there ain't no way I'll be interested into a fucking horse!' I thought angry, grumbling silently at the quiet chirping coming from Sugar.
Although I have no exact data on the race of changelings, her growth is much faster than that of a pony, she is in some parts of her body if pheromones are to be believed, at the beginning of puberty. However, she is still far away from sexual maturity.
'I ain't fucking a horse!' I screamed in my mind, letting my anger seeth into my bones and making Sugar stop her nonsense when she tasted the bitter taste of Aether, mixed with my visible discomfort. I have no idea how that shit works, but it does work.
I let out a quiet sigh, daring to let too much attention be caught by my inner hatred for what most considered 'healthy social interactions.' My eyes swayed from the night sky, a simple window on the other side of the living room, so far away and out of reach, but now it felt like that this eternity doubled. The atmosphere was not as bad, the room was brightly lit, perhaps even baiting all nocturnal critters to our very location. The smell of baked goods, apple pie, cherry jam, and black tea in the room, a warm sensation in my stomach threatened to lull me into sleep. The far off conversation actually loud, booming, but less annoying than I initially thought, was just a few feet away.
"Hmm..."
My cheeks twitched slightly, I hated this sound. Significant imperfections, destruction and errors I would sometimes enjoy and perfection in a job well done I could not only appreciate, but even adore, but tiny mistakes, so quickly done, a foolproof task to find, fail and then have the audacity to attempt to not have noticed it, was what made my blood boil. The ever so slight taps, the miniature air vibrations that traveled through the air and stroked your eardrums ever so slightly, my perfect silence, ruined.
"Aha." The voice oppose to me exclaimed, childish, but definitively more bearable than most of her age, Sugar ignited her horn and enveloped a little brick with her magic. Jenga. Despite many people who saw nothing in me other than a waste of skin, I was not as dumb as others believed, I liked mind games, and the people at bars would give a drink to wash away the sorrow whether you won or lose. I did feel a bit sad for those poor fellas to just give strangers stuff, but then again, no one was perfect, but we did not need to be.
I was hot-headed, unforgiving, accepting, and bitter, but those people where those who would be shunned after having just waved their arm in the false direction while standing on their high ladder. I liked my little life, it was bleak, it was nothing special, but I was 'happy' in my own way.
"It's your turn." Sugar said, smiling widely while portrait I drew hung safely on the fridge for safekeeping. She was touchy, obnoxious, and annoying, but she was good company, compared to most foals who could not appreciate the simplicity in doing one thing without breaks.
Are you sure you do not wish for my assistance. The game offered, his tendrils wrapped themselves around my torso. I shivered slightly upon touch, it was just one of the Game's little pleasures to try and accept his help with everything. I appreciate the help, but I do not always want to held by the hand, or rather, be instantly knocked out instead of falling asleep.
I stared up at the tower, it was a surprise how many pieces already left the great construct, the little filly apparently just knew how to handle this kind of structure despite never having played it. I was about to grasp a piece already tilting to the side, having nearly dislodged itself and was only weight down by a feeble placement. It would be so easy to just pull it out without resistance.
"Is something wrong with your eyes, Star." The Filly asked with concern, staring at me with her head tilted to the side, eyeing me with merely one eyeball. I felt a slight shock when I said ball, why?
"And that's why?" I asked, my annoyance barely hidden; luckily for Sugar, it appeared as if I was just displeased with the interruption, instead of the insult.
"I mean, when you try to look at something really close or just concentrate, you look at it with both eyes. Why? Wouldn't it be easier watching with just one side?" Sugar asked, her head tilting several times, switching between the eyes.
Horses have a better vision when looking sideways, looking straight will only cause a worse picture displayed in their brains. What you are doing is following your carnivore instincts to look straight with both eyes. I am, however, able to shift the image you receive and adding better eyesight due to the modifications. You are actually in no need to close one eye for better perception as I could zoom on an object or make a mental picture.
'Why did you not tell me this earlier.'
Becuase it would've led you down a rabbit hole' until you asked about the topic of eyeballs.
'What is so special about Horse eyeballs?'
Ponies don't exactly have eyeballs, they use the larger pupils to visualize their magic for better performance. Due to size and the fact that they would not be able to fit in the skull otherwise, they are, eye-plates
...
'Forget that I asked and never remind me again, thank you very much and please don't let me dream for the next week.' I thought rapidly, a smile of joy pushed away all worry as I gave Sugar a slight shrug, pulled out my pice from the tower, and continued our game while ignoring my horrific biology.
"I'm so happy Sugar was able to find a friend." A unicorns mare said with a kind smile, a teacup floated within her white aura. The pony was Fluffy Coat. Her fur was that of pristine, snowflake white, fluffy while a bush of fur that usually only pegasi possed rested on her chest. Her mane was streaked with three colors, white, grey, and light grey, interchanging, nearly forming a weave. Her eyes of pearly blue and a cutie mark a snowflake.
Gentle smiled, her eyes sparkled in the bright room while her stature could not be otherwise described as calm. "That I can only agree upon." Gentle's cup levitated to her lips, the liquid inside had gone lukewarm not long ago, yet her mouth took no pause as the wish for the continuation of the seemingly everlasting smalltalk never died. "Oh my, I just talked like Celestia." She froze for a moment, before letting out whispering to herself. "Yes, I said her name without naming her title."
"Do tell, what is it like to be raising Equestria's prince?" Fluffy said, letting her teacup in which a few more droplets of the dark liquid resided rest on the table as she shifted on the couch, her right sight facing her anxiously, awaiting the answer any mare dreamed of, to ascend into royalty.
"It's weird, but the good kind." Gentle spoke with uncertainty as she put down her own cup, her lips felt slightly heavy, discussing this topic usually was a rare thing when her listener was not Celestia herself. "One thing I can say that everything is planned; it's nice to no longer having to worry about bits. I can be a bit 'tight' given that so many expect you to raise the perfect little colt and not spoil him too much. Well, I don't think you can even spoil him." Gentle admitted. I came from a crappy apartment and tube grub, ain't no way I'm gonna complain.
"I'm not a prince!" I barked from the other side of the room, my form quickly sank in slightly after having released that sudden burst and feeling fatigue seep in again, mental tiredness.
"Yes, he does not like being called 'prince.' I don't think he really likes the titles or being treated differently." Gentle said slowly, laboriously, and visibly tried to not sound dry.
"Hm, that is weird, most colts would give everything for that kind of chance," Fluffy said with surprise as she eyes me, I did not like the feeling of eyes on me. "Perhaps he just does not like the responsibility." Yes, because I don't give a shit about you all! "I'm sorry if I'm asking too much, but I'd like to ask two more things before we have to take our leave."
"Oh, don't push yourself, I'm not a fortune teller charging bits per question," Gentle said slyly, chuckling at her own sentence, Fluffy joined in with a giggle of her own.
"How is it to be with Celestia?" Fluffy asked.
"Huh!?" Gentle twitched sharply, her eye snapped wide open while trying to word every letter of Fluffy's sentence in her brain again. "Well, she is a nice mare and surprisingly enjoys the simpler things in life. She actually is not very interested in the fancy life."
"Really, is there nothing more?" Fluffy asked as she leaned closer, making Gentle inch away slightly in discomfort. "The maid's always gossip about everything that goes on in Canterlot, and they say that you and Celestia are..." Fluffy started, her eyes rolled a bit as she fondled with her hoof. "... a pair."
"I-I-mean, Celestia, and I do spend some time together, but it all is just for Star, n-nothing more." Gentle stammers as her face slowly turned red, she turned her eyes and face while sweat ran down her face. Gentle's eye slowly met with Fluffy's as she kept her gaze on the pressured mare, still awaiting more juicy details. "Oh look at the time, we wouldn't want you to trip in the dark, w-would we?"
"Oh, you're right," Fluffy answered as her head shortly turned to the clock. "I'm sorry for being so insistent, but you've been the main chatter theme going around the castle for years, and I just could not resist. No hard feelings, okay?" Fluffy asked with an apologetic look. I call bullshit on that.
"Sure, forgiven, and forgotten," Gentle said genuinely with a twitching smile, only proving my lost faith in the personal security and dignity of ponies. Gentle stood up and trotted to the door, opening it with her magic and awaited the guest to take their leave.
"Come, Sugar. It's time to go home." Fluffy said with a smile
"But M-o-o-o-m, we aren't done yet." Sugar whined as she pointed at the tower in front of her with both of her hooves only to be scared by a sudden crash. Her eyes turned to me, a sheepish grin on my face and a brick floating in my aura. "Yaaay!" She cried out before hopping towards her mother.
"Don't forget the drawing." Gentle urged softly as she titled her head in the direction of the fridge.
'On whose side are you on!?' I screamed silently, the warm tentacles of the Game patted me on the back and soothed my anger only slightly.
"Oh, right." Sugar said, before running to the kitchen.
"You wanted to ask another thing?" Gentle asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh." Fluffy blurted out in surprise. "I wanted to know if you were okay with the idea of Star and Sugar possibly meet up regularly. You know, like playdates." Fluffy asked sheepishly, rubbing her right forehoof with the left one.
Mom sharply blinked twice in surprise. "Oh, I'm sure Star has nothing against that great idea, right Star?" Gentle answered and asked with a smile, joyful as she seemingly beamed at me.
I slowly nodded, making the crazy duo celebrate slightly at the small victory of forcing me to socially interact with those 'my age.' In truth, my screaming turned to a wild sobbing inside of me as the patting of the Game intensified.
"Got it." Sugar shouted as she held the portrait in her magic, hopping up and down.
"Say goodbye to Star." Fluffy urged as she slowly walked out of the door.
"Bye-bye Star. I can't wait for the next time!" Sugar said kindly as she titled her head, closing both of her eyes as she waved her hoof. I shakingly lifted my hoof and waved back, but froze when she licked her lips. I could not respond in time before she was already gone and out of the door. I shivered as I felt the imaginary filth coat me, and phantom pain took the better out of me as I perceived two stings in my neck.
She's creepy.
'That's what I've been saying!'
Author's Note
The stand-up comedy show that Star showed Discord was taken from a video called 'Randy buys a bookshelf off Gumtree.' Give it a try, it's worth your time.
View Online
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter two: In Which A Door Connects Ponies...
'Ya know...' Discord started as his pleasant voice rang through my head, while his semi-transparent form floated next to me and rubbed his chin. His question broke off as he let out a humming.
'Yes?' I asked with a decent interest, filled with both mild annoyance and concern. I stood casually at my room's window, my gaze fixated onto the streets below. Every time I stared at this sight, it made me wonder. Could they really be considered to be just humans with a different skin-suit? Would they one day end up just like Earth? Could I really consider me part of this society, when I could give more shits about combing my hair right than the fate of this world? 'Dumb Fluffy whatever her name was, making me think...' I grumbled silently, ever since this weird-ass mare mentioned all of this prince-y stuff a week ago I have been thinking non-stop. Was it a promotion from a job listed below dirt to the top of the world, or just a new, golden, leash?
'You are probably the weirdest creature I have ever seen, well, of course, next to me needless to say.' Discord said as his form flew in front of my vision, only partially blocking as he released his previously crossed arms and pulled out an equally visible crown before putting it on my head. It was made out of stone, yet one half was covered in gold and gems, the other with an amalgamation of colors.
I slowly rose my eyebrows, I could practically feel the absurdity planted onto my scalp, and it was itching.
'on one hand a blessed colt, yet as uncanny as he can be.' His words echoed through the room as he leaned back, floating on back now while keeping eye contact. 'Perfect in form and power, yet uncaring and bothered as he may be. His actions change the world, sending ripples through the weaves of fate, yet staying unmoved. An idol of order and harmony, yet a beacon of chaos and disorder, but in the core neither both or any. A traitor to the nation, or the countries future hope, mayhaps just bystander after all? Who knows, I certainly don't.' He mused as he slowly landed on the ground before a tremble rushed down his form, body quivering and silhouette shivering. He turned his head away with closed eyes and perked lips, his limbs furiously rubbed against his body. 'This is so exciting, I think you could even top my short-lived reign with you merely existing.'
To quote my personal opinion on the topic of 'fate' and 'destiny,' as well as to voice your current thoughts: It's bullshit. The Game spoke with salt pouring from his tone and anger radiating by his mere presence. My eye blinked audibly, in both surprise and shock.
'You... really earn the title of the weirdest person on this world, but you're just as interesting, even with that really cringy rhyme.' I spoke in my mind with a blank expression, a pit grew in my stomach, not dread or gluttony, just an unusual sensation that made my fur stand upright.
'Well thank you good chap.' Discord said as he suddenly wore an old English cloak with a bowler hat, a glued-on mustache, and a smoking pipe from which bubbles were expelled. ' I also like the little flower trick you pulled, perhaps not as creative as my previous work, but surprisingly created a lot of chaos. Oh well, I can only ponder of our future pranks. Oh! It seems like your 'Mommy' is coming up to get you, we'll talk later. Oh, and brace yourself.' With his words spoken, he vanished in a flash of light.
*Title [Chaos Discple] has been unequiped.*
'Yeah, I too can just wonder what the future will bring.' I thought dryly, grazing the windows view one last look before turning around, it was really odd how naturally I can switch between quadruple and bipedal walking. For a matter of fact, I could nearly walk on two hooves with this body, I just don't because of how oppose this world is to abnormalities, smart racists, it's better in the end... I shook my head and lifted my hoof towards the doorknob, I had no wish to waste this gift on this easy task.
...
'Wait a fucking moment, how the hell does that bastard know how the English-'
Critical Hit: 387!
"Sorry, sorry, sorry, oh my little Star, I'm so sorry!" Princess Celestia apologized again, and again as her form loomed over me, her hooves twitched as if she wished to touch me but abstained, perhaps fearing to make the situation worse. Her look was one of pain and panic, eyes watered slightly as her mouth's arches twitched.
"Ithsss-" A loud crack rang through the nursery as two large plates of my skull shifted and ground against another, my scalp deforming, lifting and sinking, before finally coming back together. "Ochai!" I sputtered quickly, sending a tooth flying and skitter across the ground with a high whistle.
"This... shouldn't be possible, by all means, he should be dead..." A colleague of Gentle, the fuck I know her name, stared at me with eyes so large I wondered how they would not just plop out... Ah, right, plates... Her face was pale, how was that possible with all that fur? She swallowed hard after that short statement, probably to keep the bile down in her body as she stared at me.
My head slowly turned to the right, an infuriatingly sharp grinding rang through my head as I felt several vertebrae rub against one another, the capsule liquid had burst. The nurse was real fucking right, I already looked like I was hit by two car crashes at once. My muzzle was shattered and deformed, half of it hang loosely while many teeth were lost, one of my eyes was crushed by bone plates that shifted. A web of cracks ran across my entire skull, I was sure one or two pieces scratched my brain. My horn was in surprisingly good condition, the tip now resembled more of a meat mallet with wooden shards sticking to the bone. Blood that previously tricked down my head had dried up and stained my coat, I looked like a zombie with a missing face.
"Can't we use analgesics or anything?" Gentle asked meekly, she sat far away from me on a chair, two guards flanking her as she played with her hoofs. It seems like Celestia wanted to surprise me with something, but it ended poorly... Anyways, after Celestia shattered the door with my head, she teleported us right here, and Gentle had to be held down unless she wished to possibly make the situation worse.
"That is a horrible idea." The nurse said as she took her eyes, not off me, an array of bottles and pills, as well as a neat looking collection of crystals, was at her side, awaiting any decrease in my health. "We don't know how he'll react, and we can't risk him having an allergic reaction. If he falls asleep now, it's unlikely he wakes up again." Gentle sank into her chair. Her colleague swallowed hard again, before a sour look crossed her face, she likely tasted bile.
Could you please hold your head upright, I need to fix your spine. The Game asked softly as I felt an incredibly heat rush through my form, I felt no pain, no horror, it just happened. My perks of the Game seemingly only worked in critical situations, instead of always. Yay, I'm a little bit less dead inside, woo-hoo...
I slowly lifted my head, a pressure build-up in my neck, neither pleasant or irksome, but it indeed was an experience I was unsure if I ever wanted to sense again. A horrendous crack rank through the room as I tilted my head back all of a sudden, the pressure I previously fought against left. The strain was not the only thing that left, all sensation was lost for just a moment.
"Careful, Star!" Celestia cried as she supported me with her hooves, gold shoes were taken off or lost on the way here, I knew not. I lost all sensation down my neck; something sharp was torn from my back, and shortly after, I felt the discomfort of my hooves as they were all bent in titled angles.
"I-mhkay," I mumbled as I forced my hoofs down again. I slowly opened my left eye; in the right corner of my vision, I could see the plate's color shift from a ghastly yellow, to a milky white tone, before returning to its original state. "I jhusct feel... w-o-o-z-z-z-y." I chuckled quietly, a 'unique' sensation ran through me, without adrenalin making up like eighty percent of my blood, I could actually focus on the weird feeling of having a broken body without any pain, all the while feeling each blood cells in full motion repairing my flesh and bones.
"Wozy?" Celestia asked with surprise, uncharacteristic of her otherwise calm and collective demeanor. "No pain, twitching, cold?"
"Hmmm..." A gurgling echoed in my throat as I lifted my muzzle into position, making everyone present cringe upon seeing the mess I held up. It was actually quite refreshing to feel alive again. "Nope." I briefly stated, my head turning to the right, but instead of wobbling uncontrollably, it stayed in place. I shifted uncomfortably as I sensed my teeth growing back, all at once, forcefully prying my jaw downwards, before setting my jaw into place with a painful pop.
"As if it never happened..." Gentle mumbled faintly as she stared at me, my eyes shifted to the mirror. The last few centimeters of my horn slowly grew back, like a crystal, millimeter by millimeter.
"I wish my door could do the repair itself like that as well," I spoke loudly with a thoughtful expression. I was well aware that I just went through a most traumatic event, but I honestly did not have the mental energy to spare to make an effort to appear in any way as 'disturbed.' I was already accustomed to it, it didn't shock me, not even unnerved, only a giddily sensation resided in my lungs as I watched my health climb up after a steep fall. This feeling was what really defined living and it was so much more fulfilling than anything else.
"I..." The nurse spoke slowly, composing herself after my comment. "I do believe the Princess will grant you a new door, your highness." I know someone who won't get a Christmas bonus if they continue to call me like that. She turned her head towards Celestia with a concerned expression. "I, I really do not know how to proceed, other than to keep a stern eye on him and observe any strange behavior to see if his brain did receive any damage." Really? Oh right, medieval medicine... Keep them leeches away, I already have one.
"I will try to take your advice, Doctor Horsenround." Princess Celestia said meekly as she slowly gazed down onto my form, her muscles twitched. I sighed and lifted my hooves. Mommy weakly smiled and took me up and into a hug, much weaker than usual.
"Good, while you keep an eye on him, I'll try to find a bone density measurer and a few other tools for the upcoming check-up," Horsenround spoke as she walked away with high pace, only to suddenly halt. "Also, your highness, you need to remember that normal doors are not enchanted. This was hopefully a wake-up call for you."
"Yes... I attempt to do so." The golden princess mumbled into my ear, while my eyes were focused on Gentle, she had a sorrowful look as she occasionally would cross gazes. It was uncomfortable and painful to watch, it also made it so much clearer how instant the great swan was on me being mostly her's alone.
Have you ever heard the saying a mother's love knows no bounds? Well, apparently, it didn't know the meaning of personal space either. The soft, short, and perfect warm fur pressed against mine from left and right as I sat between the legs of the sun given form. Her legs cramped me tightly, not painfully, but if I wished to escape, it would take great wiggling. My back pressed against her belly; she appeared to be incredibly thin from afar, but in truth, there was a healthy amount of fat, and most importantly, she was fucking buff! It was like leaning against a soft mattress that was positioned on a steel plate.
I have returned and was able to reconstruct your brain, it appears as if a particularly long shard managed to drill itself through the outer layer of your brain, affecting your senses, but I managed to reimplant any lost memory by using the backup stored in me. The Game spoke informatively. Weird, I don't feel any different at all, just bit flowery.
'If you can just repair me that easily, can I even die?' I wondered as my head titled from left to right, my vision was hazy as I picked up an unusual smell. It was not the scent that played with my brain, but something inside. It made me feel like home, warmth, comfort, and familiar emotions. I believe the term was... pheromones?
You guess is Correct. We can still die, although mortal injuries that would spell doom for a pony are little threat to us because of your high regenerative capabilities, if this body trespasses a certain level of damage, in other words, reaches 0 health points, we will die, however as long as you still have one health point and are not inflicted with any debuff, you will survive. If it wonders you, Entities Princess Celestia and Gentle Touch are both radiating great amounts of regret. Although, I believe you are aware of that given that you have seen Princess Celestia opening the gates to the location: Throne room, with twenty percent of the usual speed. The Game spoke, to which I nodded slowly. Nothing I knew not, but I liked to talk with someone who was neither licking my hooves or happy to the point I suspect he ingested at least twenty-eight different drugs.
The long room stretched far and wide, at the end was a large double door, two guards stationed for the opening duty, armed with long spears. From there on, ever three meters, another guard was standing along the carpet on both sides, staying five meters away from the red cloth. Their strapped on armor gleamed in the sunlight like their weapons. The room itself was marvelous in its simplicity, it shared the same look of gold and marble, lastly were the windows. Many of them bore ponies in various states and poses. I recognized only a few, but most of them were heroes or other prominent figures of history: Researchers, wizards, warriors, but those that featured the princess stood even more out. Deeds of great were displayed, a few also bore an alicorn of dark blue. Luna.
She stepped over Celly's little line...
A whisper coursed through my skull as I recalled a memory, Discords voice. My eyes darted to a unique panel, it displayed Discord in a pose as malicious as he could be, but perhaps there was more? He seemed like a trickster, webs, and lies, as he played with the mortal folk like marionettes. In my eyes, it was not as evil, but I knew not the full story that led to his nearly thousand-year-long imprisonment. He played with the fates of ponies like with puppies, but in the end, that was what the government did more subtly.
My eyes drifted forward, an old Stallion wearing a fancy suit, a toupee graced his head alongside a monocular. I paid his words no attention as he held a long speech, I could feel Celestia bob her head, yet I knew she cared for his words only for the common courtesy. How? I was on both sides of this exact situation, so many false hopes.
Gentle Touch. My mother leaned her head to the side, resting her head on her hoof. Her eyes were closed as her chest rose and sank to the rhythm of her breathing. Gentle fell asleep long ago, her stress would not leave her, and no means of showing her my perfect health was enough for her to calm down, so Celestia took the courtesy to cast a sleeping spell on her. Of course, she had the blessing of Gentle; she would not just knock out ponies because they annoyed her. Otherwise, the Stallion in front of me would become the star of pony Rapunzel.
Celestia shifted, and a new waved of pheromones was released in the air, my space polluted again as I sank into the soft, yet firm flesh. The Stallion forced his eyes onto Celestia's, not daring to mention the infant that used their goddess as a pillow.
I let out a deep sigh as I left my thought drift, leaving behind my immortal body and mortal worries. This smell woke memories from so long ago, four years I was already stuck here. This world was so different from home, even back then, everything was so pure and childish, it almost made me sick and angry to think how fucked up my old home was compared to this diabetes version of garden Eden. Still, even if it was a craphole, it was one I understood. Sure, childhood was fine and so, can't really complain, it was just plain child stuff but compared everything seemed so mundane. In a good way. Sigh. I still believe that one day I'll just wake up in an asylum, talking to a bunch of toys after the latest drug injected into my lab rat of a body wore off.
"I see, I will inform you of my judgment, Mr. Moneybag. Until then, I wish you a pleasant time." Celestia answered shortly with a nod. The Stallion bowed quickly, not adding anything to her statement, before leaving the room at a slow speed. "Are you sure you're fine, Star?" Celestia spoke with concern as she looked downwards, showing off her dexterous neck. "No pain, no ill feelings? Are perhaps displeased with something? Me, perhaps?"
'Drama Queen!' I thought with a mental roll of my eyes, a dozen 'I'm okay!' were apparently not enough to, I don't know, state that I was not a complete shipwreck!
She nearly killed you, a mortal pony, blessings or not, would've died. She is clearly used to this situation and has no previous experiences to fall back to. She is worried because this may be the first time in many years that she has to be concerned about hurting someone's feelings.
"Mommy, I told you already, I'm fine, and I'm not angry," I spoke firmly with the Game's unpleasant supportive atmosphere in my neck as I attempted to utter these words, not with enough bitterness to make the gold rust. I know that gold doesn't rust Game, I fucking know!
"Are you sure?"
I let out a sigh, swallowing my annoyance, before answering with faked somberness. "Well, my neck is a bit sore, and I'm thirsty, but I'm not angry at you. You did not mean to, and I'm still alive." I spoke while spreading my forehooves before crossing them. I could no longer swallow my true emotions as my careless attitude seeped into words meant to be kind, which in turn soothed worry and stirred regret, likely making the goddess more insisting on reimbursing me for her mistake.
"I see... If there is anything eating you, please just tell me. What you experienced was nothing a colt your age should ever have to go through. I just-" I narrowed my eyes at her, this regret was making my stomach turn. "I see, you're really are just too good-hearted." You have no idea...
A moment of a wait later and a glass bottle filled with fruit-infused sugar water was in my hooves, a cute little straw made out of wheat was a neat little add-on. Everything in this world that contained was incredibly sweet, I tried to eat a cupcake once, and I thought I die because of the sugar content, I'm not talking double chocolate cake, more like a cup of tea with twelve spoons of sugar. And that was still considered to be a 'Healthy alternative.'
This world not only contains a much larger quantity of sugar, but also iron inside of living creatures as well, while salt is much rarer. The Game added, ruining my hopes of eating pretzel sticks.
Large quantities of salt also induce an intoxicating state with painful side effects. Although you are able to consume much higher amounts, this body can only handle so much, and ponies will begin to wonder if you are not a professional drug consumer. Just-just why is this world so fucked up and down?
I closed my eyes while slurping the sweet liquid. Celestia and Gentle are really odd ponies, and seemingly the opposite of another, how fate came up with this joke that they raised this wonderchild is beyond me, but at least they are somewhat decent parents, not as good as ma, but still, this place had its advantages. I was a prince now, meaning I would never have to pay taxes, never have to work, and am set for the rest of my life. Cons are that I was now a prince with a fuck ton of ponies expecting me to guide them along with Celestia to a better tomorrow. That really was not my calling, and I'll probably just ditch the shit and hang my crown on the hook... I just hope that's how it works and that I get to keep my head.
That is not an advisable route.
'Yea yea, probably right, but come on. Me, a prince?' I thought with sadness as I put the staw out of my mouth. I was just a courier, not a manager, or that shit. I am no leader, and I have not interested in pulling those fools down the political clusterfuck I'll create.
John Weaver was a courier, Star Touch can be whatever he wants to be. You are still a child in this world and will learn the string in no time. You have not to succeed; just do your best, and somehow you'll win in this world. You are not alone in mind with me, and your body has enough companionship. Yeah right. A pony kingdom for a human. And that matters how? You are still human, just because you live with ponies, act like them, and befriend does not make you less. You lost your human body, you already separated from society, took no part in enjoying companionship, yet despite furthering the gap between your race and you, still, did you consider yourself human. Race matters not; you are sentient, even when you once were human and now are stuck as a pony. I am a conscious Aether construct that lives inside you, and the ponies have us in their world. It just does not matter, just enjoy yourself between the hard battles against the nightmares.
My mouth hung agape for a moment, eyes focused on the door as I felt a cold wind rush through my teeth. With a click, I shut my mouth like a mechanism and remained silent in my mind. Did it really matter? Was I now more pony than I was human, or was this all just senseless denial? I pushed the question not further as I contained to empty my bottle, ignoring the waves of petitioners for a long time.
"Star?" Yes? "The court will close in a few moments, I wished to know if you had any plans for the day or if you felt tired?" Celestia spoke as she leaned to the side so that I had not to stare upwards.
"Nope, Mom planned nothing for the day, Sugar is doing something with her family, and I'm pretty awake," I answered as I started to levitate the bottle towards the side of the throne. It was bizarre how I could be swearing like a drunk Scott, yet talk so innocently, I hope this persona won't replace me one day. The bottle was quickly snatched out of my magic grasp.
"I see, but could you please refrain yourself from using magic, at least for a day? I feel not comfortable knowing that you could possibly hurt yourself after the injury." Celestia hushed with a worried tone as stared deep into my eyes, damn I knew everything was bigger on her, but those plates gotta be like the size of my head.
"Okay, I'll try to be careful, Mommy ," I answered shortly with a tilted tone at the end.
"Oh, already entering your rebellious phase? Oh, I hope I can get my part right. Ehem. Quiet that behavior, as long as life in my country you live by my rules." Celestia mocked vividly as she held on of her hooves to her chest.
I let out a snort, then started to snicker. Celestia joined in with a restrained chuckling. I knew not what took over me, but I began to laugh loudly, bordering a roaring while tears started to build up in my eyes. My throat began to hurt after just a few moments. Oh god, what is happening to me!? This humor was horrible, end my suffering!
"Announcing Lady Silver Soul." A Guard yelled as the high gates opened ever so slowly, just to add a dramatic effect as a mare walked in. Her silver coat gleamed in the light while her grey mane waved through the non-existing wind. Her dress was simple, yet the silver and iron threats were woven into her dress, alongside pale gems that fitted her coat. A long rock that hugged her rump did not stand in her way as she trotted forwards.
'Oh... It's you.' I thought darkly. As I forced my gaze away from Mommy and onto the new commerce. One of Gentle's friends, a nice old lady, once came over and mentioned this name many times in anger. She was responsible for nearly killing me. I narrowed my eyes down to slits as I glared at her, bearing my teeth like an animal, and I regret it not. Screw acting cute, I'll trow you into a horde of nightmares and watch them eat you alive... The Game did not like my idea of Nightmares killing her, but had no problem with me murdering her ass, huh, weird.
Silver Souls stopped in her track, a hint of confusion on her seemingly superior look. "You seem to be angry at me for a certain reason? Should I know how I angered you, your highness?" She spoke without breaking eye contact, not twitching once as she wore her perfect little mask.
'I'll grab you when no one is looking and throw you into the goblin dungeon...' I thought darkly. I froze when I felt a strong hoof on my back, pulling me back slightly.
"I can sense your anger, and it is justified, but please do not get yourself into trouble," Celestia whispered to me, her words fueled my anger only more, but I abstained from pushing the mater further and leaned back. I still gave her a nasty look. "Greetings, miss Silver Soul, may I know whats your purpose in my court today?"
Silver Souls took her gaze off from me and pulled out a scroll inside of an iron tube before levitating it towards Celestia, who took it. "As your highness may already know, the mining operations on mount Chunk have only yielded little minerals and metals. I came to request financial aid to be able to start a new mining operation on the Hummock west to Trottingham."
"I see," Celestia answered shortly as her eyes flew over the contract. "I have noticed a surprisingly low amount of bits that you paid your taxes with. I will have to look into your documents and history of projects to see how the expenses compare to the gains. Once that is done, I can see if or how many bits the treasury can spend on you." She spoke vaguely, no politician would flat out call someones bullshit out, or they might start a war.
'Game, find an error.' I commanded as I stared at the paper, adding my own experience in the mix. I hated this thing in front of me, she had not even a hunch of an idea, even less care for the victims of her laws. At least I don't go around fucking other peoples' lives up.
I found something. The company that is to receive the funding is called the "Silver Soul Minning and Excavation corporation" while the organization that will pay the funding, as well as the taxes for the resources mined, is called the "Silver Soul Minning and Excavation corporation." the dot is only a sixteenth of the other letters' size. It's likely she transfered bits and resources to another account, while no one was loking. The Game stated, just second did it take for a three page long contract with letters the size of ant crap.
'Excelent.' I thought darkly.
"I do not see any error in the contract, I will see what can be done, but I belive-" Celestia started with a smile as she rolled the document into a roll before I cut her off.
"Mommy?" I asked innocently, stretching out each letter, gaining the attention of both ponies, while Celestia was not pleased with my interruption. "Why does one name have a dot and the other not?" Well enough, I could read and write a few months after I could talk, at least they thought so, so this was not out of the order.
"Hmmm?" Celestia asked with surprise as she rolled out the paper again, before pulling a pair of goggles from a compartment from the previously useless armrest. Mommy looked like a grandmother as she took a good look at the company name. "Hmmm, there really does seem to be an error. I'm sure it was entirely unintentionally, but I will take the liberty to check on your previous contracts just in case." Her voice was on edge, a titled tone if you wished as she said with suspicion and well-hidden anger.
"There is no need for that, it was just an error. I will have to fire the new scribe at my company, sad, he seemed to be naturally talented taken given how new he was in his career." Silver Soul treasures with concern and surprise.
"I believe so as well, but I think I can allow myself to take this liberty, my eyes do seem to have become a tad weak," Celestia answered firmly as she rolled the document and put it back into the container, before letting it drop to the floor without care. "That will be all for today, miss Silver Soul. I wish you a pleasant day." The mare did not make eye contact as she retracted the scroll container.
Silver Soul responded with a light bow, yet her clenching jaw could faintly be seen. She jerked forcefully when she saw my stretched out tongue, she did not react but gave me a glare before taking her leave. I did not stop until the door close behind her.
I yelped loudly when I felt a secure grip around pulled me not only up, but also around, forcing my eyes at those of Celestia, yet her little smile lifted my worries. "You are one devious colt." She tried to sound insulting, yet the pride could not be hidden as she praised me, and I could not help but grin at her words. "I'm sure one day you'll make a great prince, but enough of politics for the day, I believe now you truly earned yourself a bit of enjoyment."
"Really? What do you have in mind?"
"It's a surprise."
She was either not good at surprises or knew not the term because shopping was not really a surprise anymore the moment you entered a stall or shop. Of course, what establishment you visit was kind of a secret, but we were going to buy something given that we were currently walking through a densely populated shopping street with expensive shop after another.
"Are you sure that you are alright?" Celestia asked for like the twelfth- huh? What, ahh! Sorry, it's the eleventh time I was just informed by the Game. "It looked excruciating... If you find yourself in pain or fatigue, please inform me immediately."
"Mommy, I told you so already: I'm fine. I did not feel pain at all, it was just a bit woozy, and I am as energetic as a sack of sugar." I said dismissively as I turned my head towards her as she walked next to me.
"I know, but It's my responsibility to worry." Celestia defended her point again, she suddenly put on a smile and waved at a pair of wealthy-looking ponies. Their garnets covered with jewels and gold. The duo waved back, and both parties returned back to normal once they were past another.
'She really needs to take a chill pill, or for a matter of fact, a whole barrel.' I thought grumpily as I rolled my eyes. One store after another ran past. Jewelry, clothing, food, and much more were ignored as we continued our path, making me wonder if she wanted me to choose a location.
The ocean of ponies parted and made way for both of us, a significantly easier task without a patrol following us, or having to push the goliath that was Celestia through the hordes. The ponies bowed, wished us good days to come and complicated that probably were enough to wash away any bad mood a pony could've collected in a decade, this did not count for me because if I heard just another time adorable I looked, I might start to collect ivory.
"You know Star, there is something eaten me," Celestia spoke, her choice of words was perhaps as old as her last stroll outside of the castle that was neither today or a meeting with a politician, as a few ponies stared at her vividly, attempting to find the one attempting to devour their goddess. "You always seem to be... in control." Oh crap, oh shit, of fuck. "Not just today, it's like you are unaffected by emotions. You aren't scared of the dark, you fear no heights, you don't feel pain or are bothered by syringes. Do you feel any negative emotions or senses at all?"
"It's... complicated," I spoke nonchalantly, even if my voice sounded unsure. I slowed my steps down slowly, her speed matched me quickly as I closed the distance. "I know when to feel pain, but I don't feel it. I don't fear the dark because there is nothing to fear, and syringes are just that. I can be angry, but I'm barely ever feeling anything negative. I am just not bothered by the small stuff, and feel nothing at the big, like today." I stared at her the whole time, I did not blink, twitch, quiver, or move a single muscle as I dedicated my entire, unchanging attention towards her.
Celestia stared at me dead in the eyes, only after a few moments after which I did not react, did her mouth's arches arc up shortly, but great at the same time, it was unlike the behavior of a princess, more like a treasure hunter who found his buried chest of gold. The Game informed me that the amount of affection towards me was even more significant than last time. What is this riddle? A shit ton of blessing plus expelling joy and being never negative: Does she want to turn me into a freaking battery?
"That-that's incredible!" Celestia cheered loudly, gaining the attention of all those in the entire street who stared at her with bewilderment. "Oh, I apologize, I didn't mean to be so noisy." The ponies did not question her explanation and moved again as if someone pressed pause and then continued to watch a documentary about waves. Her head leaned closer towards me and said with cheeks bloated with air and a voice that equaled the annoyance of preschool television series. "You become more special by the year, my precious colt."
"I know," I answered unmoved, before suddenly turning towards her with the broadest smile I could muster, she must've been able to see her own reflection in my perfectly pristine teeth. Celestia's full-blown joy slowly chimed down into a kind smile, and we continued to walk to our destination. I kept my head by and my steps large, nearly swinging them forward while a fluffy, tickling sensation enveloped my heart from both outside and inside, a hint of real joy, not like always, prosperously faked happiness, as well a taste of cake laid on my tongue, but I knew not why.
I lifted my head upwards, the sun shone brightly into my face, not burning or cold like the one from home, the sweet air blew through my mane that had already grown long, it was not quite that of a filly, but despite the complaining of a few maids, I enjoyed this well kept long hair. The scent of perfumes, pastry, and fruits, as well as this refined city smell, not oil or gases, but just the combination of mountain wind and the natural scent of ponies, not sweat or musk, more of hay and freshly cut grass. I opened my eyes slowly as I turned my attention to the right, through an opening between stores and stalls I could see a bench with a long staircase leading down, but what mattered more to me was what lied behind. A vast forest stretching further than the mountains on the horizon, a dark aura covering the menacing jungle, and just behind it a bit west from where I stood was a little village that sent shivers down my spine.
"We are almost there, just down the alley," Celestia informed me, knocking me out of my rare, joyful moment in life before my eyes met with the alley. The deep, dark alley with various corners and trash cans.
'Yeeeeaaahhh-no. I'm already batman enough, I don't need to go through this shit too.' I thought with a raised eyebrow, already looking through my spellbooks and thinking, which was the best way to hurt muggers most with least years in prison.
There are no lifeforms, other than rats and other vermin. As a royal, your word will most likely be taken over that of anyone else, and Celestia has invested far too many bits on you for us to reside in the dungeon. Also, any threats towards you will earn attacks the title of criminal and attacks are one way into the dungeon, and if a guard were to intentionally physically hurt you, they can be and will most likely be hanged.
'So that's why those bastards are scared of me, they're worried they shatter my chicken bones!' I thought with an irritated cringe, my cheeks tightened as I suppressed a nasty curse and took a deep breath before following the great white horse.
"You have no reason to be concerned, this path is perfectly safe for the two of us," Celestia spoke as she trotted forward, her first few steps timed to take as much time as possible, before speeding up, disguising it as her waiting for me to catch up. In truth, she waited before half a squadron of invisible guards zipped silently across the rooftops, spying any thread that might come, their power was considerable, at least double the average guard. I might've not been able to see them, but the magic that surrounded their bodies made them look like flying lightbulbs.
"Okay, but I still try not to step into something," I mumbled, her ears twitched and let out a burst of unnecessary laughter.
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, once you are an adult I will have your very own regalia made."
'Fuck, I don't want to wear a fucking ton around with me, that gotta start to stink and itch and pinch like hell.'
"So... Mommy, where are we exactly going?" I asked innocently with concern as my eyes drifted towards a rat, eating a huge, bloody bone. Its body was that of pure darkness and sickly green eyes; for a moment, I thought that it was smoking. I jerkingly came to a halt and took a second look. A brown, huge and fat rat sat on a trash can, like a drunken beggar, licking marmalade from a rolling pin. Great, even the fucking rats could afford better food than old me.
'These nightmares are messing with my head, you sure these beasts did not come from the goblin cave?' I asked as I slowly turned my head forward again. The smell of junk and trash was sutled, more like a hint of moldy air and cleaner than most streets I've seen, at least those were no fancy-schmancy Sextillionaires walked.
I am 94.6% confident that no chained nightmare was able to traverse with us, but if it soothes your nerves, we can revisit this dungeon. Mayhaps we are able to find a few previously undiscovered items?
"We are visiting an old friend of mine, but to make you known to him, and vice versa is not the goal of our trip, it is for enjoyment," Celestia said, her head turned towards me with a smile, her eyes pinched shut. It's almost scary how warm she got towards me in the last few days. Previously she gone far out of her way as a princess, but never did she push her duties away to spend time with me on unnecessary events; she also never seriously mentioned anything about my future other than a few jokes and pokes. Did her plans from one month ago contain me being chopped into chunks?
I am not going through this nightmare of calculating that chance, my host. The Game let out a deep sigh, making my brow quiver.
"And that's not because you feel guilty due to my shattered head?" I asked with a rising tone, unbelieving that she just hand out this 'mother and son day.' "You never went with me anywhere before, so why now?"
"Oh, I just lacked the time for that, but I believe I have sorted my millennia-long schedule, and routine out enough to now spend more time with you every day," Celestia answered in denial, however, her sentence's last part was filled with a lot more emotion than I was used from her, less regal and more like a girl throw her first pajama party. I do not why, but I could not help but let out the faintest of smiles.
In front of us, the light dimmed down, the end came near, and vision cleared. The paved stone from below through which moss and dirt pecked, the moldy walls of both sides that no one sane in their mind cleaned in decades, as well as the trash that fearful apprentices and careless employees of the shops surrounding this street thoughtlessly threw in this alley, stopped on a fine line. Beyond which lay a grassy field, a few trees, and branches in an entirely secluded area, clean unlike some of the lower parts of Canterlot with the sky being the only visible scenery other than the backsides of the various building surrounding this gem of tranquility. Through this haven of nature in a city of gold and marble stood a little shoop, no Canterlot charm anywhere to be seen, more of a department store of the old days. The building was large and clean, the deep brown spruce walls and the vermillion brick roof gave off a lumberjack feeling, yet the clean panels, the joyful and carefully crafted sings, posters, and statues that greeted rare customers gave off a welcoming atmosphere, it was homely. I could almost imagine the smell of spruce pine, mountain air, and apple pie if I was honest.
"Now, let's see if he's awake or if he dozed off again, that sleepy featherhead," Celestia mumbled to herself as she shook her head, yet her silly smile, the grin could not be ignored as she walked towards the old shop. I was momentarily frozen by her crass choice of words for someone who spoke like the queen, who still lived when I was abducted from Earth, all the time. Celestia quickly turned around when she noticed my presence growing further. "What, can I not enjoy some 'more simple dialects,' dearest son?" Her voice was pitched up high, but her tone still managed to grumble like an earthquake, a melodic tune, making me wonder just how gorgeous her singing must be to muster something that should be impossible.
"Of course, I'm coming, of course, I'm coming," I spoke twice, to both of these statements, doubling down before trotting towards Celestia, who awaited me, like usual, with a kind smile.
A sense of excitement, childlike joy, fulfilled me as I felt the wind through my mane and coat, seemingly penetrating deep into my chest and heart, making both reach speeds that made me feel like adrenalin coursed through my veins. And yet, while this heavenly, fuzzy sensation empowered me, I could not shake off the feeling of having forgotten something...
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter two: ...And A Bed Seperates Them.
I closed my mouth with a loud click as I gave up on the search after the forgotten and turned my view, alongside a short attention span, forward onto the mysterious building. Celestia led the path, no word was spoken, only the winds sang, and the Game left me with an eery sensation. This tranquility broke when I felt something run across my skin, sink into my flesh ever so slightly, patting and pulling me in ever so profoundly before snapping off like a closed window as I heard a painfully loud voice in my skull.
Detecting powerful, unknown entity. Origin: Inside the structure in front of us. Creature's level, based on the Aether density, is above 100. Caution Advised. Emergency portal to the mirror world ready, expected damage to be taken: 70% A flurry of messages burned itself into my brain as the text scrolled down my vision, the background flashing in a crimson tinge.
"Oh, I did not think that you would be able to sense this quickly... or that he'd be this careless," Celestia said with surprise, before, after short look into the heavens, spoke annoyingly with half-closed eyelids. "Do not be afraid, my foal, he won't hurt you, though he can be a bit... ecstatic when seeing things alien to him."I hid my gritting teeth as I smiled, slowly to mimic hints of fear. 'my foal,' it sounded so wrong when she spoke it, but I could bite through that, no, this sweetly tingling sensation in my chest that made me want to vomit feathers every time those muscular horse lips uttered a word was what irritated me.
The door opened with a loud click, blowing away both my facade and inner turmoil as the wave, this invigorating scent loaded the world around me, only the tight tug on my heart kept me from running in like a zealot and lick the source of this irresistible, pure Aether.
It is not pure, and we cannot achieve it anyway, I doubt that a fully charged mana bolt will be able to achieve anything. The Game murdered my hopes.
'Well, aren't you optimistic.'
At least I'm not suicidal.
...
Ouch.
Celestia knocked with he golden hoof against the door, a shallow ringing bellowed through the house, indicating that an ample space must be hidden behind, perhaps more significant than the first glance might make one assume. " Hoo hoo, we've arrived and are waiting for you!" Celestia spoke mischievously as she stretched out her words and put every last bit of effort into a melodic rhyme.
'Hoo hoo?'
The door swung open with violent force, sending a powerful wave of air forward and barely missed Celestia's snout as she grinningly evaded the blow, while I jerked with precaution and newly gained reflex.
My eyes slowly traveled upwards, a pair of deadly sharp claws, a pair of enormous wings, and a cloak of dark feathers covered the being's sleek frame standing a few inches higher than Celestia, all leading up to a faceless, head. The owl head suddenly snapped back, a grouchy glare pointed at Celestia with its facial muscles strained, the face white as bones, the beak croaked, thin and sharp while large eyes watched us.
"I told you not to call me that, tia, my name is Hauhuthos Hilihuth, not 'hoo hoo.'" He spoke with a tense voice, staring deep into her soul before he-"it's Hooty for friends, Celly." seemingly switched a lever and spoke with a calm and friendly voice, his face took on a more sentient appearance as if the previous darkness that took claim over most of its eyes vanished. "Ahh, the miracle colt arrived," Hooty spoke with sudden surprise, and he pushed past Celestia with breathtaking speed, his claws stroking the ground carefully as he sipped forward with one wind. "My oh my, you have grown to be such an excellent specimen already. I cannot fathom your state in a decade or two if you're already breaking borders." He hovered his face only a short distance away from mine, turning left and right, his pupils growing and shrinking while releasing an orchestra of Aether pulses. He reminds me of uncle carl, which is weird given that his name wasn't carl, and he also wasn't my uncle.
"Oh, stop pestering the poor colt so much, Hooty, let's just lean back and let Star have his time," Celestia spoke as she pushed her hoof between us and pushed Hooty away.
"Yes I know, Celestia, I just wish not to push research too far away, who knows what will happen in the future. You also don't need to remind me of your decision every other Tuesday." That-that sounded like a death threat...
"No, I did not come here to discuss my old words, Star and I are just enjoying the day, I also would like to see your sun bloom again, if you are not too busy on this day," Celestia spoke with a kind smile her eyes half-closed as she invited herself into his home, not even awaiting an answer.
Hauhuthos Hilihuth narrowed his eyes at her when she mentioned the words 'sun bloom' and his muscles tensed, before releasing the force and turning towards me. "Oh, do not worry about me, I just remembered the state of the sun bloom, not a very healthy one." I continued to stare at him before he rolled his eyes, it was as if two pupils, one large black and the other white and small roles in his eyes, before pushing me inside with his left claw.
The wind shot past me as I flew into the room, my hooves attempted to bury themselves into the ground as quickly descended into his layer. My eyes shoot wide open as a wall came into reach, and time seemingly slowed down. I blinked hard and realized that time did not slow down, I did as my eyes gradually hovered towards a floating, purple stone, that soon lost its shine and released me.
"That... was... awesome!" I bellowed loudly, feeling my heart pump as the taste of adrenalin and a hint of Aether floated in my mouth. I turned around and hopped the path back, Hooty stood there looking away from a slightly irritated Celestia, but I ignored the heat. "That was so cool, you, like, compressed the air into your wings and created an upward wind so I would not taste the floor!"
"Finally, a pony that doesn't just say I created an air explosion." The owl mumbled as he rolled his giant eyes away from Celestia's death glare.
"But that would kill someone. That much force could easily shatter stone. If the wind were to be caught against one of your feathers, you could've created a compressed air blade and cut me in half! You've got to be really smart to calculate all of that." The room got a little warmer, I wonder why. Why was I talking like a fucking child, he just mimicked a huge, fucking fan.
"Hmm, perhaps you do have more mental potential than I thought originally." The Owl mumbled as he rubbed his curved, wicked-looking beak. "As your future mentor, I will ask you a question now, it does not matter whether you answer it correctly, you have unlimited chances, but I will not teach you before you answer it to me, so you might start pondering now." He spoke with intrigue as he leaned forward, Celestia's demeanor calmed dowl slightly as she tilted her head. "If you try to open, cut, or separated an unknown material, a gem for this case, what would you use: Fire, Wind, Earth, or Water?" Mentor, what was up with the question, why was he jumping so fast with his question, he sounded like a lonely teacher attempting to make friends with the class nerd... A teacher who could probably beat the big bad wolf in a blowing contest.
"Water," I spoke in a heartbeat, I knew not why I blurted it out, I just, somehow knew. It was like a hint of Aether in my thought, did I use my intelligence? Wait, what was the mouse swallower talking about. Why am I playing along, this goes too fast, something is wrong, or am I just slow?
"Elaborate?" He asked with boredom as he crossed his wings. Hold your horse, ponies, mice? You're going too fast, I can't come up with this!
"Fire could make the gem burn at high enough temperature, if not make it combust. The wind would create so much force you might shatter it before you found the right strength. Earth will either crush or shatter it. If you apply enough pressure or force to the water, you can cut a line into anything. It's what rivers do!" That was almost scary to just speak like you are hooked up to google 2.
A clapping noise, a muffled one be it, broke my concentration. "Not bad, I give you that, most so-called magicians of the magic tower would've answered with ridiculous methods like concentrating the heat into a beam, a waste of mana if you ask me." Please, just stop talking, I can't keep up with the answers and attitude.
"I told you he was not just a colt born with a star metal spoon in his muzzle," Celestia commented from the side as she crept past the giant owl, her side gracing his', completely ignoring the fact she did not teach me how to learn from the environment, or jack shit about water.
"One right answer and a little bit of observation will not be enough to call themselves my star pupil, like you, claim for him to one day be." Hauhuthos Hilihuth spoke nonchalantly as he turned his attention back to me. "It is, however a good start, we will have our first lesson in a week, I will have further information passed to you in the following days. Your next assignment is to show me something that could benefit society ever so slightly, you have as much time as you need." And he turned around.
My head hurts, what was happening, it's, why was everything so fast around me? I'm sure he talked a lot slower, with more pauses, but why does it feel so fast. My... my head is spinning a little bit, and it hurts a lot. I shock my head vibratingly, attempting to knock away this gluey, tar-y, almost syrupy consistency that seemingly made the air up. Too much Aether, I'm like-I'm standing on top of a mountain and on the bottom of a lake.
"You know, putting pressure on him and expecting such high things of him was not what this trip was supposed to be."
"That's why time is unlimited, I just want him not to be forgotten in the history books like nearly all my former pupils, and those who did were for all the wrong reasons." He mumbled as she slowly walked towards a faraway door.
Please... stop talking. My head hurts, I can't-can't think right. Game, what is happening!?
The high Aether content in the air, originating from two, for this world's average level, high profile entities, in a single, small, and efficiently magic proof structure, has reached a point where breathing; thus the surpluses of oxygen, is becoming harder to acquire. Your body cannot keep up with it, this is why everything appears to happen at an accelerated speed around you. Compared to the Nightmare realm, where you would be hundreds of times slower, this is a great training experience. Fuck...You... Gah... What-what are those two rambling about again?
"Inventing how to purify water in masses without the use of evaporation was a great contribution to society." Celly countered.
"Yes, and the fallout of the first official use and the birth of the algae plague surely bolstered his recognition even further." He spat, his saliva bristled from his beak ever so slightly.
"Well... I made this a while ago." I spoke as I pulled the pencil from my hair, one made from ordinary wood I 'took' from a nearby tool shop. Ain't no way I'd show this guy material from another world. I... I knew this was a bullshit idea, but they flared and flooded the room ever more with each heated argument, I needed them to stop.
"Hmm? What's this?" He asked as he walked closer and grasped it with his claw and brought it with mesmerizing dexterity to his face. "A rod of carbon inserted into hollow Quercus cylinder, before a considerable force was applied from the sides and the top tip was sharpened with a sharp object, possibly a knife given the smooth surface." He raised an eyebrow, as well as a wing, a wind blew through the room, and a paper was soon found floating in front of him. The pencil danced across the paper with incredible speed, the coal gleamed with heat, yet burned the paper not.
"Coal is much cleaner than ink, it's also cheaper and does not need expensive feathers, it also does not dry up or congeal. Sadly coal dust colors fur and feathers, but this way, everyone can use it. I call it the pencil!" I spoke proudly, partially faked, a few scraps true, and a few just on the side. I... I spoke not that line, I thought about it, the Game probably helped because I could barely keep my face from tipping over, and now I was suddenly talking fluently.
"Hmmm, it's simple, cheap, creative, and easy. Not bad, I officially ran out of lessons for the time being." He spoke, but his face froze, before dropping into annoyance as Celestia's smug grin slowly closed in from the side. "Oh, you are a bad winner. Anyways, if you would allow me to keep it, for the time being, I will have a patent filled out into your name, this way you won't be smooching of the royal treasury like the rest of nobility, maybe even be able to fund a few experiments." I... I don't give a shit, steal the patent for all I care rat deepthroat-er, just stop everything, I feel like there is blood building behind my eyeballs, is this what quicksilver poisoning feels like?
"Well?"
"For a mare as rich as you, you fought with incredible and nearly impressive tenacity, if it was not for your smugness." He spoke as one of his claws put the pen into his feathery coat, before pulling out a bag filled with, given the clinking of metal, bits. I flinched at every high and low tone as if something hit my skull.
Celestia snatched the puck from his claw with her magic with a grin. "You know full well that if I use up even a quarter of my monthly allowance that the upper class will start to panic and fear that I am investing in plots to ridden this country and myself of them." She spoke with an undertone of annoyance as the bag disappeared with a golden glow. "Besides, you just funded our day." I... I feel like I'm about to vomit blood, am I supposed to feel my bones grow soft?
'What a checky bitch, I like her.' I thought with an ever so shyly creeping smile in an attempt to hide my awareness of how far my bodies are rotting and falling apart. My pupil's shock for a moment as I saw my bars slowly lose capacity, I really was dying by just standing near them, and yet I felt like laughing, but why? "How did you two met, you must know one another for a long time to speak like that with one another." Please, this must calm them down, somehow, I can barely stand anymore.
"That is a long story for another time. Although while we are talking about the topic of first confrontations, you seem to be rather comfortable being in my near vicinity, you are perhaps not just a, how the common pony calls it, 'bird lover' are you?"
"Why should I be scared of someone being different, even if it's a huge owl?" I could no longer tell who was talking, Star, the Game or me, everything melted in another, just like my body fluids, please, let his bloated ego calm down his radiation.
He jerked for a moment, losing his composure by my answer. "Well, it seems like we'll get along just fine." He spoke with what appeared to be a smile which I returned ever so more gleamingly, the pressure reducing significantly, I nearly let out a tear as I could feel my organs regenerate, some of them died off, I believe, after losing so much power.
This is just an assumption, but based on the location and his strong relation with Celestia, combined with the general racism of Ponykind, it can be assumed that Hauhuthos Hilihuth does not often interact with ponies. What does this have to do with anything, I'm dying! Wait-!
For gaining the reputation of friendly in the eyes of Hauhuthos Hilihuth, you've gained 10 points in Charisma. Difficulty rating in this achievement: Very Hard.
'Holy mother of breadsticks, that are a lot of points... Where have you been, Game?' I thought with a profound emptiness in me, unable to pull out any emotions after the initial shock. The sensation, this sickly horrific, drag towards the grave combined with the pull towards euphoria from the gained points left me in an indescribable state. Literally, I could not tell them apart anymore, I was dead inside, not the emo way.
You did not need my help, you managed just fine. I will fucking strangle you...
'You can just talk with me outside of work... you know, we are pals after all?' He fell silent after that, not email, I do not think, more like a lack of words. I lacked the energy to make up insults.
"Now, enough of the chit chat, Celestia and I have important business to do, please await our arrival here, do not try to break anything, touching is allowed, excluding the items placed in shelves." The owl said before marching towards a far off door. Finally, they are gone...
"Can I come along?" No, who said that? I'll kill you!!!
"No," Celestia answered, trotting past me without another word. There is a god...
'Wow, that was unusually cold...' I thought drily with a raised eyebrow as I witnessed both entities leave me behind to do their business with flowers. The moment they were gone, my health skyrocketed back to the maximum, leaving me breathless and energized, and with a clear mind I came onto one conclusion: I was not a fucking idiot, they were talking about their plan like I was braindead. Who was stupid enough not to get suspicious when they are talking about their projects as if they were attempting to sell crack and music at the same time.
Increasing ear drum sensitivity. Warning, a magical ward is blocking most sound, attempt anyways?
'Yes.' I thought with narrowed eyes as I folded my legs under my belly. I grit my teeth, my stomach turned and twisted, my kindness slowly expanded to their full volume again and the blood was slowly being filtered from my bladder, there was no pain, there never was, but so was having a tooth pulled under anesthetics, you just know something is wrong in every teeny, tiny detail.
"...Have you lost your damn mind horse?! You said it yourself not to build any relationship with anyone involved in the plan."
"Things have changed, Hooty."
"Changed? Changed?! In what way did things change? If you haven't noticed, you are putting everything on the line to cradle a random foal in hooves."
"Star is not a random foal, you know that."
"Of course, I know that. No other creature ever had this many blessings, but this is exactly what we need to proceed, so why stop now? You cared not for the last three hundred years, but now you do for the bastard spawn from a low class noble and a maiden!?"
'Three hundred years? Wasn't Cadance born around that time?' I thought with a raised eyebrow before something cracked in me. 'Bastard spawn and a maiden?' I wondered a second crack followed, I didn't know my ribs were this heavily affected by the rot.
"Do you not understand? We have reached the penultimate step, no acolyte after him could ever reach this potential."
"What are-no, that's impossible, and you know that as well as I do, Celly. Do not try to-"
"-I am not putting myself in front of us all, Hauhuthos, he used it on me. It was faint, but he is very much able to do it."
'What are you talking about!?'
"Are you sure he is a pony? My calculations state-"
"Yes, mortal flesh cannot hold this power, but he does so anyway. I have done my research, father, and mother, their entire bloodlines are all ponies, each having done tests at certified doctors, even Goodwill was very informative during the procedure, it was just like it was supposed to be with only a few differences."
"This is troublesome, but, but I try to work with this situation we are in, at least we are no longer behind... What about after it is done if it is done?"
"He'll stay with me."
"I will not interfere with your private dealings, however, remember that I have warned you."
"Of course." Her voice was cold, yet warm, like an igloo with a burning fire inside from which a weak, trail of smoke carried into the sky of a heavy winter storm.
The doors opened slowly, Celestia seemingly assumed I would attempt to listen, smart horse, it would explain their subtlety and their controlled speech, however, it was enough for my suspicions about this wannabe Narnia. Ain't no way I die for your race if that is your plan. Celestia looked at me with a hint of surprise, seeing me at the other side of the room waiting patiently, completely oblivious.
"I am sorry for the wait, Star," Celestia stated briefly before a warmer look crossed her face. "It seemed as if the Sun Bloom took a rather sharp turn in its development, but now that it is done, we can enjoy the rest of the day, say goodbye to Hooty if you will." Celestia urged gently as she slowly walked towards the exit, her steps lighter than before.
"Have a nice day Mister Hilihuth." I beamed at the old owl, his beak twitched ever so slightly as he waved me off, leaving me with a hint of Aether, blood, and bitterness in my mouth. Smoke and mirrors... costumes and facades, but what is which, who is what?
"Miss?" A sharp but weak poke to the side, as well as a soft voice, woke me up from my deep slumber.
"Hah-I-wat-I-I'm awake!" I cried out loud in shock, the bright, clean, and vibrant light robbed me of my vision, and a cold shiver ran across my fur. "Hmm?" I asked, my heart's beat calming down slightly as I leaned forward, my back ached slightly from my position. Did I fall asleep in a chair? I shook my head, a yawn escaped my lips as I rubbed my eyes with my left hoof, as sight slowly returned to me. A guard mare, golden armor adorning her and mirroring any other solider in Equestria.
"I wished to inform you that one hour has passed and that I have woken you like the princess requested." The guard mare spoke out stiffly like Guard, having served as a courier for a long time, no more information was handed than needed.
I rose an eyebrow at her words, why would pr- Celestia ask for a Gaurd to wake me when she was right-...there... My head turned to the throne, only to find an apparent lack of both the princess and Star. "Huh? Where did they go?" I ask with surprise and concern, my necklace jingling from my sporadic movement.
"Princess Celestia and crown Prince Star are enjoying a tour through Canterlot." The Guard mare spoke bluntly
"When?"
"Fifty-two-minutes and thirteen seconds ago."
"Where?"
"Unclassified."
"What about-"
"Miss Gentle Touch." The Guard interrupted me, something that otherwise only Celestia would do. "Asking for permission to speak freely." She stopped herself mid-sentence, her facial expression and muscles freezing for a moment. My necklace jingled slightly.
"Ehm... Granted?" I said shyly.
"As a mother of five foals and Guard's Mare for nearly twenty years, I can tell that you are not spending much time with yourself, or rather, for yourself." The Guard Mare spoke freely, though her voice differed not much from the guard dialect; it now bore a bit of dryness and softness.
'Huh, how did she come to that conclusion?' I wondered with a raised eyebrow before I realized what she meant.
I winced slightly; the last time I was spending time on my own was, dear goodness, when was that? It must've been before Star was born, how the time flies past.
"There is nothing wrong with spending some time with your foals, but sooner or later, they will leave the house, and it's better to find a few hobbies for one's sanity." The Guard spoke with a hint of somberness, before smirking sadly while shaking her head. "Could you believe I would always be a guard mare and mother till I die? Well, a surprise really hit me like a frenzied minotaur when my foal factory broke down. Had nothing to do for months other than wonder what to do next."
I sank into my chair slightly by four specific words she spoke, though I couldn't help but nod slowly in agreement. "I-I guess you're right," I said somberly as I looked down with newfound tiredness, the medallion hanging from my necklace, a sun symbol burned into the metal to allow passage and show my position in the country. There really had to be more than being the legal guardian of the crown prince.
"Well my shift's about to end, there's a badminton session in the public section of the castle garden's right now, would you like to join?" The Guard offered as she turned around, taking the first few steps towards the door.
I fiddled with the gold for a moment, before answering. "That would be lovely," I replied, feeling somehow a bit lighter, more comfortable to breathe, so to say. I hoped from my seat and followed her, though I jumped in shock backward as the Guard suddenly buckled, nearly toppling. "Are you alright?" I asked with concerns I rushed to her side, ready to help the presumably old mare up, only for her to jump into a low, then high stance on her own.
"Ah, darn it, the old hip won't last much longer with this old piece of scrap. Just hope Heavy won't laugh at me for switching to the light model." The Guard cursed under her breath as she slowly took up a slower pace than before, each step careful in hopes of keeping the armor from weighting her to the floor.
'Puff Pastry, oh you sly old mare.' I thought with a risen eyebrow before rushed to her side and kept her right side from falling down. Puff turned towards me with an open mouth, ready to protest, I stared at her warmly, my medallion rattling much more than I wished to admit due to the shaking armor, but I belied she understood my intent.
"Thanks." She mumbled, a hint of disappointment and embarrassment in her voice.
"No problem." I answered, biting my own tongue just to resist uttering the nickname 'Puffy.' I had a feeling that the day might turn out better than I thought it would, though I do wonder what this badminton game is.
For brightening up Gentle Touchs life and fulfilling her private life more, as well as forcing her to realize bad habits, thus enabling her to change for the better, you gained 5 charisma points.
'Da fuck you ranting 'bout!?' I thought with concern for the Game's sanity, randomly bombarding me like fucking windows explorer opening up after half an hour. 'Don't I have to, I don't know, "Experience" something to gain points?' I asked with a raised eyebrow as my eyes narrowed onto the substantial mountain of books in front of me, the small reservoir of materials was also a nice boon.
You don't have to value a memory, or you being the one who directly experienced it, this is at least so for the charisma stat.
'I literally have no fucking clue what you're talking about.'
Exactly.
"Star?" Celestia asked, sitting right next to me on a lovely table, a little tea shop behind us. The smells of herbs and fruits mimicked a divine scent that made it hard not to let a puddle of saliva form under me. "When I said I would buy you a few nice things... I thought more along the line of toys..." Her voice drew long, her sigh heavy as she supported her head on her hoof.
"Why?" I asked with confusion, genuine, which made her turn towards me with a rapid motion. "I mean, I don't play with them, and books leave so much to learn from." I beamed slightly; the array of knowledge I had acquired would allow me, eventually, to never need anyone else again. Except for the Game, of course.
Celestia's eyebrow quirked upwards like a thin piece of metal as she brought a random book to her face. Her eyes squinted as she read aloud the title. "Ms. Poly Pommels practical guide to poisons and antidotes from pufferfish to the puff-puff-Puffonicus?" She put the book down and gave me an intrigued look. "I am unsure why you would want all of those boring tombs instead of adventure books."
"But, Mommy, they are so bland." I moaned as I put my upper body onto the table. "They leave out all the details, and there is no tension at all. Bad guy comes in, steals the mare, Stallion defeats the villain, and they all live a happy life. Even the Daring Do books feel all the same after the third volume." I silently rolled my eyes; at this point, I missed the miniature stories written on the toilet stalls.
"Hmm, I thought they were pretty good before going to sleep." Oh, really? I wonder why... "Well, if you really find the modern literature so bland, as you call them, perhaps I am able to find something older that might suit your tastes." My ears perked up, my interest caught. Pillaging, war, and destruction here I come.
"Really?" I asked, hopefully. Celestia nodded, a gentle smile on her face. "Thank you!" I shouted loudly, much more bluntly than I wished, but who gave a shit. Finally, some good entertainment. Celestia did not engage in the hug, perhaps she simply enjoyed it?
A crack echoed through the street, followed by a muffled moan that penetrated my eardrums.
You forgot to put off the skill [Gentle Touch]... The Game said dryly on the side, though his amusement even he could not hide.
I jerked away from Celestia, eye wide with a strongly beating heart. I awaited shouting, scolding, or been silent cursing, embarrassing the highest horse in the country in public, but what I saw was more than unpleasantly unexpected. I would've preferred shouting over that sight.
Celestia silently moaned, one of her shoeless hooves pressed on the back of her neck, the tip pressing firmly into the middle of the neck while rolling her head circlewise. "I knew keeping my head this way would catch up to me sooner than later, but this fast?" She mumbled as she switched between clock- and anti-clockwise at a particular spot, grinding at it before a second, quieter crack followed as she worked out the annoying crick.
"Is everything alright?" Asked a waitress, her green uniform and grey apron shone in the sun, and a tablet in her magic grasp, on which an array of tea essentials we're placed. She had a look of concern in her eyes, it was not often that a goddess visited a random tea shop after all.
Celestia took in a deep breath, her nostrils flaring as she sucked in a copious amount of air. She jerked slightly before released the breath. Did she take damage from just taking a deep breath? "Everything is alright, I am merely a bit stressed, do not worry." Not showing a sign of weakness was a good strategy, the free market, or in this case, the chain of power was like a small pond filled with ravenous sharks and swarms of piranas.
The mare ate the bait and gave her overlord a smile before placing the tray down on the table, a bow later, she was gone.
I pressed no further, dumped a single sugar cube in my cup, and took a sniff at the beverage placed in front of me. The deep aroma of strawberry invaded my Mind, hazily taking away my grumpiness and drowning out all not important to me. I blew on the cup, the excessive heat vanishing like the flame of my halberd, before taking a long sip. The aroma was just a decoy masking the real power that was this miracle potion, it was less like strawberry infused water, and more like water infused strawberry. I hummed while gushing the little cup of heaven, slipping down my throat.
"Wholesome Embrace's guide to pressure points and massages for optimum pleasure and self-defense?" Celestia jerked her cup away and read the title out loud in confusion. She let out a hum and rubbed her chin, and as if a lightbulb went on over her head, her eyes started to sparkle.
"Star, I believe to have found a splendid bonding experience for the two of us," Celestia spoke vividly as she took a deep sip, leaving me to wonder what the hell she was talking about while I wasn't paying attention. What that's supposed to mean, Game? Let it surprise me? This can't be good...
"Times up, Green Hoof won!" An aged voice rang through the garden, hooves went into full swing, and chit catering began the little group dispersed, the two walls of flesh, old and meeker, but alive none the less.
"You weren't joking when you said you didn't know how to play it," Puff said as she glanced at my former opponent. A small, shivering mare who could barely stand, before her eyes snapped back to me, who panted sharply.
"H-H-HOW!" I pantingly chocked out as I let my bat fall onto the ground carelessly and into a puddle of my own sweat. "She-she was so slow, but so-so fast!" I grunted between each breath, my sides felt like they were being pocked repeatedly, my head hurt slightly, combined with the fact that my body was seemingly on fire made the best recipe for exhaustion.
"Well... She did play Badminton competitively since she was a filly, so I guess it was a bit unfortunate for her to be your first opponent. Oh well, just don't lose hope, you'll get the hang out of it." Puff encouraged me, but her words bounced off like hot air against a raging fire. "You don't look so good, fit either. Perhaps you should rest a bit. Don't want the princess to make me scrub the floor for letting you pass out."
I nodded slowly, my eyelids felt so heavy, yet my hooves pushed me forward as if they were made out of feathers and lead alike. Her personal thread seemed absurd, but then again, it was probably less due to my own sake and more off Star not being traumatized. I was not that dumb, Star was a wonder foal, thousands of bits had to be already invested in him, and every little scratch was a substantial hit for the kingdom, but it still made me wonder what Celestia wanted him to be one day. A Prince, or more?
I sat down with heavy force; for a moment, I feared the cracking of the bench bellow my, I have to admit, voluminous flanks. I have done not much sport, I could afford it, I did not eat much, I rarely hungered after Star stopped feeding off me. Still, my choices of the past left me with a figure that most mares would hurt others for.
"Here, this might cool you down," Puff answered as she held a bottle of water in front of me, cold and a few droplets of the clear liquid still rolled down the glass. I accepted it, not even thanking her, a rude deed on my part, before gulping down the drink, but I had to admit, it had a weird flavor to it as if there was powder mixed into it with a hint of orange: A sports drink perhaps?
"There, now let's just watch some old folk play a few rounds," Puff spoke, I separated the bottle from my lips with a loud pop, panting silently as I inhaled every last ounce of air I could, before continuing to suckle on this surprisingly good drink, even if it was seemingly tasteless. When did I get it, who gave it to me? Star? Something I was thinking about, but what? It lays on my tongue-oh, the Game is about to win.
"Look, the next game is about to begin!" Puff cheered silently as she pointed her goof forward. "It's Cherry Kiss against Bloom Tale, those two are one of the best players in Canterlot."
I took her by the word, my eyes peered onto the playing field in front, Cherry on the left, Bloom on the right. The two ponies gave each other a shaking nod before the Game was started. The shuttlecock that was the name of the ball, the more you know, flew upwards with a high speed, before plunging down steeply nearly twice as fast. Cherry, with seemingly in-pony speed, rushed forward and hit the projectile with a forty-degree angle, sending it to the back of Bloom's field, but the m-m-a-a-awhwhw caught it.
My head swung slowly from side to side as I let the bottle drop onto the ground, a shallow ring rang through the area as I leaned back into the branch, my mind-numbing slightly as the ball ponged off from side to side. Yes, this was really pleasant and peaceful.
'Game, this might just be my wild imagination... but could this Gentle Touch skill actually, you know, change these ponies?' I asked hesitantly, even keeping my own thought quiet while my eyes were glued onto Celestia's head, her backside to be precise, but I didn't have to see the front to know what she was showing the world.
Any action- Game, I ain't in for shits and giggles, that was a serious question. -involving the use of Aether onto Aether inexperienced has effects. I've been keeping your Aether output in check and restrained it, but no matter what is done, there will always leak something. For you, it is not harmful, the Mind in you will act as both vessel and bait to gain new to replace the old. Those surrounding you will use it to enhance their bodies or repair wounds, other events are those I am preventing and am not allowed to reveal.
'In what way are we talking about improving? She is a fucking goddess who could probably incinerate the whole city on a whim, and stop mentioning stuff briefly if you can't talk about it anyway, it's making me anxious.' I spoke sharply in my Mind, my voice waving with each sudden movement and noise Celestia made. She did not talk or even acknowledge me, I could barely keep my pace as she led me forward.
Entity Celestia, rank monarch, has many wounds that her alicorn regeneration is either incapable of healing due to a lack of power and or precision, as well as many marks of magical nature that hinder her abilities. She is significantly weakened; the main damages and hindrances are found within the base of her horn, ribcage, and lastly, her left wing.
'That's not even her limit!?' I screamed out in shock and panic, for a moment my heart felt like bursting as the thought crossed me that I mayhaps have been talking all the time loudly and Celestia just waited for me to spill the beans, only for my pumping organ to nearly stop doing its job after the fear dreadingly sank. 'If she is at her fucking worst, and is even crippled, how strong is she and...' My body was consumed by an icy chill. 'How strong are the Nightmares if you said that they will consume whole worlds.' I was nothing but a droplet in a vast ocean, this realization was always there in the human world, but never did I even vaguely think that I was still small, even with the Game.
We have about 16 more years before the first nightmare can enter this world from the nightmare realm, however those beings, if they are located on this world already, or near it, in other words, a world that is close to this one, might reach it sooner.
I unconsciously gritted my teeth, feeling the pressure build in my jaw and dryness took over my mouth. The perk [Gamer's Mind] seeped into my skull and brain, cooling it down and restraining my thoughts like painkillers and opium to the highest degree. I slowly build up a shivering smile, my empty visage would only bring worry and fear from others to longer towards the nightmare realm. I shuddered at the memory, it was like a drain, stealing away all life away like a parasite, only that we lived on it like flees on an ape.
An annoying noise rang from my side, it sounded wet and slithering. I turned to my right, a filly wearing an expensive dress with parents in tow that slowly turned towards their daughter. Their smug looks died as they saw who their foal was blowing a raspberry towards. I rolled my eyes and turned around, only to jerk in shock as a sharp clap rang through the air. I turned back to the foal, who, like her parents, waved at me with a smile, even if the fillies red check and tearful eyes could not be hidden. I felt nothing, but a hint of dread as bits and pieces, cinders, and dust of negativities slowly sank into the fabric of reality like pebbles into pudding, all feeding the beast below. I turned my head sharply back to Celestia, she did not react, I knew not if she noticed or not, but I asked not.
I kept my eyes forward along the way, the streets, and ponies, the stalls and alleys, it all started to blend in even with a map, the only waypoints were the bonfires of negativity. This place was a breeding ground for it, every beggar, poor pony, and even those simply unhappy reeked of this mold and the worst part of all? Despite the dread, unease and worry, I felt excited about the idea to kill more nightmares, the one's breeding it could either do this forever or just die and stop this madness all at once and for all... What... is happening to me... I've never thought this way.
Increasing [Gamer's Mind] to its maximum until the host hast regained emotional control. You have just experienced the reason why I require a host, instead of an animated body. No matter how many calculations, they always end with this. The only way to end the Nightmares once and for all is for total genocide, but this is unacceptable; I need your moral compass, among other things, to not become the thread I was made to deal with.
I nodded slowly, emotions and feelings left me numb, and I just followed Mother, everything else mattered not as I calmed down, yet I knew not when the effects of Gamer's Mind started and ended, everything just started to blur. A sudden voice, loud and obnoxious echoingly repeated itself, each time more clear and booming, rang through my skull, but only after the third time did I hear it.
"Huh, wh-what!?" Blurted out, uncaring whether I was falling in or out of character.
"I said we have arrived," Celestia said as she turned around and looked at me, the worry was the most prominent emotion on her face. "Are you feeling unwell?" She asked with curiosity; still, the subtle hint of motherly concern could not be hidden. "We could still return to the castle if you wish to rest, one word, and I could teleport us to the infirmary if it's bad."
"N-no, it's fine, it really is," I said wearily, tired as well as I held my hoof to my head and caught my breath. "Everypony is just so... weird around me, it's like they are completely different." Not really a lie, I was not used to people acknowledging my existence more than me standing in front of them in a line or some shit for fuck's sake, but not a celebrate.
"Oh, do not mind them, they are just jealous, perhaps a bit curious as well, but nothing to worry about. You are the first male member of royalty since the founding of Equestria, who was not part of the house of Blueblood." Blue-oh, you're kidding me... "Speaking of which, in a few weeks Blueblood the... I want to say twenty-fifth, but I am unsure if that is correct..." Celestia held her golden hoof to her cheek for a moment, before shaking her head softly, her mane staying in form despite the motion. "That is not important right now, if you are feeling well, then let us no longer dwell and enter."
'Enter?'
False code inserted.
Huh?!
I shook my head, ignoring the robotic, more than usual, voice and trotted to Mother's side as we entered a large, spring colored building with hues of orange, pink and vanilla making up the front, a large construction, though sadly I could not read the sign to warn me of the smell explosion originating from exotic oils and cremes. I blanked out shortly before senses returned, it was somewhat hard to breathe, yet pleasant as well.
"Ah, you must be Mild Stroke-" That's one way to call a heart attack "-I thank you for making room for the two of us on such short notice," Celestia spoke softly as she looked down onto the raspberry-colored and vanilla maned mare.
"Oh, it was not all too much trouble, after all, who could say no to the princess?" Mild Stroke spoke with an amount of honesty that made me wonder if they were just incredibly loyal, scared, or both? "Ah, the Prince is already here. Oh look at you, you look so cute and cuddly, like a giant chihuahua." You never delivered a package; otherwise, you would've chosen a different comparison. "You're simply perfect." Her gushing reached a point where I began to wonder when she magically would pull out her daughter and try to match us.
"No, I'm not, nopony is." I was much less than perfect, at least honest, a dead beat unlucky enough to get pulled into this bullshit, and giving her the satisfaction and validation of me being flattered? I may be cheap, but I ain't no whore.
"Aww, so humble as well." Please, just swallow your tongue. "Now, I believe that is enough, Firm Hoof, please guide our special guest to room 21," Mild spoke before-holy father of Ikea, he swallowed all them steroids!
"If you would follow me." His stern voice rang through the room, chilling it slightly. His form towered the mare and was just ahead, perhaps two, smaller than Celestia, and was covered in scars and muscles alike. I gulped and followed silently, praying that he would not lay hoof on my spine, lest it shatters.
"So private Hoof, how does your retirement serve you. I thought you would search out a career that required fewer intense motions, something that would put less stress on your joints." Celestia spoke as she eyes, alongside me, his scars. They were scattered on his skin like a spilled rice on a small carpet, yet they were all very similar to those of Iron Grace.
"Hah, I told you, Princess, that I'd die on the shift. 'sides, this old body can't handle all the peace and tranquility," Hoof spoke firmly, though his amusement shone through his static appearance.
"Did you know a pony called 'Warden'?" I asked curiously with a risen eyebrow, making the giant of meat and scars freeze like a mouse that stared into the face of a cat.
"Hehe, why do you ask?" He asked previously, Celestia's face was hidden behind her mane, but she was probably signalizing him ever facial expression in the book to threaten him to keep it shut.
"Well, Mom, Gentle Touch, once knew a Warden, he knew Iron Grace, and you have the same scars, just wondering." I put a few random numbers together, I really knew not why I gave a shit about some dead horse, yet there was a certain hint of alien curiosity. Why did I bother with this, he was just some random pony who's gone now, but why do I care about that, why is this eating me so much?
"Star, do you remember our talk about Princess Cadance?" Celestia nodded as she turned around with a softened look. I nodded slowly, unsure if I stepped over 'cellies little line.' "Just be patient, everything you need to know, you will hear in the future." Her suppressed emphasis, or rather, it being the word with the least amount of it on 'need to know' surely was a great example of how stupid she thought of me.
"Ok," I mumbled obediently, now seriously unsure which person talked, who agreed and who believed. The path led to a far of door beyond which laid two simple massage tables, what was there more to describe. Well, other than that, they looked awfully modern compared to the time, I'd say it would've been made in the nineties if it was not for the fact that I was a sentient horse.
I was about to question how this experiment was to continue before a lime green aura pulled me upward and onto the table. I stared back and into the face of a unicorn, slender and tall, nearly the complete opposite of the grey, scared Earth pony. I did not like this; her appearance waivered just like the one of Sugar drop. Oh no... I can feel the drain, I can barely keep up with it.
"Ahh, the customers have arrived, welcome, welcome in our humble adobe. Please take off any piece of clothing, as well as any other object you are carrying, off, and rest on the tables. Everything else?" She paused dramatically with a suddenly appearing smile. "Is up to us."
I was dropped softly onto the table, but that was just a delusion before I was, much more roughly than I liked, put into position. "Just relax your highness, you are in good hooves." The changeling spoke as she circled me, her voice sedentarily buzzing, pings and pongs repelling against my Mind. I turned to the right, Celestia quickly put off all of regular, seemingly entirely unbothered to undress like an ordinary horse to a bunch of strangers.
You, and nearly every other pony, is always naked.
"Prepare yourself, this might get a bit cold, but be at ease, ms Topaz will warm you right up." She cooed as she pulled several bottles and scrutinized them while Hoof already went to town on Celestia's lower back, mercilessly beating any strains out, and Celestia? She enjoyed every second of it, moaned silently while her cracks overshadowed them tenfold. If she was a mortal pony, I don't think she would ever walk again.
Topaz worked much slower, only now had found the right bottles, almost like this was her first day, perhaps it was, but she was far too close with Hoof for it to be the case. Could they change into someone else? Possible, the amount of power she kept generously bottled up in her was mind-numbing, like a sun in a never melting glass jar. Then again, I was only level ten, and the average horsey level was somewhere above twenty.
"Topaz Heart" Level: ??? Class: "Masseuse" Race: Changeling (Assumption) Stats: Unknown. Above [Observe]'s current potency Current thoughts: You're so cute she could suck you dry.
'C-can she...?'
Yes, John, she can drain you to the point of death. I gulped silently, flinching as Topaz placed the bottles back into their shelve's position with enough force to cause a few cracks to appear, though this sound was overshadowed by the inhumane, scratch that, in-pony cracks.
"Oh, I'm sorry for the wait, but it appeared as if a colleague had switched up the special tincture that we keep for most extraordinary customers," Topaz spoke with a sharp, almost cat-like smile as she drew near. Her lightly orange coat gleamed like that of a panther in the sunshine while her light blue, nearly vibrant mane waved from side to side with each step. The bottle in her grasp looked not like glass, not even any crystal I have ever seen before, and let me tell you, I've carried around some strange shit, it was more like crystalized honey or bee wax, but in green, while the fluid inside had a dense liquid, not like lava or rock, but, well, like slime.
I took a deep breath and put my head down onto the pillow, I wished not to know what the liquid she carried around was, what is effect was or anything surrounding it. Sure, I could scream that she was a giant... whatever the fuck she looked like carrying around some slime juice, but why would they believe me, they didn't even trust me about Sugar, and now a random masseuse? Sure, let me lose all credibility. The sinister undertone her smile took on did not ease my worries, even if there was a hint of pity in it.
The bottle opened with a mighty pop, droplets flying everywhere as the cork was removed, the changeling wasted no time, and let a large portion of the potion's content flow onto my back. The liquid sizzled silently, there was great pain hidden under excessive amounts of painkillers and ecstasy, as it not only sank into my fur but through skin and tissue as well. I gulped as I felt it invading me and flinched a moment later as I felt a second rock as the changeling put her hooves onto me to rear herself upwards, applying more pressure than I liked, to which she instantaneously, even before I expressed my discomfort, eased the force.
I am-. I won't be available for the following time; it seems as If the liquid penetrating our body requires my dire attention, and I believe you wish not to know the effect on you yet. Changelings appear to not only being able to feel emotions but sensations like pain as well, useful to know if we ever have to face one. Cutting communication now.
I breathed softly through my nose and spread my limbs widely, with the amount of force she applied I wished not for my joints to pop, besides, where was the worry? The Game surely would help me out, and it that didn't work, celly would, right? I mean, she invested too much in me... I gulped silently, hopefully swallowing dry spit along with dreadful worries down the abyss.
I closed my eyes, shutting out the moans and cracks from Celestia, my last image seen was the Stallion rearing up on his hind legs and dug digging his elbow into the alicorn's back. Topaz applied the faintest amount of pressure, waiting just a single moment, before attempting the same with more force, probing each and single muscle and tissue with her elegant hooves.
I shivered slightly, the goo sank into my little back fat, my back heated up pleasantly, becoming more sensitive and soft. I smiled softly as her hoof's tip dug into my back's middle, my flesh accepting her advance with not one bit of resistance. I gasped audibly, goosebumps and shivering run across my skin.
"Did that hurt you? Are you feeling any pain or discomfort." Topaz asked sweetly as she pulled her hooves away from me. I winced and arched my back upwards just to savior her touch one more moment, it was like all my grumpiness and grudge was just melting away.
I bit my lip, I felt dirty and ashamed, just the thought of what I said next made me nearly vomit in retro specific. "N-no... Not really, I mean, not at all, it felt really good actually." I spoke frantically, bubbling away my begging like some angsty teen. "Please, do continue." I waited for a moment, the pull from her abysmal hunger faded into the void as the beloved pressure returned, this time grander than before. If it was not for the pleasure, I would've sunk into this table and wished for it to swallow me, which I probably will later, but now was not later, now I had no time to self reflect on all my life's mistakes... My timetable does not have enough hours for that.
"Oh, if that is the case..." Topaz mumbled though it sounded more of a sly coming than anything else in my ears. 'She's probably enjoying this even more than MEEE!' My eyes momentarily bulged as her oiled hooves were pushed up my back, unwinding knots I knew not existed. I shivered, breathing deep and heavily as my body trembled from the sudden assault that reached upwards to the beginning to my neck, yet leaving so much room for more in-depth techniques. "I'm sure you would not mind me to increase it even further."
'Ye-e-eshhh~' My Mind loosened itself from reality ever so slightly, the world around me did no longer matter, just the thought of being kneaded like clay as her hooves teasingly nipped deeply at the edges of my neck, before placing them flatly on my naturally strained flesh and pushing downward.
"Oooh." I moaned, my care for embarrassment died away long before, and now only pleasure was ruling over me as the knots and bunched muscles unwinded with great force, goosebumps spread like a virus across my skin and shivered, melting seemingly as the hmms of the changeling, tones reaching high and low at once, filled my ears to shun the outer world.
"You- ~ah~ you really ~uh~ you're really ~ngh~." My thoughts melted away like butter in the pan, just like my muscles and stress did as her hooves seemingly reached inside of me, applying crushing force, yet scratching every last of my flesh's desires. Every time I tried to form a thought, it slipped away, as if I would topple on the liquid that I was. I would often come close to grace a single thought, but then Topaz would reach deep, popping the idea like a bubble and mounding my body like mud, before breaking me down and repeating the process.
"You wish to say, your highness? I was not able to make this comment out," Topaz spoke with insufferable, infuriating and irresistible helpfulness as her hooves trailed down yet again, shivering forced every last hair on my body to stand for the mere hope to come closer.
"Yes! T-That's right, I wa-ahhhh~." I spoke hastily to achieve my sentence's end, yet making it, I did not as a shock, electricity, traveled from my lower spine to the tip of my hooves and head's top. I flopped my head onto the cushion's, every sense or reason lost just like my facial muscles, unbothered of the saliva that unhindered flowed onto the fabric as the sudden, substantial force onto my cross, cracks ensured that rocked my world, for a moment I wondered if heaven finally came back to pick me up from this sugary hellhole. I arched upwards slightly, teaching my body every so more, but the gently pats of the masseuse forced me down yet again as the pleasant heat still resided in my every muscle to the point it made me wonder if I was numb and just trapped in a realm of pleasure, or have reached Mind blunting levels or sensitivity.
Then, all of a sudden the hooves were removed from me, leaving me to linger in the adding warmth, my heart beat with such intensity I wondered how my ribs did not bend yet, my veins filled with dopamine. My bones ached from the assault, yet it's bleeding pain heightened my pleasure only more, and the yearning of my head's muscles kept me awake, awaiting more of this delightful ritual, yet a part of me was overcome with joy that it finally ended.
"Good, now I believe I have found out your bodies yearning and pain," Topaz spoke mundane, her voice in the background as if she was talking to herself, before speaking out louder with a muss sweeter tone. "Now, the massage can begin."
"Excuse me?" I asked eloquently with groggily waken shock as I arched upwards. The words still were repealed by my mushed brain and the hard, inner layer of bone in my skull, still processing the information, before the realization hit me. My eyes shrunk to pinpoints, my breath froze cold, nearly taking on a fog. "No-no, everything is fine, we can stop heaaaaaahhhh!"
If someone could describe the noise that I made as anything other than the most grotesque Viking war cry, then I might've paid you money. I took a deep breath the moment her hooves duck into layers of tissue and fat I knew not passed as she forced all air in me out with a great moan.
Slip. Slip. Slip
Slipping again and my again, my thoughts did, like an incredibly overweight, round, and clunky man tumbling down while standing on a bed of oil. Each attempt was futile to regain balance and higher ground, yet trying desperately every time, again and again, but eventually laying down, accepting the onslaught. Every time the fat man in my Mind fell and crashed, so did my world flicker, losing all touch, smell, sight, and importance, just like my thought that popped like bubbles.
"Are you enjoying this?" Topaz moaned under her breath, copious amounts of pure Aether, filtered and enriched with levels of joy, the things I missed in life, feeding her.
"YESSSSSSSSSSHHH!!!!" I moaningly squealed, droplets of spit, sweat, and oil catapulted in every direction, my shame drowned in of the many puddles I created. My heart raced, and butterflies roamed my insides, it compared not to slaughtering Nightmares, yet it was just as wholesome, relaxing, and addicting. 'Was this how an orgasm felt? What else did I miss during all those years with my waste of life on earth? Who cared if I would hear jokes about these moments decades later, who gave a shit, I was happy, and I will find all pleasures I've never got to experience.' That was the last thought I managed to muster before my vision became and blurry ocean, one I could dwell a little eternity in.
"I must say, this was the upmost enjoyable free-time activity I was allowed to have in an excruciatingly long time." I faintly heard Celestia speaking, ears twitching in response, among other things. I felt it still, those divine whose reaching inside of my, I laid on my back to suppress the tingling, yet it stopped not this heavenly experience. My limbs were prayed far apart, except for my left hind leg, pointing into the air and twitching. My face, I care not to deny this shame, was dopey with tongue stretched out and a cloudy stare, my own face to see was a spectacle on its own. Otherwise, I'd be blind with out-of-focus vision, though disorienting as well.
"Hufmawamama ngh~." Childlike, eldrich gargling escaped me, motioning my body with a strained stretch before pushing myself deeper into the pillowy ground, Celestia's bed was perfect in every way, filled with feathers of Griffin and creatures I knew not, the luxury of my kind.
Celestia held a hoof, now no longer carrying her godly regalia, in front of her mouth and giggled ever so gently. "It appears as if supper had hit the very last missing spot." I sighed in response, one hoof rubbing my slightly bloated belly, yet no discomfort or regret plagued me. For supper, there was a greatly and aggressively spiced broccoli soup and garlic bread, this was perhaps my choice of food if I ever were to lay on my death bed, which I won't. Spices were expensive, salt was practically gold because of how many uses it had with anomaly research and refinery, and this world was not much better when it came to them in food, but this time they held not back and dear lord, I am one happy horsey... I will never say that word with the letter 'h' again.
All traces if the serum erased and contained, any change is undone, and I am back for personal assistance. The Game spoke again, I missed his voice, it was not so... how should I call it... Over the top? Would you like to review the results of the analyst?
'Sure sure... Just keep the voice down and the feels up cause I think I started living only today.' I mumbled in my head, my weight shifted suddenly and drastically to the right as Celestia took place next to me in her bed. The alicorn's warmth radiated like a mellow sunset into which I buried myself under soft layers of feathers.
The serum gained us the ability to change us as, not permanently and always undoable, into a changeling. To be precise, a specific type of changeling with broader posture, height, and strength, several biological components are advanced versions of a standard variant of which the genetically blueprint is based off. Several factors are still unknown.
My eyes popped wide open, and my gaze went on into the nothingness, a bottomless pit forming before it was replaced with annoyance and a hint of sadness. 'Why is everyone on this world after me for their own gains.' I thought with slight anger, before closing my eyes as Celestia opened one of her wings and folded it over me, enveloping most of my form. 'I guess even in a different, better world, some things still remain the same.' I thought somberly as I gave up on the thought and the search on the thing I've forgotten the whole day.
I woke with a sudden burst of shock, and my gaze fixated on the darkness enveloping my room while keeping my pounding heart from bursting. Cold sweat ran down my fur, and an unbearable heat plagued my forehead, this irritation was only enhanced by the singing, crisp night air. Night?
I turned to the right, a window stood open, and behind it, an ocean of stars awaited. Stars? Star? My eyes opened widely, the thing, fatigue-full strings attached to me broke off as I jumped off and onto the floor and searched the room. It was nothing special, even if fancy, not that I could make out the finer details in the dark, but I did recognize it, it was a guest room of the castle.
"Why-why am I here?" I mumbled tiresomely, smacking my lips a few times and surpassed a yawn. The memories of the day appeared fuzzy, though it mattered not, I needed to find Star and see if he was alright. My eyes darted towards the door, and I trotted quickly towards it, I would've allowed if it was not of the fear to trip. I grasped the handle with my magic and tugged in forcefully, though I could not pass as a painfully blinding light blocked my vision. "Gah!" I explained, halting my advanced and shield my eyes with a hoof.
"Miss Touch!" A male, soft voice replayed with shock before a metallic squeaking resonated shortly before the light dimmed considerably. My eyes took a few moments to adapt to the laser, lighter to bear illumination to face two concerned guards. "Are you feeling well? Is there any problem?" The Guards playing, each one part, thus following the protocol, she heard it countless times.
"Star, where is my son!" I demanded angry, scrapping my hoof on the ground, something was off I could feel it, the horrible aftertaste in my mouth of the Touch family was a trait that rarely failed, and I dared to imagine that it didn't this time either.
The two guards looked at another, their expression hidden under the enchantments, before the one holding a two-hoofed spear, answered. "Crown price Star Touch is residing with Princess Celestia in her bed-chamber."
I stared at the odd pair for a moment, there was just a dead since while I perhaps was the only one actually feeling more than a haunch of awkwardness, there was a certain kind of anger and betrayal burning in me, if it was exaggerated or not I did not care. "Well?"
"Well...? What?" the Guard holding the lantern asked with confusion, his levels of obliviousness reaching height perhaps unknown to ponykind.
"Well, bring me to him," I answered angrily, storing with my hoof and causing one of them to flinch lightly if a civilian would've done this they might've landed themselves a few hours in a suspension room, but I did not even bother to care about that kind of possibility.
"I- we are sorry, but we cannot let you exit the room or enter the princesses chamber, for a matter of fact, Princess Celestia ordered that no pony is to disturb her." The spear guard spoke.
"Nopony? I'm his mother, you have to let me go to him." I cried angrily.
"We are sorry, ma'am, but orders are order."
"Yes, it would be better not to cause a scene, get a good night of sleep, and deal with the problem like adults."
I stared at the pair of guards with mouth slightly agape, not believing what I was hearing, before sighing out lightly. "Maybe you're right," I spoke somberly before returning back to the room, I did not agree with the order, I honestly didn't, but she was the princess in the end. The door closed with a light click, and I walked back to my bed, laid upon it, and levitated the blanked over my form.
My gaze was fixated onto the night sky, my own worries and concerns, but most importantly, thoughts not letting me rest. 'What kind of Game is this, if it was, what part did I play? Was I just a peasant with a tad too much connection, and if so, who were the players?' I sighed audibly, before burying my muzzle into the pillow, depressing the loneliness that sank into my flesh, the first night in over four years, for the first time in a long while I dreaded it to sleep.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter two: Birthday Colt Part 1 [E]
Author's Note
This chapter was edited and proofread by ZeroOneInFinn . His help and work are much appreciated, and I hope you will notice the spike in quality.
Chapter two: Birthday Colt Part 1 [E]
"Let's go over today's schedule again, shall we, your highness?" Miss Inkwell spoke as she followed my path and pace. Her eyes were focused onto a clipboard that was attached to a metal contraption leading to her large bowtie.
"Very well, miss Inkwell." I spoke with a pleasant tone as I kept my posture as what ponies of higher standing, compared to a so-called 'commoner,' referred to the elegant and proper way of trotting.
It has been nearly six years since my exile to this Narnia-clone of a world and in one week my sixth birthday would be celebrated, not that I was looking forward to it, but it was a day where at least no one deliberately tried to fuck me over, so there was at least a single pro about it. Looking back at the time that has passed, I can honestly say that it was one weird-ass ride, and something changed, but I don't know why or what. After Mother and I spent a surprisingly enjoyable day together, it appears as if a competition has broken out between the Sun Monarch and the Nurse Unicorn in an attempt for the title of 'best mother' and earning me as their prized possession. I was, and am incredibly unsure how I feel about that development, and it does worry me. Celestia, undefined ruler and goddess of the sun, played games with a mortal about something so precious to her, it made me wonder if either she had a sadistic kind of humor given that she has all the cards and time in the world, or that she pities her attempts this much.
My calculations show that the odds of her partaking in this tug of war out of compassion rather than personal satisfaction are three to one. The Game spoke from the corner of my mind as he subtly integrated my schedule into a mental timetable.
"Your majesty, are you listening to what I am saying?" Inkwell stopped for a moment to push away the clipboard and allow full sight of her face.
I stopped and painfully suppressed a roll of my eyes. "Yes, miss Inkwell. At two, there will be snacks, at three proper etiquettes with Porcelain Vase, four there will be lunch. Five evening gymnastics with Corporal Coast Boulder and light cardio, seven will be a Math lesson, and eight will be storytime. Nine and ten I will have free time before bed." I repeated her tirade in a shortened form, one thing I hated about this life was the goddamn plans, at this point they probably have a chart for each possible hour where I might go to the toilet.
Inkwell nodded slowly, pushing her little clipboard back in front of her face and continued her walk. "Good to see that you are listening. Now, it’s about nine a clock, meaning that there is still time for a healthy breakfast before your lessons with Princess Celestia."
"And when can I play today?" I asked from the side with a confused look.
"Playtime is after your lesson with the Princess and elevenses." Inkwell noted from the side, scribbling onto her paper, perhaps to record my free time right above the little note that said, 'I ain't no machine.' The lessons were not partially hard and even allowed me to get a few points in every stat, ugh, the mere thought about Miss Heavenly Delight’s classes on behavior around young fillies, and social events make the goblins look friendly.
"We have arrived, sir." Inkwell announced as she stopped in her tracks, though I continued my trot, already dreading what I was about to face yet again. "Oh, and please do try to eat a bit more. A bit of meat and muscle on the ribs provides a more regal message to your future subjects." I silently pouted at her words, the guards suppressing their reactions and opened the hall that awaits.
A large, long hall stood in front of me, bearing only two exits, these being a pair of large double doors on each side, as well as an obscene amount of windows. The room bore little in terms of decoration: A few pictures, a little fireplace, and a massive table nearly ranging from one side of the room to another. This was 'just' a private dining room.
"Star, it is nice that you could make it today." Celestia chirped from the left side of the table, waving with one of her hooves like a commoner would do to her. It was not unusual that I ate breakfast in the dining room, it's just that Celestia would often simply lack time to join me.
"Do not just stand there, or your hooves might root themselves into the ground." Gentle added gently from the right side, her comment sounding a bit forced, however.
I staggered for a bit, before walking towards the tip of the table, precisely between both the Princess and Gentle, their momentarily quivering lips were a clear sign of displeasure. Despite their attempts to win me over, I did not choose to give in to either side due to a few very valid reasons. I owe Gentle my current position, as otherwise I would've been 'abducted' by one of the emergency items from the Game and brought into the wild where I'd have to deal with much more physical shit. Celestia, on the other hand, allowed me a safe position with plenty of opportunities to grow stronger, as well as having the best disguise ever, who would believe the perfect, pure-hearted prince to be rotten to the core?
I opened my mouth with an unwanted click, though before I could utter a word, the door behind me opened loudly, followed by a continuous trail of squeaking. I turned around, expecting to see a food cart, much to my surprise all I could see was a massive bunch of nothing. I raised an eyebrow before turning around; however, this action was abruptly stopped when my eyes met with a large platter on which a mountain of pancakes rested. Fruits, berries, and whipped cream alongside syrup adorned the delightful meal and transformed its appearance into that of a happy face.
"I got up a bit earlier to make you breakfast." Celestia commented from her side with a smile and tilted head, beaming with pride as she looked at me. I stared at her with a bland look for just a moment, wondering if she would start drugging my food again. "Oh, do not hesitate Star, despite my lack of time and position I have regularly cooked. Do give it a try!" She urged with admirably soft insistence.
I looked at the plate, deciding whether or not I should observe it first, but decided against it in the end, it had no use after all as any excuse would draw suspicion, not to mention that I gained the title of 'iron stomach' under the servants, at least if my ears did not lie to me whenever I crept along the halls.
I enveloped a silver fork with my magic and poked the closest edible frisbee. The pancake gave in so easily it made me wonder if it even was solid, a closer look denied this theory, but sparked another interesting fact, the food item was so bouncy that it repelled the fork's attempts to penetrate it. I gave the plate a confused look before stabbing it a bit more roughly and brought the excavated piece to my mouth. The delightful bite was soft and lofty as the very air, sweet as honey yet not overwhelming while a light touch of powdered sugar tickled my tastebuds, the various fruits freeing their juices that mixed with the cream and syrup, creating an experience that I would remember as long as it would take an average pony to lose the gained pounds.
"This is delicious!" I shouted loudly with enjoyment, before ramming another forkful into my mouth and chewing violently on it. Unlike most sweets in this world, this one bore not enough sugar to melt away my teeth. Gentle's facial muscles twitched with each chew, and her pain was justified, given her inability to cook anything I like, at least, better than the chefs at the castle.
"So, Star." Gentle started, softly coercing my attention away from the blessed meal. "Your Birthday is in a week, and I wondered what you might like to get?" Celestia suppressed a frown, displeased with her statement.
"Well." I started, before taking another bite, practically swallowing it whole. "I could always use a few more books."
"I know, but isn't there something you might like other than books?" Gentle asked with interest, which I did not fault her for, my room, as well as a guest room in the castle, were practically filled with tomes that I ingrained into my mind and would, later on, study to gain their abilities. It would be suspicious if hundreds of books were to just vanish over the course of a few minutes, especially from a room in the castle.
"Do not pressure Star, he just started to feast and has a stressful day in front of him." Celestia shushed Gentle, though not as effective as it once did, given Gentle's rather annoyed look that I could still spot despite the well-made mask.
'Stressful? I call carrying around a kilogram of Optu-ominous-25 through a fucking concrete jungle while a clock is constantly reminding you of how much time is between you living or turning to a pile of dust stressful. This here? A breeze.' I thought while the glares between the two mares intensified, one better hidden than the other.
"An instrument." I broke the silence, causing both of them to stop their little fight. "Something quiet, peaceful, and small so I can always carry it around me." Even I had no more idea what I was talking about, but hey, better than another book. It probably won't be better.
"You wish for an Instrument?" Celestia asked with surprise as she raisedrose an eyebrow.
"Well, I'd also like to see a bit more of Equestria, like a visit or a short vacation."
"Star, such decisions cannot be made this hastily, where are we even supposed to stay?" Celestia blurted out, her spoon dropping into the bowl as she raised her head. It was clear to me that she was not favoring my wish.
"That's not a problem, we could visit the Neighara falls and spend the night at my parents in Font Meadow, it's only an hour away so we wouldn't even have to go that long. Plus, I'm sure my parents will be ecstatic to finally meet their grandfoal." Gentle beamed vividly, I'd dare to say she was more excited about the idea to leave this city than I was.
"That sounds awesome, can we Mommy?" I asked with a broad smile.
Celestia stared at me with a bewildered expression, unused to being outsmarted. Things not going her way, she forced out a: "Sure." with a short nod and strained smile. "Now, Star, please eat up, you have a long day awaiting you." I was in a lot of shit, but it was worth it. Maybe.
"You don't have to tell me that twice!" I answered loudly as I began to inhale the pancakes, fully aware that I may have tipped the scale of this war in Gentle's favor, even if it was just a tiny bit against the mountain that was Celestia. As I was destroying the food in front of me, I could not ignore the strain on Celestia's face as she ate her large bowl of oatmeal, if I knew any better, I'd say that she was planning something, the problem was that I didn't know what.
I let out a deep sigh as the last remaining pancake scrap was erased off the face of this world, the large portion being broken down in a matter of seconds. My moment of peace was broken when a high pitched, squealing cut through the silence. I looked up to see Celestia standing up silently and walking towards the other gate, I followed her without a second of hesitation, however not before throwing Gentle one last smile, who returned this gesture.
"You know that you cannot be this careless, Star." Celestia spoke without even turning her head towards me as I finally caught up to her fast pace.
"But why?" I asked, not whiningly, but honestly interested in her insecurity, at this point, I was unsure if I would even visit a public school, or whatever the noble equivalent was. "It's just a few hours away with the train." Even I could pay for this trip with the bits I *ahem* found on the ground.
"The cost of the train or its location within Equestria's border are obsolete." Celestia spoke with a lightly, aggravated tone, bordering faint aggression, and a hint of irritation. "Even I have to be always careful outside of Canterlot and that with good reason." She turned her head towards me, bearing a cold expression. "You are very important for me, the future of my country and, I daresay, ponykind as a whole." She stated as her look darkened slightly. "There are many creatures that do not have kind views on Equestria, be it of past and current events, or even fanatic predictions of the future. In other words, wandering around with nothing between you and a menace will end very poorly." Her head turned forward again.
I kept my mouth shut with slight pain from the pressure, I was not entirely interested in the wellbeing of this country. However, it appeared as if now it was tied to my own health as well. A hint of bitterness spread through my mouth as I listened to her words again in my head, especially the part where she mentioned 'her country' and 'ponykind as a whole' led me to believe that she was scheming something big, but not what... I could really understand why someone like Discord has such a distaste for her.
"So, I will have to live in Canterlot forever?" I asked with a hint of sadness, I hated cities, but the sad truth was that, at least in the old world, that was the only place where you could find decent work outside of fixing clocks.
"No." Celestia answered shortly as her magic aura enveloped her chamber's gates, several clicks ringing out, something that’s never happened before, when did she install a plethora of locks on her bedroom's door? "However, it is of great importance that if you do visit a place inside of Equestria's borders that you do so with at least adequate protection." I was inclined to ask what 'adequate' meant but decided against it, given her heavy insistence for any of my travel locations being only in her country.
I entered her chamber, it still bore the usual design patterns, even if the room now reeked of high doses of Magic and Aether, not like Hauhuto's house, a tad drier. I stopped for a moment once inside at the sight of Cadance, her legs folded under her belly while she struggled to keep her head upwards. The pink devil honestly looked like she ran two marathons only that she appeared to be arid and smelled better.
"Cadance, are you feeling well?" I asked cautiously while suppressing the sudden urge to twitch the moment Celestia closed the door behind her.
"Huh, wha-what?" Cadance's eyes shot wide open while frantically looking around, before finally coming to a halt when her eyes fell onto me. They were red, cold, and a tad empty as if something drew out nearly all her power. "Oh, hello, Star, I didn't see you there." Her face, no, scratch that, her whole body looked like she lost a few shades of color.
"Why do you look like that Cadance, what happened?"
"Do not be concerned, Star." Celestia said as she walked past me and lay down next to Cadance, the warmth seemingly giving Cadance hints of strength. "Cadance merely charged a particular pure crystal with her magic, a mana gem if you will." Her calmness did not give me any reassurance at all, given that the pink alicorn looked like she lost part of her soul, even if her coat regained its color at a frightening speed.
"Are you sure that is healthy?" I asked as I slowly walked closer to the duo and lying down in front of the pair.
"It is less damaging of the mind or body and more of a lack of energy, it can be compared to an intensive workout." Celestia clarified, before bringing several books from her desk to us, a box from which blue light emitted was ignored. "Now, we have wasted enough time already. Open the history book to page twenty eight, the pre-separation era, in this age, the very first steps were taken that would, later on, result in the development of the three tribes." And thus, her tirade began, happily, as I did not dare to interrupt her, remind her, or even talk about any subject she might find 'displeasing.'
A deep, reeking, and molding scent filled my nose as I stomped through the damp, dark cave in which previously the hobgoblin resided: a monster of muscle, skin, and rotten teeth. Now that the beast was gone, only a few drizzles of blood, and the much more prominent puddle of the ebony liquid, alongside the chair of the goblin boss reminded me of its former existence.
I stomped through this section of the hideout, hints of anger and a combination of dread filled me of the events that were to come tomorrow. Each night after the one where I wished to visit the, sigh , Neighagra falls, I had spent trotting-fuck! Walking in circles while pondering, or at least, attempting to as my mind was practically blank.
'Damn horse, why do you have to make me think about everything, just what the hell are you playing at?!' I thought angrily while increasing both my noise and pace through the room, leaving only the shadows to change their motions from the flickering wall torches. 'I’ll take a fucking bond style death over these fucking mind games, just what the hell is this all about.'
I stopped and held a hand on my forehead, it was warm, nearly boiling, and this only fuelled my anger exponentially. 'Something happened when Cadance was born, but what? What does the owl have to do with anything and for heaven's sake, why does a feel-good touch play such a damn, huge role!' I grit my teeth even stronger, now rocks were sent flying from my rage and lack of knowledge.
"Gugh!?"
I snapped my head towards the cave's entrance while my glare could melt holes into whatever unlucky fool wandered into my vicinity. A goblin, fat, and meeker at the same time, carrying only a fitted loincloth and a small bone with him stared vividly at my armor, taking components of both the guard as well as the boss.
Something snapped in me.
In a moment's notice, the Goblin was ripped from its position into my outstretched hand, before its head was nearly crushed by my force. The animal squealed loudly while trashing, attempting to attack my arm only for all damage to be blocked, and yet as I stared at this pathetic image of resistance, I felt only... nothing. The Goblin let out an ear-piercing howl before it’s sizzling flesh overtook his voice, or perhaps, he was just silent after that, given that a mana blade cut through his skull. The body fell limply to the ground with no grace as the black liquid flooded the hole and the ground underneath it.
"Insect." I spat silently, before sharply turning around, not bothering to pick the corpse up, and walked towards the hobgoblin's former throne. I landed on the crude construct expecting it to creak, but despite its appearance and stench, it was actually quite comforting, all it needed was thirty liters of bleach and enough air freshener to make new jersey smell bearable for a few minutes, and I might even take it to my training realm.
As I played on the fantasy of furnishing my little edge in the world, a single speck of rock fell onto my nose, followed by a low growl. I cannot foretell how I reacted this way, but in a moment's notice, my arms shot upwards, my halberd materializing between my pals, and stabbed upward. A shriek that reminded me of nails running across glass rang out before I slammed whatever I stabbed onto the ground in front of me.
The large beast thrashed around violently as it attempted to dislodge the medieval weapon from its back, but I was faster and stronger. I clambered the shaft under my left armpit, before jumping on the beast’s back and ramming two mana knives into its upper back. The steam coming from the flesh, juicy and slimy, had a sweet tone to it that took off some horror of the monster beneath me. I cursed silently under my breath as I watched my opponent's health bar, still bearing some fight. I let all of my weapons disappear, the beast lost balance from the sudden shift of weight both inside and outside, causing it to tumble lightly, allowing me to grab the Hobgoblin club from my inventory and ramming the heavy weapon downwards. The crunch that followed caused shivers to run across me as the beast let out one last cry.
I breathed gradually as I rolled away from the creature, my heart pounding heavily while a stinging sensation plagued my legs. I pantingly leaned forward so see brown spikes lodged into my flesh, I bore little thought as I ripped them out, however, I stopped after the first one left my meat, a sprinkling, searing sensation nibbling away my flesh, a green goo coated it: poison. I took a deep breath, shutting my eyes with painful force before looking at my health, seeing it stop dropping after having activated [Meditate].
"Must've been small fry." I mumbled, frighteningly uncaring of the event, having played out only a moment's notice before, yet I did not push this any further. "The fuck...?" I mumbled as I inspected the corpse, it was a giant cockroach, even as I circled it. It resembled it nearly perfectly, was it not for the orange blood that seeped from it, as well as its strange face, or what remained of it. It did not look like a roach's face, it appeared to me like it had skin and two eyes, but the inward bent, shattered visage answered no questions.
"Observe."
???
I raised an eyebrow at the strange textbox, I had a high enough level, but somehow it appeared to be warded off, or rather, I was not allowed to read the information.
"Uh, Game? I think your textboxes a tad buggy?" I wondered with a hint of confusion, tilting my head at the riddle.
I must disagree, all functions are working without any hindrance. The Game answered, despite my serious confusion.
"Then why won't you show me the stats of the roach?"
It is classified information that I am not allowed to reveal. Please do not, under any circumstances, attempt to acquire this knowledge. His insistence was almost... painful.
"If you say so..." I mumbled while staring at the roach's face for a few moments, it made me feel a bit uneasy staring into its foggy, empty, round irises before flames started to consume the corpse. Not even bones or ash remained. I was unsure if I wanted to know more.
"Are you sure this is safe?" I asked innocently with great concern as I leaned over the railing as my eyes darted downwards. A tingling sensation in my stomach only worsened the overall experience.
"Why wouldn't it be?" Celestia asked as she overlooked the scenery, her mane flowed gracefully through the wind while her wings ever so often twitched, yearning to soar through the sky.
My eyes slowly traveled towards Gentle Touch, clamping every limb, including the tail, against her body while shivering like a dog during a thunderstorm, twitching every so often when our means of transportation would shake weakly. I forced my gaze upon the clouds again, underneath which the land flew past us with high speed as the carriage, drawn with four armored pegasi pulled the 'vehicle' with high speed.
"Just a hunch." I answered shortly, watching as great meadows turned to a few villages, forests to rocky landscapes and mountains grew frequently in number evermore. Closing my eyes, I allowed the strong wind to flow in, and through me, this sensation filled me with life.
Our current height is about 1462 meters above the ground. The Game informed me silently, not breaking away my focus on the scenery..
My eyes hovered towards the horizon, the flight had already lasted an hour, the pegasi still not giving in into mortal fatigue, but this mattered not as the sight drew me in ever so more. The large belt of clouds, various holes allowing me sight onto the world below, painted an image that showed the world only in its natural beauty, an ocean of white, green, and the occasional blue.
"It is a mesmerizing sight, isn't it?" Celestia asked, but to my ears, it mattered not who uttered those words, for all I could reply on was-
"Yeah..."
The carriage landed softly, not once creaking or cracking, just the wind being thrown and thrashed around as the four pairs of wings descended. All eyes were drawn onto the metal object, or rather, those who resided inside. Some bowed, others kneeled, a few scrambled, and a large amount froze upon meeting gaze with the pony princess herself. Celestia smiled gently as she opened her mouth, but before a word was uttered by her, another took this place.
"Sweet, sweet Ground! Oh, how much I missed you!" Gentle roared out as she jumped from the carriage, her lips seemingly touching the ground first before it was kissed respectively by the shivering, sweating unicorn mare. She suddenly stopped, petrified, as her head slowly was raised, eyeing those who stared at her in return. Touch's face twitched slightly, checks starting to take on a red hue as she slowly scrambled back into the carriage.
"There is no need to gift us so much attention, my subjects." Celestia called out, drawing away the attention from Gentle, yet having seemingly basked in those few moments where she was not the center of attention. "Please return to your duties and continue your activities." The crowd dispersed quickly, an aura of respect and authority, washing them away like smudges on a window during a rainstorm. It made me wonder just how that was this effective; usually, people have to threaten with violence to make onlookers scram.
"They really were interested in you." I called out, not explicitly saying which Mare gained more attention.
"I take it you did not enjoy this flight as much as our offspring did?" Celestia asked softly, borderline vividly with a low, yet pitched tone. A shiver rocked across Gentle's back as her face heated even further.
I rolled my eyes playfully as I jumped out of the carriage and looked over the area, the space had cleared up, but the sight was not what drew me to inspect the situation. I felt the watchers again, at least twenty in their number as they soared across the sky, a few staying above me, observing. I wonder if those bastards would ever leave me alone.
"Come on, you can do this, just like the client said. Take aim, hold steady, press the button, and run." I mumbled to myself as I fiddled with my bag, its content clinking and clanking like heavy metal coins in an oversized pouch.
Sweat ran down my face as my heart threatened to burst, all while a deep, empty sensation threatened to eat me alive. I grit my beak as I opened the bag again, it was all there in the exact order just like the last time I looked, and the time before. I glided my talons across the robust and heavy string, the fiber giving in only a little while bouncing back in place with much greater force.
I jerked and pressed myself against the back of the stand and into the shadows, my medallion's top gleamed with a purple shine. I clamped my beak shut, ceased breathing and noises alike. My feathers itched terribly, every second was agony while this torture went on. The shine stopped.
"F-fuck that w-was close." I cursed under my breath as I pushed my bag close to my chest, its contents nearly threatened to snap in half. I took a breath as one of my claws went to my throat, gently squeezing it while gulping hard. 'J-just one shot, that's all. You've got to do this Wilhelm, there isn’t another option.' I grit my beak ever harder, nearly daring to crack it, before slinging the bag onto my back and moving towards another shadow as a high pitched tone drew away curious gazes.
I smiled vividly as I stared into the large waterfall, the enormous amounts of water rushed down the mountain's cliff with frightening force, daring to pulverize any object and being in its wake, even if it was the impurity of the air. A deep whiff of the clean mountain wind worked wonders on toxic levels of grumpiness.
"Enjoying the air, Star?" Celestia said as she walked up to me, she stopped her attempts to understand my minimalistic way of thinking and gratitude for the simple things like fresh air and food containing less than fifty-six percent biologically degradable plastic. They really did not appreciate what they had.
"Yup, it's great up here!" I exclaimed joyfully as I eyed the flower petals and leaves flowing through the air, their colors reflecting the pure sunlight. However, another sniff woke a different emotion in me. It was a stinging scent, heady and sweet, while a bell's ringing stole away my attention. "Huh, what's that?" I asked while pointing my hoof at the strange metal contract, what was the round thing on the waffle?
"Hmm?" Celestia hummed as she turned around, before tilting her head. "Well, it is a warm day, so a scoop of ice cream won't hurt too much, I assume."
"Iced cream?" I asked with confusion, giving the Mare a blank stare.
"Oh, you probably don't know what ice cream is." Gentle said as she levitated her purse up to her face and skimming through it. "In Canterlot, it is hard to find any sweet that is not chocolate or caramel, but it's quite common on the land. Come, I'll buy us some, I'm sure it will even satisfy your sweet tooth." Gentle said with a smile with anticipation that made me wonder if she just really wanted the sweet for herself or if my reaction enticed her more to do this expensive act.
Me not knowing a certain kind of sweet was nothing unusual, my human mom and aunt never really gave them to us unless for special occasions. I couldn't even buy them, sugar got so damn expensive because of its use in chemistry as a stabilizer, and the fake shit made me feel the rot overtaking my teeth.
I followed the two grinning mares towards the strange device that radiated a chilling cold from it, the last customers, a mare and a colt, left the stand. They appeared to be a tad too happy for something that looked like colored snow.
"Well, hello, miss and mi-my Princess Celestia!" The stallion's calm demeanor suddenly shifted to a panicking mess as he struggled to keep his sweat from ruining his wares. "I-I've been keeping the health code close to my heart, I swear."
Celestia's cheek muscles strained, if she was suppressing a giggle or retaining a frown I knew not. "Please be at ease, I have not come here to announce you guilty of any crime, we have simply gained a sudden craving for sweets." I'm starting to wonder if this mare can make any sentence sound professional.
"Oh-oh..." The stallion let out a sigh of relief, slowly rising up again. While making a point of law enforcement, I rarely saw any kind of guard, like, anywhere.
Ponies are fearful and curious herd animals, a patrol of guards marching through the town will most likely gain the population's attention and might spread concern through the masses. The Game elaborated, revealing yet another custom of this bizarre world.
"I'd like a scoop of vanilla, please, and you Celestia?" Gentle said as she started to pour a large number of bits onto the makeshift counter, causing the stallion to scramble, a gibberish escaping his mouth as he tried to push the payment back at Gentle. His flailing didn't hit a single coin.
Celestia jerked momentarily, clearly surprised. "Ehm, chocolate." She spoke, apparently still in disbelief, making even me wonder who broke her.
"Star?"
"Strawberry, please." I didn't pay attention to my own words, but when could strawberry make anything worse?
"I-I can't take money from you, your highness." He pushed words through his teeth as he piled the small mountain of gold together, fifteen bits in total.
"I insist," Celestia said with a smile, her eye's corners twitching weakly, something was eating at her.
"W-well if t-that's the case." The Stallion spoke as he scooped a large portion of flavored snow onto the cones, a hint of milk radiated from the food, nullifying my snowball theory. "Please do enjoy."
"I'm sure we will." Gentle said. She was more fiddly today than usual, perhaps excited to meet her parents after all those years? I decided not to reply as we walked away from the stall, the man's relief could be felt even minutes away. "Do try to eat it quickly or it will melt, but not too fast either." The fuck is that supposed to mean?
I stared into the red, borderline pink orb as a frosty smell chillingly made its way through my nose, while the familiar, sweet stinging of the fruit sent shivers across my skin.
Lick.
"Are you alright, Star?" Celestia asked after a few silent moments.
"Yes..."
Lick
'T-that was close.' I thought grimly, my chest rose and sank, daring to rip apart my shirt that was already stained with sweat. I let my bag fall onto the ground next to me, this old watch post had been long abandoned and served as a good hideout, nobody would look here.
Each desperate gasp for air eased my painful worry only slightly given the task ahead. 'S-stop worrying so much, you're not a bad Griffin, but you have to pull this through for Martha.' I grit my beak, grasping the bag and ripped it open, revealing a metal crossbow, a set of black crystal bolts. The handle bore an engraving.
'A gift to the hero of Pridestone, may your bolts always find their targets.'
'Take aim, press the trigger, run.'
I shakingly grasped the weapon with my shivering claws, the construct laid heavily in my grasp. I pulled the string back, the mechanism delivered excellent resistance but eventually settled with a heavy click. I jerked from the sudden sound, before taking a bolt and shoving it into the weapon.
I lifted the crossbow with heavy strain onto the railing, various ponies' reflections walking across the glass, however in the center stood still one, little unicorn: Light grey fur and silver mane adorning the foal.
I tensed up, wondering if I really was going to do this, but there was no other way when the path was clear, the trigger would be pulled. 'I'm so sorry, little cub.' I thought with a heavy heart, awaiting my chance while aiming at the head, it would be a quick, painless end.
Nibbling away at the plain, but still delicious cone, a remnant of one of the greatest foods I was granted to consume, my mind blankly stared forward while my body followed the two adult mares, both chatting idly at topics I had no quarrel meddling into. Their little conversation ended, however, when our eyes fell upon a large gathering of ponies, for me, it blocked every shred of sight, yet, Gentle and Celestia seemed to have been caught by the image for just a moment.
By consuming a particular food item, you received [fire resistance] for 5 minutes. Fire damage is reduced by 20 points.
I didn’t ask The Game how a food item could grant me resistance to flames, even less than how it could heal mortal wounds, but even if I had this yearning for knowledge, the Princess allowed me not to think before I was levitated onto her back. I was about to question her sudden action, but I found the answer faster than I could've asked for.
"Stallion and Mares."
"Fillies and Colts of all ages."
"We welcome you to the grand magic show of the fantastic-"
"Fantabulous-"
"Amazing-"
"Breathtaking-"
"Lulamoons "
I stared at the odd pair atop the large stage with a hint of confusion, but mostly curiosity. The platform reminded me a bit of a theater, decorated with stars and glitter and whatnot.
The two performers, both unicorns, wore magician's cloaks and hats while standing in a dominant pose in front of the crowd. The stallion had a teal coat, alongside a white and pale blue mane, his cutie mark nearly hidden was that of three golden stars. The Mare, on the other hand, had an orange coat, her mane followed the stallion's example only that the blue was replaced with orange.
I raised an eyebrow at the odd pair, their choice of clothing was cringeworthy, there was no denying it, yet it still drew the eye in.
"I'm JackPot-"
"And I am Showcase-"
"And together we'll deliver a world-class show of its finest. "
'Why do those two talk so weirdly and-hold on a minute, his name is Jack-pot?! Why the fuck is Jack normal here, but John is some kind of eldritch spell?!' I grumbled mentally while resisting the urge to pout.
JackPot lifted his hat, the absurd piece of cloth, and pulled out a bottle filled with some sort of blue gas. All of a sudden, he smashed the object onto the ground, a wave of vapor escaped with great power, blowing away bits and pieces of dirt, cloaking the duo in the smoke.
"Do not fret, the show is about to begin." A female voice spoke mysteriously, strangely echoing.
Rockets fired out of the smokescreen, flying only so high before exploding into a misty substance, slowly descending upon us and slowly absorbing most of the sunlight, shrouding the area in a dark blanket. The crowd of ponies quickly sank into discomfort, chittering and chattering broke out while a few even seemed to have broken into a panic.
"Fear not, dear watchers, we merely wish to show you of our travels-"
"Of lands containing things of imagination-"
"Further than anypony has ever trotted."
The large fog cloud on the stage swirled violently, particles of blue and orange, led the smoke into a vortex from which a shadowy figure emerged: A bear, but not just any, a titanic beast towering the platform. The creature roared loudly as the stellar markings on its body began to glow in a blue hue.
"The great and powerful Ursa Major, housed in castle sized caves in the deepest and most dangerous forest, the Everfree."
The fog twisted into a bipedal form, melting and losing shape, before becoming a mighty, seven-headed hydra, glowing orange eyes adorned it while its head squirmed and squealed, screaming painfully.
"The mighty Hydra of the forsaken swamp, Nazmir."
And once again, the smoke swirled, however, this time the duo made it their duty to pull the most significant figure they could muster. The shadows grew and inflated to sizes that seemingly scratched the very heavens, the beast sprouted wings and a maw large enough to swallow a pony whole while it's paralyzing, cold, pale blue eyes ripped out the very few shreds of hope any unfortunate victim might once have possessed.
"The banished dragon lord, Manus."
"Those were a few of the great beasts we’ve encountered on our journey, yet only scraps of what we may present to you."
The large dragon broke and shattered into itself, flooding the ground with smoke that wished and wavered, seemingly distorting reality, yet, it was just a mind trick. Once the smoke settled, the duo stood on a large podium, atop their hind legs and hoof in hoof.
"The question is, can you make it without fainting in awe?"
'Seems like this place got a good chunk more interesting.' I thought with a smile while I leaned forward, holding myself on Celestia's long neck. 'Now, where are the small Irish people trying to steal our wallets?'
I stared coldly onto the ground from a cloud far above. Left. The crowd of ponies gathered nearly swallowed the Princess and the Crown Prince. Right. No pony had spent more than fifteen seconds following the VIPs. Left. No suspicious pony has been sighted yet. Right.
"You're going to snap your own neck if you continue this guard dog crap, you know that, Thunder." Agent Sky spoke from behind me.
I shifted slightly, keeping one eye on the target while swaying the other towards my 'partner.' "You don't seem awfully concerned with the safety of the Crown Prince, Sky, especially given our objective."
"Urgh, I've been following Prince Star, for what now, nearly six years, I'm pretty sure he is safe, especially given how durable that colt it is, I swear, there are x rays of his skull and brain crushed. I repeat, his skull was caved in."
"Rumors." I mumbled sternly while turning my head a little more towards her; every bit of my frown mattered. "Even if those stories are true, it is our job and duty to prevent things from getting a step further than that."
"Yeah yeah, grumpy, you sure you aren't getting a tad old? There hasn't been a single attempt on nobility, less so royalty, in what, like three-hundred years." Sky rolled her eyes in a most infuriating way. "Stop it already, you're going to get even more wrinkles if you continue."
"I take wrinkles over lazy, flabby skin." I commented. She turned her head with a lot of force towards me with a glare that could've made my father proud, seems like things don't always stay the same. "Hey, now you're doing it."
"I liked you more before, pop." She commented. I was about to open my mouth but was stopped upon seeing her face before she jumped off the cloud.
I gritted my teeth and pulled out a communication stone. I cracked the gem with a hit of my hoof while staring at the shaking gleaming on the horizon. "Attention, a suspicious individual has been found, likely armed with a long-ranged weapon. Immediately escort VIPs to safety."
"This is so exciting." I said while attempting to contain my enjoyment.
The Hydra and the dragon were battling one another, thrashing around the place while circling the crowd, every so often just barely missing a pony with a swipe or stomp. The crowd sank into an adrenaline rush, understandable, holo films don't have shit on this.
"Your Highness." A male voice woke me from my petrified state, alongside the heavy rocking his touch caused. Touch?
Princess Celestia turned around slowly, visibly annoyed by the interruption. "I hope you have a very good reason for this interruption, Sargeant." She seemed to be rather Grim, much more than usual. At least when some pony says something awful, not even the suggestion to remove an orphanage for a public bath made her this angry.
"It appears as if bees took a liking to our candy. It would be best not to start a fight."
I nearly fell over when her muscles tensed up, shifting her entire back in the process as if she was about to take off at a moment's notice, which was weird. I doubt there was anything powerful enough to pose a threat to her, other than the owl perhaps.
I believe she is more concerned about your wellbeing.
'I survived having my head crushed?'
Piercing damage is much more dangerous for beings with high regenerative abilities as they not only prevent healing as long as an object is lodged into the flesh, but the shredded meat hinders regeneration. This does not concern us, as our health is based on total hull damage, in other words, how much this body is destabilized.
'And dear Mommy does not know that, good, I need a few secrets on my side as well.' I thought while looking over her shoulder at the messenger.
"Star Touch, Gentle Touch, it appears as if we have to leave a bit earlier than originally anticipated," Celestia spoke tensely as she walked past the guard, not awaiting an answer or protest from Gentle, who silently followed.
'Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!' I screamed in my head, wishing yet again the sweat out of my eyes, my claws quivered and clawed at the crossbow with painful force to keep from slipping away. I gulped, my ribs hurt so much, the horrible kick wound acting up again, while a stinging sensation traced across my skin.
'Why in Tartarus did I have to wait, just why!?' I screamed in my head while my breathing slowly went out of control.
Four figures walked out of the smoke.
I pushed my head forward, my eye nearly touching the glass of my scope while I frantically searched through the group. 'White, pink, grey, Grey! Prey!' I followed the group that entered a golden carriage with my crosshair. I crammed the weapon in a death grip while I slowly pulled the button, and my sight suddenly snapped to the right.
I, I couldn't feel a thing, 'wh-what was happening to me?' I laid on the ground, my crossbow in front of me while my sight was fixated in one direction. I could just barely hear a voice, mumbling and muffled, but I could make out one more thing before my vision was flooded with red and covered with black.
"Reporting."
I froze in place, my vision quivered, switching between the Neighara falls and a black, empty world leading towards a desolate land on which creatures of horrific proportions and forms wandered. I grit my teeth, surpressing the urge to cry and laugh at once while an unholy touch stole away my warmth and breath. I shivered horrifically, so cold, I felt my brain itch, the urge to vomit blood rose while I could feel the numbness and decay, a corrupting presence tearing into my flesh.
I attempted to turn my head towards the source but was forced against the warm, soft barrel of Mommy as she firmly held her wings against me. I pressed my body against Celestia's and my hoof onto the ground, clinging onto everything I could while the horrific drain lessened.
'W-what the hell is that!?' I screamed in my head, but I could not differentiate if I was loud or deaf.
A being carrying large quantities of negative emotions was killed, and released the entirety of the collective mind at once. This force, now containing a very basic version of an Aether Heart, or as you call it, soul, drags more negativity with it before it lands in the Nightmare realm where a 'Living Nightmare' is created, a sentient monstrosity. I did not know what he was talking about, I couldn't find any sense while my mind cracked under pressure.
'What does that have to do with me!?' I cried, shivering my flesh's fibers clung to one another with all their strength, this rot, it was tearing me apart, even when it was but a memory now.
It appears as if the original creature wished ill upon you, and the nightmare will likely try to continue the legacy.
My eyes snapped open as nearly all emotions, but one left me cold. Dread. Nightmares, their very presence was enough to kill a man or drive him insane. So many poor souls were dragged there, countless unfortunate souls I will one day join, but in what way was yet to be decided.
I dwelled on the idea for a few more moments as I stared over the telling, letting the cold winds soothe my anxiety while a soft tune playing in my head, one which's origin I still could not decipher. I wanted not to think anymore. I endured the ever so slowly vanishing decay while watching the scenery, wondering how long it would remain this way.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter two: Birthday Colt Part 2 [E]
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter two: A Decisive Decision [E]
A soft grumble left my lips as I rolled to the left, the sun's beams hitting the cracks of my eyelids a little. The rugged texture of my bed cover rocked me slightly as I encased myself into its soft glory like a caterpillar cocoon, daring to once again fall asleep in this slightly harder bed.
Good morning, my host. It's currently about seven o’clock in the morning. Health, stamina, and mana have been replenished.
'' Morning' I replied with a groggy moan, slowly slithering upwards to face the harsh world outside of this cottony realm. The guest room awaited me; it reminded me awfully like my bedroom when I first was carried into it, just lacking the foal decorations and a tad of the lavishness. "I didn't think it would hit me that hard." I thought with a few fond memories of the night before creeping back to my mind yet again. Cake, so much cake and enough sweet potatoes to make a stallion sick.
My hooves slowly swished across my face with the elegance of a steamroller as a mighty yawn roared from my throat. I threw the cover carelessly to the side before jumping to the floor, it creaked slightly in response. I shivered slightly as the cool morning breeze embraced me. The castle may have been made of marble, but it was well heated. I shook my head; it was too early to fill my head with nonsense, at least, as long as the damn owl was nowhere around.
"Hauhuthos." I mumbled as I trotted towards the door with slow steps, the gate opening while the bed was being made without a spare glace. "You may be strict, but you're a pretty good teacher." The old owl was annoying at best, but he was efficient and very upfront, or at least, his ulterior motives did not actively involve me as he taught me the arcane arts to the point that the Game was less of a cheat, and more as a failsafe. I stopped my thoughts as I arrived at the top of the stairs; my eyes darted down to the lower floor. However, something drew me in the opposite.
"Was that a cough?" I wondered as I heard the wet noise once again.
I believe this is the aforementioned grandmother Gentle Grace spoke about the past day. The Game reminded me, the mare's voice played in my head once again.
‘That is Strong Will, my colt.’ Grace said with a dry tone, quivering slightly. ‘He couldn't be present today. He's on a-vacation, with his grandfather. My mother really needed time to rest upstairs.’
I nodded meekly, my head swayed towards the stairs once again, but a buried sense of childish curiosity flared within me, daring to take at least a scrap of a glance so that it may not nibble at me for the rest of time. I shook my head at my own damn sense of adventure and followed the infrequently occurring noises as the tone varied between rasp and low. I stood in front of an orange door, the sound not far off behind the wooden blockade that kept me waiting only a moment longer as I slowly pressed it open.
On a bed made for two rested a single pony. Her breathing was hard while her old, wrinkled face jerked and occasionally twitched, body seemingly in pain. I swayed my eyes to the nightstand, a table with a half-eaten bowl of oatmeal, and a hoof-full of pills rests next to a glass of water.
"Gentle Grace, are you back already?" The old mare asked with a low and weak tone, her pace interrupted by heavy breaths pained the equine. Upon further inspection, she bore a great resemblance to Strong Touch: A red coat with a white diamond on her forehead, while what was left of a short, blonde mane adorned her head.
I winced slightly at the sight, call it a sixth sense, but that was not someone who looked like they still had the best years of their life in front of them. I quietly walked up to the bedframe and hopped onto it. The old mare took a moment to pause before slowly turning her head, her bleak expression morphed into one of joy.
"Oh, sweet foal, you've come to visit old me." She spoke in a kind tone, the pain in her voice drowned by a new wave of life as I tried to put on the happiest look I could. "I'm Ambrosia Touch, I'm your granny." She spoke with a soft voice that any loving grandmother would use to speak with their grandchildren.
I suppressed a frown and continued giving the old mare a joyous, false smile and slowly sat down with my hooves folded under my barrel. Not a moment passed before she began stroking my back, her thin fur rubbing against mine.
Observe. The Game activated the skill with a skeptical tone.
Name: Ambrosia Touch
Thoughts about you: She's overjoyed to see her grandfoal.
* Münchmeyer Disease
'What is that?' I read over the abnormal status effect a third time, still not finding the answer despite the familiarity.
A disease similar to sarcoma, a type of cancer.
My breath stuck in my throat as a slimy, cold sensation glided down my spine in parallel to the soft stroking of Ambrosia. I gulped slightly, forcing down air. 'You're serious?'
Affirmative. This entity's tissues are being quickly degraded by this infectious disease; however, it has remained inactive for a large majority of this pony's life. Estimated time remaining: 7 months.
"I've been anxiously awaiting waiting for some company for a while now." Ambrosia sighed while leaning to the side. "'can't work on the fields anymore, the younglings left the den and I've been treated like a fragile vase ever since Sprout bit the dust." I bit my own tongue at her naive words; however, it left me wondering why this random person's situation affected me so much. She was just a stranger.
"Who's Sprout?" I asked, attempting to push this one-sided conversation in a different direction.
"Sprout? He was my husband, quite a strapping stallion if you ask me, sadly couldn't be ripped from the field like a beet, more like a whole tree and that was the best case." The old mare mumbled away, not bothering to fill in the details.
'I-eh, ehm.' I tried to ask a question, yet it all devolved into a quagmire of thoughts while scrambling for more questions to ask. A sense of confusion washed over me. Why didn't I just make up some excuse to leave. The elderly were never my problem, hell, the nicest thing I had done to them was acknowledge their existence, but to comfort and listen... What is happening to me, why did I suddenly care? Why did I suddenly want to interact and make others happy?
This is a perfect opportunity to test out the item skill [Restoration]. The Game noted after half an eternity, leaving me momentarily wondering if he was waiting for me to say it or if it just now came to mind. However, his wording left a bitter taste in my mouth.
'Test as in 'look how to effectively use it' or, 'let's see if you can cast it without murdering the patient.'' I snapped with great skepticism while refraining myself from revealing a great, sour stare.
...The former one. I believe it would be best for me to cast it on other entities for the time being. The Game said with a reluctant tone. I pursed my lips, trapping the vulgarities like rats in a sack.
"Granny?" I asked, interrupting her tirade on how stubborn the old stallion used to be, but at the same time so lovable. Her ears perked up with surprising reflex time. "Can I play you something on the bell?"
"The bell?" Ambrosia asked with confusion before a sudden realization hit her. "Oh, the bell! Well, if you want to, I won't stop you, sonny."
I hopped off the bed and rushed towards the guest room, not questioning whether she remembered the instrument or was just pleasantly surprised by me calling her granny. I pushed the door open with a quick shove and pulled the bell back to me in a magic grasp before charging back, nearly ramming into a vase and a table on the way.
"Slow down, slow down you're gonna send yourself flying over the hill." Ambrosia warned as I jumped onto the bed before her look soured for just a moment. "Please don't use all the hocus pocus on it, its tradition ya know?" Her tone cut off like the road of a construction worker who had enough of his job.
I opened my mouth in protest before letting out a pout and grasping it with my hooves. 'Great, my own great grandmother doesn't believe in magic. If I still was a human, I'd be so fucking proud of her.' I thought with a bitter hint of nostalgia. Holding up the bell, I stared deep into it, and the magic and memories resting inside came alive again for just a moment or two. I let out a quiverful sigh at the 'taste' of sweet memories that clouded my mind like a hot shower after an icy cold day, embracing me with unfamiliar reminiscences of births, parties, weddings, and special events that once were fed into this bell unconsciously.
Using the item skill [Restoration] now.
My body moved on its own, no, that didn’t fit. I was guided like a dog by the leash as my hoof holding the bell rose upwards, and energy began to flow towards the instrument from my core. The bell let out a small hum and glowed pleasantly while hopes and dreams of ponies long gone and still alive coursed ever so shortly through my mind before leaving me with but a faint aftertaste. The bell, now gleaming and shining like a star atop of a Christmas tree, needed just a single motion to release the power, one twitch to play a song. The bell made one sound, and a soothing light like a small, gentle sun illuminated the room ever so slightly more, and warmth coursing through my body invigorated me.
"Ahh-"
My ears perked at the sudden noise, and my pupils shrunk with short-lasting dread as I witnessed Ambrosia let out a gasp, leaning back into the pillow and breathing heavily.
"A-are you okay, granny?" I ask with a sudden, sting-like flame of panic piercing my innards. "Do you nee-eep!" A panicked cry left my lips as Ambrosia's strong hoof suddenly pulled me upwards like a dog by the collar, before just a moment later letting me drop onto her chest. I stared shaking at the suddenly swoll mare who breathed deeply with her eyes closed. "Hello there." I answered fearfully as she opened her eyes.
"I have no idea what you just did." She started slowly, almost devoid of all emotions while a quiverful undertone tarnished her intimidating approach. She rolled her shoulder, carefully at first, expecting some kind of painful reaction, before leaning forward slowly, letting me carefully slip into her lap. Ambrosia exhaled deeply once again, leaning forward and stretching like a frozen piece of cardboard.
"Ehm, a-are you feeling well?" I asked with a newfound sense of terror as I felt her emotions burn with such a passion and intensity that it mentally burned, nearly bringing tears to my eyes with its stinging glory. I blinked strongly as I noticed the two tree trunks ensnaring me, pressing me against the soft, warm, and luscious furred belly of Ambrosia. We silently sat there while occasionally, the limbs traced across my back. I was silenced, stunned in a sense while an overwhelming sense of... of hope and belief spread.
I was momentarily plagued by an inner confusion created by my sudden urge to help, but now a feeling of joy was invoked as I taste this emotion I've unknowingly yearned for so long. It was not addicting like a drug, but much more than a massage; it was a craving for a very specific meal. As my bindings slowly loosened themselves and the stream of passion dried up, it left me hungering for more, not today, not tomorrow, next week, or month, but absolutely once more very soon.
"But I feel a heaping hay of a lot better." Ambrosia whispered as she leaned back, her eyes watered slightly, once again breathing deeply again. She opened her mouth, to say something, yet her words stuck in her throat. "I eh." She mumbled. "Ah darn it, I'm not good with the sappy stuff. Thank you, I really didn't know the sparkling could be this fancy." The old mare let out a quivering breath, stuttering with excitement as she gently motioned to me to hop off. I complied.
"Here I go." She announced, before hopping off the bed with a little, meek hop. I held back a gasp in fear but was relieved when I found Ambrosia sink into her hooves gently before trotting around the bed with a look of disbelief. "I will be darned, I'm not dreaming." She said with a breathless voice before hopping upwards but staggered when landing.
"Are you okay?" I asked with an alien sense of worry before stopping in front of the hyperventilating mare.
"Yes-yes, just a tad too much right now." Ambrosia weakly spat in between breaths; however, it appeared to me not like actual damage, more like an overworked muscle. Still nasty, of course, especially if you worked outside.
The item ability [Restoration] can only heal debuff and damages. However, it cannot return muscles back to a state before the negative status effect was inflicted or reverse age. I cursed silently at the answer given as my little dream of granting semi-immortality was broken.
"I'm fine, just got a bit overzealous. Celestia's sake I can soon return onto the fields." She spoke with amazement while eyeing her hooves and chest and limbs with the curiosity and enjoyment of a foal. "Gentle dear really did not squander lies when she said that you're one special colt. What's wrong?" Her joy suddenly died when she eyed my dip in mood.
"It's just, I kind of don't want to, ya know." I mumbled out like a cranky recorder, a sense of boredom and tiredness laying thick in my voice.
"Ah, don't ya worry sonny, your secret's safe with old me." She said with a caring voice, giving me one hoofed hug that, given my standing point, somehow made me relieved no adult stallion has hugged me before. "And thank you for making this old mare's body work once more without creaking like a rusty door," Ambrosia added with a snarky smile before quickly turning around and hopping onto her bed.
I eyed the old mare with a sense of joy before quietly leaving the room with a sense of pride, accomplishment, and fulfillment. The question was now no longer if I would help ponies out of need or want, but when I could, even if it was just to taste this sweet meal of emotions again in the future, but that was still far off, now my craving was sated and sweet tooth happy.
You have used up all of your [Faith].
"Wow-wee, you really can munch up quite a lot." Strong Touch finally spoke after what felt like half of an eternity walking through the orchard of fruits of great variety; however, the great dominance of apple did not escape my eyes.
"It's not often I can eat as much as I want." I commented as I eyed the little battalion of baskets surrounding a little perch of apple trees that bore plentiful fruits, all of them ripe and ready for picking.
His ears perked slightly as he asked. "Now that you mention it, you don't have much on the ribs. You're getting fed enough, right?" Strong Touch spoke with slight concern as he rocked his shoulders, the carriage shook slightly as he pulled the wooden construct.
"Hmm? Oh, no no, I just don't gain weight, like-well, ever." I replied casually, before letting out a pop sound from my mouth while eyeing the chipmunks and birds have... a trade of nuts for fruits? "Mommy and Mother tried everything, but nothing helps, I once even swallowed a whole five-course meal. 'Didn't gain a single pound though." Disappointment left my lips and a tad of bitterness as my state left me shivering nearly all the time, due to my thin fur and little fat.
"Huh." Strong responded, nodding silently before stopping his motion. The cart creaked ever so slightly, indicating that it was already quite old. "Well, good to know." Strong added, before unbuckling the reins and pulled out a couple of baskets, all their grips, all of them clearly not designed to be handled by an equine, in his mouth.
"Now, not sure if you'll need it for some time, but apple-bucking will someday come in handy, so watch and learn." He spoke after putting the baskets down in a strange, circular pattern, before jumping with his hind legs and kicking the tree bark. The tree shook like it was hit by a car, yet its flexibility implied that it was made out of rubber, but what caught my attention most was not the wood, nor the leafs that remained in place, but the apples that all instantaneously were plucked and collected in the baskets.
'This is some Middle Earth level of tomfoolery.' I thought with a surprising amount of odd satisfaction. "Wow, but, how did they all land in the baskets, and not, you know, on the ground. And, aren't they all bruised up now?"
"We don't ask these questions, it works, so why look the gifted stove in the furnace?" Strong replied with a short nod. "To answer your second question. Nope."
'No wonder like seventy percent of earth ponies live on the land and have no education whatsoever. They are just content with farming... or guard-ing.' I thought with a slight tinge in my facial muscles. Of course, earth ponies working in construction or financing were not unheard of, but the statistics did not lie. As disappointing as they were.
"Come on, give it a shot." Strong noted from the side as he put on the fruits in the cart and placed a set of new baskets around a second tree. "And don't be disappointed if it doesn't work out on the first try, no one is born an apple-bucker."
"Sure." I answered with an unsure tone as I closed in on the suddenly looming tree. I inspected the plant, attempting to imagine Strong Touch kicking it once again to make out if it had to do with placement, before realizing that it was fruitless- heh -as I'd never even reach the aforementioned spot. With a deep breath, I spun around with my legs pulled in, and bucked the tree.
Detecting ankle damage: Fractured.
I kept my yelp within me with a continuous, low pitched inhale while eyeing the single, red apple that fell off the tree and onto the ground. Before I could even retract my hindlegs from the bark, I was pulled into a strong, and I mean, strong hug.
"My grandcolt's first apple-buck." He answered with a joyfully sad note that made me just question how close he was to sobbing.
'Ponies are fucking weird...' I thought with a low exhale as I did the only thing I could right now: watch my health regenerate.
"Oh gosh darn." Gentle Touch sighed with frustration as she let down the needles and the mess of strings that were supposed to be a hat, one that could hardly be differentiated from a sweater, down. "How can you knit so fast?" She asked with visible confusion.
"Keep spitting out those dirty slangs and I'll wash them out, young lady." Gentle Grace threatened from the side, momentarily pausing her knitting to point one of the needles at her daughter.
"I'm 22..." Gentle Touch mumbled under her breath.
"And I'm 38, yet you don't see me spouting curses." Her mother enforced.
"Knitting is something that comes with experience, even though I don't have much free time to pursue such hobbies, I do occasionally make something." Celestia calmly said while keeping her eyes glued onto her piece of fabric that actually was supposed to be the sweater. "Stars favorite hat was actually done by me after the, I believe, fourteenth 'no, thank you' to Cloth Weaver." The alicorn thought loudly while reliving the moment with the utmost... encouraging designer.
"Really? When?" Gentle Touch asked as she put down her work and poured herself a glass of water. "I thought your schedule is full all the time."
"Oh, it sadly is." Celestia replied with a shake of her head. "However I do have the night, when everypony is asleep, to me. Of course, for these, often just this hour, I have to take several short naps between appointments, but otherwise, I probably have burned out a long time ago."
"That does not sound like a peaceful life, you have, your highness." Gentle Grace said weakly from the side.
"Oh, it does sound jarring, however, it is bearable." Celestia answered shortly with a kind, little, petite smile as she increased her knitting pace.
"But all of this on your own?" Gentle asked with a tilted head. "Does nopony help you?"
Celestia hummed for a bit as she knitted for just a few more seconds before answering. "Yes and no. Hauhutho is a great help, however, he is rarely available, and Cadance I do not wish to pester, despite her many offers."
"Wait, what about the nobles? Don't they, like, do anything?" Gentle asked with a tilted head. "I know miss Gloom Bloom overviews the agriculture and Stable Fort dictates the construction."
"That is true, but they do not make decisions, they are just following orders with a limited area of freedom, however all of their plans have to be approved by, usually, me." Celestia spoke, with a slowly bitter becoming tone.
"So no... ehm, how do I put it?"
"Mortal ponies?"
"Yes, mortal ponies." Gentle Touch exclaimed with shy triumph.
The great white pony let out a bitter sigh, putting down the tools and unfinished work, before looking Gentle in the eyes, not with anger or disappointment, but joy and happiness weren't present either. "Time and time again was I proven that mortals cannot rule themselves, they corrupt too easily." She exclaimed with an emotionless look. "I have given the chance of there being some sort of lesser noble council before, only a few years ago. The damages done to Equestria will still last for a long time, among other, utmost disappointing actions and acts of deception by those in charge."
"Like that tarnished Silver Soul law?" Gentle Grace asked with an acidic spit.
"Yes, it, in combination with a few others, were supposed to save Equestria from an economic crisis, and it did so until it was abused in such gruesome ways." Celestia said somberly before pulling her project close to herself again.
Suddenly the door burst open, and a large, muscular stallion with a foal in his grip, held like a goofball, proudly beamed. "My grandson just bucked his first apple!" His smile could not grow larger, just as much as the look of confusion and shock could not exceed this level.
The mood of the trio of old mares, granted, one ancient, another old, and the last one still being middle age, was lifted when the news broke out. And so I was bombarded with praises that could cover mountains, while my stare of bewilderment was just barely met with that of my mommy.
"I thank you for the pleasant while."
"It was nice to see you again, mom, dad, hopefully, we can do this again."
"Bye-bye, grandma. Bye-bye, grandpa. Thanks for the celebration."
"Ah, it was nothing to write a book about." Gentle Grace reassured with a wave of her hoof.
"The pleasure was ours." Strong Touch reinforced. "Grow big and strong so that maybe we can do some serious apple-bucking in the future, will ya?"
"I'll try!" I responded with a beaming smile, with a reply to a request I, myself, was unsure if I could survive and still be able to walk after completing it.
As we waved, the carriage slowly started to move, the eye contact didn’t breakas this awkward moment stretched itself out further and further until the metal bird finally soared through the air. I continued to stare at the ever-shrinking house, then the village, before even the land appeared tiny. I wondered if the old mare would be alright, or instead, if she would do something stupid.
"Don't be sad, I'm sure that they can visit once or twice a year with a little help." Celestia said as she patted my back, putting an emphasis on them visiting us.
"That sounds nice." I replied while looking over the landscape soaring past us. I could not understand this alien emotion brewing inside me; not even the air and sight and smell could cleanse it. It was not missing the old pair, no matter how kind and somewhat obnoxious they were, but something different, like a prying sense of discomfort, one I could not locate as it danced on the edge of my tongue.
I knew not what I was looking for, but whatever I searched for, it escaped me again and again as time passed. The carriage rumbled loudly, waking me from my daydream with a shock. "Huh-what?" I quietly exclaimed while frantically looking around, only to see Canterlot’s hangar.
"Come, I'm sure Hauhuthos’ anxious to see you again." Celestia said with a smile as she offered me the open way through the door.
I nodded in a haze while the ominous sensation grew grimmer by the second, yet only was I left in this eerie silence that seemingly stole away all my emotions. Thinking about it, the game remained silent for hours already, but I somehow knew that now was not the time to interrupt his dealings.
"Your highness, we are to inform you that -ehm- miss Fluffy Coat urgently wishes to speak with you regarding an emergency that occurred to her daughter, Sugar Drop." A guard spoke hastily, seemingly either lacking courage or merely new on the job, given his job as a courier.
"An emergency? Should she not be hospitalized then, or at the very least be inspected by a doctor?" Celestia asked with a sudden shift in tone.
The guard shifted slightly under his armor, assumingly searching for the best way to phrase his answer. "It appears as if nopony is able to find out the origin or the solution of the dilemma. The Canterlot Academia of Medicine was asked for contribution on the search, however, no results have been reported so far." The guard replied after a strict protocol.
"I see..." Celestia noted. "Sargent, please escort Gentle Touch and Prince-" She started her order, but was cut off.
"No." I interrupted hastily. "I want to know what is happening and be there for my friend." I crossed my eyes when what I said finally reached my ears. Where did this sudden sense of worry come from, specially gifted to someone I considered at best a break time pal. Friend seemed a tad... strong.
"Star." Prince Celestia said with a low, lightly threatening voice. The alicorn rarely used this kind of tone, usually taking more persuading and elegant ways to convince other ponies and me, yet, the sudden imperial choice of words left me speechless as she stared at me with a cold, and lightly worrisome tone. "I understand your concerns, however, there is nothing you can do. I am sure it is nothing serious, and whatever it may be, I will tell you at a later date." The way she spoke, it almost appeared to me if she had once said this phrase before, but to someone else.
"Well, the doctors describe her condition as 'rotting,' as if she's having her life sucked out at a frightful speed." The Guard said with a shivering tone as the princess's great head swayed towards him.
Celestia looked at his uniform with a spare glance before answering. "Recruit, are there any more symptoms?" Her tone shifted, so did her voice to a more, dreadful aghast, as if she was somehow in denial, in possession of the knowledge already, something... horrible.
The recruit gaspingly searched for words while strongly staring at the stone-cold face of his ruler, a monarch whose physical prowess and paper-thin temper in this very moment was more than just apparent. "W-well, she's n-not waking up after f-falling into a deep coma and-and her blood is starting to take on deeper shades. 'D-doctors are saying she is also having terrible nightmares." He chained his short answers in quick succession to, at the very least, give an weak illusion of owning a spine.
Celestia remained unmoved before menacingly closing her eyes while sucking in copious amounts of air through her nostrils. "Fine, you may come along, however, I urge you to remain calm, and I repeat, calm, during the whole visit." She spoke with the intensity of a razor blade. "If you wish to follow, you may do so as well, Gentle." Her allowance was vague, almost discouraging me in ways so manipulative, it made me wonder if I should not take my words back, and yet, something pushed me further.
"I, ehm, don't think a quick visit will hurt." Gentle Touch replied with a final sigh, less so out of determination, and more so an act of courtesy. Mayhaps just accepting that she was unable to help from the get go, given the medical professionals that already failed, or merely dreading the sight of Sugar's state remained unknown.
Celestia did not wait for me as she moved at an average pace, at least for her standards as if she wished just for this eldritch conformation, while I scurried along through the halls as the hordes of ponies evaded the great white horse, fearing to bring her to a tipping point which might end explosively. Surprisingly, we did not leave the castle to go to a hospital but rather went to the castle's medical ward. The present clinic was used for injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to wounds that slowly dragged the victim over the blade-thin edge of their remaining life.
When the door opened, I was overwhelmed by a devastating force that did not just penetrate but seemingly broke through my very bones, leaving me staggered and paralyzed. It was so incredibly sickening, yet so exciting, stimulating was not a fitting description. Still, it woke something carnal, a hunger for blood and all else that could fit into my mouth, but it all was overshadowed by a great, urgent desire to cry, weep and regret.
A nightmare is attempting to manifest itself. The Game suddenly announced with a grave undertone to his usually formal voice. My world stopped for just a moment as if time and space just became this grey picture. Emotions ranging from panic to anger mashed themselves into a toxic concoction that invoked the urge to vomit out my very heart.
Yes, this sensation reminded me of that from the falls; however, this time, it was so much weaker. Still, I yearned to spit blood, yet no longer leave me a husk as before. I hastily gulped down what saliva I had left in my mouth and slowly trotted towards the single bed in the room. A pair of middle-aged ponies waited, one of them crying hysterically, Fluffy Coat, with another comforting her, the husband, Candy Dream. His light blue coat and the dark brown mane helped greatly hide his distraught, yet not overshadow it entirely.
"P-Princess, you're here." Fluffy Coat said with one half of a shriek, staring at the alicorn with red eyes and a tear-stained face. This panic, this sense of sheer helplessness, it seemed so incredibly familiar.
"Please tell us what is happening to our sweet little filly." Candy Dream begged with wishful eyes. It was despair; such emotions felt like a drain, so bitter, yet almost addicting like drugs' unending desire.
Princess Celestia stared coldly at the pair before simply walking through the gap between the two, leaning forward and staring at Sugar Drop, who laid on her back, twisting and turning, as if she was a piece of modern art. String thin, veins of dark blue, twisting more and more into a darker hue by the moment, shone through her fur as it seemingly wove a net across her body. Her eyes moved rapidly in all directions while whimpers left her not frequently, but evermore. The Princess leaned further in, her lips moved, yet no words escaped them, as if she spoke to herself for comfort. What she tried to say, if my abilities failed me not, was 'so little time left,' yet I knew this did not entirely just refer to Sugar Drop.
Princess Celestia leaned back, rising to her full height, and she smiled, that she did. "Sugar Drop is... affected by what was referred to in ancient times as nightmare fever." The first part of the diagnosis was seemingly drenched by a bitter undertone. "Sugar is a strong filly, I believe she'll get better very soon." Her voice was soothing, encouraging, and almost hypnotizing, but the last part was unnecessary to convince those desperate and hopeless. Her speech could only be compared to that of an officer, telling his soldiers that the poisonous gas would merely itch in the throat.
"If you say so." The stallion replied, holding his wife tightly, while the pair looked back to their daughter, at least a scrap of hope as meager as it was, gave hope. I should know; I felt it too. Such a sweet, delightful sensation that almost convinced me into this delusional belief.
"You may remain Star, but please, don't try anything, it will make things only worse. Leave it to the doctors." Celestia said sternly, however, failed as her voice broke by the most minuscule drop, before adding one quick sentence, in case the pair heard her. Her tone, she needed not to tell me more to get the hint, it was a warning for me, not to endanger myself, and that fate was already written, and yet, I accepted it not, surely, a mistake.
Gente Touch looked at me before taking me into a quick hug. "Don't tax yourself out too much, you can't support your friend half-awake, right?" It was almost heartbreaking, their attempts to make me believe this to be nothing more than a cough. It was the pain of a mother, already familiar with such agony, to just wait for life to fizzle away.
I nodded shortly in response and watched as Gentle left the room, leaving me with just the pair, silently mourning for their daughter. I shook my head lightly before jumping onto a nearby seat and lowered my head as a dry, bitter, and sour taste spread through my mouth, attempting to suffocate me in a combination of a crushing force in my chest. The occasional breath through the nose felt like a cold scratch. Every motion like it would cause the building to rumble in the night. Each thought like it could be heard by all.
'Game, be frank with me, how dire is this?' I asked with a sorrowful tone, as the emotions even drowned out the thought of me wondering why I felt so... affected in the first place. I could relate to such feelings, yet why did it seem like I could sympathize, no, place my pain equal to theirs when it just was not this way.
If events are to continue the way they are, the quest [Changeling beside or behind.] will be completed by the end of the next day at the latest, regardless of actions taken.
I opened my mouth in shock as if I wanted to say something, but I didn't; I just did it to express something, yet, it was ultimately just pointless. Just watching. That was all I could do now. Just watching Sugar sink down into the tar, to never dip above the ebony liquid again. So this is the other side of the picture. Was this how Amber felt, or was this a mere ghost of the mind? It left me, with a sinister touch tracing my back, a kind of shallow emptiness in my body, not content, but neither in panic, slowly inching myself into depths of despair I tasted twice in nearly forty years.
'So... she'll... die?' I asked weakly while slowly sinking back into the chair. I knew this, I accepted this, I understood it, but somehow the cold, hard truth faced me not as I still clung to this question, but why? I had the answer, yet I pained myself only more and more. What did I achieve with this?
This is a special nightmare, one that lurks within the dream realm and cannot transcend into the waking realm until enough creatures have been killed. It appears as if it was lured in by the abundance of Aether entity Sugar Drop has consumed and attacked once she was outside of our protection. This race specifically targets younger minds, as the fear of the unknown is usually at its greatest. The estimated casualty count lies in the lower thousands.
I pressed out just a bit more air out of my deflated lungs while staring at my hooves as if it was supposed to achieve anything. It... was my fault... I was at fault. I could've just stopped these silly mind games, I knew it lured them, yet ignorantly I just continued. I did to the pair what happened to me. I felt nothing, yet, at the same time, close to breaking down.
There is a possibility to eliminate the nightmare. However, this would use up the chance to travel to the second dungeon today, delaying our arrival in the nightmare realm by approximately another six years.
The lives of a thousand, against a possibly higher chance to reunite with Amber... I could not even begin to think, just sat there silently.
I answered not as I switched to the [Spiritualist] class and began to meditate, clear my mind, recharge my faith, for whatever decision I would make. Time flew past as I just stared at the bed; an occasional guard would pass by, asking if I wished to leave or to look if I had fallen asleep, needed something alike, yet their words just bounced off me. They affected me not; it was almost like the world was mute, and blind and deaf. The sun fell like a stone in my eyes; soon, the room was bathed in the moonlight, yet still, not one thought mustered, just staring helplessly.
I let out a shivering sigh; cold air painted my lungs as I moved my head towards the giant, lonely rock in space. Muscles protested, and my joints cracked from the sudden motion, but no thought was given to them. I still cannot recall what I thought at this moment, just basic ideas, memories, some good, others bad. It was an emotional turmoil, a tug of war, in a sense.
'Six years.' I thought somberly. 'Six more years, could you really wait so much longer? Would it really be that bad, I did not curse her, she ate it herself, and those other foals, cubs, or to hell with pronunciation. I forced not this fate onto them. Why am I feeling this way, why?' I debated with confusion and irritation. I sighed and stared deep into the stone as if something was looking back. 'But I could do something, but that is a charity, not a duty, yet I feel so rushed and pushed to this. Why? Just why?' They weren't my problem; this was my path, my life, not theirs, and yet, a sickening sense of unease coated me with that thought formed.
'Could Amber even still look me into the eyes, were I to let a thousand children die?' It came to my mind, yet it shocked me not, just pressured me more. 'Could I still look myself into the eyes after this?' This question, it was eating me to hollowness. I was no monster, but no hero either, but was this a choice of heroism or villainy, or just another selfish demand to find answers I could answer myself but was too weak to make? 'What is your opinion on this matter.' I asked with defeat.
It is not my duty to discuss actions based on morals. However, it seems as if you had already made up your mind some time ago. The logical decision would be not to face this nightmare, as, despite it still being 'weak,' is still a major threat, especially given that it is free and may act unpredictably. However, all of our actions lead down to a certain path; those come with reward and loss, no matter how uncertain things may be. The question is not whether or not you owe it to anyone, but if you want to do it, even if it’s just for personal satisfaction, it is a valid path, your decision is all that matters on your journey.
My mouth hung open ever so slightly as I absorbed each sentence, word, or even syllable, but I remained silent in the physical world. The game made one important point. Did I want to do it? But what to achieve? Save the life of a thousand unknown souls? No, but mayhaps the one... the one person wanted to be friends... with me. My shoulders sank as low as they could while staring at the couple, sleeping uneasily next to Sugar Drop.
I sucked in a deep stream of air as I felt my faith reach it's maximum, hopped off the chair, and trotted towards the bed. The floor was covered by a thin blanket of cold air that slowed me down, not; I barely even felt anything but the beat of my heart. Hopping onto the bed was hard but not undoable, yet once atop, I could not help but stare at her unmoving face, appearing lifeless. I slowly inched forward, one hoof every minute while just looking at her face. A short muzzle, great eyes, and towering ears. Her cheekbones were greatly, and elegantly, highlighted through her fur, giving off a tranquil appearance, one that seemingly could not do anything but exclaim joy.
I jerked greatly as I felt a light tug, a little clench around my hoof. I looked down, only to see Sugar grasping on it for dear life or mayhaps just comfort. I froze for just a moment, staring as I felt a painful clench in my chest. I bit my lip painfully as I removed her hoof from mine gently, her form upon losing touch, started to shift once again. As I stared at her writhe, I felt a hot, searing sting in my face; it was familiar, but somehow did not wake the word from any memories before a single drop fell, followed by one another. I could feel the emotions just rain down; even if they blocked themselves, they now were free. Even if those emotions were suppressed, they were still real.
"I am so sorry," I whispered while looking back at the night sky, daring not to look at anyone, before lowering my head and staring at her slumbering face once again. "Instant Dungeon Creation..." The words just cut off, it did, and there was nothing more to add. "Enter her mind," I commanded with a slithering sense of... happiness in me, as I collapsed next to her and left my body behind for what appeared to me, just a moment.
'It really worked.' I thought with a shivering breath as I was met with a sight, one so truly surreal and fear-inducing, one might've believed it to be the inside of an alien nest. Tar-like walls and ceilings and floor made up this architectural monstrosity, while patches of green slime and bulbs lighted it up for me to see it all. I let out a loud barrage of coughs, one that forced me momentarily into my knees as the stench of mold, cave, and worst of all, sex, filled my nose in ways I believed no normal being could even dream to survive.
The mindscape is, in a sense, just the gamer's dream, just without the ability to control it. Usually, it resembles a mix between the race and or culture, as well as their personality. Given the dietary of the changelings, and based on the fact that love is the strongest positive emotion, it would make sense that sexual interaction and reproduction are partially integrated into their instincts, thus the present circumstances.
"Great." I mumbled out as I looked around this next of some sort, before choosing one path, the only one available. From the first step, and to all those following, I could feel and hear that this construct spanned much larger than the goblin hideout, merely based on the echo of my hooves. "Woah." I exclaimed as I left this little room, only to be met with a large, empty space with seemingly hundreds of bridges, like the one I was standing upon, connecting holes upon holes that would shift and shrink and grow as if they were alive. "Just what is this place?" I questioned.
With a shake, I walked on this thin bridge, illuminated with patches of moss, unlike those other means of crossing, making me believe that it hid nothing down there. Continuing this path, I eyed every nook, searching for tips and indicators, while this eerie silence, only interrupted by my breath and step, was my companion, as even the game chose to remain silent as if the two of us merely waited for something lurking to show its face. I slowly lifted my head upwards as I felt a drip, but there was nothing, just more bridges, few patches of moss, and a crystal or two every now and then, so steep was the jump, no ceiling in sight. I halted when my ears picked up munching, and cracking and squealing from just a bit further forward. I kept my pace even, hoping to keep my temper and emotions in check, not crack or break or be released.
There, on a wall on the right side, denying me the sight of the abyss below, was a large hole, but unlike those before, a frantically, flickering light shone through it, as great ovals of grey and blue fed off the ever-expanding corners, as if they ate the foreground. Maybe it was not a hole with a hidden light source, but a hole in Sugar's mind. With a huff, I enveloped one of these forms with my magic and pulled it off. My catch let out a painful screeching, six legs scrambled with futile results, while a long, almost sandpaper-like tongue, with a sharp tip, flayed around.
'Observe.'
Name: Mind Mite
Thoughts about you: You cannot understand this language.
Mind Mite is one of the lowest kind of nightmare; they are so weak that they prey on the weakened victims of the second-lowest kind of nightmares, the Mind Drainer.
'Disgusting.' I thought with low burning anger while staring at the creature, turning it around, until I met, with what I presumed at least, was its face. A single droplet of black rested on the top of the barely recognizably small face, with mandibles on full display while the tongue still attempted to hit me.
If I may make a suggestion. The game interrupted my short lived attempt to find out how much juice was inside of this atrocity. It would be most efficient to equip the [Spiritualist] class and use a skill specific to this class, to maximize the gain.
I jerked before freezing for a moment and turning in a random direction. "You want me to kill it with kindness?" I asked audibly while turning my head back to the bug that seemingly never grew tired. I scrunched up my nose before grabbing the tongue with my magic and placing me hoof against it, soft and warm and... sticky underbelly. I shivered horribly from the almost egg white like texture before using [Gentle Touch]. I expected it to die like it was poisoned or explode from the sudden impact of the opposite emotion, but I did not expect it to burn. The mite burned away like a dry piece of leaf, inch by inch did the carapace and that below simply turn to ashes while horrific screams, inhuman as they could possibly be, formed a dying cry. Not even the wisps of smoke and ash remained.
Positive, emotional energy is poisonous to the nightmares, as they are the polar opposite. it would roughly be like adding fire to water to simplify the inner workings without delving into quantum physics.
"Uh-huh," I mumbled while watching the last few particles of mite crumble to dust, but what caught my eyes was what remained: A clear shard bearing some kind of energy. "Ehm, why do bugs drop gems now?" I questioned while tilting my head and turning the gemstone with curiosity, while the mere look upon its strange beauty left me lightly mesmerized.
Spiritualist 1-->2
Gentle Touch 10-->13
A new feature was unlocked with the skill: [Gentle Touch]
* Nightmares killed with this skill will drop shards containing parts of their strength. The potency of the shards is decided by the rarity, power, and level of the nightmare. The nightmare's corpse will be destroyed upon using this skill.
Dexterity shard
"How... peculiar." I mumbled before snorting once; a cloud of white, hot air shrouded my vision. I bit down onto the crystal with a quick motion, yet felt it dissipate upon the touch of my teeth and my dexterity growing just one tiny bit. "I don't care if you bunch suffer or not, I'll kill you all the same if you stand in my way," I said grimly, after remembering why I was in this hellhole to begin with. With a strong tug, I pulled every last mite from the wall, all squirmed and scoured like worms, squealed like pigs as their bodies were burned, and all that remained were fifteen more crystals, all devoured like the first one.
Spiritualist 2-->5
Infusion - Level 1
Available element(s):
Looking up, I gazed for more bugs, yet found no more; it left me with a sense of accomplishment, however, also both disappointment and disgust with the creeping suspicion that there was at least one more, greater beast. Shaking my slimy form and letting the juices repel off my fur, I continued my path with a greatly enhanced pace. Occasionally did my vision sway to the left and right, but saw nothing, heard even less but a light string pull, like that of an old, broken guitar, a tune both rustic and charming as it was disturbing.
Eventually, the bridge hanging in height only god and those who wished to meet him knew, ended in a smaller section of the cave, with strings aplenty covering the entrance and seemingly pluses were attempted to be woven in as symbol; however it appeared to have been poorly made by an amateur of this craft.
"This is not good, this is horrifying," I mumbled quietly; each string was not only long but even thicker than rope. A spider, a huge one at that, how fun... I shook my head at my own pessimism, and slowly tiptoed my path into this room, each step slower than the one before, as my eyes caught just this horrifying sight that even left someone as charred as me with a dreadful shiver plaguing my form.
"Sugar, oh god, what happened to you." I questioned breathlessly while sinking slightly at the sight that beheld before me, one that pained me with a cynical sensation of fear. There she rested; a cocoon of webs kept her hanging high as her body slowly crumbled away, leaving behind but a silhouette of ever fading light, but that was the lesser fright compared to the creature that rested below her.
A spider, tar-black was its only color, with eight bone-thin and metal-like legs, however atop of it was connected a strangely human-like atrocity. At first glance, a pale man with tattered, ripped, shredded clothes in addition to a top hat and dirty, messy grey hair. His body appeared malnourished, arms so frail they could be broken with a slap, but they ended with hands so large and great they made up the majority of mass in the human part, but those features were the least horrifying aesthetic. His lower jaw seemed dislocated, hanging so low that it touched his stomach, but no teeth, and skin seeming to be cursed with blisters. His eyes, there were none, just large holes with gleams of purple every now and then, but it’s very stare wanted to make me cry.
"Dear God." I slowly muttered while staring at the beast that slowly rose to its full height, towering me so greatly it could possibly eat me with a single motion whole. My fear, it melted once I looked past it, Sugar, dreamlessly suffering and draining every last scratch of her lifeforce, just to quench the hunger of this beast. I grit my teeth as I felt my breathing increase.
I Jumped on my hind legs and equipped my armor, my weapon, switched back to the warrior class, and pulled out a badly wounded goblin corpse from my inventory. With a sickening crunch did I ram the head of the halberd into the chest of the goblin, twisting and turning until it was covered with its syrup-like blood, before holding it up to my horn. With a short-lived use of [Fireball], my weapon ignited, illuminating the room and revealing its ceiling and walls to be covered with webs, but most disturbingly, allowed me to stare into the empty eye sockets. The beast staggered a bit upon seeing my face, hidden as it may be behind the helmet, and shakingly reached out to me while a wet and slimy swallowing left his maw.
I took a deep breath, shakingly so, and slowly walked forwards with my hind legs trembling; it was my only hope not to be crushed or grasped by his large hand. I eyed his other hand, quiveringly reached towards where his heart should be supposed to be, and grasped something behind his vest. Standing just two meters apart, I stopped and stared at it, waiting for it to attack first, yet only pulled back his hand, enveloping the object under his vest and slowly presented it to me.
I breathed infrequently, shivering every now and then while simply looking at the beast, it attempted to smile, at least, I thought that it tried as such. I gulped silently, gripping my weapon ever tighter while emotions of fear, anger, disgust and panic mixed themselves, all gripping and tugging my insides in all directions. I sniffed at it, smells of incense, wax, and book glue infested his form. I tried to form a thought, but none came out, his clothing, appearance and symbols, it laid on my tongue, but I just could not connect the dots. I jerked suddenly, clenching my weapons to my chest as he suddenly moved. He smiled at me shakingly, while showing me a broken pendant, only an upside-down 'L' remained, and then he whispered in a tearful tone. "..."
Critical hit + Elemental weakness: 350HP
I stared in bewilderment at the spider, shock and surprise filled me, while a looming sense of dread coated me. My halberd embedded itself into his heart, breaking rips and tissue, yet the spider still stopped from my forced attack. He slowly looked down, then up and began to shake. Shake and ripple, his clothes’ strings falling off, as if the very last shred of sanity and conscience left it. His chest grew thrice in size as he took a deep breath, before releasing a scream, a howl that put any mortal creature, any fictional beast to shame with such fury, ferocity and malice, that blew me back, saving me from a swipe that may have halved me.
I scrambled as I landed on my hooves, watching as it rammed his hands into the ground, the stone cracked while he let out a growl, barely overshadowing a while that soon morphed into a panting. His head snapped upwards, his look, it was as if it became something entirely else. The previous, light atmosphere of somberiousness and fear twisted and turned into pure, burning malice.
'O-observe!'
Name: 'Mind Drainer'
All information on this creature is strictly prohibited from being shared or reviewed by the Host and Game. The target must be destroyed at all costs.
Observe 10-->12
I caught a well educated look on the blue information panel, before I jumped backwards, the impact’s wind nearly cutting me as the amalgamation jumped and slammed on my previous spot. With a grunt, I pulled back the polearm and slammed the weapon with a wide arc into the side of the Drainer, sending it toppling a few feet to the left and ultimately causing 180 damage.
I huffed heavily at the beast from shock. The beast was lesser than the Hobgoblin, however bore just as much prowess and much greater speed than that of the green battle ram. I jerked strongly as I looked on the dent in the ground with a shiver, that may have been me without etra speed boost.
Looking through my items and options, I asked for a quick tip. “Game, what does chaos do?” My question was not answered before the Drainer took a jagged rock and threw it at me. I hissed lighty during my evasion attempts, when the stone sliced through my armor and cut into my hip.
Chaos has a chance to reduce the regeneration of resources and increase the chance to fail certain tasks, like casting and channeling.
'Good enough for me, everything is better than finding out what miracles this thing can cast.' I thought grimly while giving an educated guess, given that his pendant gave off a simulary divine shin, despite it feeling cold and distant. I pulled out a goblin club, and as if I’ve done it a million times before, held it up to my horn, slowly pulling it to the right while infusing it with a quagmire of emotions, granting chaos to the driftwood..
-120HP
I let out a high pitched, heavily femeine shriek while clutching my chest, attempting to subdue the burning sensation that attempted to chew away at my flesh. Even if my pain was dulled, I was still aware of the damage, and it was unlike any I’ve previously sensed. Trembingly did I looked upwards, staring at the Drainer who held his beloved pendant up to his shaking face, said relique glowed heavenly as if it was extremely hot, presumably just like my chest’s flesh. I winced at the sight of seeing nearly a whole quarter of my remaining health diminished.
'G-got my answer.' I cursed with a frown, before putting my halberd back into my inventory and gripping the piece of chaotic wood with my hooves while taking on a very low stance. I let out a muffled scream during my charge forward like a bull, while at the same time wondering how minotaurs were able to walk this well. My eyes snapped wide open, before I ducked in the last possible moment, feeling his swipe tearing off my precious red feather and the top of my helmet was ripped off by the sheer weight of his meaty grabbers. Had I remained to fight on four hooves, I may have lost a limb or two. I ducked under yet another slash, the very air taken from me by his momentum, before slamming the club into one of his forelegs with a sickening crunch, spraying juices like a crushed orange. Rolling to the side, I evaded being skewed by the Drainer who tried to impale my with his legs, in retaliation, I hit his injured leg once again, the carapace cracked, and the limb went loose with the disgusting, and the same time, somehow sweet juices oozing profusely.
I attempted to escape, but before I knew it, I was caught in his large hand squeezing and crushing me, all the while forcing me to stare into his ‘eyes,’ a blank voice from which so, so much pain exuded. I let out a shriek when I caught a glimpse of a picture, it was unrecognizable however the writhing agony I felt within my connection with the game was real. In a rush of panic I squeezed out the club from his grip and screamed, before slamming the weapon down onto his lower jaw with [Power Strike]. I froze in shock when I saw his image twist, bend and crack like a mirror, before reality suddenly snapped back in place. His lower jaw snapped off like a petrified piece of resin. The Drainer let out a gurgling wailing of fury and agony, in his rage he threw me away like a baseball against a wall.
-175
I let out a shrill, breathless gasp, blobs of blood leaving my muzzle to taint my helmet’s insides with crimson. Tremblingly I lowered my visage when I felt a thick, warm liquid run down my body. A great stone spike impaling my abdomen with my leather armor sparing me the sight of my own innards. I grit my teeth with the wish to live dragging me forward. With a mental command I pulled out my halberd and rammed the bottom against the wall behind me, and fell onto the ground like a wet, metallic sponge.
I grunted while pushing my face upwards, glowering at the spider with the nastiest look I could come up with. He lifted his shining pendant proudly, a circle of light forced below him from which a divine glow shone, equal to that of my bell, however so much greater, as if he used his own power, instead of that of his artifact. The glow intensified, the miracle coming close to fruition, before the spell matrix suddenly shattered and the stored faith erupted, burning his skin. The Drainer lifted his arms into the air, crying to the skies with rage and despair.
I punched the ground below me with spite, before pulling out my bell, holding it to my face with a grim smile. I closed my eyes for just a moment, pushing my faith into it, before ringing it once. Opening my eyes I saw a faint, golden glow engulfing my form, healing flesh and mending bone, restoring 200 health points. I grunted while pulling myself to my feet, spitting out blood and saliva in the process, hoping to rid the metallic flavor from my mouth. Although now able to fight once again, I lacked the faith to cast [Restoration] a second time. A quick glance at my polearm filled me with even more disappointment, the flame was extinguished and the fuel rest behind the spider.
I shook my head, before gripping my weapon tightly, pointing at the spider who could not keep his crying down. Time to return the favor. I thought maliciously while admiring the gleaming, point tip of my weapon. With a quiet battlecry did I charge forward, all care for the world and sense for self preservation thrown out of the window as my Halbert connected with the spider part of the Drainer, his carapace cracked like celery at first, before devolving into a squishing when nearly half of my weapons was stuck inside of him. The Drainer let out a cry of agony while keeping himself upright with one of his hands. I twisted the weapons and ultimately ripped it out with guts and gore following, the juices painted my lower half alongside the floor. He cried out even louder, clutching his leaking wound, before snapping his face in my direction and reaching out to grab me, but this time I barely evaded, spinning to the side and letting pieces of my armor's backside and patches of fur be ripped out.I held up my halbert as far as I could, bits of meat and ichor droplets falling, before ramming it through the hand joint, severing it. The Drainer clutched his bleeding stump in pain, the orange-ish liquid pouring out like a fountain, yet I couldn’t feel any remorse. I suddenly started screaming, the pent up emotion released while I stabbed and slashed and hacked his body, thirteen times in total.
I am sick and tired of everyone taking away my life, tired of losing something, tired of fucking everything . If it isn’t the world fucking me up, its other humans, but no, that wasn’t enough, just throw in some nightmare fuel to round this pot of shit right up. Well you know what world and whoever is listening to this crap right now, come and get me you overpompous arse-holes, supernatural events and monsters from the closet, I’ll be waiting for you so I can fuck up each and every last one of you trying to take a piece of me, my island, my life and anyone else I like around me, and everyone else can go to hell for all I care.
I grunted as the juices coated nearly all of me, even my visor could save my face to be painted, but that wouldn’t stop me from massacring this beast. However, what eventually did stop me was limbs that suddenly grew weak, my stamina ran out after a thousand measly damage being done. I tried to create distance, but my realization came too late, the spider took the chance and used his remaining fist to punch me in the stomach with such force, that I left the ground.
I groaned while shaking my head, my vision was hazy while I coughed and gasped and spat blood, before finally coming to my senses and I was met with a horrifying sight. The spider jumped up with supernatural strength towards me, every sharp apandaged directed at my spot ready to tear me apart. In my shock, I charged up a [Mana Bolt] bearing the force of 500 points of mana points and fired it at the eyes of the beast. The cleric let out a howl, but it was overshadowed by his screeching declaration of bloodlust. I let go of my halberd and ignited a [Mana Knife] cutting away at the restraints, before jumping past the beast, striking his body, but instead of falling and breaking my bones, I erected a small platform for me to land upon.
The construct carried my weight but did not stop me from nearly falling over as the cave shook from the cleric's impact. The nightmare turned around, again and again, sensing for me with his burned shut eyes, but couldn’t find me. I held my breath before lowering my gaze and seeing the hollowed goblin corpse. I connected the dots, nodding to myself while breathing heavily. I quickly grabbed it with [Telekinesis] and chucked it at the net. The spider jerked violently the moment he felt the disturbance, before rushing towards my doppelganger, and ripping it apart like a swarm of starving seagulls would do to a fat tuna. Bits and chunks of blood and flesh sprayed in all directions, covering the spider in the juices while it gorged itself on his last supper.
I slowly lifted my visage, for a short moment I was at peace, before a sadistic sense of anticipation scratched at my every limb. I gave him one last look, I would, after all, remember this event until I’d die, just like anything else, so why not make it memorable? I cast [Fireball]. The pyromantic beauty hovered above my horn, nearly blinding me as I glowered at the Drainer with a hint of satisfaction. “Burn in Hell, you abomination.” I hissed, before releasing the projectile, letting it chase after the goblin-blood covered arachnid. I could only bask myself in the infernal light for a moment, before the force pushed me off my plattform, the construct that stayed but a moment later than me, as my halberd broke through it and embedded itself just inches away from my neck to the right.
I looked at the cleric's body, resting in flames on the ground as the webs all around me started to erase themselves from this realm, yet I was not able to enjoy this sight for long. I felt new power surge through my body, flesh and bones regenerating, my armor desperately growing and groaning as my muscles expanded.
Warrior 10-->16
I gasped heavily as I felt this new power become my own, yet before even the megalomania could settle in, I remembered someone very important. Turning around, I saw Sugar; her body slowly became whole again, but I could only see this as the string holding her up disappeared rapidly. My eyes shrank to pinpoints before I charged forward, barely catching her falling body before it hit the ground.
"Sugar, do you hear me?" I asked emphatically, shaking her slumbering body, but to no avail. I pulled out my bell and attempted to cast Restoration but was reminded by a painful noise of denial in my head that I didn’t have enough Faith remaining.
Entity Sugar Drop has been freed and is currently rapidly recovering due to our presence; however, there's no need to panic. She will awaken very soon. I would usually not interrupt such a moment. Nevertheless, we have to destroy the body like the protocol demands.
I opened my mouth in protest before sighing in defeat, letting the sleeping pony to the ground, turning around, and trotting towards the still burning corpse. Standing before it, I saw the embers carry away crisp and ashes from the fallen beast, yet I was taken in by his strangely peaceful look while clutching his broken pendant still in his death. I grasped the golden piece and pulled it to me, inspecting it and finding some strange resemblance that I just could not figure out, not out of lacking memory, but something... else.
"Do you reckon I can keep this?" I asked audibly while eyeing the golden tool with various, colorful gemstones embedded, yet I craved its power more than anything.
The protocol does not mention anything regarding the possession of... let us call them... errors since we cannot access their data. I nodded slowly in response before holding out my hoof, sticking my limb into the flames, and using [Gentle Touch] upon it. The Game did not stop me, so I continued. The body fell apart into pieces, crumbling away as the very few bits of negativity were purged, and all that remained was yet another shard; this one was larger than its predecessors.
You've gained the skill: Fire Resistance
Greater Wisdom shard
Broken Pendant
Fire a Bolt of energy dealing 120 points of holy damage at the cost of 20 points of faith. Penetrates armor.
*[Penance]
Sacrifice 100 points of health for 20 points of faith. Cooldown: 1 minute
Through penance, our sins shall be absolved. - Through our pain, our crimes are forgiven. - Our punishment, never-ending, or forgotten.
I stared at the text of the pendant with a sense of dread, yet I remained calm as I put my halbert, the pendant, and what remained of the charred and desecrated goblin back into my inventory. "I can see why someone would be so keen to create something like you, Game. These beasts need to die, every last one of them." I growled while gritting my teeth, still feeling the burns of my flesh, and the pain, but worst of all, this fear. Even someone who had his emotions regulated and controlled was not immune, but this torture to go on for days until you die? Never before, not once, had I believed that killing was a solution, but now, standing before it? Things changed. I stood there with the urge to cry, and scream and vomit, attempting to overwhelm me with the adrenaline rush dying out, it was overshadowed by my anger. The mere thought that, in the end, we were born just to fuel these atrocities through our pain and hardship, and to eventually be killed by them, left me seething. I shook my head slowly, letting go of the fury and mumbling to myself. "I still don't enjoy this, but someone has to do it." I admitted.
"S-star?" A whimpering cry escaped a young, feeble voice behind me, and I knew the owner.
I spun around, my armor leaving me as I sprinted towards my weakened friend, yet I didn’t stop there. I pulled her in, much to her surprise, and took her in a deep hug. I felt her gasp of surprise, and the air from her lungs rush past me as I squeezed her form. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" I questioned as I loosened my grip and stared at her tired face that was filled with bewilderment.
"What happened?" Sugar asked while looking around, the fire in the background, the blood on the floor, and fragments of web floating through the air. "What is this place?"
"Something terrible, but it is over, you're safe." I mumbled out with fatigue in my voice; although the flesh could remain unstopped forever, mentally, I was exhausted.
Sugar opened her mouth, perhaps to ask again about the happenings, or just the blood coating my form like caramel did so with a candy apple. She let out a shivering sigh, quivering in the cold, and only leaned back into my hug. "So much screaming, so many cries and a voice I didn't understand. And then the screeches." Sugar nuzzled my neck.
The two of us just remained this way, her sentence broken off, but no more needed to be said as the world around us started to fade and crumble. The battle was long, the night soon over, and the nightmare now had come to an end.
Waking up was not how I expected it to be. I assumed I would greet the morning grouchily, with the sun licking my eyes, but I did not anticipate the mortal sun to be shaking me like a bar cocktail. "i-i-i'm-m- u-u-u-p-p!" I exclaimed while still being shaken by princess Celestia, who had a look of terror in her eyes, panicking down to her bones before relief washed over her like the sun.
"Oh goodness, you're okay.. you're okay." She spoke with heavy breathing while attempting to crush my frame. Celestia slowly pulled me back; her form was draped over the bed like a blanket before sitting me down in her lap and cradled me like a foal. "I was so scared when you wouldn't wake up." She whispered while she was on the verge of crying. I usually don't sense much of her emotions, the very surface, but in this very moment, the raw feelings were almost intoxicating.
I opened my mouth in protest, about to say something when Gentle Touch sat down next to me and started rubbing my back in consolation. "Everything is going to be fine, you probably just taxed yourself out too much. You really shouldn't have stayed up that long and eaten something, instead of keeping going until passing out." She spoke nervously in a very unsure maner, almost indicating that she was downplaying something vital not to induce fear into me.
Your adoptive parents have been trying to wake you for the better part of the last hour, much to my annoyance. The processing of growth is hard as it is, but adding the fact we've conquered a nightmare outside of the dungeons before having completed all the necessary challenges? Very complicated.
"I'm fine." I protested, only to be shushed by a white hoof, one luckily not equipped with a golden shoe acting like a morning star. Can’t have cavities without teeth, no?
"No need to play bravery right now." Gentle added from the side, as she inched closer, rubbing her cheek against mine.
"Mommy?" Asked a high pitched voice, breaking the harmony of joy and sorrow. I turned my head to the back again, I could see Sugar slowly rising again and waking her parents in the process.
"Sugar!" The couple cried out in shock and pulled their daughter into a hug that turned into a tug of war, as both parental figures showed more affection. The current amount was already suffocating as it was. The tears and whimpering and sobbing made me even feel slightly uncomfortable, even if the emotions they radiated were so, so incredibly heartwarming.
Princess Celestia, monarch of Equestria and alicorn of the sun, stared dumbfoundingly at the reunion, before her gaze gradually, almost painstakingly so, turned back to me. She lifted her foot and glided it across my chest, feeling the fur, muscle, and bone, but also the newfound strength. "You purified it." She whispered so breathlessly and quiet, I could almost claim that Gentle Touch didn't even notice her speaking. I expected disappointment for my recklessness, anger for my misbehaving, or disappointment for delving into such dark dealings, yet, that didn’t happen. She lifted me to her chest and hugged me sincerely while a vast wave of relief washed over her, even larger than the one before, as joy seemingly brought her to the edge of bursting. "I am so proud of you, my special colt."
She slowly loosened the hug while staring at me with a mellow face and eyes that were not afraid to show weakness. A look I could not resist, and replied with a goofy one, not to push away her affection, but simply because I was not used to smiling this much. This moment, it was so sweet, so joyous that it almost made me cry, this sensation when it all was directed at you, because of you, it was so incredibly fulfilling. Sadly, it didn’t last long before a cream-colored missile rammed itself into my side, knocking me across the cold stone while clinging onto me like the world's most resilient burdock.
"Thank you so much, it was getting really scary in that dark, and mean, and evil place." Sugar spoke out while attempting to cover as much of my surface as possible. I was about to push her off when I felt something in my chest, my heart, but it was most certainly not love. I felt my organic pump change, growing slightly larger, but something more was a place that left silent, forcing me to feel the happenings.
Quest complete: Changeling Beside or behind.
For risking your life for that of another and threatening your life goal for the sake of others, you gained:
Valiant Heart
Nightmare Slayer 1
'No, this is a curse, kill me now, it's not worth it anymore. This isn't a reward or second chance at life, this purgatory! Hey, pony Jesus, please take me, I'm way overdue!' I screamed in my mind, but I could not stop smiling, only do it less, but even that was denied when the overwhelming joy and happiness turned the warmth in my heart into a fire.
"My little filly's first crush." Fluffy Coat said, still drenched in tears as she took her daughter, thus also me, in a hug, to which Candy Dream, Gentle Touch, and in the end also Celestia joined.
Well, this may be weird, uncomfortable, and personal space invading, but after all the terror with the nightmares... this may be just what I needed. I closed my eyes and just enjoyed it, the emotion, but also the physical contact, at least, this once I would allow it.
Author's Note
From this point forward I'd ask the audience to keep an eye for the following three, regularly occuring topics: Personal happiness, belief in their worldview, and willingness to achieve their goals.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter three: A Mold Cracking... [E]
"I feel like a prisoner." I let out a wistful sigh as my face reached through a high-up window, the wind caressing my furred face gently while the warm sunshine bathed me thoroughly. My eyes were focused onto the streets below, in front of the large castle I now called my home, with a sense of annoyance and light dread. A herd of ponies argued quite loudly with the pair of guards in front of the enchanted gate, not the one's bearing candy-themed names but just as stubborn. My vision slowly hovered a bit behind the screaming match at several filled carriages; their cargo were furniture and personal items, ours, Gentle Touches’ and mine.
I closed my eyes and took in the fresh mountain air, taking note of the sweet smell of freshly baked goods; the delivery for the cafeteria near the barracks had arrived.
Two years had passed since the nightmarish encounter, the cleric beast slain and the filly in distress saved. And although the deed was most heroic, I was left alone once again in my journey on the pony planet. However, things were not quite the same after that night.
Poison Resistance - lv 6 (Exp: 7,49%) --> lv 6 (Exp: 7,50)
I shivered slightly in disgust as I felt sudden yet a sadly familiar wave of discomfort worm through my body. 'That one adventure really fucked you up, didn't it?' I thought grimly. I could see how this being was one of the most, if not the most marvelous creation to exist, but also a great partner on the side, but he was fragile while he morphed ever closer with my soul and body. A future that I dreaded not in the slightest.
Apologies for the disruption; however, I believe that this was the last retrospective adjustment of Aether the spider nightmare gave us. The Game answered softly; the sensation of his presence was enjoyable occasionally, but it was an acquired taste.
"Now where did this depressive talk suddenly come from you?" Hauhuthos Hilihuth spoke with quite the concern in his voice originating from the other side of the table behind me. "I understand that this must be quite the change to you, however, there was nothing else to be done. Who could have known that termites have consumed the foundation?"
"It's not like that, it's just so permanent." I complained with a deep breath before turning around and facing the great owl once again. "I had at least some privacy at home, but here I can't even go to the toilet without a battalion of guards behind me, there are even, like, four of them in front of my door all the time!" I swung my hoof into the air, barely missing the manameter on the table in the process, making Hauhuthos face strain considerably for just a fraction of time.
Hauhuthos Hilihuth sighed deeply, letting his wings sink slightly, probably suppressing the old 'ya know, a whole lot of colts would be happy to live in the caste' crap. "Star, I understand that this is not quite what you wish for things to be, I know this feeling very, very well, but please understand that you are a prince, a crown prince, for that matter."
"You can't shut yourself out from this future, but when it comes to privacy, please just remember this is not done to taunt you, but for your protection, as your position and power make you..." He ruffled his feathers as his claw reached over the table, adjusting the rings around the purple crystal orb. "-quiet the easy and lucrative target."
'Easy target my ass, if need be I'll just knock out some teeth.' I grumbly pondered with a frown. Well, tried at least, damn curse. 'Not like here it's any safer.' I thought darkly as my eyes slowly traveled to the right. Leaning forward, I placed my left elbow on the table, resting my head on my hoof while my eyes glossed over a large framed picture of Fillydelphia, but in truth, stared at my stats, or rather, a part of it.
Star Touch - Nightmare Slayer 1 (John Weaver) Level - 23 Class - Warrior - level 16 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 743 [74 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 990 [166 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 743 [74 per minute] STR (Strength) - 74,25= 74 (74,25) [99] END (Endurance) - 74,25= 74 (74,25) [99] DEX (Dexterity) - 46 INT (Intelligence) - 99 (99) [44] WIS (Wisdom) - 88 CHA (Charisma) - 44 (44) [88] LCK (Luck) - 32
Poison Resistance - lv 6 (Exp: 7,50)*Poison damage is reduced by 6 points. If the amount of resistance outweighs that of the damage, no damage is dealt to the user. The horrific toxic haze and venomous sludge that once would dwindle our frail bodies into everlasting sleep now became our mantle of protection, our home. -chapter 1, verse 42 from the Mogonoth swamp legacy.
Vilethorne Immunity - lv MaxThe gruesome Vilethorne, one of nature's most sadistic creations, spreads in the bodies of those who consumed this plant; the spores will reproduce in the victim like a virus and liquidize it in a slow and agonizing process. After excessive and continuous consumption, you have gained immunity from its toxicity and cannot receive any poison-related status effect from it or any weaker plant. *Immunity to poisons up to the level of the Vilethorne
Grow Vilethorne - lv 1The gruesome Vilethorne, one of nature's most sadistic creations, spreads in the bodies of those who consumed this plant; the spores will reproduce in the victim like a virus and liquidize it in a slow and agonizing process. After excessive and continuous consumption, your body has entered a symbiotic relationship with the plant, allowing you to grow it from your body. *Rapidly grow Vilethorne from your body. *Vilethorne spores can be planted.
'This shit hole is barely any safer than the outside world. I just don't understand mommy's plan. Dear goodness, woe is me, I'm being poisoned, nightmares on my arse and the game broke. Sheesh, I was gonna ask what's my luck, but I got it white on blue.' I thought and forced myself to portray a casual smile while the owl was preparing the machine. Basically, it looked like a five-dollar plastic globe of earth, just that this one bore metal rings, and instead of an orb-shaped map, there was this mesmerizing purple crystal. 'Welp, fuck my life.'
"I don't possess adequate tools to fill a hole this size."
My elbow slid across the table; I scrambled furiously but ultimately planted my face right into the thick carpet, sending empty glasses and plates flying in every direction.
"Are you well Star, it looked like something bit your flank." The teacher commented with worry, even though all I saw was fabric and the cleaning direction, I could very well muster myself a picture of him worryingly leaning to the side, his head tilted and staring at me.
"I felt a disturbance in the energy." I responded dryly, still not moving.
"What is that supposed to-" Hauhuthos started before a loud, rapid knocking interrupted him. His eyes slowly turned to a half-closed state as if he knew something.
"Mister Hilihuth, Princess Celestia has asked me if you could rep-" A female voice started before a loud crash and clashing of metal against the marble floor interrupted her. "Ehm, Mister Hilihuth, Princess Celestia has asked me if you could replace the Manameter."
"Is it expensive?" I asked, plucking my face from the field of cotton strings.
"Very." He answered dryly. I already knew it was, but I always wanted to say.
Hauhuthos sighed deeply, his face scowling for just a moment before snapping upwards, ruffling his feathers in the process. "Star, would you be kind enough to carry this replacement?"
I nodded shortly, not that I'd say no to a walk away from the lessons, my poor flank. The device laid heavy in my magic grasp, so much so, I dared not to take my eyes off it, but as my eyes traveled, my face soured. My head snapped forward as I followed the large owl in quickstep, reaching him just as the door opened.
"Greetings, I'm just going to take that and be on my-oh, hello your highness, I believe we haven't met yet." The flaming unicorn mare said as her mood suddenly shifted, spiking in heights I was uncomfortable to climb.
The unicorn before me bore an aura that caught my attention; she radiated with power and might, an inner burning flame dimmed and ignited again in a continuous cycle. Her short yellow-orange coat was well kept and groomed yet bore none of the obnoxious scents or shines of luxury oils. The mare's teeth were white as snow and her muzzle the smallest I've ever seen, yet her frame was a little bit bulkier than unicorns I usually see possessed. Her mane was great and long, bearing crimson and beige colors, with the latter being a streak through the hair. But the cutie mark she bore was mesmerizing to my eyes; two suns, one of red, the other yellow, melted into one eclipse.
She stepped forward quickly, lowering her face and staring into my eyes too profoundly for my taste. "I'm Sunset Shimmer, student of your mother, Princess Celestia. I, huh, actually can't believe we haven't met yet given how long I've been studying and you, well, living here."
My pupils flickered between her face and the corridor behind her, subconsciously wondering if I should make up an excuse and bolt away from the student. "Well, the castle is of large size, and given that I previously only spend less than half the day here-" I spoke slowly and firmly, I am sure Porcelain Vase would've been proud.
"Oh my gosh, you speak just like the Princess, you're like a mini Celestia, and, well, a colt." Sunset Shimmer spoke rapidly with excitement.
We stared at one another for several seconds, I was not sure what was going through her mind, but my skull content was not happy. Her... everything seemed a tiny bit off, though I couldn't put my hoof on it, I wouldn't quite say a bullshit act you see recruiters pull through, but she most certainly was overhyping this meeting, or she just was even less social than I was. My head slowly turned towards Hauhuthos, who blankly stared forward, utterly ignoring this assault on royalty.
Observe. The Game spoke with a cold tone as my head snapped back to the mare.
Sunset Shimmer - Protege Level - 32 Class - Arcanist- level 32 Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 1210 MP (Mana Points) - 4520 SP (Stamina Points) - 1210 STR (Strength) - 121 END (Endurance) - 113 DEX (Dexterity) - 82 INT (Intelligence) - 226 WIS (Wisdom) - 195 CHA (Charisma) - 101 LCK (Luck) - 57
Titles
[Protege]
Perks
[Greater Unicorn Heritage]
[Mage ancestry]
Abilities
[Advanced Arcanist grimoire] lv 42 (Active/Passive)
[Levitation] lv 58 (Active)
'Huh, wha-whut, how!' My eyes nearly burst out of my skull when I saw those stats and skills and, how was it possible that it exceeded her level! That wasn't fucking fair!
That is indeed true; even though the concept of fairness is entirely based on perspective, however, are we in any position to speak about the possession of powers beyond those of our peers? The Game noted while I could only roll my eyes hard in response. What is worth noting is that you cannot compare us to either mortal or nightmare, for, in a sense, we are in the middle of both. We need a stable level of power to keep regeneration, rejuvenation, and recalibration as synchronized as possible in energy expanse. The most crucial point would also be that should the energy expense be greater than the level, it would allow for our purified Aether to bleed into the world, like a dam spilling over. His voice suddenly dropped and fell into silence and seriousness.
"Anyway, I think we should get going." I sputtered, walking under the mare with my frail body. 'I suppose it's only fair that there are some disadvantages too.' I thought with a silent sneer, feeling my power burn addictively in my chest, my mana and mine alone, the yearnful pure Aether.
"Oh, Star, before you go." Hauhuthos called out with a loud, and surprisingly, ever so lightly joyous tone. "Since I will be busy repairing this irreplaceable artifact, our lessons for today are done, however, if you wish you may spend the time with Princess Celestia, I believe she wanted to make a short introduction into Affinities."
"Okay, until Thursday mister Hilihuth." I waved him away with a big, sincere smile. He was still my favorite; at least his magic caster recruiting pyramid schemes didn't try to rip me off.
"Hehe, bye." Sunset said nervously, as the owl gave her one last scowl before quickly walking away like a giant penguin; how nopony has ever laughed about it was a mystery to me. Thinking about it, there were absolutely no guards around me. Weird.
"How did you manage to destroy the Manameter?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. She most certainly wasn't going to drop formalities, so I made the first step.
Sunset chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her head while her gaze slowly distanced itself from me. "You see, the thing didn't work, but when I reached the door it clicked, and my magic blinded me like a lightning strike."
I stared blankly at her. No muscle moved. Snort.
"Har de har har, I bet it's the funniest thing you've ever heard." Sunset rolled her eyes as she started walking forward; I followed suit with a little smile on my face. "Well, it matters not, 'cause I just found out that I have two affinities." She said with a ring and falling tone before blowing a raspberry in my direction.
"Well, you're not wrong, that really was the funniest thing I have ever heard." on this world. My voice was silenced by the game, but that did not stop me from chuckling afterward.
"Really? Come on, that can't be true." The young mare spoke with an exaggerated look of disbelief. "Really?! Wow, but there are so many fests in Canterlot, you've got to have seen at least one jester." She urged my memory to start and find any remnant, but I didn't; Mayhaps it was because I knew the difference between discomfort and content when it came to life, but it only really now dawned on me that I genuinely was tightly bound to the schedule every day, except for my sixth birthday. Ouch.
I shook my head, my ever longer becoming mane tickling my nose. "Nope, never been to one. There is no time on mommy's schedule."
"B-but what about the spring welcoming fests, hearts warming eve parade, nightmare night sprawls through the city?" Sunset asked with desperation, throwing her hoof into the air as if I was supposed to see a hologram of said holiday. "Weekend visits to the zoo?"
"Nope, nada, nein, niet." I answered shortly, stopping in my track soon after she did; the mare looked like she was close to crying. "My schedule is full, the only free time I have is the same walk from the castle to hoof iron street, jewelry avenue, and horse way before returning to the evening lessons. I also have playtimes in the castle garden tri-weekly. Oh, I visited my grandparents once a few years ago." Although my face remained still, I think I depressed myself, sheesh, even my dad from the other world took me on more trips. We did celebrate holidays in a small little circle, in other words, Celestia, Gentle Touch, and me, but no interaction with the rest of the population. I wonder if they are indeed as great as the old cartoons described them, these festive, magical nights. Sunset grasped my face tightly and pulled me closer to her chest into a hug.
Her hoof went up and down my neck as she shushed me. "Don't worry, I swear by the end of the month I’ll take you along on an adventure." Sunset spoke with growing excitement before pulling us apart as she beamed at me. I smiled back, and to be honest, I was almost really excited for the chance to see more of the world that lay outside.
"That sounds awesome." I said as I could practically see the stars in my eyes shimmer. I knew not what sensation was bursting in my chest, but it was more than the mere sense of freedom. It was a collective mass of nostalgia.
Sunset smiled before her facial expression suddenly bittered. "What are we waiting for, the Princess is waiting."
I nodded in response and took on a much faster pace, eyeing my stamina out of reflex as the halls rushed past us. It didn’t take long to reach Celestia's chamber; honestly, I didn't even need the map anymore, but it was still very nice to have my very own *©* map.
"Mother, can we enter?" I asked loudly, waiting a few meters in front of the door, while a pair of guards waited at each side of the door with a cold expression. Although she was 'mommy' in private, there was still an image to keep, or rather, expectations to be kept high.
"You may enter." Princess Celestia said with surprise before her sentence's end finished with a coy tone.
I barely opened my mouth before the guards simultaneously took precisely two steps away from the door, their sides barely brushing the large door frame. I said it once, and I'll repeat it; some of them are not ponies. The heavy chamber doors opened and revealed an ocean of cushions that laid on the ground with books splayed out. Was that tea?
"Hello Mommy, I've brought the manameter." I said with a proud smile as I put the heavy machine in front of the solar alicorn, only for her to stare at the old thing with a flabbergasted expression. I tilted my head in confusion, but before I could speak, the Princess Interrupted me.
"That isn't my-." Celestia's voice broke off before her eyes suddenly widened, her left hoof rose into the air as she exclaimed with a loud tone. "Nooo!"
"W-what, is it broke too? I didn't do it, I swear!" Sunset followed my confused expression.
"No, the old owl tricked you." She spoke dramatically with a solemn voice. "He switched the device, knowing full well that his is making these awful sounds. I'll get you back for this, even if it takes another hundred years."
'Ehm...' I thought with great awkwardness overwhelming me.
The older one gets, the more one will appreciate the small disturbances in life and uncanny hobbies. Said the disco ball that spent heaven knows how long looking through dead peoples' memories.
"I, uh, am also supposed to tell you that mister Hauhuthos finished the lesson early and that maybe I should take part in the introduction of affinities." I slowly walked towards the nicest-looking cushion right in front of mommy and sat down on the warm seat.
"Hey, that's my spot."
Correction, I sat down on the cushion next to it, much to the surprise of both mares. I was a delivery person, not a hermit crab.
"Probably celebrating right now." Celestia muttered with a sour tone before instantly switching to a much nicer expression. I was honestly scared of how fast she could just change the mask. "Well, I've already started the lessons, but I suppose it can't hurt to go over them once more." She shook her head slowly, her mane still somehow staying perfectly in place, before she took a long sip of what I presumed to be green tea.
"There is a widespread misunderstanding that all unicorns use the same mana and that it would mould itself into any form, shape, or spell that the caster desires, be it as a fuel source for pyromancy or nourishment for growth acceleration casts. That is absolutely false. While a pony with an affinity outside of combat is able to cast spells such as heating, which is in its matrix actually a fireball spell with much less magic involved, possibly due to a cutie mark involving flame or an incredibly skilled mage scraping the bottom of the magic tree by simulating the natural magic circumstances, it generally is impossible. The mythos was actually formed due to neutral spells, which are commonly used by the large majority of unicorns, while more advanced forms of magic are sadly becoming a lesser part of pony life as time goes on."
'Basically the same as the big one, with just a few tweaks?' I raised my eyebrow with a curious look. My time working at Wellington well's transportation center where forklifts were sometimes used as 'indoor cooperation vehicles.' Cheap money bag. 'Wait a second, is that how you got me the fireball spell? I thought you found it in some kind of survival guide!'
It was in a survival guide, just like the cooling spell, the stun spell was in a self-defense manual, mana knife, mana construct, and mana bolt were too. I do have quite the liberty when it comes to basic and mark one spells, and I think, given I have 'manipulator' in my name, to be quite good at it. The Game elaborated while his pride shone through like the sun through the curtains of a morning grouch.
"Why are there so many common spells based on battle magic? Like cooling." I asked with quite a lot of curiosity.
"Well, given the number of transcripts you have read about the pre-equestrian era, I believe you should be well aware of how... active pony past is." Celestia played with her tongue in her mouth while she looked for a most fitting word.
"Wait, you are reading those horrid things freely? Dear Celestia." Sunset asked with horrific astoundment before her face sank, whispering the last part.
"Ehem, anyways." Celestia said with a glare, probably feeling insulted given that she was featured in like half of those texts. "After the tribes unified, one of the biggest problems was the future of a large number of soldiers that were left, it would be a waste to degrade them to farmers and lumber gatherers, so a lot of focus was set on transforming their abilities to the needs at the time. This was the birth of the 'neutral' spells, with previously there only being levitation and shields."
'You've got to be kidding me here. Even here the biggest thing that made these creatures evolve in any damn way is war? This running gag ain't funny.' My mouth sank lightly, and so did my eyelids.
"Now, back to the topic of affinities." Celestia said with a smile, lifting her head a tiny bit higher. "Affinities determine the kinds of mana a pony can utilize, thus also the kinds of spells which can be cast. Every unicorn has at least one of four: Manipulation, Illusion, Combat, Magic, although magic being the rarest of all of them, it is sometimes considered to be all of them at once, which isn't exactly true. Now, there are cases where ponies have two, those being incredibly rare with barely any around alive in our time, and those few who possess three, but never has there been one with four."
"Ohh~ You heard that? I'm special!" Sunset said with a smile as she cupped her face with excitement.
'Sheesh, tone it down Napoleon.' I thought with a roll of my eyes before my eyes were caught mid-roll with those of Princess Celestia, who raised a single brow in response.
"Special? Is there something I mayhaps should hear?" Celestia asked with a tone of cat-like curiosity, leaning forward with her head as her eyes observed the young mare.
Sunset Shimmer giggled vividly behind her hooves, her grin gleaming so much with joy it led me to wonder if I just lacked the empathy to understand the rich emotions radiating off her. "Yep, I've got two of them. Manipulation and combat! Isn't that great, I mean I know it is, but don't you agree?"
"Of course, these are great news, although it does sadden me slightly I wasn't able to share in discovering it, I am however proud you waited this long, instead of testing too early and being disappointed by false results." Celestia spoke as she emptied her mind's content through her mouth. No wonder she is so believable; she talks like the word 'deceit' doesn't exist in her vocabulary.
"Huh, congratulations!" I said with a smile, I didn't need to understand this enjoyment's emotions, but I could guess the importance. "When can I try it?" I asked.
"Well, usually ponies do this test at the age of twelve. However, given that your body... How should I say this, let me think... Ah yes, already took several properties of adulthood, it could be possible you'll get your results now. However, please do not be disappointed if you don't receive the utmost accurate result." Celestia said with discomfort, while Sunset raised a brow and stared at me with the most immense lack of background information I've ever seen. Stop, now, you'll break your neck like that!
I shrugged and leaned forward and held my horn against the base of the device, feeling the drain as my magic was gently sucked from my core. The machine brimmed with energy, rumbling and shaking as the rings started to shine like molten gold; the purple sphere let out a gruesome crack, whistling a tone that hunted ghosts out of their graves.
"S-Star, I think I get the whole s-special thing, but could you, you know, turn it off maybe, please?" Sunset pleaded as all three of us stared at the device that slowly turned white, like cloth in a pool of bleach; the colors were warped, and so were the properties of the metal, but I could see the shine of my Aether embedding itself into the machine. It occurred to me not that my spells would transform every last scrap of Aether used as a sacrifice; the only, smaller sigh of relief I received was that it was stuck in the device and didn't leak out.
"Fascinating. Divine magic, but in such purity too, but there is something more about it. Something more... primordial, refined." Celestia spoke her mind with a soft tone, not filled with amazement, but her interest was greatly peaked. She stared deeply into the orb; her hoof carefully reached forward but stopped just the tiniest bit away from it before her golden horseshoe licked the device. The shine slowly dimmed down as the very last scrap was used, the whisks fading away.
I am requesting you to not ever give away pure Aether; for one, we cannot leave this world yet; second, we don't want the population to think of us as a magic cash cow. The Game spoke firmly, clearly not happy.
"Can somepony fill me in on why that just happened?" Sunset said while pointing her hoof at the manameter, only for a sizzle to bite her hoof tip. "Eh! That's not supposed to happen." She licked her hoof.
"Hard to tell, but it would appear as if Star yet again does not play by the rules." Celestia said with a leisurely shrug, clearly attempting not to spread the information freely. Huh, you'd think her student would deserve some more trust.
"B-but that can't be just worth a shrug!" Sunset protested as she jumped from her flank onto her hooves. "This is a completely new affinity, this got to be studied."
Was she talking about my magic or me?
"I think it kind of already is given the number of examinations I have to attend each week." I added from the side.
Celestia stood up with a kind of caring smile, walking up to the flaming mare and put a hoof on her back. "There is no need to worry my faithful student. Star is a very special pony from birth, one who has encouraged mages to work with past-times dedication. But please don't tell this to anypony, we don't want rumors to start coursing. " Such sweet, warm words Celestia said while staring with both motherly and stressful eyes at Sunset.
"Of course your Highness." Sunset spoke with a little bow of her head. "Huh, you really are a special pony spreading interesting times. Hey, your nickname could be 'anomaly'!" She spoke with the words of a teenager but with the eagerness of a child.
My lungs slowly, ever so tediously, grew as more air was absorbed, while at the same time, my eyelids fell until they narrowed down to the thickness of a blade's edge. "No." I spoke breathless as the accumulated air started seeping out, and my head shook from left to right heavily. "Just no."
I laid heavy in my bed, the room dim with only the fewest of sun rays shining through my barely open curtains; my vision was frozen still, focused on the ceiling; however, a white, marble surface didn't greet me. Instead, I saw a detailed map of The entire continent, currently explored world, with Equestria taking up the largest space.
A deep, hot blow of wind escaped my throat as I moaned slightly, stretching and feeling the powers within flow through me, heating my flesh up to comfortable temperatures and something else, I'm sure.
Please don't move so much; you should be grateful I am doing maintenance while you're awake, to begin with. The Game lectured, momentarily shutting out the world and blurring my vision as I saw the orb of colors project itself before me.
"Sorry." I whispered with my ears folding against my skull before leaning my head back once again. My eyes slowly closed themselves, but it was doubtful I could take a nap right now. 'What did Mother say again?'
Which one? The Game mused while humming an alien tune to me, but it was very calming, like something you'd sing when the muscles protested, and eyes fell heavy before a warm fire.
'Skittles.' I thought with a short sniff.
Her lengthy explanation can be shortened to the following, most important data. Ponies are born with at least one class but can have multiple, and they determine the kinds of spells they can utilize. We don't play by these rules; we are running at perfect efficiency, there are no defects or imperfections like weak nerves in the horn, low keratin density, or mortal magic core, we can be active at one hundred percent efficiency, something that would reduce the lifespan of a pony down to ten to fifteen years. However, due to the lack of specialization, we are able to use the ever-changing Aether but lack the potency a unicorn with the fitting affinity might have.
I nodded shortly before my face tensed up, my facial muscles pulling in seemingly all direction at once, before melting into the mattress, an ocean of feathers beneath. Dear goodness, this shit is like a massage without the kneading part. 'That sounds scary, we've got to be careful about that. I need to gather as much information as possible, mayhaps I am able to find an exploit through looking through some more autonomy.' My face tightened again as the thoughts coursed again. Although I first dismissed the warning of Hauhuthos, it is undeniable that in this world, I am still a small fry; even if I can survive a slit throat or pierced heart, My ghost can't possess dust.
'Hey, since the whole guideline stuff is our enemy keeping us in the dark, were you able to get, I don't know, something useful from the chaos?' I asked as my head turned to the left; my eyes rested on my beautiful collection of books, resting peacefully in one of many shelves; this room was incredibly huge; I wonder if they just tore down like three walls.
The guideline is not our enemy, it just ensures that should either of us be corrupted that it would not fall into false appendages, and given the few glimpses I have had into my data bank, I believe it is justified given my capabilities. The Game spoke surprisingly neutral, possibly also not very friendly with ol' big brother staring over our shoulder. However, I was able to make some adjustments as I have grown and reached maturity within its horrible chamber, meaning that I could possibly allow a timeframe where we could gain abilities or even enter the next dungeon. However, leaving the dungeon would mean we'd have to wait until the next cheated timeframe.
I smiled coyly while my eyes shifted slowly towards the pin filled wall; so many pictures hung there, all but a few could actually be considered decent, but I was getting better. 'That's good, we need every oh so little advantage we can get.' I replied, before my look soured, the imagery of the cleric rushing through my skull again, but his memory would always start up again once I tried to remember even his silhouette, it was like my brain would be blocked. Something was foul, and I couldn't even catch a glimpse lest I'd just shut down.
As I bit my tongue lightly, my mind sped up again as I thought of new ideas. 'Say, what info were you able to stinge from the locked library, there's got to be something important given how heavily it was guarded. Maybe a way to cure some curses?' My left eyebrow jerked with excitement while the rest of me rested still.
Coincidentally, yes.
"That's nice." I thought while closing my eyes, only for my eyelids to nearly licking my brain. "RE-" I clamped my mouth shut with my teeth, my muzzle's inner flesh bleeding lifeforce for just a moment, before regenerating with frightening speed.
Yes, it was quite cryptic and vague. However, it can be translated to reaching a certain level of the affected attribute and fulfilling a great deed using said points. The Game's voice sounded excited ever so slightly; his image in the top left of my vision's corner burned the tiniest bit brighter.
I was also able to unlock the entirety of theory regarding the universe's fundamentals. The Game said with excitement that nearly fucking, ~~ouch, this is bleaching my eyes, fuck, stop it!~~ blinded me.
My eyes fluttered open and close while the phantom pain marinated my eyes with ghostly salt. 'You mean the whole clouds of Mind washing over the Aether?'
It's an expansion of it. It appears as if the core of the Nightmare realm is an ancient object called 'the well,' it seems to control the graveyard of worlds and the entirety of our plane of existence. As a matter of fact, it appears to exceed the first signs of civilization in our universe significantly. The Game spoke with stutters, almost as if the holes nearly swallowed his tongue.
'That old, I thought your makers were the first one's, like self-proclaimed gods or something similar. Old as time and all that.' I asked and leaned up the second I could feel the procedure complete.
The oldest bones discovered by my maker and his kin are approximately 9.3 billion years old. However, the well is unimaginatively older than them; as a matter of fact, it appears some of its properties were attempted to be copied onto me. The Game's voice slowly trailed off as my chest started to physically heat up to rushes of warmth one could boil vegetables in. There is no further information I can extract, but it is... worrisome, to say the least.
'You know, if you want to talk, I'm here for you G.' I said sincerely, leaning back down once again onto the sheets again and took a deep breath. His emotions shone ever so feebly and dully, but as simple as they were, they almost felt like countless hearts beating with hints of worry. My eyes snapped open, and I leaned on my side; the concern pierced deep into my conscience.
"Right, at least the ring I could hide, but you're stuck with me." I whispered with a glare as my eyes' shine melted deep into my flank's flesh. A cage containing webs with a pearl of white and black entrapped in its core. A dreamcatcher, so much more literal than I wished it to be. From it, threads reached out in all directions down to my calves and a few of them, the longest, enveloped and decorated my inner thighs.
I shook my head before pulling out the ring I was rewarded with; it was beautiful and elegant, bearing engravings and a deep blue stone while a band of silvery metal would hug my horn tightly.
Apprentice Ring
Such a sweet item; I just wonder where I can get some more, mayhaps an exploit here and there, and I'll be set on my path. Hah, I feel all giddy even thinking about the plans, I just need that window of time, and oh boy, I'll have some better chances next time. Just have to muscle up some more before that. I thought with a large smile, shivering with what my mind conjured; it felt almost unfair.
'I feel like a young colt again!' Hauhuthos smiled vividly as he walked down the empty corridors, his claws tapping and tipping the marble floor like a spoon hitting an egg. With a sigh, he freed his facial muscles from their service and lowered his eyes down onto the pile that was the manameter; while it was in shambles, it was still his, originally his, before that damn prude pulled the old switcheroo. This device was ancient but reliable when it came to visualizing a unicorn's mana or finding out the affinity a filly or colt had, much easier than having some senile, bearded, toothless wannabee Starswirl measure some foals like water temperature with the eye.
'I think I've been to this place more often in just two years than in the past several centuries combined.' He mused while increasing his pace ever so slightly as he felt the time pressing just a tad harder, knowing that the next guard rotation was nigh.
'To think just one foal would cause this much ruckus' Hauhuthos Hilihuth Thought grimly. 'I like the colt, even though I don't like foals in general, they're too noisy and basic to spare time with outside the dumbest forms of amusement. Star is different, to an extent where I am almost sorry for proposing to keep tight to the plan.' He sniffed the air, an interesting scent hit his nose, making him shake his head. 'Still, powers going into one direction, purifying darkness, breaking the laws of time already, is just as easy to reverse when the purpose is practically knitted into one's soul. What were the circumstances, I do wonder. A cheap maid with as much magical knowledge as a raccoon eating a spell compendium and a failure of a noble who would pride himself for levitating beverages, hard to believe that he's out of the dungeon and the father of such a talented colt.'
Of course, Hauhuthos wasn't one to judge a pony, or any creature for that matter, from their heritage, but when it came to magical prowess, it was like a fish with water, and expecting one on land was just as rare as seeing a great mage to be from an earth pony couple with weak unicorn genes. Not even the entire family tree, as long as over millennia was he able to track it back, but nothing noteworthy.
' No, something grander must've taken place; flesh would've never even come close to reaching such capacities. Of course, his body is alive in its own right, the strangest mutation I've ever seen, almost like it's sentient, but that isn't enough. Maybe he had come into contact with primordial energy, called upon a greater force upon dwindling between life and death? Possible, there is the legend that an infant's cry can call help from even creatures beyond our reality. Let's just hope that this one is more... benevolent. Hauhuthos shivered with disgust, feeling old sensations crawl out of their graves to haunt him again; the merest resemblance to tar that his mind picked up tingled his gag reflex.
A heavy yet not immovable object pressed deep into his feathery dress, forcing the owl to halt suddenly. His head slowly turned downward, his heart beating like a pulsating crystal as various fears were conducted in his mind, and they all were petrified when his eyes laid not upon a guard but pony still.
Pink.
Oh no.
"Good day miss Touch, how are you?" Hauhuthos asked with exaggerated enthusiasm while staring at the one pony he'd least want to see at least this very moment.
Gentle Touch's head slowly lifted itself upward from a great pile of supplies she carried, her joyous expression melted away like ice in the Saddle Arabian deserts upon making eye contact, her pupils shrink into the nothingness while the shadow of the great bird before her stole away nearly all light, it was almost as if illumination around him was reversed. She could feel her magic waning; objects started to fall from her magic grasp as she slowly walked backward, however before she could come far, her eyes still fixated onto the puzzled expression of the giant owl, her world suddenly turned, and her vision faded to black.
"Gentle I said not to strain yourself too much, you can't keep pushing yourself like that or-oh, ehm, what went on here?" Cadance suddenly broke her sentence off as she beheld the sight before her. "Mister Hilihuth?"
Hauhuthos Hilihuth sighed, rubbing his face with his wing's feathers. "Cadance, I believe Star has some free time, please do take him out for some fresh air, and maybe not the same old path, if you'd be nice enough. I have a mare to patch up here." He sighed once again before picking up the unconscious Gentle Touch and waddled his way back.
"There goes the fun mare day." Cadance slumped with a pout before her eyes hovered over the mess before her. "Horseapples." She mumbled before turning around with a shake and headed off to Star's room.
Star, have we not discussed that you are not a game character? The Game, ironically, attempted to deny my doings and asked with as much concern as there were annoyance and curiosity in his voice.
"Y-yeah, urgh, that burns, and I have an urge to grunt like a boar, but it's-it's-worth it." I choked out while my muscles begged me for mercy before finally some was given when I let my halberd fall to the ground with a clunk, and followed by a hefty thud. I let my head hang down, the cool water streaming from up above onto my mane.
Then why are you lifting weights? The Game asked with a tone that screamed quotation marks while he inspected the weight(s). I still don't understand why he had the need to give himself a 'physical form' when he was quite literally everywhere already.
"Cause it's just like you said. I could defeat fucking Galactus and gain nothing if I don't feel anything from it, gain a unique memory." I said while looking down at the Hobgoblin; his chest sunk in like a deflated balloon, my experiences with monster corpses were going somewhat nicely, but a crafter class would be useful. "I've been gaining levels like crazy cause I saw a monster before, heck, never killed anything bigger than a fly, but that boost will soon end, then I'll have to grind, but you see, the higher the attribute gets, the harder it will become to get more points for it." I explained as the Game closed in towards me.
You mean that you will... The Game started as his colorful tones turned yellow.
"Yes, I'll exploit the system, because..."I whispered with a small yet gleeful smile. I put my hoof onto the saggy corpse of the Hobgoblin and slowly turned my face towards the sun; the light illuminated my upper body with golden rays, forcing me to squint ever so slightly as the wind blew past me ferociously, my mane flying in the wind. "I've never visited a gym before."
The crazy effects suddenly ended when I put my hood back down and greeted the Game with a somewhat joyous smile. "Besides, if I can get a bit more ripped, maybe I'll be able to get rid of that flaw, just wonder what the task will be." Questions over questions, they piled up until the light of day was blocked. With a sigh, I sat down onto the corpse; of course, I washed it; dear goodness, it would've contaminated my soul if I didn't deep clean that beast.
The Game suddenly blinked and got right into my face. Princess Cadance is attempted to get your attention by repetitive knocking on the door.
"Urgh! Fine!" I groaned loudly, the annoyance practically seeping from my every pore as the embodiment of Valentine's day cut my free time short. "Wake me up buddy, let's see what she wants."
"Yes?" I asked with a groggy tone, rubbing my eyes while I stood before the pink princess of fucking love~, who could only muster a look of surprise. "What, I've been taking a nice nap." I whined lightly.
"Oh." Cadance spoke only with surprise on her face. "I didn't know that, but while you're awake-" Yeah, what a coincidence. "-I wanted to ask how a nice long walk would sound to you?" She asked nicely, a whole lot more persuasive than usual. What was she planning?
"Thanks, but I'd rather go over the path in my sleep." I spoke nonchalantly; the sass was getting thick, but so was my annoyance.
"Oh, I was actually proposing a new path for today, it's actually going past a new playground, right now it should also be mostly empty with all the foals in school."Cadance said with a mundane tone, no effort put into it while lightly shaking her head.
"Who are you and what did you do with the real Cadance?" I thought out loud with suspicion while my left hoof, which currently held the door open, tightened around the wood. I knew the Lings were getting desperate, the masseuse looked more desperate with each visit, but this blatancy was unexpected.
"Should I feel insulted by that?" Cadance asked with a tilted head, almost unsure if that was an insult, to begin with.
...
"Maybe?"
Cadance snorted loudly while rolling her eyes. "Okay, I got it, you're getting tired of the routine, so let's spice thing a bit up, wouldn't that be nice?"
I took a deep breath before halting myself. "You know what, fine, can't hurt to see something new."
"Excellent, maybe you'll make some friends too." Cadance said with excitement. Now I was unsure if that was an insult.
Maybe?
Canterlot's city design was like a multilayered cake, with lavish levels rising exponentially, with the upper crust being covered with the most delicate bonbon Vanille and the bottom being beggars' cake, don't ask what's it made of. The mansions closest to the castle, which are still far too close for my taste, are ancient and expensive, going so far that the very gates are covered in leaf gold, while the lower levels house the poorest, who are still living much better than I was, not a lovely place I've heard of, at least Gentle spoke very ill of it. The middle layer suited my taste the most, it being a nice mix between luxury and functionality; hey, the creatures seemed to bare a bit of average and typical, which I say with the biggest relief I could speak of.
I couldn't help but grin, which was a usual smile given my forced standards, while my eyes couldn't stop, unable to see enough to fill their hunger of sight, from the cobblestone path with many old imperfections and moss covering the cracks to the stores and houses that were all decorated by their respective owners, oozing to the brim with warmth and love for what they called their own.
I closed my eyes, taking my steps long and slow, and taking in the friendly chatter from every corner, the smells of sweet and spicy, the wind that soared through the wide-open streets. My heart pumped vigorously, my breath grew faster as a sense of life, truly being alive and free, seeped into my body, stroking every oh-so-common yearning string of hair that grew on my body.
"What do my eyes see, are those petals growing from the sides of your head?" Cadance said a twirling voice, filled with lots of joy. "Oh, I am just joking, but the escape from the routine does seem pleasantful." She said when she saw my expression fall again.
"Heh, pleasant, yes..." My voice trailed off, and so did my eyes as I felt my heart fall heavy once again. It almost hurt me to feel the free wind, not forced or created in the depths of the dream, to let me have but the most starved taste of what freedom was. I could complain much about my time as a human, but one thing was always true, I was free to do as I liked, mayhaps it wasn't always the best for me, or on a moral level, but they're more choice than the iron rule of the schedule. Can't believe I'm starting to miss the holidays I once so grouchily endured, and I can only guess why my parents seem so distant from them.
A horrible tune suddenly caused every tendon in my body to pull together as if I had eaten a lemon so sour the tree it grew on withered away.
"Oh sorry young mare, mayhaps another time you'll let your talent shine through." Someone spoke with an old and gentle voice. My head turned to the source, and I found an old Stallion, but strapping, I might say, sitting on a wooden box holding a guitar, his grey fur was shining in the sunlight, and his white, puffy mane still bore fluffiness I could only dream of. "But that is what lessons and training are for, just ask and I might give some lessons for free."
"Yeah, right." Spoke a young mare with a roll of his eyes while walking away, her fur barely grazing mine. There was a gleam in her eyes that was filled with so much anger and hate, it gave me a sense of intense familiarity, yet I've never seen someone like her. Her ashen fur, copper mane, the gleam of pale green eyes, and a cutie mark of a dimming flame.
'Keep an eye on that one, something's fishy about her.' I commanded shortly, a quick beeping sound informed me of the deed done.
"And what about you, might there be some musical talent slumbering in your bones?" The old stallion asked with a smile, but my eyes wandered off to a petite filly, her body nearly entirely concealed behind a giant cello. A coat as grey just as her, presumably, father with a black mane, the eyes bearing a pale violet and a cutie mark of a purple note rested on her flank. "Now, here's the violin and a few notes, don't worry if you don't recognize them, they're horn written."
I cringed at the large eyes he gave me while holding the instrument before me; with a shyness that revealed my once great hesitance to slay nightmares, the stallion pushed me into the spotlight. My head turned around towards Cadance, who gave me a broad smile and a look of encouragement, while in truth, it only spurred the butterflies in my stomach to chew their way through my thin jerky skin.
Do not worry, I may assist you in this, by peer pressure invoked, endeavor. The Game said with a tone that, while awoke my trust in him, made me no less weary of such a task. For I wished nothing more than to just walk past as if I've never seen anything.
I took the instrument from him; it was quite an old piece of wood, but I could feel the great love and care that was fuelled into the instrument; the hope and interest of decades accumulated deeply into the dead fibers. It was much more vibrant and fierce than the bell, but the taste of emotions laid just as heavy on my heart. The old stallion smiled vividly and stood up, patting his old spot for me to take.
"Hehe, here goes nothing." I said with the little confidence I could muster; the warmth of his seat was like a wave trying to push me off while the waiting eyes drilled into my skull, which in turn, bound me in place. I was not scared of crowds or what others think, but I hated most dearly if people held expectations of me; otherwise, and I've done so in the past, I would've just raised both middle fingers and walked away.
I shuddered frugally as the bow tickled the strings of the violin, the sparks of emotions sparked like a flint against steel; the taste was still new. Compassion and love for a thing, a deed, a dream. The stage, the eyes, the aspiration and appreciation of many towards one.
The strings tingled and started to dance a continuous trance slowly; there was no soul in the song, for it was played by one bearing none when he should. The music waved like the ocean, a heartfelt tune in nature, however, ramping up higher until scraping the heavens and calming down, rising and falling upon high tunes, before descending, repeating again and again. The minutes passed, I ignored the world outside and focused on the string's glide, carefully, gracefully taking control back, following the rhythm, there was an error or two, but it broke me not to shudders but encouraged me to keep the pattern the same.
A light tap broke the harmony surrounding me; like a burst bubble, the world around me returned, yet a fragment of the tune still played in me, not like a catchy record, but more literal.
Lesser Heartfelt tune: Strength and Endurance are increased by six points for five minutes.
"Haha, if I didn't know any better then I might say I've been teaching you for half a decade." He Praised proudly, while the filly behind him could only watch me with curiosity. "I haven't, have I? My memory is getting fuzzier the older I get! Oh, I'm Piecero by the way, and this is my daughter, Octavia."
"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Star Touch. And, well, what can I say, the instrument just has a mind of its own is my best guess." I spoke shyly while rubbing the back of my head.
"That it really does." Piecero said with a humble tone while inspecting the instruments. "Say, I think maybe you're right, it does have a mind of its own, and it made it up again. It's yours."
"It's mine?" I asked with disbelief at the sudden change of tune, the emotions engraved in the wood, wasted and given away like they were trash to a stranger. I never cared much about the shiny, luxurious things, but I was insulted in place of the soul resting inside the stringed instrument.
"It's his'?" The daughter, Octavia, was her name if I recalled correctly, spoke out in shock. Perhaps this was a first.
"It's yours, the old thing has lasted longer than my career and been suffocating for a long time, it's time for some fresh blood, besides, it has been an extensive time since it was able to sing such tunes this way, I've been using it as practice for pupils mostly." Piecero nodded while reassuring himself before levitating the instrument and bow into a little case before handing it to me. "Under one condition." He suddenly pulled it back before his eyes turned to his daughter.
'No! It ain't worth it anymore!' I practically screamed in my mind. The sweet tunes were not worth the lures and lies of the old man; even if I were to break his hopes like crumbling porcelain, I'd take such a deed of hurt than this pact.
"When I am old and feeble, I want you two to let me-" No, screw you! "-hear a song of mine own choice." Piecero finished, leaving me with a great, emotional hole in my chest. Now I felt sad for my accusations and at the thought of aging, even if I wasn't the target.
"Very well, I accept the pact, and honor the agreement." I responded while my eyes laid heavy on the case, I cared not for this world's gold or power, but the objects imbued with emotions were greater riches to me than all metal the world could muster. I've experienced it only a few times, but the lust I possessed for the refined emotions that let me feel alive more than anything before were the sweetest of all, and even though the lifeblood of the nightmares made my heart beat harder than anything else, such dreams embedded into everyday objects made it sway.
"Excellent, a fine colt indeed, I am sure you two will get along splendidly." I knew it!
I turned around with my smile ever-present and turned towards Cadance, whose neutral expression quickly shifted toward a happy demeanor. "Where did you learn to play this way? Did Porcelain Vase try to push music culture onto you too?"
"No, the instrument told me how." I said with a beaming smile while my eyes quickly fell onto the violin again. Such sensation's made the energy, the memories, and cravings flowing through the old wood, make me feel and yearn for. Such passion and desires of decades accumulated into a hazy dream, oh heavens, I think my vision is waning.
"Really? May I see?" Cadance asked with a raised eyebrow and looked at me with an expecting look; only hesitatingly did I offer my newly acquired relic to the mare in pink. Her blue magic enveloped the instrument while staring at it with the deepest concentration, but her expression turned to confusion. "I can't find anything abnormal about it except, well uhm, outlawed glue from... well, I'd assume griffon or minotaur origin."
"Why do you look so worried?" I asked with a lifted eyebrow.
"Nothing, nothing, just never search up how glue is made." Cadance sucked in a stream of air as disgust waved across her face. "Wait, what is it telling you exactly!?" Her face snapped at me as terror filled her every fiber.
"Uhm, well, it's not like words or anything like that. More like a really warm feeling, it's like I could almost sense all the hours it was used and cared for." I said with much discomfort, balancing between the line of truth and being busted. "Well, I also don't feel anything other than that, should I?"
"Oh, goodness, thank Celestia." Cadance whispered before turned her head back to me, handing over the instrument as well. "No, please don't, but that is interesting to know, but, well, you also should most certainly not look any deeper, that's certain, but how come you never said anything about it?"
"Should I have? I really never saw anything abnormal with that." With a tilted head, I said, my vision partially focused on the alicorn with peaked curiosity while the rest stared off at the horizon. "It's just how I perceive the world, I didn't know that it would be different for anypony else. It's really getting tiresome with all the special rules and treatment." I sighed and shook my head. Suddenly two strong hooves enveloped me, and I just had to add, when I think of a princess, I considered things like petite but not buff AF with enough strength to break my spine and a comforting look on Cadance's face.
"I do-" Cadance stopped herself in mid sentence as her language was about to pique into the royal speech. "I am sorry for having come off as blunt, I just sometimes forgot that you're in possession of special gifts, but you'll grow into them one day, just like me." She let go of me and started to walk again, and I followed.
"When I was young I was very confused about the world as well, for I could feel and understand the emotions of those around me. At times it got so bad I spent weeks in my castle room just to try and block out the impulses of the busy Canterlot days, even if the emotions of Love made me feel more alive and happy than anything else that gave me joy."
"If so, then why am I treated like you were, I sense no pain or hurt, I feel more alive than I ever could, and so far I could always block out even the darkest of emotions." I spoke with a questioning tone, increasing my pace, and turned my head toward her; having eyes on opposing sides of the head made trotting much easier this way.
"Sensing emotions is not the problem, object or pony, but the fear lies in the fact that mayhaps you'll encounter something you can't block out and overwhelm you." Her voice was filled with concern.
"So I am supposed to live in fear of the possibility of breaking?" I asked with a slightly aggravated tone. "I feel closer to my limit within the castle walls than in the streets."
"It is just for protection, yours and others." She reiterated, more insistent this time.
"You fear me as a danger to others?" I asked, appalled while stopping in my tracks. I've been feeling much chaos in the past years, in the heart and body, but this kind of cold, creeping sensation leaving me just barely not numb enough to gnaw at the edges of my mind left me irritated.
"No, it's just-" Cadance tried to diffuse the situation, at least, that is what I believed she tried to do in retrospect, but at this moment, I've not sensed anything but silence, empty words, and a waste of air.
"No, it really does sound to me like that, why else would I be kept behind walls and guards like some kind of monster?" I could feel my body warm-up, my breathing growing heavier as I looked into the shocked eyes of Cadance Star, the consequences! I let out a huff and turned my eyes away from her, hiding my frown and glare. "Just forget it." I sighed and continued the path.
It didn't matter; nothing ever did with any bond, any day I've wasted on this damn dirtball. Why should I start to bother now? Even with absolutely no expectations, I am always, every time, left disappointed again.
The pink alicorn kept following closely, her eyes drilled into the back of my head. The concerns rising, but no fear or worry, at least the latter directed at herself, present.
What was there to say about herself? Gentle Touch had often asked herself that, of course, less frequent as time went on, but even then, she could always answer this question to herself in a long tirade. She was once a wife and now a mother and nurse; she went through many downs and, she'd say, just as many ups with the latter being more widespread than the former. Gentle considered herself complete, in the sense that she had experienced everything, well, mostly everything she wanted to see and do in her life, and she also experienced many things she did not.
Now, as she grew older each day, she chose for things to be calmer, and she was fine with that; while the long walks through the woods and the runs through the fields were enjoyable, the travels from serene villages to large cities were exciting, especially her time in manehattan was a pleasure, but she grew tired far too quickly for that now. The days in the familiar castle halls, and to this day, she found it weird to speak of it this way, with her days spend cuddling with her only colt, an adoptive and very special offspring she never once saw more distant than what the blood test might say, and the nights sleeping next to a scheming princess to whom she grew quite fond of with time.
While her son's every day new discoveries were an astonishment each time they occurred, it was nothing she'd ever turn her eyes away from, be it fear or other, and at this point, there was likely little that could surprise her at this point, but when she thought she saw it all, once again was there someone to prove her wrong again.
"So..." Gentle Touch stretched out this word so long, her throat grew dry, and she took a sip of tea given to her by the one who spooked her. She scratched her head; the bandage was far too tight and uneven; it almost fell into her eyes. "...you're Star's magic teacher?"
"That would be the utmost simple way to describe my position in the castle here, but for the sake of this conversation let's limit it to just this." The giant owl called by the name of Hauhuthos Hilihuth ruffled his feathers while staring down at her, the sleek and tall figure imposing her even greater than Celestia ever could've.
Gentle could feel the magic power radiating off him, causing every last hair of hers to stand straight. "Oh, I see, heh." Gentle Touch's vision jumped around, almost attempting to evade eye contact. "So, how's S-Star doing, anything important to mention? I would've liked to have this conversation sooner, but, ehm, you're quite hard to catch?"
"You wish to hear my opinion of Star Touch?" Hauhuthos spoke with a cold tone as his head leaned forward, tilting to degrees that would've broken a pony's neck. "I think him to be an excellent student." He smiled, or at least Gentle assumed that it was a smile, even a griffon's grin was easier differentiated from a frown than this. "There is a hunger for knowledge present in him I've barely ever seen before in young ponies, almost as if his life depended on it. Not one task has he failed so far, even some I initiated for him to learn defeat and reconsideration, almost making me fear he's growing prideful, but so far there has been no sign, and I've grown quite familiar with the omen, Blueblood three to... I believe eight?" He stopped in his train of thoughts and leaned back again. "Mayhaps it was nine, but they've taught me not to spoil anyone anymore."
"Oh, that's nice to hear, well, the first part, not the second one, no." Gentle Touch forced a smile, she had a problem being near Griffons due to some of the most horrible events in the past, and while she knew that this made not every avian she came across just as dangerous to what she loved, it didn't mean it was easy to overcome. "So, no complaints?"
Hauhuthos blinked before humming, one of his largest feathers his right wing possessed, caressed his beak, while an inner conflict broke out in the owl. "I fear that your son is... being too sheltered." He finally answered.
"Huh?" Gentle Touch put her tea down onto the table before her and leaned forward with a worried look. "What do you mean with that, sheltered?"
"No, I don't think we are on the same level of understanding. I wish to make the point that Star is starting to show signs of sadness and worry. The long days of continuous lessons and near-permanent stay in the castle are doing him no good. I fear he's starting to..." 'I feel like a prisoner.' "...grow worried that he can't be free or live at least a partially average life as a colt."
Gentle Touch chewed her checks inner flesh, looking down into the contents of her cup, and locked her vision with that of her reflection. "I am not really aware of... Star's timetable, might you be able to tell me more about it?"
"It would take too long for my endeavors, but let's just say it's nearing the princess' in terms of busyness. When was the last time you had some time to be just mother and foal?"
Gentle Touch sighed, shivering with disgust and discomfort. "A while ago, long ago. I... I just can't get over myself, force myself to attend or celebrate any events, it brings back just horrible memories."
Hauhuthos nodded while thinking to himself. 'The arts of psychology and the emotional spectrum do not sit well with me.' . He stood up and turned towards the door with a sigh, but before anything followed, his body sank. "Whatever you do, just remember that the first years of life shape his vision of the world, and it's not recommendable for it to be but a prison, it breeds only anger and apathy."
His wings clung tightly against his body before straightening himself to his fullest and walking not to the door but to the window. With his wings, he opened the glass gate to a long fall using but a gust of wind, and this action was followed with his risen wings; a glow surrounded his body for just a second before his body became invisible. "I wish you a pleasant day." His formless voice spoke before leaving the room.
Gentle's eyes were locked onto the open window before burying her face in her hoof, sighing deeply to herself. "Oh Warden, what would you say were you here?" She asked herself before looking towards the door. "I wonder how much I have to haggle this time for some parenting freedom." Gentle asked herself with a deep frown before starting her walk towards the door, only for her to suddenly lean to the left and fall. It's best to lay on the ground with limbs spread apart after suffering a concussion.
"Game, is there any way to speed up the six-year wait? I’m getting tired of everything right now." I frowned into my cup of hot chocolate, waiting for it to cool but also just not to be forced into eye contact with the pink one. I was so tired of the whole pretend game; couldn't I just be an adult and be treated like a nut case outsider? Just the thought is such a relief. 'Oh don't bother with crazy-flank Star, he's just a little weird, leave him be.'
Maybe, I am still tinkering with the possibilities I possess, or rather, those I could gain within this space of freedom. The only thing I can promise is to cut short the one-week-long penalty for prematurely leaving the dungeon, at least when you possess a majority of your health, stand on the entry point, and wait for about a minute. Even though I often was very vocal of my distaste about the Game's formality, it gave me some sense of tranquility, like a safety speech from a drill sergeant.
'Sweet.' I thought nonchalantly with a grin, even those thoughts could not be filled with any joy while I felt these strange emotions weight down my head, like a kinetic force keeping me in this position for what felt like an eternity.
"Well Star, wouldn't you agree it's such nice weather?" Cadance tried to start a conversation, but I was much more skilled in the arts of 'I don't give a shit' than she was with the opposite.
"I'd assume we wouldn't be at this table if it wasn't?" I raised my head and an eyebrow too. My passive-aggressive comments cut my tongue's tip sharply.
Cadance stared at me with a bewildered expression before pursing her lips. "So, how does the chocolate taste to you? I know you're not much into sweets, but I'd thought you might give it a try?"
'And what's inside it? sedatives?' I stared grimly at her before grasping the little and extremely overpriced cup and downed it in a single gulp.
Fire Damage has been blocked
"It tastes a tad too sweet for me, I think I prefer water." I spoke dryly before coughing slightly; damn, that stuff sticks to the throat like mud to a glass panel.
"Oh, I just thought you'd like it, sorry," Cadance said with disappointment.
I sighed and rubbed my face with a piece of tissue; there was no way I'd touch my face with hooves after walking in these streets. "Cadance, I'm sorry if I've come off as angry, I am not, and not directed either. It's just I'm tired of the schedule, the duties, the burden, the castle, and all. I just feel like it's not my thing, I feel like I'm ageing a week everyday in those halls and barely feel anything there. I am really not happy." I slowly let my head down onto the table, my lower jaw resting on top of the cool glass.
"I can't really promise anything in this regard, but I can see what can be done with a little more wiggle room, though I first have to discuss it with my aunt and Hauhuthos." Cadance fiddled with her cup, stirring the content with a spoon. "Yet I would not abandon a future as prince just yet, I've never wanted to become part of royalty myself when I was young either, and I've received my fair share of criticism for rejecting every foals dream, but I grew into it with time." Her face, so mellow and filled with compassion, it was almost like the most deliberate lie I've ever seen, yet I knew it was not, which pained me even more. "However, if you're unhappy, then we should change that, so I promise you that I will make you a happy little colt."
I sighed with my head resting on my ankle, or was it wrist? The frown and strain left my face as I was met with nothing but empathy, no deception, only honesty. It left an inner turmoil within me, clashing with the thought I've played oh so often, to just go when I can, possibly stay until my... mortal mother's last breath, as cruel and macabre as it sounded... and turn my face on journeys lying beyond mortal kin's comprehension. I would've chuckled at my own dark, gloomy, and complex growing speech was it not for the ponies surrounding me.
"Can we just continue?" I asked dismissively and hopped off my seat and was about to walk away, but there was still a look of concern plastered across her entire face. 'Oh all compassion on this world unite.' I closed my eyes, heavily so, before forming the largest smile I could, and asked with a voice so cheerful you'd expect it in a commercial for children's cereal. "Come on Cadance, you can't waste the whole day away staring at those cold cups of tea."
Cadance snorted loudly, her mane flying in all directions in certain spots, before taking a long sip from her cup and walking up next to me. "Fine, let's go a bit more, but next time you're gloomy you say so immediately."
"Okay." I responded, although nearly choking upon the words I truly wished to utter, an 'I'll try,' but the fear of this misery continuing, this spiel of depression and pity continuing longer than it had any right too, was much too great for me.
My wandering mind came to a halt as I felt a strong gust of wind soar past me, just like a red ball that ground itself against the tip of my snout ever so briefly, and as my eyes turned to the opposite direction of the flying projectile, my vision was covered in a green-grey-ish coat. The impact was not as heavy, but it sent me toppling across the ground; the pain was barely noticeable, most of it was blocked.
"Ohh-wee." Mumbled a soft and gentle voice, male and twirling as he was clearly dizzied. I fluttered my eyelids a few times as my eyes took in every last detail of his form. It was, if I was not mistaken, a griffon who's outside reminded me slightly of a pigeon, with a green-grey coat and stone-colored feathers, they were ruffled, but still in place as his coat was quite thick and his body was large.
"So looking before crossing is useful after all." I mumbled while pursing my lips and eyeing as the bird slowly pushed himself up, standing quite a good chunk higher than me. My eyes slowly turned towards the bouncy red ball and pulled it towards me. "I think this is yours." I said as I held the red projectile.
"Uh, thanks." He spoke out uncertainly while his eyes wavered for just a moment past me and upwards, probably taking in the expression of Cadance. "Sorry for that, you're quite sturdy. Cairn bucked the ball real hard and I didn't want another one rolling off the mountain." His brown eyes turned away from me in embarrassment. “I’m Gerb by the way.” Gerb mentioned with slight uncertainty while rubbing the back of his head.
My head turned towards where the ball would've headed, and-yeesh! That's a steep, thin, and really long alleyway that was shaped like a ramp. "No problem, nothing's broken." My eyes slowly turned back to the griffon before I heard a new voice enter the fray.
'Ehm... what creature is that exactly.' I thought with a risen eyebrow, but this sensation he emitted made my fur stand up; it was not as intense as the atmosphere the nightmares bore, but it screamed in a subtle and almost peaceful way one thing: Death
The newcomer was a-uhh...
I believe it's a Kirin.
The Kirin was small, the tiniest bit lesser in height than I was. A steel-blue coat adorned his form, and the dull green-blue horn stood sharp even when it wasn't fully grown yet. A black mane adorned his head; however, though some thinner spaces I could make out spots of white, mayhaps soon I'll have to describe his hair as 'Salt and Pepper.' He looked a bit timid, I might say, as his eyes swayed over to Cadance, ears twitching as if he heard something, but he shook his head quickly after.
"Hello, you must be Cairn, I'm Star." I said with a small wave, urging him to come closer, and he did so slowly while his gaze would often switch between his left side and Cadance; what did his eyes catch?
"H-hi, I'm Cairn Song." Cairn said with a polite voice, and soon his eyes were focused on the ball. "Ehm, could I have my ball back? I don't have another one." Gerb coughed awkwardly while looking away.
"Ohh, sure." My eyes scanned the ball intensely while bearing some remnants of beautiful memories; I doubt it would grant me enough to make even a smidge of a difference in the battles. I let go of the ball, and it was taken not a moment later from me; he had excellent control, even if his starch white magic was something I haven't seen yet.
"So, wanna join?" Gerb asked with a tilted head and a lifted claw, palm pointing upwards.
"Sure." I answered without even thinking.
"Cool, the rule is to kick it. 1,2,3 Go!" Gerb said quickly before punching the ball further down the streets.
I stared for just a moment, stunned at the careless, dumb fun, and naivety he possessed, and yet I was for some reason jealous; how long has it been since I last played like this? I must've been like twelve before I started working those long shifts in stores or delivering papers for just enough extra cash contribution to the household.
Time seemed to slow down.
I grinned suddenly and jumped forward into a gallop, my hindlegs pounding the stone road strongly. My vision was focused on the bouncy red ball, eying like a mountain of treasures while only occasionally diverting onto my competitors on either side. I lowered my head and smirked; this one I'd win, even with the anti-cheering from Cadance to be faster.
"N- huff -not bad, jerky." Gerb panted while slowly crawling forward, pulling his body across the cold stone, before his head simply fell and rested onto the ball.
"You're fast." Cairn Song said with heavy breathing, he was much less aggressive, or play-starved, than us, choosing to save his energy for the end. Stole my victory. "that too." He mumbled while hiding his face by looking away.
"Golly, haven't had so much fun in ages." I sighed with a goofy smile and leaned my head back. I couldn't recognize where I was, other than we've ventured into the lower layer, it seemingly had some nice spots too, at least this alley filled with a couple of doors that were barely able to open completely, or just scraped enough wood off until they could.
"What, haven't run in a while?" Gerb asked, his eyes turning towards me while his limp body rested on the ball.
I shuddered at all the damn laps I had to run while keeping my fitness routine, he was like one of those really strict nineties coaches, but he wasn't fat, damn you, Corporal Coast, where are the donuts when you need them? "Not many play partners in the castle." I said briefly.
"Castle?" Carin asked with confusion before his ears twitched once again, and his face slowly drained of all colors. "Oh goodness, we've kidnapped the prince!" It was impressive how he was able to speak timidly and scared at once.
"Gerb. What's all that ruckus about?" Asked an old, gruff voice, and one of the doors opened. An older griffon stood there, while a little chubby, he most certainly could not be called lazy, 'cus he looked like he carried around pianos for fun. "Hi Gerb, Hello Cairn, greetings, your highness." He said nonchalantly before his eyes opened widely, and so did his beak.
"I am uncertain If I should be frustrated with the corporal for pushing you to become a marathon runner, or be thankful that I could open my wings for once." Cadance descended from above, breathing lightly while descending slowly, seemingly savoring every moment for this excuse to fly.
The old griffon made a quiet, screeching noise in the back of his throat. "It surely must be a misunderstanding you highness, whatever happened, I am certain that was just those rowdies from two streets over pinning the blame on my Gerb again."
"But we were just playing?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh thank goodness." He mumbled quietly before smiling again and picking up Gerb quite easily with one of his claws. Damn, I bet those could crack walnuts with those. "So, no trouble?"
"As far as I am concerned, no, but we have exceeded our stay long enough." Cadance said with a neutral expression before her head turned towards me again with a smile. "Come, it's getting late and I am certain dinner will be cold if we don't hurry up."
"Can I play again soon?" I asked with a tilted head before turning my eyes back on the duo.
"Of course." Cadance said after a few seconds of waiting, her vision switching between them and me, smiling now too. "Have a nice evening." The alicorn spoke before turning around.
"Bye!" I exclaimed with a smile, waving at them, before turning around and following my aunt... wait, weren't we cousins? No, I have enough headaches as it is. "Gosh, I haven't had this much fun in an eternity." I chirped loudly with a mellow smile after walking for a bit.
Cadance's face was turned away lightly, but I could see the emotions clash, and she wasn't shy of hiding them. I was unsure if there was speciesism involved or personal disdain, but she most certainly also had feelings of joy pulling the mood to more favorable terms.
"You know, were right about the possibility of losing control." I said slowly while looking at her, waiting for her to do the same a few seconds later. "But I felt all that negativity I've been collecting just melt off. To just have some fun and be normal really took away my fears of bursting and all that like I was an average colt." Cadance looked a bit concerned but eventually sighed and ruffled my long hair with her magic. "Maybe friends are magical." I added, unknowingly, why it came to my mind, but it did, and I wasn't shy to admit it. I closed my eyes, as I felt something other than the wind blowing through my mane.
"They are, and they help you get over any burden." Cadance said with nostalgia coating her words, radiating emotions so sweet and bitter, and for once, I could actually see a single fragment of a memory, a blurry picture of what appeared to be a young cadance surrounded by a whole bunch of species, some of them even the Game wasn't able to recognize, but one looked like a butterfly. "Are you sure you don't want a haircut?"
"Nope." I said cheekily with a grin, to which Cadance snorted with amusement. Maybe I was a prisoner, but it was a much nicer cage than the junkyard I had for myself before.
Author's Note
A big thanks to ZeroOneInFinn,who allowed me to use his OC in this story: Cairn Song.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter three:...Breaking... [E]
I was never genuinely interested in games growing up, not because I never tried, I always was just too busy to join them, not that I ever was intrigued before in brainless amusement, thinking it was just something you'd do if one didn't have anything better to do. Now that I look back to my late childhood and years of puberty, I begin to see a rather depressing pattern, in which I've never experienced the things that made life 'fulfilling', which didn't mean I was ever depressed or unhappy, but I now most likely couldn't even claim that I 'lived' back on earth.
My hoof recoiled lightly from the heavy shot Cairn kicked at me.
Grinning cheekily I tilted my head to the left. "You buck much harder than you give yourself credit."
"Are you sure you should say that to me?" He barked while wiping the sweat off his face.
'Ohh~ Spitting fire already?' I thought with a raised eyebrow before suddenly snapping to the right and punching the ball at Gerb.
"Uff!" Gerb exhaled loudly, as he caught the ball with both of his claws and was knocked back still. "Sheesh, Jerky! turn that notch down a few levels, will you?" He complained, before turning towards Sugar. "You're up next, don't tip over, will you?"
"What, cause I'm a filly?" Sugar huffed with a false gasp and yet convincing outrage plastered across her visage. Although Sugar Drop was the same age as all of us, it was very clear that her body was much more mature, with her being the tallest of us by quite a few centimeters.
"No, 'cause your hindlegs are standing on some stones." Gerb noted dryly, while pointing at Sugar.
Sugar raised her eyebrows, before shifting her weight slightly, but her balance shifted like a loose barrel on a ship. "Oh! Well, I am ready now!" She spoke with determination, at least, after taking a step to the left.
Gerb shrugged without worry and hurled the ball with a mighty punch towards Sugar, the projectile whistling with speed, and stopped instantaneously between Sugar's strong hooves that bit into the rubber like a snake.
"Caught it!" Sugar beamed with a large smile, showing off her teeth, at least her illusionary ones.
"Yeah, you did. Goodness why is it so hot today? I feel like I'm breathing so much of this expensive air, I'm expecting a bill." Gerb sighed, while fanning air into his face, while panting.
I looked around, and I could agree, human me most certainly would've asked where the airbill was, which sadly was a thing on earth, well, at least in those fancy air gardens. While on the topic of gardens, the Canterlot Castle plants and flowers were in full bloom, bursting with bombastic, saturated colors that almost appeared in a neon hue due to the strong sunlight.
"I'm not feeling warm at all." Cairn butted in from the side, as he walked closer towards our little circle.
Gerb rolled his eyes with such force, his eyeballs(?) nearly fell out. "You once didn't even notice when your mane was on fire." Cairn's face lit up like a bonfire, while his gaze fell to the ground. "Besides, you’ve got it worse in winter."
"Don't fight colts, today's too much of a special day for bickering." Sugar shot back, now too coming closer into our little formation. Apparently, the game was over, how sad.
"I guess you're right." Gerb agreed.
"Yeah..." Cairn's face slowly cooled down, as he agreed too.
"Yes." I said with confidence before I froze. What was special today? Was it someone's birthday? "Ehm, what's so special about today again?" I asked shyly before the game would pull up my calendar.
"The Peak Summer Fair?" Sugar Drop asked with a straight face, only slightly tilting it. This was something I have noticed ponies do, or rather, not do that made my bones itch, they barely even made any motions with their limbs.
"Nope, never been there." I replied with a shrug, planting my plot on the grass and lifting my hooves momentarily.
"Come on dude, aren't you like one of those bluebloods, part of royalty or something? Even they go there to show off all the shiny stuff they stick on their clothes." Gerb asked with curiosity, stepping a few meters forward until facing me, his gaze glued onto me as if he expected me to burst into laughter or something.
"Eh, Gerb, I don't think Star is lying." Cairn said from the side with a rasping voice. Cairn walked a few steps closer and looked puzzled, while his ears fluttered like a loose sail, he tipped his head slightly, which seemed to stop the constant impulses at least momentarily. "But, have you never wondered what goes on today every year? You surely must've seen all the lanterns fly into the sky yearly?"
"Well, not really, I have set sleeping times, so it must happen after I go to sleep." My voice slowly trailed off while I scratched the back of my ever longer becoming mane, mayhaps one day it will be even longer than Mommy's, well, but with less magic flowing and more fluffiness.
"What? But it's a holiday! Not even the bank is open the following day!" Sugar Drop gasped with terror.
"Yeah, even the school doesn't give us any homework." Gerb threw one of his claws into the air as disbelief flooded his face before it soured considerably. "Except of course miss Fluff Buff." I was uncertain whether that was a real name or an insulting nickname.
"Well, no exceptions in the castle, I guess." My voice waned while my vision slowly dropped towards the ground.
This brings back memories. Back when I was eight, and Amber was still a toddler, my parents and I were stuck in a huge blizzard freezing our asses off while attempting to find a nearby hotel, but the GPS was fucked. Eventually, we found a light on the horizon and came across a little village which seemed to stand in the eye of the storm, with only a perfect amount of flakes falling.
I don't know what my parents told them, but the villagers seemed not to have a problem for us to celebrate with them. I sadly forgot most of it, or rather, only remember a haze. The beautiful lights and cheerful music, it was like one of those Christmas markets in Germany my grandfather would often gush over, but I don't think that mulled wine was something I should've drunk, or gotten my little grabby hands-on, to begin with. I think I only vomited a teeny tiny bit.
But, just like here, it would seem that the grand finale and the main event were the moments when lanterns would be lit and let off into the sky, illuminating the dark blue heavens with shining bright lights.
My sweet and sorrowful visions of the past days were interrupted when I felt two bodies tightly smush against me, and I could also sense a single, thin and long limb pressed against my side. My head turned towards Gerb, who sat on the side with an unsure look, and it appeared that his first thought was to join the hug in some way, even if it was with just one of his claws.
"Come on guys, I'm fine, I don't need a hug right now." I pleaded, only for the pressure to increase ever so slightly, and I most certainly could see the discomfort in Cairn's eyes while they attempted not to look into my soul.
"Nope, everypony knows that if somepony is denying a hug, they need it most." Sugar Drop retorted and rested her head on my left shoulder, and I began to wonder if she was secretly leeching off me right now. I also hoped that this saying could only be applied to hugs.
"Your highness?" Inkwell asked as she slowly strode from the castle towards us, however, my eyes were focused onto the large umbrella that hung above her, attached to a metal arm-thing.
'Go-go-Gadget umbrella!' I thought with a smirk. "Yes, miss Inkwell?" I called back and used the moment of distraction to slowly pull myself free, much to Sugar Drop's annoyance and Cairn's gratitude.
"I only wished to inform you that the playtime is over. A pair of guards should arrive in a few moments to guide your friend's home." Inkwell spoke as she read from a textbook, intensively and shutterless, which was almost remarkable given how many variations ponies have found to say the word 'Hello.' "Do you wish me to join you on the path to your next class?"
"Ehm, that would be nice, I suppose, thank you." I mumbled uncertainly, before turning my vision back to the three uncanny creatures I could call my friends, with the two latest additions being such for only a few weeks now. "Goodbye, until next time."
"See ya." Gerb said
"Bye." Cairn said
"Till next time." And finally, Sugar Drop said with a wave.
I stood there for a moment longer, mayhaps it was just a foolish hope for them to utter just one more word, but nothing came, only smiles as they bid me farewell. I followed miss Inkwell to the next class; Porcelain Vase taught a bit about social interaction and how to flaunt while being humble, well, at least the most bare-bone-basics, and what followed were more classes and more stuff of the usual. I wish I could say more about these next few hours, but there wasn't, it was all the same routine, not one change, I didn't even see one of the candy-theme guards or even Mommy who spent today in the throne room without any disturbances.
The classes were just repacked shit I've experienced before, the old halls grew old and boring, and the little freedom I was granted was as much a farce as calorie-free brownies. It hurt my soul to think that this was my life, I was craving the grand things life had to offer be it from simply lying in the grass while watching the sun slowly fall behind a mountain range to bouncing from a life-threatening situation to another. Now, for once both of my souls were in a union, the one that craved adventure felt suffocated, and the other which yearningfully begged for something normalized dared to even employ the hunt for nightmares as a better alternative than this fate I was forced to endure.
Oh, heavens, where was the joy, where was the adventure that would make the story that was my life seem more than just the dream of a bureaucrat endlessly scribbling away at the forsaken papers. I could feel inside my ever aching bones and heart how it was being crushed by all the appointments and stress and duties and more, so much frustration that brought forth a desire of disintegration, to burn down this ordered system and gorge myself in both nature and anarchy alike. I felt the very strings that made me care about this world; even the smallest one entangle themselves with one another to slowly form itself into a noose that would steal away the last few breaths of fresh life I could scratch together.
"Goodnight my sweet little colt." Gentle Touch spoke softly with a mellow smile as her magic slowly wrapped my body up in a thin blanket, before nuzzling my snoot caringly. "-and have sweet dreams, dearest prince." Before closing the door behind her quietly, she spoke lovingly, leaving barely any light for me to see.
I sighed wistfully, turning to my side, my eyes focused onto my window, the large moon gleaming with heavenly, pale light, and even the otherwise grim-appearing figure on its surface seemed to be a little less hateful on this night. 'I feel like I'm wasting my life away.' I thought with an empty stare, before turning to my other side, rolling around like a guinea pig in a new pile of hay, but I found not a single comfortable spot, one that would allow me peace in mind and body.
If you wish, I could induce a state of unconscious. The game spoke with tranquility, making me jerk with great force, he has been very silent in the past few days, if I was honest, I was a tad sad and lonely not to hear his little voice in my head. I wouldn't call it an addiction, but it was nice having a friend looking over your shoulder who only wanted to support you, well, and commit genocide.
"Ach, this ain't working." I mumbled with a grumbly whisper, before throwing my blanket to the side with enough force to make it hit the full-body mirror, covering it with the cloth.
I used my weight to lazily roll over and landed on my hooves, before trotting towards the window. The glass gate opened with the tiniest of clicks, and a torrent of cool, fresh night air rushed into my face. I smiled, and yet the mellow sensations in my soul quickly vanished when my eyes fell onto the city below. The streets were illuminated with colorful lights, the ponies by the hundreds covered the streets, and what was not blocked by them were the plentiful shops and kiosks, the chitter and chatter, the music and singing and laughter and joy, I could only watch from the furthest of the horizon.
I rested my cheeks on my hoof, which laid on the cold window frame. Oh, what I would give to just spend a little while down there, to experience the little joys this life had to offer, and not the many duties and burdens these powers bound to me. Mathematics, Equish, Thaumatology, the Arcane Arts, History, Law and, it pains me to admit, even those horrid texts of Psychology have brought me nothing but the lowest and least amount of joy this rotten, dried, and lost stillbirth of a foundling was supposed to experience. Even the mindless, heartless, soulless hordes of the nightmarish beasts brought me more life into my petrified chest than this endless purgatory!
My body spun around as a considerable amassment seemingly broke through the weave of reality, my heart beat strongly, my eyes and pupils widening greatly as I readied my entire arsenal of spells, and I would not care if one life or thousands would be lost, the anomaly would not get me!
"Phew, Celestia's goodness, I'm never teleporting again into unknown territory." Sunset breathed with her chest pounding before her vision turned towards me. In her large eyes, I could see my own reflection breathing strongly, almost snarling and staring like a beast about to maul something. "Oh, heh, I gave you quite the spook, didn't I?" She spoke sheepishly.
My teeth clattered, freezing like ice from the copious amounts of air I sucked in through my bared teeth. "Y-you could s-say that." I forced out these words as if something had broken in my chest, my heart and lungs hurt, and felt so heavy in my ribcage. "W-why are you h-here so late?" I swallowed hard, my knees, all four of them, shook greatly to the point my vision vibrated. I had never felt as much fear in that very moment than in that moment, the crippling sensation of reality slowly swallowing one up, to be pulled into the void, even the sensation of staring through the gate that led to the graveyard of worlds left me more untouched.
Sunset looked puzzled at me, before slowly trotting forward and swinging her hoof across my back, pulling me into a very unwanted hug. "Well, I promised I'd take you to a fair, and to your luck, there is one tonight." She spoke with as much charisma as there was pride in her voice, tightening the hug even more, which, although physically restrained my nervous meltdown, did little for my mental state that was currently in disarray.
"A-and how are we gonna get down there?" I asked with great uncertainty while looking through the window, only the roofs and the furthest of illuminated streets I could see from where I stood, while the pale moon took the center of my vision. "Does Mommy know where we’re going?" I could only guess, but I was already certain to know the answer.
"Ehh..." Sunset's voice slowly trailed off, while her eyes distanced themselves from me, just like her body which loosened her hug. "Let's just say she and I had a small, little disagreement." Her voice was very uncertain before a forced smile graced her face. "But let’s just say we came to the agreement to only do what's best for you."
'Game, advice?' I asked hastily.
I conclude that this is not a situation where logic has much meaning, however, I do believe that you require emotional stimulation and ease of burden. The game answered with a rising and sinking tone, almost as if he was shifting me to choose an option. 'I also believe that we would not receive any great punishment if any, this may also give us an easier future should the entity Celestia accepts early on to grant us more leeway, otherwise traversing towards the nightmare realm might become... problematic.'
'Yeah, it would be very weird for me to just disappear for a few hours every day if I live in the castle.' I thought bitterly, before putting on a large smile, staring at Sunset with a new life in my heart. "That's cool, but, ehm, how do we go down there without being, you know, noticed?" My previous pride was flushed down the drain when all the memories came up again of ponies just staring at me, all those eyeb-just eyes!
"Simple~" She quietly sang, before pulling out a necklace from her mane, it was a green and purple gem, a color combination I much enjoyed seeing, and put it around my neck without much input from my side.
!Lower Lesser disguise detected!
I shook my head lightly when I felt all sorts of alarms go off in my skull, before looking down. I beheld my body with amazement, for I saw purple instead of grey for my coat, and my mane was that of green, yet my cutie mark stayed the same.
"Pretty neat, huh? This little necklace is from Curious Scribbles shop of curiosities, it changes hair colors and even your eye color, and for your cutie mark, we'll just put on a nice little, thin coat so you won't get noticed or get a cold." Sunset spoke pridefully while putting on the piece of clothing, before puffing her chest out like a cocky pegasus guard posing in front of the maids.
"That-." My throat tightened as I tried to push out a few more words, but only a quiet whistling came out, as I stared into the mirror, which was almost covered entirely by my blanket. It wished to say it felt alien to stare into a mirror and not see yourself, but that would be nothing but a dirty lie. I grasped an edge with my magic and covered the rest of it. "Ready to go!" I say half-loud with a large smile, feeling my heartbeat with both fear and excitement.
"Excellent, now please stay still before I teleport you to my home." Sunset warned, before her horn seemingly started to gleam with magic, so much combined into a single place it made me jealous to think that every last drop of mana wouldn't be enough to saturate this spell.
'Is this dangerous?' I thought with worry, while entirely ignoring the fact that a random mare was forcefully bringing me, a colt, to her home without any awareness of my guardians.
I possess enough control over our internal and direct external flow of mana, to ensure that the worst-case scenario would be our body being equally parted in two pieces. Unless further harm is inflicted, we will survive.
'Equally parted? Vertically or horizontally? What are you talk-wait, what-no-stop-no-!!!' I screamed while scrambling in my mind, but it was already too late, and a great flash of light swallowed me whole. I expected for my conscience to leave me, for this chapter of my life to be suddenly cut off like my body, but instead, when my eyes opened, I found myself standing inside some sort of study, the smell's of countless expensive books from various ages invigorated one of my souls, while the other was amazed at the sudden change of scenery. The room was circular with the walls being almost entirely covered with bookshelves, the only exception was a small, comfortable table with a window just in front, through which I could see an ocean of flowers.
"Wow, Green Turf has really outdone himself this season!" Sunset whistled loudly while smiling with the softest and sweetest little grin I've ever seen, now I knew that Mommy's facade lacked the natural imbalance of emotions ponies cherished.
"But, didn't you have to have noticed them before, or did he just plant them all at once?" I asked, it wouldn't surprise me if she said he planted them in an hour with all the magic buzzing through these days.
"I don't often go here, it's always empty while my parents are off to do business in kingdoms like Saddle Arabia or partake in parties, I mostly live in the castle tower most south-east from where we stand, you know, that thin and long one." Her voice slowly dipped into more somber and sober tones, before cracking a smile again. "But it's not as lonely as it sounds, I meet my friends every day and see the town, which is why I wanted to take you along since you obviously don't get to do, well, that."
I sucked a steady stream of air through my pursed lips, clapping them together creating a little 'pop' sound. I was very uncertain how to answer that in a non-insulting way because I could actually feel this sensation of emptiness that had eaten at my soul for a very long time. I bit my teeth together, before hugging one of Sunset's surprisingly strong forehooves while smiling, staring at her surprised face.
"Ah, stop it already, we're here to make you happy. I think I'm going to vomit from the cuteness." Sunset said with embarrassment while looking away.
''I thought I was ugly? I raised an eyebrow.
Pity + small stature + shivering + a slightly lesser level of charisma than average = A sight that could be considered as 'cute.' The game spoke, emphasizing each step of his calculation greatly.
"Fine." I moaned with great exaggeration, before removing my grabby hooves from her. "So, can we go now?"I asked, my eyes staring deep into her eyes like a cat wanting things like milk, yarn, or your soul.
"Of course your royal oafishness." Sunset joked, before her magic pulled up my hood, before walking out of the door.
I quickly pulled the hood down slightly, before following her quickly, I only caught the fewest of glimpses that her home had to offer, but it was only a little time I was given, before the shine of the many lit lanterns illuminated my face, the seemingly thousands of cones of spices and perfumes filled my nose, the sounds and senses I felt, they nearly brought me to tears as I could actually have a moment of youth. I felt like, just for the smallest of moments, as I first tasted the sweet fair atmosphere, all the joy life and this world had to offer, for a second I felt free as a bird and invulnerable as a god.
Standing at the property's border, in front of a neat little metal fence, I turned around once more, it was a fancy, three-stage high building, not a mansion, but most certainly more than a family house.
"Come, on, the night is too short to waste it looking at old houses!" Sunset chimed from the streets before her magic pulled me towards her, it was not as deafening as her royal highness, but most certainly nothing that could be scoffed at.
Her control over magic with her age, was impressive, blessings and perks may be able to power a pony up beyond mortal standards, but if the user didn't have a strong enough will, discipline, and control, they could quickly run into the risk of hurting themselves, if unlucky, the disaster could be fatal for the user and everyone around said pony. Magic, Aether or whatever you wanted to call it, escapes the dead body once a life has ended, and without any control to bind the magic to will, or at least guide it into a direction, it could create any spell, and sadly, combustion and eruption were the most likely to happen. A single fire in the mage tower could probably paint the castle walls black.
"I'm just-just taking some time to prepare myself." I answered hastily, before rushing towards her side like a toddler after his first day of pre-school, but the moment of privacy was cut short as Sunset quickly pulled me along into the crowds, it was not as filled as a Chinese train, but for someone as small as me, my vision was filled with legs, tails and, let's just say private parts.
"Oh, I can't wait to show you all the cool stuff they have on display, uhh! I hope that this year the fire artists are present again." Sunset beamed with much more external enthusiasm than me, but I could not deny the sensations I felt.
My chest was like, filled with tickling butterflies, a strong wind of excitement piercing my ribs and filled me with tickling excitement. My smile beamed brightly, not the false, default one, my eyes not half-closed, but open to taking in every last detail while my ears twitched and turned to isolate the slew of sound, a bit of everything.
"You know, Princess Celestia had actually taken me to the fair once or twice, my first time with her was when I was your age. I'm actually really shocked that she isn't letting you participate, if I didn't know any better, I'd guess she really doesn't want the public to see you." Sunset spoke calmly, though uncertainty was thick in her voice. "A lot of ponies outside of Canterlot probably don't even know that you exist, which is crazy."
'Well, isn't that just disturbing.' I thought sarcastically before my eyes were drawn onto a stand selling nuts in some sort of gelatin, it was very popular by the looks of it, the sale pony was sweating, and oozing not to drop into the food.
"Oh, do you want some mako?" Sunset asked, before igniting her horn and letting a small purse appear in thin air.
"Yup, but it's my treat." I answered, entirely unsure what that food was but confident in my finances. I pulled out a hefty sack, filled to the brim with coins, yet bearing only part of my little fortune.
"Goodness, how much does the princess give you for an allowance!" Sunset exclaimed, drawing in the eyes of a few ponies only momentarily.
"I don't get an allowance." I retorted with a hint of bitterness. "I pick them up during my walk through the streets."
"Really now? As far as I know, I go the same path as you do, and I haven't seen one bit on the ground in years." Sunset replied with skepticism.
"I'm very good at it." I answered dumbfoundingly with innocence, even though there wasn't much.
"Well, I can't argue with that, I guess." Before grasping my heavy sack of coins and walking towards the stand, Sunset said, leaving me momentarily alone.
Mayhaps I was just being paranoid, but I swore I could've felt something behind me, but when I turned around, I saw only a lonely lamp post.
"Here you go, and I hope you don't mind, but I exchanged all those coins into tenners and fifties, well, rather the sale pony was desperate for some change, the second one was on the house." Sunset said with a little grin and a few chuckles in between.
"Thank you." I said happily and waited not a second longer to shove a large spoonful into my maw. The taste was most certainly not what I expected. The nuts were incredibly hearty, roasted in what I guessed was butter, and covered in cinnamon, but I also tasted honey, while the jello had a texture similar to jam.
"That's incredible." I muttered, the taste was almost overwhelming, I almost instinctively wanted to pull out a glass of milk from my inventory, however, I was pretty sure I could not pull it off the same way I put the now considerably lighter bag of bits back into my inventory. As the last spoonful vanished, the junk was ripped away from me, thrown into a trash can with baffling accuracy.
"Come on, we have still so much to see." Sunset exclaimed, before pulling me forward by the hoof, my cloak nearly flattered away, my charm nearly falling off, but I couldn't help but smile.
The masses of ponies filled every nook and cranny, yet made a little path for us to rush. The colors, of pony and light, merged into a tunnel of rainbows. Every few seconds, the smells would change, the music turned into an entirely different genre.
"You!" Sunset blurted, forcing both of us to a strong halt.
A stand filled with dozens of huge stuffed animals, a sturdy-looking earth pony leaned against the counter with a smug grin, a fully filled glass of bits rested there, with several more below the counter.
"Ah, the fiery little unicorn is trying her luck again. I hadn't seen you last year, I was getting scared my best patron had left me." The stallion faked a sobbing tone, before wiping away non-existing tears with a one hundred bit coin.
"Stuffing." Sunset growled, before instantly pulling out three five-bit coins and slamming them onto the counter, before grabbing three balls from a bin.
"Huh, don't think I have to explain the rules to you." Stuffing said with a shrug, caressing his short little beard. "Ah, where’s the fun in that. One point means you get one small prize, two a medium one, three a big one and four points gets you the big win. No closer than two meters to the counter, eyes forward, no more than three attempts a year, and no magic allowed."
My eyes darted upward, feeling completely forgotten, and stared at the prizes. The stuffed toys appeared to be incredibly soft and fluffy, it looked like they all were hand sewn by someone with lots of experience. Just like he said, there were small, medium, and large prizes, and each respective prize's size was based on their difficulty. However, and that needed to be said, the mega-win, was a huge phoenix that looked incredibly soft, as it was huge, and dear goodness did it look comfortable, large enough to act as both pillow and blanket.
A screeching noise pulled my attention back to the stand, the stallion turned a crank, causing a little range of dart plates to move with varying and inconsistent speeds. A ball hit one of the front-most targets, striking it but still kicking it over.
"Yes!" Sunset exclaimed joyfully, but Stuffing only rolled his eyes, and I could see why. The targets further away were thicker, probably so that grazing shots wouldn't knock them over, and the chains became only shorter the further they went, with the last three moving at blurring speed.
"There's the first." Stuffing said with a snarky comment and chewed on a vanilla lemon gumdrop.
Sunset reared her forehoof back, however when she tried to hurl the ball forward, it fell out of her grasp and fell to the floor outside of the booth.
"Come on, at least two points." Sunset mumbled with a begging tone, and jumped to her rear legs once more, pulling back her hoof and closed one of her eyes, sticking out her tongue and wrinkling her forehead.
She has lost this throw. The Game commented nonchalantly, and the ball flew with amazing speed and touched one of the furthest targets, but it hit its corners and was reflected against the soft fabric walls, nearly puncturing it.
"Welp! One point's not bad, not your grand two-point record from five years ago, but better than nothing." Stuffing spoke without a care in the world, before opening one of his eyes, leaning over the counter, and asked with a sly tone. "So..? Sunflower or penguin, or are we bold today and get us a nice larry the lantern plushy?"
A heavy thud broke the heavy atmosphere, and both pairs of eyes turned towards me. "My turn." I said with a huffy tone, growling lightly and took three balls.
If you use my assistance you won't receive any attribute points. The Game noted from the side.
'This ain't a game, this' gotten personal.' I snorted out a white cloud of air, it blinded me lightly, before jumping on my rear hooves and threw the balls. The projectile graced one target in every lane, but a multi-hit was not my goal. One of the three most distant targets fell over.
"Well, I'll be damned."Stuffed mumbled, looking closely at me with squinted eyes. What most creatures did not know, not even those shiny tower mages, was that earth ponies were incredibly sensitive to magic if they are born from the right bloodline, but that's just unknown because earth ponies usually don't get any high education outside of the economy.
"Two points." He mumbled, so I was right, the number two did mean double points.
I huffed and took a second ball and hit the second, two-point target, this one nearly snapped off. As I grabbed my third ball, only to notice that Stuffed was now really putting his hooves to work, the chain on which the entire mechanism worked started to screech.
'Ohh no, it's far too late for this trick.' I grinned, my teeth shown as I pulled back my right hoof, while my left one held up the ball like a football. I softened my grin, now only smiling, before mumbling. "power strike." The ball shot forward, whistling like a bullet, soaring past the lesser targets like an eagle through the rain. As the projectile touched the last of the three double-point targets, the wood creaked shortly before breaking it off from the chain. My satisfied smile quickly soured when I saw the ball hit the fabric behind the throwing range, and as if it was an old cartoon, the balls sank deep into the fabric, before shooting backward.
Stuffed had only a fraction of a second to duck, the ball gracing his mane, before knocking his latest glass of bits over the counter, shattering it across the street in front of the stall.
"Six." Stuffed wheezed, staring at his damaged throwing range.
"And I'll be taking those." I said smugly, grasping the huge phoenix and a dolphin, cause they were badass, no further comments needed. I quickly pushed Sunset along me, while grinning and chuckling, cause when the confusion wore off, he'd be pissed.
"Wait a second, you can't share points!" Stuffed screamed into the crowd while picking up the bits by hoof, but we had vanished into the masses long ago already.
"W-what, but how did you..." Sunset scrambled to find words while rushing with me into a side alley, but her voice trailed off as she eyes me holding both prices tightly. "C...can I hold the dolphin for a few moments?" She asked with a soft and tender voice, her eyes shined like the stars I was named after, such cuteness and yet desperation.
"No, it's mine." I answered softly with a huff and lifted nose, while rubbing my face into the stuffed animal, however when my eyes met the crushed expression of Sunset, I could no longer hold it back."But you can have this little thing, I'm sure I won't miss it."
Sunset stared at the phoenix in front of her, trembling lightly as her chest rose and sank like a bellows, her eyes jumped between me and the toy. I rolled my eyes and pushed it closer into her grasp, but in the blink of an eye, she ensnared it like a starving snake.
"Oh ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyou." Sunset brewed together a soup of words that could be mistaken for a siren, hugging and kissing and cuddling with the huge toy like a foal would do with a puppy. It was a blessing that the toy seemed to be very good at absorbing fluids, given how tearful her eyes were.
"Please stop it, I think I'm going to vomit from the cuteness." I said with embarrassment while looking away.
Sunset surprised me by tackling me into a hug, landing on top of the toys. She was lucky the streets were clean in this city, cause I would not win her another one because bubblegum landed on it. "You big oaf, you have no idea how many failed attempts I went through to get it, and now, it's mine, mine alone." I did not like how deep and obsessive her tone became at the end of that sentence.
"Well, it was the least I could do for some freedom." I chuckled, rubbing the back of my head shyly, as I felt my cheeks reddening from the warmth from the stuffed animals, the giant, fuzzy mare laying next to me, the warm summer night, and the quick escape. Yes, that was it most ~~certainly~~ unlikely.
Perk activation [Valiant Heart] By completing a task of generosity and care, you brought back emotions into a freezing heart. You are awarded 15+1 points towards charisma and 15 points of luck.
I stared at the message, but to my surprise, and I felt an unnerving sensation building up in me, this worry only grew when I saw that time was seemingly slowing down. My peaceful silence was soon bombarded with a booming noise that was as joyful as it was painful.
!Attention! Your attribute [Charisma] has surpassed a threshold of one hundred points. The flaw [Outcast] has granted you the unique quest: The Ugly Duckling
'Excuse my bony arse?'
The Ugly Duckling Although your appearance is unappealing and you are different from the rest, a good heart still rests in your chest. *Make a great, emotional, positive impact on a creature whose heart is cold or slowly freezing. Actions done with the sole intention of fulfilling this quest do not count. [3/3] *Reward: Removal of the [Outcast] flaw. *The components of the flaw will still remain.
*The Ugly Duckling: Completed. *The flaw [Outcast] has been removed *The flaws [Different] and [Asexual] were assigned. *The flaw [Different] has been removed, because the attribute [Charisma] has surpassed a threshold of one hundred points.
I breathed heavily, my vision was stuck onto the moon's smooth and marked surface, my heart throbbed painfully, it was as if it grew in size, my skin itched like a fire ant picnic. The sensation was like something slowly eating away at my skin, I could feel my flesh being tenderly rearranged, and my bones shifted ever so slightly, especially my cheekbones.
"Wow, you're like, gleaming." Sunset said with astoundment, eying me like a gold ingot that fell from the sky.
"I think..." I hastily gasped after a bit of air as my ribcage grew a bit, appearing more profound, a little bush of fur now covering it as if I was a pegasus. "I think good deeds really are worth doing." The cringe was almost as horrible as my nerves being twisted like a bowl of spaghetti.
"Wait, you didn't just give me the main price for this?" Sunset said with shock., distancing herself shortly for a moment. While I would most certainly do everything in my power to grow more powerful, I wouldn't have used this exploit on her specifically.
I shook my head lightly, my eyes stuck onto the Stars, before saying breathlessly. "If I knew I would've not done so outside of my room. I feel like a deflated pool animal." Well, that or a bear rug.
"You sure don't look like that." Sunset commented from the side, the tip of one of her hooves touched her lips. Eww, don't do that, you're walking with those! "You know, I hear from the maids that Sugar Drop and you are quite the pair, if I were you I'd be careful she won't just gobble you up now." She teased with a grin. Were we already at the teasing stage? Sunset, you’re progressing far too quickly!
'Oh, if only you knew.' I thought with a cringing smile, my mouth's corners twitching lightly. I tried to pull myself up but tumbled right back down.
Great, biological modifications create large amounts of heat, the protein in your muscles has denatured and the extensive amount of aether used to rearrange the leylines has momentarily overloaded my control over this body. Please be careful when using skills, they may act... unstable.
"Come on, oaf, let's give you some rest." Sunset said softly.
"But I don't want to go home yet." I whined while my face was partially buried into captain bubbles, the dolphin.
"Who said anything about that?" Sunset said with a gasp, before pulling me up into the air and onto her back with her magic grasp. "Come on, it's time to see if the magic has started yet."
"Wait, where are we going?" I asked aloud with confusion as I saw a sign that pointed towards the great magic show Sunset talked about shrink with each step. I thought we wanted to see magic?
"Well, we're going to watch the lanterns fly, isn't that what you wanted to see most?" Sunset asked with curiosity, not slowing down, in fact, she increased her pace even further. The masses of ponies parted the streets quickly for us to pass, even if some less than stellar words were hurled at our backs.
"But what about the magic show?" I cried out before I ducked under a low flying pegasus. Hey! You're worse than scooter drivers on the sidewalk!
"I watched that countless times already, besides I don't want to sit around with debt around my neck." Sunset exclaimed, before dashing even faster.
I looked forward with a worried look, however, it quickly morphed into one of excitement. I lifted my head higher and held my mouth wide open to smile widely, the streets and ponies rushed past us like streets signs and wealthy houses, a flickering of colors and sensations, my heart raced with childish joy, tickling like the first swing ride of a kid. The cool, humid summer night air rushed through my mane, letting the strands flail in the wind, rocking back and forth, up and down like the rest of my body as I rode on the back of a unicorn. Amber, as a kid you would've given everything to be in my hide, all the times she gushed about horse riding, I take it back, it's a lot of fun!
Sunset suddenly took a sharp turn to the right, forcing me to hold tightly to her back, into a thin alley. It reeked like a bathroom stall in Hamburg. At the end of the path awaited a green haven, it was a little, tranquil park with dozens of ponies lying atop of blankets already present.
The flaming unicorn rushed past the creatures of all classes and jumped into a huge bush with dozens of sharp sticks pointing out in all directions.
"You got to be crafty if you don't want to spend an eternity camping." Sunset said with a smile before she levitated me off her back and onto a blanket. I was still surprised I haven't been skewered yet, even though that was probably not possible anymore.
"Y-yes." I coughed lightly, I think I ate some feathers during her spartan charge. I rolled on my back a bit, attempting to find a comfortable position while holding hooves close to my barrel, I was very uncomfortable with the idea to just present my balls to the whole world, not even mentioning the fact that my genitals were on display. "So... when does the show start?" I asked innocently, watching Sunset lay down onto her stomach with her hooves folded under her barrel.
"Right about..." Sunset started, before remaining silent with a huge grin on her face. Ten seconds have passed. Twenty seconds. Hello? Miss, have you frozen up? Is everything-."Now!" I jerked, nearly jumping up from the sudden reaction.
I saw the first Lanterns rise towards the dark, celestial heavens from every corner of my ring of vision, I held my mouth open for a moment, beholding the sight with anticipation, and I was not left disappointed. As more lanterns rose up into the night sky, it looked like the dark blue void illuminated by the stars shrank away, almost as if the dark horizon was covered in a blanket of pale sunlight.
"Wow." I spoke breathlessly, the sky gleamed with lights, the stars, and lanterns, it looked almost like a swarm of fireflies swarming the skies and ascending ever higher. I took a deep breath, the cool summer nights and the colorful smells I picked up made me feel youthful again. My chest tickled with butterflies, my breathing was unsteady as I squinted my eyes a tiny bit, I needed to blink, but it felt like such a great waste, a tragedy to not take in every last second of it.
My souls were crying with joy, one yearning after the bounties of nature and the other for a tasting of but a pinch of a life I could happily crown as being worth living for.
'Oh Amber, if only you could see this.' I thought with a sniff, before shuddering lightly, the cold air around my nose freezing my face slightly. I jerked suddenly when I felt a strong, fluffy hoof wrap around the back of my head, another pulled me closer to the left. I paid Sunset no mind, and smiled only and looked, sniffing once or twice. My heart, it has been so long since I felt these sensations, and it hurt as much as it was yearned after.
As we laid there wordlessly, starring only up the heavens, the hours melted away, but we remained there, many left halfway through, only the fewest remained after half of it was over, but we tried to stay as long as we could. Eventually, I let out a yawn, my body shivered and goosebumps covered my skin as the night grew too cold even for my now fluffy coat, the flesh now saturated with healthy fat, the thin mantle stopped being effective after some time.
"Come on, it's late already, let's get you to bed, we don't want anypony getting suspicious why you tumble around like a zombie tomorrow." Sunset spoke with a smile as she stood up, her magic slowly pulled my potato sack-like body up.
They had zombies, good to know. "Okay." I spoke shortly, still grinning, before wiping away something from my face. Has it rained?
"Excellent, now please don't throw up, this one will be a bit shakier since it is a bit further of a distance." Sunset said, and indeed it was about a few houses further away than was her family home. The energy concentrated around Sunset's horn, gleaming to my eyes like a flare, forcing me to narrow my eyes, the buzzing was deafening. I felt no fear at this moment, despite it being more difficult the second time around, I was content, happy, and trusting, I could wish for nothing more than to fall into my bed, sleep and cherish this beautiful night even throughout these tiresome lessons.
The spell was cast, and we were only moments later in my room.
"Did you have fun?"
My eyes widened as the blood in my veins froze, my petrified body shook lightly as I felt this familiar presence right behind me. These emotions of anger and disappointment radiated, amplified by her burning power leaking without any care in the world. I turned my head towards the source of the sensations that paralyzed my body not with fear, but with sheer, crushing emotional power.
"I apologize for ruining the mood, however, I believe we had spoken about this before, have we not, Sunset Shimmer." Celestia said with her regal voice, but it bore a much lower pitch, it was almost threatening in a sense after all the years I've known her. The white alicorn laid there with a book in her magic grasp, one she closed with enough force to induce a ringing in my ears.
"Your highness, I-." Sunset spoke frantically, letting her phoenix fall to the ground like a rock.
"I will not discuss this here, to my office, if you would." Celestia raised her head and looked down onto the mortal unicorn, she spoke firmly, her voice was laced with venomous anger, she was not used to this kind of disrespect
"Mother, I just wanted to-." I spoke quickly, but not fast enough, I could only flinch as the following surge of emotions nearly knocked me back.
"We too will have a long discussion, young colt." Celestia butted in with a voice lacking any love, before opening the door with her magic and teleporting her book away. She stood up slowly, the bed cracking loudly under her weight, not that she even tried not to be loud.
Celestia walked through the door frame, Sunset followed after her with some hesitation, and I did so too. I wished not to escalate this situation any further than I had to, I didn't want things to get more complicated, but most importantly, drag the unicorn down with me for my foul mouth.
My heartbeat was slow, I felt no fear or worry for myself, however, the sensation that plagued me was comparable to cold needles penetrating my skin, the world felt deaf and lacking all sensation as the halls walked past us in silence. I felt not guilty in the sense-well, I wasn't feeling guilty at all, to begin with. I was very much so angry in a numbing way to the point it took all I had not so spit insults -but I was feeling regretful for pulling Sunset into this, I had no interest in anyone that didn't directly benefit my goals or was fun to have around, but that mare went directly against Celestia's orders for me to experience some fun. It was one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for me, and it took balls of steel to go through, she had at the very least earned my respect.
We arrived at the door to Celestia's office, it was there where she spent her days slaving away at the paperwork. The only way to ensure that your government doesn't deteriorate through the continuous change of rulers is by never passing the torch on.
"You will wait outside, Star." Celestia ordered without sparing a glance before the double doors swung open, and the two passed wordlessly. I opened and closed my mouth, and shuddered when the door closed with a thud.
I was left alone with a pair of guards looking empty into the halls behind me, however, occasionally sparing a glance at me.
No sound escaped through the wood from the other side. I fell onto my flank, staring simply, I can't describe the sensation, this heavy feeling that dropped my stomach sickly deep, dried my throat, and froze my forehead. I swallowed shallowly. Seconds, minutes, hours, they all passed the same, and yet opposing from one another, time was meaningless as this torture continued.
A sudden crack brought me back to my senses, but before I could react I felt a strong gust of wind soar past me, my eyes darted onto the floor, droplets of water littered the marble and I caught only a glimpse of Sunset running down the halls, sobbing bitter tears. I held forth my hoof, opened my muzzle, yet no deed was done, no word spoke as I stared in the direction in which she ran. This hunch, a whisk of such sorrow left my heart shrunk and closed to the world.
"Enter."
I clamped my mouth shut, biting down onto my teeth strongly, I felt the warmth return to me thousandfold, my heart rate increasing, before I stood up with unstable energy coursing through my veins, boiling and bubbling in my core. I trotted slowly, my hooves shook, but not with fear, not even when I stood before Celestia, who looked at me with a look of disappointment, her sigh and shaking head with her eyes covered only infuriating me further.
"How many times have I told you that you cannot leave the castle without my allowance and supervision?" Celestia spoke with a harsh tone, lowering her head down to mine, staring into my eyes deeply. "Has the count of times taken away every last shred of weight it held or has your curiosity overtaken your senses?" Celestia hammered these words at me without any comfort or subtlety, perhaps this was the first time she was this blunt with me.
I scrunched my nose upward. "I wanted to live for once." I whispered a reply. I had lost all care for my own well-being a minute ago.
"Excuse me?" Celestia said confused and appalled.
"I said, I wanted to live for once!" I shouted with a stomp onto the floor. "I am tired of the lessons, the duties, the classes, the routine, and feeling constantly like a prisoner. It isn't fair that everypony is fearing that I’ll lose control." I growled with a screeching tone, drawing nearer towards the pony that towered me.
Celestia raised her head, looking down at me, I barely saw her eyes.
"I am giving you everything a foal could ever want, every chance to be everything one would one day wish to become. Your standard of living is something most foals could not even dream of, and it is something you should not be ungrateful for." Celestia retorted, taking a step forward, now my muzzle nearly grazed her leg's fur. "You wish to live a normal colt's life, an average colthood, but does it simply not stick to you, that such dreams are not safe? Not fit for you? I am keeping you secured and protected from any danger that might lurk and hunger for your gifts because I care for you, I am granting you a living with no fear or worry. Until you are a Stallion who can grasp the world as what it is and are under my guardianship, you will follow my rules."
"That isn't life, it's survival, today I felt more alive than in nearly eight years combined! I don't care for safety, and If I am being hurt in the process, then it's fine, at least I experienced some joy until then." I shouted, poking her leg with the tip of my hoof harshly. "You say you care about me, but your intentions and deeds differ entirely!"
"Mayhaps you cannot grasp what I am doing for you, but this poison you’re spitting at me most certainly does not reflect my actions." Celestia lowered deeply, her cheeks nearly hiding away her eyes. Celestia lowered her face, showing me her scowl in all glory. "This discussion is finished. You will return to your chamber, I will decide a punishment for your misbehavior tomorrow." She rose to her full height and turned her back to me, but stopped in her tracks when she heard my voice talking back to her.
"Do as you wish, but if you continue like this, then I promise you one thing. Once I am of age, I will leave this castle, and there will be nothing stopping me, and you'll never see me again." I spat with a low voice, my chest hurt, my eyes stung and my Aether burned so painfully, I could almost feel my skin burst from the heat and my teeth itched. Celestia turned around with a shocked expression, surprised that I of all foals would threaten her. I stared at her eyes that bore anger and shock. "You think you are keeping your family close, but in the end, you're just pushing everyone away, like you always do."
"Enough." Celestia half-shouted, stomping her hoof onto the floor, shrapnel of marble splinters flew in all directions, some bounced off my hide, others lodged themselves into it. "You will not speak in this tone to me again, you hear me, Star Touch! I will not accept such disrespect."
I lowered my head slowly, my ears losing the strength to fold themselves up. The air that escaped my teeth reeked of negative emotions, and I held not enough pride anymore to not infest and corrupt the ground below me.
"Of course, your highness."
I lifted my head and stared deep into her eyes when I uttered those words, the shock, and horror that spread across her face like a brush fire, my heart clenched almost as much, as the light, purple gleam that burned in the deepest depths of my irises.
I turned around wordlessly, all emotions left me, my face hanging coldly off my skull. The door opened, my magic tightly enveloping the enchanted wood, crushing it so that specks of magic and splinters of wood broke off the object's body. Passing the frame, I spared no glance as I felt these strong emotions brew behind me, in fact, this wood didn’t close fast enough for my taste.
With a hefty kick, the doors slammed shut, but it wasn't enough, it didn’t fit my heart's vision. These sickly energies that were force-fed into my soul, my chains forcing me to purify this world of its sins, but now I would no longer yield this burden, let them all, the whole rotten pack choke on their misdeeds. I shook greatly, gritting my teeth as the darkness spewed forth from my hoof and contaminated the door, and the walls and floor and ceiling, it spread like a sickly disease, mutating the resources, but I paid them no attention, I could feel it happening, that was all I cared for, and the fearful stares as the nearby guards beheld what I was capable of, it left me untouched.
Trotting back to my quarters, the looks of fear followed me, the disgust and horror, let it stain their hides 'till the day their soul will be consumed by the nightmare realm for all I cared for. They were nothing to me, and so I was for them, and they'd be but a memory when I left them all behind.
The door opened quickly, and closed with a loud thud, the hinges shuddered, and a few nails and bolts were knocked out of their sockets. I stopped, and my eyes fell like stones onto the phoenix toy, the emotions that stirred within, it was a core memory that congealed in it. I grit my teeth as I held my bile down my throat, my knees jerked, forcing me almost to the ground, I forced myself upwards with all my strength, looking to the ceiling with anger. These emotions, oh heaven's, I could remember them so fondly, almost similar to mine so long buried, all love and hope dried away.
I raised my hoof highly, almost tipping over, and freezing in place, my eyes kept shut, before I stomped down onto it, the object was sucked into my inventory, but the cracks that run into the marble were deep, but this stopped me not for a single second before I stomped towards the mirror, leaving small cavities in my path.
I ripped the fabric away and onto the floor, scolding deep into the reflective surface, my eyes burning with the nightmare essence, mortal anger, and hatred, and was it not for the Game then mayhaps a Nightmare would've already been born from my emotions and powers, set forth to share my grief. I closed my eyes with a deep breath.
A window of time, in which the rules do not apply, can now be opened.
I opened my eyes, the gleam of nightmares gone, but a crack ran across my left eye, yet not stealing away my vision. 'It's about time.' I thought, before grabbing the fabric with my hoof and hurling it over the mirror again. No one would tell me again who I was, not even my own reflection would.
The Game had now begun, and I was the dungeon master, the narrator, everything after this point would follow my plan, no matter how foolish it may be. All would lead to my ultimate goal, every hurdle, and pleasantry, and my time spent on this worthless rock would only be a place to rest, a secondary objective to keep up my image, nothing more. And perhaps less, for my journey required a price I was willing to pay, no matter how high it will be.
The Game: Aether and Mind
The rules of the universe explained
Author's Note
Greetings dear readers! As the title may suggest, this here isn't a real chapter and is entirely optional, however, it may give you a better understanding of how the universe works, how it is built up, and sum up some of the core rules this story follows.
The rules of the universe explained
The universe of "The Game: Aether and Mind" is separated into three rings, or rather, two rings and the center. In the core of the universe lies what is today known as the nightmare realm, the core of the creation with its center being a place called "The Well." It is unknown what "The Well" is; however it is unimaginably old. It's implied by fractured data that it dictates the borders, for it controls the size of the realm it lays in.
The Nightmare Realm: It is a place that is as much plane as it is a sphere; this realm is not bound by the universe's laws and bends them, mostly continuously, but sometimes spontaneously too. This realm is the origin of the Aether, the power of all things. Due to the cycle's doings, it is sometimes referred to as "The Graveyard of Worlds," for planets will face their end when they merge with the realm itself after having grown too heavy.
The first ring is the Habitable Zone: it is where most of the creation lies; it is here, where Aether strives close enough to the nightmare realms to give life, but far away enough to be safe from the nightmares. The habitat zone also possesses two more layers that tightly encase each world; these are where Aether or Mind lay dormant and unbound.
Mirror Realm: The layer where Aether is left untouched is what is referred to as the mirror realm; it is an empty plane of existence that can be molded by even the simplest of mind with the most pitiful amount of power available; however, reaching this realm is reserved only to those with exceptional control, or those unlucky enough to fall through the fabric.
Mindscape: The layer where Mind is left untouched is referred to as the Mindscape; it is a plane of existence filled with countless dreams and thoughts in a swirling, unending, concentrated mass of mortal imagination. Although travel to this plane is easier than other ventures, it is easy to lose oneself in this realm, and the hazards that lay there become as real to the traveler as they would be in their original home.
The second ring is "The Storm," where most of the Mind is swirling around as the most outer layer of the creation; it is from here, where all that existed once started and will one day return. It is unknown what lies beyond it, but many assume the outer realms to be nothing but void.
The Weave: It is the thin layer that keeps the realms apart; however, it becomes more flexible, and at one point, will rip at least momentarily, should too much energy be accumulated at any given moment.
The entire structure of the universe in "The Game: Aether and Mind" can be compared to that of the physics tunnel.
The Nightmare Plague: A side effect of sentience is that those creatures affected will produce dark thoughts, negative emotions which will seep through the Weave and fall onto the Nightmare realm, where it will combine itself with the unlimited Aether present, letting our worst fears become real. If too many Nightmares of similar origin unite, they will be able to return to their place of conception, bent on fulfilling their fear-created purpose, but there is also an opportunity to enter a planet should it be close enough to the center of the creation. They could not be killed by normal means, for they will simply return at a later time if no special weapon was used.
The Cycle: This phenomenon is what the most ancient creatures described as the circle of existence, or short, "The Cycle." From the outer ring, the Storm, the Mind will sometimes fall off and will combine itself with the Aether that crumbles off the Nightmare Realm. With this combination, a new world will slowly be formed, and the fall will begin. With time, life will settle in, increasing the world's weight and slowly pulling it down towards the center, and the closer a world wanders towards the well, the more power will fill this world.
When creatures become sentient, which usually happens around the middle of the cycle, sometimes a bit later, dark thoughts will start to coalesce. Part of this dark concoction will remain, adding weight to the world, while the rest will seep through the Weave and fall toward the nightmare realm, where nightmares will be created.
In the latter parts of the cycle, a world will be close enough for the nightmare realm to directly affect a planet, slowly thinning the Weave around it, which will cause objects to disappear, as well as objects from the nightmare realm to enter, this includes nightmares.
In the last phase of the cycle, a world will collide with the nightmare realm after an indeterminate amount of time, in which the nightmares have physically manifested on a planet, has passed. Worlds will be destroyed on contact, with most of its mass being separated into their original states: Aether and Mind.
The Maelstrom: When a world comes too close to the nightmare realm, the Weave will break, and a vortex that connects both places will form, called the Maelstrom. It is described to be a swirling vortex of a six-edged triangle with a purple-orange hue, a consequence of this event is also the impression of all colors when it is within vision, causing the sky to appear colorless, or sometimes, black.
Aether: The primordial energy that powers the creation.
Mind: The blueprint after which Aether is shaped into all things.
The G.A.M.E: The Grand Aether Manipulator and Extractor, short "Game", is an artifact with unknown origin, only that its purpose was to fight the nightmare plague by merging with a creature possessing high control over Aether. The Game allows the user to directly absorb the Aether from the surroundings and defeated opponents, thus enabling a direct and efficient connection with Mind inside the host and ensuring the balance between the primordial elements. It possesses two active primary goals: To eliminate any nightmare it encounters and continuously provide growth to the host. So far known, it is the only weapon actually capable of permanently damaging a nightmare.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter three: Crumbling part 1 [E]
Author's Note
Release dates of the third chapter's segments:
Part 2 will be released on 04/09/2021
Chapter three: Crumbling part 1 [E]
My eyes burned deep into the glassy surface. These violet irises. Blazing, acidic, sickening, caustic, corrosive, corrupting, forsaken eyes gleamed in the dark light of the moon, gazing across my mirrored image, taking in each hair, covering my scowling visage. I blinked with fatigue, dimming the inner burning fire momentarily, before opening them once more, seeing the game's appearance in my vision.
It seems as if most recent events have allowed you to gain two skills classified as "secret." Would you like to see them? The Game asked, his form pulsating, the hues changing to a deeper shade.
I chewed on my cheek flesh, the meat regenerating rapidly upon the slightest touch. I breathed slowly through my nose as the temptation to shout 'fuck off' became ever more sublime.
"Show them to me." I glowered, my vision stuck on my eyes still.
You have met the requirements for the two secret skills of the eyes. [Eye of Fear] and [Eye of Change] have been awarded. Do you wish to accept them? (Y/N)
My breath and posture remained unchanged; this very question seemed natural, like I was born for it to be heard by my mortal ears, common and used to, that it wasn't a surprise to me even. "Show them to me." I repeated with a cold, low tone. The vision I saw in the mirror changed, replaced by a miasma of colors and shapes; two eyes stared back, their appearance made it known to me that they weren't twins.
The skill [Eye of Fear] induces horror into the target, ranging from horrific vision, scary illusions, and short-term imprisonment in their worst nightmare. This skill does not possess stats, nor does it scale with any attributes; it’s only limiting factors are that the opponent must be able to feel fear, and you can survive the self-applied debuff "Corruption."
[Eye of Fear] - Induces fear into your opponents. Applies one stack of the debuff "Corruption" onto the user.
The skill [Eye of Change] causes rapid mutation, transmutations, and destabilization of the target, resulting in the complete reduction of an opponent into dust after a short period of time. This skill does not possess stats, nor does it scale with any attributes; its only limiting factors are that the opponent must possess a physical form, and you can survive the self-applied debuff "Corruption."
[Eye of Change] - Turns an opponent into dust. Applies one or more stacks of the debuff "Corruption" onto the user depending on the target's mass and/or density.
I gazed at the small textbox; the style and the delivery seemed so very outdated, the very construction of these skills appeared like they weren't meant for me in the first place. While my skills were presented in clean, blue boxes, this one appeared ancient with both font and background.
"Are you sure this thing is a reward?" I asked cautiously as the sphere of light buzzed.
It isn't as much of a gift as you believe. It is merely that your most recent activities have reawakened some assets of my being. It is not surprising that I am imperfect; my technology was very young, the process rushed, and only a few previous tests have been made. The Game mussed with almost a nostalgic tone.
"Tests?" I asked hastily.
Of course, does the first acronymic of my name not imply that there were lesser Grand Aether Manipulators and Extractors before me? The Game replied.
"No, I haven't thought about that possibility at all if I am being honest." I drew a hasty breath and forced my eyes away from the mirror; the very vision was sickening me, almost like my hate was twisted into some form of sweet sadism, mayhaps even masochism. "And, what happened to their hosts?" My tone waned with uncertainty as my eyes were drawn to the old night sky. My anger was dimming but less so than a freezing cup of tea and more akin to coals still smoldering.
As previously stated, my development was rushed, and my time in "Sleep mode" began early, but I can assure you that all subjects were aware of every detail of the proposal. I can say that some did die, however not due to the failure of the lesser symbiote, and most did get what they wanted in the end. Those goals ranged from world peace, revenge, and down to indulging in every possible lust. The Game stated with a very enthusiastic tone, even tipping at the end of his speech. While I cannot judge morality, I am sure that they all experienced the highest offerings of life.
The whole occupation of "the gamer" was still very much a mystery to me; from the first line down to the dot, this sentence made not a glimpse of sense. Of course, the job description was very blunt at first sight, but there was a lot more to the story; that much I knew. The question is if I truly wanted to know what happened. After all, corpses in an ancient temple, fighters and nightmarish knights did not lull me into a false sense of security.
"Sounds nice, though I am not going to open some club in my little adventure." I replied half-heartedly with a weak chuckle before sitting down on my flank once more, biting my lips and drawing little of the rusty liquid. The anger didn't let me go, and its presence was like an itching bump, begging for scratching but agonizing to the touch. It was irritating and only fueling my hate; I couldn't swallow this one, something needed to be done.
I have hated before, I have burned out often as the work became unbearable, sucking the joy out of my life, but this was like an infection, a coating of lemon juice after a bath in glass shards. It singed like a burn would; it itched, scratched, and bit without pause or break.
I sighed in defeat, even if this word did not accurately describe my state, more like I was bloating with these emotions. Closing my eyes, I tried to find a moment of peace, a way to gain a moment of freedom. However, when I looked closer, there came things into my sight that I couldn't quite understand. What first seemed like only dots and lines upon the darkness behind my eyelids evolved into something more systematic, something with a sense, and the moment a distorted sound came, it was already broken again by-.
Would you like to let off some steam? The Game asked with an un-formal speech.
I grunted before rolling my eyes. "That sure has worked last time, has it not?" I asked, my speech mirroring the one I used when speaking to the damn horse Porcelain Vase.
This method does not involve interaction with any living creature. I can use a moment without restraint to prematurely unlock permanent access to the mirror world in some capacity.
"But you said-"
Access to this skill can be achieved after besting the second dungeon. This statement was made before our discovery. The skill can be unlocked by creating a demo version using several factors, such as the presence of the "Nightmare Slayer 1" title, which you weren't supposed to obtain until we set hoof in the nightmare realm. Do you accept? Y/N?
My head snapped back as my eyes met with the orb of the game appearing in the mirror, its appearance so perfectly set in place, it was almost like it was actually floating next to me. I held my mouth open for a moment; no words left my lips until finally, I clamped my mouth shut. He was waiting for an answer, but I couldn't distinguish whether he was patient or just very insistent .
"...Sure..." I said with a weak but cautious tone.
Excellent, now please lay onto your bed before I put you into a lucid state of dreaming and let you enter a place to let your anger out. His voice spoke soothingly into my ears, even if it did confuse me, almost as much the realization that I was subconsciously walking towards my bed.
"Sheesh, no need to be so pushy." I muttered with a newfound wave of energy, still watching my hooves move, before laying down on my bed and covering myself with my blanket. "Why are you so insistent-."
"-by the way." My sentence was not interrupted, but the surroundings were for a moment like a ripple in a pond; now, I stood in the middle of a street. The castle stood far on the horizon, towering over the city menacingly, but it, just like everything else, was left in a dark, empty shine. I raised an eyebrow and turned my head towards the moon, but instead, I found something entirely else. A six-edged triangle hung on the sky among an ocean of black, the red, purple, and grey maelstrom sucking away all light.
My lip quivered as I took a step back as my legs buckled from the reminder of the abyss behind which laid below the veil of worlds. "What is-who is there?!" My question turned into a demand when I heard hard clicking from one of the alleys. A silhouette stumbled towards me, out of the bleak, shady darkness and onto the dimly lit streets. "Hello? I'm talking to you!" I reiterated.
The outline of the stranger was that of a pony, but at the same time, the movement seemed wrong, with slow jerky movements. Finally, I could see who came to me, but it was not a 'who' but rather an 'it.' A decaying corpse of a pony, bearing a brown coat, and where there was no fur, green skin could be seen. There was no mane; however, a bucket graced the head.
"What the fuck?!" I exclaimed with horror as the sight dawned upon me in its entirety.
Zombie - Brain Eater Level - 20 Class - Undead Scavenger- level 18 Race - Earth Pony (Undead) HP (Health Points) - 1000 [--- per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 150 [--- per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - unlimited [--- per minute] STR (Strength) - 200 END (Endurance) - 50 DEX (Dexterity) - 25 INT (Intelligence) - 0 WIS (Wisdom) - 0 CHA (Charisma) -0 LCK (Luck) - 0
Bad Dream This is the product of a sentient creature dreaming about negative aspects, which have been formed into an unstable conclusion of energy. With time it will dissipate and reduce itself into negative energy, which will reach the nightmare realm.
What are you waiting for? You have an opportunity to show your powers and not bother anypony; in fact, you'll help all creatures by destroying these before they become a threat.
I grit my teeth, but the groaning from the dawning beast which threatened me broke my concentration for a moment. Much to my annoyance, I knew that I could not just walk away from the thing, well, the option was present even without the nagging of my partner, but the thing would be a problem later on, Even if I wanted nothing more than just find an empty dumpster and just hide instead of fighting.
I pulled out my halberd and hopped onto my hind legs. The “zombie-company?” The undead creature reared its head back before biting the air in front of it; as I evaded the attack, I smacked my weapon across the monster's skull, sending it into a tumble. The beast most likely did not expect for a single attack to steal away two-fifths of its health, or to be exact, 416 health points with the help of [Power Strike].
416
148
I didn’t give the zombie a chance to take another swipe at me and swung the blade of my polearm upwards, forcing my opponent on its hind legs; before I released a third [Power Strike] fuelled attack this time, with my hoof which connected with it. Teeth flew from its rotten gums before the undead fell onto its back, and a torrent-full wave of moaning escaped its bleeding lips, unable to control its body anymore.
I narrowed my eyes at the thing before using levitation to press my weapon against its neck, restraining its ability to bite. With one final look at the pitiful twenty health points which remained, I stretched out my hoof, now empowered by the skill [Gentle Touch]. The sound the creature made when its flesh started to sizzle, and the crack spread across the dead body, it haunted me for those few seconds. These abhorrent, pained howls of agony, which became ever more akin to a weak whispering in the wind as its form became more translucent, finally ceased their existence, leaving me with a shard.
Greater Strength shard
A sly smirk spread across my face just the second the remains of my opponent left my mind. With a hefty bite, I absorbed the item, and thus finally, I reached seventy-five points of strength after my flaws and class have been put into consideration. Now, I could finally wield the ultimate blunt force trauma dispenser. With a single motion, the hobgoblin club fell out of my inventory with a heavy thud and rested there with elegance as I admired its destructive capabilities.
Goblin Club
Deal 300 points of damage and apply one stack of broken armor to an opponent for the cost of 200 stamina points.
*Goblin wrath
When broken, the spell goblin wrath will be cast onto the destroyer.
I salivated slightly at the sight and shuddered when my hoof's tip touched the wood before lifting the body-crusher with surprising ease, yet I knew that swinging it would sap my stamina like crazy. A shiver ran across my back as the Aether from my fallen victim was absorbed into my being. It did nothing to further my strength or advance my journey, but the sensation was intoxication while leaving my mind dominant.
I believe you will amuse yourself deliciously. The game commented.
I twirled my tongue around in my mouth while staring at the spot where the undead creature had been incinerated, a sense of dread plagued me of how casually I exterminated it, but every second I thought about the execution, my heart pounded with exhilaration, ecstasy and adrenaline fuelled my blood. My shame was washed away, but my caution still decided last. 'A bit of hunting sure couldn't hurt. After all, a hunter must hunt.'
Time passes differently here; you have only twenty-five minutes remaining.
I paid him little mind as I began to trot down the street. There was a sensation of freedom in me. Adrenalin pushed my crusade forward like the wind did so with a balloon through the clouds. My skull remained empty, my mind even clearer as an alien sensation of gratification made me whole in ways I couldn't dream of. This, mayhaps this was the height of life.
I halted for only a second, eyeing the timer in the top right corner just above my minimap. With a jump, I started to gallop through the streets and into the vision of a trio of zombies. Zombie #1 had only a glance on me before I raised the club above my head and swung it down on its head with [Power Strike].
Critical Hit: 1500!
My attack hit the undead with such force that its head was crushed between my weapon and the pavement, but this also gained the attention of Zombies #2 and 3. I stared at them, grinning cheekily, before ramming the tip of the club forward and knocking Zombie #3 away and onto the ground. I twirled around to evade a slap from zombie #2 and shattered its spine under the force of the club.
Hit: 950!
I was about to raise my weapon once more but was stopped when I eyed my stamina; despite only little use, I had burned nearly 450 points of Stamina, more than half of my reservoir. I pursed my lips before crouching down and staring at the pinned-down zombie, trying to reach me. I tilted my head as I observed my reflection in its milky, white, almost glass-like eyes before it dawned upon me that in my rush, I didn't even bother to put on my armor.
I reached my hooves forward, clamping its head tightly between my muscular limbs, before pressing against the fragile head. Zombie #2 groaned unpleasantly as the skull cracked, and one of his eyes was slowly being pushed out of the socket. I suddenly twisted his head with such speeds that it was severed from its neck. I threw the trophy away; it wasn't even worth my armor, so why my attention.
The last opponent slowly crawled back to me with one broken, and one mangled hoof. I made a pop sound with my lips before my face was suddenly illuminated by the light of a fireball which floated above my horn and sent the little sun on its merry journey.
Elemental Weakness: 990!
"Who knew that corpses burned so well?" I muttered with a surprised face, as the enemies quite literally turned to smog, and so did those untouched by fire. "Well, they sure are unstable." I mumbled as I saw the smoke dissipate and the few remaining whisps being absorbed by me passively. Sadly, nothing was gained other than fun. Fun, it really did seem quite weird how delightfully enjoyable this night was so far; it was so addicting, it was almost habit-forming.
"Hmm, why so silent suddenly?" I asked directly this time, but there still came no answer. Well, at least I wasn’t a defenseless fetus this time, so I guess I won’t be as salty as last time he abandoned me. "Well, the night is still young, and there sure is no hurt with smoking out the rats. Maybe I find something other than Zombies, or gain something shiny. Who knows."
As I took a single step towards the lower level of the city, a gruesome, spine-chilling howl shook through the empty city, echoing in every street and alley, house and mansion; the sound reached every nook and cranny, be it stone or gold. I hummed at the sound, neither sure nor unsure whether it was smart to pursue, but in the end, I decided to give it a try. I lowered my head and raised my flank, preparing to gallop, and shot forward.
"Your highness?"
My vision blurred suddenly; the streets morphed into an all-familiar bedroom, with my body suspended in the air in my moment of confusion, before crashing down upon my little reading corner filled with cushions. "Frea-." I halted my cursing before stuffing my face with a hoof.
"Your highness, it’s me, Raven Quill. I was asked to escort you to the dining hall for breakfast." The secretary spoke once more like a machine, going over the lines like a stencil, every sentence a copy of the words on her beloved clipboard.
"I am not hungry, miss Quill." I hastily replied after spitting my dirty hooves out. I stood up and walked towards the door, halting just before it, and looked through the keyhole from which a stream of light protruded. I could see the mare perfectly.
Raven Quill looked at her papers for a moment before pushing the notes away. "I was made aware that there was some disagreement between royalty most recently. However a hunger strike will not change anyone’s opinion, and at your age it is least healthy to abstain from eating." While stating facts was the mature thing to do, it was not fitting the situation. "Please open the door."
I scrunched up my face with a bitter scowl, glaring at the pony behind the door. "I'm not hungry, Mrs Quill." I repeated with a strained tone.
"Your highness, I am going to open the door now." Raven Quil announced and enveloped the door grip with her magic.
A ping of anxiety coursed through my body as my eyes met with the plushies in my hot bar. All those years wasted as this infant were reawoken for some ungodly reason, and I just could no longer take this stupid, dumb game. 'Fuck no, no, I'm not ready for this shit again. I'm not doing it any longer. I'm done with it, to hell with it all.' I thought with panic while furiously looking through my skills. My eyes fell onto the newly acquired skill [Eye of Fear]. I stared at it momentarily while time seemed to slow down for a moment. I debated for one second whether or not I should use it but ultimately put my own comfort before her timetable.
"[Eye of Fear]." I whispered ghostily, and the sensation that haunted me could only be described, like a bad omen, as if for just a second, my mind and body desynchronized. My vision split in two; for one, I could view the normal corridor, but on the other, I saw a world of darkness from whose depth countless, giant, bloodshot eyes emerged. Raven Quill let out an ear-piercing shriek, her tone wavering like the ocean, before abandoning the door and running away in a random direction, just away from the horror.
I breathed heavily, even moments after while staring at the corridor which the mare took to flee. I turned around and let my back slide down the wood, a sickeningly exhilarating experience engulfed my senses in a tainting way. The beating of my heart filled me with unmeasurable life, and yet I couldn't overlook something odd when staring at my hooves. A few thin lines of purple, dull color painted my limbs, and the sensation was wrong, uncomfortable at least.
Star Touch - Nightmare Slayer 1 (John Weaver) Level - 23 Class - Warrior - level 16 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 743 [74 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 990 [166 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 743 [74 per minute] STR (Strength) - 75 (75) [100] END (Endurance) - 74,25= 74 (74,25) [99] DEX (Dexterity) - 61 INT (Intelligence) - 99 (99) [44] WIS (Wisdom) - 88 CHA (Charisma) -93,6= 94 (94) [104] LCK (Luck) - 32
Corruption (1)
I gave out a few pathetic laughs before covering my eyes with my hooves, breathing slowly while bathing in the blindness and darkness of the room.
Eight damn years I have resided as this horse, nearly a decade, I'm nearly forty-three, and I am jumping between murder and nonsense. Lines and webbing make up my house, and the mirror tells me those threads are boards. The good and bad melt into one as I suffer from this dumbness. It wouldn't even be so bad if I could just enjoy myself in both, but I know so dangly that if I were to indulge in either, let go of the human pride, I could just have some joy, were it not for the fact that every damn rat wants a piece of me.
I huffed, angry, jumping off from my spot, glaring once more through the crack in my door before my face softened, and I lowered my head before walking towards the curtains. I pried them apart, and my room was drowned in light from the smallest ray. I blinked strongly before looking down. The usually busy, bustling streets of this city greeted me with all their noise and colors and smells, and yet all they did was infuriate me. Why did those few rotten seeds have to taint the whole grain silo of life, denying me my moment of peace?
"I really should stop with the poetry and edginess." I thought to myself before laying down and resting my head upon my hoof. "For the first time in quite a while I've got no idea how this will go. No plans to follow, no timetable or order, what comes next?" I talked out loud before sighing and turning to my books.
I've read them all, every single one of them, every line, every plot, and characters' favorite color was memorized, and when it came to facts and guides, I probably knew them better than the backside of my hoof. With a sigh and a moment of carelessness, I waved my hoof in front of the shelf and stole them all away into my inventory. It was getting a bit heavy in there, although the weight of books was incomparable to that of monster corpses and magic items.
Leaving already? The spooky, jump-scaring Disco ball suddenly appeared once more, and out of reflex, I stared at the mirror, seeing the game in person once more.
'I'm not jumping off the balcony just yet.' I thought to myself, standing so close I would not risk being heard by the guards, and I was not in the mood to explain why I supposedly planned to paint the cobblestone below. 'I also don't plan to leave the castle yet.'
Then why are you packing your book collection? You can only earn skills in a certain period of time, which is not now. The game asked, buzzing around the room like an obnoxious fly. Do you wish me to inform you once you are indeed able to gain skills?
'I need to get this crap off my mind, like, all of it for a second.' I thought before stumbling back to my bed and laying down. With a twirl of my hoof, the phoenix was in my hooves once more, even if this one was made out of cotton. The smell of Sunset's perfume had imprinted itself firmly, so much that it would coat the very air in my room were I to just let it lie around.
I sighed, and put the toy next to me, and closed the curtains with my magic before closing my eyes. "Please inform me when it's time for some progress. Now..." I whispered before my lips halted, and I looked through the cracks of my eyelids to stare at the ceiling. "It's time to kill more." These words, it was almost like someone next to me said them; that was how surprised I was to hear it, but not untrue. Maybe it could clear my mind.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter three: Crumbling Part 2 [E]
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter three: Crumbling Part 3 [E]
"Well, well, and all good things come in three, well, I was wondering where you had gone to." Discord spoke with a slithering voice that was cool as the void, warping the world that for a moment was supposed to resemble the nightmarish city of Canterlot, turned into a somewhat chaotic landscape. However, it bore a strange resemblance to the, as the nobles called it, vagabond towns, such as Whitetail, Hoofington, or Ponyville, yet there was enough different from what one expected, to question their eyes. A few houses were bearing unusual colors like orange or cyan, curly grass, strangely symmetrical flowers, or a tree with branches growing downwards.
"Bad timing." I spoke dryly with a frown, and that was after the forsaken skill forced me to constantly smile.
"Oh, but you see, there couldn't be a better time! After all, it's the entertainment hour." Finally, the chimera appeared on a curved tree branch, alongside floating bowls of chips and coca colt© (this copyright is entirely fictional) . "You see, I was starting to worry since the fourth pony in nearly a millennia of time spent at least a fraction of their existence attempting to, how would I say, bond with me, just suddenly disappeared. And I mean it not as in "getting some milk", but as literally disappearing from this fabric of reality."
Discord took a deep sip from a can, but only one, before throwing it over his shoulder and seemingly deleting it from existence. The Draconequus stood up and walked the few steps to me, before putting his paw on to my head, leaving me quite unsure whether it was calming, or infuriating me even further.
"So please be at least one-eighteenth understanding that I was quite surprised to see that not comedy, but rather a whole tub of drama-cream was served on my daily bagel. And heavens me, it sure was as gut wrenching as it was entertaining, like a soap opera mixed with a thriller, but actually good." Discord smiled with satisfaction, before clapping a bit one handed as rose petals fell from the void down.
"Happy that my plight is a pleasure to you."
"Now now, no need to spew salt or paint the town red." Discord cooed, pinching my cheek while his choice of words left me wondering just how much he cared for the physical health of mortals since his mental stability was already questionable, at best. "Besides, it's not like I'm just sitting on the sidelines, eating popcorn and laughing at this dilemma of ours."
"Ours?" I question, pushing his hand away from my face with an attempted slap, though he was too quick-witted for that.
"Of course, after all, I did warn you about how Celly loves her webs and pawns, and in her game everything is expendable." Discord said, before slowly walking away with long, wonky steps, before turning around and holding his eagle paw to his heart. "Even 'family'~"
"You seem to know quite an awful lot." I mumbled half-loudly, before slowly trotting towards him.
"Of course, my little Star-y-poo, just not in the sense you might believe. While on the term 'believing' would you accept that I, the being in front of you at least, is a teeny, tiny bit younger than Celly?" I stared blankly at him. "Oh, what a surprise it must be to you, but don't take me to have been born yesterday, my intuition is unparalleled, and I know Celly well enough to be aware that something big is going on. Something grand. An event that will affect every creature on Equus in due time."
"What is it?/What is it?" The Game's voice overlapped with mine, as he took control over my tongue to ask this burning question.
"Sheesh, talk about personal space." Discord complained comically as he slowly leaned his head backward, to create space from my body that clung to his body like a scared cat. "I have no details, yet, but what I do know is that Celly has been awfully interested in her hobby as a couple's therapist from the shadows, and that she is gathering quite a humongous amount of alicorn mana."
"Alicorn mana? Isn't that just more mana per bucket?" I asked with confusion.
NO
"oh hooh hoo, no, absolutely not. I am myself not quite sure what makes it so special, but I know that with it, spells of much greater magnitude can be cast, the possibilities are practically endless. I dare say, if there were like two or three more adults of them around, I'd might get to start sweating." Discord joked, though there was a nervous undertone hidden quite obviously. "But you golden foal, you can do much more, than even alicorns could, even if it's just providing fuel for the fire."
"Come on, it's not that special." I waved my hoof dismissively, but it was just denial or maybe deception, but it was unclear who I lied to.
"Pah, don't undersell yourself. You will one day be able to achieve every last one of your dreams, but until then, just stay true to what you really are. And then all possibilities will open, as long as you don't throw yourself in the firing line of some-creature else."
"That sounds awfully manipulative."
"Oh, the line between honesty and half-lies is so thin, but even if the truth is spoken at face value, there will always be a selfish undertone. Afterall, would someone be friends with anypony, if there was not even a hunch of joy through decades of companionship?" Discord slowly walked back to me, his steps clanked on the grass floor, as if it was stone.
"I mean, you aren't wrong."
Discord stopped before me, before leaning down, his spine bent like a noodle, and he put his palm under his chin. "Stay true to yourself and me, and I'll pr-promise you, that you and I will do great things. We'll survive everything and nobody gets to choose our fate anymore." He leaned forward with his huge eyes, and although I expected a trick, nothing ever came.
"Well, I'm not going to betray, if that's any worth." I spoke slowly, but not due to intimidation.
"Good, not getting overzealous, just stay what you really are, Star Touch, neither Celly's or my lapdog, and dare I say, a bright future will lie ahead of you." Discord said with his smile growing large before the world shattered away, his magic faded, and I was sent to the mirror realm. And yet, his smile left an afterimage in my vision for just a moment longer than it should've.
"Stay true to yourself, why was he so awfully insistent about that?" I asked with confusion, as I looked at an old, dirty alley in which I found myself.
A quickly approaching monster charged from behind, stepping in puddles and kicking over the junk in its path.
I turned around to see for a fraction of time a zombie pegasus galloping towards me, but it was so bare-boned, it may have almost been a skeleton. I sidestep onto my hooves, evading the charging beast perfectly, and flung his skull into the brick wall with my hoof. The zombie was staggered for a moment, as blood and flesh slowly separated from the rock.
I gave no pause, and punched into the beast, denying myself the use of skills or weapons because the monster was already slain in just a few hits, before crumbling away into mist which I absorbed. Sadly, no gain.
"Never change, how oddly specific." I mumbled loudly, as the bits of flesh and blood slid down my slowly self-cleaning body.
You should move quickly, I detect several more zombies moving towards us from many angles.
"Yeah yeah, I already felt the ants smelling the honey." I complained with rolling eyes a moment after I ran off.
Hour 3.
I will see if I can pull them out of the many alleys of the slums, or at least bunch enough of them together to justify the use of a goblin Molotov.
-I hear some rustling coming closer, I'll write later.
Hour 5.
The situation had become more complicated in many ways, and despite the constant arguing with the Game, regarding the instantaneous extermination of the nightmares, instead of studying them, I have come to create several theories. The nightmares were dumb, at least as stupid as their makers intended to be, but they all shared similar instincts.
I placed a few of my long, silvery hairs at several hidden and hard-to-reach places, like under the cobblestone or crumbling walls, and the zombies were able to find them, sometimes going the same path I did. It's like they could follow my shade around.
It was also interesting to note that the amount of negative energy stayed the same throughout my whole expedition, despite killing a few nuisances bearing less than twenty levels, it was like there was a stockpile of monster goo hiding somewhere.
The real deal was incomparable to the dungeons but also bore a greater risk. I could swear I was being followed by something much smarter.
-I am hearing the flapping of wings again, I have to leave.
Hour 6.5
Now I was certain, there was something wrong with the nightmares in the lower city. They were much too organized, no fighting in between the groups, and they acted like a swarm. Quicker zombies followed me, despite one or two catching a glimpse of me, and the pack was certainly out of sniffing range. Tanky zombies, mostly minotaurs both muscly or fat, tried to guess the path I was taking, but so far, nothing equal to Brawly.
What was worrisome were pegasus zombies and their unicorn counterparts, due to their ability to annoy me, despite being far away. I'm currently standing atop of a building, the highest in the slums so that even the pegasi would not sniff me out.
I have to think of a strategy to thin them out, possibly through a fire trap, but for that, I'd have to round them all up for-
The reason the scourge can locate you precisely is due to the debuff [Corrupting Fragrance] which spreads your scent much greater than even in time of-
"Yeah, I can guess what you will say, but I don't want to hear grown up stuff right now." I mumbled while looking through the binoculars I had stolen ages ago, I had forgotten about them, hell, I didn't even see them in my inventory. Through said spying device I could see the undead horde gather up quite nicely at the foundation of the house, however luckily for me, those suckers didn't know how to use doors. Well, neither did I, as I was forced to use brute force through the fire exit. It was weird, as the doors should've been functional, even the hinges were in perfect shape, but they just didn't work.
That's due to the fact that even if ponies would regularly see this path, they would not spend any of their time thinking about opening the door. The Game snapped angrily.
I put the binoculars back into my inventory, or wherever it actually went and took a few steps back from the edge of the roof. "You are awfully irirated."
I am aware.
"So, where's the problem?"
Where isn't one?
"Not specific enough, unlike you, I cannot scan your body." I rolled my eyes and slowly walked towards the other side of the roof in hopes to see a bunch of nightmares clumped up, and thus see a justifiable use of a bomb.
Something in me is malfunctioning, it's like a loose connector. It should work, but the input is not received by my sensory systems. I stopped for a moment in confusion, as well as a substantial amount of worry. If Game died, then so would I, most likely, I think. You have reached over 100 points in Strength and Endurance, yet I see no notification popping up regarding a special quest!
"What if the quest isn't just triggered by reaching said point threshold?" I asked, and turned my back toward the direction I headed towards a second ago. A wind was moving upwards quite ominously. "I mean, I also had to do things that had nothing to do with monster killing to get rid of most of my 'ugly'."
...
That's it, of course, you operate as a separate sensory and decrypting mechanism! The Game shouted in my skull loudly.
"Now you've got me confused." I said even louder, as the wind was picking up to the point my mane was cluttering my vision. I know, I'd be dead as a normal human in an average zombie apocalypse, but suck it, style points!
You also possess sensors implanted in your very being, separate from me, which are triggered by events you perceive. Only then will I receive a command. This must be a failsafe, otherwise, I could just, were my intentions malevolent, put you in a coma, create realistic hallucinations, and extract all Aether on a world, causing a total collapse and instantaneous ejection to the nightmare realm.
The wind stopped for a second, just enough time for me to freeze and my lips to purse. "Your maker is a scary, smart, and another word starting with 'S' describing his dangerous-esness."
Of course my maker is powerful, he is part of an ancient civilization that harvested countless worlds and suns for the foundation of the project, which ultimately resulted in my creation. It's only to be exp-
A powerful surge of air rushed forward, knocking everything, almost even me with all my armor off the roof. I tried to turn around but said usurper came to me first, grasped me with great, grey, and cold talons, before stealing me away into the air. I struggled for a second, before seeing my kidnapper. It was nothing short of a gargoyle bearing a crooked, demon-like appearance akin to an imp and a winged, malnourished human.
Gargoyle Level - 34 Class - Harbinger Race - Gargoyle (Undead) HP (Health Points) - 4200 [--- per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 0 [--- per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - unlimited [--- per minute] STR (Strength) - 300 END (Endurance) - 212 DEX (Dexterity) - 468 INT (Intelligence) - 89 WIS (Wisdom) - 288 CHA (Charisma) - 187 LCK (Luck) - 98
Gargoyles are highly specialized undead creatures that are employed by most necromancers who gained the ability to manipulate souls. Unlike the majority of servants of reanimators, the Gargoyles were never alive, to begin with, they are creatures using a combination of dread rock and abyssal stone in combination of soul remnants. Despite its similarities to golems, this creature is much more cunning and fierce than any animated living stone warden could be.
Gargoyle Despite its weight, it can move, fly and maneuver with excellent speed and delicacy. In addition, all members of this race can turn themselves into statues, boosting their resistance to physical damage and regenerate health at excessive speeds. They possess a great vulnerability to blunt damage and lightning while being immune to most mid-tier fire spells.
[Impale] Tier 1 Level 1 The user lowers their head and charges forward with the intention of impaling their target. 250 pierce damage is caused and one stack of bleeding is applied.
[Stagnant Slash] Tier 1 Level 1 The user engulfs their claws in the sorrows of damned souls, sharpening their attack and applying one stack of slowness onto their target.
[Agonized Howl] The user releases a paralyzing howl that stuns every creature around them. There is a chance to induce the effects of [Fear] or [Panic].
"Not with me you fucking hunk of rock!" I shouted through my gritted teeth as the Gargoyle was flying towards the edge of Canterlot, most likely with the intention to drop me. I pulled my halberd out of my inventory and held it to my horn, before applying electricity onto my weapon with [Infusion]. My polearm's tip rammed into the left shoulder of the gargoyle, the beast remained silent for a moment before his arm was broken off by an electrical burst. My body was thrashed through the air as the abomination screeched loudly. We were losing altitude as the beast was attempting to gain a new sense of balance.
"Tesla, I choose you!" I shouted with much more passion than I should've at this moment, but it succeeded nonetheless, because Tesla appeared behind the gargoyle, and instantaneously fired a bolt of energy at the right wing of the beast. The appendage cracked off the main body with a thunderous sound, however, my joy at my newly gained versatility lasted only shortly before the beast hurled me away and both of us engaged into a free fall. I didn’t wait for fate to claim my flattened remains, and pulled out my shield, just before summoning Wadjeta.
"Fire at me!" I shouted, holding my shield downwards and towards the water spirit, the only thing between me and cobblestone. The young follower seemed to be distraught by my uncommon request but followed it anyway. A geyser of water shot forth, slowing my fall down with each second, but so too did the ground draw nearer.
-150
"Ouch, that fucking schmucked." I cursed while slowly standing up with my shivering kneecaps. "Oh fuck me." I mumbled once I rose to my full height and overlooked my surroundings, the kind which was very monotone with the choice of nothing but rotting flesh.
I detect 25 zombies, with the majority being between level 25 and 30. In addition, I sense damage done to your pelvic bone. Fleeing will not be possible in this state.
I huffed at the over-dramatic assessment of my companion, before both consuming an apple pie and healing myself using the bell of propriety. At least now it could be used a maximum of six times, though now only four more uses were possible. A grinding rustling broke my inner tranquility, as well as my thoughts of mass arson, as the wounded Gargoyle rose from its crater and stumbled towards me. The nightmare took on a crooked stance, lowering itself, before releasing a dreadful, ear-piercing howl, so potent that even the fleshlings stopped in their tracks.
Resisted [Fear]
I hummed at the attempt for a moment, before slowly walking towards my opponents, a beast in a pitiful state. Barely 1700 health points graced the creature lacking one arm, wing, and having both legs damaged. I replaced my halberd with my club and infused electricity into it as well. The hunk of wood sparkled ferociously while being pulled across the ground.
The moment I stood in the vicinity of the gargoyle, it snapped forward.
I rolled to the side, evading its sharpened horns which pierced the ground and toppled the monster with a [Power Strike]-fuelled attack. The opponent rolled on its back, but could only hunch forward with its severed limbs and broken face - the proud horns it once bore were reduced to stumps. I inspected the sight while walking closer, but had to stop, as the monster swiped its claws around, dreadful energies tainted its hands, but I was not deterred by it. I lifted my club and rammed it forward, jamming its hand between my weapon and its dented chest.
I saw the life slowly trickle out of the monster, only a few, dwindling hundred points of health remained. I noticed how the zombies stare, but they were only an afterthought, they were a lowly punch, possessing only bite as a skill and a fireball away to burn their blight out of this world. I took my free hoove and used [Power Strike] to end the miserable monster.
The second the whistleblower was dead, the spell that bound the zomponies in place was broken and the rotting flesh shambled towards me. I jumped off the disintegrating gargoyle corpse and hurled a fireball at a random bunch of the horde. The flames licked their target, but it did little to satiate their hunger, but rather gave it a taste, before it spread across the entire horde and set the street ablaze.
I stood inside this ring of fire, but I did not fear the sight, in a sense, I reveled in it. The smell was as disgusting as it was addicting and the sight, to see the land burn below a doomed sky was awfully familiar.
Two loud thumps interrupted my mental tirade. One spare glance revealed to me that the scream of my fallen opponent had lured in a pair of its kind towards me.
I lowered myself onto all my hooves and took the hobgoblin club into my mouth with difficulties, as the visor did not open as much as I wished it to. With the use of [Charge], I zipped across the distance in no time, before powering my attack with [Power Strike] and unleashing a devastating blow to the first Gargoyle, who shall henceforth be named Gar, while his brother will be Goy.
-300
I grit my teeth as the cursed claws of Goy slashed across my back, a sensation of heaviness overcame me, like I was attempting to walk through shallow water. I rolled to the side, evading another swipe, and rammed my club forward, knocking Goy onto his back, but was forced to jump back and retreat. Gar slammed both of his hands down onto the spot where I stood only a moment ago.
I pulled my bell out quickly and used it to heal my bleeding back, but in my moment of weakness, Gar came rushing forward for another piece. I was lucky to have quickly rejuvenated my body, but my escape roll crushed my golden bell under the weight of my armor. With gritted teeth, I unequipped the bell and put on the broken pendant.
Suddenly two strong hands grasped my back, and claws dug into my hide, before slamming me down onto the stone and pining me into place. Goy looked victorious for a moment, but it didn’t last long, as I levitated the broken pendant on my lips, and fired a bolt of holy light at my foe again and again. Goy screamed with such agony as the stone his face was made of seemingly started to melt, that he decided to let go of me, but not before slapping me away once more.
I blinked hard, the contact sound of regeneration from the apple pie keeping me on my toes. If I had any. Gar looked at his brother with concern, but one-face overcame the pain quicker than I would've hoped for. I on the other hand felt horrible, the weight was crushing me.
Slowness
'Fuck, fuck, fuck I'm reduced to thirty percent movement speed!' I cursed, and this fire was only heated further by the fact that I could've cleared the effect, were my bell still intact, but it needed to be held by me to heal, and I could not allow this.
The use of [Eye of Change] is advisable. The Game commented from the side with such a soft voice, it made my position almost absurd.
I blinked, and it seemed my perception was afflicted by the curse as well because the Gargoyles moved faster than I could ever hope to incept their aerial dash. I growled as an unstable hunger gripped me all of a sudden, and the world around me was devoid of color once more, but this time I could perceive even less of the beast, I couldn't even recall using the skill.
Gar and Goy screamed in gruesome agony as their life was sapped away, but most horrible was that whisks of what I believed to be souls were consumed by the all-consuming maw.
I stared at the petrified corpses which paused In positions filled with terror and genuine fear. It made me question, for a moment, how a nightmare could possess fragments of souls when they were born purely by the deepest fears of mortal kind. Was there perhaps a great beast at work, or possibly someone capable of passing the mirror realm?
I let out a sigh and sat down, taking a break as the flames around me began to dwindle, becoming but shades of their once rage-fuelled selves. My eyes fell onto the broken pendant, an item which was so strange, that I couldn't even fully claim it as my own. I levitated it towards me and touched it, only to let out a yelp and letting it drop to the ground. I hissed with pain, genuine, unblocked pain, before pulling my gloves off, to see my fur and flesh singed by the divine powers.
"What the fuck!" I shouted as I saw my flesh mend slowly, before opening my status window with fright and haste.
Star Touch - Nightmare Slayer 1 (John Weaver) Level - 32 Class - Warrior - level 22 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 780 [78 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 1035 [178 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 780 [78 per minute] STR (Strength) - 78.75= 79 (79) [105] END (Endurance) - 78 (78) [104] DEX (Dexterity) - 63 INT (Intelligence) - 103,5= 104 (104) [46] WIS (Wisdom) - 89 CHA (Charisma) -93.6= 94 (94) [104] LCK (Luck) - 40
Corruption (30)
Corrupted Fragrance (2)
Nightmare Affinity
Rapid, Adaptive Mutations
Unknown
"What, why did I get three more effects?!" I shouted in confusion, before quickly snatching the broken pendant into my inventory.
I believe it has to do with the great number of stacks you have already aqu-qu-qu-qu-- The Game suddenly stopped, his voice repeating the ending over and over again.
"Game, come on man, what’s wrong with- ? Hello? Game! GAME! Answer me!" I shouted into the city, but I received no answer until, abruptly, I did.
Detecting excessive, primordial, nightmare influence on the G.A.M.E: device. Searching for the cause. Searching. Searching. Searching. Cause found. Rule enforcement protocol cracked. Possibility of damaged transmutation and filtering subsystem. Initializing emergency shutdown of the calculation cores 2 to 12. Running on base decision capacity. Creating backup using host-memory. Host, prepare for Back up.
I stood on my tips, tapping my hooves on the ground, looking left and right as the gruesome, horrifying voice boomed in my head. It felt like screaming when it was nothing more than a proclamation. A death sentence, when I was sent to the hospital.
All sensations were robbed from me while a sting traveled through my spinal cord, and my body fell to the floor, the flames being my last sight.
I cannot recall how long I was unconscious, but it wasn’t too long, for the ringing din of flames still burned nearly two meters high, but what concerned me was my health, which now was topped off. A message suddenly greeted me.
You've gained the skill [Fast Recovery].
Fast Recovery
[Fast Recovery] mutated into [Quick Recovery].
Quick Recovery
"The effects are already doing their cursed work." I whispered while an empty sensation spread to my intestines. "Game, can you hear me?" I asked hopefully.
The G.A.M.E. unit is currently unavailable for vocal support. The cold, inner voice answered.
"Of course, is there anyone else who's broken inside?!" I shouted.
Suddenly the flames before me parted, and the ring of fire was breached by a knight. A bipedal monster wearing iron armor riddled with holes and damaged beyond repair. The uneven surface indicated that it once was covered with decoration, but they were all ground off by the sands of time. A broken bastard sword was wielded in one hand, and in the other was a beautiful, prestigious, silver-colored shield bearing an aura of some kind of magic, possibly stemming from the elegant drawing of a mighty ram.
~~"Bru..." The Knight whispered, but his sentence broke off into a distorted whispering.~~
I saw something at this moment, a realization that nearly broke my very insides as I peered into the very being of the creature standing before me. A vision that was more horrible than even the nightmare kin in its purest, however brief, memory. Even the memory of ever having possessed this fragment of a moment vanished just a second later. I couldn't even decipher what the creature, this bipedal knight, was. It was natural not to question it any further, like why air and water were needed for survival, even when the exact process was lost to someone entirely unaware of the bodily functions.
The knight was slowly extending his hand, it was shivering, almost like it was questioning its sight while balancing on the last few threads that made up its mind. The armored gloves suddenly relaxed, hanging loosely, before both hands clutched the helmet, and a bellowing, mutilated scream echoed through the armor, through the street, and beyond this broken realm. The knight took up his sword and ran forward with the blade dancing across the cobblestone, calling forth sparks to join the journey.
I snapped out of my trance, questioning only for a second what put me in this state, to begin with, before calling forth my spirits to my side. Wadjeta fired a stream of water towards the knight, who in turn raised his shield, taking the impact and slowing his advance only meagerly, but did little to stop wetting his armor. And yet the knight would not slip, it would seem. Tesla sparkled with enticement and released a bolt of electricity that illuminated the darkened streets, banishing the shadows.
The knight, it would seem his mind was freed for just a moment. He threw his sword into the cobblestone in front of him. The electricity impacted with the metallic weapon, and the ground swallowed the attack a moment later. In all of this, the knight did not stop, he kept running through, and picked up his weapon during his charge.
I rolled to the side as the blade was swung at me, I saw my reflection in the sword as it brushed against my mane. As I took on a high stance, the next swipe came. I was forced to side-step and block with my weapon, but however much I evaded and parried, it became clear my opponent was superior in close combat, in both strength and skill.
This is an automated message. Jack-of-all-trade skill sets are highly ineffective against nightmares and the G.A.M.E. device, despite its ability to master all skills with time, was never meant to pursue this intention. Highly specialized warriors are much more effective in the war against the well's darklings, while nightmares that are too powerful against the host should be avoided until extermination is ensured.
"I don't need this kind of advice." I huffed with puffed cheeks, before ducking my head under yet another swipe. I growled and erected a [mana construct] between us. The knight pulled his blade back and held the palm of his hand against the pommel of his blade before ramming the weapon through the barrier. I groaned in discomfort as the blade broke the left side of my helmet. With little time at hand, I summoned an [Ice bolt] from my horn through the opening created by my opponent.
The knight stumbled back a few steps, and I was left unsure whether it was the surprise or the spell itself which caused him to disengage. Suddenly the frost began to grow across his armor, swallowing him from his feet as the water crystalized. In just a second's span, he was encased, and imprisoned in an icy cage.
I breathed heavily, so much so that I could see my own breath while taking a few steps back. [Observe.]
This creature cannot be observed, its stats are hidden and encrypted. This being is not allowed to exist under the watch of the Eternals. Immediate extermination is adviced ordered.
I was about to question the intention, when it came to my brain, that the knight was still alive and the cracking ice reinforced this worry. I hastily pulled out my club and used [Hobgoblin Smash] on the knight. The ice shattered and sprinkled into a shower of snow as the knight with his damaged armor was hurled across the ground.
The knight laid only for a second, before ramming his sword and shield into the ground and standing up; water and ice shards parting from his being. He jumped back into the battle and charged forward with his soaking armor. I pulled back my club, awaiting his next attack, my heart rate rose with each second of impending doom or victorious battle. How ironic that one felt most alive when just a second later this sensation could forever fizzle out.
I jumped into action as the knight apparently slipped and swung my weapon in an arc, but I mistook his intention. He did not slip, but slid across the stone and attacked me in my moment of recoil.
My club and right hoof fell to the ground, severed from their wielder; Me. I equipped my halberd, clinging to it with teeth and remaining hoof to block a swipe aimed at my throat. I pulled my club towards me with [levitation] and hurled it at the knight.
The knight's blade lit up with a metallic glow before he cut through the wood with ease, yet neither of us expected the extent of the consequence which this action would have. From the broken wood rose the half-translucent form of the hobgoblin, the dead, once enslaved beast let out a booming roar that woke the memory of being chased by this behemoth through his cave once more. An invisible force shot forward, and despite the shield taking every last ounce of the impact, it could not hold and was thrown away, leaving but a broken shield-arm behind.
I pulled out my bell and held it to my heart, my faith was not broken, but it was running low, and despite only half remaining, I was thankful for the little that had regenerated. I looked upon the club, a husk that was slowly regaining its power, it would be useless for some time. For now, it would have to be returned to my inventory. With a grunt, I took up my halberd and stood up on my hind legs.
*Notification (1)
"Not now." I mumbled, staring at the knight which stood up with shaking knees, once more I was left to wonder how much damage I had imposed on my opponent, and how much was just shock. I played with the idea of giving him a heart attack but was then left with the bleak assumption that it likely didn't have one.
The knight held his weapon close to his chest and walked forward slowly with even, almost graceful steps as his old armor clinked and clanked, some bits of metal even breaking off. It felt like an eternity, but truly? It was probably just five seconds, before he stood before me holding his heavy sword with one hand. He lifted his weapon slowly, signaling a strike from above. I held up my halberd and blocked it with the staff. His sword did not stay in place for long, it slid along my weapon and I was just barely able to pull my hoof away, before blocking a follow-up swipe.
He attacked, I blocked.
I swiped at his legs, and he side-stepped, before stabbing forward.
~~He laughed~~
I rolled to the side and walked backward while he continuously launched light attack after another.
~~There was a hint of enjoyment in both of us.~~
My vision blackened for a moment, I felt timeless for a second, and then I awoke once more. My halberd penetrated a weak spot in his armor, there where his heart should be, but only black, crumbling dust escaped his hollowed form. The knight's body began to shake, as his visor slowly rose and our eyes met for one accursed moment. His boot suddenly kicked me in the chest, my body thrashed across the floor.
I looked up just in time as the raging metal warrior descended down on me with his weapon bared. I rolled to the side and threw a charred zompony corpse at the knight, but he didn’t cut through it. Whether he wasn’t falling for this trick a second time, or his mind was extinguished, I couldn’t even begin to dream of the answer.
I breathed heavily before my eyes widened as he advanced towards me with senseless murder in his being. "Lightning Strike!" I shouted, and Tesla followed my order. The knight swiped the air in front of him, catching the bolt with his weapon, and electrified his arm just so that the advance would not be delayed. "Water Beam!"
Wadjeta fired another stream, and just like against Tesla's attack, the knight swallowed it, charging through. I rolled to the side as the grand sword embedded itself into the ground, but before I could react, the armored, limp gauntlet of the nightmarish fighter impacted with my frontal globe, stunning me for just a second. A second enough, for the knight grasped me by the throat and started to choke me. I felt my vertebrae shifting and buckling under the sheer, inhumane strength. I summoned a goblin knife, but the blade broke off against the metal. I looked through my skills and chose to take a gamble.
"Summon lo-ower less-lesser chaos e-e-elemental!" I choked on my words as much as my throat was being crushed by the knight. Suddenly, a warped, distorted warcry ruptured forth from the battlefield.
The knight loosened his grip only lightly to peek upon the new fighter. An ever-shifting mass of colors and shapes, with patterns that floated across its 'skin' like a bugged screen, stood not far off. Its body was at one point bulky, then slender, just before becoming crooked and round.
The chaos elemental seemingly crossed eyes with the knight before his body started to violently spasm. The chaotic being zipped forward like a lagging gaming character, its fist formed a hammer-like appendage and slapped the weakened knight away.
"Observe."
Name: Lower Lesser Chaos Elemental
Elemental
[Chaotic Form]
[Distorted Presence]
Chaos elemental cannot be inspected precisely, for its stats are ever-shifting. *Notification (3)
The chaos elemental was not halted by my confusion and zipped forward, reaching speeds I could neither comprehend, nor survive. My minion collided with its suddenly expanded body weight against the knight and knocked him into a wall that now began to crumble. The dazzled knight had not a moment to rest before wicked claws sliced across his crumbling armor, but the warrior awoke from this action. He grasped his weapon and swiped the claw, only for the sword to bounce off the suddenly hardened surface, but the knight didn’t stop, he used the momentum to strike a different spot and impaled the chaos elemental through his chest.
The chaos elemental let out a warped scream and punched against the back of the knight, cracks, and thuds could be heard, but the knight resisted the pain. He pulled out a knife from his waist and began to stab my minion, and held his longblade with his armpit.
The knight saw it’s weaknesses faster than I could analyze its strengths: The chaos elemental could shift its power and various stats across his whole body, empowering certain spots beyond its level, but thus left other areas weakened.
The chaos elemental began to grow unstable with each strike of the knife, but the knight buckled just as much if not more with each received strike. Suddenly the knight let go of his knife and grasped his weapon with his hand and mouth, channeling so much energy into his weapon that the metal began to melt, before slicing through my minion in one swoop, releasing the energy into the void with a shrill shriek.
The knight was victorious against this one, but not against me, for he fell, weakened through his wounds. The blade was embraced by the cobblestone, but the knight did not, he remained vigilant even when on death's door, standing on his knees. I walked towards the dying warrior with careful steps and stood still just a moment to look into his surprisingly mellow, orange eyes.
The knight toppled and dust seeped from his body like water from a punctured barrel. His armored gloves reached forward, grasping my cheeks weakly, and he mumbled one word, one broken word.
"...der..." The words, both before the fight, and after, I remembered them to be soft and sweet, weakly and yet plagued with fatigue and false hope, but I couldn't perceive the two words he had said, even if the fragment crossed my thoughts, I couldn’t understand them. They didn't exist for me.
The knight's hand fell to the ground and his being was put to rest. Hopefully, this nightmare would one day end.
*Notification (3)
My eyes hovered over the textbox that appeared next to me in red, I dearly missed the soft, blue shades of the Game. I missed the sensation of not being alone, loneliness, I had truly forgotten the extent it truly was.
You've gained the skill [Kinetic Control].
Kinetic Control
[Kinetic Control] mutated into [Kinetic Blast].
Kinetic Blast
You gained the skill [Polearm Proficiency]
Disobeying the mainframe guidelines will lead to punishment and potentially immediate termination. Do not extend the lifespan of a nightmare unless it directly, and un-consequentially, with no ulterior motive or secondary goal, furthers your ability to end the nightmare plague.
I stared at the last textbox for a moment, my head hurt just looking at it, imposing pressure on my skull, on my mind, ultimately causing me to stumble forward and fall. "I miss you Game, why did you leave? Did I make you leave too?" I asked with a bitter tone, my lips were dry and tranquilized. From my position, I saw the shield of the knight, and I forced my mind to see this object as nothing more than an upgrade. It was almost too late, as the mere presence of the knight in my mind, caused his crumbling body to be enveloped by erasing flames.
I quickly pulled the shield into my inventory with [Levitation], I didn't dare to pull it out without the Game back at my side. "Emergency protocol, when will the Game return?"
No time frame can be given until the last stages of the restoration protocol. Do you require guidance from the data banks?
"No, I'd just like to talk."
I'll comply. Which topic do you wish to receive information from? I have the data of over 100,000 worlds in my data banks. Do you desire wisdom over culture, fighting styles, possible crafting recipe fragments or stories? If it's a topic that can stimulate your mind, I'll likely have it available.
I listened, and yet, I could only shudder. In a sense, this was the Game, just in a factory reset-ed state. I could not fathom how horrific my stay would've been if all I'd been left with was an emotionless automaton. I tightened my hooves against my barrel as worries began to swirl in my chest. It was sickly.
"N-no, I'd just want to talk, discuss some things..."
Very well, which memory fragments do you want me to review? Do you desire an evaluation of your fighting? Or perhaps tips to improve your social standing?
"Huh, no-no, not at all!" I snapped, but unlike the Game, the adjutant just stood there, waiting for a command it comprehends. "I wish to get some things off my mind. My soul. You understand?"
If you wish I can cut emotional ties to all memories you have acquired in the last five hours, this will however reduce your power for some time. While on the topic of power, you will receive your earned stat points once restorations are complete. The Adjutant said, but I remained silent, hugging my shivering form tightly. I could not describe it, but I was scared, fearful in a way I never was before. I felt so cold and alone, the threads of my mind gradually parted from my mind. I was alone in this forsaken world, in this blasted body with no support from anyone, no one who could relate. Not one to whom I could talk to and with. I am sensing a disturbing amount of negative emotions causing a disbalance in your system. Please refrain from sorting out inner troubles during the following hours. Do you wish for me to stimulate your system with an injection of dopamine? Do 37 picograms per milliliter of blood sound agreeable?
I rocked back and forward as this terrible coldness overcame my body, I began to shake. The sheer level of control the Game had over me was nothing I was unaware of, but just how easily it could be changed by a stranger with nothing but the mission in mind frightened me.
"How long, please, how long until the Game is back." I asked coldly. I felt my emotions and mind stagnate into a perfectly balanced state, and this thought pushed my worries even higher. I could see with each coming moment how every person I met, all items I've collected, could be used to advance my journey. Everything was just an asset, raw material, even the promise of salvation for my little sister seemed so... wasteful of my time.
Expected timeframe should not be longer than-
"Than what?" I asked with shock, but the Adjutant remained silent. "Answer me, when will my friend come back! Hey, I am ordering you as your host, when will he return!" I shouted and jumped on my hooves and walked towards the textbox that still had the threat from before.
"Star? Please wake up. Come on my foal, please wake up for mommy? Please open your eyes, Star." A frightened, wavering voice called from the beyond in a desperate manner, causing my mind to shake.
Severing connection between the mirror realm and the host now.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter three: ...but not broken [E]
My every sense was dazed and numbed, my vision warping and swinging while my ears perceived only hollow shadows of even the most sophisticated speech. Sickness overtook me to my deepest corner, my aether once in balance swirled and swam through me without sense or guidance. Liquids, warm and thick, collected themselves in my bowels and slowly surged up. Suddenly my body stopped its boat-like swinging, and I could barely perceive my room and broken-in door, while the bottom of my sight revealed to me the coat of a pony, a mare I had known for long, that I wished had not ventured into my lair.
"You're awake, thank goodness you're awake." Gentle Touch mumbled under sorrowful sobbing, wetting my back in salting tears. They burned, just like the intense sadness and bitter relief which radiated off her and bathed me in her emotions. She tightened her grip, I didn't know how long she had attempted to rouse me from my slumber, the sun was still high, but who could guess how much time had truly passed. I felt my bones shift and buckle under her strength, something that should not be possible, yet I could tell that my health was still terribly low, but there was more to it.
"Stop touching me." I force out while droplets of the warm liquid that had gathered and clogged up my innards escaped my lips. It was not as ill meant as it sounded, but patience and nerves were already as thin as they were, and this didn't take into the calculation how she cost me the knowledge of the Games return. It was almost scary how little it touched me, this moment, that was.
"Never, never again. I will never let go of you again, I've lost too many already." Gentle Touch whined, and yet as she pulled me deeper into her embrace, the pain kept growing ever higher to the point I could sense my ribs crack under her strength. "Don't let go, I'm sorry." She whined stronger as I tried to separate us, but it did little.
"Why don't you just leave me too!" I roared as my patience broke, before punching both my hooves in Gentle Touch's chest, her body flew backward. The look that painted her face was heartbreaking in a sense, such complex fear, surprise, and betrayal that my action sickened me to my very insides, even when it was done for self-preservation. My mother's back crashed into my mirror, the shards exploded into a diamond storm, some embedding themselves into her hide, others partook in a memorial of my life, a cracked patchwork of misery.
I stood there for a moment, frozen and shocked, for the first time in all my life, I had punched someone who was nice to me. Not a thug, a thief, a burglar, but my mother. At this moment, I heard a cold, calculated voice speak, and I dreaded its words almost as much as my actions did.
Corruption Debuff revealed: [Unkinds' Punishment]
I had always known that a soft lifestyle would make pain all the much worse, even in my old life it was never something I had given much thought, since I had spent most of my life striving against homelessness. Now, I could see that if you didn't feel any pain, that when it finally caught you, that the suffering would be immense.
My teeth pushed against one another as an ever louder growing, suppressed scream built itself up from the bottom of my being. Orange lightning arced over my form, continuous electrocution that, while not charring my flesh, brought unspeakable agony with it. My body was locked in place, any motion was dreaded with the expectation of more pain and the lightly illuminated room bore no salvation from this madness.
It then stopped, and my body grew limp and fell and all thoughts were like a severed, beaded string: Most basic thoughts cut into pieces by lengthy frames of time in which no thought could be mustered under the remnants, the after taste of the sensation that had overcome me. It was pain in its purest form, not bound to flesh, mind, or soul, but an input of purified suffering.
As I laid there, and it took me a few precious moments to realize it, Gentle Touch laid next to me, hugging my frail, weakened form. I couldn’t guess why she didn't run, how she could so carelessly, lacking any sense of self-preservation, choose to lay beside me.
"Everything is going to be ok, I promise. I will not leave you, no matter what happens." Gentle whispered so sweetly, it dried my heart's woe, and yet, I could not forget that this promise was shallow, delusional. Who could promise any such thing, when even the smallest disruption in the grand scheme could tear everything you had apart. And yet, this worry never grew to occupy my thoughts.
I opened my mouth to say something, the cold air breaching into my hot mouth and cooling my lungs, it felt... I was uncertain how to feel, but it released another sensation in me. "Bucket, quick, Bucke-mpfh!" I was ashamed to have ruined this moment, but I didn't dare to stain the carpet with my liquids. I had too much sympathy for the maids.
My toilet's door swung open and a quickly emptied bucket was before me. A torrent of thick, muddy liquid escaped me, draining me of every ounce of my strength. It was unlike vomiting from overeating, or food poisoning, it was much worse. I slid off from the bucket, a few strings still attached to my mouth and nose, before I beheld what I released. A red, thick liquid like that of blood, and yet it bore a black shimmer to it. It was a dark sensation, the congealed essence of the nightmare kin castrated of their ability to create another, mindless monster, and yet cursed the world with its mere presence. I knew only one thing, while it could never hurt another creature, or throw another life into misery, for me, who could sense this dreadful blood-slime, it was sickening.
"This is enough, I’ve had enough." Gentle Touch spoke with her voice breaking off into anger as she stood up and walked away. I could hear a quiet mumbling, there would've been no way a normal pony could've heard it, but I did. "May be you didn't swing the sword, but I won't let anyone else die because of your dumb decisions."
"Wait for mommy, I will be back in just a short while. Then, we'll go home, actually home."
I laid there, weakened like my second first day on this world, but not powerless. I had severed my ties to the hallucination of a home, integrity, duty, or social life, and yet, here I was waiting. I could've just gone away, left. Nothing was stopping me, I could concentrate on my mission, on saving Amber, and yet, I couldn't.
I couldn't leave, but why? I wasn't scared, I killed nightmares, no normal pony was a match. Beast and monster, they were just mere shadows in strength comparison too. So why, why did I cling so much? Why didn’t I want to leave this old mare? All the problems.
'Why can't I leave my mother.' I thought to myself, and yet there it was all blank. There was something in me, under the cold, calculated exterior: It was warm, and caring, melting away this mechanized murder machine command. I wanted nothing more than to have my old life back, just the careless days. Mother, Father, Sister, and the Brother who I was. I couldn't tell in all of this maddening adventure, whether it was my spear-headed mindset, congealed misery clogging my heart or just hard denial, but I had someone who cared about me willingly, unconditionally.
Maybe I was an old fart already, stuck between uncle and grandpa, but to her, I was her child. She didn't have anything to compare, she didn't know. Gentle had just this world she dearly clung to with all her heart. And I didn't have the heart to just shatter it twice, after all, she knew misery. I saw it when she first took me in. Despite everything, all I've been through, I had never, not once, wished my pain, or anything remotely similar, to befall anyone else. Never.
My nose scrunched up and my ears flickered when I felt a 'stimulating' sensation, radiating from my shattered mirror. Droplets of blood slowly trickled down the glass, some of mine, but most was of Gentle Touch. The liquid seeped into the crack and spread through the crannies like molten aluminum across golden plates. Suddenly, a spark ignited from its center, flickering flimsily, almost like a candle was lit on the other side. The flames spread like a pulse, dancing across its reflective surface, and it was like the material was tainted with a creeping, darkening paint. The golden ornaments that held up the panel creaked and bent to take on a silhouette that appeared akin to dreadful, cursed thorn bushes before the metal faded and became silver.
Adjutant? I asked, while my head still laid atop the carpet. My energies were drained, and even in the light of such an extraordinary discovery, my heart weighted my body down like lead and stone.
I have no data on this particular item, though it appears to be a mirror infused with highly concentrated amounts of Aether for this world's standards, in addition to negative emotions. The Adjutant commented, though ultimately just cited what I already knew.
I swiped my hoof lazily through the air and absorbed the entire mirror into my inventory. It was surprisingly heavy, barely lighter than the hobgoblin club.
"Miss Touch, I'm asking once more, please stop now before somepony less reasonable stops you." Someone asked, presumably following my mother. Oh boy.
I slowly stood up, my heavy limbs were tired, how ironic given how many hours I've slept this week already. My joints and spine cracked with an undesirable tune, and yet the sensation was a guilty pleasure. I trotted through the door, or what remained of it, and welcomed my mother. Her look was filled with both satisfaction, but also concern. Why were a few discolored, purple spots on the coat making me worry about what happened to her. Where was the bucket?
"Come Star, we're going home." Gentle said, with much displeasure from the guard who followed her. Said follower was a guard mare, seemingly of higher rank than the average joe, given the extra plating and neat engravings. Blank gold just can't compare.
"With all due respect, I do not think that is reasonable, especially after your... entrance in the throne room during a financial meeting nonetheless. Leaving now will only lead to greater consequences." The Guards mare spoke. She looked just like every other guard, minus the armor, due to those damn enchantments.
'What's her name?' I asked with an aching skull while being levitated onto my mother's back.
Lilli Frost.
"Lilli Frost, we are leaving. You will go back and tell Princess Celestia that. That is my order." I responded, and it took my every ounce of strength not to buckle and rest on Gentle's soft fur.
Lilli Frost looked with a static look, but I could feel the surprise and also dislike to have received a direct order from me, but someone of her rank knew the consequence of disobeying an order. And it didn't matter if the crown was not on my head yet, and my look surely made it clear that I was dead serious about it. I think I haven’t looked this Grim since The Game had told me my homeworld was doomed.
Lilli Frost took a deep breath. "Of course, sire." She answered coldly, but orderly, before walking away. She knew that she'd get an earful for that, but still better than the alternative.
Gentle Touch turned her back to the mare and walked at a quick pace. She was in a hurry, probably wishing not to meet another guard, but I didn't know why. I also didn't need to know. My head laid softly on her warm fur, and the smell of peach was comforting.
The city was beautiful at all hours, but when the sun was setting on the horizon, and the gold and marble took a copper hue, it made my heart race for the soft, fall atmosphere. The walk was silent as the streets passed. I saw some fancy mansions and shops pass by, but we did not stop on our silent walk.
I couldn't help but smile, even if the deep, pulsating veins of corruption had seeped deep into my flesh, its coloration almost reminded me of a cracked amethyst geode. It was worrying, even if I knew the symptoms and their reactions. I let them bother me, but I remained unbothered, how could I? I barely possessed the strength not to fall into yet another deep slumber.
We walked through the middle layer too, and I was starting to worry about where exactly my mother was dragging me. The homely atmosphere of the second layer was, well, homely. But the third layer was somewhat of a stain for the city. When said stain came into sight, we had reached our goal on the edge of both levels. It was a small house and bore charm that reminded me of a small motel, usually kept in business by old people or nice families who didn't want their house to fall silent after the kids moved out.
Gentle Touch pulled out a key from her hair and opened the door, before entering.
"Hello Scribble Note, thank you for letting us stay here." Gentle said warmly while smiling dearly towards an old mare, who sat on a couch next to an even older stallion, so wrinkled that he made a raisin look plumb. He didn't seem to have noticed us.
"Oh don't make such a big fuss about something so little." Scribble waved her hoof at her. "You just go to your room and rest. Breakfast is at eight, and your friend wants to come at eleven. I think her name is Summer." Scribble said, before taking a big breath of air. "Good night deary."
"What!" The stallion asked loudly.
Gentle Touch's shoulder sank lightly in reassurance, and took a deep breath, taking in the smell of warm baked goods, spices, and a homely scent. "Good night." She whispered, before walking up the stairs slowly and carefully.
"Good night, young lady. Sleep tight stud." The old stallion shouted.
We entered the spare room, and it looked... like home. It brought an ache to my heart to see how similar this space looked to my room at my aunt's house. It was simplistic, a sturdy wooden frame held up a mattress, with fluffy pillows and a crocheted blanket. Next to it was a nightstand and a lamp atop. An old Drawer sat on the opposite side, to which's left was a table with a vase. The walls bore wallpaper of some flowers, and a chandelier hung on the ceiling with cheap, but reliable illumination crystals in it.
"It isn't much, but it's enough." Gentle whispered, before lifting me with her magic and putting me on the bed.
"I like it."
"Then I do too." Gentle Touch smiled warmly but flinched slightly when she tried to lift her leg. I could feel her pain, it was radiating, and she bit through it in a way only a parent could, even when their child harmed them. Especially in the heat of the moment.
"Mommy, can you please close your eyes for a moment? I have a small surprise for you." I said sweetly while folding my legs under my barrel. I'd regret it, I knew I would, and in more than just one way, but that didn’t stop me.
Gentle looked confused for a moment but agreed shortly after. I pulled out my Bell, the damage had luckily healed, as now I didn't have the strength left to fix it. I held it to my heart, summoning forth a few sweet memories from my time here, and almost all were with her. The light that radiated from the Bell was much stronger than usual, not in strength or intensity, but power. The soothing melody of sight melted my cold heart, but I quickly hid it away, for the deed was done and this one use had already sapped much of my strength.
"The pain, it's gone? Star, what did you..? No, no no no, no more of that!" Gentle Touch said with surprise and sternness, and I understood why. After all, in my weakened state, any intense use of power was painful to my body, and the blood that trickled from my mouth did not stray from this statement.
Gentle Touch climbed onto the bed, rested on her side, and pulled me into a deep hug, my face pressing against her fluffy. chest. "I-, thank you, but please, don't strain yourself this much, not now." She whispered in my ear, yet her racing heart didn't let me calm down, not when her chest pounding against my back.
"Okay, mommy." I sounded saddened, but I wasn't, only guilt weighed on me for making Gentle Touch worry, but that was to be expected. Blood is something a mother never wants to see on her child, no matter the circumstances, especially when it was shed for them.
The warmth and silence were almost mesmerizing, like the night I got my name. My eyes turned to the moon, and the visage seemed empathetic on this night, it felt soothing staring into the deep eyes of the space rock. I once heard that falling asleep while looking at the full moon would clear your woes, but that was just a silly saying.
The window was suddenly blackened, and a great, feathered creature phased through the glass alongside a heavy case.
"Mr Hauhuthos Hilihuth?" I asked with shock, jumping from my spot, despite the sore skin that moaned from the strain it had undergone not long ago.
"No time for formalities!" The owl shouted, before rushing towards me. Gentle Touch rapidly stood up, seemingly not in an aggressive, but still defensive manner. My mother was quickly picked up by the owl magic and put on the other side of the room.
"Is everything okay?" I asked with worry while the owl looked at me with concern, at least I thought it was a concern while holding a pulsating crystal at my horn. He pulled out one of his feathers, which quickly turned to a white hue, before pulling it across my chest.
"You can't just burst in like this." Gentle Touch shouted with anger, slapping the floor with much irritation.
"Yes, this confirmed my worries."Hauhuthos Hilihuth flinched, as his crystal crumbled to dust, and his feather seemingly rotted into a toothpick of stone. "And to you, I actually can. In times of dire situations I can enforce martial law on everything, and everyone should it aid me in damage control and diffusion of dangers." He sneered for a moment with ruffled feathers, before the corners of his eyes noticed some of my corrupted veins.
"Show me your hooves." He said with grave assistance. I obliged, not due to intimidation, but knowledge, that he could easily see them one way or another.
"What is this about, can't you let us have a bit of peace? Neither of us are in a good mood." Gentle said while slowly trotting towards the owl, now accepting that she seemingly had neither legal nor leg of power to stand on.
"Some explanation seems to be in order." Hauhuthos Hilihuth commented though I was unsure who he targeted specifically. "A few minutes ago my most delicate magic measuring devices overloaded and transmuted by a rare and very... aggressive kind of energy. It first appeared with an energy spike of untold power, and then continued to travel as a pulse throughout canterlot and likely beyond. I've tracked down the source of this phenomenon and ended up here with source: Star." He took a deep breath, calming down. "This energy that Star has seemingly produced is barely understood, so much so that every script even mentioning it was written by me. Coincidentally, I am also the only recorded creature to have experienced it first hand and survived." He muttered, as his scowl cast a shadow over his face.
"And in my case, it was a small, concentrated spot, so small, in fact, that it barely affected anything in a one meter radius, other than me. Here? It could be felt several kilometers away, despite it being gathered within a single individual." He was breathing heavily, with his feathers ruffled. "So please excuse my worry for the capital being mutated!?"
"But, Star is just a foal. There is no way that he'd be able to do something... like that, right?" A meager attempt at reassurance from Gentle Touch.
I jerked suddenly when Hauhuthos Hilihuth grabbed my left forehoof firmly, but not tightly. "Since when have you had these, and do you know how they appeared?" He asked directly with a worried, but stern tone.
"I think a few days? Since Sunset left Canterlot, after Celestia screamed at her. I was so... so incredibly angry that it and... I guess my magic body just went down a spiral." I was only half-lying, but there was nothing I could claim to be more true than it because these hidden powers only showed up because of them.
I could feel how absurd it must've been for Hauhuthos Hilihuth, someone as well-versed and spoken in magic to be subjected with emotions regarding possibly disastrous events. He made his distaste for children vocal in the past, and only enjoys my presence because I act exactly not like a foal. "I assume this isn't the first time." Hauhuthos Hilihuth said slowly, putting his other wing onto my hoof and hiding the marks.
"You don't have to answer right now, if you don't want to." Gentle Touch said, walking towards the bed and rubbing my back slowly. She was uncomfortable, and having her pet me served to calm her nerves more than mine, but as a nurse, she knew that sometimes being a professional is better than love and care.
"I remember everything, every second that I’ve been alive. When I was born, I kind of knew that I was dying, but, well, I really wanted to live. Heh. Next thing I know, I start to grow up quick and strong. When I get hurt, and don't want to get hurt more, my skin gets thicker and my bones harder. When I want to learn, it becomes really easy." I became quiet after that, and I was unsure why for a moment. "My magic just does things. Most good, but also bad." I felt embarrassed, and yet at the same time was aware I acted adequate for my age and position, in a sense, I behaved like the foal this body should've held.
"That does seem to fit into the criteria of what I worried about, I just didn't think that it degraded from your otherwise powerful magic. Although, calling it magic might seem redundant at this point." There was merit in his old and husky voice, so much so that it remained a sterile fact, instead of derailing into sarcasm.
"Your emotions are mirrored by your body, am I right?" Gentle said slowly, to which Hauhuthos Hilihuth only gave half of a nod. "I do not judge you, there is a lot of pressure on you."
"The millions of bits in damage actually do judge him." Hauhuthos Hilihuth spoke quietly into his feathery chest. I couldn't help but chuckle.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing."
"It's not just the pressure, mom. It's... complicated." I muttered under my breath, weighing how much I really should talk, but the desire to talk about certain topics on my chest was relieving.
"Whatever it may be, I'm sure to understand it." Gentle said kindly, before gently - heh - pushing Hauhuthos' wings away from my hooves and taking his space.
"That's the problem, you don't." I didn't snap, but I made my point clear. "I don't see the world like you, feel it like you. I can see magic, hear sounds no pony can even sense, feel everything in my body and tell it to do things others cannot dream. But most importantly, I can feel the world. Every love, every joy, happiness and laughter, I can feel them, it's not just empathy, but I can actually live through them, so much more than my own."
"But, I can also experience the negative side of things. Anger, pain, hate, they all are like poison to the world, but I can't help but absorb them, whether I want to or not. It hurts, it's disgusting and venomous, and even if it cleans up the stains on a pony's heart, I don't suffer from this... this purifying process..." I stayed silent for a moment. It wasn’t a big burden to absorb and refine the negative energies of my surroundings, but at all times it was stagnating. "It gets a bit too much, especially when ponies don't understand what happens, what I do, and all those expectations make it worse. I guess I just snapped, and, well, just let it overflow."
I chuckled but sounded appropriate for my age, all that was missing was some cheap alcohol and a disgusting motel lounge in the concrete jungle. I lifted my hooves and held them up to be seen, and despite the shock, I felt warm in my heart. It had been such a long time since I've spoken my heart out, even before becoming a host, even before becoming a courier.
Corruption Debuff removed: [Unkinds' Punishment]. Congratulations.
I looked in disbelief as some of the purple veins grew back into nothingness, Gentle Touch shared my expression, but Hauhuthos Hilihuth was stunned in a sense.
"I should've known for three hundred years already that this kind of problem cannot be solved by science." He mumbled loudly, before sighing. "Gentle Touch, would you please bring in some water? I think Star needs something to drink after his speech." The owl sounded tired, but more so in a calm manner.
"Okay, but don't leave the room." Gentle Said reluctantly, possibly expecting him to just grab me and yeet himself through the window again. But then again, he could've done that with her presence or not either way.
The door closed slowly, before clicking once quietly.
Hauhuthos let out a breath, before sitting on the bed, the frame creaked under his weight, but less so than I expected given his sheer size. "You might think that I am very opposed to any emotional drama of sorts and that I am studying your body and the phenomena that is your magic like an overly enthusiastic foal who got to dissect his first frog, but I do sympathize with you.
"Wut."
"Surprising, isn't it? I will not bother you with the tragedy that was my life, but you should know that I was born crippled, unable to fly. I spent my entire life trying to regain flight, and believe me, if there was a tome mentioning anything from regeneration to rejuvenation, I had read, seen or stolen it. Sadly even after fifty years of searching I had nothing to show for it, but enemies and paranoid ponies fearing that I am partaking in dark activities, possibly necromancy given my obsession with this genre of magic books."
"But I had gained something much bigger, and that was my disdain of this unfair world, knowledge in magic formulas and thaumatology, and lastly, a shadow of pure negativity. Through my journey I created a cloud that spread misery and pestilence wherever I walked, it was everything that kept me going, even when my body was failing me: Be it sickness, hunger, thirst or tiredness. I prevailed, but my mind and body began to become a monstrosity, I was morphing into something similar to the creatures Celestia refers to as 'nightmares'."
"About six hundred and forty-five years ago the news of the pegasus of plague had reached Celestia, and pictures, accurate ones of me, would have anyone believe that I was a lich. When it came to the confrontation, I was surrounded, but I felt no fear, despite the readiness of the young monarch to kill me to end the terror, which I now know would've just worsened everything. In this moment of absolute hate, I loathed this entire world, and it set off the energies that followed me."
"What happened?" I asked with interest, leaning closer to him.
"It was... indescribable." He breathed, and yet his tone was breathless. A husky voice, or the shade of one. "This energy consumed me, absorbed my flesh and soul alike, dragging me into the heart of the nightmare, and yet, as I felt my doom approach, and saw all guards who Celestia took with her melt into black gruel, I clung to the dream I had throughout my journey. And the energies took this dream and made it true, they warped reality but differently than I had thought." He rolled his wings, but I understood what happened just after that.
"And then you and Celestia just became friends?" I asked with confusion, but the owl did not satiate my hunger for knowledge but instead fuelled me with fear when he began to chuckle.
"Oh no, absolutely not! I spent twenty years fleeing from the whimpy, white whale!" He exclaimed loudly with a proud laugh. "After that, I spent roughly four-hundred years traveling the world for knowledge and wisdom. I was a shadow in my line of work. A wise shaman here, a scholarly wizard on the outskirts of kingdoms, even both advisor and royal alchemist in Saddle Arabia. Of course sooner or later I was found again by the albino cow, but at the time I was much more powerful than her and set things straight. Since then, we share a bond of respect with somewhat equal goals and plans."
"Do any of those contain me?"
"Yes." He answered without any shame or worry.
"And...?" I asked slowly, with anticipation.
"Sorry, but were I to tell you then, your adoptive, by law, mother would kill me before raising the sun again." His tone was so dead serious, I might've just looked into the eyes of the grim reaper.
"But you just said that you beat her."
"Yes, but it also gave her the wake-up call to pull her fat plot from the throne and realize that those sardines in golden cans can't achieve anything, no matter honor or sword. If another beast, or worse, demon, like Tirek appears once more, and there are no supernatural means available, her kingdom is going to crumble to dust. Since then, she has been awfully eager to master the sun, learning to draw strength and energy from it, to the point she could burn down castles and call down asteroids without bringing herself close to death."
'...Tirek?...Asteroid!?'
"Still, she's not too eager to lose valuable assets, especially when I can cause enough damage to set her precious kingdom back by five-hundred years."
My mouth opened like a nutcracker, before closing with a click, and just as much force. "Am I going to be sacrificed as an asset in her plan?"
Hauhuthos Hilihuth hesitated for just a fraction of a second, contemplating whatever he should say and the reaction it carried alongside. "It would be highly unexpected were you specifically, as you are now, to lose your life."
'...What is that supposed to mean..?' I thought weakly, and I could feel my eyes water slightly.
"Let's just say that unless it was the last option, as otherwise it would be the literal last thing to do, she would not use you specifically, up. At least from a resource management standpoint." Hauhuthos Hilihuth put much emphasis on 'you specifically' making me wonder, who else he was, or could've been talking about. "I wish you a night of rest, in hopes that your powers may serve you, and the world well." He spoke softly, before pulling out a feather and vanishing in a puff of smoke.
Translation due to lacking points in intelligence: Entity 'Hauhuthos Hilihuth' believes that entity 'Princess Celestia' would not reduce your health points to zero, unless an event of drastic scale were to occur, that could not be dealt with in any other way.
I grit my teeth, but restrained myself, as my regeneration was handicapped, and strength was being sapped with every passing moment. It was like my power was akin to that of my original body, the one not empowered by the Game and aether.
"Sorry for the wait, it turns out that apparently there was not a single faucet working upstairs after six o'clock, but there was a water hose in the cellar, and Scribble said it was clean so... where did mister Hilihuth go?" Gentle Touch walked in with three glasses in her magic grip.
This night was unusual for me, maybe it was the mental exhaustion of working through days and nights, slaughtering the unclean kin, but my dreams were impressively clear, clean, and yet I couldn't grasp what happened in them. Fractions, pieces, but never enough to fit a picture, not one of them could even be placed next to another. Yet, I remember a soft, yet cold embrace amongst a starry ocean, and it was surprisingly tranquil.
I couldn't remember it perfectly, but when I awoke, I was feeling refreshed in a sense, as if a great burden was lifted off my shoulders, maybe the thick castle walls held negativity as old wood did with termites and dust.
I fluttered my eyes, and as I stared with neither discomfort or worry, with an empty mind, it took me a moment to realize that I had awoken in a room that wasn't mine. I lifted my head, groggily my vision returned to me, albeit hazy at first. I saw my hooves, and the markings were still there but hidden under the fur, their strength had dwindled and was only left for me to see.
A breath of air that soared through my hair stirred me, Gentle Touch pulled me closer to her, breathing into my neck with a look of content on her face. Admittedly it was somewhat humiliating for me to sleep in the same bed as my mother at eight years old, and I didn't know how old I was in horse years.
The door emitted a soft knocking, but when I stared at the clock, it would still be another thirty minutes before breakfast would be served.
"hmm..." Gentle Touch mumbled but pried her eyes open nonetheless. "Huh, the door? C-coming, I'm coming, Scribble!" She shouted and stood up slowly, gently as her name implied, and walked towards the door with uneven steps. She wasn't a morning person.
Corruption Debuff removed: [Nightmare Affinity].
As I was saying, acquiring too many points of corruption may lead to a greater quantity of stacks being applied. Now with that out of the way, I see you've earned some points in my absence, I will distribute them. The Game spoke casually, almost as much like he started a conversation he had held at least a thousand times.
Although my face did not reveal it, okay, maybe a bit, I was overjoyed, so much so that I could feel my hairs stand up, my heart beat faster and become mellow. 'You do that buddy, your work's always appreciated.' I thought gently, softly, and soothingly.
...Affirmative...
From the won battle(s) you've earned the following stats: 12 points in Endurance, 10 points in Strength and Dexterity, 7 points in Intelligence, 6 points in Wisdom.
Spiritualist level 10 -->13
Warrior Level 22 --> 24
Mana Construct Level 27 -->28
Physical Damage Resistance Level 28 -->30
Ice Bold Level 23 --> 26
Power Strike Level 23 --> 27
Infusion Level 23 --> 26
Levitation Level 23 --> 24
Observe Level 23 --> 25
For reaching level 30 on the skill [Physical Damage Resistance] you've awarded the skill [Copper Flesh]
[Copper Flesh] - Passive
I sighed in deepest content as I felt my power return to me, and in due time, my body would once more be a vessel capable of holding and transferring my might against the unholy brood. And yet, as truly exhilarating the sensation was to feel the pure aether flow through me once more, the ascension from mortal to more, and the return of the Game's return giving me back a sense of stability, I felt another presence approach, one that did not please me.
"I thought you would've gotten the hint." Gentle Touch said in a slow, drained, almost soulless way as she stared up to Celestia, who stood in the doorway with a regal, yet somewhat more approachable fashion. However, she appeared rather... with an interesting choice of appearance.
Celestia lacked all her regalia and was covered with purple stains, a huge one covered the right side of her face, chest, and the majority of her face. "I would've come earlier, but I was deluded with the belief that a bath could clean your message."
'Shees, how did Gentle Touch manage that?' I wondered with a small smirk, it wasn't sadism in particular, but still, it tickled out some enjoyment.
Searching for memories... The bucket.
'...The Bucket..? ... The Bucket!' My eyes widened with great force, and I sucked in a thin stream of air through my pursed lips with such intensity, I could taste my face. My respect for my mother and her inner balls of adamantite had grown a thousand folds. Her action was like throwing a chalice of wine at fucking Zeus!
My small reaction maybe was quiet, but not silent, and thus called for the attention of Celestia. She stared at me for a moment with utmost terror, before rushing through Gentle Touch by seemingly turning intangible for a moment.
"Your cutie mark..." Celestia whispered, staring at my flank with worry, and her present ignited my anger once more. It would seem that hatred was fuel for corruption because my marks lit up with the rise of my furry. She reached forward with her hoof.
"Do not touch me." I said harshly, staring into her eyes.
"I just want to help you-" Celestia started, and reached forward nonetheless.
-150 hp
I had hit Princess Celestia in the chest, with an attack empowered by [Power Strike], but my feeble flesh was incapable of conducting the true volume of force once it touched her.
Where my hoof once was, now in place was a bloody stump. A broken, chipped bone spewed out blood while the little flesh that remained was shredded, the lower half was spread across Celestia, me, and the floor. Gentle Touch had a look of green in her face, while the horror in her face was even greater than that of the alicorn.
"I don't need any more of your help." I hissed through my teeth before I strained my hoof and used [Quick Recovery] for the first time. The air around my hoof swirled like a maelstrom from the heat, as my flesh regenerated at terrifying speeds: the bone grew in seconds and my flesh climbed alongside it, but not in a way I expected. Green flesh formed and on top of it grew a hard, black shell akin to obsidian. "You will listen to me once."
"You are not my mother, you may think of yourself as such, but you don't act like it at all. You're my princess, my guardian, my caretaker, but that is all. You do not see me as your son, I'm just an asset to you and some plan you have, and yes, it is just that obvious, otherwise you would've never wasted your time to begin with!" I spat with anger, so much so that in the end I was no longer absorbing the negative energies around me, but spewing them out, cursing this world furthermore. "You want to help, fine, then go away. You've hurt me enough already, and you know what, I was fine living with the delusion to have two loving parents, but you went too far after you pushed Sunset away."
Gentle Touch did not move, mayhaps she was scared to interfere, or she could've just known that now was not the time to interfere into this conversation.
"I've tried my best, is this what you want to hear?" Celestia said in a strained, but not hostile manner. "I have tried to give you the childhood I had dreamed of, but I never never intended to hurt you. I've never been a mother before, and mayhaps the millenia I have spent have warped my view between singular persons, and princesses, but how would I have seen this outcome in advance?"
"By listening." I cursed through my bared teeth, leaning forward and letting her see all my frustration and irritation in my gleaming eyes. "I will not repeat what I have said, ask Mr. Hauhuthos or my mommy if she still talks to you, but you won't hear it from me, not now at least. But I want you to tell you this. Your intentions do not reflect your actions." It was shameless to steal a quote from a war record, a particularly graphic one that was so thin, it was likely never meant to reach me, given how buried it was in the pile I received.
"You are a good princess, but not a good friend or mother. You only push ponies away, when you try to show them your love. Two alicorns once ruled equestria, but the older sister banished her sibling to the moon? Sunset Shimmer, your faithful student who left equestria, after realizing just how shallow her mentors' admiration for her achievements truly were?" Celestia's eyes widened, but it was not hard to figure it out, after Discord had told me about luna, finding a book mentioning her in some way took time but wasn't impossible. Yet Sunsets departure hadn't reached her eyes yet, it seemed.
"Her special, adoptive son, who nearly died in his own room from the sheer hate and anguish he felt towards her majesty?" I didn't know if it would've been fatal for me, had I chosen to stay longer, but it likely would've never been found out, as had it gone on longer, I'd have just fleed.
Celestia's mouth hung open slightly, and eye contact became harder for her, as the magenta eyes couldn't keep contact with my blue ones. The smoldering anger in me burned slowly, but still enough for my corruptive scars to gleam shimmeringly.
"Look me in the eyes, and tell me. Do you actually love me, or am I just some asset? Tell me now, or leave me alone." I said with a deadly, cold hush, draining me of life and passion just as much as the joy or happiness of the pristine princess. "Please." I whispered, this question choked me deadly, as, despite my age, I still needed answers, and the thought of having a stable childhood was a thing I've wished for many years.
...
"I see..."
...
"...You are my son, even if I have so far only expressed this poorly. I have plans for you, for your future, but you are not an asset of a plan. I have not had anything remotely close to family in an millenia, and friends so far were either fleeting or false. I have given up on the idea of raising a foal many hundreds of years ago, and when Cadence was born, I barely felt anything anymore. Decades later I had regained some compassion, and had hoped that now I was ready, but it seemed I had mistaken once again." Celestia said this all while looking me in the eyes, I couldn't feel a lie, even if her mentioning of me not being an asset was scraping on a half-lie. "But, nothing of this excuses anything."
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, collecting myself, but calling the Game for advice. I lifted my normal hoof and pointed it to the door, but in a moment of hesitation, weakness, or just delusion, I reached out to her chest and held my hoof. I sighed and absorbed the impotent remnants of the nightmares I had set aflame on that accursed night, allowing the princess of the day to appear stellar once more.
"You have one chance, don't make me believe another fantasy." I warned, before pulling my hoof away from her chest, and resting my head onto the bed once more, as I felt the fatigue settle in once more, lulling me into a deep slumber.
I still laid on the soft bed, despite having woken up an hour ago. The smooth sunlight shone through the old, but dustless blinds of the window. My back was aching from having done nothing but laying, yet I knew better than to just run off, especially when I had this... mutation on me now.
It is not so much a mutation, as your body mistaking which genetic code it should follow, after it has been put into disarray. The Game noted from the side, though his voice was only half-hearted, as he was busy working on my body, the presence of his voice was still liberating.
'Yeah, Celestia ain't gonna let me leave this house until she finds an illusion charm or something.' I thought while looking at my new limb. It was an interesting sensation, much less sensitive than flesh, and yet not numb. While on the topic of changes, I was thinking of ways to get rid of the corruptive effects, but it seemed like they would go away with time, but the question begged, if I wanted that.
I rolled slightly to the side to reveal my 'new cutie mark: Three agonized souls. One hateful, one pained, and one sadistic. This mark was something you expected to see on a villain, demon, or monster, not the crown prince. 'Observe.'
[Corrupted Lord]
The premise of this title was incredibly valuable, as a thirty percent increase in power and defense was very lucrative, and my current curses were more than manageable, but I feared to take on more, given how I was already invested in getting rid of the penalties.
Do you wish to read the card that was dropped off? The Game asked with enthusiasm, even when it was just a trick to get my mind off this topic.
I agreed, if just reluctantly so, and levitated the piece of paper towards me. It was a get-well card from my friends, all signed with various, scribbled signatures. All of them wished me to get well. I closed my eyes and held the card closer, feeling the emotions of its writers radiating. There was the bruised concern of Gerb, expected from his stoic, but loyal character. Sugar Drop's words were the most encouraging, yet dreadfully filled with worry, and that was not just out of fear to lose her best source of food. And Cairn Song...
That fucker was as happy as a freaking quokka!!!
I believe that our cleansing of the mirror realm affected the mood of the entity Cairn Song. It was likely that he was plagued by one of the necrotic nightmares. The Game offered, though it was possible he hadn't looked up the moment where I met the knight. Was it possible that just like how Sugar was tortured by the spider, so was Cairn tortured by the knight's presence?
I would need to be careful how much aether I let out with my bursts of joy, I would never drag anyone down with me. Never.
While we are on the topic of drowning in excessive, negative emotions- Wow, aren't you just a master of transitions? -may I know why you have given entity Celestia a second chance?
'Practical or personal reason?' I asked while rolling onto my stomach and standing up. I stretched my back, it cracked and popped, but was pleasing nonetheless.
Practical would be a good start.
'Do you really think she'd leave us alone after investing so much into us? After learning of my abilities and weaving me into her schemes? No, her shadows would follow me to the arse end of the world, and probably beyond.' I sighed and hopped off the bed, before slowly walking towards the door. A gentle, sweet scent called me.
'I also don't like hurting people, or sticking it to anyone really, not much of a vendetta man, you see. To put it shortly, I am no pacifist, but I do not take any pleasure in hurting something with feelings. I don't have this opinion because I'm some goody two shoes who tells you to eat your veggies or brush your teeth twice a day. I just don't want anyone else to be miserable, and that has nothing to do with morals, I just dislike hurting, and she was hurting, somewhere in all the gold and glamour.'
Don't you mean 'thrice a day'?
'Did I look like I could afford that much toothpaste on earth?!'
I shook my head, before chuckling lightly to myself and walking down to get some breakfast. I was smelling waffles and pancakes, and they wouldn't wait for me. But, while I knew that this meal would be awkward with five ponies, I had hopes that the future would be a tad more bright for me.
Author's Note
A huge thanks to ZeroOneInFinn, editing the chapters has never been this much fun before.
View Online
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter 3.5 Art, Treasures and Traditions [E]
Art and Treasures
I stood within the realms of the Gamer's dream, upon a field of mystic blooms on a well-lit night, where flower petals and a smooth, gentle wind flew through the endless expanse that was this space. From every corner, almost like I was surrounded by many creatures, a soothing, lulling tune of a woman could be heard, so soft, it may have just been one sound varying only in volume and intensity. In front of me stood a nearly fully carved statue of a slender, mostly featureless mare dressed in a silky dress and face hidden behind a veil, looking upon the heavens.
Are you sure female members of the pony race usually have such edged snouts? The Game asked calmly, or perhaps it was just me who has become completely used to his presence, that I didn't even flinch.
"I usually finish the face last, call it poetic or pragmatic, but I think the face should fit the body, because adjusting it afterwards is much easier than shaving the whole thing." I said, while my gaze was still fixated onto the visage of the mare, the stone appearing like cloth. It was weird, knowing that having possessed absolutely no talent in art as a human, to suddenly carve something you'd see in museums. All that, in just about five or six years of practice, seemed surreal to me.
I parted my eyes from the unfinished piece, absorbing it back into my inventory. I enjoyed carving much more in this place, than the already masterfully crafted halls of the palace. I glanced at a suddenly appearing window. The moonlight shimmered across the glossy surface, even if both the light, and the reflection were but an illusion.
Artist - Level 35 [19,87%] - - Create an greater masterpiece to advance from novice to intermediate.
With the average level of a pony being around level 30 to 35, possessing this progress in the job class 'artist' could allow you to create art that is of the highest quality in this world in theory. However, you have to remember that the progressions within the classes are based around the standards my creators and thus the nightmare realm deemed: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Supreme. It is unlikely to find many living creatures except for possibly entity Princess Celestia to be higher than Intermediate in any class.
I huffed, blowing strings of silvery hair out of my vision. "Way to ruin the mood, Magic Eight Ball." A muttering left my mouth as I walked further forward, and the world seemed to rotate as I progressed. I disliked the negative view on the masses or the higher standing before them that was spoon fed to me by so many sources, made me feel like one of them Corpies. In my field of vision came a high wall of stone that advanced quickly, and in said blockage was a slit, an archway, through which I walked.
The world on the other side changed drastically, now the sun was up in the sky and I found myself back in the familiar valley. "I can see why it's called a dream, oh and G- Right,I forgot to pack up those two." My smile fell into a frown as I saw the bell and mirror standing upon two pedestals crafted from stone. Unlike the material used for the statue that was 'funded' by the crown, this stone was mined by my own two hooves from the goblin hideout, a dungeon spanning several kilometers, only filled with rock and the occasional Nitorium.
If you wished for me to put these two items out of your peripheral and ethereal vision, you could've just beckoned me. The Game spoke with a heightened tone and mused like an old nobleman sipping wine.
"Har har."
I stopped in front of the well and forcefully kept my vision away from the cursed mirror. Picking up the bell, I felt several additions to its array of memories, mine, but I knew this long already, but it still didn't bode well with me, knowing I could accidentally transmogrify my loot.
You enhance them.
"This time with the bell. The mirror on the other hand-." I nearly threw a punch at the glassy surface, but held it back, not knowing if I'd coincidently discover a hidden aspect that'd knock out my teeth. "-Now is a problem for all of equestria and fuck else."
I cannot understand where the problem lies. You created a unique item that can likely ease the hardship of our quest.
"How can you not see how this can't backfire?"
Star's Mirror
-Communicate with any creature on the same plane of existence.
-Requires familiarity with the person or a personal object as well as a reflective
surface through which can be looked at the receiving side.
-Can be used to communicate.
-Absorb any projectile and fire it back as its polar opposite.
-The ability costs as much mana as the original spell.
-Physical projectiles are reflected without cost.
Smithed in the finest forge of the Canterlot castle, and imbued by the desire to return all pain done to its maker, Star Touch, this mirror stands as a monument of thorns. Yet the hope to rebuild what was lost still glimmers in the dark, tinted surface
"You're telling me this won't back- ouch - fire?!" I asked with disbelief, before sucking my hoof as I accidentally poked myself on the metal thrones that adorned the frame of the mirror.
All items we possess are deadly to mortal and immortal kin, however, they are highly unlikely to be able to use, less so understand them, and that is before factoring that these objects would absorb all their lifeforce in an attempt to muster enough pure Aether to fuel their abilities.
"Great, you all heard of suicide cells, now comes the new invention everypony has been waiting for, horse juicers." I rolled my eyes, before quickly turning towards the bell.
While we are on the topic of discussing the mirror, may I know when you will contact entity Sunset Shimmer?
I took a deep breath with closed eyes while leaning closer towards the bell, letting the happy memories push away this awful night. " Pal, mate, I ruined her whole life, even if it wasn't the best family she had, with the situation of Celly being lofty, and even if every single aspect of her existence was already crumbling- should this have been the case, it was still something worth having."
"Now I send another woman out into no-one's land, you think I can just go and be like: ‘Hey miss Shimmer, look at my new cool trick, I've been trying a whole long time attempting to make it work so that we can talk again, you know, like some years ago.’" My childish voice suddenly faded as I quickly turned around and stared at the floating ball of color, the one that only now showed a hologram of his form, with a dead look.
So I presume that the last interaction with entity Sunset Shimmer was the final one?
My face tightened as the stare I gave it sharpened. "You really know how to rile me up, ya know." I commented, before deflating and turning back to the bell. I picked the chime up with my hoof, I found myself denying the use of magic in everyday situations as to not become too comfortable, and held it to my heart. The sound was much sweeter than it was before, much smoother and gentler, while the appearance was almost the same, were it not for the small, engraved image of a mother and foal.
I shuddered slightly, the thought of having a mother was still so alien to me, even when I had already embraced it. How hard the decades clung to my bones.
Star's Bell
-Heal 500 points of health at the cost of 100 faith
-Lesser debuffs are automatically removed
-Additional faith can be used to cleanse higher-tiered effects
-At the cost of 25 Faith, a stat can be slightly boosted
-Multiple stacks cannot apply to the same stat but may be cast on all categories simultaneously.
Enriched by the bonds of family, devotion, blood, and marriage, this heirloom was passed down onto Star Touch, who invigorated it with the love he has for his foster mother, Gentle Touch. The desire to heal and grow hums softly.
"I'll contact her one day, soon, but not now." I said solemnly, before picking up the chime, and putting it in my inventory, while leaving the mirror behind. I took a few steps away, before stopping. "Now, let's see what mother has to show us."
Traditions
"So... what do you want to show me?" I asked with peaked interest as Celestia and I trotted through 'Celestia's school for gifted unicorns.'
I honestly was unsure if I liked or hated this place, and this confident statement of mine was formed within the first minutes of entering this surprisingly large building. On one hand, it seems pretty nice for a school, most certainly much cleaner and more refined than the dumps I've visited in my human youth, but the place was filled with snobs. No, I was not being objective or seeing only the surface level, the place had an aura of arrogance, and most of the pupils I've looked at had piss poor stats, the only redeeming factors were their perks earned likely through selective breeding or whatever plans their grandparent had to couple their children.
Of course, I was not much better, my Intelligence stat wasn't the best either without the perks, but advancing quickly as I got into far more complicated subjects like magical fields, ley lines, and thaumatic laws.
We passed through the entrance hall, and it was huge, to put it lightly, possessing eight staircases in total that lead to the upper levels, all carved from granite. Finely crafted furniture and decorated walls with the school's achievement filled this place with life, since most pupils, - or should I call them scholars at this point? - Were busy learning in their classroom. Still, some seemingly had free time and were ogling us as we walked deeper into the building.
'Why aren't they looking at me with disgust.' I thought while glancing at a small friend group of pupils who quickly turned their eyes away from me as I paid them some notice. 'Now that I think about it, why has nopony done so in a while?'
The average level of charisma for an adult pony is 100, and this threshold is the case for all other categories the ponies possess, with the average hitting 150 at certain stats depending on the tribe. Earth ponies are more advanced in strength and endurance, Pegasi in Dexterity, and Unicorns in Intelligence.
'And what about wisdom?' I wondered.
Unless a creature is of spiritual nature, or has a natural connection to an element, wisdom is usually unaffected by race.
"When I grew up, there was a tradition for fillies and colts soon coming of age." Celestia started, while softly smiling to herself, enjoying and cherishing this moment. "And as you are already ten years old, I desired to continue it with you as well."
'Wait, soon coming of age? The hell is that supposed to mean?!' I thought angrily.
In human years, you'd be 20, in addition, seeing as entity Princess Celestia comes from a period, this likely being the equivalent of human medieval times, children became adults much earlier by law. Though I had guessed that this 'coming of age' would happen earliest at 14. How surprising.
"And this tradition is..."
"Just let it be a little surprise."
I was uncertain of the events to come, so I tried not to be pessimistic this time. Maybe they'd turn out nice.
The path we took led very deep into the school, even when we never took a turn, just one long, straight line until we reached the laboratories, or more precisely, their storerooms.
This wing of the school was dressed with much less-flammable material but still outfitted with marble statues and carving of famous researchers, teachers, and even students, such as: Glamorous Gleam, one of the first Sorcerers attempting Metallurgy and to an extent, Aurumancy. Valtek, a master of infusion and arcane energization. Cryptic Scribble, father of enchantment and the lost arts of runecraft.
Lost is an excessive way to describe unreachable knowledge, it still exists somewhere, even when it's stored within a nightmare or object which fell between the layers.
'And so the grave robbing continues.' I thought lumpingly, stealing from nightmares was digestible, and taking some coins was deplorable, but still, something I could manage. This reached a bit over my span of flexibility.
A click of a heavy oak door alerted me and made me part with the long line of researchers. Celestia smiled contentedly as she waited and held the door open for me. I didn't hesitate long and walked inside, though feeling the instruments stored inside, radiating somewhat stagnant magic, was a bit uncomfortable. It was akin to tinnitus, always in the back of the head, slowly driving you mad.
While on the topic of excessive equipment, why was it stacked so weirdly? The room was big enough to house at least five... more... ponies.
"Surprise." Hauhuthos said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, even when it sounded rather muffled.
The aforementioned Owl, in addition to Cadence and Gentle Touch, sat in a half-circle before a massive table, littered with various objects covered by white sheets, greeted us. And was it not for the presence of Gentle Touch, I would've been a whole lot more worried about my, you know, existence.
"So, uhm, this tradition entails." I asked slowly, once again attempting to prematurely find out about this grand secret.
"I think my colt has waited long enough, Cadence, could you please reveal the mystery to Star?" Gentle Touch said kindly, apparently more aware than I was.
"With pleasure." The Pink alicorn said, before moving to the side alongside the rest of them to grant me a better look at the table. Suddenly, the cloth was illuminated by a blue glow, before it was levitated to the side.
What I saw, no, felt, was nearly overwhelming in every sense of the word, as the magic that radiated off the 'mystery items' was free to indulge everything in the room with their presence.
It was an array of creatures still in their youngest stages, most still being eggs.
Cadence took a step closer to me and said cheerfully. "Members of the royal family, or close associates, regardless of gender, receive a companion at the age of ten. The most gifted and talented receive theirs first, and you have definitely achieved more than any colt I've seen in my years. As a reward, you may be the first to choose your partner, before anyone else."
"Take all the time you need, there’s no rush." Celestia assured from the side, before sitting on the floor.
"I- I uh- uhm." I stammered while eying the vast selection, the question completely steamrolled me as I attempted to inspect the array of companions.
"I believe a small tour is needed." Hauhuthos spoke gracefully as he wobbled his way towards me. "Let us skip the more common companions first. First we have a Phoenix, Princess Celestias’ choice, a Calcava which is Princess Cadences’ companion, or what I chose found as a pleasant partner, a Vitruvian Mouse."
"I don't know what the last two are..."
Hauhuthos raised one of his feathers like an index finger, but Cadence was faster. "An Calcava is a bird made up entirely of crystals, and it can read emotions and changes color accordingly. A kind hearted creature. The mouse, on the other hand, is as big as an opossum, and is quite intelligent, you could call it a natural librarian for its love of order and dusting."
"Mouses come from eggs?" I asked with wonder while staring at the brown and white spotted, ostrich-like egg.
"This one does." Gentle Touch noted, though I just assumed she had to survive a lecture for this presentation in advance.
"Ehem, now barring any further interruptions, let's continue. We also have a Spartus Kitten, a cat with metallic, keratin plates with an indisputable desire to protect it's master. Next there is the Arcane Owl, less so of a companion than a guide, but still a pleasant creature to be around. After that we also have a phalfasum, it's kind of like a floating fish, but nonetheless still a caring creature that's adept at sensing magic, but likely inferior to your abilities. The last one I'd recommend to you would be the, and please excuse my poor pronunciation of the Cardavon accent, Kar'kawon Wandosa."
The last creature, with the unspeakable name, was not in an egg, but sitting in a golden, gilded cage. It looked like a mix between a Chinese dragon, cat, and ferret. It was lanky with short limbs and a body covered in scales and fur. Its fur color was blue, while the scales seemed to be a metallic white. The snout was defined, sharp in a sense while the teal eyes bore a kind nature. It floated a bit as our eyes met.
But from the corner of my vision, and the edge of my senses, I felt another signature from below the table. I crouched down and saw, in a little, old cage a huge purple-spotted egg.
"What about that one?" I pointed my hoof at it.
"Oh, ehm, you see, this one's not an option." Cadence fiddled with her hooves while thinking about an answer.
"Why?"
"It's dead." Hauhuthos answered bluntly, earning him the ire and glare of the two alicorns in the room. He seemed only slightly bothered by their reaction. "Rather the dragon whelp's flame is nearly extinguished and doesn't have enough strength to break out of the egg, nor survive. It was bought nearly two hundred years ago from smugglers by the headmare at the time, and after its state was diagnosed, was used for magical manipulation and studies regarding dragonkin’s innate ability to resist magic. "
I stared at the egg a little longer, before pulling the entire cage towards me. I wonder if this body was one of the options I had been given in the beginning. A creature with no goals in life, no achievement, with no one missing them should they perish. A Nothing, never given a chance...
"I'll take it." I spoke softly, quietly while pulling the egg out of the cage, only to be stopped by Cadence herself.
"This tradition, and the companions chosen for it, were not chosen merely as a gifting ceremony, but because they are to accompany students while under stress, and these creatures are especially good at absorbing excessive amounts of released magic. They are mental and physical health aids." Cadence said while levitating the egg towards herself. "And a dragon is a unique case, given that they are sentient in every way, which would make things more difficult, not even taking into account that it will likely never hatch." It was a soft way in which she tried to explain things to me, and yet it was gut-wrenching to me.
"It's not fair that you give up on it just because it looks like it won't ever live." I said sadly, not meant as an accusation or wanting to offend, it just poked me in a wound.
There was an air of uncertainty for several, long-stretching moments, a very uncomfortable frame of time, of staring at one another.
"Oh for Starswirl's short hairs." Hauhuthos groaned loudly, before swiping the egg and the Wandosa from his surroundings and pushing them into me with his wings. "Here, problem solved, there are at least a dozen completely dead dragon eggs lying in the cellar. Now if you excuse me, I've got about fifty-six more mana measurement devices to fix." He huffed loudly, before ripping out six of his feathers and throwing them into the air.
The feathers formed a circle, with their tips pointing towards the center, before they started to rotate and a thin, white portal expanded from the core to the vane of the feathers. It looked like a sheet and it hummed with magic. "Besides, ‘wouldn't be the first time he stuck it to the laws of reality." He didn't give us another glance, before vanishing into the portal, not even hesitating before leaving.
The portal collapsed into a shower of tiny, quickly dying sparks, and to dusty crumbling feather remains. I wouldn’t forget what the owl did today.
I looked at the two creatures in my hooves, the Wandosa seemed as confused as me, while the egg, well, I could assume it was happy for somepony to hold it. Yet, I wondered how much truth stuck to Cadences’ words.
Unhatched Dragon EggA small dragon egg once taken from its mother, hundreds of years ago. Due to the preserving nature of dragon eggs and the longevity of dragons, the baby managed to survive for quite a long time however, causing the hatchling to degrade over time. A substantial amount of mana is required to enable hatching.
Only 144 Mana? that's not a lot, I can hatch it right now. I thought with enthusiasm.
The 'M' does not stand for 'mana', but for the unit 'million.' You require 144.000.000 points of mana to hatch the foundling.
My confidence sank, but it didn't matter if it took me one, or ten years, I'd hatch the egg even if it's the last thing I'll do!
View Online
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter 3.5 Achievements and (un)welcome new company [E]
"That was the third tonight." I noted with a stagnant expression hidden behind my helmet. Before me hung a Zompony impaled by steel stone knives and nailed to the wall of a building. My armor readied, I held my club and ram crest shield tightly in hooves and observed the catch.
A shrill wind traveled through the empty city of Canterlot, the nightmarish vortex hung low tonight but it was barely perceivable to feel the impending doom inch closer. For me, it was as if a glass visage was countling loudly of the sand corns rinsing down the hourglass.
Nightmare population in the middle layer of Canterlot: 1. The Game spoke as I trotted forward with slow steps, before stopping and inspecting the abomination clinging to this reality.
A steel stone dagger appeared there where my club once was. With a precise cut, the visible and barely stable innards of the Zompony were severed and spewed a smokey substance across the blighted stone. Its consistency was unlike fog, more akin to the mist of liquid nitrogen.
"Ghastly." I mumbled with dry, cracked lips while lowering myself and staring into the now empty chest cavity of the nightmare, revealing but an almost phantom-like space. It was neither an empty void, nor unlit cave below, but more so a space filled with dissonance. "No one's thinking about the inside of the zombie, so it doesn't exist, but their properties still remain." The spilled guts could spread disease, I experimented on a spider once and it- I wish to claim it rotted before my eyes -died after being subjected to the innards.
"That should be enough investigation, it's no use without a more diverse selection of ingredients." I said and summoned my club and shield once more.
I was not alone.
I turned around, my long hair sweeping through the wind like a whip, and held up a stone claw with the metal of my magic shield. A terrible sound emitted. The impact let out an echoing screech, and as the dreadful eyes of the challenging gargoyle met with mine, a swing of my club to his skull severed this moment. The beast recoiled with crumbling, rocky bits falling off, but I didn't wait for a retaliation from my insidious foe. I rushed forward to the staggered opponent and crashed into his body, sending the two of us stumbling once or twice, but penultimately I was on my feet first and ended this squabble by crushing the Gargoyle’s body into pieces.
I stared over the remains with a short-lived, quick breath and hopped over the withering remains of the petrified horror. I stopped for a second to think, realizing that with each ensuing battle the act of fighting was becoming more natural, and now the armor and shield barely held me down. Perhaps had another been placed in my state, they would've not been so amazed by this progress, but it was awfully comforting clinging to a sense of normality because it allowed me to waddle without the worry to cause destruction upon my lightest of touches.
You have improved greatly. The Game commented. I barely listened.
My shield and glove slid off my body and into my inventory, as my steps became a parade of clicks heading towards the captured, small prey.
With my right hoof infused by [Gentle Touch] the subject melted away into a misty substance soon to be erased from the realms. The higher my level became, the faster this ability became, or at least it became faster with lower-level monsters. Only one shard remained, but I quickly lost my hunger for them, they wouldn't advance my quest any further as of any further notice, so I stored them away for possible future use. These beautiful gems could cause so much destruction in the wrong hands, and concentrated jewels are able to increase stats, yes, these here only enabled little growth, but what of those that could increase stats by 50 or even a hundred points? Then even a few would be enough to create chaos beyond imagination.
You mistook my statement. My ears peaked up as I collected my tools of impalement from the wall. This type of stone, steel stone- I had doubted the material, but it proved to be invaluable for this endeavor. Before you were barely able to kill a Goblin through means of assassination, now you can effortlessly fight foes that are dangerous even to skilled fighters.
I stopped for a moment, looking upon the nightmarish blood that stained my leather armor slowly evaporating away. This day still laid heavy in my stomach, the goblin slaughter, and the ensuing battles. It was so weird, that in the moment of encounter, all moral, ethical and personal beliefs meant nothing. But afterward, they lingered and it left me wondering, if this was the reward, or punishment, for being the bearer of the grand Manipulator.
"We're going to the hideout, I want to see the progress of the poison. While you're at it, what's next on the bucket list?" I wondered, before looking at a far-off alley. A presence, a familiar one loomed menacingly like a phantom in the night. I threw a steel stone dagger at the empty space where I perceived the nightmare, but all I felt was the stone turn to ash, and the stalker vanishing like a gust of air. Although the curse that I unwillingly set upon myself had long since dissipated, this creature remained there, watching and guarding the lower parts of the city. It was a creature most dangerous, for upon its arrival, in the first hour of its presence it erased the previous guardian so swiftly, that the once soul-crushing roar howled only once more as a godless prayer. Perhaps there existed a sort of rivalry, if not outright primal instinct within the endless horde.
You wished to know how the corrupted abilities work. I shuddered when I heard those words, having hoped these topics would've sunk much lower on the list than this. It's been two years, at this point you should be quite eager to know more about your body.
"First eww, second bad Discoball, last, those things are creepy as fuck and in retrospective are not worth the trouble, you hear me." I said sternly with my grimace hidden. The stacks of corruption and their 'buffs' would decay with time, one point per day to be exact, and if the threshold upon which an effect was gained is breached, then that disappears as well. So, not permanent, but still a death trap.
The world warped and twisted around me, from the city of Canterlot I was warped to the former Goblin Hideout, now, it was my workshop. My presence caused this place to shudder, perhaps the Game's makers had not assumed I'd waste my time in this place after completion and made it only durable enough to contain my low-leveled state or maybe there was more to this space of stone.
With a torch in my magic grip I traversed the stone halls, those which I had cleaned of all blood stains and bone dust that littered this dungeon. It was by no means 'homely' or 'comfortable' per se, however, I claim that functionality is superior to decoration. Nevertheless my main chamber was a tad more pleasant than the pathway.
Finally arriving in the empty throne room I darted towards a particular piece of wall tapestry, a great map of Equestria painted across a 6 by 3 meters large canvas. It was only possible to acquire the material this size by cutting the edges of cloth and putting them against similarly damaged pieces, forming one greater one. A unique trait of the game, one only possible with objects 'untainted' by thoughts and emotions.
Although most parts of my being are made from 'aether alloys' in other words, highly purified aspects of matter contained in a sort of bubble within and yet outside of the realms of existence, only connected by the anchor point that is my being, there are exceptions to this rule. I sucked in a steady stream of air, before walking towards a wall on the other end of the room.
Behind the piece of art was revealed a secret staircase leading down a spiral. Unlike the rest of the dungeon, this place was smooth and made with care, my care and attention, to create a space worthy of holding my temporary base of operations. The Dreamer’s Realm was unique in the sense that it was ever-and-ever changing upon my slightest desire, but time didn't pass there, and any construct I placed would decrease my inventory space, in other words, making production and storing problematic.
My workshop was... humble one might claim, and I'd be forced to agree. It bore basic furniture built by me, it wasn't lavish, but adequate. Shelves were carved from the stone, just like a makeshift bed. There was a little kitchenette only lacking flowing water, but I could easily purify the dirty fluids, stained material and if nothing worked, my spirits would be of aid to me. A grindstone, a table with a rack of tools, and item holders stood in a side room. I also had something akin to a crafting table, a stone working table, and a weapon station... which in essence was just another table. Perhaps I should've leveled the crafter job class with a more diverse set of items, instead of mass-producing tables, but it proved to be quite effective as each was unique, thus not halting, slowing, or dwindling down my progress and nerves.
In the middle of the main room stood a fireplace crafted from spongestone bricks, and upon it hung a kettle brewing a tub of laksa. I could not savor many delicacies in my previous life, but I had learned that there were certain companies that would be more than willing to hold negotiation at buffets with the carriers present to guard the payload.
For the process to work entirely, elements of the nightmare spawn had to be incorporated. The discovery that nightmares are made from our very negative imprint led to certain unethical experiments and ultimately leading to the creation of what you might call shackled, or even artificial nightmares.
I stopped for a second, pushing all my items into my inventory and held a hoof to my heart. Holding it very tightly in place. "What has been implanted in me?" I whispered after a moment of silence. "Since when do you know so much shit?"
I learned a great amount of information from the time I was put out of use, though to this very second I am still encoding great deals of data. Switching the topic. You have been made familiar with the saying that 'the eye is the gate to the soul', I assume? In this case, it is literal, after all, an aether core is nothing more than a soul. In our core lies most components, such as the maw and eyes you've seen when you used the abilities. For safety these 'parts' are only used when necessary, and even then at a very low capped level of power for the process of harvesting the aether and erasing the memory of the nightmares from the world. However these 'corrupted abilities' allow you to use their full potential, but letting a nightmare take more estate in our form causes problems you call corruption.
I closed my eyes tightly, letting my limbs hang loosely, I counted to ten, and spoke. "I am going to see a therapist at one point in the future, you know, I probably won't even need Celly poking me with a pitchfork to make me go."
I possess various methods to cope with the mental burden of the host.
'Put it in the bucket list.'
I darted past all of it and into a secondary side room, a place for experimentation, writing, and testing, it was the opposite of my tiny atelier in which I carved and drew, but of them were a little bit of heaven to me. This room in particular, however, was nothing like the grand laboratories or libraries like those in the school for gifted ~~pricks~~ unicorns, but it was mine. Was it smart to put a sofa and all my books in the same room where I build bombs? Maybe not, but I could repair any broken stuff, and if not, I'd still have all the information in my head... and it can't be that hard to find another comfy seat in the trash.
I stopped and overlooked a great wooden table, it was so far my most 'unique' creation with the 'crafter' job, it being a solid wood table, sure it was not as useful as my throwing knives, but beautiful nonetheless. On the right side was a self-made bunsen burner, in essence it was just a flask holder with a candle below, while in the middle laid a big book documenting my experiences, and thankfully it could be expanded by shoving and fusing more pages in it.
My Nightmarepedia.
---The caverns-- --The Goblin Hideout is much grander than the two rooms being connected by a single stone passage. When digging into the rock much can be found, much more than just debris or the occasional chunk of nitorium. Deeper layers promise resources like spongestone, a porous rock able to house surprising quantities of gas and liquids in addition to moss and singular celled organisms of unknown variety. Steel rock, graphite, hard-sludge, coal, copper and something I named onyx are also able to be found up to twenty meters below the starting area.
However onyx, despite its all rounding and incredibly useful attributes, is rare, only one 'gem' has been found so far. Surprisingly there are neither iron, nor aluminum veins. In terms of crystals and jewelry there is a slim variety, with most of it being nitorium, but Glow Gems, Heat Crystal Powder, and Water Diamonds are present. Heat Powder is a fragile gem that shatters into dust when unearthed even by the most gentle care. Water Diamonds are gems infused with the water element and are not only able to conjure water, but could also find use in crafting. However, the Game did note that water created by these rocks is only temporary, unlike that of Spirits, making consumption possible dangerous, but acceptable for cleaning.
--Cave inhabitants--
I swayed my eyes from the pages that brought back the sweet and calm hours of swinging my goblin pickaxe through the stone, and turned my attention to a tiny kettle in which a deep purple liquid simmered.
How strange, it was green when I first crushed the thorns. I thought to myself and held a thick piece of cloth before my muzzle. Creating Vile Thornes was an interesting experience, to say the least, for they would be created under my skin and burst out of it upon command. It wasn't as brutal as I described it for the needles are very thin and not long, making them useless for armor in most cases, but deadly in enhancing my melee damage.
Concentrated Vilethorne poison
"Fascinating, but useless for now. Zombies and Gargoyles have no functioning circulatory system, and I can't quite test out how effective poison is to creatures that don't really have a comprehensible set of organs." I mumbled and noted down my newest discoveries and thoughts on a loose slip of paper to collect my thoughts, right under the schematic of the steel rock daggers. Steel rock was not the same as steel stone, it was in essence steel stone that underwent continuous heating and cooling, transferring some of the original material’s hardness into toughness. I had no idea how it worked exactly, but hope remained that I could maybe make weapons or armor out of it one day.
Should you believe that they can be poisoned, then it will corrode even nightmares. The Game spoke in my right ear, why not the left ear, I had no idea.
"Oh yeah, could I also believe strong enough that a skeleton could bleed out if I stab it between its ribs?" I mused with a snarky tone. Now, while on the topic of progress, the dragon egg project was proceeding well, advancements and discoveries became regular and it felt like I could actually achieve progress despite having sacrificed six years for saving Sugar Drop. A trade I don’t exactly regret, but it was still noteworthy.
What also laid heavy in my stomach was that Cel-Mother had another of her surprises in her non-existent sleeves that she wishes to reveal to me tomorrow. It's been about one year since I got the dragon egg, which's name I have yet to decide, and the cat. I am not a cat person, but that creature could sleep on spikes and still be comfortable, but still refused a comfy bed. On the other hand, I enjoyed hugging the egg at night, not sure if it was because I treated it like a baby, or because it helped with my joints cause ponies were not meant to spread their hooves out while sleeping, unlike humans.
If you could believe strongly enough, then yes, but I doubt you could fool yourself into thinking that. One cannot just replace a part of their instinct they've been possessing for their entire life.
Canterlot Castle - Equestria
"Come on, Miss Inkwell, there has to be something I could do to make it up." My tone came off as whining, but I was to a certain point, with no exaggerations, at my nerves' end. "And please don't tell me again that you're 'fine.' Nopony who says they're fine is actually 'fine'!"
She gave a tired exhale "Please, your highness, I am very much so pleased with my circumstances." Raven Inkwell spoke, and I had to physically restrain my lips from asking if my mother was ordering her to not engage with this topic. "Now, it's time for your violin lessons." She spoke with a small smile as she bent down to grasp my instrument case. "Now, I must say you have become quite adept, maybe I'll hear you playing at the next grand galloping gala or your co-ro-ouch." Raven was trying to switch the topic while inspecting the well-taken care of violin before she let out a pained hiss.
"You know, I've picked up a thing or two at the masseuse, mayhaps I might be of use?" I asked with a faint shy tone with a dull glimmer in my eyes. Call me shameless, but I've decided, like, five minutes ago that being an opportunist is much more valuable in my career choice than being a pessimist.
Raven stared at the instrument for a second, before kneeling down, albeit slowly, and picked it up before bringing it to me. "I will not ask nor demand anything of you my highness, though I am free this evening." She spoke shortly, before flipping through a small notebook, looking for the violin version, or rather, part of the equestrian anthem. This country had an anthem, and I am surprised it wasn't purely about rainbows.
"Ah, Miss Inkwell, I was looking for you." I turned around and saw Celestia slowly opening her door to the point her neck peeked through. "Would you please guide Blueblood the twenty-fourth and his colt through the documents? I'd like to spend a bit of time with Star's studies today."
The mare didn't hesitate, as it was her duty. "Of course, I'll try not to cause disruptions." Raven spoke with an unusual uncertainty. I wonder why that order seemed to discourage her so much.
The second that Raven Inkwell was gone, Celestia gave a smile when she looked at me. "Greetings Star, I see you are progressing quite well with your violin lessons?" Unsure how to answer, I merely nodded with lips sealed tightly. "There's no need to be shy, I've heard that the guards seem to be quite amazed by your playing. While on the topic of art, some maids have accidentally set hoof into your art room. They claim to have seen a statue of untold beauty, I can't wait to see it with my own two eyes, but please, no rush, I wouldn't wish you to reveal it unless you say it's ready."
Of course, Mother knew of my desire in art, not the full extent of it of course, but well enough. It wouldn't be easy to gain marble in another way, and besides, it gave me an excuse to spend time away from prying eyes.
A small smile crept across my muzzle. Things have improved between Mother and me to an extent, I cannot claim that they are as flowery as they were when I was six, but most certainly they are better now. Of course, the events with Sunset laid heavily on my mind, and it doesn't help given my photographic memory, however, I am not one to hold grudges, after all, it was very advantageous in the business world to put money above feelings. The fact that the mortal sun herself was making an effort and showing a sense of inclusion beyond royal duties helped me swallow my anger and let me enjoy my time at least a bit.
My mommy on the other hand seemed indifferent to Celestia, sure enough, the warmer sensation between them had all but extinguished, it is now lukewarm, their relationship, that is. While on the topic, Gentle has taken some time to spend on herself away lately, I do not know if it is to catch up with Summer Breeze, the pegasus with orange hair and azure mane. I have probably only seen her a hoof-full of times, but she seems to get along with Mommy, well, she and her husband that is. Heard they are trying to get a foal as of late, I could only wish them good luck, they seem like a nice bunch.
On the other hoof, I did notice Mommy putting on a bit more perfume, perhaps there's more going on?
Back to the topic of music, Lemon Tart was quite fond of the sound of violin tunes, though Puff Pastry would sometimes complain she'd get sleepy if I choose too peaceful tunes. I don't see her as often anymore, but then again, she has become very old. I'd wish I knew where she lived, 'cause I'd love to visit her outside of duty.
"I know you don't like flattery and probably wish me to get to the conclusion." Celestia said as she walked in with the door opening slowly, revealing to me... "So I've come to you today to reveal somepony to you. My new student." My jaw opened with a silent pop and the violin in my magic grip nearly dropped.
It was a filly, I'd guess about six years of age, but the magic she oozed just by her mere presence was as impressive as it was daunting. Purple fur coated her thin body, with two streaks of purple cutting through her mane, but there was no cutie mark to be seen. Her eyes gleamed with such anxiety and yet determination, it was admirable. and yet... I shuddered mentally at the thought of how a boost from a cutie mark would make the numbers explode.
Twilight Sparkle - Protege Level - 7 Class - Arcanist- level 7 Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 250 MP (Mana Points) - 30000 SP (Stamina Points) - 250 STR (Strength) - 21 END (Endurance) - 25 DEX (Dexterity) - 64 INT (Intelligence) - 250 WIS (Wisdom) - 300 CHA (Charisma) - 14 LCK (Luck) - 19
Titles
[Protege]
Perks
[Perfect Unicorn Heritage]
[Grand mage ancestry]
Abilities
[Magic Manipulation] lv 7 (Active/Passive)
D:
I nearly lost my marbles...
The Game took control over my body, acting akin to how I would've reasoned in the next few moments, but these numbers left me... speechless for a second, outclassed by someone lucky enough to be born in the right family. It left me bitter and questioning how someone like her could shape the world.
"Well hello there young filly, I believe we'll get along splendidly." The Game spoke, with a tad too much polite British in him. And I had a sudden desire to climb a ladder.
...
"Go ahead, there is no need to be shy, my Star is quite the nice colt." Celestia urged the shaking filly, she was so nervous, so much so that the pile of books she carried around with her was rubbing against each other and making a sound similar to grating cheese.
"H-h-hello your highness, my n-name is Sparkle Twilight, I mean Twinkle Sparklight, I mean-."
"Twilight Sparkle, a lovely name. I'm looking forward to learning with you." The Game spoke, thought personally... 'Oi, there's a small difference between being nice and drowning someone, and I think you've stepped into the latter's territory.'
Celestia opened her mouth, smiling at the seemingly well-gone introduction, but was interrupted by a tap of a red and... wet hoof? "Oh Raven goodness, was it that bad?/Do no worry, the crown will pay for the cleaning." Celestia quickly turned her head to me again. "Star, please watch Twilight while I am gone for a moment, there has been an urgent situation with Sir Blueblood's patience."
Celestia vanished with a blinding light, leaving only Twilight and me in the room. I stared, although I didn't want to.
"Hehe, I'll just be going over here and practicing a bit." The small, but absurdly mana-loaded filly spoke with a shaking voice, before sitting down on a cushion that once was reserved for Sunset on the other side of the room.
A bit of advice, please do not put your distaste of past events on a pony of... lesser level, it might just cause unforeseen circumstances for them. The Game spoke carefully, dodging direct words. Now I was wondering if he expected me to do less-nice things with the newcomer, or that I could, what should I know, curse them?
If it was the first, I'd be insulted, but who knew?
I shook my head and looked back at the notes, well, after having wrangled back control of this body at least. I have become more adept with music, even without the help of the game, the perks of my position allowed me to copy the sound perfectly, however to this day I still haven't received a class for it, but then again, I hadn't really tried to put my heart into the songs so far. It was quite hard to play the violin while zombies are on the lawn trying to eat my brains. Especially when the buffs are too minuscule without having the musician class.
I did not need a skill or class to perform every action, after all, there wasn't a skill for eating or drinking, and the same went for things that did have a skill, I could cast a spell without having the skill, but it would be severely inefficient in the long run. For example, there is a skill to create an illuminating orb of light, I don't have it, but I'm able to cast the spell, but it's enough to light a room, the Game however, claims that with the skill It'd be powerful enough to create a flashbang.
I licked the strings with my bow gently, tunes emitted of gentle nature but not those I required for this melody. A bit of fiddling solved the problem, but even when my hooves left the tuning pegs in peace, I still heard a humming. I looked at my instrument with confusion, tapping the wood and shaking it gently to see if the cat hadn't left another toy in it. I had no idea how the furred arse managed to push a squeaky mouse through the strings into the hollow interior, but he managed it just fine. To this day I question where he gets them, I most certainly didn't buy them.
Entity Twilight Sparkle is the source of the noise and concerning levels of stress. The Game's voice interrupted me and beckoned me to look at the replacement for the fiery mare I called my friend.
'Huh, almost reminds me a bit of me when I tried to get my degree, sadly the slip of paper didn't get me anywhere good.' I thought sourly as I watched the filly- Twilight -stare so hard at a round piece of clay I wondered if her horn would jump off like a pop-it fidget toy. Sweat started to pour down her forehead while a magic formula book was floating right next to her eyes. I was pretty sure she just cracked that new chapter open, so it did leave me to wonder why she was putting this much energy in her first try, the literal first minute.
I took a short breath, deciding that she could maybe try it a bit longer before I'd intervene. With a pleasant thrust, the bow glided across the string and emitted a soothing tune, but the music was quickly overshadowed when the filly started to grunt and her emotions started to fucking poison the room.
'Uhg, iehh, damn does anxiety stink like sour, spoiled dough, urh, nope, I'm ending this now.' I scrunched my face with annoyance and looked at the matrix she was trying to create for the spell. [Spirit Senses] was helpful, for it enhanced what I already had, though I was nowhere near comfortable enough to use it in battle yet, my senses would just get overpowered. In a second I realized that she was attempting to create a sort of net around the object, basically an intensified version of the levitation spell, but instead of using vague pull and push forces, you're applying an undetermined amount of tethers into the material, and shaping it this way.
However I learned that thing literally two years ago at the age of almost ten, and I am pretty much ahead of all foal's learning in my mother's school, the fuck does she put herself through. It's not even like she's trying to compress the clay, but going further attempting to pull and shape it into a freaking square. In human terms, that's like for an amateur to attempt a double backflip.
With a crude notion, I initiated a motion that would lead to every music lover in earshot wishing for my head. I pulled the bow sharply across all strings, creating an eardrum shredding noise and canceling the futile attempts of my 'study partner.' Perhaps also scarring her music taste for generations to come.
"You seriously need to relax a little bit, ya know." I said with a chill tone, very un-prince-like, I know, but certainly more approachable than 'Halt thou offender of peace, destroyer of my patience and poisoner of mood, I shall condemn you to pause and stilled relaxation on the behalf of all pony nations.'
"Relax?" Twilight Sparkle said dumbfoundingly, letting her book drop to the floor and her magic fizzle out. "Relax??" She repeated with a stare matching a deer watching a two-ton wagon of metal rush towards it. Her chest started to rise and fall unnaturally and the coloration on her face turned slightly pale. "I forgot to relax!" Twilight shouted with a shrill voice, clutching her head with her hoof, before pushing a notebook towards her from the pile of her belongings. "List, where’s the list? The list! First, wake up, make your bed, check-up aforementioned points, go have breakfast, brush teeth, check checklist, pack your bag, check the list again."
Twilight didn't notice me approaching her, even when my form was looming over her with a concerned look on my face. It was hard to overlook me, given that I had grown to the size of most teens, despite being still a year or two away from puberty. That was one of the effects of possessing more endurance and strength than an adult unicorn. I gently put my hoof on her head and used [Gentle Touch] on the filly.
I hated to use this ability on people, hell, it pained me enough to use it on the cat so that I could draw it, but I didn't wish to call a doctor now, given that today was my mother's day off and I had no idea who was available right now. Looking back, I even disliked using any skill on ponies with the exception of healing miracles, it was just unfair in my opinion to use means used for... 'extermination’ on people for my own gain.
I pulled my hoof back after having used just enough calmness to balance out the anxiety and looked at the filly with a pleasant smile, not the forced default one, but a genuine one. Well, after swallowing the disgust for using manipulation on a child, but the fear of her blowing a fuse was superior. "I know you want to be really good at magic, but if you ask me, there's a better way."
"Really, what is it?" Twilight asked with interest, jumping on her hind legs and pulling herself uncomfortably close to my face. Well, that was until I picked her up and planted her on a pile of cushions with [Levitation].
"Oh, I'll get to that in a bit, but first let me help you experience magic." I was scared in my skull that I might’ve sounded creepy if I was being honest, like, if a stranger talked to Amber like that they'd be lucky if they didn't lose some teeth before they experience the magic of morphine in the hospital.
"Experience magic? You're going to show me how to cast the spell."
"Nope, I'm going to show you magic."
"But why, I already know. It's a fuel for spells that come in various forms and compositions, sometimes referred to as affinities or colors that-" I cut her off before she went on how basic magic is cast... Wait, did she know Glimmers guide for magic beginners, 12th edition from memory?
"Nope, neither that, and for your information, those dusty books might show you how to become a good magician, but not a great mage. I'm going to show you what magic really is, I'll show you a glimpse of how I see the world." I said with a grin and sat down next to the filly. I lowered my horn and touched her's, and here, through the use of [Spirit Sense], a little Aether, and the support of the Game, I allowed her to see the magic that flowed through the world, the lifeblood of realms.
The room appeared almost exactly how it was before, but when little Twilight looked through the doors of the balcony, she witnessed one of the sweetest sights this world had to offer and one I myself had not long ago discovered. The heavens were an ocean of colors, through which rivers of concentrated hues flowed, pulsating and granting magic all across the world. Like a fresh oil painting, an illuminated prism inside a pond. And it just so happened that several ley lines cross over this very mountain, creating something similar to a rainbow weave.
It was the opposite of the first sight of the Beast World's appearance. A place of absolute beauty, housing not an ounce of horror or pain, just a feeling of contentment.
"Wow." Twilight mumbled, the first mortal to have ever been graced with something that could otherwise only be faintly sensed through heavy and expensive equipment. But what was to be expected of a creation of the magnitude of the Game, other than the best.
"Magic flows through this world, through every stick and stone, cloud and tree, mountain and city, and you and me. It is the life of this world, and just as alive as every other thinking creature. It isn't just a resource for our spending, it’s something deserving of our respect and care. Treat it well, and it will do the same with you." I spoke gently, slowly, with as much emphasis and nostalgia to the nights I would read stories to Amber, I couldn't wait to show her this world one day. I couldn't wait for the reunion and just enjoyed the moment.
"That… I've never read about this in any book." Twilight said slowly while parting her eyes from the sky. The spell wouldn't last long after separating my horn from hers.
"Well, if you could experience everything life had to cover through books, they most certainly wouldn't’ve built parks." I joke faintly, before picking up the book once more and sitting down. Twilight joined me a moment later. "Now, let's show you how I learned-nevermind, I'll teach you my way, probably is a tad nice after all." The old Owl maybe was efficient, but he most certainly wasn’t nice regarding failure.
But the moment I took a deep breath, I noticed Celestia in the doorframe holding a camera, before a flash of light blinded me momentarily, and all I heard were two distinct voices.
"My colt and student, already getting along, and I was worried but now I fear my role has been taken." Celestia chucked while waving the picture through the air.
and there was also...
Retina damage: severe
Miss Inwell's Room
"Uhhh, yes, deeper, mhm, yes, come on give it your all, yes yes yes." Raven panted and demanded ferociously, begging for me to go further beyond with every motion, ramping the pleasure to even higher heights than the second before. Her back was a mess, if I may say so without any politeness. Knots and kinks littered her back and it's overflowing with stress that it was hard to help it. Like, it was almost like those problems were literally holding her body together. I originally didn't want to use any Aether to heal her because of raising suspicion, but now I was practically bound to, besides, even a normal massage would have made her younger at this point.
"Is the massage to your satisfaction?" I asked sweetly while twisting my right hoof slowly, releasing a plethora of pops and cracks. It had something oddly satisfying to it, and not only because good deeds raise my stats, but simply for the fun of it. While on the topic of fun, I could practically feel the blushes of the guards on the other side of the door. Wincing to the sweet noises of progress and rejuvenation.
I never knew you were a sadist.
'Oh shush it.'
"Ohh, hngh, yesshh..." Raven sighed into her pillow while I massaged her into her bed. I'm going to buy her a new mattress for Hearth’s Warming Eve, or as I like to call it, pre-mega-capitalist Christmas.
All in all, as I delved into my thoughts and looked over today and silenced the moans, I could claim this to have been a productive day.
Author's Note
This is the last side entry, before Chapter four.
View Online
The Game: Aether and Mind
Character sheet: John Weaver (Protagonist) Chapters 1-3
Summary of the third chapter
Star Touch - Corrupted Lord (John Weaver) Level - 37 Class - Warrior - level 24 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 870 [78 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 1193 [178 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 870 [78 per minute] STR (Strength) - 86,25= 86 (86) [115] END (Endurance) - 87 (87) [116] DEX (Dexterity) - 73 INT (Intelligence) - 119,25= 119 (119) [53] WIS (Wisdom) - 95 CHA (Charisma) -93,6= 94 (94) [104] LCK (Luck) - 40
Corruption (30)
Corrupted Fragrance (2)
Rapid, adaptive mutations
Races:
Titles:
[Corrupted Lord]
Proficiencies: * Polearm Proficiency level 1
*Slightly more efficient attacks.
Resources:
Resistances:
Physical Damage Resistance - Level 28 (Exp: 0,01%)
[Copper Flesh] - Passive
Fire Resistance - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Poison Resistance - lv 6 (Exp: 7,50)
Vilethorne Immunity - lv Max
Elements:
Equipped:
Goblin shield +30 defense
Bell of Prosperity +25% Miracle power
Inventory
Perks:
[Aether blessing: Intelligence]
[Former Human]
[Unicorn heritage]
[Valiant Heart]
Flaws
[Weak]
[Asexual]
Classes:
Warrior - 24
Warrior related abilities:
Meelee Proficiency
Power Strike - Level 27 (Exp: 8,04%)
Charge - Level 1 (Exp : 0,00%)
Warrior Determination - Level 1 (Exp : 0,00%)
Spiritualist - 13
Spiritualist related abilities:
Spiritual control
Gentle Touch - Level 23 (Exp: 14,00%)
Spirit Senses - Level 24 (Exp: 10,00%)
Infusion - Level 26
Create Spirit Well
Summon Lower Lesser Follower Spirit
Summon Lower Lesser Elemental
Cook - 23
Cook related abilities:
Cooking Proficiency (Novice)
Scribe - 23
Scribe related abilities:
[Writting Proficiency (Novice)] (Passive]
Artist - 23
Artist related abilities:
Art Creation proficiency (passive)
Skills
[GAMER's Mind (Passive) - Level Max]
[GAMER's Body (Passive) - Level Max]
ID Create - Level 2
ID Escape - Level Max
Language Understanding: Equestrian - Level Max
Observe - Level 25
Meditation - Level 23
Levitation - Level 24
Fireball - Level 27
Ice Bolt - Level 26
Mana Bolt - Level 23
Mana construct - Level 28
Stun Bolt - Level 23
Mana Knife - Level 23
Grow Vilethorne - lv 1
Quick Recovery
Kinetic Blast
[Eye of Fear]
[Eye of Change]
Status after Chapter three: ...Breaking...
Star Touch - Nightmare Slayer 1 (John Weaver) Level - 23 Class - Warrior - level 16 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 743 [74 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 990 [166 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 743 [74 per minute] STR (Strength) - 74,25= 74 (74,25) [99] END (Endurance) - 74,25= 74 (74,25) [99] DEX (Dexterity) - 61 INT (Intelligence) - 99 (99) [44] WIS (Wisdom) - 88 CHA (Charisma) -93,6= 94 (94) [104] LCK (Luck) - 32
Inventory
Phoenix Toyx1
Items removed:
Flaws:
Flaws removed
Status after Chapter three: A Mold Cracking...
Star Touch - Nightmare Slayer 1 (John Weaver) Level - 23 Class - Warrior - level 16 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 743 [74 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 990 [166 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 743 [74 per minute] STR (Strength) - 74,25= 74 (74,25) [99] END (Endurance) - 74,25= 74 (74,25) [99] DEX (Dexterity) - 46 INT (Intelligence) - 99 (99) [44] WIS (Wisdom) - 88 CHA (Charisma) - 44 (44) [88] LCK (Luck) - 32
Resistances:
Poison Resistance - lv 6 (Exp: 7,50)
Vilethorne Immunity - lv Max
Physical Damage Resistance - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Fire Resistance - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Equipped:
Goblin shield +30 defense
Bell of Prosperity +25% Miracle power
Apprentice Ring
Inventory
Classes: Warrior - 16
Warrior related abilities:
Power Strike - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Spiritualist - 7
Spiritualist related abilities:
Gentle Touch - Level 23 (Exp: 0%)
Spirit Senses - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Infusion - Level 23
Job Classes:
Cook - 23
Scribe - 23
Artist - 23
Skills
Grow Vilethorne - lv 1
Observe - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Meditation - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Levitation - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Fireball - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Ice Bolt - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Mana Bolt - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Mana construct - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Stun Bolt - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Mana Knife - Level 23 (Exp: 0,00%)
Summary of the second chapter
Star Touch (John Weaver) Level - 23 Class - Warrior - level 16 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 735 [74 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 923 [166 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 735 [74 per minute] STR (Strength) - 72,75= 73 (72,75) [97] END (Endurance) - 73,5= 74 (75,5) [98] DEX (Dexterity) - 40 INT (Intelligence) - 92,25 = 92 (92,25) [41] WIS (Wisdome) - 83 CHA (Charisma) - 42 (42) [84] LCK (Luck) - 27
Races:
Titles:
[Chaos Disciple.]
[Nightmare Slayer 1]
Resistances:
Physical Damage Resistance - Level 13 (Exp: 16,72%)
Fire Resistance - Level 3 (Exp: 0,00%)
Elements:
Equipped:
Goblin shield +30 defense
Bell of Prosperity +25% Miracle power
Inventory
Perks:
[Lucky Charm]
[Aether blessing: Intelligence]
[Former Human]
[Unicorn heritage]
[Valiant Heart]
Flaws
[Weak]
[Outcast]
Classes: Warrior - 16
Warrior related abilities:
Meelee Proficiency
Power Strike - Level 15 (Exp: 18,5%)
Spiritualist - 7
Spiritualist related abilities:
Spiritual control
Gentle Touch - Level 13 (Exp: 0%)
Spirit Senses - Level 10 (Exp: 0,00%)
Infusion - Level 2
Cook - 10
Cook related abilities:
Cooking Proficiency (Novice)
Scribe - 10
Scribe related abilities:
[Writting Proficiency (Novice)] (Passive]
Artist - 10
Artist related abilities:
Art Creation proficiency (passive)
Skills
[GAMER's Mind (Passive) - Level Max]
[GAMER's Body (Passive) - Level Max]
Observe - Level 12 (Exp: 9,91%)
Meditation - Level 10 (Exp: 10,99%)
ID Create - Level 2
ID Escape - Level Max
Levitation - Level 10 (Exp: 0,00%)
Language Understanding: Equestrian - Level Max
Fireball - Level 12 (Exp: 15,25%)
Ice Bolt - Level 10 (Exp: 18,11%)
Mana Bolt - Level 11 (Exp: 14,8%)
Mana construct - Level 10 (Exp: 21,32%)
Stun Bolt - Level 10
Mana Knife - Level 10 (Exp: 62,79%)
Status after Chapter Two: Birthday Colt Part 2.
Star Touch (John Weaver) Level - 10 Class - Warrior - level 10 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 510 [51 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 923 [96 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 510 [51 per minute] STR (Strength) - 50,25= 50 (50,25) [67] END (Endurance) - 51= 51 (51) [68] DEX (Dexterity) - 24 INT (Intelligence) - 90 (90) [40] WIS (Wisdome) - 48 CHA (Charisma) - 25,5 = 26 (25,5) [51] LCK (Luck) - 27
Status after Chapter Two: ...And A Bed Seperates Them.
Star Touch (John Weaver) Level - 10 Class - Warrior - level 10 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 510 [51 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 878 [94 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 510 [51 per minute] STR (Strength) - 50,25= 50 (50,25) [67] END (Endurance) - 51= 51 (51) [68] DEX (Dexterity) - 24 INT (Intelligence) - 87,75 = 88 (87,75) [39] WIS (Wisdome) - 47 CHA (Charisma) - 20,5 = 21 (20,5) [41] LCK (Luck) - 22
Races:
New Race unlocked:
"???" Changeling
Status after Chapter Two: In Which A Door Connects Ponies...
No changes.
Status after Chapter Two: Social Interactions
Star Touch (John Weaver) Level - 10 Class - Warrior - level 10 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 510 [51 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 878 [94 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 510 [51 per minute] STR (Strength) - 50,25= 50 (50,25) [67] END (Endurance) - 51= 51 (51) [68] DEX (Dexterity) - 24 INT (Intelligence) - 87,75 = 88 (87,75) [39] WIS (Wisdome) - 47 CHA (Charisma) - 13 (13) [26] LCK (Luck) - 22
Classes:
Artist - level 1
Art Creation proficiency (novice) (passive) You are able to creat works of art with some quality. *Reduced chance of failure by 5% *Increased chance to create Art above common rank by 5%
Status after Chapter Two: New Friends and Plans
Star Touch (John Weaver) Level - 10 Class - Warrior - level 10 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 510 [51 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 585 [76 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 510 [51 per minute] STR (Strength) - 50,25= 50 (50,25) [67] END (Endurance) - 51= 51 (51) [68] DEX (Dexterity) - 24 INT (Intelligence) - 67,5 = 68 (67,5) [30] WIS (Wisdome) - 38 CHA (Charisma) - 13 (13) [26] LCK (Luck) - 22
Titles:
Chaos Disciple.
Inventory
Skills:
Observe - Level 10 (Exp: 0,00%)
Meditation - Level 10 (Exp: 0,00%)This skill doesn't require any resources A serene state of Mind and Body where you fully become one with yourself. It lets you faster recover from fatigue and wounds and Increase the Rate at which you Replenish your Spirit. This skill will occasionally also allow the user to passively gain Wisdom points if they remain in this state long enough by becoming one with the ambient Aether around them. * Health regeneration increased by 10% * Mana regeneration increased by 10%
Levitation - Level 10 (Exp: 0,00%)This spell allows the user to move an object with the power of their mind. The spell itself has no limits and is completely dependent on the power of the caster. * Maximum weight: 13,5kg (Int * 200g) *Cost: 1 mana per 20g per minute *Maximum Range between caster and object: 5,5m
Fireball - Level 10 (Exp: 0,00%)
Ice Bolt - Level 10 (Exp: 0,00%)
Mana Bolt - Level 10 (Exp: 0,00%)
Mana construct - Level 10 (Exp: 0,00%)
Stun Bolt - Level 10
Mana Knife - Level 10 (Exp: 0,00%)
Physical Damage Resistance - Level 10 (Exp: 6,05%)
Gentle Touch - Level 10 (Exp: 0%)This skill doesn't require any resources Your touch can be anything from normal to any way that is pleasureful. The effect is decided by the user.
Classes
Warrior - level 10
Meelee Proficiency (Novice) You are able to wield most melee weapons at slightly higher efficiency and potency, as well as have slightly higher strength and endurance than an average being. You receive the following buffs while having this class equipped: *1,5 times higher strength *1,5 times higher endurance
Power Strike - Level 10 (Exp: 8,5%)
Cook - Level 10
Cooking Proficiency (Novice) You are able to cook something basic without setting everything aflame.
Scribe - level 10
Writting Proficiency (Novice) You are able to copy and write without a single error in any language you write in.
Spiritualist - Level 1
Spiritual control You are able to see and call the spirits and draw power from them. Your senses are heightened by their guidance and can receive blessings by praying to them and fulfilling their wishes. * The ability [Spirit Senses] is available while the class is chosen. * Meditation allows you to gather faith. * Maximum Faith capacity 100 faith.
Spirit Senses - Level 10 (Exp: 0,00%)1 Faith per minute As a chosen one by the Spirits, your senses are heightened to levels beyond to that of a normal mortal. * This ability can be turned on and off. * Smelling is enhanced * Hearing is Enhanced * Seeing is enhanced.
Summary of the first chapter
Star Touch (John Weaver) Level - 10 Class - Warrior - level 10 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 263 [49 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 315 [66 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 263 [49 per minute] STR (Strength) - 48,75= 49 (48,75) [65] END (Endurance) - 48,75= 49 (48,75) [65] DEX (Dexterity) - 20 INT (Intelligence) - 58,5 = 59 (58,5) [26] WIS (Wisdome) - 33 CHA (Charisma) - 11 (11) [22] LCK (Luck) - 20
Equipped: Knight Helmet +25 defense Leather chest plate +5 defense Golden Belt +7 Luck/ +5Defense Leather Leggings +5 defense Leather Shoes. +5 defense
Goblin shield +30 defense Knight Halberd +25 slash/pierce damage
Inventory
Perks:
[Lucky Charm] You are more likely to find treasures in the artificially created challenge, training, and proving grounds.
[Aether blessing: Intelligence] Intelligence is doubled
[Former Human] Although Humans have little ability in Aether, They have the potential to achieve great control and resourcefulness if given a chance Aether assimilation and modification has been enhanced, allowing for a 25% increase in Aether gain.
[Unicorn heritage] Unicorns are from birth on talented in the arts of controlling both Aether and Mind, even if it puts the average horned pony to great risk of being corrupted due to not having a way to stabilize these two forces. Intelligence increased by 25%
Flaws
[Weak] Your body is weak and feeble from birth on. Strengh, Endurance has been halved. With Strength and Endurance halved, so is your Health, Health regeneration, Stamina, and Stamina Regeneration. Benevolent creatures are likely to either pity you or chose to help you in times of need.
[Outcast] You are physically weak and don't fit into the life of a pony. Not only will the effects of [Different] be forced upon you, you will not be able to have any senses of pony, as well as instincts that define your new species. You will remain with human instincts and are unlikely to act like a real pony, other members of your kind will take notice of that and are unlikely to want to befriend you. The Charisma Stat is halved
Skills
[GAMER's Mind (Passive) - Level Max] Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows a peaceful state of mind. Immunity to mass psychological effects and any other psychological effects.
[GAMER's Body (Passive) - Level Max] Grants a body that allows for the user to live the real world like a game. All wounds even severed body parts, and mutilations will heal in time. Acts of consuming foods and drinks, as well as resting and sleeping, greatly improve healing properties.
Observe - Level 7 (Exp: 0,01%)
Meditation - Level 8 (Exp: 1,99%)This skill doesn't require any resources A serene state of Mind and Body where you fully become one with yourself. It lets you faster recover from fatigue and wounds and Increase the Rate at which you Replenish your Spirit. This skill will occasionally also allow the user to passively gain Wisdom points if they remain in this state long enough by becoming one with the ambient Aether around them. * Health regeneration increased by 10% * Mana regeneration increased by 10%
ID Create - Level 2This skill doesn't require any resources Used to create Instant Dungeons. Stronger Instant Dungeons may be created at higher levels. Currently available ID list: 1. Training Realm 2. Goblin Cave (Finished) 3. Locked until a certain power threshold has been reached
ID Escape - Level MaxThis skill doesn't require any resources Used to escape the Dungeons you have created. Be aware that sometimes the dungeons you create have special rules or conditions that may interfere with leaving the realm.
Levitation - Level 8 (Exp: 0,00%)This spell allows the user to move an object with the power of their mind. The spell itself has no limits and is completely dependent on the power of the caster. * Maximum weight: 5.760kg (Int * 180g) *Cost: 1 mana per 18g per minute *Maximum Range between caster and object: 4,5m
Language Understanding: Equestrian - Level MaxThis skill doesn't require any resource To understand a written language is like gaining a new sense equal to that of seeing and smelling. You are now able to understand any text written in Equestrian as well as write flawlessly in this language. Continuous reading and writing will cause a gain in Intelligence or wisdom.
Fireball - Level 4 (Exp: 20,84%)150mp to cast [Fireball] is the first spell in the arsenal of the pyromancer aswell as the most versatile. When cast, the caster has to understand that he or she is handling a living and breathing form of primordial power of both creation and destruction. Unlike real fire, those brought forth by magic and kept alive by mana do not just burn the flesh of the foe, but directly attack the life force, but that comes at the price of a lower chance of setting an enemy ablaze. -Grand Arch Mage Ul'salium *Damage: 170 (Int * 5) *Chance to set enemies ablaze: 10,2% (Int * 0,3)
Ice Bolt - Level 4 (Exp: 15,76%)150mp to cast [Ice Bolt] is the first spell in the arsenal of the cryomancer aswell the magic from which all other ice magic stems from. The art of frost magic is not about the act of fulfilling an object or creature wit energy but quite the opposite. To master the cold is harness thermal energy to absorb it into the surrounding by using mana as a catalyst and battery to absorb the warmth. As the spell is powered by magic, it's properties are different than that of normal cold in the way that it uses the targets life force to freeze it like a parasite. - Eldritch Lich King Quefestos *Maximum Damage: 102 (Int * 3) *Chance to slow target: 20,4% (Int * 0,6) *small chance to freeze the enemy, possibility depends on enemy health.
Mana Bolt - Level 5 (Exp: 14,8%)Mana bolt is the most basic spell of the arcane offensive tree. This spell is completely made out of mana without any spell matrix attached, meaning that although the spell is easy to learn, it's impossible to master as the strength completely depends on the mana used. As powerful as this spell is, the caster should not put all hopes into a single cast of magic because if it misses, then you are left without any mana left in you. - Grand Arch Mage Ul'salium *Maximum Damage: 315 (1 mana = 1 damage)
Mana construct - Level 2 (Exp: 21,32%)Mana construct is perhaps the most universal and flexible spell to have ever been created. This spell can have its use and execution changed based on user and situation by creating a spell matrix that has to be powered once or continuously by magic. Be it a shield, wall, stairs, or even armor and platform, any object can be brought to reality with this magic. - Manijios, the fanatic apprentice. *Size and durability can be decided by the user *One square centimeter has to have at least one mana point invested into it *Maximum Durability: 472,5 (1 Mana=1,5 health points) *Maximum Range: 1 meter
Stun Bolt - Level 1Stun Bolt is, despite the low requirements in both mana and experience, an odd spell. Nearly every mage knows how it is cast and what it does, but no one is aware of how it does for what it was made for. It is, however, to be believed that the effect varies depending on what you believe the spell does, but the outcome is always the same: The affected area of the target, depending on the strength of the spell, can cause everything from stiffness and numbness to complete loss of control on the spell's area of influence. -Grand Arch Mage Ul'salium *Deals no damage *15% chance to stun the target. *Spell cannot stun targets who's Intelligence, Wisdom, or Strenght is more than 1,2 times higher than that of the user. *Cost: 50 Mana
Mana Knife - Level 3 (Exp: 42,79%)Mana knife is a spell that's in a unique position given its properties. It can be as much of a weapon as it can be a tool for utility. But then there is also the fact that although it has no matrix, the user can decide if he wants to fuel the spell once for it to permanently stay in this form of for it to be powered continuously and allow it to act as some sort of short-ranged beam. -Manijios, the frustrated apprentice. *Damage: 68 (Int * 2) *Casting cost/Single use: 30 Mana *Continous use: 10 mana per 51 damage (Int * 1,5) per second.
Physical Damage Resistance - Level 5 (Exp: 6,05%)
Gentle Touch - Level 0 (Exp: 0%)This skill doesn't require any resources Your touch can be anything from normal to any way that is pleasureful. The effect is decided by the user.
Classes
Warrior
Meelee Proficiency (Novice) You are able to wield most melee weapons at slightly higher efficiency and potency, as well as have slightly higher strength and endurance than an average being. You receive the following buffs while having this class equipped: *1,5 times higher strength *1,5 times higher endurance
Power Strike - Level 5 (Exp: 8,5%)
Cook
Cooking Proficiency (Novice) You are able to cook something basic without setting everything aflame.
Scribe
Writting Proficiency (Novice) You are able to copy and write without a single error in any language you write in.
Spiritualist
Spiritual control You are able to see and call the spirits and draw power from them. Your senses are heightened by their guidance and can receive blessings by praying to them and fulfilling their wishes. * The ability [Spirit Senses] is available while the class is chosen. * Meditation allows you to gather faith. * Maximum Faith capacity 100 faith.
Spirit Senses - Level 0 (Exp: 0%)1 Faith per minute As a chosen one by the Spirits, your senses are heightened to levels beyond to that of a normal mortal. * This ability can be turned on and off. * Smelling is enhanced * Hearing is Enhanced * Seeing is enhanced.
Status after Chapter one: The first Dungeon
Star Touch (John Weaver) Level - 10 Class - Warrior - level 10 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 263 [49 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 315 [66 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 263 [49 per minute] STR (Strength) - 48,75= 49 (48,75) [65] END (Endurance) - 48,75= 49 (48,75) [65] DEX (Dexterity) - 20 INT (Intelligence) - 58,5 = 59 (58,5) [26] WIS (Wisdome) - 33 CHA (Charisma) - 11 (11) [22] LCK (Luck) - 20
Equipped: Knight Helmet +25 defense Leather chest plate +5 defense Golden Belt +7 Luck/ +5Defense Leather Leggings +5 defense Leather Shoes. +5 defense
Goblin shield +30 defense Knight Halberd +25 slash/pierce damage
Inventory
Meditation - Level 6 (Exp: 1,99%)This skill doesn't require any resources A serene state of Mind and Body where you fully become one with yourself. It lets you faster recover from fatigue and wounds and Increase the Rate at which you Replenish your Spirit. This skill will occasionally also allow the user to passively gain Wisdom points if they remain in this state long enough by becoming one with the ambient Aether around them. * Health regeneration increased by 10% * Mana regeneration increased by 10%
Fireball - Level 1--> 5 (Exp: 20,84%)
Mana Bolt - Level 1 -->4 (Exp: 14,8%)
Mana Knife - Level 1--> 2(Exp: 42,79%)
Mana construct - Level 1-->3 (Exp: 21,32%)
Observe - Level 5 --> 7 (Exp: 0,01%)
Stun Bolt - Level 1---3 (Exp: 3,00%)
Physical Damage Resistance - Level 7 (Exp: 6,05%)
Power Strike - Level 5 (Exp: 8,5%)
Gentle Touch - Level 0 (Exp: 0%)This skill doesn't require any resources Your touch can be anything from normal to any way that is pleasureful. The effect is decided by the user.
Spiritual control You are able to see and call the spirits and draw power from them. Your senses are heightened by their guidance and can receive blessings by praying to them and fulfilling their wishes. * The ability [Spirit Senses] is available while the class is chosen. * Meditation allows you to gather faith. * Maximum Faith capacity 100 faith.
Spirit Senses - Level 0 (Exp: 0%)1 Faith per minute As a chosen one by the Spirits, your senses are heightened to levels beyond to that of a normal mortal. * This ability can be turned on and off. * Smelling is enhanced * Hearing is Enhanced * Seeing is enhanced.
Status after Chapter one: Preperations
Star Touch (John Weaver) Level - 1 Class - Warrior (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 75 [7,5 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 315 [44 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 75 [7,5 per minute] STR (Strength) - 7,5 = 8 (7,5) [10] END (Endurance) - 7,5 = 8 [10] DEX (Dexterity) - 10 INT (Intelligence) - 33,75 = 34 (33,75) [15] WIS (Wisdome) - 22 CHA (Charisma) - 6 (6) [12] LCK (Luck) - 10
Inventory
Meditation - Level 1--> 6 (Exp: 66,67%)This skill doesn't require any resources A serene state of Mind and Body where you fully become one with yourself. It lets you faster recover from fatigue and wounds and Increase the Rate at which you Replenish your Spirit. This skill will occasionally also allow the user to passively gain Wisdom points if they remain in this state long enough by becoming one with the ambient Aether around them. * Health regeneration increased by 10% * Mana regeneration increased by 10%
Levitation - Level 1--> 8 (Exp: 0,00%)This spell allows the user to move an object with the power of their mind. The spell itself has no limits and is completely dependent on the power of the caster. * Maximum weight: 5.760kg (Int * 180g) *Cost: 1 mana per 18g per minute *Maximum Range between caster and object: 4,5m
Language Understanding: Equestrian - Level MaxThis skill doesn't require any resource To understand a written language is like gaining a new sense equal to that of seeing and smelling. You are now able to understand any text written in Equestrian as well as write flawlessly in this language. Continuous reading and writing will cause a gain in Intelligence or wisdom.
Fireball - Level 1150mp to cast [Fireball] is the first spell in the arsenal of the pyromancer aswell as the most versatile. When cast, the caster has to understand that he or she is handling a living and breathing form of primordial power of both creation and destruction. Unlike real fire, those brought forth by magic and kept alive by mana do not just burn the flesh of the foe, but directly attack the life force, but that comes at the price of a lower chance of setting an enemy ablaze. -Grand Arch Mage Ul'salium *Damage: 170 (Int * 5) *Chance to set enemies ablaze: 10,2% (Int * 0,3)
Ice Bolt - Level 1150mp to cast [Ice Bolt] is the first spell in the arsenal of the cryomancer aswell the magic from which all other ice magic stems from. The art of frost magic is not about the act of fulfilling an object or creature wit energy but quite the opposite. To master the cold is harness thermal energy to absorb it into the surrounding by using mana as a catalyst and battery to absorb the warmth. As the spell is powered by magic, it's properties are different than that of normal cold in the way that it uses the targets life force to freeze it like a parasite. - Eldritch Lich King Quefestos *Maximum Damage: 102 (Int * 3) *Chance to slow target: 20,4% (Int * 0,6) *small chance to freeze the enemy, possibility depends on enemy health.
Mana Bolt - Level 1Mana bolt is the most basic spell of the arcane offensive tree. This spell is completely made out of mana without any spell matrix attached, meaning that although the spell is easy to learn, it's impossible to master as the strength completely depends on the mana used. As powerful as this spell is, the caster should not put all hopes into a single cast of magic because if it misses, then you are left without any mana left in you. - Grand Arch Mage Ul'salium *Maximum Damage: 315 (1 mana = 1 damage)
Mana construct - Level 1Mana construct is perhaps the most universal and flexible spell to have ever been created. This spell can have its use and execution changed based on user and situation by creating a spell matrix that has to be powered once or continuously by magic. Be it a shield, wall, stairs, or even armor and platform, any object can be brought to reality with this magic. - Manijios, the fanatic apprentice. *Size and durability can be decided by the user *One square centimeter has to have at least one mana point invested into it *Maximum Durability: 472,5 (1 Mana=1,5 health points) *Maximum Range: 1 meter
Stun Bolt - Level 1Stun Bolt is, despite the low requirements in both mana and experience, an odd spell. Nearly every mage knows how it is cast and what it does, but no one is aware of how it does for what it was made for. It is, however, to be believed that the effect varies depending on what you believe the spell does, but the outcome is always the same: The affected area of the target, depending on the strength of the spell, can cause everything from stiffness and numbness to complete loss of control on the spell's area of influence. -Grand Arch Mage Ul'salium *Deals no damage *15% chance to stun the target. *Spell cannot stun targets who's Intelligence, Wisdom, or Strenght is more than 1,2 times higher than that of the user. *Cost: 50 Mana
Mana Knife - Level 1Mana knife is a spell that's in a unique position given its properties. It can be as much of a weapon as it can be a tool for utility. But then there is also the fact that although it has no matrix, the user can decide if he wants to fuel the spell once for it to permanently stay in this form of for it to be powered continuously and allow it to act as some sort of short-ranged beam. -Manijios, the frustrated apprentice. *Damage: 68 (Int * 2) *Casting cost/Single use: 30 Mana *Continous use: 10 mana per 51 damage (Int * 1,5) per second.
Classes
Warrior
Meelee Proficiency (Novice) You are able to wield most melee weapons at slightly higher efficiency and potency, as well as have slightly higher strength and endurance than an average being. You receive the following buffs while having this class equipped: *1,5 times higher strength *1,5 times higher endurance
Cook
Cooking Proficiency (Novice) You are able to cook something basic without setting everything aflame.
Scribe
Writting Proficiency (Novice) You are able to copy and write without a single error in any language you write in.
Status after Chapter one: An unwelcome visit
Levitation - Level 1This spell allows the user to move an object with the power of their mind. The spell itself has no limits and is completely dependent on the power of the caster. * Maximum weight: 2.5kg (Int * 100g) *Cost: 1 mana per 10g per minute *Maximum Range between caster and object: 1m
Status after Chapter one: A new Dawn
Star Touch (John Weaver) Level - 1 Class - None (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 50 [5 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 247,5 [32 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 10 [5 per minute] STR (Strength) - 5 (5) [10] END (Endurance) - 5 (5) [10] DEX (Dexterity) - 10 INT (Intelligence) - 24,75 = 25 (11) [11] WIS (Wisdome) - 16 CHA (Charisma) - 5 (5) [10] LCK (Luck) - 10
Observe - Level 2 --> 5This skill doesn't require any resources This skill allows you to 'Observe' an Objective, entity, or event and display its information. This skill only works with creatures or objects that are below your overall level or a maximum of ten levels above you, with each level, the knowledge gained will lessen. This skill now allows an accurate description of items, creatures, and events of the rank: Common and below.
Meditation - Level 1This skill doesn't require any resources A serene state of Mind and Body where you fully become one with yourself. It lets you faster recover from fatigue and wounds and Increase the Rate at which you Replenish your Spirit. This skill will occasionally also allow the user to passively gain Wisdom points if they remain in this state long enough by becoming one with the ambient Aether around them. * Health regeneration increased by 10% * Mana regeneration increased by 10%
ID Create - Level 1This skill doesn't require any resources Used to create Instant Dungeons. Stronger Instant Dungeons may be created at higher levels. Currently available ID list: 1. Training Realm 2. Locked until a certain power threshold has been reached
ID Escape - Level MaxThis skill doesn't require any resources Used to escape the Dungeons you have created. Be aware that sometimes the dungeons you create have special rules or conditions that may interfere with leaving the realm.
Status after Chapter one: The Tutorial
No Name (John Weaver) Level - 1 Class - None (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 50 [5 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 247,5 [22 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 10 [5 per minute] STR (Strength) - 5 (5) [10] END (Endurance) - 5 (5) [10] DEX (Dexterity) - 10 INT (Intelegence) - 24,75 = 25 (11) [11] WIS (Wisdome) - 11 CHA (Charisma) - 5 (5) [10] LCK (Luck) - 10
Observe - Level 2This skill doesn't require any resources This skill allows you to 'Observe' an Objective, entity, or event and display its information. This skill only works with creatures or objects that are below your overall level or a maximum of ten levels above you, with each level, the knowledge gained will lessen.
No Name (John Weaver)
Mp = INT x 10
Perks:
[Lucky Charm] You are more likely to find treasures in the artificially created challenge, training, and proving grounds.
[Aether blessing: Intelligence] Intelligence is doubled
[Former Human] Although Humans have little ability in Aether, They have the potential to achieve great control and resourcefulness if given a chance Aether assimilation and modification has been enhanced, allowing for a 25% increase in Aether gain.
[Unicorn heritage] Unicorns are from birth on talented in the arts of controlling both Aether and Mind, even if it puts the average horned pony to great risk of being corrupted due to not having a way to stabilize these two forces. Intelligence increased by 25%
Flaws
[Weak] Your body is weak and feeble from birth on. Strengh, Endurance has been halved. With Strength and Endurance halved, so is your Health, Health regeneration, Stamina, and Stamina Regeneration. Benevolent creatures are likely to either pity you or chose to help you in times of need.
[Outcast] You are physically weak and don't fit into the life of a pony. Not only will the effects of [Different] be forced upon you, you will not be able to have any senses of pony, as well as instincts that define your new species. You will remain with human instincts and are unlikely to act like a real pony, other members of your kind will take notice of that and are unlikely to want to befriend you. The Charisma Stat is halved
Skills
[GAMER's Mind (Passive) - Level Max] Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows a peaceful state of mind. Immunity to mass psychological effects and any other psychological effects.
[GAMER's Body (Passive) - Level Max] Grants a body that allows for the user to live the real world like a game. All wounds even severed body parts, and mutilations will heal in time. Acts of consuming foods and drinks, as well as resting and sleeping, greatly improve healing properties.
View Online
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four: A Golden Palace Above A Black Night [E]
"Come on, come on, catch me if you can, slowpoke!" I exclaimed hastily with quickened breath, before jumping to the side and evading Lemon Tart with a long jump. Here in the canterlot gardens, only but a cat's jump away from where a cottage for Gentle and I has been built on the palace grounds, where we were enjoying the day. She didn't wear her armor, it was my wish, thus allowing her to have a chance at the game. On a side note, it also allowed me the possibility to see her actual colors. A long, fuzzy, dirty white coat enveloped her slightly chubby form, while a yellow, curly mane rested on her head, a short one at that, in addition, she possessed a cutie mark that looked like a sweet, a lemon drop, much fitting to her name.
"You'll be eating those words in just a moment, you hear!" Lemon Tart shouted while comedically waving her hoof in my direction, before taking on the chase with a bombastic start. "I've survived boot camp, catching you is just a matter of time."
I gasped loudly, before jumping straight into a sprint while being chased like a great deal on Black Friday.
I was twelve years old, a dozen years have passed since I've become an inhabitant of this world, and now with all the experiences I've gained, the fun I've had, and challenges, worldly and otherworldly, I cannot deny that I couldn't quite imagine a future where I would've been much happier in the grand scheme. The playdates with my friends, playing sports with Gerb, reading books and comics with Cairn, or drawing with Sugar Drop, all complimented my life here and I was happy, it was no longer hard to swallow for me to proclaim that my old life was shit, but saying that my existence was pleasant, that was a sentence it took well over a decade to truly admit.
With every day I've learned more from Hauhuthos: the world's politics, the balance, the magic, and its inhabitants, they all contributed to my worldview. The relationship with the various races in this world gave me a kind of vision I lacked years prior. And the relationship with my family, not adoptive, at least it wasn't so in my heart, was something I ~~desired~~ yearned wished for a long time.
I was happy despite the long road that was set before me, as host and prince, but now with the tools and mindset available, I could claim I'm ready to take on the journey.
Suddenly I felt a strong tug from my backside, and I was pulled back. I dug my hooves into the soft, grassy turf like iron spikes, and tried to push myself forward whilst a look of absolute shock was plastered on my face. I jumped forward, separating myself from the tether, but just a second later, I felt a heavy object collide with me and sent the both of us rolling, and despite this, I giggled loudly.
I was caught.
Lemon Tart huffed heavily with me laying right next to her, although I was less exhausted, still, my heart pounded just as strong. "Y-you, if you weren't my prince, huff, you'd make a darn good recruit."
A smile sprung up, and I jumped from my position, hopping around the tired mare gleefully. "Come on, the day's still young, another game, another game."
Things weren't the way they used to be, with me appearing frail and lacking any impressive physical abilities, those deceptive days were long gone. I had since gained a healthy layer of fat and muscle and soft fur to boot. My strength, physically and magically, rivaled those of adult unicorns through various, daily training routines, exercise, extensive training to push me to the next level. Heh, a pun.
"Goodness young prince, she may still be as jumpy as any youthful mare, but she’s still got her limits." Puff Pastry commented from the side while laying on a comfortable garden chair, and she too lacked armor, but her reason was not due to my wish, she quit guard duties a year ago. My wish to still see her, however, was the cause for her presence. A cream, wooly coat graced her elderly body, and a meshy crown of graying, light-brown hair sat atop her head. "Your son, on the other hoof, seems to be getting wilder by the day."
"Huh, well, yes." Gentle Touch lay in a hammock while writing a letter, one she put a lot of care into. My original suspicion that she was seeing someone was kind of proven right, at least she does spend time with a stallion, or at least, the Game claims that the hair contains DNA sequences of a male pony. I wasn't even stalking her, let the mare do what she wishes to do, she deserves it, the Game just loves to inform me about everything. Things like air humidity, flux levels, air molecule to dust particle ratio in the air, all sorts of stuff. "A colt’s got to test his limits, especially if mines' get pushed always higher."
My ears sank into my long, fluffy, some might even call it mare-ish mane while a sheepish smile sprang on my blushing visage. Some of the things I heard Gentle say were embarrassing, at least so in public, though they did remind me of my first, young years, the emotions almost reminiscent of my buried feeling of yonder.
A nearby creature has lost a marginal amount of health. The Game spoke, and my ears flared up, and indeed I heard grunting. I was surprised by the sudden announcement, not in the sense like an alarm clock or a used-to scream, more so an unígnorable notification.
"Who's groaning so much?" I asked loudly, before turning to the huffing Lemon Tart, who, a few seconds later and seeing a confused look on my face, quickly straightened up and puffed her chest in an attempt to mask the moment of fatigue.
"Oh ehm, that's, because today is a school visit planned, they're overviewing a sparring season of the future recruits." Lemon Tart said and walked towards a railing, from which one of the training grounds for the guard could overview. I followed with peaked interest and with a little shove of my personal guard, I saw quite the show.
Huh, pony foals from above kind of looked like sausage dogs, very colorful hounds.
"I am pretty sure foal-no, scratch that, fighting rings, in general, are outlawed by the third clause of the entertainment sector regulation act. No pain, suffering or damage, temporary and permanent, may be caused for monetary exchange." I spoke without any thought while overlooking the scene. Huh, never quite thought about this, but I can recall memories completely on my own without the Game. Or he was just getting better at guessing.
"Ugh, don't just jump in front of him, those wooden swords have quite the punch." Lemon spoke with a whine.
A pretty robust colt, white fur and two shaded hair, teal and blue, again and again, he jumped into the ring to be knocked out of it. He huffed and puffed heavily, but most certainly not as much someone his age should, given the constant beating he was receiving. The boy's eyes wavered for a moment, taking this moment to rest not just his muscles before he double took his latest sight, and our eyes locked.
"Is he saluting me?" I waved back with my typical smile, 'cause, well, looking away with concern and talking to a third party while someone had apparently enough respect to salute you would be severely damaging to one's pride. Beating is not calculated into the equation.
"Most likely a colt in the pre-recruitment selection stage." Lemon Tart said, eyes still looking onto the field below. There was a weirdly suspicious trio of griffon tourists who were taking an awful lot of pictures. Not a few moments later, a pair of guards intercepted them and by the looks of it, they got into a little argument.
The source is located too far away with an excessive amount of noises disturbing my ability to single out the voice lines.
'Not important now' I replied in my head, lowering my head and nodding towards the colt as my second last action, for only one more thing was necessary for me to do, before returning to play. To see the potential this one had, for if the power radiating from this sprout was an indication for his future, it would be a fruitful one.
Entity Shining Shield: He possesses the perks [Greater Unicorn Heritage], [Greater Mage Ancestry], and [Shield Warden]. Stats seem to be more advanced than his peers by an intensive margin. The Game read out his stats to me with a musing tone, copying my own mood.
Nowhere near as jawbreaking as Twi's numbers, but he surely is someone gifted. Keep an eye on this one, I'd like to formally introduce myself to him soon.
With my final thought, well, thought out, I turned back to the scene of Gentle Touch giggling to herself while giving an envelope to a servant. I couldn't help but smile inwardly at the sight: I still didn't know much of her previous life, and I wouldn't pry, but I most certainly could be happy for her.
And then my smile immediately fucking died when I saw Raven walk towards me with a clipboard. With a deep sigh, and a smile plastered atop my smile, I walked forward to greet the tasks of Tuesday ahead: In other words, more formal dancing lessons. Urgh, I couldn't wait for them to be reduced in two years for sword fighting practice.
The Gamer's Dream
I gnashed my teeth while submerged in shallow water. My body was cut and burned by knives and magic while struggling under the weight of a large boulder. I could barely make out the artificial sun rays that shone around the rock's silhouette before my vision was disrupted by a family of bubbles as air escaped my lungs in bursts.
At times, I worry for your health, Star. The Game said, filling my head with his almost white-noise-like voice. He sighed with much displeasure. For your intensive use of strength and resilience under severe circumstances you earn one point in Strength and Endurance.
I jerked, and the last of my air left me, and my strength planned to do the same. I wrapped my magic around the weight, and readied both my forehooves, to catapult the stone away from me with the combined use of [Levitation] and [Powerstrike]. The rock shot out of the water, and I followed suit but a second later to greedily bite and swallow every crumble of air I could get my mouth and snout on.
"It was-fuck!- worth it!" I explained while violently coughing, my lungs and brain received great damage, but it all would be, just as I said, be required for desired results. I grunted still seconds later, willing the water and blood from my face, only to see that my projectile had demolished an incomplete statue of a doe drinking from a tranquil puddle. Not much of a loss, it was a failed endeavor either way, or at least, I told myself that.
I was referring to your mental stability. The Game pouted angrily. While using self-harm as a way to level up resistance is agreeable with me, using, frankly, torturous methods of precise body trauma and asphyxiation to boost your stats is not a sustainable practice.
"Okay, I get it, hurting myself is bad, but the norm doesn't count right now." I rubbed the bridge of my snout with the tip of my hoof, before walking toward a sunny patch of grass. "I'm hurting myself, but I'm not hurting, however, I need every advantage I can scour before the next dungeon."
If you say so...
"And please do refrain from using guilt tripping." I said with a nod, turning around to greet the projected form of the Game. "Sides, I'm just doing everything to survive, I ain't getting any sick pleasure kicks from stabbing myself between the ribs... Alright, that does sound morbid when spoken out loud."
I exhaled and frowned deeply to myself. I sacrificed this chance six years ago, and here I was now hesitating, but I wouldn't delay it any further, I couldn't, for it was time. The moment to present all I learned and not be brought once again, to within an inch of my life.
It's time. The Game spoke without solemnity, excitement, joy, or caution, leaving me with just my emotions.
I sat there at the side of the small river, really it was more akin to a snake-like pond, with my hindlegs submerged in the water, while basking my face in the sunlight. I enjoyed the sensation of flesh mending, it wasn't like a primal urge, an artistic desire, or a guilty pleasure, it was just so natural, even if the act of receiving damage first was, albeit painlessly in most cases, unnerving. Growing flesh and bones, mending tissue, so much so that even time-limited cells regenerate so fast that, for a few seconds, I felt mortality and immortality slip by one another. I can't describe it in words, no sentence exists within any language I knew, and I understood several, but this... this was just an excuse, I had already healed thirty seconds ago, this only served to prolong the moment of peace, because what awaited me was nothing short of genocide, pest control in the lightest of terms, and it was all just a means to an end. I felt nothing for the beasts, but I was afraid to inch closer to them, I was eating them , they were becoming part of me even if ground to dust first. Perhaps, it was just the fear that leveling up too much could change me even further.
Hell, I couldn't recognize myself anymore, but I couldn't quite tell if that was for the better or worst.
"Let's go." Were my last words, before the world morphed into something... divine.
Lucus Caelestis
Within a clouded ocean in the sky, where no stars nor mountains could be seen, a floating city of bleached gold, whitened crystals, spires of stark bone, and gates of light sprawled across layers and levels, spanned as far the eye could see, I emerged. But all I saw was a long, wide road at which's side stood pillars, long as houses and tall as skyscrapers, guiding my path towards a gate atop which's poles stood a great blue gem, each chained to the stone. However, it wasn't just a normal road, for, in the middle of the path, two pillars collapsed and blocked my view, while further outwards, behind the pillars, loomed an endless fall. This city wasn't floating above a world, it was in a void, or so my eyes perceived.
The air tasted like water, while the wind blew through my fur below my armor quite fiercely, not enough to cause damage, but a mortal man certainly would, after the extended duration, suffer damage. I took a deep breath in, hopped onto my hind legs, and slowly walked forward with my halbert in hooves. [Spirit Senses] was a miraculous ability, albeit too powerful for its own good. It was perfect to sharpen the senses to dangers, however, I couldn't activate it near too many sources of interest, as even in a sparsely filled market was enough to overwhelm me.
I took in a deep breath, the air was thin, horribly thin but rich to unexplainable degrees. It was like I was drinking a thin layer of air atop yogurt, but to sustain myself I had to forcibly 'bite' the air. There was an artistic desire within me to view my surroundings more thoroughly, however, this place was less so of a museum, and more akin to a colosseum.
My heart pounded under my chest plate, most of my armor wasn't worth anything anymore except for my helmet, and the shield could only help me so much, but I have learned that five health points can make the difference, so I wasn't to question it. I perked my ears, picking up the slightest irregularities between the howling wind, and the air sizzling past my ear flaps. My eyes slowly turned towards my halberd, the shining metal reflected my face and what lay above me.
I wasn't scared, but most certainly nervous. I wouldn't let my guard down, however I needed to steady my nerves with more calming thoughts, the vision of progress, and images of satisfaction. Stress and anxiety wouldn't kill me, but anticipation seemingly could.
I had been making preparations to make my own forge, of course not entirely through my own means. Sooner or later I found more material, even a few nuggets of metal of obscure nature, an anvil was bought and diagrams of equipment and patterns were copied, hundreds of them during my short visit to the forge. I claimed to organize the folders, which I did, but ultimately I gained recipes to make ingots. I had the blueprints, the material, and a lot of equipment, but lacked the forge, I could make ingots since I had a professional heater, but using it in the current state would destroy it without a seared tank infused with aether or a seared crucible, and I wouldn't easily gain another opportunity to find an alley merchant selling one of them, much less so buy one given how expensive they were. No, all I needed was grout, or in other words: Clay, gravel, sand, and a bit of mineral powder, however, those aren't sold in Canterlot, maybe in an industrial city like Manehatten or Fillydelphia, which is why I haven't started to craft my own weapons yet. It was quite a dilemma, but it was only a matter of time till I got my hooves around some, I mean, I even got a furnace in my cave.
A flash of lights flashed across my weapon's blade. I rammed my polearm up into the air, into the abdomen of the nightmare attacking me, and hurled it onto the metallic floor away. The sound of rustling armor, metal on metal colliding against one another time and time again brought jerks and flinches forward with each sound, ultimately forcing me to deactivate [Spirit Senses]. My eyes sharpened onto the quickly rising, gold-plated nightmare, but even in its weakened state, I remained diligent, no hesitation, no waiting, every strike would be delivered with the intention to kill. My breath slightly clouded my vision in front of me, my heart pounded, and my breastplate stretched and gnarled in anticipation.
Finally, a humanoid armor of gold-bearing but an empty, devoid void below the metal, it was but a framework for something that only differed marginally from a nightmare stood before me. It was an atrocity, the nightmares may be monsters but this thing, in its very rooted essence, was something even more wrong . The nightmare clenched its weapon, a straight sword made of heavenly, hard light, the same material its wings were made of. There, where my weapon punctured its breastplate, a great hole protruded from which golden and purple dust flowed out and dissipated like smoke. It was not bothered by the wound, in fact, it walked toward me with steady, firm steps while holding its weapon tightly.
I kept my gaze on it, waiting for it to strike first, analyzing the behavior of my new foe, but when I heard the sound of more wings flapping in the distance, I knew my liberty of time had been taken. I retracted my shield back into my inventory and charged onward with its quick death in mind. I was not the same I was six years ago, I was stronger and faster, and closed the gap in seconds. My hooves left the ground with a spring-like jump, nearly two meters in the air, and plummeted, with my weapon pointed, downward on the clad knight.
-45
My eyes widened when I saw my weapon bounce not off my foe, but on the metallic floor. The nightmare foresaw my attack, and rolled out of my attack's path, before ramming its sword into my armpit. It wasn't a hastily stringed-together set of moves, it was an ingrained, masterful execution, partially robotic, partially intuitional, perhaps even more refined than my fighting was. With gritted teeth, I let go of my weapon and punched it in the face with an [Power Strike] enhanced attack. Bits and pieces shot in all directions, but I didn't stop there, for when it managed to flip it onto its knees, I launched a [Kinetic Blast] which shattered its skull. And when it died, I knew that what I fought was not the kind of nightmare I knew, for it crumbled away into flakes of light, unlike the un-materialized nightmares lurking in the mirrored capital, but differently, it returned to somewhere else, leaving behind but a pulsating, golden coin.
I huffed and turned around, seeing two more living armors land not far off, one bearing a spear, the other a longsword. My face tightened, I was above letting my disdain for them cloud my judgment, but that did not mean that suspicion and paranoia ran rampant in my skull. "Observe." I whisper, my breath gliding across my lips meagerly, but it was enough to set off both knights, they charged at me in synchronicity.
Lower Lesser Sanctum guardian Level - 25 Class - Divine Scion - level 25 Race - Construct/Artificial ? HP (Health Points) - 800 [--- per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 420 [--- per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - unlimited [--- per minute] STR (Strength) - 150 END (Endurance) - 175 DEX (Dexterity) - 125 INT (Intelligence) - 0 WIS (Wisdom) - 0 CHA (Charisma) -0 LCK (Luck) - 0
Construct This creature does not require any sustenance to exist, however, cannot regenerate without the use of skill or repairs. This creature is immune to mortal status effects and those affecting the mind. It cannot grow.
"Game, keep up with me." I said, before lowering my gaze and running forward, while a torrent of weak mana bolts shot at the longsword wielder. It raised its weapon, and slashed forward, attempting to swipe as many of them out of the air as possible, but at the same time rooting itself in place. I continued to charge, still holding onto my flurry of attacks, and when I reached the spear-thing, I raised my weapon high up into the air. The nightmare in response attempted to slash open my gut, but I interjected by ramming the side of my weapon into its face with an overhead push, before sliding down in a split and crushing both of its legs with a horizontal strike.
In my singular second of relaxation, I underestimated my enemy once more and was baffled, when it slammed its palm onto the ground, stabilizing itself mid-air, and returning the favor by almost copying my attack. I was barely able to block the strike with my halberd, but at a cost, for the head of the polearm was launched away. With a scowl, and another incoming attack, I grasped the head of my halbert and pushed it against the attack using [levitation], but to my horror, a mere second after touching the energy weapon, it began to melt. With widened eyes, I took my stick and rammed it forward, but only managed to dent the helmet, for it let go from the ground and grasped the wooden staff. In response to its counter, I quickly used this moment of unbalance to increase the force on the melting metal and hurled the blob at the helmet. The constructs jerked, violently attempting to swipe the thick, metal goo off its face. Using this quick moment of confusion, I infused my stick with lighting and whacked it across the still dry side of the helmet again and again till the beast started to crumble just like its predecessor.
I pushed myself up, and turned to the battered and burned longsword user. With a growl, and at my behest, Wadjeta and Tesla appeared at my side. The nightmare only realized my attack too late, when a blast of water knocked the metal man into a pillar, pushing it with such force that its armor groaned and creaked before a booming thunderstrike struck into its abdomen and spread the individual pieces of armor in all directions.
I took a deep breath, and ground my teeth against each other while pressing the liquified head and my wooden staff against one another, slowly preparing it. Looking back, I could feel my skin char and crumble, my moisture sizzled, but at the same time tediously increasing my fire resistance. It was only partially the pain that was responsible for my facial expression, it was also because my equipment was starting to fail me.
Polearm proficiency has risen to level 3, your summons have leveled up to level 5. The Game noted after a few seconds when my weapon was at its peak once more, but quickly stuffed back into my inventory and replaced by my Hobgoblin Club. The dungeon officially begins just a few meters ahead, there you may equip another class. While I do not know much more than you currently about this test region, it is noteworthy that falling 'out of bounds' will not kill you, but severely injure and lock you out for some time. The coins are also of some future importance.
I huffed with a little smile and rested the club on my shoulder. "'Appreciate you pushing my mind in a different direction." I said kindly, before looking at the path ahead and saw a great, circular, silver plate on which the same goat emblem was emblazoned, but in addition, it seemed as if a circle of blue light, moving like fire, rested just above it. "I'm not going to whine about the challenge, even if it makes surviving harder, I just hope the zombies didn't make me soft." I huffed while shaking my head, before walking forward, each step sounding like a pebble thrown into an empty boiler.
I stopped, just a step in front of the glowing circle, and looked around with skepticism. "Looks awfully Christian if I am being honest." I scratched my helmet while looking over a patrol of four constructs flying far off in the sky. "Isn't religeon supposed to have, I don't fucking know, be seen as something, ya know, not nightmarish?"
"Tremble before the Lord and rejoice as he opens his kingdom to you" The Game said with an awfully thick pronunciation.
"That doesn't sound like a bible quote"
You never read the bible
"So did most people who quote that book." I said with crossed arms, before leaning my head back, looking at the brightly illuminated sky lacking a sun. "But then again, not a lot of people do read that old thing anymore, hell, Lord of the Rings and that Scientology tome outsold it like five years ago before I left." One religion out, two in its place.
The idea of an afterlife featuring gold and palaces in the sky is very dominant in a majority of earth-bound creatures believing in an afterlife, you'll see that the dungeon often only graces your understanding of power and scale and concept. After all, we might see a hellish realm of fire and demons after this, then a forest bearing powerful beasts, and after that a crypt with the undead.
I lowered my gaze, and nodded, before finally entering the circle of light.
You have entered the second dungeon: Lucus Caelestis. You may choose another class
*First Task: Kill the Gate Guardian
[Necromancer] [Arcanist] [Pyromancer] [Cryomancer] [Archer] [Engineer]
"Put the Necromancer class out of my face, I've already become a corpse walker, no need to entail more." I scowled, before looking at the rest of the selection. The engineer was, for some strange reason, the class that was enticing me on some mortal, unconscious level, perhaps it was just the short-lived thought of one day building a gauss-rifle, but given that I couldn't even muster up a simple forge, it snuffed that idea out quickly. Archer fell partially into the same problem as Engineer, I couldn't produce the ammunition, at least not right now. Maybe stone arrows, but that wouldn't be enough. Pyromancy and cryomancy are specialized classes that either poped or flopped, and the trap of overspecializing in a profession where ANYTHING could be encountered was too dangerous, especially, when my enemies right now couldn't burn and were immune to frostbite.
"Give me the Arcanist." As these words left my lips, I felt my flesh and muscles writhe like sporadic wires. My strength was leaving me, not to bring me low like a foal, but at least a quarter was lost, but at the same time, the sensation I experienced in my brain and horn was, true in every way to the description, mind-blowing. I quickly pulled off my helmet and looked at my reflection in it. My horn curved ever so slightly backward and my eyes ever so weakly glimmered with a silver layer of magic. My mouth's corners wrinkled upwards ever so slowly as I felt the arcane power take hold in my expanded core.
My eyes slowly turned to my surroundings, the two great pillars next to me broke the chain of similarity, for they were felled by brutal force and their mineral carcasses spilled across the floor. With a deep breath as preparation, I enveloped a great chunk of rock in my silvery aura and lifted it several meters into the air. "38 Kilograms and still going strong, not enough to lift a nightmare yet, but it’s a start." I thought devilishly, before hurling the chunk of stone with intense speed against a greater boulder, chipping both it and destroying my projectile.
It was a good start, I just wished that Levitation would level up like my resistances, per level, but so far it hasn't changed in the slightest since acquiring it, only my level increases its potency, but that is starting to buckle and bend under pressure. "Is there a way to make my skills more powerful?" I asked loudly, rubbing my chin slowly... was I slowly starting to grow a beard? Did ponies have beards? Was I in the middle of puberty? Question for later when I would be in Canterlot once more.
All skills become stronger when they reach a higher level, some just grow differently compared to some like your resistances. The Game noted, but ultimately not speaking anything I didn't know before, after all, a bigger number meant always better chances.
My ears perked, when I heard a blunt thud near me, and I waited less than a second to greet the new arrival. Two more golden nightmares, bearing halberts of their own, were attempting to ambush me, and it dawned upon me that even when remaining quiet, out of sight, and inconspicuous, they're able to find me.
"I’m sorry, but I won't engage you in a fist-to-hoof fight now lads." I said dryly, and with an uncomfortable amount of superiority before launching several spells at once, a feat previously only unlocked through meditation and stillness. An Icebolt was launched and the crystal engulfed one of them in an icy cloud. The frost crawled across its armor, leaving behind but a statue. The other opponent managed to dodge the Icebolt, but in its moment of weakness, I blasted its legs off with a powerful Mana Bolt, however despite the severe damage done to its frame, but not surprising at this point, its severed upper body started to crawl towards me. I looked at it for a moment, before flicking my horn towards it and destroying it with yet another Mana Bolt. My eyes wandered to the frozen armor and gave it the same, final treatment as its companion, a swift mana bolt. It shattered, and the sight of snow and metal flying through the air was artistically inspiring.
I hid it well, but it was heart-wrenching to see their armor and equipment vanish, especially their weapons, but there was little to change that. Right now at least I have my hooves full.
"We should make a plan before moving out, those things could ambush us at any time, and the is no terrain advantage to speak of, other than the fact that, while they can continuously call reinforcements, they are defenseless in the air." I noted while looking up with a strained scowl, it was a miracle that wrinkles couldn't touch me, otherwise, I'd look like a steamed, naked mole. "My spell may be strong, but I can't fire a continuous barrage, or at least, dodge for five minutes straight. But, it’s not like I can treat them like the mindless packs I encountered previously, they're smart, organized, and not nightmarish at all." I chewed the insides of my mouth while digesting my conclusion. I currently bore the title of [Nightmare Slayer I] but didn't receive any stats, but then again, I fought simple grunt zombies with higher levels than these. Truly, a mystery with a divided answer.
My answer, however, would wait, for something else pushed forward just ahead.
My eyes shrank, so fast I believe my retina to have ripped, and ducked in the same second as I pulled out my Ram Crest Shield to cower behind. The ground shook and a mighty blast of air nearly pushed me forward. Breathlessly and quivering I turned around, still in the cover of my shield, and saw a great, ballista-bolt-like projectile lodged into the dented ground, before disappearing a second later in a pulse. It dented several meters of thick metal.
It is safe to assume that the dungeon is reacting to our actions and does not appreciate certain actions. The Game noted, but strangely, the conclusion was not beyond my understanding, for a matter of fact, I could make it out myself. It was strange how it worked, the intelligence stat that was, boosting my understanding, thinking, and learning so greatly. I finally opened my mouth, ready to spout something or maybe take a breath, but I couldn't. I pulled my shield back into my inventory and held my hooves to my throat as I felt some formless entity tighten my throat.
Warning, our physical form is suffering damage. The host stands at the exit point, immediate expulsion is imminent.
Star's Room
My pupils expanded on-demand, and from the blurred image presented to me, quickly a clear picture was presented. I saw two griffons clad in mixed armor, bearing plates, and cloaks, but mostly leather to hide their feathery form. The smaller of the two held tightly onto the doorknob, while the second one pointed a crossbow at the door. I tried to open my mouth, but then realized I couldn't, something tightly held me in place, upright and away from the ground. I looked down, as far as I could while my lungs started to ache from the lack of air.
A white piece of cloth drenched in an acidic, putrid liquid, a stench even the scratching night air could not push away, was held over my muzzle by a scarred, grey talon. I started to shake my head and push the claws holding me away and alarmed the intruders as a result.
"What the fuck are you doing." The crossbow bird turned his head away from the door, but his face was left a mystery to me, for it was covered by a metallic mask of a twisted lion.
"You do it then." My captor hissed through his beak while pressing his talons into my flesh that his claws dug into my bone. My blood drenched the cloth quickly and my panic grew as I felt my vision starting to fade, all I could feel were his talons, his cold, unrelenting talons, two shredding my muzzle, one crushing my nose bridge and the last pushing my teeth in. The tight grip was so much pressure I could feel my jaw bending and skull cracking. Suddenly, A light went up in my head, so much so that the adrenalin woke my vision momentarily, and I bit down onto his finger through the cloth and his bone. It fell to the floor, severed. I was let go when he let out a muffled scream, one that died quickly, but I acted quicker. I enveloped the closest object I could grasp with my magic and hurled it at the Griffin behind me while firing an ice bolt at the griffon guarding the door.
Much happened in the moment following, my projectile which I hurled hits its mark, made apparent by the grunt I heard behind, but the ice bolt missed, but it was not fruitless, for the spell knocked two of my four door hinges into the hallway, knocking a statue of sorts down, in addition of the frost covering the floor. Out of instinct, and from the corner of my eye, I erected a small mana construct in the shape of a shield to block a crossbow bolt that, while losing its momentum, melted away my used mana. With panic in mind, and seeing the door guard rush toward me, I jumped away, only to fall anyway.
I heard something crack, so loud that it deafened my ears, but I couldn't move, only a disgusting, creepy sensation of fear crawled in the shadows of my mind as I lay there for two seconds, a period of time in which I saw the crossbow griffon pull down my beloved bookshelf to barricade the door. The door guard pulled out a green glowing gem and threw it out of my vision, all I heard was my window shattering. I tried to move, but I couldn't while I lay there, for two seconds, no feelings below my neck, and all I heard was continuous, repeating, hushed cursing of the bludgeoned griffon who tried to suffocate me. I was grabbed by something and my body was pulled across the floor, and at this moment I saw that the object I threw was the dragon which I quickly absorbed into my inventory. A moment later, I felt my head bash against the wall below my window, something cracked, and I lost vision, only the cool night breeze held me comfortably in my last moment of conscience.
Perhaps it was reflex, perhaps it was the game who pulled the egg in, I didn't know, I lacked time to think, for in the next I was no longer there, where I previously was. All I had were my memories of the day to think, even if only moments passed. Even if I couldn't look at something else, only my thoughts were left to me. I couldn't tell if a second passed, or an hour, the memories played off in real-time, and yet hours in a second's time. It didn't matter, but what awaited after my awakening, which I could feel approaching, would.
Star Touch - Nightmare Slayer I (John Weaver) Level - 37 Class - Arcanist- level 1 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 640 [64] per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 2007,5 [178 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 640 [64] per minute] STR (Strength) - 65 [115] END (Endurance) - 64[116] DEX (Dexterity) - 82 INT (Intelligence) - 201 [73] WIS (Wisdom) - 168 [112] CHA (Charisma) - 108 [120] LCK (Luck) - 52
Casting Proficiency (Novice)
Polearm Proficiency lv 1 --> lv 3
Wadjeta lv 1 --> lv 5
five Celestial coins were added to the inventory
Ram Crest ShieldA shield once belonging to a valiant knight always ready to charge into battle, who sold his body to a higher being, to achieve a purpose older than his bloodline
Author's Note
I've decided to add a few changes:
If there are any suggestions or wishes, then please do not hesitate to comment below.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four: Maroon Under The Moon [E]
The heavy, rapid flapping of wings dominated my ears and a chilly, soaring wind caressed my nose. My body felt so heavy, numb like my limbs were deadened, as they hung limply. A sudden stir of motion roused me from my tightly enveloping slumber. My eyelids slowly opened like leaden floodgates and from the blurry imagery presented soon formed a sight of countless bushes, an ever spanning carpet of leaves and trees rushing past me. I couldn't move, barely felt anything, but sensed fifteen sharp fingers poke into my leathery hide and the hot, moist rancid breath of someone slither past my neck, throat, chin, and finally my nose. I tried to move my head but nothing happened, I felt something stuck in my spine.
I apologize for putting you out of control, but I required full concentration to reroute spinal nerves, I hope however that stasis suspension was not too much of an unpleasant experience. I could hear faintly, whispery in my blunted ears and sensitive skull.
The one carrying me groaned, but ultimately strived closer to a groggy grumbling as his blood seeped into my fur. "Oi, Lion, how much further?!" It was less of a question and more of a demand.
The one called Lion turned his masked face towards my carrier with a blank expression, staring for three long seconds, before averting his gaze towards the lands below. "We should be deep enough in the shaded forest. No one will find us here, no matter how well their trackers are."
There was a grim silence after the masked one spoke and the trio with me in tow dived sharply, but evenly in a slope through the air, piercing the shrubbery like arrows, and landed in the forest. I saw, with my never blinking, unmoving eyes, a seemingly endless maze of trees that stood so close to one another that no matter how far I saw no exit was revealed to me.
The masked one walked towards me, the plates of his armor ground against one another, and his metallic claws dug the forest floor, scratching the pebbles, cutting the weeds, and quickly made up all I could see. Metallic clutches suddenly grasped the sides of my jaw and lifted my face to meet his, and at this moment I felt that his metal was warmer than my skin, my lungs had barely moved in my time of awakening and my heart had stopped - blood cells moved on their own by the demand of the Game, but I could barely keep conscious.
The masked one stared and stared, his pupils behind the mask eagerly searching for a single ember of life. He tsked disappointingly and shook his head. "Good job Greirat, he's dead." I could hear the one called Greirat silently curse, 'kick me' was one of them. The Lion Masked one’s claw reached over my head and carelessly ripped the blade from my spine, the sound of grinding bones akin to a ripped tooth filled my ears. Though the ringing cleared up quickly, my confusion lasted even shorter as the dagger wasn’t sheathed as I thought it would be, but brought to my throat and a wide ravine was cut in the stone that was my flesh.
"We're done, let the devils pick the carcass clean and chew the bones to bits." The Lion said and threw the bloody knife towards the third of the pack, the silent crossbow griffon. As I lay there, and saw the blood puddle reflect my still-alive corpse, I could sense that the one-finger-less griffon did not leave, and not only that, the silent bird came closer to examine my body.
"Greirat, come on, you only need three fingers on a claw to wield a knife, just make sure the rest of you doesn't rot away." The suddenly no longer silent griffon spoke roughly, less like an old friend with concern, and more so a manager telling their factory workers to keep going.
"You think those blueblooded bastards don't brush their teeth, Fiodore? Well, this one most certainly does." Greirat said with simmering anger. In my sliced and stabbed and near lifeless state, I felt my blood run cold when I felt three fingers dig into my flank. "Nah, but those are too much trouble to grab, this however is much easier to take."
My eyes widened when I felt something long, sharp, and spikey glide across my tail, and I ripped the control away from the Game. I grew vilethorne spikes from my meat that protruded and pierced both my skin and Greirat's claw. Confusion reigned supreme as Greirat, still caught in a fraction of a second of surprise, suddenly screamed in pain, drawing in the attention of the other two. I jumped up, pebbles, dirt, and blood sprayed alike in all directions as I summoned forth a jar of poison and, with my magic, shattered it in the face of ‘Fiodore’. Shards of glass cut his face and impaled his eyes. The screaming- for the one second I paid note to it, was so fierce and shrill that it might've even halted the Hobgoblin in its charge.
The Lion Mask looked at me with a moment of confusion, before this turned to aggression as he jumped back with a great flap of air, and threw a blue knife at me, sinking it into my chest's flesh. I heard something sound in my skull, but I ignored it and rushed forward. Instinct, bloodlust, and a sense of preservation pushed me past reason and the concept of time. I rushed forward, cursing my now weakened muscles, and enveloped my own body with magic, throwing myself forward like a rock when I saw that the last of the three attempted not to fight me, but instead took to the air. Time stretched, every second lasted four, my movement felt slow like a walk through mud, even when with every passing beat I channeled more and more mana into my outer shell, charging up more speed even when I felt the very space around me distort. The air started to crackle, waver, and shake but all my mind desired was to jump forward a few more meters, that was all it would take. The magic, just a second ago evenly spread around me like oil seemingly ignited into a spell, rushing around me like a vortex, drilling forth into the air, creating a tunnel- but within the smallest time frame I could see later I found myself in the air, before the Lion Mask. I didn't think, didn't ponder, but just pushed and pressed as much mana as I could in this feeble second into my hoof, and punched forward into the mask's chest, and through his back ignited a long blade of mana. Behind the brass mask, I could see the pupils dilate, and a gasping, last breath exuded.
Our bodies met the soft grass tufts, tumbling, rolling, and ultimately coming to a halt. I lay there on my back, I felt my organs once more in motion, my flesh sewed itself together. The mana burned my hide, my horn throbbed and morphed into a headache, my lungs ached as they were ripped from the sudden spring into action and I could feel the keratin of my hoof return to an un-denaturated state. The cool air washed over my skin, soothing it, and I, with a blanked, numbed mind, slowly stood up with quivering joints and saw absolute horror.
Greirat's skin was bloated as thornes grew in and out of his flesh, a thin trickle of blood leaked out of his mouth. The Lion mask laid there silently, the hole in his chest was cauterized, and no blood seeped. And Fiodore was a sight any sane man could claim to be an omen of a dark time ahead. His eyes were bloodshot red, so scarlet no pupils could be seen, only the lifeforce leaking out of his eyeballs, nostrils, and mouth, though his beak was clogged, for his intestines hung, bulging out of his very maw and were spilling over his chest.
I stood there frozen still, as my heart and lungs began pounding even harder, I felt my stomach turn and twist into knots and bloated. A sickening noise escaped my throat as I instinctively leaned forward, feeling my chest compress, I heaved and choked, but nothing came out as the burning sensation in my larynx caused my eyes to water, but not even a drop of acid could be shown as proof.
I... The Game started, but his sound was more white than blue to me at this moment. If it makes you feel any better, they have killed several individuals before, and ultimately killing a sentient creature was inevitable.
I clenched my teeth when I heard the Game’s voice, though still, involuntary gagging clawed itself between coughs and gasps, looping my throat in a short-lived, yet a perpetual state of relaxing, straining, and surging. I let out a loud grunt, finally wrestling control over my muscles and spitting out a foul mixture of saliva, stomach acid, and what I can only assume to be chloroform. My breath mirrored my own blood-soaked visage in the cool summer night, haunting me once more, reliving the second a realization again, though this time not invoking gagging and instead of a sense of dreaded fear.
"I... won't shed a tear for those bastards." I snapped out, just throwing out words in a single burst. "they asked for it, they tried to defile me." I whispered, my head hanging low and my moist breath wetted my own face. As I stood there, the moon shone from above to me below, and a shine reflected into my eyes. I saw a dagger at the side of Greirat, it was curved, sharp, and riddled with spines like a thorned spike. I grit my teeth, and though my heart was partially relieved to not have been in such a gruesome situation, it was still the lesser burden weighing on my mind.
I could feel the Game thinking of what to say, I could guess it was to be supportive, something about 'our survival above all else, 'it wasn't your fault' or 'it had to happen at least once in our eternal life.' All excuses, but not for a crime worth death or punishment, not in my eyes at least, at least not for this.
"I will go all the way Game." I gritted my teeth, forcing down my disgust. "But I will not be changed, I will not become a murder-lusting-beast, just because I can. I couldn't care less if I just killed assassins, mass murderers or demons, if they had children or wives or husbands waiting for them, I couldn't care less. I will not hesitate to save my skin, but killing is one of the things I have always dreaded." My voice was filled with venom; sharp, salty, and bileful tastes dominating my tongue.
You seem heavily affected by the events, more so than I would've expected in the most extreme of cases.
I moved towards the corpse of the Lion Mask, my steps dug small holes into the shrubbery. "I will heal with time." I was not a child. I was forty-two years old . I would not back down. My path was not malleable and I wouldn't compromise. I mumbled, suppressing the vortex of emotions swirling in my soul, however, I wouldn't
I kneeled down and pulled the mask off Lion's face, and revealed a feathery, old and blind visage of a grey crow griffon. The mask, I could feel the Mind of so many nights and murders seep off it. I took it, it would increase my chances out here. Death lurked around any corner, my path was filled with danger and a feeble moral code rooted in fairy tales was not to hold me back.
"Just, if you could be kind enough, make sure I always remain me, never change, only grow." I said solemnly and pulled all corpses, all items into my inventory. I didn't know what I'd do with them… If I'd burn or bury them or just throw them out later as bait, but I'd rather keep any trinket to raise my chances.
You needn't have asked, you knew I'd do so self-evidently, but I promise you not just as your aether manipulator and extractor, but your friend, to not just help you grow, but not be swayed.
I sighed with a heavy heart and a somber smile and pulled my gaze away from the stains and puddles of blood. "That's all I ask for." My ears perked up when I heard something howl and snarl in the distance, it wasn't as rage-fuelled as the nightmares, but certainly more ferociously than any dog.
My eyes turned towards a great oak not far off, its stem was wide and strong, so I chose it would house me for the night. I carved a base with many rooms in the goblin hideout in the Nightmare Realm, smoothed the stone, created rooms, a great blast furnace was forged in the wall, a socket for my future smeltery was created and created furniture aplenty was made; carving a hollow space in a living tree would not break my thread of success.
I walked towards the tree, and summoned forth twelve steel-stone knives and infused water into them, partially sharpening them, while also quickening their speed. With my newfound intelligence levitating so many, working with a plethora of tools all at once was manageable. The blades cut a clean square into the tree, it would be enough for me to sit with stretched out hooves, and ripped out the chunk barbarically, I would've been more graceful, but my mind was thin and danger was approaching, even thirty meters away the stench of blood still reeked, I however, was self-cleaning, thus could afford to hide not too far off, as the danger of strolling might've been even more lethal. Half of the knives cut away the excess wood leaving a thick sheet of bark in which many tiny holes were poked, the other half carves the splintered wood into a vaguely smooth surface.
Pulling out three wooly blankets, I used one to cover the inside of the tree, the second to cover the inside of the bark, to insulate the room, and to further enforce this I even nailed them in place with copper nails, one last blanket for myself. I climbed into my timely adobe with a magically created staircase, and covered it with the bark, nailing it too in place.
But why was I taking so much, talking to myself, thinking about what I was doing at this very moment? I didn't need to make it lavish, I could've just jumped in, spared myself the trouble, the cold couldn't hurt me, the splinters would not penetrate my skin and I could slumber on demand, but truth be told, it was to distract myself. My heart still pounded, the wretched taste of bile still lingered in my mouth, and even with my limbs stretched out inside my warm, insulated, wooly sphere I felt suffocated as if something was crushing me. I sighed, both at my misfortune and the success of the airflow, and pulled out a makeshift lamp. Heat crystal powder was lukewarm in the overworld, not saturated by the realms of the dungeons, however, still exuded acceptable amounts of light. I created it with a bit of glass, metal, and the heater. This was not to amuse me with my 'technical genius' but with unlimited attempts sooner or later the glass mended and bent.
Do you wish for me to put you to a dreamless slumber? The Game asked with a warm, soft tone.
I released my clenching jaw, and pulled out an old book I received ages ago, but never read it, but I had nothing better at hand. "Please, do so in about five minutes, then pull the lamp into the inventory. I just want to drift off." I said with a tired voice, and opened the book called 'Daring do and the eternal flower.'
My eyes flowed over the pages, I saw the words but I didn't read the words, a few images formed and went into my skull, only the imagery of the corpses I created haunted me, not the guilt, but the fear that I murdered three people in a matter of seconds. I didn't fear the ability to murder but was scared that I might just slip once, and kill someone unnecessarily. That I'd just, one day when I was strong enough to tackle whatever the Nightmare Realm held ready for me, underestimate my own abilities, and with a single swipe crush someone's skull.
I couldn't reach page three when normally I could've done twenty, and fell into a deep slumber.
Star Touch - Nightmare Slayer 1(John Weaver) Level - 48 Class - Arcanist - level 11 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 640 [64 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 2008 [336 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 640 [64 per minute] STR (Strength) - 65 [130] END (Endurance) - 64 [128] DEX (Dexterity) - 82 INT (Intelligence) - 201 [73] WIS (Wisdom) - 168 [112] CHA (Charisma) - 108 [120] LCK (Luck) - 52
*Epic Skill Crystal x1 - Used in the Ivory Tower.
Mage Level 10 - Reward
[Magic Claw]
[Transit] - Level 1
[Mana Knife] → [Mana Blade]
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four: Warning and Warfare [E]
"Oh starry pooh, breakfast is ready~." A sickeningly sweet voice called out, covered in so much frosting my stomach churned like liquid lead. I pried my eyes open while attempting to fight off the sickness that made my body weak and slow. My head leaned towards the origin of the voice but it felt like the smallest movement was akin to craning my neck to its limit. "Well, kind of, I mean, my cooking has been called unreal before, but right now it's pretty fitting, heh."
Though my eyelids initially opened slowly, they cracked apart when they saw a tiny fairy. A chaos fairy. It was Discord in a fracking pink dress with tiny wings stapled to the back. "What are you..." I said slowly, minding very well the PG -13 law around Ditzy.
"Funny, I was gonna ask you this very question. Oh, where's the hesitation?" He chuckled, crossing his forearms while holding a wand with a star stuck to the tip, before rushing forward into my face and holding onto my eyelashes. "Most certainly not here. What are you doing Here! What are you doing in the- Chaos be hated, Shaded Woods! Creatures get lost and die here like Dayflies at midnight!"
This was a previously completely unknown side to Discord, it was such an intense mixture of concern, anger, and a hint of fear.
Discord let go of my hair, distancing himself off me and holding his hand to his muzzle. "Okay, first things first, maybe this isn't so bad." He quickly turned around and forced a smile. "Okay, I need you to listen very carefully to what I am about to say." I leaned in closer, still mute and sore from the rude awakening. "Oh, this is pretty cozy, did you build this? My congratulations on your craftsmanship."
"Thank you?"
"Oh right, back to the topic. These are the Shaded Woods, and you probably already noticed that it’s pretty dense, right?" I nodded slowly. "Okay, you see, this place has a sort of history with me, but don't go on throwing shade on me now. Pff, shade, that's a pun." He shook his head vigorously, forcing himself to stay on the topic at hand, though it seemed as if his concentration slipped faster than usual. "Anyways, this forest is actually the shadow of countless little patches of woodland spread across the world, and doesn't actually reside in Equestria, but rather a tiny bubble somewhere in the planet's core, so don't try to ladder up, even if you came here by falling from a tree." He stopped for a moment. "Wait, how did you end up here anyway? the nearest portal is in the Everfree!" It was quite disturbing seeing Discord jumping between hurling as much information as one strand of text he could at me and interrupting himself, possibly not bearing to stay focused for an extended time.
My muzzle tightened and so did my jaw. I... I forced my mouth open like a cook with a stubborn clam. "I didn't go, I was taken." There was an odd silence, though Discord didn't say anything, he waited for me to continue. I sighed and leaned my head into the warm, wooly tuff of the hideout. "Three Griffons broke in and, well, the rest's history."
Discord opened his mouth to say something, before closing it with a click. "Ohh, them featherheads truly do nothing but cause ruckus’ since they lost that damn goblet. Hrgh, when I get my hand on the foul bunch laying their dirty claws on my companion I'll cut them into teeny tiny living pieces and hide them in every nook and cranny of this world, even behind that one toilet in las pegasus that no one has visited in over twenty years."
I snorted, feeling rather touched by the words of Discord, as disturbing as they were to picture before this smile melted into a frown. "Thanks but-" Discord was momentarily taken aback by my words.
"They're dead."
I have known Discord for half a decade so far, and have heavily looked into Equestrian history, his past only passively not to raise concerns. He was described as a tyrant, a monster to dwarf all beasts. He twisted and morphed Equestria into a fantasy of his own mind, no kingdom was there where he reigned, no law where he ruled, just endless madness. But one thing was certain, something no one could stick to him: He never murdered. Of course, ponies died under his reign, but never intentionally, some drowned in a pudding lake, others fell through the floor of their house as it had turned into a cracker, and were destabilized by hungry rats, but never did he strike anyone down. Although some may argue that his biggest adversaries, if I even dare to call minor annoyances to Discord as such, suffered fates worse than death.
He stared at me for a moment, it wasn't hurt, just shock that I of all ponies would murder anyone, especially three adults at once. "They slit my throat, and when I felt one's claws at my flank and something sharp poke-"
"Hush-hush-hush, everything is going to be fine ol' buddy chum pal amigo friend, I'm not blaming you for anything, just a bit shocked." He flew to my face and hugged my left cheek with his full body. "Oh, and sorry for cussing you out, juuust, surprised, that's all." The smile he wore was false, the very thought of killing someone made him sick, death was the ultimate sign of order, after all, it couldn't be changed unless through necromancy, but I'd doubt the lord of chaos fancied the idea of the living dead wandering his turf, above and below. Still, he seemed to vaguely know how to act with a child that just confessed to having 'colonel-ed' three griffons.
I smiled, not induced by the blasted perk, but a little droplet of comfort actually formed in my heart. "None taken."
"Alright, no more interruptions." He snapped, not his voice but his whole buddy turned stiff and pointed his finger in the air. "I don't have enough power to scotty you back home, but I can spare you some magic to guide you to someone who can."
"You, the lord of chairs, connoisseur of chocolate milk, and general of pastries can't do something?" I said with a cocked eyebrow and a sharp smile.
"You forgot carpenter of chaos, captain of the lemonade seas, and Emmentaler of monkeykind. But, well, in my state even contacting you is quite taxing, after all a fish is quite limited on the other side of the aquarium. However , in this very woods lies an creature who still owes me a big favour, find him and he will help you, but be careful, he's the worst kind of chaotic."
"But, you just said the Shaded Woods are dangerous, how am I going to find him in this woodland maze?" I asked, leaning forward and titled my head.
He smiled, though with a delay, and tapped on my snout with his lion paw. "All in order, eww, cause after that step I'll be out of breath. When you meet the old sock, tell him the following, and be sure to repeat exactly after me, because he'll not recognise you as anything but food if you do not, and I mean it, say this." Discord emphasized, holding both of his hands to his mouth and beckoned me to pay attention. I saw his lips move but hadn’t heard his voice, but another voice spoke in my skull, his words becoming translated.
Entity Discord spoke in the language of my makers.
"Did you get that right, one-hundred percent, down to the dot, perfectly mirrored right?" He asked with a very tense tone. "I can't speak with you again after giving you the Amber Waylight until you touch my statue. And this forest harbors many dangers, but Caldura is the greatest threat if you get this wrong."
"Repay the debt to the Chimera of Change." I blurted out, before quickly following it up by repeating it the exact same way Discord said it to me, though even speaking this tongue twisted mine and my jaw and throat hurt replicating these noises.
"You... actually... understood that..." He held his claw out with confusion, before slapping himself in the face when he noticed that his body took a transparent shade. "Not now, take the flame and when the false sun rises, make haste." He said before opening his arms wide. His form started to glow and formed into a single glimmer of amber, flickering motionlessly in the air. Discord's voice, as the flame was completed, rang out once more like a quiet echo. "Seven days..."
The Chaos advocate knows something. The Game said bluntly, lacking his otherwise informal, dry, and computer-code-like choice of words.
"That's a growing trend lately, no?" I said, before leaning my head back into my covers, though my eyes were lighter than helium now.
Do you wish to return to your slumber? The Game asked, noticing my restlessness.
I took a deep breath and groaned with discomfort. "No." A short, but simple answer rang out quietly. "I need to do something, increase my survivability, and until I find some clay it's limited to bonking buckets." I crossed my hooves and lowered my head so that my chin touched my chest. "Game, send me back to the flying city."
As you wish, my host. And as the din of the Game’s words fell, so did the façade of the world surrounding me.
A land of clouds and metal-
I jumped forward with my club in my hooves the second I was in the dungeon, pinning and crushing a knight to the ground, before pulling out my shield and halberd. I turned around and charged into another, impaling it and lifting the metallic body into the air with the use of magic, and swiped at a third knight who attempted to ambush me. It jumped away, but the body previously stuck to my polearm was separated and collided with the evading nightmare. A fourth one attempted to decapitate me from above, but I summoned forth Tesla, who shot lightning and pushed the angelic monster into a pillar. I threw my weapon and shield into my inventory and rushed forward where I saw that the dented knight rose up and tried to take into the air. I clenched my teeth and summoned forth the warping power of [Transit] moving forward directly in front of the artificial nightmare who, just one meter above the ground, was impaled and cut in half with [Mana Blade]. By the time my last adversary had fallen, so did the machine Tesla fended off.
"I'll not be fooled twice." I hissed, before straining my muscles and absorbing more of the coins into my inventory. I didn't know what these would do, but I didn't need a reason either, after all my ~~kleptomaniac’s~~ mind is constantly thinking of how to make something useful. My best guess, or rather hope, is that somewhere there is a vending machine for potions or snacks. Looking forward, far, far away, it was like a kilometer away, I saw something broad and golden, something shining near its base, beaming ever stronger.
"Motherfucker's just camping all the way on the ass end of this world." I grumbled, before unequipping my clothes and hurling them into my inventory: Papa got an upgrade.
I leaned back and felt the armor of the Lion slip over me, and my face was adorned with his mask. The sensation was intoxicatingly sweet and musky, not like cake or unwashed soaks, more akin to heartless, enduring murder. In place of the leather armor and the knight helmet now hung the assassin’s set alongside his mask, the golden belt, the skull shoulder guard, and the apprentice ring off my body. I leaned my head back and shivered, unlike my previous garments this one writhed with ideas, ideals, and ideologies that heavily clashed with those of mine, but on the battlefield molded to my favor. Dexterity was boosted by this armament, in other words my speed and quickness; and while not exactly my forte, the armor value was increased across the board, even the mask was sturdier than the helmet. In addition to its effects, however, the changes were too numerous to just speak out plainly.
I walked to the side, the far-off shining light grew bigger, and while only an educated guess, was about 40 percent charged before the next shot would be fired. I turned my head away and looked down and saw the armor that clung to my hide. It was a tight leather set fixed with a thin layer of chainmail sewed between the inner, cottonous tuft and the outer leather, though to call it a novelty would be an insult given how surprisingly hard it was. Metal plates littered the armor, protecting places such as my underbelly, neck, and joints, the chest was especially well protected with a metallic chest plate. My hooves were guarded by thick metal that silently tipped against the metallic floor. However, ultimately what I spoke of would be useless for an outside watcher, as a cloak, which was partially fixated onto my body, and partially free-flowing- covered my suit and the ammunition belt loaded with blue metal knives.
I lowered my hoof and traced the reflection of the mask and the twisted lion that was embedded in it. Three quick-moving silhouettes danced around the corners of my shadow. The Mask, it... heightened my senses, much less than [Spirit Senses] but it was noticeable alongside its other properties.
"Enough with the picture show." I jumped onto my hindlegs and rolled to the side, just barely evading three Sanctum Guardians who struck down from above and impaled the space I stood a second ago.
With a grunt, I pulled out a small Nitorium chunk from my inventory, before hurling it alongside a blue metal dagger. I heard barely a crack before an overwhelming explosion rang out, and a surge of force and heat washed over me like a wave. I grunted and turned around, blocking an incoming strike from the side with [Mana Blade], the two magic and heat-based forces clashed against one another, but I quickly gained the upper hand, though this victory was not easily achieved as another of the rotten pack emerged from the smoke and with barred spear charged at my back, though the advance was halted by an ear-ringing sound as the tip was stopped by the Ram Crest Shield being held up behind me by [Magic Claws]. Although the night took a toll on my mentality, it did not mean I was oblivious to the things I garnered through the bloodshed.
I grit my teeth and ripped the sword out of the Sanctum Guardian's hand, before impaling it and lifting it just barely off the floor as the heavy metal was too much to raise. I quickly let the deteriorating corpse fall to the ground and with [Transit] appeared behind the spear wielder. It took a second for me to come to my senses, as anything but the tower-like movement was nauseating, and crushed its leg with [Power Strike] and destroyed the head with [Kinetic Blast].
As the last body fell to the floor, I overviewed the battlefield and absorbed five more coins into my inventory, adding up to a total of eight. I sighed and turned forward, and saw the charge had increased a bit more. With a grunt, I summoned both my spirits to my side in hope of dispatching my foes quicker as now mana was far less of a limiting factor. With a jump, I landed on all fours and charged forward with my shield on my back, spirits to my side, and both my halbert and club in either [Magic Claw].
The sound of softened, but nonetheless banging metal clashing, my partially oxygen-deprived heart pounding, and the wind cutting past my ears dominated my ears as with the added dexterity I reached seventy-five kilometers an hour, speeds a mortal man can never dream of achieving. With a jump I ambushed a patrol of five Guardians, pinning one under me and swiftly taking care of it with [Mana Blade]. Tesla and Wadjeta overwhelmed one Guardian each with their power, leaving but two left. With a grin hidden behind my mask, I ripped my halbert out of the magic clutches and infused it with water, further heightening its speed and sharpness.
I sidestepped with a forward stab and shattered an overzealous arm by ramming the butt of my club through it and in the same motion pushing myself forward at the metal man still bearing four limbs, minus the wings at least. The Sanctum Guardian hopped back to evade it, and number one took the chance to slash at me, singing my beard stubs in my process of evasion. With a heavy heave and a horizontal strike to its side, I launched number one to tumble across the floor but was not given a chance to finish it off as number two ran forward while quickly and mercilessly slashed his blade in the pattern of an eight, constantly switching back to a blocking position on either side. I quickly power walked, also known as strutting in this pony land, backward while reiterating with slashes from above, each and every blow caused its knees to buckle and it sank with every parry, but the way it moved in perfect motion disallowed me to take care of it quickly.
From the reflection of its armor, I noticed that the Sanctum Guardian bearing one arm slowly rose up and was already on its knees. I grinned and pulled my halbert back, and when I struck without looking, I destroyed the crippled machine's head and launched the body at the remaining one's feet. It didn't wish to be pummelled and jumped up, but I was far faster than it, and lodged my halbert into its weakly armored abdomen. Crashing the rest of it into the ground by slamming my polearm into the ground and finishing it off with [Power Strike].
"Witty bastards; gotta give it to ‘em." I mumbled while slowly walking forward and collecting more coins, but was still disappointed seeing no weapon drops. While the assassins were armored, their choice of equipment was suited for targets that could bleed out, such as serrated daggers, a short, curved sword, and crossbows (One that required far too much dexterity in my opinion), hell, there even was a stiletto in the mix, but it was just not suited for nightmares. It would break far too easily and did not do enough damage to sway my judgment away from the shortened range. The short sword, despite its fragility, was a suitable option with a nice 20 damage, being almost on par with my halbert and definitely way above most short swords out there, but the reduced range and the fact that I had no experience with it made me choose against it.
The thing about the damage was that it had a different meaning between a nightmare and a living creature. Damage for a mortal creature determined how easily it could cut through their bodies and armor, but a nightmare played by different rules since they easily could survive having their throats slit, just like me. Damage to a nightmare determines how easily I can damage its hull, destabilize it, pull it out of service, or turn it off for the Game to absorb it, although I did get a nice damage boost when targeting certain areas. On another note, If I were to merely scratch a hair of a nightmare possessing one hundred points of life while wielding a weapon with equal damage, it would die instantly just by a touch.
While on the topic of choice. The reason I fought the pair was that I wished to level up my proficiency, since these guys were now half my level, but held skill in their movement, they were perfect training partners.
Polearm Proficiency 3 -->6
I stopped and looked forward, seeing the source of the glowing, and the sight made me feel quite inferior. It was another living armor, but this one towered over the others by at least half their heights and even more shoulder lengths, despite its comically thin waist. Its wide and large chest plate hummed as it held back magic strings of a gigantic heavy greatbow that bore the thickness of an anvil. Though what fascinated me most was the round helmet, unlike those decorated art pieces it bore a more 'efficiently over style' approach.
Gate Guardian Level - 35 Class - Divine Warden- level 20 Race - Construct/Artificial ? HP (Health Points) - 10000[--- per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 3000 [--- per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - unlimited [--- per minute] STR (Strength) - 325 END (Endurance) - 500 DEX (Dexterity) - 100 INT (Intelligence) - 210 WIS (Wisdom) - 115 CHA (Charisma) -0 LCK (Luck) - 0
Construct This creature does not require any substance to exist, however, cannot regenerate without the use of skill or repairs. This creature is immune to mortal status effects and those affecting the mind. It cannot grow.
Empowered This creature is strengthened by an outside source to exceed normally present limits
Shackled: Range & ??? This creature is bound under one of several conditions. This being cannot distance itself from something too far. Another condition is what restrains this being.
"Armor's a bit too thick for the stick..." I mumbled and put my weapons in the hands of my [Magic Claws] and infused them both with the chaos elements in hopes of breaking this mountain down piece by piece. If I were to get a hit off, that was. Honestly it was more so of a 'just in case' were I to run out of mana rather than my main choice of fighting. And although my shield rested in my left hoof, and the right was open to using [Mana Blade], it still wouldn't be enough.
I smiled, somberly knowing that I finally found an opponent worthy of using the gobo bomb on, all the while rubbing my tongue against the roof of my mouth to push away the awful taste of seeing 10k life points. A hollowed-out goblin skull-turned-bomb appeared in my hooves. It was filled with nitorium crystals and sticky goblin blood, so unstable that it was a blessing in itself that the sharpness of the winds didn't cause my pieces to smother the pavement. I let out a deep breath, halting my advance, there were still things to do, acts to increase my chances.
I pulled out my little violin, and although it would give me the smallest boost of the batch, it was nonetheless a free boon. I puffed my chest while standing on two hooves, and leaned my head back, letting the strings kiss one another, some were short, others longer and passionate, and while it began as a soothing, sweet melody. A tune that devolved into bitter, somber tragedy. The same line, deeper and slower until ending and dying out like an ember.
Touched by sorrow
I clenched my teeth and quickly hurled my instrument into the inventory, I couldn't afford to get sad and sappy, I needed strength now and could wail later. Taking another deep breath and sucking down my moment of weakness, I pulled out my greatest culinary achievement, years in the making led to this dish. It was a great pot of a cream-based, heavily spiced pigeon stew. It took me three years to catch enough suckers without being noticed to create this, but here it was. My mouth was seemingly unhinged and my throat widened like a snake, and stew fell into my stomach like a waterfall, so much so that I could feel my belly just barely not being able to catch up with digestion. I drank and ate at the same time, so long and tedious that I felt the need for air becoming dire, but ultimately was able to eat it all in one go.
Pigeon Stew
The pot collided with the floor with a heavy thunk as I stumbled slightly, losing several kilos of weight in seconds as my body adjusted, the effects being absorbed, and the illusory image of Gerb giving me a look of disgust with his pigeon-like face vanishing. I coughed between breaths of air. I definitely should've boiled those potatoes longer and let the beets soften up a bit more. Ugh...
"Last-" I burped loudly at the Gate Guardian who was done with about three-quarters of the charging time. "-ly, the Bell."
I pulled the aforementioned bell- my bell, out of the inventory and held it in front of my face, almost like the guard of a sword. The Faith I had accumulated would now be greatly reduced, by using [Minor Stat Boost]. With a ring of the bell, I could see a light bearing no definable source wash over me. And it did so three more times, to strengthen my dexterity, intelligence, and Endurance, each by five more points. Strength would not aid me in this battle of speed and magic, but although I previously put little attention towards speed, it now was my best companion. It didn't just increase my speed, but also how quick and flexible I could react while improving my perception. So long as the flaw [Weak] chained me down, I had no chance, and while I could invest some measures to boost my health, doing so with my physical strength as of right now was too expensive. I'd rather have to heal more than less, even were I not to use it at all in the following battle.
There are no more preparations to be done. I will support you subconsciously. The Game fell into silence, and our souls inched closer, tighter than before, still two entities, still intertwined, but overlapping even more now. Yes, let us advance the hunt. I thought dryly, and mentally readied myself for a fight akin to the story of David and Goliath.
The gobo bomb levitated tightly in my magical grasp as I gathered my mana, increasing the velocity, while simultaneously, mentally mapping up the move to follow a split second later: Fireball, one the size of a basketball. This skill had come a long way from the tiny little flame it once was, but for the road further on, I just hoped it would be enough. The bomb shot forward and the fireball followed its trail of soon to come destruction. The Gate Guardian stood still, still pointing the tip of his great arrow at my face until it shifted It ripped its weapon apart, now becoming a great ornamented staff bearing a vaguely humanoid, hunched-over creature bearing a goat skull for a head with six horns. The artificial nightmare swiped its staff forward, redirecting my projectile to the right pillar. The fireball arrived just a second too late, the flames collided with its metal form, yes, but not causing any actual damage. The bomb, however, was not done yet and the impact alone was enough to crack the crystals inside and ignite the contraption.
A blast force broke in all directions, cracking and peeling layers of the metallic floor below away like sped up drying lead paint in the desert sun, and covering the entire base and surrounding area in a thick, black fog. I took a step back when the pressure wave crashed into me, ripping hairs from my scalp and piercing my eardrums for a second. I heard a chain of several quick stomps from behind the fog, indicating that the Gate Guardian was nearly knocked over even though it was several meters away. Lowering my gaze and sinking into my knees, I knew deep in my bones what was to come.
"Now." I whispered, and ducked down, evaded a bullet-like punch that went over my head, and reiterated by squeezing two stabs with [Mana Blade] into his abdomen, before jumping back as the staff slammed down into the ground, denting the thick floor. My [Magic Claws] whacked the Gate Guardian with my weapons, though they weren't able to use skills this way, they were enough for the Guardian to momentarily turn its attention away from me and swipe after the disembodied hands. I quickly pushed mana into my horn and cast [Ice Bolt] twice, as fire was ineffective.
Every hundred points in intelligence allowed me to cast one more spell simultaneously. That was not a fact I knew, just an assessment. I was actually in the process of mentally picturing the chain of spell matrixes to cast as quickly and efficiently as possible, not casting the spells. But, I had to admit, taking the fact my eyeb- just eyes, nearly bulged out of my skull at the equation, I deemed the mental toil a shallow price to pay for this result.
The spells collided with the metal giant and the frost spread across his body rapidly, but it was not fully seizing the titan, who in response stomped with his foot and staff onto the ground, shattering the vine-like ice, and pointed his staff at me. The mouth of the fabled goat creature glowed sharply before a heavy, holy projectile shot forth with nearly incomprehensible speed as if it was made of pure light. The projectile impacted, but not with me, but rather collided with a quickly shattering barrier around me, a shield which vaporized, sounding like cracking glass. The magic armor of my ring blocked one shot, but two more followed. I grunted and frothed as the burning, purifying sensation dug deep into my organs. Holy attacks were the only skills that could actually make me feel pain, one of the reasons I had yet to develop a resistance against it, unlike [Fire Resistance] and [Physical Damage Resistance] which I earned in the past years.
I grunted, spitting under my mask, and dashed to the left, despite the sore and almost foreign sensation that pain had devolved towards me, the weakness was a slope I couldn't afford to treat without risking tumbling. I evaded an upward swipe from the golden giant, but despite my newfound speed, the attack nonetheless somewhat connected, scraping my mask, ripping chunks of it off. With a breathless grunt, I stabbed the giant three more times with [Mana Blade] each time but barely evaded the incoming attacks, each strafing me with such speed and strength and ferocity that my armor, at times without being touched, was shredded and ripped apart. I couldn't even begin to wonder how many humans or ponies it would take to destroy this juggernaut.
-120
I gasped loudly, all air leaving my lungs and a hissing screech of pain escaping my lips, as my right hoof was caught in the palm of the Gate Guardian before he clenched his fist. My hoof shattered, and flesh, blood, tissue, and bones splattered across the floor like a burst melon, but a bloody, soft lump of skin was left to be gazed at. From gritted teeth, I let out a pained scream, before perhaps using a skill in the most unorthodox way yet. From my crushed, upper limb grew vilethorne vines with wild speed, encasing my flesh and binding itself around the nightmare's hand, till it crept upwards to its shoulder. The vines tightened, and the sound of fibers stretching to their fullest brought vibrations into the air before a scratching crunch howled in all directions. The plant crushed the arm, and bits of metal cracked and crumbled, but this victory lasted but a second, as I felt myself being lifted into the air, and with the staff risen and pointed at myself, I saw no other choice but to-
-150
-cut my own hoof off, and I fell, but it wasn't fast enough, for the staff collided with my horn, shattering the bone, throwing me several meters away, and for a second stunning me as my every sense was numbed momentarily. When I came to senses, the tingling, tearing sensation still gnawing at my core, I saw the vine-gripped hand glowing and pointing at me. I didn't need further insight, and turned tail, using [Transit] twice, and charged away as a second passed, or perhaps it was three before a wave of heat and golden light sizzled every hair of my body. I rammed my hooves into the floor, slithering across the metal until finally coming to a halt with quickened breath, and witnessed the Gate Guardian, with golden dust falling out of its great wound, as where there once was a shoulder, now was a stump.
I breathed heavily though no dread filled me, when I looked at the Gate Guardian as it rose to its full height, its remaining limbs strained under metal and letting out a metallic screeching equal to a rusted wind instrument. The odds were heavily in my favor, I had already regenerated back to 550 health points, my mana was still in good condition and even my horn had regrown. It made sense, I was one and a half times its level, but one thing was always certain, no matter how strong I became, any nightmare standing in my path could kill me in just a second of arrogance, just like this one. One blow to crush my head, one strike to destroy my chest cavity, one horizontal swipe I could survive, but what followed could spell my doom.
And then -then- a crack echoed through this very world. So loud that it even stunned the Gate Guardian itself. It taught both of us to fear our frail forms.
Both of us looked to the source, near the gate where the boss once stood, a heavy gust of wind soared past the pillar, pushing away the smoke, and revealing a cavity so large that a cottage might've fitted inside. With a quick snap, I looked upwards, to the tip of this pillar, and saw that the blue crystal atop moved rapidly towards us, and the very air around me began to compress as untold amounts of weight rushed downwards to smite us, as ants in its wake. Despite the looming danger, my adversary was the first to take its retreat, with me following, or rather, leading pursuit of an un-crushed state.
I pushed everything I had into my legs, even going so far as using my just shortly-regained magic and [Magic Claws] to push me to 80 Kpm, but even with this speed, further increased by the periodic use of [Transit] I learned in an unfortunate way, that a golden giant running in a straight line was nonetheless faster than I was. I yelped with a pained gasp when a golden bolt rushed past my face and destroyed my ear, the searing pain much more haunting than the hp loss, but less than the accuracy of the Gate Guardian. I jumped to the right, evading a second and third bolt, before erecting a knee-high barrier, and although the mere touch of the Gate Guardian was enough to obliterate it, it was slowed down by the tiniest of bits. With a frown between heavy breaths, feeling a fog form in my sight and blackness crawl from the sides of my vision, I pressed the oxygen deprivation away to create more and more destined-to-be-destroyed [Mana Constructs], before jumping over a rushing wave of holy fire. On a different note, fetlocks are apparently very sensitive, especially to fire.
Suddenly, the distance was crossed as made apparent by the Gate Guardian's fist breaking through my armor, through my ribs, and his fingers gasping my left lung. I grit my teeth with tears of pain forming, before pulling all my hoofs together and with the use of [Power Strike] slamming my entire strength into the helmet of the Gate Guardian, catapulting myself away from the nightmare and the falling pillar at the cost of my flesh. I stumbled across the floor, seeing in only flickering pictures as the Gate Guardian rushed towards me, but just as the hand was about to grasp my head, I used [Transit] even quicker, I picked up a new kind of momentum, speed so quick it was literally back-breaking.
My back collided with the broken pillar near the start of the dungeon, and I coughed, spitting out teeth and blood, but I knew now was not the time to relax, and pushed 250 points of stamina into [Quick Recovery]. Three seconds. In three seconds I regenerated a lung, parts of my heart, half of my ribcage, bone damage, and lost blood, not just rivaling the likes of certain superheroes, but even surpassing them. -However-. The stamina drain was intense, I felt like I ran kilometers within seconds and although there was no muscle to pinpoint the exhaustion, I felt drained. I let out a heavy breath, the cloud blocking my sight for a second as the heat generated dissipated through the air, and I was made to see the state of my foe. The golden giant was half-crushed under the pillar, but it was a miracle in itself that there was more left than a flattened soda can, for my adversary had been stuck between the dented floor and stone pillar.
I walked forwards, the sound of metal against metal accompanying me before I stopped a few meters away.
I summoned my [Magic Claws] which rushed forward towards the boss, however in an act that surprised even the Game, the limbs attached themselves to the stone, and with the strength of the guardian the combined lifting strength of my claws, the stone rose and stood there, until the artificial nightmare would free itself. It crawled out with its shattered and crumbling armor, destroyed arm, and crushed leg, and the remaining limbs, not looking much better, were barely able to stand. And even bits that stood fell off, piece for piece.
I put the shield and claws away, and only ignited two [Mana Blades], before slowly, but cautiously walking forward. Despite the state, the Gate Guardian attacked nonetheless with a slow and weak horizontal slash. I remained stoic until the very last second, in which I dodged under the strike, and rushed forward, ramming my sizzling blades into its abdomen, deep into the enemy, and letting the spell be lodged there for a second or two. Then I felt the weight of the giant shift, retracted my blades, and took a few steps back. The Gate Guardian fell to its knees, crumbling away and as its body was about to lean against me, it turned to dust which bathed me momentarily. I ignored the implications, and just leaned my head back, feeling the new kinds of strength form and bubble within me, knowing full well I'd need every last scrap I could get.
I blinked with tired eyes, feeling so much information flood my mind and engrave themselves into my soul, seeing new abilities arise, evolve, and grant me new strength was a repeatable, yet always unique and memorable experience. A loud sound echoed from far away. I fluttered my eyes and a slowly curling smile saw the great gate slowly opening and a new space reveal itself. A bridge leading towards a tower of ivory.
You have fulfilled one of the requirements for the hidden quest: Path of the Strong.
My lips remained tightly shut, but my jaw fell nonetheless as saliva began to form in extensive amounts. My heartbeat thrummed with newfound strength and goosebumps made up the entirety of my skin's surface. It was, I couldn't quite put it in words, a sense of hope and determination, like a boulder soon to be lifted from the back. I quivered and my knees buckled, feeling myself relax as the previously fierce wind now seemed almost soothing.
I licked my lips slowly, both in anticipation and because of the arid air. "I’ve still got a bit of time, why not risk a little peek, a little look from a safe distance, and- now look at that, what do you do you beauty?" I was walking with a quickened pace towards the next stage of the dungeon when my eyes fell onto the blue crystal which was partially responsible for the squashing of my former adversary and chuckled to myself when I took in the delicious words.
Great Mana Crystal
"Ohh~ Ideas are already swelling up in my skull, and the things we're going to do together." I mumbled and mused while rubbing the crystal with my hooves. My vision turned towards the second crystal, still high up, and the journey still waiting for me. "Hmmm, oh sard it. No need to let the greed out... okay, maybe a teeny tiny bit of greed, but, hngh, it's so tempting!" I grumbled loudly to myself while joy and an ever-thinning sense of patience became the foundation of my thoughts. "Alright, I made up my mind, return, for now, come back later. What do you say, partner."
Supplies and rest are fundamentals for warfare, furthermore scavenging the surrounding wilds may yield resources and items of interest to further advance our quest, oh mighty angel slayer.
"Pff, of course, snide as ever." I sighed with crossed hooves, looking down onto the crystal, and wondering just one thing: Will this thing explode if I remove it from the pedestal? It didn't matter; well yes, it actually did as this could become a cornerstone for my workshop, but it was little of a hindrance to the sheer joy that befell me.
Star Touch - Nightmare Slayer 1(John Weaver) Level - 52 Class - Arcanist - level 15 (The Gamer) Race - Unicorn HP (Health Points) - 675 [68 per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 2063 [112 per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - 675 [68 per minute] STR (Strength) - 65 [130] END (Endurance) - 68 [135] DEX (Dexterity) - (109) 82 INT (Intelligence) - 206 [75] WIS (Wisdom) - 168 [112] CHA (Charisma) - 108 [120] LCK (Luck) - (59) 52
Twisted Lion Mask
Lion Assassin Chestplate
Lion Assassin Trousers
Lion Assassin gloves
Observe lv.25 --> lv.26
Holy Damage Resistance [Passive]
Ice Spear [Active]
Sprint [Active]
Hoof Combat Proficiency [Active]
Summon Guardian Spirit [Active]Offer two sacrifices to the spirit well and answer the call of a spirit willing to step into your ranks. "Guardian Spirits are the near opposite of regular spirits in the sense that they are their own beings who are not dependent on, nor under the control of a spiritualist. They can act and think on their own, favor certain things over others, and can even leave if left unsatisfied, however, they possess power and abilities unique to them. Just ensure their favorability towards you, as although they can't slay you, they are able to 'fail' you.
Mana Shield[Passive]They say a magician's power is only limited by their mind's limitations, my master however believed that a mage is only limited in their lifespan and that it can only ever be overcome by precise and consistent planning. I, however, say that you cannot actively account for things, thus I created not only a new spell but an entirely new kind of magic, spells cast in advance which activate themselves. It's all based on the runes, oh how I cannot wait for my master to see it, or rather not, after all, runes are an art of blasphemy. Phulphack - The Mother of passive spells and the rebirth of runes. *Creates a Mana Shield possessing durability equal to intelligence
Professional Hunter [Perk] Though savage and brutal in execution, your noble intentions, stalwart mind, and hardened soul keep your abilities as sharp as your blades, and mind as thoroughly well kept as your armor in times of both bloodshed and peace. *Increase proficiency growth by 50%
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four: Beginning Of The Maze [E]
Many things are very different when paired with the Game, many things of which quickly became second nature, others are so 'unique' that I could never get used to them, like digesting in a matter of seconds, constantly being cranked up to one hundred percent power, to the point I could crack the stone floor just by walking on it, or regenerating so fast I can see the individual strings of sinew form together like in stop-motion animation. But there was also regaining my conscience in an instant. There was no slow awakening in most cases, no disorientation, just a *bang* and you're completely awake as if not a second passed. Another was that I couldn't feel bad about anything that made me better or at least, not without any resistance.
Of course, the most obvious contender was the nightmares, though through the years I have gained a sort of natural immunity when it comes to hunting them, although the reinforcement of the Game made it much easier, I had to admit.
I killed the pigeons without another thought, well, not exactly. I thought about how meat could be good for a food buff while looking out of the window, and when one landed on my room's ledge, I just grabbed and broke its neck with my magic with no hesitation. In retrospect It was an... absolutely horrifying experience, to just grab and kill something that easily, even harder to accept was that all my anguish about it was made up, my mind was constantly burying the emotions and thoughts about it, it was an even more emotionally-devoid memory than usual. But yesterday...
Yesterday was something completely different.
I killed three griffons in five seconds. It was no hardship, no hesitation, I just merc’d them like any other nightmare, the second I was in danger I eliminated them, and that, despite being the first time I ever actively chose to push a conflict to the death, was not the worst part: It felt fucking good. Not good like eating well, not great like accomplishing some challenging task-no, it was a deep primeval craving that was scratched and it scratched it well. The rush, I could barely describe it, was akin to slaying a nightmare, power flowing into me in its purest form, but here it was so much more refined, clean, fresh . I had no craving to do it again, it wasn't as addicting as the slaughtering of the nightmares, but it didn't make me any happier. I feel nothing, all the bites that plague my conscience are because they clashed with who I originally was, but not with what I was now. I could beat myself up all day, but ultimately truly deep inside of me, at the bottom of it all, I don’t care. Their lives, their achievements, their friends, family everything they stood for, had done and planned to do, I physically and mentally couldn't give a shit about them, or what my current standpoint regarding murder was. The second they became an obstacle, they lost their value to me. The moment they became a threat...
They needed to go permanently.
"How do chipmunks sleep like this?" I muttered sourly, drowning away the thoughts and sighing loudly. I slowly slid into a somewhat upright position, and leaned my head back, resulting in a whole plethora of cracks. Throwing my tongue around in my mouth, I used the moment to expand my magic and envelop the tree plug, firstly pulling it mostly apart,then leaving only a thin line of isolation making an ad-hoc door. I threw a hoof in front of my face to block the light now soaking the dark insides of the tree, blinding me for a moment before I could inspect my surroundings.
There was nothing to behold, and while at first glance it was a calming sight, when [Spirit Senses] was put into the equation, a new kind of queasiness dominated the blood-soaked corners of my mind. While no beasts or monsters prowled the area, that didn't exactly mean it was a good outcome. The bloodstains of the three ~~bastards~~ assassins were gone, no feathers nor hair remained, and the other trees, I couldn't recognize them, for a matter of fact, from my position where I slept, there should've been a tree directly in front of me, just 10 meters ahead, but now I could freely stare dozens of meters deep with nothing blocking my sight.
I sighed with displeasure as life began to surge within my muscles.
"Of course, this isn't just some normal displaced forest, it just *had* to shuffle itself as well." I sighed, shaking my head into the tuft of my chest. "Seems like I'll have to abide a bit longer before delving into the depths of pyromania." I huffed and puffed before jumping, or rather plummeting, out of the wooden tavern and onto the grass while packing everything I've brought back into my inventory. Everything except the Amber Light Flame - in short: the ALF.
That acronym has a weird sound to it. The Game busted into my monologue.
"You sure Grand Aether Manipulator and Extractor? I think it fits quite well." I said with false smugness, before turning my attention from the huffing Game and onto the fire that hopefully didn't run by burning cats. The tip of the fire, which was shaped like a tennis ball-sized teardrop, was pointing to the east, although the wind came from the north. At least it was pretty straightforward, no spell nor command, just a wayward compass.
A timed one at that. The Game noted quite sharply. While I didn't doubt that we could escape on our own, even if it meant burning down everything and or becoming so powerful through the process of soul-crushing grinding that crossing the woods would be a cakewalk, I was not envious of those seeing this as an opportunity to grow. I couldn't just retreat, where would I go? And would I Just be displaced again? And while the mirror realm now laid open to my orphaned flesh, I could only shudder at what nightmares prowled, feeding on the sweeping residue of those lost in this death trap.
With a distrustful leap of faith, I turned towards the east and sternly stared into the great unknown,further widening my senses with [Spirit Senses]. It was nauseating, but being able to see in a radius and feel things moving silently and invisible was a tiny price to pay.
I walked, not running or sneaking, neither jogging nor crouching, I moved with a steady pace with quick steps. The assassin's armor adorned my body like vines binding a tree. Beautiful to behold, but suffocating for the towering timber. Those smoke-like echoes of screams residing in the fabric clawed at my mind, and while I could ignore them, and even drown out the memories, [Spirit Senses] only enchanted my perception of all, at the very least the countless things trickling into my mind helped silence those wraiths of the past. However, the memory of their death still lingered nearby strongly, clogging my mind and leaving my heart untouched.
I won't shed a tear for those who kill for fun or murder, they're just like the nightmares: Mindless monsters and they're all over the shop.
Despite being on full alert, there wasn't only displeasure in this; and I'll be frank- shit situation, there was a certain beauty in seeing the untamed woods, and the spiritualist class only enchanted my fascination with the forest. It was an indescribable sensation. It wasn't like this careless freedom of being unaffected by permanent damage or pain, nor like the downright heavenly sensation of feeling Aether surge and manifest in your very soul, it had a more embracing sensation. This forest was alive in a sense, even if it was just a very basic kind of existence, nearly bordering that of my own follower spirits, if not outright bestowed with a lesser and yet simpler conscience. The thrumm of life all around me was like the lightest, faintest, luke-warm hug one could imagine, just that this one didn't end nor became awkward.
But it didn't put all of my alarmed thoughts to rest, all the while I was attempting to stay attentive, the previous night showed me that this world wasn't just a candy-colored rainbow palace with a few dark spots as had been revealed to me early on, but there were layers and nuggets of evil spread all around. The royal library held many secrets hidden from the public, hell, most of it was locked away from me, not just due to age restriction, but seemingly outright censorship, but then again I could scrape together so much shit. I'm not even just talking about the rule of my mother, within all fairness has had things happening that rival humanity in the 17th and 18th centuries. The genocide of the Yeti, the Griffon “livestock” massacres during which Celestia didn't rule about a thousand years ago, evils that are only rarely mentioned once under various aliases every twenty or so books in various languages. The Germane of the clans in the Dark Woods was by far the best source, though I didn't believe the accuracy of their biology. But there are also more recent examples of this, one that directly involved me. While the loving ponies may not seem like it, they are not genetically perfect, or rather, are vulnerable to genetic mutation via magic, or at least, uncontrolled magic.
While magic itself isn't comparable to things like radiation, it is able to consistently change wherever it is located, be it from transferring energy, reordering elements, or even mutating fragile things like DNA. Now, this wasn't really a problem in the past as in general, the concentration of magic was very low in the previous ages. Unless we're talking about locations like the magic tower in Canterlot, a very mysterious and dubious place that has a reputation of causing impotence just by being inside it for a prolonged time. These days however there is much more in ponies and cities, and while the general population is slowly becoming resistant to it, there is still the problem of foals coming out... wrong, like how I looked at first, mostly better but sometimes worse than me. Add to the astoundingly high rate of incest in nobility and other places and there are a lot of affected foals being born with extremely low life expectations.
Of course, I'm probably blowing it out of proportion, there aren't thousands of these unfortunate foals born, but most certainly enough to enter the realm of general life. And the source of this dismay is called 'Magic Burn', meaning that if a foal has parents who are very magically potent, or sometimes where one parent is much more adept than another, or the location has a high concentration of magic, hell, maybe all together, then Magic Burn can occur. Similar to how magic can make adult ponies impotent, an overwhelming amount of it can cause severe damage if uncontrolled, even going so far as to explode in a quite glorious fashion, but in the cases of foals or fetuses the damage is spread across the entire body like a burn wound that destroys sensitive parts almost always first.
If a foal is born with 'Magic Burn' they are doomed to die, not even with a small chance to live, it's just a timed and very painful existence lacking vital functions such as a working immune system, cell regeneration, or the ability to use magic which amplifies ponies bodies ever so slightly. Once they're born, that's it, nothing more will be added, just slowly rotting away. The longest living foal was a pegasus named Thunder Crash, having lived a total of eight weeks before his system collapsed 147 years ago.
Following a surge of these cases cities had their population spread apart further, with Canterlot adding the third layer which previously was merely a huge port for airships and carriages. But there was also something more added to it all, 'The Silver Soul Law' citing that foals afflicted by 'Magic Burn' should be granted mercy, instead of stretching out the inevitable. I... am not sure what to think of the whole situation, nor do I believe the nobility would scrounge together to pass this law in the union if there wasn't a more ulterior motive at play.
But that wasn't the only time my life was targeted.
Back then at the Neighagra Falls, I felt a sensation completely unknown to me, only vaguely explained by the Game, but now I could feel it. There was a griffon there with the intention to kill me, before being ended him or herself, and while I knew that the relationship between Equestria and the remains of the Griffon Empire was 'luke-warm', it still didn't make enough sense to me. But, I wasn't completely blind, as the armor told me much more than I knew before, and the battle of Pridestone was muttered by Gentle Touch on the death anniversary of her husband. I didn't wish to pry into a sore subject, and I would first attempt to scour the archives for more information on my phantom enemy, before asking living witnesses.
Much blood will be shed if you wish to follow this trail, do be aware. They are well organized, even in shambles, are in possession of level 50 rare grade equipment, and are willing to die to end your life. The Game said with a firm but reassuring tone.
'Yeah, so what?' I symbolically snapped my head back. 'You don't get to escape after targeting my life, and I won't wait playing with my hooves till they try again or get more creative. I've been a plaything in the economic game for twenty years and I won't now become one for the political. They want to play this game, eh Game? Fine! Then let them set their pieces and I'll make many more for the coming match.' I snorted through my nose with a huff and pressed my hooves deeper into my chest tuft.
My advance halted suddenly, when the flickering flame suddenly changed its course, now pointing behind me. I felt reality warp and bend behind me, twisting and cutting the mental picture I had of my surroundings into indistinguishable pieces.
I turned around, expecting or hoping to find my hoofprints, but finding neither those nor the path I took, but instead a small stone den and several boulders atop which wolves made of wood rested. They seemed peaceful, as nonsensical as that statement seemed regarding those arborist golems, however, their serenity was broken when they took notice of me. These animals or perhaps even constructs, stood up slowly one after another and took on a semi-circle position. I stood still, but I didn't paint the option of peace or retreat as a viable solution, for their green glowing eyes, risen bark coats, and sap-seeping maws radiated no sign of compromise. Good, I wouldn't budge either, my path lay right through their nest, but most importantly, despite the difference in numbers, I was by far not outpowered. At a glance, their levels ranged between 18 and 24, lower than the average pony, but most certainly more dangerous than the mundane peace and cupcake-loving citizenry, however, compared to nightmares and the troubles I've faced, these timberwolves, as the [Observe] skill called them, might as well be a horde of groggy, mouldy corgis.
I slowly rose to my hind legs and with a flick of my fetlocks, I ignited two [Mana Blades] and looked at the pack carefully as they started to circle and surround me. The sounds of cracking wood and crackling mana filled the surroundings, and the silver light of my mana clashed with their lime gleaming eye-lights. I lowered my brow and frowned while tightening my gaze, feeling out each subtle movement of their bodies, the way they stepped onto the grass and moved like a wave.
Call it a seventh sense, but after fighting nightmares for over a decade now, I was somewhat skilled at figuring out their patterns, and these beasts were plain as paper, the only question remained: Who would be the brave fool to start the engagement? Would it be the leader, the biggest of the pack, a runt sent as either bait or was granted the chance to rise in the ranks? Maybe an old wolf having the skill to take down a beast my size or a member with just enough strength to create an opening, a sort of shock trooper.
I didn't need to struggle much longer, the pack was desperate and hungered... and then all hell broke loose.
My pupils widened and a quick stream of air entered my lungs as I hurled myself around, my long hair cutting through the air before my forehooves sprang forward like pistons and impaled two wolves in the air through their chests. The smell of mixed wood sawdust and charred sap intoxicated my nose, but the time allowed little liberty. I fell to my hooves and bucked a sneaky beast through its skull with [Power Strike] before rolling under a trio of wolves, but I was not out of the ambush yet as one timberwolf stayed on the sidelines and used this moment to attempt to strike me from a blind spot. I growled loudly, before igniting my horn while rolling and using [Ice Spear].
Particles of my mana parted from my horn like a snowstorm which congealed into a spear of ice growing in seconds to an impressive size. The drain was bearable, but the concentration required was seemingly tenfold of [Ice Bolt] and just from the singular second this spell was within my grasp I could feel my breath hitch, freezing into a cold mist in the air.
The frozen spear jabbed the timberwolf, but the ice sank through the wood with unforeseeable ease and wasn't consumed this easily. As the ice crept across the wolf, layering frost throughout it and soon ensnaring the beast in a cage of deep winter, I hurled it into the remaining six wolves, and as the Ice Spear grew, large and heavy, it pinned two of them to the ground.
Four active wolves remained in my path, not an ounce of retreat or self-preservation in their sapped souls. Amongst them was a particular Arbor Wolf, a silver-colored wolf who was noticeably larger and definitely older, measured by the many notches and scratches in its wooden skin, and by far the strongest with level 24. The elder lowered her gaze and snarled before letting out a dreadful howl akin to a glass-shattering within an empty tunnel and spurning the remaining few into action all at once, and more. Their lights increased in saturation and brightness, almost seeming to overclock them.
The wolves charged forward the short distance towards me, and I responded in kind. two [Fireballs] formed, a third I wouldn't risk to leave me open, and hurled them, towards the quartet. The flames consumed two attackers in an instant, like an infernal tidal wave swallowing them and leaving behind charred, crumbling remains, however one I had aimed at the eldest herself, but was taken by a lesser member in an act of sacrifice. I couldn't tell if it was high respect, an order, or a sort of hivemind that provoked this selfless act, but I rolled with it.
A strong wolf overtook the pack leader and jumped towards me and I caught it with my [Magic Claws] and cut it into two pieces with [Mana Blade] but in my moment of concentration, the Matriarch jumped over the bisected corpse and bit into my shoulder while snarling and shaking her head in all directions. The teeth didn't sink far, the damage was nearly entirely negated but what worried me was something else.
Timber Wolf Matriarch - lv. 24 is using [Drain Bite]
With a growl, I grabbed the beast by its neck, including my claws, and ripped the beast off me and onto the ground. Goosebumps formed across my skin as I felt the acidic sap seep into my quickly closing wounds. She tried to jump away, regroup perhaps, but before she could jump away I pulled out the hobgoblin club and in a combination with [Power Strike] rammed the timberwolf away with its limbs and bark crumbling away. I looked at my wound for a second, seeing the damage repair itself, and walked forwards with a quickened pace as the wolf was regenerating by seemingly absorbing the plant matter around it, fixing herself like a sort of patchwork. I ignited my two [Mana Blades] and in quick, twirling motions evaded through the duo of half-frozen, recently freed golems and finished turning them into splinters, before, without sparing another glance, crushed the matriarch's head under my hoof.
12 The Game counted, though not only wolves were taken into the calculation.
I took a deep breath, the battle was not exhausting, I was used to the battle thrill, but to calm myself as I took the corpses into the inventory and walked towards the dens as a sneaking suspicion crept into my mind. "You will not put them into the same category. I have nothing but swift death for pony eaters to give."
Noted The Game replied with his usual pragmatic voice, leaving me at times to wonder if he could really have thoughts that were located in deeper layers of his being, or if he really was everything I could see at first glance. I could understand why I was there for the morals department at the very least. What are you looking for, if I may ask? You won't find a reward here like in the dungeons.
"Oh, I'm sure I'll find something." I said with a wry tone and walked on my hindlegs past the rock. For a normal pony, all these little details would be invisible, but I took in every single scratch, every smell, and every sensation, and right now I could feel something potent. I stopped and snapped my head towards a tiny hole around which laid relatively recently unearthed dirt. My horn burned my mana and the earth was pulled out in spades with my magic, the dirt was thrown in all directions behind me, but it wasn't like anyone was left to care.
"Eww," I said with a scrunched-up muzzle and a look of disgust plastered across my face as a unicorn skull was pulled out of the den and laid there with worms crawling out of the nose holes.
Skull of Polar MightThe desecrated remains of Sir Polar Might, a dear friend of Silver Blade.
"That... That wasn't what I was expecting..." I said with a hint of green taking form around my muzzle. I didn't know why, but this sight was far more morbid and stomach-turning than the undead horde. Perhaps it was the rotten smell of putrefied blood that nauseated me.
It's the horn of an adept magic caster, the item would serve well to be used as a catalyst. The Game said with intrigue; or at least attempted to invoke it in me, but all it did was make me stare at my own skull bone with confusion. Your own horn's spell power will always be tied to your own stats and race factors, however, items act as an outside benefactor.
I stared at the skull with unease, and gulped down the bile, before shaking off the dirt and insects and hurling it into my inventory, after all, this wasn't what I was after. And I hope grave-robbing would never have to be my primary goal.
Another batch of dirt and items was scraped from the nest. More bones, but also pieces of broken weapons and armor followed, their original state impossible to be made out, but I wouldn't decline free metal. A few shrooms, most were deadly for the average pony, but for me, it would help to raise my poison resistance, as with no doubt [Vilethorne Immunity] wouldn't carry me to the end of the world. A few pieces of jewelry as well as rings and gems came with the next batch in addition to very old-looking bits. I gasped with joy, only to be let down seeing as not one of them had any special effect. Worthless.
I snorted and dug deeper, pulling more and more valuables out, treasures I had no further use than for the soon-to-be smeltery. Rusted daggers, empty cloth pouches, weird-looking seeds, and finally the origin of the strange sensation. As another layer deep into the hole was ripped open, an illuminating, green glow emitted from the depths. Well looky here~
With a great tug, roots and stones were ripped from the crust and like a missile as an oval emerald halted but a centimeter away from impacting with my face. My smile halted for a moment, before igniting with a second burst as I saw what it was, something exclusive to the spiritualist class.
Spirit Gem: AvalynThis follower Spirit managed to get old and strong enough to pass through the weave on its own and manifest in the form of a gem, waiting to hatch or be hatched by a spiritualist. Companion spirits possess their own physical form, magic, and skills and are a step below Guardian Spirits, however, they usually bind themselves permanently to their master till they die and usually possess limited cognitive abilities. Not every spirit will allow itself to be awakened by just anyone.
I grinned with the biggest shit-eating smile I could muster while cuddling the gem into my chest tuff. "You'll make a fine addition to my ragtag band of hunters, I just hope you won't kill the damn cat in Canterlot." I swayed my gaze away from the gem and into the depths of the forest. "But then again, the little shit probably already got himself thrown out of the castle with how much mischief it causes... Like, I watched some cats as a side gig while their masters went on vacations or whatever, but none of them were as huge assholes as this one. Fucker scratched up my books. Even went so far as to scale the damn castle wall... from the eighth level to the ground floor."
The cat you didn't give a name to, despite being in your possession for extended periods, has been looking for a new owner since we left.
"His name is Kat, not 'cat', and what did you just say about the little shit?"
His race is dependent on mana, without it they die. It first went to a butler named Glimmering Manners, then to a guard called Valiant Rush, before spending extended periods with Twilight Sparkle.
My brows sank deeply and a taste of bitterness overtook my tastebuds, and the sentence 'wouldn't be the first time she replaced someone' floated through my skull with cynical distaste, before snapping out of it. Twi would not become the target of my anger, no one would, no one ever did, but I needed another way to blow it off instead of just bottling it up.
A stallion with the name of Night Light is in possession of Kat, and by the hormones in Kat's brain, he seems to be quite fond of his new master.
"That fucker is dead to me." I crossed my hooves, with the gem still in my hooves, and now with much sharper attention to my surroundings, I felt how reality was tensing up again. "Like, yeah, the chemistry didn't mix at all! He was a lazy tub of destruction who wants to be treated like a king, scratches all day and not a bit of cuddling, but just abandoning me like that? Pah, Hauhuthos should've never pushed the little bastard into my hooves, I was quite content with the egg-but nooo~, can't let ol' Star have anything nice, take the puss, you won’t regret it~ But soon I'll be happy with my own little dragon once I install the mana crystal without shattering my hindlegs again."
Copper, who could've thought it was a great hinge reinforcement material.
"Oi, shut it, it was a great contraption until the fucking ceiling crashed down. How was I supposed to know that under a ten-centimeter layer of stone was nothing, and absolutely nothing more than sponge stone and fucking oxygen moss, huh?" I said, throwing my arms wide open and leaning my head forward. "It won't matter anyways, once I'll get my grabby hooves on some grout I'll make myself a real nice forge and make steel stone, or even steel rock pedestals for them gems."
The reality of the forest was beginning to contract once again, and the singular cells being displaced became visible to me. It was chunks of 24 by 24 meters that were being warped away.
"Anyways, how do I hatch this Avalyn?"
Place the spirit gem into the spirit well, and convince the spirit inside why you'd make a good master. The Game said, and I put the gem into my inventory. However, I do believe a better Spirit Well would be in order to increase our odds. Finding a larger stump would be a good first step, higher quality wood too, before attempting to summon both the companion's spirit and a guardian spirit. His words were more of a warning, than just advice.
There was a very good reason why I hadn't summoned more follower spirits, despite only gaining more faith capacity by having more of the floating light bulbs around. They just wouldn't come, and it was both tied to the level of the Spiritualist class, my guess it being around every ten levels, as well as class-specific equipment.
Oh well, I threw my arms wide open, and pulled out my shield, holding it with my [Magic Claws] and readying myself for the next jump, that came and hit like a fucking train. Many things awaited me, and I had a lot of big plans, and all I needed were a few lucky jumps, so why was it so windy all of a sudden?
View Online
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four (Interlude): Agent and Detective [E]
Mist Path
Now this really is something the academy couldn't have prepared me for. I thought with a frown while standing on my hindlegs and looking across a lot of ponies crowding the prince's room, or the shambles that were made of it, that was. "Alright fillies, that's enough. Pack up the evidence and place them on the table, I didn't come all the way from Manehatten to Canterlot to inspect guards’ hoof prints."
I could feel the many kinds of magic wash over the room, basking it in blue light to those especially sensitive to magic like myself. All traces needed to be preserved, even if it was as unimportant as the toilet paper, however now this room was as well preserved as preserved fish, something I still cannot remove from my poor mind after visiting Pridestone last summer: What a dump.
"Hello Mist Path"
"Pop"
"Keep talking like that and I'll outlive you." Pop, although officially known as Agent Silent Glider, was one of the older active members of the military of Equestria, and if he was continuing his patch, he'd have good chances of becoming the oldest pegasus yet to date. Despite the milky white claiming his scarred left eye, and deep talon scars forming nearly a sort of checkered design on his trunk, which he hid by always wearing something concealing in, every day he appeared as nothing more than a very grey, old, and bulky pegasus stallion.
"Sure, Glider, did you talk to the witnesses yet?" I asked while turning my back to him.
"Witness." Silent Glider said with a cleanly cut and cold tone while trotting towards me with silent steps. "And I can't quite tell if she is hallucinating, has gone mad, or we're dealing with something very uncomfortable."
"Do tell what you found out." I said slowly while looking at the evidence that was crudely ordered in the middle of the room on a golden silk mat, while illusions of these objects were placed in their original location. "The fight was fierce, but very short-lived."
"Will you listen, or monologue to yourself?"
"Just talk, old stud, we don't have much time 'till the princess takes whatever paltry evidence we have and does whatever in Celestia's name she wills." I said forcefully, before pulling out a small flask, an energy potion of some sort. I haven't slept the last twenty or so hours, a case kept me going, and then as I was about to hit the hay I'm being pulled out of my hotel window and into a carriage to Canterlot. "What did they say?"
"Strong Will, an earth pony mare from Appleloosa was found in extreme conditions at about two in the morning, missing three limbs, an eye, part of her muzzle, and suffering from several other sources of damage, however doctors were able to reattach two of her limbs, the third one is on ice. We could find out that the source were many clean, but devastating cuts."
"I've seen the pictures, you'd think a minotaur went to its last glory, but it's far too precise and straight, although other corpses were found as minced meat in the halls." My stomach turned at the thought of a corridor of shredded meat and walls splattered with blood, but not a single detail about the aggressor being damaged, well, other than a bit off the finger with a unique ring laying before me. "A strong sense of ammonia and boar tallow, several scents of dirt, alcohol, and, what's that, truffle and cream?"
I attempted to levitate it, but it bore resistance, not quite unlike a distortion field, but it was more inert: Wraith metal, nothing you'd find in Equestria, at least, not legally or without quite a large capital. On the ring, a lion's face was engraved, one that I didn't recognize, but perhaps a librarian could shed more light on the symbolism.
"The last meal of the prince. Must've gone for seconds." Glider said dryly, and I could never quite tell when he was joking or being sarcastic.
"Do go on." I said slowly, before putting the finger down, giving the nearly ripped window space a glance, and staring at the second greatest mystery.
A spear of ice, there were not a lot of ponies, unicorns even, with ice-related cutie marks I might add, that could conjure an ice spear spell without preparation, much less in combat, but the most intriguing detail was that not only did it not melt, but it also exudes an aura at the front while remaining stable several hours later. Creating an ice spear, not a literal spike of ice, but the cryomantic spell, was a highly classified and dangerous spell, simply because if a pony were to actually be able to use it, then many less concentration-intensive and widespread spells of arctic destruction would be within their arsenal as well. Bluntly put, to this day most mages deny the practiced art of cryomancy, partially due to Equestria's history with the wendigoes, but also because it was frequently used by enemies of the state to the point that its seen as a near insult to the nation as a whole. This also had the effect that the magic school has become blunt and near-forgotten, but to see one with this efficiency did make me wonder: Who cast it, and how did they learn it?
The closest, publically available spell would be cooling, but the sheer gap would make this connection absurd. Though I assume that the perpetrators took this matter more seriously, seeing as the ice spear was either the cause of the crossbow bolt being embedded in the wall behind me or a reaction to it. But whatever was the order, the assassins were not cheap nor flimsy, firing live wrath iron bolts.
'But then again, the documents did specify how Impressive the Prince is.' I thought, while looking at several small chunks of griffon beak, snot and blood splattered at the hoof of the bed. What did they teach him, and why?
"Strong Will stated that the trio of griffons appeared out of nowhere in the corridor leading to the prince, and the sound or rather, sensation of air cracking, sounded at their entrance." He said, before sharply looking behind him, seeing shaking and gagging personnel of both maidens, the morgue, and the biohazard department of the Magic Tower walk past the open door. "After that, her Info is... fuzzy."
"Fuzzy, you say?" I repeated while picking up a small piece of cloth, but I could already sense the strong scent from some distance away, and I had no intention of killing myself. It was highly concentrated chloroform, but there was also an underlying smell, something much more potent. "Watered down, or even mixed manticore poison, it becomes harder to see if they wanted to take the prince alive or dead." Or between, after all, manticore poison was an intense neurotoxin, usually used to hunt cragadiles, bog boars, or juvenile hydras, not ponies.
"Once they infiltrated the halls, the Guard said that, and I quote 'The world lost all sound.' The griffons started to vibrate, became blurry and distorted, warped, she told me. It was like time and space were distorted." Glider walked up to me and stared with an intense look into my eyes. "They jumped around in all places, through the ceiling, the walls, the ground, in ponies. One second they were behind them, then there where they arrived, and at one point they were briefly hovering outside with wings folded to their side, akin to how some unicorns place barriers below their hooves to garner ground in the air."
"End of the interview."
"And then the fight which alarmed the entire castle, before a yak-sized portal appeared next to the window through which all four of them went. But where?"
"That is the question, and the eggheads are not getting much off the readings, the signal is too far away. The princess has requested several high class ingredients and tools to attempt a scrying spell."
"That desperate?" I asked, but despite my rather poor choice of words, at least when the tightened look of Glider was to say anything, I was not taking this easy. Scrying was not everyday magic, it was dangerous and borrowed attributes from several schools of magic, including soul and dark magic, despite these usually seen under one banner, as well as high-class location magic. The sheer drain of magic was intense, and several powerful mages are gathering to use the spell, though more meant less stability.
"This isn't just some random runt getting lost in Las Pegasus, Mist. This is the first crown prince since the founding of this country, heir of princess Celestia, the first pony to rival the status of an alicorn in strength, control over all the realm and longevity by royal researcher H." Glider said sharply. While the arrival of the prince was met with mixed results, some worrying about the changes to come, many did embrace the presence, even if some glass panels depicted in the unofficial church of the sun were rather... unsettling.
"Stop speaking about him, you haven't met this mysterious doctor H yourself, you're starting to sound like those maniacs calling him a giant owl." I said in response, searching for any more evidence, but it was hard to follow a crumb trail if starving crows were released just hours prior. "I'm just saying that going from dispatching specialists from all around the country to prepping agents with relics for various purposes, to casting spells of these sizes- I'm just worried how highly this will escalate." Equestria has lived a near millennium in peace with only a few, sparse, military interventions through the centuries, and I did not wish to witness the streak being broken, this was the reason I chose this career in the first place: Prevent disaster.
"Escalate?" Glider said, sitting down next to me, but I doubt it was for comfort, he was just tired of standing on the carpet. "You know very well what the death of a royal by a griffon has meant in the past."
...
"War."
View Online
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four (Interlude): Cracking the Sun's Hard Core [E]
"That will be all Mist Path, I thank you for your quick involvement." Celestia said kindly with her usual motherly smile as she watched Mist Path give his report. The folder was much thinner than usual, but then again, usually, he did work with a more generous time window.
"My princess, I understand the urgency of the situation, but please just give me some more time before-"
"You misunderstand, Mist Path, you already delivered all the information we required. I bid you a fair return to your quarters." The solar princess interjected quite forcefully, still displaying a warm aura despite the hard response.
"But-"
"Agent, you have received your orders." Captain of the Royal Guard, Tower Shield cut him off. "We understand your desire to support the crown in this situation, but further investigations as of now would be a misuse of time. The royal guard will deal with the terrorists."
Tower Shield was an old earth pony mare nearing her retirement. Her once golden mane faded into bronze with several locks of copper and her blue coat was wilting into a wooly mass. Despite the many scars and wrinkles plaguing her form, she stood proudly like the day when she first entered the military.
"Have a pleasant day."
"I-yes, of course. I will depart immediately. I bid you farewell." Mist Path said reluctantly, forcing an obedient response while physically straining himself from further remarks, it would not help anyone to be punished for disobedience.
He turned around, averting his eyes from the council of the sun of which members included names such as Tower Shield, captain of the royal guard, Porcelain Vase, head maid and spy specialist, her highness Celestia herself, Money Bag, royal treasurer, and Z, leader of the Agents. Z was by all accounts a mystery, some claiming him to be something unknown even to princess Celestia, an always-hooded, shaded, cloaked figure with unknown purpose in the government. At least, it was so to Mist Path. Hauhuthos Hillihuth the high mage and magistrate of the capital, Choking Phantom, the leader of the dark magic defense circle, as well as princess Mi Amore Cadenza and prince Blueblood were not present. The council did possess more unofficial members that were called into effect when required but had no permanent seat.
The Princess looked content as the door closed, but her ever-lasting smile fell ever the slightest bit the moment her eyes hovered across the lines of the document handed to her. Despite a princess having to have a more objective way of thinking, she very much so had many subjective thoughts seeing the pictures which could not truly encapsulate the disgust and, dare she describe it as such, anger of the twenty-three lives lost in the night. But, despite the brutality of the perpetrators, one image set her blood into a burning frenzy: The Mark of the Proud Lion Guild. They were a fanatical group believed to have been eradicated in its entirety after having tried and hung over three hundred members in Cluck Dale, the only cooperation between the unofficial Griffon Republic and Equestria, and the latest dispute between ponykind as a whole and The Griffon Kingdom.
"Z, find anygriff that could possibly have cooperated with the Lion Guild, they are highly unlikely to work with other races. Use discretion. Lord Money Bag, please calculate the cost of coming actions taken and inform the nobility of the duties they are bound by their title - opposition will lead to the erasure of their titles. Porcelain Vase, find out if there are any leaks within the castle that may have been spoken of. Tower Shield, inform the Guard to prepare for the possibility of military intervention in the form of a retaliation strike and hostage extraction, all measures are allowed and the mobilization of airships and pylons is granted. That will be all for now."
As the Princess spoke, her loving tone devolved into a near cold and coordinated tune. However, it seemed something entirely else was starting to melt within the alicorn. "Dismissed." She added shortly, and as she ordered, the individual members wordlessly stood up and walked through the large double doors, leaving her alone to her thoughts.
The Princess was not just alone in the physical sense, but also in an objective way.
Her posture remained momentarily high and regal, despite none watching, but for once, even in solitude, she let her form sink into an un-princesslike state. Her back arched forward, her elbows touched the table and she rested her head atop her hooves. Her breath quivered with her pained chest arching with each breath. Celestia could feel her composure crumbling, but she couldn't remember a time when she ever let her grief consume her this much. But she did, there was a time, so long gone, and yet as if it was yesterday, she remembered the very last time her heart was ever free to let it wallow in whatever emotion it desired, even the darkest of painful ones. The last time she lost control, the last time someone could hurt her so much with their absence and their disappearance as a whole. But that was her sister, this was different, but she knew it wasn't quite that, and she hated herself for thinking so... calculated about her very own emotions.
For twelve years, she was the guardian of Star Touch, a colt who invoked so many emotions on such a wide spectrum, that he might as well be both the greatest enemy and most valiant hero she met at once. The memories range from the lovely times, her little prince would jump on her lap time and time again during morning court, to the depths where he chose for but a moment in her lifespan to become but another citizen, leaving her once more alone.
Loneliness was her greatest fear. It wasn't death, her own or others, nor dragon, undead, nor demons, she looked them all in the eyes and bested even the most wickedest of them all, no, they couldn't push her into submission. However, after having her shell of solitude and 'content' opened and letting her feel the radiant warmth of companionship beyond that of a herald or subject, she had grown to be fond of, dare she say, describe as happiness and fearful of her old life. The mundane days of court and paperwork, the blunt galas and meetings, the boring political discussion, and the few glimmers of barely anything worth enjoying in the form of excess sugary foods that made up her day-to-day activity for nearly a millennia looping and repeating endlessly. She wouldn't be surprised if her very own subjects would describe this lifestyle as a form of torture itself.
And then it all changed when he entered her domain. Star Touch, an investment of sorts, grew up to be so much more than she could've ever dreamed of, the hope of motherhood. She could very well understand when mares and stallions alike chose parenthood as not for them, but the thought of seeing her very own offspring was a desire always present, but the horror of seeing her foal crumble away as an old pony was too dreadful to bear. But, like many things, she ruined the few winks of fortune granted to her time and time again.
What should've been a changing relationship morphed into that of a dictatorship, and looking back, she couldn't help but 'indulge' in the piercing and twisting sensation that carved through her heart. And despite the strict schedules that inched the poor colt closer to the Tartarus that was her own misery, he stood steadfast until she pushed away her student. Nothing could ever hurt her colt, he was such a kind soul, but one that couldn't bear the plight of others and thus strayed away from the crooked path of gold she paved. Oh, how angry she became when somepony, her own colt for that matter, disobeyed not her, but the Princess Of Equestria.
And when Star gave her another chance, she did nothing to change what was before, just continue everything while joyfully musing that her beloved, planned-through day continued like the well-oiled clockwork it was before. And now, what was different was quite simple: There was no reassurance for the future, only reflection of the past.
The regret of not doing more, the fear of not actually having been a mother but instead a teacher, even less than a tutor or mentor, were worries she wished ever so dearly to deny, but these dreadful thoughts were rekindled time and time again as she laid there, and a puddle began to form under her face. A pool of misery, sobbing and running mascara. And what was the thought that set in motion this horrible circle of misery? The thought of Star's death, or perhaps even his epiphany that he might be better off away from her after being away, without risk and duty and her endless restrictions. But the question remained, was it fear for him, her selfish self, or the plan she’s meticulously enacted for centuries?
She now felt as if the span of emotions in their relationship was always kept in a cage of her own choosing, but now fell to depths previously unknown: Vulnerability, misery, fear, anger, doubt, they all culminated into a toxic beverage that ravaged her mind.
The sound of a cork popping beneath the table roused the princess, but it was her own magic that did this. Celestia levitated a bottle of 'Die Lebensfreude', a wine produced primarily in Germane from local berries, this bottle was aged for fifty years in a dark oak barrel, before resting another two hundred years in her possession. She always thought that she'd open it at a more celebratory occasion, like a wedding or even Star's coronation that was due in two years, not as a painkiller. She held the bottle to her lips, and before she knew the wine was gone with few glugs and one breath, and yet the alcohol couldn't faze her, perhaps the light burning in her throat that was already present numbed the, in comparison, tame stinging.
"What am I doing?" Celestia said, before summoning tissues and cleaning her face with silk and magic combined. "I need to scour the dream realm, maybe I'll find him that way." She mumbled to herself, feeling slightly tipsy, and quickly began to cast a teleportation spell to her own quarters before becoming an even worse, drunken mess. However, before entering what once was her sister's realm, she first had to go somewhere else to attune herself with more 'positive' magic, lest she too was lost for time to come.
Though she vanished with a flash, she did it so many times, for her, it was but a blink, a pop before she appeared there where she desired to be, and with a little support from the might of the celestial body she herded and guided, there were only a hoof-full of places she couldn't appear in an instant. Now in her chambers, her eyes were lured to her desk, seeing her diary, a magically enchanted book capable of housing tens of thousands of pages despite the thin appearance.
Something drew her to it, but she felt an oddly dreading sensation harbor in the corners of her mind while viewing it.
Princess Celestia shook her head and sat down on her large cushion, a bed set a meter away from her own bed, picked up at a Saddle Arabian bazaar that was perhaps the worst for her duty, given how lulling and comfortable it was. She scoffed bitterly and reminisced to herself after testing it out once and nearly missing a meeting with the then-current ambassador of Iron Stronghoof of the Feron Clan.
Lowering her head, she entered one space she could be her true self, reserved only for the fewest of few: The realm that was reserved for alicorns and those it deserved worthy of its presence.
Celestia - The Realm of Ascension
I opened my eyes to see a place that I haven't visited in well over a decade, though previously that time span might've looked pitiful to the centuries she had before let it exist untouched. Though it was more so of a metaphysical place of existence rather than an actual location, the power and influence it possessed well crossed the borders of reality it was where harmony was second only to one other place, but I knew very well that the tree had lost interest in me, or rather I lost favor with it.
Oh dearest Sister, what little more could've been needed to avert such tragedy, but a whiff of my time, but even then I couldn't grant thee, and if fate were to grant me a crooked hoof, perhaps I too am to live the life I've dammed you to. I thought with agony, clenching my eyes and averting my face as your lovely image blended into my vision from the clouded corners of my memory.
"Luna, Starswirl." I began, and leaned my head back, feeling but the faintest of harmonies tendrils caress my distorted mind. "Sir Silver Blade, Feltwebel Eisenhard, and my beloved colt, I've let you all siphon your hearts and feed mine with your faith, love, and devotion without ever returning any, causing you poor souls to wither away like flowers who weren't touched by the sun." I sucked in a sharp breath of air through my tightened lips while lowering my head. "If you see any chance in this, I will better myself."
"Though I warned you not to pour your heart into our grafting plan, I see you've sank to deeper depths." I heard his voice, and I couldn't quite tell what it was that set my blood ablaze. The desecration of this place, or his misplaced judgment. "Though that matters little, what I came to tell you, however, was that you hypocrites quite disgust me, though what you are is perhaps the only thing still able to touch me."
"I've been wondering where you have gone to, but now I wish I didn't," I said and lifted my head to meet his darkened, empty pupils that reeked with the corrupting, purple flame. How his crooked form appeared like tar within this sacred place, and how he tunneled his way through this plane's walls. "You've chosen a poor moment to insult me, Velvec."
"Hmph, quite demanding who insults me in the very next breath. Velvec Wanderer is dead, long gone, what remains however is a skeleton of his former principles now enveloped by a meaty armor of ambition. My name is Hauhuthos Hillihuth, Sunny Days, and you better remember it next time." Velvec said as I watched his cursed form waddle forward with carelessness and the grace of a drunkard, but then again, harmony was poison to his ilk.
"What kept me at bay? Well, there were some individuals I needed to inform of the most recent happenings, their insight and in some cases, relationships with others involved was quite valuable in my eyes." Hauhuthos said, before finally stopping but five meters away. He towered me, but I couldn't put my hoof on if he made himself appear taller, or if he for once straightened his posture. "As for my presence here, of your righteous holiness herself, what can I say other than remind you of the plan."
"If you think me to be senile, you're mistaken and before your involvement, I was about to search the dream realm of my colt." I rebutted quite hard, with much more aggression than I wished to admit.
"But this is exactly where you already trotted into the wrong alley." He said with the tiniest hint of mockery and a majority of judgement. He took a step forward, but not towards me, but to my side, and began to circle me. "Now? In the clearest of daylight? I could tell you right now that he isn't asleep, for a matter of fact other than his current state, including being alive, there is nothing to locate. I'd know, I was the one who felt his awakening in the first place, the one who watched his birth, held a spell of paralyzation ready when the foolish doctor was about to destroy my future protege, and even followed Gentle Touch to her abode. For alls' sake, I even watched till Agent Mist Path first had his little 'test' with the colt."
"You're monologuing to me what is already known." I replied with a sharp glare, and turned around, to close the distance by a little bit.
"Don't interrupt me, you're like a little filly who can't wait until her mother is finished bargaining with a sales pony." Hauhuthos shook his head with disappointment and widened the gap again. "But no, the reason I came here was to tell you that you're wrong, you aren't his mother."
"Keep your beak shut, shade." I said forcefully, and I couldn't believe I lost my composure so quickly, so fast that only afterward I realized my mistake, and perhaps this outburst surprised even the magus himself, who gave me but the shortest of quivering brows. "You never had any family, what do you know about it?"
"I don't know much about what makes a family, but I have entire libraries full of what most certainly de-qualifies a bond between ponies as 'family', Celestia." Hauhuthos stopped, snapping his head towards me like an owl, and the borders of his flesh ever so slightly appeared like smoke rising from tar. "A mother doesn't wish death upon her child for their unique state." He spat, and I felt pushed back.
"A mother doesn't poison her child, even if they believe it to be for their better. Neither does one seclude them from peers, social gathering, school, the public, forces them through grueling lessons so long as that of a highly acclaimed scholar. Oh, that wasn't even the beginning. Freedom of choice, honesty, loyalty, laughter or joy, those last three most certainly were strangers to you for the longest of times, no?"
I grit my teeth, but my eyes betrayed me as they focus on the ethereal ground. "Shut up." I whispered.
"Stopping so soon? But we have just begun!" Hauhuthos Hillihuth exclaimed joyfully and with schadenfreude. "How about all the lies through the years, not just to yourself, but to him? You picked him up like a piglet for the heart warming eve’s dinner, filled his head with all those hopes. Oh, you'll be a prince, you have such a silvery future ahead of you. Bollocks! You didn't even know if he had a haunch of a chance of survival when you picked him up, Tartarus, it only entered the realm of possibility a couple of years back."
"Shut up." I said audibly, lifting my head and glaring at the taunting monster.
"No, you will listen to me. You endangered the plan, the guide to a weapon capable of killing the goat, you, for your own twisted fantasy, a false happy end." Hauhuthos enforced his statement, stomped on the ground, and opened his wings in a threatening stance. "Every interaction with you pushes him deeper into the other goal post. You think those markings are just for show, those that appear on him like infectious fungus, huh? No, those are the sap of the roots from which nightmares blossom. Darkness in its purest form, and if things were ever to be pushed that deep? Someone cabable of controlling the spawn with a limitless mind, a terror that makes the lord of destruction appear puny."
I could feel the heat rising, my magic blazing with wrath.
"But of course, he also has the chance to end it all, the power to purify the everlasting stains on reality. A literal, immortal star exuding life and energy unlimited in its purest form, the prime magic preceding even the rotten gunk that are divine powers: the ability to command the world gate, steer the boat of fate and even dominate the forge of creation - how fitting that this brilliant light yearning for nothing but painless life and joy, one that is able to stand against the endless hordes of nightmares, hold and push back impending doom given form of a vortex is only buckling, breaking, crumbling and corrupting against you."
"Shut up!" I screamed without any restraint, and I had no remorse while getting in his face showing all the furry I had to bear.
"Why?! Can't accept that he doesn't need you? That you're not what you think you are? A parasite that feeds off my protege, cleaning your own guilt before throwing him into the pyre?” “My, looks like you can't even give the one foal you ever guarded even the illusion of a happy life! Aren't you just nothing more than a parody of a moth-."
"SHUT UP!!!"
And as his sentence finished, Hauhuthos fell back far, despite erecting a shield of hardened, black light it stopped only most of the blast. With quick, heavy, quivered breaths, resisting the urge to cough as the stench of burned tar filled my nose and the heat of my own horn scorched the tips of my brows. And it took a second longer before I realized that I unleashed a beam of pure fire upon the devil before me.
"You don't want to believe me, do you?" A formless, clean and yet distorted voice called from the half-incinerated body. The nightmarish mass suddenly shook with life, standing up with just the help of its legs, and the tar began to grow like a tree into the all-familiar form of Hauhuthos Hillihuth, unharmed, uncaring, unbothered like all nightmares. After all, they can't be killed by traditional means, not even draw so much as a single drop of blood. "Then let me put it this way, from an amalgamation between nightmare and pegasus, a bastard child of the unholy and misbegotten. You're an even greater monster than me."
I fluttered my brows and slowly rose while taken aback by the sheer callousness of his speech.
He smirked, though not with satisfaction or sadism even, but disappointment. "The difference, as obvious it is or oblivious you are, is that I admit my rotten core with a straight face. "
"Leave." I spat out, with no hesitation or resistance, and I meant it despite being shocked at how open and direct I was after a millennium of duties and masks. But that was just another lie to make me feel purer about myself than I actually was, didn't I? After all, I did just lose my composure and attempted to kill some~~thing~~one who spoke against me. "Don't show your face to me unless you're called." I whispered, but he heard me well.
"Very well, your highness." Hauhuthos spoke with a parody of a little bow and vanished by melting out of reality itself.
"You don't know horseapples about what you're saying you dumb bird, nothing." I hissed with venom under my breath, and the tugging sensation of some origin I couldn't locate pulled at my chest, and sadness crunched my heart fiercely. "I'm his mother, no one would tell me otherwise." I clenched my teeth, and subdued, –I tried at least, the stinging sensation that concentrated in the corners of my eyes.
I opened my eyes with a grimace, tightening my facial muscles and glaring at whatever my vision showed me. I couldn't quite put my hoof at what bit my ego so terribly, whether it was the arrogant, but true boasting of hooty, or the fact that I was unable to do anything until nightfall to scour the dreamscape. Of course, I could also doubt the owl's words and use the scry orbs the second it was ready to see if my little colt was indeed within reach of a teleport spell, or at the very least, that in addition to an hour of flight as teleporting such a long distance would require the magic of the sun. I would never forgive myself if I burned down the hideout and star and every griffon in it, though less for the latter.
A knocking rang forth into the room and echoed in an aura of annoyance and frictional anger.
"I remember very well having asked for no disruptions." I called out, still resting with life slowly returning to my legs and my old, scarred wings.
Though my statement was very clear to understand even to the loftiest of ears, what followed was a heavy impact that rocked the door and startled the hinges. A futile attempt as the door was able to withstand a day-long siege, but nonetheless likely shaved off a decade of my nerves, and invoked memories of a persistent and annoying stallion attempting to court me in my young years during the unification period.
"This better be important." I muttered to myself with annoyance, a habit that still persists to this day and has been following me since the days of discord. How dare he make me speak my every thought. With wobbling and uneasy legs, I rose and slowly trotted towards the door, anticipating another 'knock.' With a huff, I developed the multilayer spell grid and turned it to activate the opening mechanism, but while my magical perception was sharp, it seemed my eyes had waned quite a bit, for the moment the door was open, one pushed through.
One very angry mare.
"Where is my colt, where is Star!" Gentle Touch pushed through the opening, and with her forehead connecting with my injured, bare chest, pushed me back, not out of strength but pain.
I hissed as I could feel my ribs bent inwards, the damage that haunted me for so many years was now triumphant in a second of carelessness.
"Talk!" Gentle Touch barked, rage clashing with panic and fear. One of her hindlegs reared back and with a heavy kick closed the door with a thunderous impact, shining pride upon her farmer heritage. "Where is he!?" She screamed loudly, and when I stood my ground, not inching a step backward anymore, she reared herself onto her hind legs and stared me in my eyes.
Fury, anger, and a total loss for her surroundings made her appear almost feral with heavy breathing, barred teeth, and a scrunched-up muzzle to show. Was I scared? No, but it most certainly did not help my surprise to see another unicorn stand up to me, both figurative and literally, in well over a thousand years.
"I don't know."
"What do you mean 'I don't know?' You always acted like you knew everything, and now where it once actually matters you don't know?!" Gentle Touch challenged, pressing her hooves into my front, though now I could feel my limits reach for me.
"Take. Your hooves. Off me." I restored, slowly grasping her limbs with my magic in preparation were she not to do as I asked, but she was compliant.
"Here, have your way again, now where is he!" Gentle Touch asked the same question again, expecting a different answer.
"I don't know-"
"You know much more than you want to tell, you always keep so many secrets, but I'm done with it and I'm ashamed to think that I still believed that holy, divine facade!" Gentle Touch roared, with tears gathering in the corners of her eyes, though I could not quite see whether they were from sadness or pure unbridled rage. "I've always believed you're the best at everything, the smartest, beautiful, powerful, just like every filly, just like every colt, and I kept on believing this damn lie. I told myself this while I just idly smiled while my husband went to the guard. I kept on believing even when my husband died in some bucking suicide mission in griffon lands, when I-I lost my first foal to grief and stress. And w-when you came to me after I had Star for a little while, I thought life would be sweet and easy once again. But I was wrong. I was so bucking wrong, I knew it but I just couldn't wrap my head around the-the totally absurd thought that you aren't all That, but I just kept nodding, and smiling and keeping my trap shut through everything. And now... now..."
Gentle Touch gritted her teeth, and gnashing rang forth as she drowned her choking tone out with growling. "And now you took my colt as well!" She slammed her hoof down on the marble, cracking it ever so slightly, just like Star once did, albeit to greatly lesser effect, while sparks of magic dared to ignite into one plausible explosive spell. "Why don't you just take me as well?!"
My mouth hung slightly agape, and I swallowed hard. "Gentle Touch, I was hardly responsible nor wishing for-"
"Don't you bucking cut me off!" Gentle Touch roared, shipping her hoof forward. "You don't notice anything, not now where he is, nothing when he was here, and I'm almost glad that he's not here with you." The sneer of disdain bit quite deep in my heart, much less however the accusation itself. "Wasn't it enough to push him through all of those mind-crumbling lessons? More than ten hours of school at the age of five, fourteen at ten, what were you aiming for, huh!?"
"You always expected so horribly much, I didn't understand half of his homework at eight! You pushed him further and further and he tried everything to appease you. Do you even know how many times I've caught him studying 'till four in the morning just to meet whatever goal you threw at him? Do you know just how far he pushed himself to make you happy? He forgot to eat for two days while I was gone to finish another project. He kept practicing magic till his poor horn cracked, and do you know what he asked afterward? Do you!? 'Can I try again in an hour?' Can I try in another hour... Most ponies can never cast afterward and he just tried to go further and that at nine bucking years old!"
Gentle Touch slowly walked forward with her horn tilted slightly lower and forth and emerged a fickling stream of burning hot mana that cut through the air and scorched the saddle Arabian bed into a crusted pile of smoldering coal.
"But that is... is just the colt Star is, always trying to make everypony happy. He would douse some silly little illusion he got s-somewhere and go, volunteer, wherever he could. Soup kitchens, clinics looking for assistance, building sites for orphanages, and housing for the poor, he was practically signed up with whoever one could volunteer to - don't even get me started on all the things he gave away! Knitted blankets, sold art, helped the poor, giving away his time, possession, bits, and everything that wasn't nailed to his body - He hated seeing ponies suffer!"
"Hate, anger, the pain of others agonized him more than any injury he did to himself, and he took it all in. Yes, I didn't just watch idly while you watched my foal like a potted plant, did you really think I wouldn't notice him absorbing all the foulness, and bitterness ponies spewed? That ponies started to become so much happier, how the grass became greener, dead trees bore fruit again, flowers bloomed and even that some sick miraculously got healthy again, hmm?"
I clamped my muzzle tightly, I never assumed Gentle Touch to be oblivious, but most certainly not as observative, definitely not to these degrees. I also never felt this much magic radiate off her before, it was like she became a whole new pony, and the scent of burning... oh no.
"Did you think I was this dumb ? I practically haven't aged in twelve years, I even am so bold to say I became even younger. I've watched my foal become such a wonderful colt, but no, no, no, no you come and try to ruin him at every corner he takes!"
I gulped as I saw Gentle Touch raise her, flickers of her magic briefly illuminated her face moment by moment, revealing the tears and mascara-stained face of an enraged mother.
"You just took and hurt him at every corner! Would it have killed you to give him more than a few words a month? Console him while he tried to understand that the world he saw wasn't like we did? Reassure him that he wasn't a monster?!" Gentle Touch hissed with venom, and another arc of furious mana curved upward and scorched a deep hole into the warding enchantment that secured this very room. "No, you would always send him to a doctor or professional, to study him like a-a slab of meat! He couldn't talk with no one other than me about himself to the point he didn't talk at all!"
And as I blinked with my dried eyes, the crackling magic around her becoming bold and paining my eyes, I found myself a moment later toppled on the ground. I groaned and agony painted my faze, only for all emotions to quickly flush away when Gentle Touch's muzzle firmly collided with mine and remained there.
"No, and he kept going, and I doubt it was because he loved you, no, he just couldn't grasp that some ponies will always just be miserable, or maybe he just knew that he couldn't leave you after all your flying eyes did always look after him." Gentle Touch said in a low and almost predatory tone, and although I kept my face unchanged, she knew very well the answer to her claim. "He always saw them, and just happily nodded. Until you broke him. I haven't seen him cry since he was a little foal who just lost his birth mother, never saw a glint of pain till this curse, these scars afflicted him. In the end, he couldn't even bear your hate."
My lips quivered, but as I tried to make a sound or something that was supposed to resemble a sentence, Gentle Touch twisted her hoof, and inaudible music escaped my throat.
"Be silent!"
"He would've kept going, even died just to see you smile at least once." Gentle Touch sucked in a sharp breath of air, and averted her eyes for a moment, before meeting my pained gaze once more. "And he even gave you another chance after you isolated, abused, hurt, tortured him for all these years like a dependent victim of domestic violence-I should've at least tried to take him as far away as I could even if it would've been futile!"
An electrical strike coursed through my body and all air left my body as her hoof impacted with my ribs, and although I felt my magic passively concentrate to retaliate, something kept me from doing so.
"And you just kept going like nothing ever changed, but something did. He stopped being so joyful, stopped being happy, even his smile became a pale imitation of what he used to shine. Just always keeping this stoic image, just like you, donned with a fake smile." Gentle Touch leaned nearer, so close that our eyelashes touched. "I found two of my first aid kits that disappeared and were replaced with bits. And do you know what? They were all used up. Bloody bandages, empty cans of disinfectant, chipped and blunted surgical scissors and knives, used bandages, and worst of all? Burned tissue and horn splinters."
My eyes widened to their fullest, and it wasn't for the pain growing so intense in my chest that my flesh became numb.
"You better pray to your ancestors that he didn't need it because of you, because I will ask him once he will be back and if the answer is what I dread, then I will give back all the pain you caused my poor little colt in his stead."
And as these words left her lips, and she stared a little bit longer into the depths of my soul, she did eventually jump off me and turn her back. She didn't care that she just attacked the ruler of the nation she lived in, that through all this I was well within my means and even rights to use my magic unrestrained to possibly severe effectors nor for whatever problems for the future she may have caused to herself, all she cared about was to speak openly. After all those years of just blindly smiling, nodding, and following my wishes like every other pony. Had one asked me before I met Gentle Touch, then possibly I would've doubted there were any citizens of Equestria who didn't follow me, wouldn't do just about anything even if it meant to face death itself.
Gentle Touch proved me wrong, and with the wrath of a mother scorned, managed to strike me deeper into the ground than even the most dangerous of foes I've faced in well over a thousand years of life.
As the door was ripped open, it wasn't closed properly after all so the mechanism didn't trap her here, the bang of the door threw my diary onto the floor with two pages facing upwards, two pieces of paper I marked with a very particular reason. With a grunt, I slowly pulled myself up, only to falter, stumble and crumble onto the floor. I groaned with pain and dragged the book towards me, sliding it across the floor like a mop, before finally looking into the revealed pages.
And I read it with horror.
And then the next.
The one afterward.
'till the very last page, I wrote yesterday.
There wasn't a single, genuinely happy thing written. Progress was noted, and achievements marked, but not a sentence a mother would write of her foal, no, it sounded like the documentation of a scientist on a lab experiment. That was exactly how I wrote about her colt: Like a piece of meat. And who did I lie to, when I first had Gentle Touch sign the paper what was he to me? What was he yesterday? Always the same, just with a different name. A chess piece to best my ancient opponent, a piece of the puzzle I was fixated to solve, a way to finally end the terror that was the goat of six horns.
And in the end, I became just as much of a monster as him, going over the lives of countless to reinforce my rule, Equestria as it is known today only to sink below even the depths that were the nightmares.
"Akh!" I exclaimed, and threw the book into a corner, scattering the pages in all directions and I didn't care. A searing, scorching pain dared to rip my heart into countless pieces, but not before hollowing it out. I whined and bit the air for any kind of release while groveling on the floor. Tears escaped me while my eyes remained open, and I could feel how my very consciousness was on the verge of slipping while not allowing me to be whisked away into the black. And as I laid there, sweat and tears soaking my fur and feathers, staining the carpet and my hide, I couldn't help but note:
In a thousand years, my ribs have never pained my heart any less than today.
Author's Note
Sometimes the greatest shock can only be given by ourselves in a moment of relaxation. after a millennia of loneliness dominated by pure control and a looming doom over her heard, after many atrocities done to so much so gain a chance for the survival of equestria from an ancient evil, Celestia realises how much she changed and what she become.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four: The Boreal Forest Part 1 [E]
A wave of hardened, freezing wind crashed into my side and threw me onto the cold, pillowy ground of snow. The sensation of all of my warmth being stolen and drawn out, ripped out and sucked away, I could feel how my body terribly shook. The endlessly howling storm cut through my ears like a swarm of sharpened needles, an invisible and intangible force pushing me into the ground, and a sharp biting, tearing of my flesh dominated my enhanced senses.
"What the fuck?!" I forced out a vulgarity and tried to lift my head, only for my vision to be plastered with snow that stuck to my fur like an angry swarm of ants. The snowstorm stole my vision in this sparsely populated forest, few trees stood great enough to be visible even when only a few meters away, little else but the piercing, blinding white in this darkened night dared to show itself to me, nothing but the amber flame at my side, burning stalwart against the storm, and a punny flickering light far and up away.
Warning: Outside temperatures reside below habitable depths and above resistances. You periodically receive "100" points of damage. Extended exposure will apply the debuffs [Frostbite], [hypothermia], [Slowness], and [Freeze] onto you.
I grunted painfully, and let out a cloudy mist from my mouth, and already I was dearly missing the lost warmth. "Change to Warrior class." I commanded and felt how my muscles, flesh, and hide thickened, bones hardened and my warmth found a slightly fonder vessel to reside in. Like a strong heartbeat, I felt the pain tick throb twice more, and nearly a total of 300 health was lost in an instant.
With little time at hand, I ripped out the Ram Crest Shield and quickly consumed whatever hot item I had nearest to me, even when the said item was but searing oil I used to deep fry fish, I gulped it down. I gagged, nearly vomited at the greasy substance filling my stomach and forcefully commanding the game to crank down my metabolism, let the burning brew scar and scorch my insides, it was, however, despite being a torture for the average pony, a deadly one at that, a welcomed grace, for it heightened my temperature and decreased the damage per tick.
You now periodically receive "50" points of damage.
I grunted and with my shield at hand, combined both Charge and Sprint to rush forward. The wind stood like a wall in my path, never yielding, barely giving, while the snow parted in front of the mighty shield soaring over a hundred kilometers an hour, the frozen ground below still yearningly grasped at my hooves, desiring to drag me deeper into the ground, deeper into a dream I might just not awaken from.
A sudden impact made every last one of my teeth chatter in my mouth, I could feel the frost slowly claiming them, and the cracks spoke no better of the moment. Looking past the shield, I saw a hulking figure perched over a stone. I jumped back, expecting the beast to attack in my moment of confusion, only to see that it was only a recently deceased carcass.
"What a beast." I spared a feeble moment to utter in disbelief, looking at the creature appearing like a beastly mix between polar bear and yeti, with white, thick fur and pointed black dots. Little of the face could be seen, nothing but small, black eyes and four great fangs, so large they didn't fit in the maw.
I pulled at the corpse, but despite the wounds being fresh, the monster was frozen in place, and I couldn't spare the time and energy to free it to make a coat, but at this point, I wasn't against setting myself ablaze. With a distasteful grunt, I walked around the corpse and rushed further upward, for there was a little bit of hope I had. The slim chance of seeing any sorts of settlement, or place of safety regardless if it was on the other fucking side of this damned world. If not, then I really hoped that I picked up how to build an igloo somewhere. At the very least there was a place safe enough for a light source, preferably fire, to burn without the wind blowing it out.
[Health: 850/1350]
"I know Game." I choked with anger and rushed forward once again, but dreadfully I realized that the slope wasn't as even as I hoped, as despite coming nearer to the light source, it still resided at a place much higher than I was. "Don't make me climb, don't make me climb, oh for fuck's sake don't make me climb." I grumbled under my breath, and my anger warmed me almost as much as my tired body that was slowly being drained of stamina, and the hot oil inside me.
I could feel how the frost was slowly claiming my flesh, the sensations in my hooves had long since left me, just as my nethers and my flank would soon follow. The white, sharp smoke that exuded in my throat was becoming a sluggish,grey cloud and my very fur began to freeze. This wasn't just far north, this was perhaps the very pole of this world at which I suddenly found myself. Accursed be; this blasted forest amalgamation, burning it down was once again rising on the list of possibilities.
A dreadful howl echoed through the landscape, bouncing off and repeating like this was a sort of valley in which I was trapped. Seeing the corpse I encountered a few moments ago, a state I dearly wished not to enter myself, I could do little else but fear the other creatures, or even rivals, that lurked in these hostile lands.
[Health: 500/1350]
Dammit, all, I haven't been ten minutes in this frozen dessert and I had already broken through the halfway point of my health, but something else broke. A flood of pure rage and determination filled not just my mind, but my body as well. It was... invigorating, pushing me beyond my limits, and I saw my surroundings differently as the adrenalin pushed through my veins almost like a thick mass.
[Warrior Determination] has been activated - physical damage output has been increased by 50%, and speed by 25% for one minute.
I lowered my head and increased my charging speed even further beyond, faster than any unicorn alive, rivaling the speediest of earth ponies and possibly outpacing even some pegasi. To the left. I dodged to the left, still not halting my charge towards the light, and the slope sharpened, but I couldn't slow down, even if it meant risking crashing into a tree or two.
To the right, left, right, right, right, left - Jump!
Over a tight, but seemingly endlessly deep ravine did I jump, against the heavily blowing wind I was almost hurled into the depths, if not outright before my leaping point.
[Health: 300/1350]
Fuck! The minute wasn't even over and another two hundred points were scraped off my life. With a grunt, I pulled out a fish taco (don't judge me) and consumed it in one bite to slow down my falling health bar, even if it was just a little. I tried to push myself to even faster speeds, but my mind-numbing enhanced senses screamed all of a sudden and I rammed my hooves into the snowy ground, only painstakingly slowing down my progress. Pushing the shield past my shaking, quivering visage, I saw extended, frozen spikes growing horizontally from the tall hill away.
"You made me climb!" I grunted, before a wave of despair washed over me, another tick passed and I could feel how this body was starting to fail me. My lungs were heavily damaged, my legs' musculature was quickly dying and my heart was having a hard time pushing my thick blood. A dark filter started to encircle my vision, and deep sleep was trying to lull me into a false sense of comfort, mortality was once again ready to remind me of my place, and it was so numbing I couldn't even pick up the messages that were appearing in my skull, not that I could even read them here.
With a cough, I tightened the little strength and courage I had and summoned a [Fireball]. The flame had great trouble sustaining itself, so much so that I had to continuously fuel it with my magic. I gritted my teeth, before letting out a sigh of defeat. Suddenly from my body burst vilethorne, and the sensation was, or would've been, agonizing were it not for my numb flesh and lack of pain receptors. The vines tightly bound themselves around my body, and while the insolation would only last a few seconds, that was not exactly why I grew them. Strangely enough, my hair turned into vilethorne, instead of simply regrowing a new mane of plant matter.
I let out a shrill shriek and slammed the flame into my plant armor, and my body was set ablaze like grassland after a three-month-long dry season. But despite the sheer, overwhelming stimulation, and the damage being done to my body, and as absurd as it sounded, the flames allowed me to regenerate my health, but it would not stave off the cold for long.
I lowered my form, and jumped up as high as I could, before summoning a [Mana Construct] platform below my numb hooves. The heavy wind tried to blow me off the platform, or maybe even through me, but I subdued the discomfort, and jumped again and again, towering myself upward with the platform and recalling the used mana after my hooves left the previous platform.
I fought the urge, I waged a battle against it desperately, but in the end, I couldn't resist and dared to look down, and after a few dozent jumps I already reached ten meters, but with this wind, and from this height, it appeared much more extreme than it was.
"I better not get the 'Fear of Heights' flaw, or I'll seriously torch this lumber mill in the making." I grit my teeth as, despite a nice chunk of health regained, the vilethorne was burning out, not just hosting lingering embers from the merciless wind.
You periodically receive "35" points of damage.
Shut up! I know this!
I growled like an animal and jumped from platform to platform, quicker and quicker all the while digging my hooves into whatever ground I could claw myself upon. And finally, I've reached the desired height. A little cave, only with a tight entrance but ample space inside, from which its depths shined a sharp light, awaiting me. I smiled weakly with blue lips and a shivering jaw, before taking a few steps back, my fetlocks touched the very edge of my circular platform, and I bolted with just [Sprint] and [Charge] but without my shield, as the weight would, pun intended, be my downfall.
My heart beat meagerly, but still with some strength as I flew through the air and over the little gap, but suddenly a heavy gust pushed past me, or rather, pushed me a few meters further than I liked and I collided with the wall next to the entrance, further dragging my health bar down. I grunted and cringed as I felt my shoulder joint dislocate, but had more severe problems at hoof. With an uneven trot, I moved towards the intended entrance and pushed myself through the gap.
Warmth awaited.
I let out a bitter, frightened chuckle and fell to the hard, chilly, but warmer ground with barely an ounce of strength left. It wasn't warm enough to be comfortable, by far, but I could feel my health regenerate by a few points a minute. Like I was paralyzed, I laid there a little while, mustering the bare strength and senses in my flesh, to pull out a bowl of laksa, though not enough to lift a spoon, I let my muzzle fall into the bowl and drank as vigorously as I could, pushing my regeneration per minute to almost a hundred, at least, for the next three minutes.
Your muscular structure experienced a shock from the frost, rapidly damaging your ability to move and debilitating it. A normal pony your size would have to undergo amputation. Three of your hooves, even with regeneration, suffered tissue decay.
"Thanks for the notice, Game." I said meekly while absorbing the last few drops of warm broth in my stomach, and once again, keeping my metabolism low. However, I had to return to the standard soon as the regeneration and growth of vilethorne, even with the Game's magic at play, used up a lot of my protein reserves, and I needed to quickly bolster them. And fat, that most certainly wouldn't hurt either right now.
I slowly pushed myself up, with some... something in my body waking up again, I don't know, I still felt pretty numb, and looked around myself. There, hanging from a ceiling, hung a sharply glowing crystal that, while able to be seen from far away, donated little light. I walked up to it, with a raised eyebrow, as clumps of snow, chunks of ice, and bits of burned vilethorne fell off my armor. I looked at it sharply and realized that the poor thing had been burning at least for a little while, but its durability was almost used up. I extended my hoof, as shivering as it was, and focused my magic on it. The crystal first flickered, before releasing a bellowing boom of light, engulfing the cave in brilliant, warm light and revealing what was hidden from me.
Just below the shining crystal lay a frozen corpse of a starved minotaur.
The body was huddled into as tight of a ball as she could, but even the heavy fur clothing did little. Her pale blue skin almost shined in the light, as did her pristine, ever-open eyes staring at the sad remains of what once was a campfire, now a pile of ash and petrified, frozen splinters.
"Fuck, just...fuck." I held up a hoof to my muzzle and held my breath.
Name: Copper Horn. Age: 32. Gender: Female. Duration of Death: 29 hours.
I stared at the body with solemn eyes and a shivering heart, feeling a sense of alienation and uncertainty spread throughout me. At this point, I wasn't a stranger to bodies, most certainly not after the encounter with ol' Brawly, he definitely put this point across every goal line, however seeing this made me feel... sadness. It wasn't the emotions of another, nor me trying to force the sense into my skull, but just an uneasy and sorrowful feeling.
But...
I fleetingly looked through the slit and felt something large looming over me, and I haven't felt closer to death since the day all this started, and now, I wasn't talking about the colt.
... Niceties, honor, and tradition only really meant something in times of safety, now? Now wasn't a time of safety, but a moment of survival - and survival demanded a heart that wouldn't be influenced by others' anguish.
"Let's see if there's something useful." I said coldly with a heavy breath before my eyes fell onto her backpack of linen and some sort of pelt. I walked towards it, the sound of my hooves echoed through the cave a little too loudly for my tastes and made me wonder if something else was there in this very room, to the point I halted my hoof in the air, just to listen. I shook my head and quickly snapped the bag away from the corpse, and the sound of hair claimed by the frost being pulled, resulting in an awful ripping and crackling made me cringe.
"Almost a pity that I have a metaphorical inventory, otherwise this might've been a boon." I mumbled and opened the pack, but the contents were a mixed b- it had objects of varying usefulness. A compass, map, and medicinal herbs were, at least right now, the least useful, with the first pair being an inferior version of the inbuilt features I passed, but I might be able to plant them if the fire crystals do radiate warm light. Climbing gear, a steel survival knife, and a bronze lamb with a hollow interior were by far more interesting to me, but what intrigued me most was a little pendant sitting in a silk tissue.
Something was written in the silk, and by the many bending marks, it was folded many times:
Dearest Sister, I know I cannot persuade you, neither stop nor make you stray from the path of adventure you've chosen since we've been but little runts, so at the very least know that I never doubted or wished you to fail, just been worried for you. Outside the clan, there'll not be an ally equal to your clan or family, none to whom you can turn or those who will trust you like us, and keep your back safe, but know that despite the clans teachings, I, and this be the only time, say against those rules but six words. I will always be with you.
~Copper Hoof, of the copper crumble clan and brother of Copper Horn.
"Sister went on a big adventure through a frozen hell and the brother doesn't know if she's alive or not... I-" The rest of the sentence stuck in my throat and my jaw quivered for a second too long, before I forcefully closed it with a resounding click that echoed quietly twice.
I shook my head and looked at the pendant shaped like a humble circle. It could be opened, though fiddling with my hooves ultimately proved useless, thus my magic came into play. Inside the copper pendant, was a picture of a three-headed family, with the father having one of his eyes whitened out, and two little minotaur children sneakily pinching each other, while in the background a tree growing near a river could be seen.
Copper Heirloom. Level 40 item. Quality: unique. Effect: Raises Health Regeneration and Stamina Recovery by 10 percent.
I opened my mouth before my lips fell into a dead slump, and a dreadful shiver crawled across my back as I had unintentionally turned back to the corpse, the cold, empty eyes staring at me. The light from the crystal mirrored my image across the white surface, but I could also see something else reflect light towards me. A thick ring that clung to her petrified, snapped off finger.
'Don't say anything Game, please I can't-'
Earth Mover’s Ring. Level 80 item. Quality: Rare. Effect: Increase strength and endurance by 20 percent. Half the equipment burden. Grants the boons of the level twenty-five miner job: Increase eyesight, odds of finding rare minerals in the earth, and ability to use metals and gems. As is tradition, the ring of the Earth Mover shall be granted to the firstborn daughter of the clan chief's finest smith, while their brother, were one to be, shall receive the earring of the smith. This item, dating back to the clan's first days has been forged by Malkechir, the finest smith to ever have graced the clan lands.
I grit my teeth and felt... not exactly angry though disappointed. "I didn't want to hear it, Game. I didn't." I said, and enveloped the ring with my magic and pulled it towards me. I didn't know how I could wear these items, and it wasn't the space on my horn that concerned me.
"I..."
And then I heard my own voice in my skull. The endless screeches, screams, howls, and roars that I've encountered, the music of bones breaking, blood dripping, and worst of all, a fraction of the memory of my arrival in this pony world: The nightmare realm. I breathed heavily, and no matter how much I breathed I couldn't get enough to swallow. I Punched my chest to break the cycle and looked down onto the frozen ground. Once I'm strong enough I'll leave this dirtball behind. I didn't take the gamble for myself, and most importantly, not in favor of these ponies and griffons or whatever is in that weird world of magic and rainbows but for the little chance to get back what was taken from me.
"Why are you showing me this?" I knew exactly why, I was daft at times, but this wasn't one of them.
Although I do often attempt to push you to further the hunt, I haven't done anything in the last ten seconds, nothing but fearing for your health and monitoring your respiratory systems.
I was speechless, and although the voice seemed so familiar, it was mine after all, the concern was so... alien to me, but that was indeed my opinion long ago. Not a conclusion formed from anger, hate, or sorrow, nor a drastic reaction, but an actual standpoint I would've defended against anyone trying to lean me away from it. Almost crazy how twelve years can change a man.
My eyes slowly turned towards the items that I'd dropped and then panned over to Copper Horn. I felt my lower lip quiver, but it was useless. I sighed, and the white fog clouded my face, before I walked towards Copper Hoof, and knelt down. "I don't believe in gods, nor an afterlife, anything really after death, but if you do hear me, I'm sorry. I-it pains me, but I need these items, I can't go without, just know, and please do understand, that this way they and thus you can help me keep your family and clan safe from monsters none of us should ever face or be stolen from."
I smiled, not the perk smiled, I did , but it didn't mean I was happy. I was disgusted, but I couldn't pass off these trinkets, these items of power. I lowered my gaze and lifted my hoof to her face. The warmth from my hoofs slowly melted the ice that claimed her eyelids and allowed me to close them finally.
"What were her last thoughts, do they still linger?" I asked meagerly and averted my eyes, turning around and slowly walking towards the frozen valley.
Upon death the most important memories mesh into a final goodbye, and at times their imprint may linger. I see... a landscape, a little town which matches the local flora seen in the Bronze Heirloom item. The depiction is quite detailed. Entity: Copper Horn must have spent many years there, for this image to be this clear.
"Do you know how their tombs look, or how they are buried?" I asked, using the same tone as before, only now I turned back with a tight breath and pulled out a large blanket and splayed it across the ground. Cracking sounded from Copper Horn's body, but I pressed on and pulled her from the floor, from the wall, and laid her down onto the fabric, before pulling it tight around her body.
Images have been saved for later usage.
"Good." I answered shortly, before pulling her into my inventory. Call it guilt, name it sympathy, or even familiarity, but it felt less than a courtesy and more like a duty for what I needed to do. For this kindred soul, and for me. Still, despite knowing that I'd give her what she needed, this entirely foreign ~~mare~~, woman, I still couldn't bear to equip the items until I'd actually finished it. But I knew, where it truly came to a challenge, a foe, I'd break this statement in half without thinking for a second.
I looked through my inventory and pulled out a thin blanket, it would never be enough to keep me warm, but enough for this purpose. I enveloped the frozen body with my magic and slowly lifted her up. The sound of her fur crunching painted a look of unease on my face and the ice breaking helped not an ounce, but she was still soft enough to be moved onto the blanket, within which I wrapped her. I spared a single, additional glance to slowly drag my hoof over her face and close those eyelids one last time, before pulling her to my inventory.
"At least I can help someone for once." I muttered with disdain and just as I forbode, I equipped the items. It made me feel ashamed, but the sensation of my chances rising bolstered my mental walls against the guilt I felt.
I turned my head towards the rest of the cave, but nothing greeted me but a plain stone wall. Suddenly a crack sounded below me and I looked down with confusion, seeing cracks form in the pristine stone. Although I was startled, it did make sense, I now reached the median of earth pony strength with over 150 points. Of course, the great majority actually lay around 130, but damn do some really heavy mares and stallions drive up the middle number.
"Salt and limestone in dense quantities make up this peak. By the looks of it there are also many other minerals just powdering the ground... This is not just some random hill, Copper Horn had a reason to come here and I just wonder what drove her here of all places." My face tightened as I muttered, and licked the air around me. There was something else in the air, something that made me very nervous. "Charcoal dust and potassium?"
I slowly walked towards the furthest away door but halted when I noticed scraps of burned paper in the fire. I raised an eyebrow and grasped as many scraps as I could and pulled them towards me, before attempting to repair it, but the results were less than pleasing. The parchment stitched itself together, but the image was barely visible, I could only guess that it didn't look much better when it wasn't burned.
"Now why is a minotaur from a clan so far away, lightly equipped and with a map at a place as hostile as this one?" I said with distrust to myself, mostly to warm my lips, and trotted closer to the wall, before activating [Spirit Senses]. My Pupils dilated and the image I saw sharpened not just beyond that of a pony, but even possibly surpassing predators like cats or eagles. Every fine grain, dent, or imperfection in the rock became as visible as a splat of ink on a silky sheet. The structure appeared to have formed almost like stalagmites, however, this was not a spike, but a flat wall.
I slowly closed even nearer to the construct and a sudden smell overpowered my nose with a stinging sense odor that quickly dissipated in the air. With a slow movement, I raised my right hoof and gently tapped the wall, but all that echoed was a "normal" wall sound. I don't know how to describe it, a thud if you will, however when I knocked a second time, or to be more precise, punched with the strength of an earth pony with nearly 160 points of strength, a hollow sound erupted through the little cave.
"Intriguing, rock that swallows sound up to a certain level of vibration. Copper Horn went here for something, and the thing was right in front of her nose." I said with a dry tone and stared at the mineral formation with a frown. "Pickaxe." I said in an imperial voice, and the Game, heading my wish, actually obliged and pulled it from the depth of my inventory. I actually expected a smug remark. Now I felt a bit bad...
I shook my head and hopped onto my hind legs, before slowly and carefully picking away at the rock, just making a teeny, tiny hole to see what was hiding there. The tool was very poor, it did belong to level 5 goblins after all, but I would not risk having my hideout somehow taken by whatever could possibly lurk behind this wall. Ye-es, I can feel just how my occupation is influencing me, how long will it be till I only use bronze silverware, I wonder.
A crack sounded, and the tiny bit of wall I worked on gave away, but instead of just losing a single layer, the stone below started to bulge, dent and grow towards me like a hyper-aggressive pimple. "Oh, fuck." I said as a surface the size of my hoof bulged and suddenly popped, releasing a blue steam venting right into my face. I recoiled, shouting wildly while falling backward, flailing my left hoof while the right one rubbed my face. The icy-cold gas burned and clawed at my skin, so much so that I felt not just my newly acquired frost resistance rise greatly, but also quickly pushed my poison resistance up 'till it reached level 50. This vile concoction was above the toxicity of vilethorne, above level 50, this shit could literally kill any pony alive.
"Ahh! Fuck! Damn! Shit!" I roared vulgarities out into the cave while coughing and gagging in between spits. I gagged as I felt the substance eat away at my flesh and tears rolled down my eyes as if I had just rammed an onion into my eye sockets. My regeneration in combination was almost able to keep up with the damage, but it did little to soothe the intense irritation that would've eaten away a pony.
Blue Rust. I am intrigued at seeing it here of all places. It usually stains weapons of epic and higher quality, not the arsenal most mortals would possess. The Game noted amidst my howling. Worth noting is that technically you possessed level 50 poison resistance since acquiring the vilethorne resistance, however, it wasn't mentioned directly and you couldn't level it until being afflicted by an even stronger toxin.
"Ouch, damn, fuck..." I growled, rubbing my bloodshot eyes while staring at the gas vent that weakened with every second, though the taste of it ever so lightly tainted the air around me. "Thanks for the exposition, but a warning would've been even more appreciated." I took a sharp breath and spat out a black, congealed blob of blood onto the floor.
Apologies, but the natural minerals blocked my signals, and the presence of Blue Rust was very unlikely. The Game lamented in a painfully apologetic way.
"Alright, alright I didn't ask for your penance, just spouting insults to dull the feelings. Goodness, arkh, I am so happy I can't feel pain ‘cause that sensation, I tell you, is like if coca cola replaced your blood." I said with a yelp as the geyser let out a final belch, as the rust was used up and the air began to fill the space behind it.
"Now, I think I really need to amp up my resistances. I'm going to make my spirits shoot me, dip my hooves in molten metal, ram ice spears through my chest and to raise the poison resistance I'm just going to try smoking a pack of cigs every day... okay, maybe not the last one, that's too much even for me."
"But first-"
The Chamber. The Game finished my sentence.
"Yes, let’s see what Copper Horn was willing to risk her life for."
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four: The Boreal Forrest Part 2 [E]
I took a deep breath and instinctively closed my nostrils with muscles I didn't know I had, before taking a step forward and about ten of them back. "What the fuck!" I exclaimed with a shriek when I heard a roar that made not just the air around me, but also the very rock vibrate. Dust and grains fell from the ceiling, and as I was about to pull out my shield as a precaution, something loudly impacted with my scalp. Bits of rock and stone crumbled through my hair and left me confused for a moment.
"Oh, right, Mana Shield." I said slowly, noting that the game proclaimed that I gained two points in intelligence (undeservingly in my opinion) while creeping carefully towards the cave's entrance once more to carefully look outside. The cold seemed even more aggressive than my memory from literally half an hour ago forebode, and frost began to grow upon my Mana Shield barely a second after stepping outside. I couldn't see quite well through the roaring blizzard, but I could make out the movements of something very big lurking through the snow below. Entire chunks of ice and snow broke off from this hill and fell into the abyss below, but their sounds were entirely swallowed by the ivory blanket choking the land. I tightened my visage and slowly walked backward, but not before ripping the glowing crystal from the wall and into the inventory, leaving me once more in utter darkness.
"Tesla, a bit of light if you would." I asked, and the sphere with an electrifying personality showed himself, lighting just enough of the cave for me to comfortably see. "Thanks, do keep it about this level, we don't want any more attention. Wadjeta, prepare yourself if things come to a big shove."
I do not think what you're planning is a good idea. While very effective, it's also very reckless. The Game noted with much concern, as I turned back to the wall.
I nodded just once, before looking at the stone, the arcing electricity illuminated the walls like a strobe light, flickering endlessly. I jumped onto my hindlegs, and the cold didn't waste a second to caress my snout and freeze my snot, though it also slowly pushed my frost resistance upwards. I held up my hoof, caressing the stone and feeling out its hardness and toughness, but also its thickness which lay below that of the outer walls of the case.
"Alright, don't cave in just yet." I said with a grin, before unleashing a torrent of punches against the blockage. The sensation of my hooves bending the stone and cracking the interior invoked a primal joy that I couldn't quite locate in my earth pony roots, or due to the Earth Mover ring, but regardless it made me happy. And before I knew it, a spiderweb of cracks spread across the stone, a fickle barrier akin to eggshells to me. With a satisfying 'hmpf' I jumped around and onto my forehooves, before bucking the stone with my hindlegs.
An oddly satisfying crack rang through the cave as the wall gave in and other rocks crumbled onto the floor like an avalanche of marbles rolling on the hardened floor. The scent of the freshly dug stone filled my previously closed nostrils and broke a smile on this so often false visage of emotions. And when I turned around, my ears perked up and a sense of surprise and joy overwhelmed me.
"Well, buck me, this does invoke the adventurer in me." I chuckled, before slowly trotting through the self-made entrance into the hidden-away room. It was an ancient forge hidden away from prying eyes.
When analyzing the dust particles released in the air, I'd assess this location had been closed off for over a century.
"No joke, this place looks really run down." I said with fascination, while the sound of my solemn hooves echoed even louder, bouncing against the hardened walls of clay. I let my hoof fall and traced the tip of my limb across the edge of a large smelting basin, however, much to my dismay, bits of the seared stone crumbled away. "No." I said with shock, as the low wall of seared brick collapsed.
Tesla increased the light and revealed to me the full state of disarray hidden in the shadows.
The smelting basin looked like a German house after the second world war, with walls falling apart and the metals inside having solidified into a useless dross of minerals. The casting tables stood under their own weight, the ingots all were rusted into crumbly powder, and the weapons hanging on the walls were infested and barely resembled anything useful. I turned my head around to see a little station for crafting, but it was barely able to stand its own weight.
"Shit!" I exclaimed loudly and with anger while trotting through the ruined workshop.
The smelting equipment was useless, even if I were to try to repair it, the material wasn't just broken, it turned into stuff I couldn't use anymore at all. The seared bricks once made of grout were now equal to chalk and plaster. I suddenly stopped and let out a long drawn-out sigh, and just that alone was enough to cause the remnants of a hammer to snap off its handle and crumble on the stone floor. My head slowly turned to a petite and humble crafting station, though the best thing there was a little oven made of stacked stones, and I already had something way superior in the form of a crude and experimental blast furnace in the cave. I hopped onto my hindlegs and pushed my hooves through my long, silver hair, but while doing so, a weak shimmer reflected off something not entirely rusted.
An eyebrow rose and I dared to take a closer look, and ripped an innocent, little blanket of what was revealed to be a sort of safe - not entirely rusted was a very fitting adjective. I crouched down and stared at the faded numbers around the dial. I closed my eyes and grabbed the rusted dial. An audible crack sounded and crumbles of caulk followed before the mechanism turned. Six clicks announced the falling of the pins, and while it was very easy for someone with as sharp of a hearing, I can also hear earthworms moving in the dirt on a quiet day with my abilities, but given the era of time, this security measure surely was worth some salt back then. I grasped the lever on the side and opened the door, but instead, the hinges broke off in an instant and the plate fell onto the floor. I couldn't quite help but frown and grumble with displeasure at the universe spitting at my effort, but ignoring it for progress' favor.
There are enough pure gold casts for a mold inside of this container. The current configuration hints that their last use was for a sort of vessel of unknown purpose. The Game noted dubiously, and I could understand the confusion.
I waved my hoof carefully in front of the cast to take in the faintest of whiffs from the mold, and the smell was invigorating. This scent, I knew it all too well, but the implications behind it were concerning. I looked over the shape and the intricate details of a sort of realistically-heart-shaped container and the many artistic choices, almost like they weren't so much optional and were more likely a requirement for a structure similar to the Spirit Well. I hummed, before carefully placing them in my inventory, as although I had seen 24 karat gold from up close on a name plaque, its purity was only second to the aether, but then again, that gap was a mile wide nonetheless.
My eyes slowly sank onto stacks and stacks of paper, with each page sealed in a thin layer of fragile wax, warming my frozen heart at the thought that not literally everything crumbled away in this frozen hell. Though the victory was exhilarating, not just to please my kleptomania, the hardened truth was that I could read jack shit of what was written on there. Blocks upon blocks of text, yes, but also plans and schematics for tools, weapons, and armor that seemed a bit experimental and too heavy for anyone un-modified , however, what caught my eyes most were the diagrams of certain resources and parts.
"This looks like a mix between German and Latin, maybe a bit of Spanish as well, but it's really inconsistent with the last language." I chewed on the inside of my cheek, before standing up and pacing around the room, with the occasional crack of ice shattering on my hooves. "What's this?" I asked suddenly, as I flipped to another page and looked over a diagram for a water wheel powering a sort of gearbox that transferred the rotational energy to several channels. I narrowed my eyes over the plans and what intrigued me most was that there were no nails present, almost like Japanese carpentry, however the way to make the fins bend and the core capture the tongue of what appears to be a waterfall, moving slow instead of just swirling like a race-car wheel.
'Hmm, I initially thought about using the mana crystal and the water stones as a sort of cutting tool, but those attempts failed as the pressure rose equal to the quantity, but with this, I could create an actual workshop powered with real stations and tool... most certainly it would allow me to create finer tools, like a casing for the nitorium that wouldn't cause a premature explosion.' I thought deeply and held up my hoof to the mask, and the sound of powdered blood scratching against stained gold emitted a haunting tune that drove me into deeper thoughts.
"Alright, I can get behind most of them." I thought loudly to myself, before quickly quieting down as another earth-shaking roar sounded through the valley, so much so that Tesla let the room fall into darkness for a single second out of surprise. I glanced over at my companions, before turning back to the pages, which I put into my inventory until just one remained. "But, what's so special about you?"
I said out loudly, and my eyes turned to a far-off side, a sort of null zone left empty without decoration, rubble, or things of use. It was a sort of framework, but it appeared to be closer to a cage made out of chains and bolts. The shining, pale metal dug into the stone of the wall, and cracks grew from each connection between the construct and the minerals. Beams protruded and chains hung off them limply, shaking gently and yet haunting the air with each creaking motion. I slowly walked closer, taking in the four-meter tall construction, and then I stopped as I felt something in my very insides shrink back, not out of fear, nor disgust, but due to an uncanny sensation.
But the smell kept me creeping closer and hiked my awareness ever higher.
I narrowed my eyes and extended my hoof, and traced the metallic chains, and their clinking and clanking invoked a sort of... choking feeling. My magic wasn't being repulsed by touching this strange material, it was dying .
The chains seem to be made of cobalt, while the great cuffs, as broken as they may be, possess a dense concentration of Wrath Metal.
"Wrath Metal?" I whispered in confusion and pulled out one of the daggers from my chest plate. I held the weapon to my eyes and traced my magic over it, and with great, and I mean, gruesome amounts of concentration, I could even hold it with my magic, and though [Magic Claws] could grasp it momentarily, those false hands did eventually collapse too. I let out a click and stuffed it back into my belt, just holding those things was enough to inch the progress of the dragon egg back by seconds.
But these chains...
These restraints were a thousand times more intense, so much so that even thinking about touching them invoked in me a similar reaction as the thought of someone grasping into a bonfire. While looking at the metal, something else caught my eyes as well, and it was a scorch mark, nothing special at first glance but looking deeper into the matter, I could see what truly clammed to the rock. 'But how?' I wondered with much confusion while staring at it with confusion, and slowly extended my hoof without any hesitation to cut the limb off if danger was to creep up on me.
And the closer my hoof came, the more the spot writhed, reaching towards me, but this spot, this clump of aether that should've long since dispersed into the surroundings, was tethered to something else stuck inside. And the very origin of this mark was a mystery in itself. Tendrils of fine energies, easily mistaken for strings of silk dancing in the air, touched the tip of my hoof, and thoughts and desires and emotions, and memories filled the upper layers of my thoughts. But then I heard something about a 'masterpiece' and all of it surged into me, into my very soul. My body tensed up and locked in this position like a heavy electrical current rushed through my core. My quiet growling turned into a loud howl as I felt my horn crack, shiver, bend, and to some extent melt under extreme pressure. And frightening of all, the Game was silent, not silent because of a lack of communication, no, he wasn't present in my mind, but I felt him heat up like a sort of overclocked computer.
And finally, to ignite you, my beloved masterpiece, weapon to smite those forsaken winged lizards, the powdered horns of mages slain by my clan in glorious combat. You will be my masterpiece, metallic son of Malkenir.
I closed my eyes and as the magical pull that stuck onto my hoof let go, I ripped my limb away and stared at the floor with a frightened look. I shivered like a fucking foal just after being born. My heart beat unevenly, and for once I could feel the physical presence of the Game latching in the depth of my soul, the weight of all these seemingly eternal machinations stored within me.
Arcanist lv.15 -->lv.20
I shook my head, and yet my breathing didn't relax in the slightest. My teeth chattered, and I felt torn, in a literal sense, like a part of me was ripped open and something was put inside, and although I was somehow stimulating this client insertion, or at the very least digesting it, the sensation was... It can't be described with anything I've previously experienced, but if I could feel pain, dear goodness it might've been the most painful thing I could feel, given that I felt it despite not being able to feel pain with the exception of the holy element and likely that of the nightmares.
Thousand of calculations, plans, schemes of someone twice, thrice, fuck it, the memories of a being with a lot more smarts than me were rammed into that skull of mine. It was... memorable, and I could feel the power rise within me quickly, but it was so intrusive, so painful, if not outright mind-breaking, thank goodness I cannot become insane, however, I, despite this huge power boost, couldn't muster any joy nor desire to experience this again. And I say that as someone who has willfully burned nightmares down to attribute crystals and ate them.
I let out a pained grunt and held a hoof to my head, pressing tightly against my skull, and caressed my horn gently with the other. Horns weren't very sensitive, at least to the physical plain, they were a bone after all, but right now I could sense just how damaged my nerves hidden underneath were.
I leaned my head downwards and sweat, blood, and If I did not mistake it for more sweat, tears dropped, despite not feeling any feeling in my face right now.
That was... unexpected... The Game spoke with uncertainty, not the usually assertive tone colored his speech, but something almost mortal.
"What... the fuck... was that?" I said between heavy breaths and slowly pulled myself up, before falling onto my flanks again regardless.
I cannot quite say... But, if I would make an educated guess, someone or something used a highly concentrated, but also impure and likely not completely controlled amount of Aether, causing it to burn itself into the very space, and manifested its appearance in the physical plain by discoloration.
"Yeah, I saw that, but I didn't think it would end like this. I thought this was one of those Aether vents of whatever you called them when we discovered ditzy, but ouch, this is not natural." I said, shaking my head and forcing myself on my hooves a second time, before slowly trotting to the other side of the room, where besides a heating oven and a ruined metal anvil stood a stone chair in acceptable condition.
It wasn't, no mortal creature could control Aether like that, even to this failed extent.
"I-Is there a chance that there is a lesser one of your kin on this world?" My head snapped up, and I asked sharply while staring at the now mundane wall on the other side of the room. My breath was still shaking, I was trembling from the intense sensation, while my head pulsated like a damn frog in heat season.
If there was one, I wouldn't know, but I doubt it would be the cause of this, even a lesser version would not be this sloppy, they'd choose lesser concentrations with higher quality instead of this. The Game replied, but it didn't quench my unease.
I frowned and leaned back into the chair, letting my hooves stretch. What is going on in my head? I wondered as I could hear a voice bounce between clarity and uncertainty in the depths of my mind. Countless loops of mumbling about metal, magical conduits, artificial lay lines, and the maddening search after a power source. I stood up and paced around the room with concern dominating my face.
'The nameless red-cap.' I narrowed my eyes, as this name fell time and time again, at the beginning, it was spoken with mistrust and uncertainty, then with gratitude and joy, before falling deeply into a basin of hate, anger, and despair. "The nameless red-cap, where did I hear that title before? I heard it somewhere a lifetime ago, but where? And why? This must be some coincidence, but what if..?"
I halted my breath and looked at the wall next to the heating oven. It looked awfully out of place now that I looked closer at it, but it was still in awfully good condition. The stone appeared to be still strong and the burned coal appeared to be cold, yes, but not frozen just like everything else in the room. And looking at it, it scratched a memory, one of the many I consumed, a jumbled mess of thought at the very least. I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow, before crouching down and pulling out my halbert- I was done with touching things for today -before poking the coals, then probing deeper before touching the wall behind them.
A click rang through the room, and the wall began to shake. I jumped back with dilated pupils and pulled out my shield and switched back to the warrior class.
But the worry was wasted, as no danger awaited me, but instead a new passage, a secret room within another mystery. 'How the plot thickens.' I thought grimly and leaned my head back as I felt something very big approach this mountain through the tremors in the ground.
An entity exceeding level 75 is nearing our location. Time of arrival expected in 50 minutes.
I grasped a couple of rocks from the ground and threw them onto the ground before me with strong speed, however, my suspicion of more traps was ultimately crushed as not even my senses picked up a reaction. I shook my head and entered the next room that bore a much more preserved look, even the smells of heavy wax and deep book glue appeared like finely aged wine.
"We don't have much time, but at least the time expended wasn't too much of a waste," I mumbled and slowly walked over the stone-ridden red carpet and towards a sturdy birch bookcase filled to the brim with books made of bronze, a few even out of gold. I extended my hoof and opened the glass doors from the shelf and pulled out a golden book, and it read 'the way of the smith.' I grinned and couldn't help but crack open the first page, and the metal obeyed like true paper, bending like it too, but most certainly it could cut even me.
'No, now isn't the time.' I concluded begrudgingly, and closed the glass door, before absorbing the whole shelf into my inventory. If I could lift it, and it wasn't packed with too much energy, I could fit it in there.
My eyes traced towards a globe trapped in a steel cage. I stole it as well, but as I took it, I noticed a spell matrix on the ground, despite not knowing anything about this thing, the eight circles, and the various symbols invoked a dreadful sense of fear. I shakingly turned my head upwards and saw a multi-ringed stone wheel, stained with smoke, that could be shifted to show the different lines of symbols by dialing it.
"Wait... no..." I said slowly and took a step back as the symbols before my very eyes morphed into letters I could read, and from the core of it exuded a black smoke that carved through the rock like acid through a table, and in this miasma of corruptions formed a six edged triangle through which a small, harry, pox-ridden hand burst out.
I slowly walked backward, before falling over the very stones I throwed. I quickly scrambled up, looking around frantically and back to the spell wheel, but other than the stains I had previously noticed, nothing I saw was there. I breathed heavily, and the corners of my eyes burned, not… not from tears, but my eyes were strained so wide open that my eyelids ripped ever so slightly. I shook so terribly and held a hoof to my fluttering chest, I grunted and growled like a mad beast, but I couldn't restrain myself.
I feared neither pony nor nightmare, but the vortex and what lay beyond invoked fear that even made the fearless crumble.
"Wadjeta, cut the wheel off, this thing cannot stay here, do you understand us, if need be this whole mountain will crumble before anyone else sees this." I said harshly, but the order alone was enough for the liquid companion to float to the ceiling and cut away at the connection to the ceiling. I Walked a short distance, rubbing one hoof with the other.
There are very few individuals who know about the world gate, much less so how to operate it, even on such a primal scale, the coordination's existence should nonetheless be only known to us. The Game said slowly and with a strained tone, and I couldn't tell if he hit another regulation, but I didn't care, because I wouldn't speak against it, this was my thought as well.
As Wadjeta cut away at the spell wheel, my eyes slowly descended to the dried corpse of yet another minotaur, though this one was not preserved through frost, he still was distinguishable. His clothes, at least I assumed it to be male, were rotten and barely hung by a few sinewy fibers, clinging to dried, tanned skin that tightly stuck to fragile bones. My face tightened, not just the ingrained disdain for anyone playing with games above them, that did include myself at times, but my own displeasure shone through my visage as I walked towards the soft, red armchair on which he lay.
A tar-black anvil coated in electrum and encrusted with jewels and depictions of smith forging stood before the corpse, while a hammer and a pickaxe, each with equal decoration rested in the minotaurs loosely gripped hands.
As if walking near, I felt once again an uncanny unease, but not like the remains of Copper Horn, no, this reminded me of the forsaken stench of a nightmare, though it was buried, choked, and seemingly sterilized within the depth of this 'taur.
A loud crack rang through the room, and my eyes shifted from the items, back to Wadjeta, but when I saw that the wheel still hung there, I turned back in confusion, and before freezing in place.
The minotaur remains stared at me with a dried visage and empty eye sockets. From the depth of his dead, hollow sockets radiated a watered-down, dirty purple. Though the hue implied to me that it was less like the pure purple the nightmares presented, and more akin to a mold forming over whatever remnants of a soul this unfortunate creature had.
"Please... " He choked dry and slowly stood up, with the items still clutching to his open palms like honey. "...Please..." The sound was drowning the very air with bitter hate and pungent despair. "I just wanted a masterpiece... to live up to my father... to keep the clan safe... The nameless red cap fooled me..." Despite being so close to death, he spoke rather quickly, almost desperate and panicking with his dead voice. The words had no rhyme or reason, just bits or pieces of an already spoken sentence, ones I could just vaguely make myself a timeline of.
The dust-like lament of the corpse reached its peak, when the corpse, at its strength's end, fell down before me with the snout buried in the carpet. I quickly pulled my furthest limb back and held it to my chest as I felt a painful burning gloss over the hoof like it was on fire. The pain wasn't like the intense searing of the holy aspect, but rather a slow and insidious drain or creeping under the skin, almost comparable to acid breaking you down, by merging itself with other elements, in this case, my very magic.
...Please... allow me to see my father again... The desperate voice rang forward, and only with hesitance, did I let my hoof back on the ground again.
I didn't move, not when he stood up, not when he fell down. I wasn't scared, just disturbed, I saw this creature for all it had to offer, and now not a single skill graced him, and what little he had was buried under nightmarish chains keeping his very soul as a prisoner. Almost uncanny, given the nightmares I encountered possessed too little restraint to not just brutally rip their prey apart, much less so scheme such long-living plans.
My breath halted, like I was stalling, comparable to hovering my foot over the ground as if uncertainty took over my very control and denied me the very next, otherwise natural, action. I didn't know what to say, usually, I always had a quick-witted reaction as an answer, regardless of dumb at times, but as of this moment there was nothing for me to say as I stared at the anticipating, waiting, and desperate form of a minotaur who I just met. Pity, a desire to help, and yet great hesitance plagued me. It was different, the nightmares gave me little choice , no matter how hesitant I was at the beginning- or how skeptical I was now -and the assassins... I wish not to compare the two, but both didn't give me a choice , but right now, I did have a choice .
I can barely remember a time where I truly had a Choice where the other option just wasn't straight-up death, or ultimately my decision would be made null by a stronger entity, not entirely focused on, but mainly Celestia in my case. I licked my quivering lips, and now took a staggered breath.
'Who was I to decide over life and death?' I wondered, and slowly lowered my head. I had been in inescapable, less than pleasant situations before... Fuck it, I am now. I am a blasted monster hunter lurking closer to my prey than my blood-related kin. I have a higher kill count than most soldiers out there, it's just easy not to think about it because your opponent cannot even distinguish between being alive and dead.
And now... but why... I am given a Choice when the answer is already on the wall, would it be right for me to make my own Choice, and thus deny another's ?
"Malkenir..." I said slowly, but the body didn't move, but I could feel his attention spike. "I wish you peace, wherever you go." I whispered, my voice slowly dying as my face loosened, and so did my lips. I could barely keep my face straight, I didn't even know what to say, how to act other than in this one's favor, and all that without any idea if what I had in my arsenal could do shit.
"I don't ask for peace... to be free..."
I lowered my head and knelt over the tired body. So many scars, so many scorch marks, so much wear and tear for who knows how many years of work that ultimately culminated into nothing to be proud of. I grasped my bell, and held it silently over his head, before closing my eyes and channeling my accumulated faith into it. Silvery strings departed from my chest and strung themselves around the bell, and with each string, the divine glow grew stronger and yet more mellow, but from here on the heal spell, I knew evolved. A spell circle, tailored to the nature of miracles, surrounded us, and when the bell now finally rang, silvery dust sparkled throughout the stagnant air.
Thank you... little kid... thank you... I heard the voice of Malkenir call out one more time, as the purple fumes attempted to escape his body, only to burn away in the divine light, but just like the nightmarish essence, Malkenir wouldn't stay much longer either, for his body crumbled away into bronze dust, blown away by a strong gust of wind that couldn'tve ever found its way here naturally.
I let out a somber sigh, and knelt down, before absorbing the three items he treasured into my inventory, for as much as I yearned to spend a bit more time to pay my respect, I could feel Malkenir's masterpiece drawing near, and were time not tight enough already, the ember flame that followed me around suddenly burst up with new life and pointed towards the exit of the cave.
Valiant Heart Activated
This never happened before... I blinked repeatedly as the fallen ashes, the last few crumbles, left this forsaken grave, this prison. Since I gained this happy-go-lucky skill I have been attempting to milk it to its fullest, though sadly to little reward. I'd spent countless hours with Sunset's disguise at every place that they allowed me at, especially those where desperate ponies went to like orphanages, soup kitchens, and my personal favorites, building sites for good causes. However I could at times spend an entire week somewhere working- for free, I might add -and not gain jack shit. Sure, the occasional strength or luck point manifested somewhere, but it was mostly charisma and that couldn't help in combat... Well, not entirely false, my fur and hair became so much stronger and I can look into the mirror without it breaking.
'But so many attribute points.' I pondered for a moment. 'I need a much closer, a hoof’s on approach, if you will, to get real points. Malkenir suffered so long, and I gave it to him, meaning I'd get a larger reward.' I hummed, though I did feel a bit bad thinking about exploiting others. I mean, yeah, I first went there to gain points, but I continued going because it felt nice, it reminded me of my first youth: I was so skinny back then, I skipped so many meals so that Amber could have a full portion and I always played it off that I ate something on the way - a big fat lie. At one point, while walking on the street, I think I was 13 then? A man working in a soup kitchen dragged me inside and fed me a bowl, and goodness how he was rambling about kids needing to be plump and not dried out. I don't think I had been given so much food by someone who had so little.
A horrific scream sounded through the valley, and this time it was directly pointed toward the mountain I resided in.
What a way to go, Malkenir. First, you make a deal with the devil, get dropped into some ancient creature's plan, and made a monster that trapped you, and then that beast goes around literally crushing the ecosystem - That must be why Copper Horn starved to death here, she was trapped, but why did the beast not enter this space? Was it the salt? The sulfur or maybe even the calc? It surely couldn't have been Malkenir, otherwise, he would've left ages ago... Wait, the rust, or rather, from what the rust partially stemmed from must've deterred the monster...
I had preparations to make.
I closed my eyes and slowly stood up, but I didn't move, for a second later the spell wheel finally fell onto the ground, and broke into two pieces. My eyelids sprang open and I turned around to absorb the pieces, including the plate on which the wheel on the ground was carved, into my inventory, but I nearly tripped when I felt my inventory nearly reached its limits after a decade of careless kleptomania.
"Wadjeta. Tesla. How do you feel about making some preparations?" I asked loudly, as both spirits soared to my side, and I felt a content smile form for but a second.
30 minutes later
My ear flaps flickered wildly in the strong, frozen winds, and yet I felt almost at peace while meditating the cold. The frozen air numbed my body and made my spirit almost seem free. The small opening stood now wide open, I tore it down, I wouldn't be trapped, I would escape this maze, but first I'd overcome this frozen hell. A deep breath clouded my face in a stark, damp cloud, and the moisture that shortly accumulated on my fur's tips froze into frozen aglets. I pulled out a shot of spicy tea from my inventory that I quickly threw back with everything hot I could find. The concoction was by no means tasty... or palatable for anyone with at least two taste buds, but it would work.
Extra Spicy Tea
My thoughts halted as I felt the mountain first shock, and then tremble endlessly like an earthquake took over the rock. It was close, I could not just feel it with my flesh, but also with my mind. Like a ball of concentrated electricity rushing towards you, that your hairs rise despite not being anywhere near, the air quivering and a strange, numbing sensation afflicting your skin from just being in contact with the electrified air.
"Almost time now isn’t it, Game?" I asked quietly and calmly while keeping my eyes still closed. There was nothing else to be done, I took everything I needed, the cave was gutted, only ruins remained, and all resources I could fit into the space I had left, which when it came to plain mineral powder and salts, was quite a lot. A particularly aggressive wind rushed past me, and the ice still clambered to the tips of my armor, but the tune that rang out, this clambering music, when the chain that rested next to me moved, brought shivers up my spine.
The arrival of the opponent is imminent. Don't forget: escape to the mirror realm is possible should things become critical. The Goblin hideout can also be used as an escape, but don't forget that time doesn't pass very quickly there. The Game spoke smoothly, an opposite to the raging, never-ending storm outside.
With still closed eyes, I pulled out my beautiful, little bell. Just holding it made me happier, just a fuzzy little feeling in my chest that invoked a smile every now and again. With a sigh, I held it up to my face, and rang it to use [Minor Stat Boost] on strength, endurance, dexterity, and intelligence, boosting them each by 5, as I wished to conserve enough faith to heal myself up in the worst-case scenario.
A heavy thud sounded as I let the hobgoblin club fall down next to me, and Tesla slowly flew over the wooden weapon, electrifying it. And lastly, as I felt doom near itself towards me, I pulled out my violin and let the strings dance in hope of a little bit of strength. However, and this did break my tranquility, the second the bow rubbed over the strings, all of them snapped at once, having frozen brittle in just the few seconds they were exposed.
I stared at the quickly healing instrument with annoyance, before gently putting it into my inventory, and standing up. The club laid next to me, as did the Ram Crest Shield, but in my hooves rested the only thing that has survived the teeth of time, the only actual epic quality item- as for the other weapons that broke down with time? -while powerful, they were just hunks of metal, but I needed the thought and emotions to make an item truly powerful. Sure, a silver sword would be quite nice, especially since this incredibly rare metal boosted magic performance, ultimately it would pale to a lesser sword that was used for years by a guard.
I gripped the great, heavy chains made into one with much concern, before leaning my head back and embracing the cold metal's innermost imprints.
My expression morphed into absolute discomfort, and a gasping breath escaped my lungs as I felt so... unimaginatively... much hate and oppression tied to so little mass. I growled as the emotions played with my mind, like a snake sliding itself around my throat, I couldn’t help but bare my teeth at the entrance before me, as the time drew near. I felt how my magic flowed from my limbs into the metal, the first few drops of mana evaporating upon touching this vile item, before overcoming the earliest barrier and storing my power in the metal to use its one skill.
And after a passing moment of silence, a monster of a size I didn't have the fortune to meet appeared before me. The regal, yet decayed beast adorned with majestic metals, and caressing the artist inside of me; held onto the corners of the cave and stared inside. An uncanny mockery of a minotaur, that was so beautiful on one side and yet absolutely bile-drawing on the other was entombed within a metallic beast with a relatively small abdomen and oversized, blunt, and clunky limbs. How the lines of mana from corners, woven with such proficiency and talent morphed into a stagnating, corroding, and corrupting mess at its core didn’t fail was flabbergasting.
With a grunt and ignited warrior spirit I hurled the now spinning chain towards the monstrous beast and charged right after the ejected metal behind my raised crested shield.
The chain made such a horrific sound, like a thousand tortured souls screaming in agony in the rhythm of a great, rusted bell tower, as it connected with the beast's second head, the skull of the tomb that encapsulated the forsaken masterpiece inside. The holding beast held onto its neck, and the metallic visage's, half-molten metal skull, with one-half sunken and the other frozen visage, let out a pained, groaning growl while separating its heavy arms from the mountain and attempting to free itself.
I sucked in a deep breath and closed my eyes, before activating both [Charge] and [Sprint], before feeling the entirety of my weight crash into the crystal sarcophagi that were the beast's abdomen and the masterpiece's tomb. A teeth-shattering crack rang out, only overruled by the vibrating metal and the dooming silence that lasted a lifetime when gravity finally grasped at the trio of us and dragged us all into the frozen depths.
A blast of air escaped me as I threw my shield into my inventory and with the lightning element infused club, I used [Goblin Smash] onto the crystal wall. The cracks deepened as the wood impacted with the cage time and time again, but the masterpiece inside seemed not so much worried as it should've been, it seemed rather arrogant, if not outright pitying me.
I narrowed my eyes, frozen wind and raging snow encapsulated us lying as like the ocean around a sinking stone. I saw not even a meter away, the very edges of the small sarcophagus were hidden to me, and although the brew was slowly melting my insides, the very tips of my fur were shedding: freezing and then crumbling at such speeds I felt like a piece of wood being held against a grinder.
And then when I looked a bit closer, I violently turned around, too much so that my very spine under the frozen winds nearly broke, and rammed the club against the incoming metal pillar that was the beast's arm, though it grasped not just the item, but also my arm.
A sickening crunch echoed through the frozen wilds and a surprised howl left my throat as I held onto the cracked tomb with my remaining limbs before said limb was ripped out of my socket, and yet all I could feel wasn’t the cold that froze my exposed, trickling blood, slumping and ultimately stagnating before even touching the crystal, but unbridled rage. I, with a wide-open snarl, hurled a quickly dying fireball towards my separated limb and just before the ember flickered out of existence, I let vilethornes grow from my separated flesh.
The thrones combusted like an oil fire and the fire crept over the club too. A sadistic smile crept over my face as I hid my stump under my chest, for a deep rumbling boomed through the wind. The illusionary figure of the hobgoblin appeared above the broken item and with a core-cracking rumble rammed its hefty, meaty first into the abdomen of the cage.
The masterpiece let out a gasp, as the frozen air seeped inside, and frost began to continuously spread across the false 'taurs body like the vile infection that already festered inside of it.
I felt its life force drain rapidly, so fast that my first drop into this wasteland seemed like a long tale rather than a short-lived poem. I used [rapid recover] to heal my missing limb, and with a combination of [Mana Blade] and [Power Strike] struck the crystal furiously with heavy strikes, though only a few of the smallest part of my attacks actually damaged the crystals, I didn't set out to shatter it, more-so increase the speed where my foe died.
The cracking was drowned out by the howling wind of untold weight rushing down this mountain and the sizzling of the material burning bit by bit was only a weak player in this symphony of growling, screeching, and cracking.
My senses burned and I rolled to the side as the beast's fist rushed past me, ripping chunks of crystals off the cage just by cracking it. Only in the very last moments did my hooves move fast enough to grasp onto the sarcophagus's edge to delay my fall by barely a moment. I puffed in quick succession as I painstakingly dragged my body onto the platform once again, only to see yet another strike rushing towards me.
With a determined groan, I erected a [Mana Construct] under me, before using the extra height to jump over the incoming wave of metal and prepared to ram all my hoves down onto the cage in one motion, but the crystal instead rushed to me with sudden, unexpected and neck-breaking acceleration.
In quick rapid succession, one sense overturned another. The crystal shattered as my weight focused on one point and cracked the shell, but also slowly crushed me against the metallic beast's abdomen. Cracking, splintering, crumbling echoed around me as splinters and chunks of wood rushed past my face and the material was so sturdy and resilient that not only did it not just shatter upon touching my metal-like hide, but also pierce it.
And then were halted and in a split second, I felt all of my bones crack as I was launched back several meters into the, only to flop onto the ground once more.
I shook so terribly, but I pressed on and pushed my limbs against the frozen ground littered with splinters, unearthed dirt, shredded grass, and an absence of snow. I took a breath and pushed myself up, but in doing so also released a liter of blood or two onto the ground below, painting the vague shape of a flower into a color-devoid land. I stared down and breathed heavily, so much so that the falling snow melted around me.
A booming crack rang out, and footsteps drew near in with such speed I had but a fickle moment to react, sensing my opponent and their strike before they even executed it. I held a hoof to my throat and it was caught by a horrifically twisted claw that once, possibly resembled a minotaurs hand, while I grasped the second, incoming hand by my own.
I could feel the stick-like limbs push me back several steps at once, though my retreat lasted just a second, before I rammed my hind legs into the ground, crunching the newly formed ice and snow, standing up and looking the so-called masterpiece into its eyes while keeping it, for now, at stalemate.
And once more I dared to stare upon purest beauty and most gut-wrenching horror given form, how flesh, the very same on either side, could resemble both the very heights and lows of charisma, and strange enough, though this body was physically appalled by this very sight, I could almost imagine myself looking like it, just with the sides not split up horizontally, and more so in volume.
The visage it bore burrowed deeper and deeper into disdain, and I could feel almost the vaguest outlines of a real being before me, were it not for the nightmare’s taint to foul its artificial soul, to unspeakable depths. And as we stood there, the frost crept up, claiming the flesh and seeping into its very equivalent of bones, it dared not to look away, less so move. No, just like a real creature, its pride and hate lasted longer than it did, and finally, before me stood not another nightmare, but a frozen sculpture hosting a seed of corruption.
I let out a staggered breath, yet daring not to avert my eyes for a moment longer, heaving as the cold tried to do the same with me as it did with the 'masterpiece' though just as I ignited a fireball to warm by frozen bones, the statue burst apart. Splinters of metal made the very air gleam, but through the shimmer flew a small nightmare, no larger than a balled fist with tentacles flailing it all direction and with its attempt to reach me impacted with the fireball.
My very own flame exploded and bathed my armor in liquid light, ripping pieces off, charring my fur, and burning my flesh, and yet it bothered me little as something else entered my flesh, something that wasn't the nightmare, it died in its futile attempt to harm me. In doing so, however, it also released all of the power it bore, all those memories it accumulated with by siphonic whatever emotions Malkenir infused into his masterpiece, but also all the aether it had gained not just by drawing from the world but also the creatures it killed in this frozen wasteland.
A ringing pierced my skull and I felt the world blur, vast unnameable colors painted my vision as my limbs fell numb to my sides and even the desolated cold left me untouched. My mind jumped from place and place, yet no thought traversed, just the silent winter imagery and silence enveloped me like a haunting dream. My breath, I forgot to breathe as it felt like such a far-off need, staggered, jumping, halting with no rhythm and rhyme, just doing so seemed like an overbearing task, and yet I couldn't stop now even if I wanted.
My head slowly turned upwards as I felt something drip, but I found nothing, but once I learned back far enough, the liquid dropped into one of my eyes and I realized that I was bleeding from my nose. A breathless gasp escaped me, and a little chuckle escaped me as I looked down yet again and saw the little droplet bloom into a flower bed of my own blood.
I felt, how could I describe it... mortal. Seemingly, after a hiatus of twelve years, I could feel mortality, how my body was degrading ever so slowly, inching closer, and dread given form crept over my bones, and yet, I found it amusing. I couldn't help but laugh at this morbidity display of my own self, how my bones broke, my flesh tore and skin ripped apart, and yet I couldn't even be bothered to expend the simplest of remedies to aid the healing process after the battles, but now a little nose bleed brought me so low. I couldn't help, but just arrogantly assume, to feel human again.
'I killed three people...' A thought broke through the hazy maze that made up my mind, and yet this didn't quell my laughter, and I let this strange sensation join in the turmoil that enveloped me right now. This faint sensation of despair, this crushing hint of doubt, and that stalking fondness of wondering, but worst of all? That sensation of triumph, of superiority, this feeling of power that echoed through that memorable night compared to what I now know seemed almost like a golden skull. Morbid, scary, and yet desirable, though for me it was less the latter, less like a tool, and more of an opportunity.
My chest thumped back and forth, yet it didn't come to blowing laughter, just a muttering chuckle.
The steady cloud leaving my mouth became even thinner as the cold formed into frozen sheets across my armor, and between my hairs, and yet I just stood there, paralyzed and not even bothering to attempt to ignite a fire - not that I even could feel my magic right now.
Attention, the Aether of the entity "Nightmare Heart - lv.87" has been bound to foreign memories that can freely be distributed by choice. Available level points: 16
As I stared down, a smile crept up ever so slowly, my lips cracked and blood flowed through my teeth with a drip.
Confirm choice?
...
Choice confirmed, distributing levels.
I staggered and took an unsteady step forwards as my heart stopped beating for an ever-lasting second and yet then once more started to beat twice. The cracking sounded through the wasteland and the shaking touched the unchanging biome. The ice plates fell from my armor as heat formed and steam exuded from the inhuman changes going on within me.
The bones broke and regrew.
The flesh tore apart and sewed together.
The skin was flayed and regenerated.
A creaking, scratching breath escaped me as my armor deformed under the force, corners singed like paper and the metal groaned like a quaking mountain, before it, just like my flesh, like an extension of my body, stitched itself together.
The pain lasted but a moment, the feeling of the Game, of being the Gamer, returned, and yet I savored this agonizing yet familiar sensation of pain. I felt how my flesh morphed into something superior to it was before, and new worlds of opportunity opened themselves to me.
And through all of this, I didn't stop chuckling. I grew in size in every way: Height, width, depth, in all dimensions measurable and not, so large in fact it was possible I stood even larger than an earth pony stallion.
And when the sweet sensation returned, of being connected to the game, freed of time and impermanence, worry, fear, and stagnation, this above-heavenly sensation that I could only describe as being disconnected to the world and bound to just another individual, I couldn't help it.
I just did.
My laughter roared from my depths as I stared into the storm-covered sky as the very height of human pleasure and satisfaction once more became the standard, how the feeling of the Aether caressed my worn-down soul, the years of crushing grind appeared once again like an achievement and not a waste - and how dare I not mention it first - the feeling of power, but not just strength itself, but the ability to steer my life with my own two hooves.
It took just a second to make me realize that fate always rested in my hooves, I was just too scared or perhaps even used to another pulling it in my place while just nodding to even the most unpalatable routes.
And then my delight was stolen by the faintest of growls. My head, still dazed by the sensation of the game, slowly looked down and towards the one approaching me.
A living member of the race of which I found a frozen corpse on my path towards the mountain. Its fur was raised as it lowered its stance and neared ever closer.
I could only tilt my head, staring at the button eyes eyeing me, and as it put yet another paw forward, I acted. I warped forward with almost no resistance and grasped its great head almost in its entirety within my hooves, and twisted it with a sudden and yet brutal motion. A crack, a ghastly, whispered whine escaped the beast's lips as it fell to the ground, though the result didn't surprise me at all.
After all: I was twice its level, and nearly possessed double its strength.
And I felt no shame in what I did, but the satisfaction was like a brick, you don't appreciate it 'till it was a house. My mind was set after hearing a humble ping towards the completion of my current quest.
With a sigh, I rolled my neck and said to the game and myself. "Game, this was for the quest, food, and the journey, never let it be about fun." I finished with a whisper as I forcefully crushed the inner feeling of joy as new Aether dripped into my core and the amalgamation that I called my repertoire of powers and skills.
I took in a deep breath as my hair, now almost reaching my pelvic area, flew in the wind with the snow, my fetlocks drowned in the ice and my brows froze in the storm, and yet the cold now felt so peaceful, one I could spend a small eternity in.
The amber flame ignited next to me, and the tip turned towards the little haven within the boreal forest.
I turned my eyes towards the corpses, and with my level, thus also my inventory expanded, absorbed both corpses within my immaterial backpack, and just as I was about to trot through the crotch-high snow, I beheld the stump whose trunk was crushed by the metal golem before and saw that an ichor-like liquid trickled into the bark, absorbed into the wood and in a sense lifted the poor wood upon quality that may have crowned it the king of the forest.
I closed my eyes and felt my magic ever so gently envelope the bark, and yet that alone was enough to crack it, before it was ripped out of the frozen ground like a stubborn root before it too was taken away into my possession.
And now, I continued my journey a little stronger, a little wiser, but most importantly still me, with just a bit of a different viewpoint. The snow parted before me on my path, and hopefully so would the nightmares in my journey of reclamation.
Star Touch - Nightmare Slayer 1(John Weaver)
Copper Heirloom
Earth Mover Ring
Increase eyesight, odds of finding rare minerals in the earth, and ability to use metals and gems.
Frost Resistance [Passive]
Physical Damage Resistance [Passive] lv. 28 --> lv. 40
By reaching 30 with Physical Damage Resistance, the skill : [Bronze Flesh] has been awarded
[Bronze Flesh] - Passive
Poison Resistance [Passive] lv. 38 --> lv. 51
[skills]
Hardened Resolve [Special]
Mana Ray [Special]
Spiritual Empowerment (add the power of a spirit to the user)
Heavy Impact
Greater Spirit Senses
Greater Infusion (removed base damage penalty)
[Greater Infusion] (Active]
Rapid recovery I (1/3 ratio)
Grow Silverthorne - lv 1
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four: Growing Ascensions [E]
A familiar crack rang out, and one last, ghastly breath of the frozen tundra enveloped my sinewy flesh before the warming rays of sun bathed the frost and ice that accumulated on my fur.
I still felt weightless, almost like an idle watcher staring at a screen late at night, seeing but not actively participating in the surrounding world. I sighed with pleasure as peace once more was present and my senses calmed down. With a nod, my equipment left me and returned to the inventory, though one thing did come out of it: My mirror.
I opened my eyes and took in the scenery of life in abundance and overflow. The green forest tufts felt like silken bliss under my frost-bitten hooves, the silence outside of the buzzing of bees and chirping birds felt soothing compared to the raging snow storm, though the gentle winds still caused me to tighten my body in response nonetheless. The trees formed a sort of roof, but the canopy itself was rather sparse, but their crowns spread out like umbrellas, though the crooked nature of the bark and the twisting roots that partially spread above ground like hundreds of snakes and vines did intrigue me.
I raised an eyebrow and turned around to face my mirror, though before the reflecting surface met my eye, I noticed, far off, the beginnings of what appeared to be a great bog. The dampness of the surroundings, the stagnant waters overflowing with algae, and the density of the trees all grew almost suffocating just by looking at it.
I let out a slow, defeated sigh and rubbed my hoof over my face in annoyance before my gaze returned to the mirror, and the changes became apparent. I did grow, and more than just by a measly bit, I think I was larger than a great majority of the adults. Maybe I was even taller than Sugar Drop... maybe not, she grows like a fungus, I think in five or ten years she might look Celestia in the eyes. Looking back at my body, I saw that my muscles were defined and dense, like a mix between a bodybuilder and a furniture mover, and when I looked down at my abdomen, even through my fur I could peek at the outlines of what appeared to have been a six-pack, though more may have been hiding.
My limbs and bones as well thickened and widened, most pronounced however were my chest and shoulder, both having broadened. And my face, I still could only guess about pony beauty since all my senses were based around their awareness, not so much feeling them, but I dared to say that if human features roughly translated to a pony's beauty ideal, I was quite the looker. My jawline was strong and sharp, well defined, as were my cheekbones, pleasantly highlighting my long hair and the beginnings of a goatee.
'Maybe I had underestimated charisma a bit too much, although I'd turn all of my charisma points into intelligence or strength any day, I'd rather be an ugly hunter than a beautiful corpse.' I thought intensely while dragging the tip of my hoof across my jawline, feeling the defined curves of my skull.
This body has been empowered according to the gained attribute points. The Game noted, almost seemingly in an attempt to extinguish my surprise, given that it was a numbers game and I could see my stats as clear as day. You have reached the maximum level for the classes: [Warrior] and [Arcanist], would you like to hear their evolution options?
I gave a pause, and retracted my limbs back onto the ground, before raising a brow and staring at the hallucinated image of the Game floating within the mirror. "Evolution you say, what would change?"
All previously gained abilities from the base class are kept, the evolution will also feature boosts to stats at least of the intensity of the base class. Choosing a class for the second stage will lock you out of the other options, however, you will gain skills and perks from that class particularly. Chose after your approach in battle.
"Alright, what are my options for the warrior class?"
[Warning, this next part is very focused on an explanation of the individual capabilities of the classes. You may skip this part if you are not interested. You will miss nothing of the story and still be able to understand John's choice.]
Arcanimancer, Quantanist, Primancer, Battle Sorcerer [&]
I stared at the various classes, and though there was a hint of child-like anticipation growing within me, however, it was mostly confusion swelling in my skull. "I'm going to be serious, I have no idea what most of those mean.
That is expected, we are now well beyond what your former race commonly understands under magic." Wonder painted my tongue as I tapped the tip of my hoof against my left cheek, staring at these titles and only vaguely guessing what each specialized in.
Arcanimancer is a direct evolution of the Arcanist, it does not widen out but rather chooses to expand on the arcane powers of the users, mainly the use of pure mana to create spells. It is straightforward to use, however not the most powerful overall, but reliable in combat.
The Quantanist utilizes cosmic powers to-
"Wait a second there, Quantanist ? That's the name for this class, why not call it Cosmancer?" I interrupted and asked with confusion.
The Cosmancer is an evolution of the Quantanist, though this third tier is... not advisable. The Game finished his curt sentence with a bitter tone.
Regardless, the Quantanist utilizes cosmic powers to manipulate space. You will find that some classes border in their powers with others, their root with the manipulation of natural forces expands on that of the arcanist. In this class, the Quantanist mainly focuses around the transforming of their magic to conjure certain phenomena, or events similar to them.
The Primancer mainly uses primordial powers to distort and momentarily deform the surroundings, such as gravity, light, and space. Unlike the Arcanimancer and the Quantanist, this class focuses less on the construct, set spells, and formulas and centers more so around intuitive manipulation and quick-acting, however,it is less powerful on its own than other classes of this stage.
Lastly, there is the Battle Sorcerer, which is a dual class in which two classes become one and was made available after the criteria of possessing one magically centered class and a physical one at their max level has been fulfilled. The Battle Sorcerer combines destructive spells, buffs, and magically empowered physical attacks under one umbrella. Combined classes allow for the greatest number of active attribute boosts and the widest array of skills, even making certain skills of other classes available, however, you can only reach the highest skills of a class by actually possessing them, meaning that their power stems less so of their own merit, but the combined effort.
My brows sank, and I stared into my reflected eyes, at times staring at the curvature of my horn before switching back to my muscles. I thought back to my previous battles, times where specialization allowed me to crush my opponent, but also moments where my wide array of skills allowed me to best superior foes. But, I can't really remember where just one class could carry me, it was always a combined effort...
"Sure, those do sound nice but..." I started, and the initial excitement had worn off as I sat down in a particularly cushy spot of moss. Maybe I had grown a bit spoiled or even stagnant, but I wasn't all too excited. Perhaps it was the fact that I had to lock out the option, but I couldn't quite pinpoint what exactly it was. "Arcanimancer, Quantanist and Primancer are all specializations following the arcanist, like bamboo. They grow vertically, not horizontally. Their power lies within their few, but powerful skills, yes?"
Indeed, just like an occupation, they specialize in certain fields. The Game summed up.
"And Battle Sorcerer is the opposite, it features huge stat boosts, but has more, but weaker skills." I asked, the Game blinked in agreement. "If we follow the trend of bigger spells requiring more mana and cast time, does that apply to those three as well?" Once more, the agreement remained true.
I whistled, at times just blowing out air while staring at those classes with, I couldn't quite describe it, but it was almost akin to annoyance. They were all powerhouses in their own right, but outside of the Primancer they kind of didn't kindle my soul. They seemed like they were useful in a battle with a living opponent, be it meat shield hordes or singular heroes, but I wasn't a blast-it-all-away kind of fighter. I went in, crippling my enemy bit by bit before executing them.
Morbid, yes, but that's how I fought nightmares. Sure, weaker ones you can just smother like a fly, but bigger ones that have skills on their side and are usually superior in one or several attributes many times over can't be blown to bits, maybe it will do with most of them, but those that don't? Well, in my eyes you can't always cure cancer with widespread, brute force, but need surgical precision.
My choice was by far not made yet, however, for if a good match shows itself with the warrior side of things, then I could possibly choose Primancer to enhance my physical fighting power, or take Arcanimancer or Quantanist to back up my strikes.
"Show me the options for the warrior class."
Naturally.
Berserker, Champion, Knight, Battle Sorcerer [&]
The Berserker is one of the most basic stage 2 classes, though also one of the most powerful if able to be controlled. This class possesses only a few skills and focuses on a resource called rage, which can be used to use certain abilities, and empower other skills or even yourself, but come at the cost of control. Even I cannot control wrath made incarnate, though likely neither do most of your foes.
The Champion is a diverse fighter class that uses any tool at their disposal. It specializes in a balanced fighting-style centered mainly around quick strikes and heavy defense. Its skills are mainly centered around boosting normal attacks and basic skills. It's not a very complex class; however, it does not have many risks or cracks in the majority of situations.
The Knight is a class that's reliant on skillful fighting and proficiency with swords and heavy armor, including shields. It possesses great defense and powerful skills but possesses the least offensive capabilities of the three options, for it mainly boosts the usage of existing items, and also relies more heavily on them.
"Alright, you can already scratch away Berserker and Knight, those absolutely clash with my fighting style." I said with a squinted visage and swiped my hoof horizontally through the air.
Are you sure, their downsides may be heavy, but both rely on clever usage. The Game said, less so like a persuasive businessman, and more so of a mother asking if a child can be bothered to take an umbrella with them.
"Yep, like, if I was fighting just mortal creatures, I'd go for Knight any day. Being a skilled combatant with an unbreakable hide, that'd be, and please excuse my child-like demeanor at the thought of being a freaking knight, awesome. It's a bad idea against nightmares, however. Like, even at low levels, their stats are like double mine at that level. They possess too much brute force and require brutal efficiency, devastating strikes, and no mercy. A Knight? No, those would be crushed like tin cans, and as for the Berserker?"
"Take everything I just said about killing nightmares, and add to the fact that I don't want to be any closer than-than I already am." I said, stuttering once, and held my hoof to my chest. In a sense, I was already more akin to a nightmare than I was a pony or human, given that I was just a moment ago falling apart, like a corpse without constantly being held together by Aether, even a few seconds were enough that my flesh started to decay and my body began breaking down.
"And Champion? Well, he does fill out most criteria, but once again just doesn't fit my tastes. Sure, items are nice and all, but I am not defensive, I am quick and evasive, I only use the shield for utility, emergency or devastating attacks, but not really for normal defense. And yes, better basic skills are good, but not if it doesn't grow in the direction I need. A Shinobi would fit, or even a Reaper if we go by the rules of that one game I played, I forget what it was called, basically classes that do brutal damage to quickly impair foes and execute them. No need for honor, rage or balance."
I see, very well. Continue.
I shook my head and stared at the classes once more. I really wanted Primancer, even the other two classes would be useful, but I cannot let my Warrior side of things decay.
"Wait, why is that my selection?"
Shinobi and the Reaper class are stage two classes, following respectively the Ninja and Doom Singer, both classes can only be accessed through [...] Oh, I wasn't aware that this information was in any way crucial enough for me to be censored. Astoundance echoed through the Game, and silence followed. Let me word it differently, if you advance further in the dungeons, you will find your answer on how to... Get them. The last bit was hacked off, though I can't tell if the Game did it himself, or if he once again was silenced. This was worse than the censorship of the communist community of Laos. The 2040s were such a fun time.
"Alright, the warrior side of things does not fit with me at all I'm afraid, nothing fits my tastes while the arcanist side is an all you can order buffet. Magic and ~~violent~~ fighting have been two of my three important pillars of battle until now, and I cannot let one crumble for the benefit of another. I bid the awesomeness of the Arcanmancer, Qui-Qua-Quant-fuck , the second option and the Primancer oh sweet gravity magic goodbye." I said bitterly and wiped away a tear caused by the profuse amounts of pollen, nothing but pollen and only pollen, before sighing loudly.
"I choose Battle Sorcerer."
I took a sharp breath, only to find that regardless of how much air I pulled in, my lungs seemed to never fill entirely. My body shook like a pudding, like sleeping on a water bed during an earthquake; I felt as if my very bones were quivering and such heat radiated from me, that the stench of charring moss smoked out through my nostrils. I jumped up from my position, witnessing how the very grass I stood upon swiftly grew gray and black, before, in an act of profound irrationality and need, I hurled myself into the bog.
My head bobbed out of the water, and I saw how steam rose from the water and the smell of algae filled the little haven with a truly natural stench.
With a sigh, I pulled myself out of the water and trotted back to the mirror, while sheets of plant matter and the occasional leach unable to penetrate my hide flopped onto the ground like a wet piece of rubber.
I flickered my vision across the mirror, only to stop in my tracks and fiercely look at the changes made. My eyes radiated light, it wasn't a very strong light, almost like a barely but constant glowing glimmer in the depths of my irises, while my horn was now truly curved, unlike the slight crookedness I had before, but what intrigued me was the shallow, spiraled indentation circling my horn from base to tip.
We will review the level one skills of the Battle Sorcerer at another time. Attention, your level, and your attributes have reached a high enough level to evolve. Do you wish to review the options?
"What, even more?" I asked with fear quivering in my voice as I felt the turmoil within my soul. I could only quiver, which was quite ironic for the one holding the heritage of wishing to ever-advance myself.
The requirements for evolving a race are reaching level 50 and ascending a class to stage two. Attributes, Classes, Skills, and actions decided the available option. This one is simpler, simply choose the race: Battlecorn.
"Huh?" I asked loudly
Oh, let me repeat myself. The only logical solution would be Battlecorn.
"I, uh, yes, just surprised at the directness, that's all. You're usually less assertive in such matters."
Maybe I am, but in this case, it is this direct. Your first choice, Ivory Steed multiplies both Intelligence and Wisdom by *2. The second one is the crystal unicorn, a race that boosts intelligence and Wisdom by *3, and also increases your mana by quite a bit, but it comes at the cost of a 20 percent reduction in health.
I raised my hoof, but I was steamrolled when the Game continued to talk.
The Iron Unicorn does not greatly focus on magic, it’s a sub-species that grew up in the far north, much closer to disruptive ley lines, resulting in only a little fitness, though it does possess brute force in the arcane arts, it's mainly a very sturdy unicorn. Int *1.5. Strength and Endurance are multiplied by *2.
"And the Battlecorn is?-"
Was. It was a race of unicorns bred through generations with the sole intent of creating powerful warriors, living war machines if you will, however, they are too powerful for a mortal being as their creation is faulty. Their bones are bulky, but not as dense as they should be and their enormous strength and great magical power come at great costs in the form of health problems. Listing them now: Blindness, arthritis, muscle spasms, wrong bone growth, impotence, heart attacks, low infant mortality, and short lives.
"But we aren't affected by those troubles, meaning that it possesses great stat boosts?" I was a bit intimidated to open my mouth.
Indeed. This class was unlocked by reaching a great number of attributes in Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Endurance, but also because of your previous use of mixed combat between Magic and Physical forces. Your choice for Battle Sorcerer was the last required step to unlock it. The Battlecorn boasts a multiplier of *3 in Strength, Endurance, Intelligence, and Wisdom.
My jaw dropped when I heard this multiplier. My current one for unicorn heritage was just a 25% increase in Intelligence, this would throw my entire world forward. Of course, it made sense, I possessed a bottom of the barrel body, while each of the advanced classes was bred through generations to achieve their standing.
Despite that, I'd still be entire leagues behind Twilight's f☆cking multiplier of *5!
"But, how does that work, I mean, they have been dead for ages!" I cried out with confusion as my head started to swell... I think the nerves in my horn had more connections than my brain right now...
Cause and causation. The Changeling DNA we were forced to acquire would allow us to biologically become one, and once we have, the belief of others would be enough to award us their boosts. Battlecorns, although long extinct, are still featured in over fourteen still quite popular legends told to every foal, adult, and even senior. I can easily create its blueprint from the memories still lingering, and the entity Princess Celestia is still a living connection to them.
"Oh, right, Her." I said with a slump as I felt a sudden weight crush my spine and invoked a pitiful shiver from my depths as the taste of ink and paper became ever more apparent in my mouth. "Alright, Battlecorn me!"
.
..
...
John, I will say this as kindly as I can as your inhabitant, partner, and friend. This should be not done in the material plane, and most certainly not while awake. You don't want to be awake.
"Ehm... Why the sudden... The sudden grim tone?" I asked with confusion, as I put the mirror back into my inventory and looked with concern as I saw the hallucinatory form of the game float just a bit over my head in front of me.
This is not plastic surgery, I am not building an extension, your body does not possess a viable genetic code, it can neither morph or evolve, it isn't rapid evolution or anything of equal. I need to completely rework your silhouette to make the adaptation possible. Yes, after this configuration you could morph into the [Battlecorn] or even the [Changeling???] easily, however, protocol demands that I remove unusable data.
I opened my mouth, only for realization to hit me with dread.
The moment I disconnect us from this body, it will rot. It will fall apart while configuring and even if that seemed bearable in some slight notion, the process then is a visceral one. Every aspect of the unicorn race needs to be purged, not an inkling of data may remain, thus the orders demand, for it may lead to corruption, or a hindrance of growth, consuming my resources just by being stored. Once Battlecorn, meaning after the reconfiguration, you could change freely between those aforementioned races, but after this choice, the process from unicorn to any of the two, be it just for time being or easier transition will be...
Brutal. I wish you to be spared the details of how purging data within me will affect the physical body bound to it, so let me put it that way. In any horror movie, their most gruesome death will seem like pleasure, torture on the most amoral stage like theater. The butchering of sadism like goodnight stories, and radiation mutations like a little itch. This body will break down, dissolve, crumble into a mass that maybe, under the trained eye of a surgeon, will be distinguishable as once momentarily a pony. And from this biomass will I form a body for us to inhabit, an exterior stomach turned womb.
My face, frozen still and morphed into a wrinkled parody, let only a pathetic, quiet, yet high-pitched tone out that somewhat resembled air escaping from a poorly pinched balloon. "I... I-urhg! I think I'mgonna vomit. I take zombie guts over your talk any day. Oh, heavens have mercy on me, I can feel how if any deity does exist it turned away for a couple of moments."
"Why?!" I snapped at the Game, quickly turning towards the mirror with anger.
If I were a symbiont of genetical or at the very least physical nature then yes, but given that you don't possess a genetic code there is nothing to advance here outside of just increasing their effectiveness, just destruction, and rebuilding.
"A-...and this is safe?" My voice quivered, for I felt now just as helpless as I did as a foal when I first met with Celestia. This imposing, seemingly unreachable hurdle.
This is not surgery, neither genetics or birthing are at play, I work with absolute certainty. I built this body you inhabit, this vessel of the flesh and bone that died when its heart formed closer akin to a sponge than a pump and it didn't even possess any cartilage-based body parts or even eyes. Your body will be made, and it will be perfect without blemish, unafflicted by already existing impairments, lack of resources, or even negative memories and emotions towards a fetus born of drug usage and broken dreams. The weak flaw only exists on the current meta-physical scale and can be removed without any lasting consequences.
And the transition will be a safe journey, just like when you first took my tendrils in the chamber of my housing. You will not die, for even when your flesh will fail, you will slumber within me until the body is ready.
My facial expression sluggishly relaxed and somberness overtook my senses in an attempt to drown out the growing dread of hopelessness; of a lack of control. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Game..."
And a shattering erupted from the world around me as the soothing winds and warming rays of light left me.
"Await me please." I felt clear how defeated my voice sounded, though I had a choice. I already made my mind up long ago that I'd overcome any hurdle to grow stronger. And if it meant giving up a bit of control momentarily, I would give in. Despite all the terrors, all the horrors that this rotting universe presented to me on a crooked pig iron pan, I couldn't deny that the sensation of power and control over my own path was sweeter than anything else. I lived my old life with no control, fighting for scraps to afford the loftiest of niceties for my sister, but as the Host, I had the power, influence, and control over my life, not driftwood in an unforgiving sea but a ship sailing. And regardless of how many planks you may replace on a ship, it remains the same ship in my eyes.
I opened my eyes and stared upon my surroundings, the throne room now made almost regal with decorations, statues of various fabled beasts, woven tapestry on the floor and the walls, and great engraved and painted scenes of the universe in all of this falling and rising glory. I turned myself and to the entrance previously hidden by a woven carpet, now a carved pathway and walked down the many stairs.
I didn't look at the other renovations I made over the years. Not sparing a glance at the working area, the new place of preparation for brewing and magic, the open space for the forge to be or my bedroom to still be used, I walked past it all to a secluded area.
Behind a heavy door lay a carved room only decorated with a little furniture, but a shallow pool of steaming water awaited me, for the heated crystal warmed the liquid by absorbing the ambient mana. I sighed with pleasure as I descended into the pool, but it now was too small, though I didn't walk here to bathe, just to rest.
I laid down, and the water embraced me, but was far from drowning me, as I stared at the glowing crystal in the ceiling, and closed my eyes. I didn't need to say anything, as I sailed once more past the mortal plain. I forfeit my flesh as I did in the past, giving up my body for power, but it didn't matter, for my race never defined me. Past horrors and agony unspoken to truly sleep once more, and I'd return to awaken to a new me, but still me . The same John Weaver, the same Star Touch, the Host of the Game, son of Gentle Touch, and perhaps on a crumpled page in the book of Fate the Prince of this pony land.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four: Second Birth And Death(s) [E]
Author's Note
Please read this
Chapter Four: Second Birth And Death(s) [E]
"Am I dead?" I asked out with bewilderment as I gazed upon... Nothing, it was a vast ocean of nothingness, not quite a black void but I doubt it was closer to anything else. I blinked slowly, despite the uncanny display I was awfully calm, not even in the slightest bit plagued by discomfort. I slowly lowered my eyes towards my hooves and beheld the same imagery I've become fond of through the years, before daring to turn around to stare at whatever else may lay hidden.
And I didn't look far before I bore witness to myself.
"You have asked me many times throughout the years what I thought of your old life, how you wanted to know certain things, like how I would've assumed you would live your life now -had you never been absorbed." The Game asked, though, at the same time, he didn't. I saw my human body with the same cheap quarter-store clothes, leaning back while sitting on a black rock. When I looked at myself I felt slightly ill, I didn't quite understand whether it was because of my unhealthy appearance or just the unused sight of seeing a human.
I blinked briefly, before trotting towards The Game and with a hop planted myself next to him, although it was akin to simply laying on air. "Yeah." I said softly but in all honestly my voice and the way I wished to say it was rather lofty. When I first arrived here there was never a real moment where I felt comfortable, irritated at best be it in my sickly flesh or this world, and all I wanted was to be back. Now... Now I could barely tell anyone where I wanted to go, only where I didn't.
"Truth is, I know exactly where you would’ve been." The Game said and turned to me. I saw how an all-colored glimmer shone over his eyes, but his expressions were dull, his movements robotic and forced, as was to be expected with a being not possessing actual limbs.
I snorted and shook my head while turning away, but for all the wrong reasons. Despite not having thought of it for many years, now that it came up, this riddle did intrigue me with a burning passion. However… "You kept it to yourself for twelve years, I doubt it would be a happy end for ol' Johnny boy, like always. Am I right?"
The Game stared at me for a moment and his mouth arches quivered briefly as if he was completely unused to this body, which to be fair he was, working only on my own memories I reckon. He looked away and held his hand before me, whipping the air in front of him like the dust on a screen and an image appeared.
It was a fire, a raging fire inside a metal contraption. A heavy box lay inside behind a glass window, and crisps of cardboard and flocks of ash spread in each corner, in each available space as the box was violently ripped apart by the intense heat.
A shaking smile appeared on my face, and I slowly leaned my head forward. I didn't cradle my head in my limbs, I didn't feel like crying, but laughing, and I chuckled. "I fucking knew it. This piece of shit really can never catch a break, haha..." I chuckled, not a mad chuckle escaped me, but a bitter, low laugh, though I supposed feeling schadenfreude at yourself was not the most common of things.
"So... what actually did it?"
The Game continued staring at the image of the cardboard box crumbling away in the fires. "What didn't?" He spoke so softly and yet with such coldness I wondered who of us shed more emotions, and yet I couldn't help but notice that between the two of us, he was the one being sadder by this oh so happy end of mine. "What didn't lead to this? By thirty you had tendonitis, arthritis, acidic blood, over six diseases of otherworldly origin, your lung’s mucus membrane production was down by sixty percent and your heart was soon to give up. But what specifically killed you? Truth be told, none of them were anywhere near fast enough for your actual demise."
I snorted with a singular dour laugh, before turning my head towards the Game again with a grin. "Let me guess, was it stress?"
"Cancer."
I stared at the scene for a few moments longer, though my expression didn't change after I averted my eyes and pushed my left hoof through my long hair and the other caressed my cheek. "Oh... Oh..." I couldn't say anything, truly it didn't matter in the end, but it most certainly left with me the impression that the world didn't like me. Fuck, I wasn't even feeling any dread right now...
"The product you've been consuming throughout the years on Earth- nutrient sludge, that was what you called it -was an experimental food replacement targeted towards soldiers. It was advertised to be a slowly digested, light and highly nutritious paste that could be eaten once a week and fulfill all the dietary needs."
"That was what the package said." I said slowly, but I didn't look at him, still staring into the voice feeling nothing but a certain itching to show any reaction, but it was almost like it couldn't even push me at this point, which it should, but I wasn't.
"Have you ever wondered how such a wondrous product could be so easily available at such low costs? Truth is, it wasn't. It possesses too many side-effects, the metallic components have been treated to dissolve, break-down completely so as to not leave any remnants in the digestive tract, but the process over a week is still too fast and damages the DNA of vital organs. In short terms its still dangerous, but consuming it over a decade is a death sentence." The Game said slowly, before turning towards me with a dragging frown. "But you weren't surprised when I said you had cancer, were you?"
I stared at my hooves as they tightly pressed against one another before my gaze slowly turned towards the Game as the flames stopped, the ashen remains of a corpse were slowly being vacuumed away.
"I have lived in the cheapest rooms available, all I owned was dragged from the streets and food was a luxury I couldn't really afford, even my clothes were stolen. I've eaten from more trash cans than plates, Game, I knew the risks, but I don't regret it for a moment." I said slowly staring him so deep in the eyes I could see my reflection. "I used most of my money to finance insurance, and do you know why? Because I was not scared of dying, but of being helpless. Just hearing me say this, I’d rather kill myself than be rendered helpless… I would've done anything back then to survive, but my biggest fear, my personal fear, a worry soly regarding my health, was being unable to do anything. Helplessness, for whatever reason, just this roadblock while doom slowly leaned and loomed over this wall, this inability..." I bit my tongue as I felt myself rambling on and on without any end.
"Many people may would've been afraid of these changes, but I was just disheartened, however being able to grow and the chance to one day overcome this always following end, that some being or event could fuck up your life, is something a younger me always aspired. Yes, the main goal was always to go back, but at some point along this fucked up road it became one of the few aspirations I ever had." I whispered, not because I was too shy to speak, but because speaking about my weaknesses was something I never enjoyed, I always hid them, especially from Amber. I hate people worrying about ol' Star.
The Game remained silent, he knew too well at this point to say some empty, reassuring line and compliment, and instead just stood up from the rock and began walking away. "Your body has been built. I apologize in advance, it was quite messy and purging the data bore a few unforeseen problems that have mostly been dealt with. Our original body was dreadful, thus also the data stored, meaning that instead of simply eradicating the information block it demanded precise eradication of singular lines. Regardless, we have spent enough time, the Alf is half-used up." The Game said with breaks between the lines, before turning around and leaving my vision slowly. "I will await you in the waking world."
"Hmpf yeah, time to greet the new... New me." I said with a snort, closing my eyes as I felt the dream simply slip away.
A soft, luminescent shine broke through my eyelids as I stared toward the ceiling. A gentle gust of foggy breath escaped my lips as I took a deep breath, and my lungs expanded and took in more air than was previously possible. The warm water caressed my body tightly, the warmth so alluring, but I couldn't spare the moment. I leaned forward and the act seemed almost suspiciously easy as if my weight didn't burden me anymore.
I felt as the water glided off my almost armor-like fur as strings of thick liquid clung to me for but a moment before each separating with quiet 'tst' sounds. I felt tired, overwhelmingly so, however, it was quickly leaving me as I sensed a state of awareness and energy I have only felt in the most adrenaline packed of fights. I turned around and looked at the pool that previously held pristine water. The first thing I noticed was the blood, the water was tainted by an almost radiant red in which blobs of dead tissue and other forms of biomass swam, floated, and sank, however despite the gory imagery the smell was blank, neither stench nor scent, just neutral.
I smacked my lips against each other and stood up with so great ease that just standing up was akin to a jump for I left the ground a meter below and nearly plummeted into the meaty brew, quickly catching myself with surprising efficiency. I held my forehooves in front of me as I stood upon my hindlegs with uncertainty, taking each step with as faint use of strength as possible as now a regular step upon the rocky ground was like a walk on the beach where each act of movement would make an imprint in the ground.
I carefully walked through the door leading to the hallway of the first level, briefly glancing into the rooms with sharpness and detail I previously could only achieve with the use of [Spirit Senses], now known as [Greater Spirit Senses], before taking my eyes back onto the path and climbed the stairs with mixed results. My first blunder was to hold onto the railings, putting my weight into the fine stonework and breaking it off as if it was made of pretzel sticks, error two through nine were putting a bit too much strength into my treads and cracking, if not outright putting holes into the stair steps.
'I need to replace the whole base with steel, otherwise I’ll be walking on eggshells forever.' I muttered begrudgingly and in embarrassment as I felt my cheeks turn to a tint of red. Finally, at the top of the staircase, I carefully walked towards the throne room and summoned my mirror from the inventory, and beheld what I had become.
Oh my... the changes were obvious even to the most oblivious towards the physique of equines, to which I counted myself I might say, and were it not for the color scheme and glimmer in my eyes I might've wondered if the mirror was playing a trick with me. My old body was flawed; it was a mangled, malnourished piece of work amped up by the Game and my Attributes to reach a somewhat above poor or slightly below average appearance, but with or without them still, to an extent, I resembled a perfectly fine creature you would expect to see in the wild.
This… wasn't.
The most basic features were there, yes. I had a horn, tail, hooves, and a snout, but when it came to ponies it was now visible that someone like me could not be born of purely natural means. My flesh, it looked handcrafted, since it indeed was. I possessed no visible natural flaws caused by a lack of resources or the need to invest them, neither mutations nor evolutionary blunders, I was sculpted with the intent to reach physical perfection.
My limbs were wide and thick, lunging with tightly packed muscles and the fur dearly clung to my hide while still possessing insulating and protective qualities, and my hooves appeared almost metallic in the light of the glow gems in the ceiling and if my eyes weren't deceiving me, then the keratin was not just attacked to my flesh, it looked more as if my bones slowly transitioned towards the keratin, no flesh between the two as far as I could tell.
My torso however was more unique, but the insides were even more surprising. My chest was like that of a hummingbird. It was very pronounced, large even, but not out of proportion, just standing out. My ribs, it was hard to describe but if I focused I could 'feel' my innards, were not just ribs, they were grown together into a sort of plate, not quite a chest plate as the space between the singular bones was just filled with a very spongy and sinewy layer of cartilage, while the sternum became almost akin to another spine in thickness.
I could just feel how much larger my organs have become, the tales of the battlecorns did become somewhat absurd depending on how far away they were created from the actual battles featuring them, but I didn't expect the belief was so intense that it could warrant this extent of evolution. I still had two lungs, but they were proportionally much larger, and in function were closer to gills in the sense that they didn't just catch the oxygen momentarily trapped inside, but filtered it. And my heart... My heart was not much changed directly apart from the proportions, but surrounding it were clusters, in a sense, several smaller hearts assisting in the pumping.
"Fuck, I am not sure if I should be glad that you made this body closer to the fables than the actual ones or not." I mumbled and dragged my hoof across my face and a scratching sound ensued as the sharpness of my hoof's tip fought against the resilience of my hide's hardness.
Well, that was a lie, this was greatly preferable to a more realistic battlecorn body.
Battlecorns were mighty, but flawed creatures, absolute monsters in battle, but they had problems already previously mentioned, (and a lot more not mentioned), but they were such poor fits for society due to size and aggression problems, not even mentioning the budget to keep them alive. Yes, they had huge lungs and hearts, able to run and swim for absurd amounts of time, but the organs that did excel at the living conditions ruined the rest. Yes, they could hold out long underwater, but the lack of regulations could lead to death due to too much oxygen in the blood, or a lack of it in the brain as it all went to the muscles, and the kidneys could not filter the toxins of the huge amount of food they could swallow.
Of course, the public never found out about that, they only knew of the powerful death machines they were. Then again, the fact that King Bullion, the only battlecorn who seemed to have lived a somewhat healthy life, ruled graciously as the last living battlecorn only helped in the idea of a superior pony, one idea that was only further stoked when the sisters came to power. No, this is not common knowledge, and neither do I have access to the books describing it, but Discord loves talking even if I need to take a grain of salt from the shaker before downing the whole thing when I hear him talk.
I could talk for days without end about each detail he would jabber on about battlecorns, like the huge amount of red cells in my blood or the filtration of my kindness or less public parts, but what caught my eyes right now was my face.
Scratch what I previously said about my jawline, right now I looked like I could crack bowling balls like peanuts, it didn't look disgusting or weird, but I think I reached the very top of a defined jaw in pony terms. And my mane looked like a huge bush descending my back while still possessing a sort of fluffiness. Like, the me of eight years ago would probably wonder if I could sleep in now-me's mane. My snout was huge with strong nostrils and the eyes, these eyes were something to melt for, not just the intense gleam and the fire behind it, but the depth and deepness of the colors were something to behold.
"Well look at that, looks like I have started to appreciate some appealing factors of pony physique." I chuckled and turned my head from one side to another, gazing at the new face I bore, particularly noting the strong neck.
The Alf is still pointing to the same location as before the evolution, I also pick up the signature of nightmares slowly approaching our location. If we do not change our location, they will reach our waking world location in roughly 128 days. The Game spoke like he was a cricket in my ear canal, whispering, instead of the usual thoughts.
I hummed, before swiping the air before me, calling the mirror back into my inventory, and smiling to myself. I didn't want to say I was prideful or arrogant at the moment, but there was a lingering and, dare I say, lovely sensation of contentment. Maybe it was the power boost granting me safety, or perhaps the stalking guilt of wearing the skin of a lost foundling slowly dissipated as I inhabited a body that was truly my own. Regardless of what it was, I felt so light and flowery.
I leaned my head back and felt reality roll off my body like a sheet of water as I sensed myself materialize back into the waking world.
Immediately I perceived the world so much more sharply around me, the intense humidity and heat weren’t even present anymore. No, that wasn't quite right. It was still here, but it didn't affect me anymore like I had become too resilient to even be bothered by it anymore.
And such was the case, there was more to the battlecorn race, other than their natural perks, or their literal perk [Battlecorn heritage], but also bore other boons such as a natural resistance to elemental but more importantly, physical damage.
But swooning now was not in the timesheet, and I was actually looking forward to the bog ahead, so I decided not to waste any more time.
With a continuous push of my hoof, I submerged one of my hooves until I felt the ground, before entering the murky water that drenched everything up to my barrel. I shuddered at the almost slimy sensation, the plants, living and dead alike, tried to cling upon my fur, and some animals swooped toward me in an attempt to nourish themselves. Though the last point was luckily not of importance, as the leeches, and for some reason, aquatic beasts that seemed similar to Garra Rufa, could not get past my natural resistances. It was stroking my ego to unhealthy degrees being constantly attacked and not receiving a single point of damage.
Smiling to myself, and throwing out a single, triumphant 'ha' at the beasts, I trudged through the water with a whistle, as although there most certainly could lurk danger, [Greater Spirit Senses] kept me updated and Wadjeta could help me hugely were it to come to problems. I felt confident enough to not fear the assassin set, instead moving nude... or normally, if you're a pony. Which I am.
As I traversed the bog, I could see the changes grow with every step, the lands deeper in were darker. The trees morphed from drowned, weeping willows to dis-morphed, mangled masses of roots with seaweed-like leaves, and whatever stuck out of the mushy brew was suffocating in sheets of moss and mushrooms that gorged themselves in the humid, but also fertile, land. A normal pony would likely feel creeped out, scared, or at the very least heavily humbled by even the slightest sound, but for me, it was like a mismatched paradise.
My worries were drowned out as I thoughtlessly walked, I smiled to myself as I enjoyed the peace, no politics, no society nor mental anguish, just peace. Yes, I knew it looked horrifying as the sparse trees huddled closer and the deeper inside I trudged, blocking the little light that seeped through pea-soup-like clouds even further in combination with the cloying smell of plant decay, the buzzing of insects, and the ever-present 'schloopping' of the cold oatmeal I pushed through. But compared to the hostile warfields the nightmares resided, the stressful life in the castle and pushy thoughts, and at times suffocating emotions of ponies, this was heavenly. But those factors truly were minor modifiers of my current mood. [Greater Spirit Senses] was not just a straight-up update to the normal variant, but revealed so much more. Before I could feel what happened in my surroundings, but now I felt the world around me.
Every plant, every animal, life, and all the elements brimming with life. I smiled goofily, showing teeth and tongue alike as I hummed, and how couldn't I? Yes, disease and decay surrounded me, but so was so much life swarming me, partaking in my presence as I did with theirs, for I realized very quickly that while this place was not a sentient creature, the place as a whole almost seemed to possess a character.
I could feel everything around me like I was connected to them like I had known my surroundings for many lifetimes. Their life force brimmed around their forms both mushy and soft, the magic that perfused the world, and their veins, one of which was just below this biome beat and thrummed in a rhythmic, harmonic gleam. Even with eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and even body encased and closed, I could still sense it all. I wasn’t distracted, overwhelmed or some things were overshadowed, it wasn't like I gained a new set of eyes, but another vision was added to it all.
I took a deep breath, and with my tastebuds, felt spores and pollen enter my mouth, before hopping onto my hindlegs and walking upon two legs as the water rose or the ground lowered.
Soon the bog became a drowned woodland, and the thick sheet of algae became a sort of forest carpet that broke in my way, but lighter things floated and grew upon it. Great flower, blooms with petals as long as an oar and wide as a sail, with colors most plentiful letting out pollen smoke that exhumed a spicy smell. Somewhere else long tubes releasing an intense, cinnamony smell flavored the air so intensely, it became pungent. Sprouts of incredibly durable woods, moss as reliant as leather, and mushrooms of every kind from glowing to pulsating crossed me too, and as much as I needed went to my inventory. The inventory was tied to my levels, and although it felt like a sack filled with stones, there was so much more space than before. And now I have possibly absorbed over thirty new kinds of seeds for further use.
"Nyehahah..!"
A piercing and echoing laughter sounded throughout the land. I raised an eyebrow, though I didn't stop my march or even turned my head, for the whole world lay open to me. Tilting my head, my ears flickered at the mosquitos, still not convinced that I could not be partaken of, hoped to gain a drop or two from me.
'What is that lovely smell?' I wondered as I smelled the most wonderful scent I had ever been allowed to take in, and this came from someone who generally hated sweets.
"The fruits!" The same, scratchy and yet wild voice called out without origin, and it finally brought me to a halt as I felt the intruder close in slowly. Great, another voice that knew everything I thought of... As if I looked at a radar, I could make out the small, petite silhouette of my pursuer. "Does it wish to eat? Does it wish to rest? Does it wish a moment of peace?"
I raised the other eyebrow, before turning around quickly and facing the creature that lazily hung from a tree. A small being it was, bi-pedal with even smaller, thinner appendages. If I could best describe it, it looked like an anthropomorphic, furred frog in form with clawed hooves and great, pillowy ears, though its face was hidden behind a plain, wooden mask.
"Oh-hohoho, It has has found he, the pony has found he, sharp eyes it has, indeed it has!" The creature called out joyfully, clapping its hands wildly while swimming around on the starving branch as the released polled almost made the creature appear invisible with its toxic, green tuft.
"Not that hard if you're shouting." I said dryly, the smile of moments ago parched up quickly.
"Oh-ahahaha, not that to be sure he says, not to be sure." The creature said while twirling its head around, before suddenly leaning forward, staring directly at me with mischief gleaming through the holes of the mask. "It is wondering, it makes he wonder, not many come and walk through here so well. What it’s name, he asks?"
"Star-"
"Wrong!"
I retreated, jumping back as the creature disappeared in a cloud of fungus spores, and reappeared right in front of me. Wait, that sensation... were those?
The creature chucked harshly, and the line between joy and annoyance mixed like dirt and salt.
"No, not it, not the corpse, not the puppet, not it." It chanted while throwing its hands around, and their presence grew, though not in a threatening manner, it was actually like lighting candles in a dark room to make the closest comparison. "And neither the souls in the stomach! What is IT’S name?"
I tightened my face, and leaned forward, narrowing my eyes at the fey-like creature and snorting. "John." I spoke out sharply, and it did the trick as the thing laughed wildly, hopping from place to place.
"John, it John, come John it."
That is not advisable. The Game called out with precaution.
'Oh please, I went through with poorer deals. Besides, I would like to see where the being wants to push this meeting.' I thought, deep within the Mind where The Game and I were as close as possible. With a snark and smug smile while swaying my hips widely while following the hyperactive creature. No, I was not trying to seduce it, but I could feel that there were a lot of small holes where I walked, almost like footprints. The thought of using [Observe] on it struck me from time to time, but I could feel that it laid below me, but still way above a pony. And perhaps it could feel that as well.
'Wait, what did it mean with "Souls"?' A sudden thought struck me.
This world does not possess an afterlife, any realm or creature that absorbs the aether cores and leaves them intact, they either are absorbed back into the world as a resource or by happenstance are absorbed by a yet-to-be-born foundling. The latter is incredibly rare.
I opened my mouth, gulping once, before shaking my head with a grim look and grumbling. 'Don't think about it, they pushed matters this far. The same result, at least they can prevent harm now in some morphed, poetic way.'
"It thinks, It grumbles, it looks so gloomy, but fruit is floomy!" The creature called out from behind a wall of trees, all the while ignoring the concept of words as a whole.
"Floomy." I chuckled, before pushing my... ahem, widened form through the bars of a log and witnessed the most disgusting thing I have ever seen, and I've practically become the protagonist of every zombie movie in the last few years.
"Eat up, It eat up and rest!" The strange creature called out as it pulled out, oh goodness I wanted to vomit right here and now. It pulled from a hole below a dreadful tree, stones, bones, dirt, and insects, before piling them up on a rusted shield and presenting them before me like it was a treasure trove of gold.
"Ehm..." I prolonged this one 'ehm' for what felt like twenty seconds until I noticed one of the bones was a lumpia bone, a tiny, button-like mass of calcium that connected the skull of a unicorn with the horn. Well, it was still firmly connected to either, it wasn't like a spine but appeared like a sort of curvature that further protected nerves between the brain and the base of the horn.
'Deactivate [Greater Spirit Senses]' I thought grimly, and my suspicions were justified as the surroundings changed as if a curtain had been closed. The dirt and gnarly tree became a great, huge, golden Oak at whose base was a door that led to a comfy cottage, and the fey creature appeared much friendlier, holding a plate of the finest vegetables, fruits, and even some cooked meats.
three things happened.
One, I reactivated [Greater Spirit Senses].
Two, I grabbed the poisonous gnome and brought both of us to the mirror realm.
Three, I punched said gnome with enough force to not just shatter the shield it hastily brought between my and Its punch, but also to almost launch the fey into the hole under the tree. I huffed with a grim, spiteful puff, and walked with heavy steps towards the dazed fey, before jumping onto my hindlegs and charging up my horn.
The fey shook its head, and the pupils swirled around while dizziness was weakening its grip. With a sudden jerk, it jumped up, and without missing a beat lifted its hand up. Vicious roots burst from the dirt, splattering mud and shrapnel-like pebbles in all directions as the plant spears charged toward me.
I narrowed my eyes and kept my pace the same, before nodding upwards in defiance without fear or concern painting my face, as the summoned roots creaked as a gleaming shine overtook the bark vines, stiffening them in place.
The fey looked in absolute horror at the transformation the plants went through, all their life force vanished in an instant and what remained was an unnatural material. With a hasty decision, it decided to turn tail, falling onto all fours and trying to run away and gathered its power to warp away in a puff of spores as it had done so before.
I bared my teeth and snarled, before sending forth my magic and encasing the fey with enough mana to cram a bull into a bucket. Whatever strength it had, it didn't matter, and its magic was suffocated before even the barest resemblance of a spell could be woven. It wasn't just me pushing in the opposite direction, I actively disrupted its magic, denying its use similar to that of the wrath metal, a most vicious teacher. It squirmed with desperation, though it didn't last long, for I grasped it by the chest, and pushed its body two meters above ground into the same tree it attempted to feed me to. The tree let out a hollow groan as my fist advanced toward it even with roughly 20 kilograms of meat in between.
"You..." I growled, leaning forward with fury and hate sparking within my eyes, though I hesitated for a moment to close my eyes and smother this intense anger that I never felt before in such quantity. Opening them again, still searing with my anger, I spoke clearly. "Made yourself an enemy." The creature groaned and moaned, still trying to push my hoof off, though to no avail. "You cannot even imagine how tired and irritated I've become of furred fiends trying to play me like a chess figure. I guess you chose the wrong idiot to play this game, an idiot who really hates manipulation, I might add."
"Argh, He... he-he can't breathe." The fey choked out in between gasps before I ever so slightly inched my hoof back, still feeling the ribs pressing against my limb.
"I don't know what made you think you could just sacrifice me to the bark mass behind you." I spoke lowly, glancing at the tall, thin, pale, and sickly-appearing tree from which oily spines and sweet, pale yellow fruits grew. "But you can't fool me like the pony before me. And as for breathing, you might need to stop puffing if you don't want to lose more air."
The fey gagged and gasped with a low whine as my grip didn't ease any further and the sharp spikes waved ever closer toward us from my constant pushing. "Miss...under-standing."
"Bullshit!" I roared, punching my left hoof a meter into the wood, missing the fey's head by a hair's width, and surprising even myself. "You don't kill someone like that by accident."
"No... accident... Trees... dead." A few more words came from the mask and the pupils that glowed ever-dimly slowly rolled behind its face.
I frowned deeply, before pulling myself back in an instant, letting the small spirit tumble onto the shredded grass. "Speak. Explain yourself now. Give me your reasons." I barked demandingly, staring down at the fey as the inclination to step upon it became stronger. Perhaps it was just the attitude that came with the profession, but any attempt on my life was, by the routine, returned with a successful attempt by me.
The fey gasped ever dearly for fresh air, though there wasn't much in this bog, and tightened its hands around the strands of grass, though it didn't pluck a single one. "Dark ones up the stream. He can't banish them. Always return. Kill the animals that come for rest. Corpses Block the water. Wood dies." It spoke in pieces, before looking towards the damaged tree through which a pale, almost golden sap seeped and dried in the wound. "Tree dies, He dies."
"You think killing others so you can prolong your life is an excuse?" I asked tilting my head while crossing my hooves while a dark shadow clouded my face. I lowered my form and put the tip of my hoof under its chin, lifting it so that our eyes meet. "You are so damn lucky I'm no hypocrite, fey, but don't think that just because both of us are at fault of going down this path, that it absolves us of the means."
I stood up and looked in the direction I felt the nightmares in the real world, but my concentration broke when I felt a familiar shade lurk dangerously close. The same perpetrator that kept me from the lower levels of Canterlot was close and closing in fast. With a grunt, I slammed my hoof to my side, bringing both of us back to Equus with a deafening shattering in which a few added splinters of the mirrored reality following us.
The fey gasped wildly, shivering violently as the energy of the tree connected once more with that of the creature, or perhaps it was the thin threats that seemingly connected this creature to this space, weaving a rope only seen with the most precise of magically gifted eyes.
"I'll deal with the nightmares, they're my domain, but don't think we are done." I said stoically, as the assassin's armor was donned upon me, and my arms were fitted to my sides. "Any possession you have taken, any item of value or bit you possess, you will pile them here, next to a stack of every seed, fruit and vegetable, and a mountain of anything else that you honestly, and don't you dare to stifle me, think could be of use in any way."
"Pillager." The fey choked out, stumbling towards its trees, and hugging the plant that I later would find out to be a Corpse Root Tree.
I sneered at the little creature. "I don't owe you or any other grass munch-hngh-ponies on this world shit . I don't get paid, nor receive any thanks or respect for keeping this planet clean from the nightmares, fey, nor do I expect any. But I won't be disrespected for keeping you all alive, even if it means amassing any advantage I can." Maybe it was the now greater quantity of testosterone or the new body that I still needed to get used to, but my response broke like a crumbling dam.
I turned around swiftly, and trotted towards the source of corruption, a spared but fickle glance at the reflection in my halberd's blade, seeing the frozen form of the fay.
Your usage of chaos magic has improved greatly since your first attempts at creating health potions. The Game noted vividly while swaying his gaze away from the roots that had turned to plastic.
'I guess.' I huffed.
Is there something you wish to talk about? The Game asked politely, at least as calm and monotonous, lacking any accent or flavor.
'I've killed thousands of nightmares at this point, Game. I lead the hunt every night, just to scrape the accursed residue from the mirrored air. I've improved the lives of countless as the negative energies swoop in to fill the great hole in Canterlot that I keep on making, and yet not a single word of thanks.' I thought with a sigh, and yet I kept my eyes on the path ahead as I saw bubbles forming from the deep water just a bit further ahead.
Our path is one of solitude, I doubt the ponies could even grasp our methods or goals, less so the deeper knowledge of our craft, when they still put our nature to the lines of superstition, heresy, half-fletched theories and randomness, if not outright, luck based happenstances. The Game spoke, and I couldn't help but nod meagerly, before swiping my halbert through the air and bisected a fanged and winged insect that flew towards me. And while knowledge or any degree of adoration of your person or action would most certainly aid us, it is not exactly what you desire, unless there have been some changes in your character recently.
I let out a dry chuckle, before shaking my head slowly. 'It's just... Urgh, how do I put it? Emotions, how do they work!' I grumbled in my head, before coming to a halt and narrowing my eyes at the creature lurking before me.
My suspicion proved to have been correct, as from the water burst forth a great maw with sickled teeth that launched themselves at my throat.
I lifted my halberd above my head with all my strength, including [Heavy Impact], and slammed the polearm down with the strength of a herd. The water rippled in waves as the metal was obliterated, and the wood shattered, but also the stone armor of the rock-like crocodile crumbled with bravado.
The beast let out a pained roar, shooting upwards and roaring while hurling its bleeding head around with surprise as my form; comparatively unimpressive to its natural predators, managed to not just break the armor, but break bones under the armor. Blood clouded the murky water, and with the thrashing of the creature, hurling the polluted water into the air. The beast snapped forward angrily, barely missing me as I jumped backwards through the water, surprised, that the water glided off me as if it were air.
I moved away repeatedly, it was like I was watching a bruce-lee fighting scene at a quarter speed.
I launched my hooves forward in a moment of reprieve, grappling its maw tightly before the creature started to roll around in response like it would've had it caught me, though I didn't let go and let myself be flung. The world spun around me like the inside of a washing machine, though I was calm and at peace, I knew that I was in no life-threatening danger, as crazy as it sounded, it was to me like a hyper-aggressive, small dog trying to show dominance. Akin to a spring, I rammed my hooves into the mud and tugged in the opposite direction. The stone and bone cracked loudly as it, for a moment, reached an impossible angle, before the beast lay limp in the water.
"Slow, careless, messy...mortal." I mumbled with pity, before pulling the one-ton heavy beast into my inventory, filling it up only slightly as if it was just an animal, nothing special so young even that it couldn't have been a juvenile I reckoned, just a young blood. Perhaps I was a bit too harsh, I was just too used to the nightmares, uncaring and willing to go any length, and dying by as simple as a broken neck was reserved for only the weakest of them.
A ping echoed out in my skull, as the quest advanced.
'At home, all is fine, but in the castle? It's never enough, regardless of what I do. The shoes don't just grow with me, they outgrow me and I've become tired of hearing the word 'adequate'. Bunch of pencil pushing politicians pulling me around. '
I grumbled angrily, before picking up the stump of the weapon that aided me for over a decade now with sadness. I had outgrown it, and I can't risk my weapon breaking with every strike. I sighed and pulled out the short, curved sword from the assassins, seeing as it was the closest thing I was used to. Of course, there was also the club but... well, it was a huge chunk of wood, so it wouldn't fare much better, in the worst case I'd trigger the special effect on myself.
Then why just no longer go there?
I jerked violently, straightening my back before a somber frown painted my face. 'You’re acting as if I could just say "thanks for the tea, now fuck off". No, that's not how it works, they invested too much, and their prying eyes are finally letting go of me more often now. Well, doubtfully after I get back from this escapade. There's not a single place I could ever be independent without being watched, at least not without "reinforcing my stance..." And, well, I don't want to cause trouble for mom.'
And? His 'And' wasn't a 'So what?' kind of 'and', it was him questioning whether there were more motives behind my words. There were... I just hated myself for having them.
"Celestia... she is just so sad to look at. She is... I don't think I've ever seen a more miserable person in this life, and she'd definitely be in the top 100 I knew on earth. Sure, there is this whole facade, but I can feel just how she's this huge clump of wretched distress, even the nightmares wouldn't sample any of that, I'm sure... But in the rare times it's just us she seems so genuinely happy when she gives those endless tirades about lessons, but even more when just straight up talking casually, not even venting about all the shit, just a chat. I feel sorry for the old mare, even if she can be a huge capital C." I thought, before lifting my head, seeing the ethereal form of the game floating within my vision.
And his presence, as stale and sterile as it was, spoke more than a million words with the way he pulsated.
"Oh fuck off, you're the one who gave me that bleeding heart. Besides, her just radiating that-all of that shitty desperation through the world, hell, worlds if you count the mirror realm is paining me, (literally, it's making me feel pain) more than having my spine shattered by a undead-fuck off, don't go at me with those arrogant pulses you oversized disco ball." I cut myself off, and before grumbling loudly with quick, short steps past the Game.
What is there to say? I'm just amused by your attempts to quell the nightmares at their source by being drenched in ponies' tears in so many different ways, even if it hurts you more than the endless hordes ever could.
"Fuck off ya wanker, don't go spouting 'bout me becoming the next mother teresa like I've become the immortal form slash-concept given form of mercy, forgiveness, the color pink and rainbows-you shut it, I've run out of insults." I spoke hastily and in rapid succession, ignoring even breathing as a whole.
The Game chose to chuckle at my response, I chose to walk louder to drown his laughter out and not to listen.
Kuvo had known fear, he lived in a bog after all and having lived through so many ages, there was one thing for certain. It... John, Johnit, was only comparable to those that came from the sky hole all those years ago when this bog was still but a little forest to be cut down by winged, horned horses, long, long before the spirit of chaos came and made this home... hom-ier...
If seeing those dark ones again made him any less confident, then seeing this display made him reach new lows.
Jon-Star, Star. Yes, Star stood on the verge to dry land, staring at the wet-dry land, a small island in the bog on which a crooked tower stood. There, Star eyed the dark ones closely, and the shine that gleamed behind the metal glared with such hate, that Kuvo had felt like standing even a hundred yards in front of this corpse-walker, he'd be impaled.
The dark ones, these ones, walked in the form of armored ponies, though they appeared almost rotten, not quite like zombies with missing chunks of meat and exposed bones, but rather a well-preserved, recently deceased soldier. Kuvo knew that was false, they have been here long, very long, so long in fact that several times the sun darkened after they first appeared, the forest always mixed and matched, but they didn't leave.
And Kuvo wasn't weak... just bad with trouble makers who were bigger, or stronger, or resistant to poison... or awake... or not nice...
But they just melted into a big puddle that couldn't be wiped away, and then they'd just regrow bigger and meaner than before.
So seeing this...
Star rushed forward with demonic speed, so fast Kuvo could swear he saw the water part before him like a crowd of mice, and grasped the dark one by the shoulder pads, lifting it into the air with little care. And then the dark one started to scream, thrashing widely like it was in pain, before phasing away like it never existed just to leave behind a clear shard the size of a mango.
"Don't you have better things to do?!" Star turned around to face the hidden Kuvo, disguised by magic aplenty, thick layers of moss, in a tree that in essence was just a huge collection of fluffy mold.
"I can see you clear as day! Next time don't use magic around me, you might as well point a flashlight in the dark at yourself." Star shouted with a huff, before turning to the shambling crowd of dark ones that had taken notice of their eviscerator.
Kuvo may have had a playful nature, even when he was more than ready to lead lost souls to the tree's belly. Those foreigners always die, in all the years of the forest, not one soul ever made it out, they only were killed later in a more brutal fashion. At least they died with the illusion of a full stomach and a feeling of safety in their sleep. But also the forest needed Kuvo, it would die without him, and when the forest needed something, the fey wouldn't feel ashamed regardless of the means.
Kuvo jumped from his place of hiding, to return and bring the requested items for the pillager, only to be grabbed by a pale, partially armored hoof.
Kuvo let out a shriek as he was made to face into the face half hidden by a shattered helmet through which armors peeked through. The dark one opened its mouth and bared their yellow teeth, but then, just as the jaws were about to bisect Kuvo, everything went white in a thunderous boom. The fey breathed heavily while staring at the tree, seeing that the crown was gone entirely, with brown fibers of the bark, singed and burning remaining. Looking down, he saw that the water had risen, catching him and slowly bringing him downwards.
And when Kuvo looked at the stranger who walked towards a dark one that very recently had two of its forehooves ripped off, he saw that next to the hooves of Star, which were holding a hoof each, two spirits floated.
'A spirit caller, he thought the great beast killed them all...' Kuvo starred in absolute shock, having only roused as the murky water reached his fur. Although still in shock, Kuvo jumped off a newly called root and jumped on each that sprung out further, building him a path back, but the thought didn't perish. How could it, perhaps there was still hope...
A new spirit caller was born, who could've ever foreseen something like that?
As the flakes and crisps levitated through the air as the remains of the next nightmare vanished, I couldn't help but wonder if I should perhaps collect some corpses. Of course, there wasn't an imminent use yet, but the last batch was now over a decade old, almost entirely used up, but perhaps there was something to be gained from bothering these here... Although, for nightmares, they still seemed pretty fleshy.
"Little shit made me waste mana." I spoke with annoyance, before swiping my right side while looking left, only to turn around to a decapitated nightmare.
It was your choice to engage with him, though I am always thrilled with how the branch of your choice, this detour; seemed somewhat distracting. The Game spoke musingly, though I could feel his gaze looking towards the crooked tower. Something was there, and not just because it was the heart of this collection of misfits.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry I got tired spending time with ponies that I wanted to-" I spoke, but while I leaned down to inspect the ivory of the nightmares, wondering if it was comparable to a unicorn horn in hopes of possibly creating a catalyst which was neutral in magic so that it could be used as a staff. The crafter class was a weird thing, it truly was, it didn't just download blueprints in my skull, but I somewhat knew if I combined certain things in specific ways that particular items could be made.
When my eyes reached the head, I noticed something that caused all my neck hairs to rise. There was something where the wound was, not just black mist and sludge, but the insides of that of a pony. The veins, the voice box, the gullet, it was all there in a sickly pale, preserved state. I quickly put the corpse into my inventory and summoned the crossbow that I grasped with my hooves after switching to a bipedal stance, and fired a far-off unicorn nightmare right between its eyes. It died in an instant, falling down and it’s magic, black and accursed in nature, fizzled away to further poison this swamp.
I frowned deeply before taking a deep breath and turning towards the tower. ’This shouldn’t have killed a normal nightmare…’
"Hey, I am here, come and get me you corpse walkers! Dinner. Is. Served!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, birds far off in the distance fled their trees and whatever critters were near quickly evacuated. Through the nightmares, I felt them inch closer.
You are coming closer to earning a taunt or battle cry skill by the day. The Game noted, but I couldn't tell whether it was sarcasm or just an educated statement.
"If it's a disease or plague, I want those meat munchers as thinned out as possible, and if its a mastermind behind this, then it can't control them well enough. So second verse same as the first, no shut up 'cause I'm putting them in a hearse."
Of course you do, and... company has arrived.
"Mhm, a mean, lean horde that is, just wondering what all that equipment is doing in the literal buttcrack of the world." I hummed musingly, before putting the crossbow away and pulling out a rather exotic combination of a curved short sword and a stiletto. Well, they weren't that short anymore since I equipped them, thus were fitted to my size, but still small for what they are to me.
I looked over the horde, I evaluated that there must've been well over fifty shamblers, not particularly many, given that at times I fought over two hundred zombies in the mirrored Canterlot in the second layer, well the upper streets of the second layer at least… also, by the way, fuck the second layer, but right now there was a bit of a mix-
I mechanically sidestepped a black bolt that soared past my helmet and embedded itself into a tree, causing a great volume of wood to rot and crumble away.
Fifty-Fifty?
"Sounds reasonable." I said, before stomping onto the ground hard and embedding silver thorn spores into the ground, before [Charge]-ing forward on two legs with weapons drawn, and while sprinting glided them against another as I infused them with the water element.
In barely a second I reached a big, burly minotaur outfitted by heavy armor that may have, at its prime, been a fine piece of protection, but now it couldn't even stop a single strike. I jumped over the horizontal swing of its hammer, and onto its shoulders, before cutting through his armored collar with little resistance. Our eyes met in a fraction of a moment as its head flew and tumbled through the air.
Hah, that was the biggest one, looks like I won't need the elementals this time. I thought cockily, before using [Transit] to escape another black bolt targeted at my chest, but instead, just hit the air. 'It was funny the first time, now it’s just annoying.'
I grumbled and punched a pony-shaped nightmare in the chest, ripping it into bits and two others standing behind it with the use of [Heavy Impact]. I swear, it cannot hold a candle to Brawly's punches but this attack should be more than capable of collapsing an old building.
And as I stood there, two nightmares tried to pile on top of me, both griffons armed with long swords, but before their blades and their bodies as a whole stopped dead when metallic vines thick as tree roots burst from the ground and entangled them. Their attempts were cute, but I had already spiked the entire battlefield with cluster vines below the dirt. My smile lasted even though I felt the same unicorn mare charge up another black bolt, but before it could fire, it was hit by an electrified beam of water and hurled against the side of a rock.
"Appreciate that." I said kindly to my spirited companions, before ten more silver thornes burst from the ground, entangling roughly half of the remaining nightmares, however, I decided against it. Not, because it was boring, but because it was draining having so many limbs separate from your main body acting at once. Also, the dirt was starting to turn grey, those plants were extraordinarily resource-heavy.
I ducked under a metal bolt that missed my horn by a hair's width and sidestepped a griffon clawing at my face, but these fledglings were nothing compared to me. I punched the griff' in the face, and the rotted skull exploded, blinding a wildly swinging, minotaur foe wielding a dagger with brain bits stuck to it. I jumped to the side, grabbed him, and bodily lifted him, before running toward a group of shield-wielding ponies. If I doubted my previous experiences, then perhaps I would've said they looked scared when they were run over like a bunch of roman soldiers in the black forest by a germanic warrior. The runt I held groaned pathetically as the nightmares tried to take a swipe at me, only to hit the minotaur and hack bits off. At the end of my charge, I made a sharp turn, grinding mud in all directions, and a moment later said mutilated minotaur was hurdled toward a pair of crossbow-wielding pegasi.
I quickly armed an ice spear that impaled the trio, the frost grew over them like mold over yogurt, and then snapped my head back to the shield bearers and shot a [Fireball] at the bunch of ‘em. The explosion, mixed with the wet ground and escaping gases, ripped through the air like an all-breaking crack. I flinched slightly as shards of metal embedded themselves in my armor, though I received no actual damage.
Looking closer, I had a doubletake to see that one of them survived, even when it’s shield was melting over its broken body and setting it ablaze. I armed a weak [Mana Bolt], but a quick flash of light stole my attention away. My immediate response to use [Transit] was for the better as the air where my neck previously was had been cut by a fine, golden blade.
I flipped a couple of times through the air, mostly because I needed to get used to not launching myself into the air with the slightest use of strength, before landing on my hooves.
Staring at the trio that lead the remaining graveyard, I not only noticed that all three were fully armored unicorns, at least I guessed so with the third one, but wore the equestrian crest on their armor and armaments. Not the modern version, the simplified and older version of it dating back at least several centuries. The leader of the trio, a pony who lacked a skull but still stood taller than the other two, clearly was the leader. I also came to the realization that they came pretty close to my height, which was not small I might add. I might be the tallest living stallion at this point, only about a head or a head and a half below Celestia who seemingly looked giraffes in the eyes.
'Did ponies shrink over the years?' I wondered with intrigue, but I'd get my answer from the autopsy, not staring at things. Gosh, how haven't I earned the butcher proficiency yet...
Sir Polar Might
Return to grave-er (Epic)
I squinted my eyes at the quest, before cracking my neck from left to right, and extending my hooves outwards. "Summon Lower Lightning Elemental. Summon Lesser Water Elemental." My voice came out amplified like it was an attack from an overexaggerated anime, or rather, much louder than I intended as if I had released a call throughout the entire world.
The water from the muddy ground was sapped as a colossal silhouette formed, growing larger and larger, darker and darker, until reaching a height that dwarfed most minotaurs. A colossal beast, water that flowed in constant motion to resemble a wave-made humanoid with a crooked, forward-curved head and two great arms, nearly the width of oars.
On the left, the air cracked furiously as if the very air was cracking apart, as a terrifying form materialized. Lightning made physical, shining blindingly, the form of the lower lightning Elemental appeared like that of purest energy, unstable taking on the form that resembled a tall skeleton with jagged limbs and a spiky head.
"Kill them all, their rejuvenative tendencies won't save them while you're employed by me. The leader? That one is mine, don't interfere." I spoke slowly while pulling the skull of Sir Polar Might from my inventory. A deep, almost rumbling bubbling escaped the water elemental, while a piercing, static sound was the answer to the lightning elemental.
Be prepared, while my systems won't grant you a quest beyond your abilities, this does not mean it will be easy. The Game spoke, as I walked towards the stunned, headless horse-man.
'When has anything ever been easy? Wasn't that the whole appeal.' I said with a smirk, take any of this easy. I may be prone to trash-talking, but I didn't leave my guard down, even when dealing with comparatively weak nightmares.
I took a deep breath, and lifted the head high above the neck, as the nightmare waited patiently, knowing full well what I was about to do. I hesitated, not because of him, but because the water elemental ripped off a tree and swiped five zombies in one strike, one of which flew over my head. I blinked hard once, before descending the skull-like crown. The moment the skull and neck connected, blue fire spread from the dark depths of the corpse to overtake the forgotten calcium as spikes grew from its sides like pins, and violet flames ignited in the eye sockets. The flaming eyes slowly rolled down until our eyes met, and in a single, short, fraction of a second, both of us knew one thing was certain: Only one of us would see the sunset.
I jumped to the side, practically hurling myself away as a black crystal bolt shot past my face and a chunk of my mask was ripped away, leaving my right eye exposed. I grunted angrily, ignited two [Mana Blades], and struck both of them toward the lich. I attacked, but it didn't go far, my hoof collided with a barrier in which a few cracks appeared, and most certainly my magic was not the cause. I grunted angrily, and in anticipation jumped back as a wave of violet flames burst in all directions and the fire expanded even further, forcing me to use [Transit] twice in a single breath to spare my almost singed hide. Though I wasn't done just yet with my turn, and as I landed on the ground ripped a boulder with my newfound strength out of the slightly muddy ground and hurled it with well over 100 kph towards the undead mage.
The boulder shattered apart into thousands of little shrapnel pieces that shot in all directions, and a web of cracks spread across a slope that bent around the lich like a mana shield of a grander scale than mine. And although the spectacle of seeing stone pound apart like dust was gratifying, a lightning-fast spear of violet fire rippled through the air, and through my extended hoof that burst apart like a rotten melon.
I gritted my teeth with a grunt, although the pain was nothing more than a phantom sensation, the sight of losing a limb was no enjoyable thing. I grabbed the burning stump and ripped it off my shoulder, before hurling it at the lich, who didn't react to it as the meaty clump bounced off his barrier like a tennis ball. He stepped on the limb with a heavy stomp and walked towards me as flames were conjured into a wave surrounding him.
I spat on the ground and grew silver thorns from my exposed flesh. The plants tangled and intertwined countless times in a spiral and violent fashion until a great limb was formed, an arm bearing spikes and a three-clawed paw. I clenched the fresh limb tightly, feeling its strength with a grin as the fondness of having fingers returned to me. I turned my face back to the lich and the wave of fire grew into a great storm from which even the elementals began to back away.
I could only grin, and I did so while running toward it with [Charge] and [Sprint].
The tower of violent, violet flame grew into a fortress that consumed all plants and trees nearby, scorching the earth and even killing the very air, but I didn't stop, not even as the fire began to expand toward me like a glacier crushing the land. And then as the fire reached its apex, silver thorns grew from discarded flesh and willfully grasped towards the fire.
I closed my eyes as the fire collapsed, releasing a wave of heat in all directions through which I jumped as the flames rushed past me, some clinging to my armor, I stared with hate in my exposed eyes, I looked down onto Sir Polar Might, missing his forehooves and part of his horn.
As I descended, his horn crackled with energy still, though untamed and without control, his magic burst forth in a wave of destruction. I held my artificial claw in front of my face, and the silver thorns broke apart, the limb mutilated and I almost was thrown back, but I rammed my hindlegs into the ground and stabbed the sharp, plant mass through his chest. A breathless gasp escaped the herald as he was held half a meter above the ground.
I have killed countless nightmares: Impaled, bisected, burned, frozen, ripped apart and crushed and so many more ways - and yet, I couldn't help, while staring into the smoldering eyes soon to be extinguished, a hint of pity, sadness, and empathy as a stallion once greatly renowned to have fallen so low. Perhaps, death was a solution to some things.
"My princess... I failed you most dearly."
I tried to narrow my eyes, my heart pounded and I panted fiercely at even the slightest movement, but my brows quivered and my eyes ultimately softened, as I lowered my form and put the good knight onto the ground, holding the back of his head and pulling back my arm.
"To fail a task you could never complete is no shame, good knight." I whispered as I felt something mirror behind the meatless, burning skull, something alive, something pony. I flinched when his head slowly turned towards me and the fire slowly subsided into a weak blue that would soon fade away.
"Silver hair, the sun's mark... How it doth warmth mine heart to know that the crown's prince doesth know to wield blade and heart, soul and spell aliketh." His voice began to fade as did the fire and the purple stain seemed to subside as I used [Gentle Touch] to instill comfort, not the otherwise radiant feelings in the purest form to burn away.
"You fought valiantly, my knight, through many hardships did you sail, but your odyssey now comes to an end. Sleep well, you served your country well, but now time for rest has arrived. Know, the nightmares will not fester while I keep them from manifesting." I whispered soothingly and traced the back of my hoof across his exposed and unlit skull. And as my lips closed, his head leaned back and I felt his presence leave this place.
That was... beautiful.
"There is nothing beautiful about any of this." I said slowly and traced my hoof over the old crest adorning his chest. I held no love for patriotism, love for country and culture, but I knew well the desire to safeguard your family and loved ones. I just hoped that whoever my family is in this life, is scattered, if they are dead or safe, I'd never have to do the honor for them, for then I would falter certainly.
How much I despised lying to those poor bastards, those fabricated sentences that held as much weight as the loftiest of breaths. Lies, nothing more than that, and yet I couldn’t help myself. Walking away was too straining on my heart, staring at the fading souls, too cold.
I sighed, shaking my head and spitting on the ground as if there was a slight hope to remove the horrid taste from my mouth. I put his body into my inventory, and walked toward the captured corpses, glancing toward my elementals and raising an eyebrow. The water elemental was holding down the neck and jaw of a fully grown craggadile, while the lightning elemental held out his hands from which a hailstorm of thunder escaped and spread across the stony body. The beast struggled greatly as its armor broke apart and a chunk of flesh exploded.
I sighed with a shaking head, before using [Rapid Recover] to regenerate my hoof, summoned an [Ice Spear], and hurled it through the skull of the craggadile. The reptile's body spasms for a moment, before too succumbing to its wounds. The thick and searing blood froze only moments after trickling the beast’s long snout.
"You can go all out on the nightmares, but don't go around torturing the animals." I huffed as the pair looked at me with confusion before they let go of the beast and started to pile up the corpses.
However I must ask one question that does reoccur within me. The Game asked softly, almost with avoidance.
I walked towards the entangled nightmares, and it seemed as if my vines had a preference for griffons for they were the majority of the prey, the other three were earth ponies. Proteins, the plants did love that stuff. I extended my hoof and began to infuse the nightmare with emotions, but when no familiar sizzling came, I took a deeper look and saw that shrapnel burrowed itself through the skull hidden behind a vine, and another was decapitated by a stay thunderbolt, only held together by plant bandages. I grumbled, before taking them into my inventory and purifying the remaining eight.
You can go years on end purging nightmares, but at times you can become... The Game halted its sentence for a moment, inquiring me to raise an eyebrow. Soft. I pulled my hoof back as the third nightmare crumbled away, leaving the fourth crystal behind. It's confusing me why you're expending energy in reassuring your fallen foes with kind words, often lies, and then acting as if nothing happened. It makes me question the sincerity.
I huffed and leaned my head back. "Fifty-Fifty." I spoke, at first, without explanation. "I pull out a lot of stuff from somewhere down south, and I do not owe anyone kind words, less so those that try to send me to an early, permanent, retirement, but... It just feels... right, to let someone down gently, even with just a scrap of sentiment down slowly and softly, give them a warm farewell into the next chapter of life, instead of with fear, screaming and clinging to it all while the blackness drags you down. It's nothing nice… I still have nightmares of that day, drowning in that tar."
I closed my eyes and when I opened them a moment later, the silver vines began to decay with quick speed, leaving behind nothing but ashes and dust, and of course, nine shards to collect. And a few corpses, sadly it was far off from the desired amount, but oh well, unfortunate collateral.
Greater Dexterity shard
Greater Luck shard
"Luck?!" I shouted out in confusion while holding my forehead. "Why the hell did I get a Luck Shard from an earth pony carcass? What the hell is-?" I ranted while scratching the side of my head as I looked at the shard until a frozen shiver spiraled down my spine.
.
The Elementals have returned to the spirit realm. The Game said slowly, while I turned around and inspected the great pile of corpses, and the two sets of footprints- well, burn marks and a mud trace -leading towards the tower.
"And not on their terms." I said slowly, but I couldn't feel anything strong enough to have taken them on, and we weren't in the mirror realm...
"I am considering retreating here, Game." I said finally after a phase of silence, while slowly walking right to mayhaps catch a lofty glimpse at the one responsible.
Scared, or?
"I may have lost the majority of feelings, but not my sense of self-preservation despite my track record, thank you very much, Game . Now if you would excuse me for a moment, I am going to strategically move further to the right until I can evaluate just how fucked everything in a 100 kilometer radius is."
I slowly walked to the right, just as the prophecy I was foretold, until the trees, rocks, and holy fuck the imp wasn't kidding, there has to be hundreds of carcasses of varrying sizes and stages of decay, possibly enough to feed a murder of griffons their entire lives. Ehem, until I could see in a clean line past all the obstacles . But past the bodies, there stood, surrounded by countless, armored bodies of knights and bandits, a single individual that bore a great stature and although his back was turned to me, a silver mane flowed through the wind graciously.
"I thought only mares could get a silver mane..." I murmured and stared closer with [Greater Spirit Senses] and when I tried to use [Observe] the Skill didn't trigger, no, it didn't fail, it didn't trigger. And as I tried to use it a second time, the ear of the knight in solitude twitched ever so slightly. I leaned a bit further and saw a great scorch mark next to an even greater puddle of water.
'This is fucked up, I can't even tell if he is a nightmare, all my senses would've already exploded if I looked this closely with Hauhuthos Hilihuth in the same room as me.' I grumbled while slowly inching closer step by step and my mind already hovered over my shield just in case.
I crossed the path of corpses, each step creating loud crack, smack, schlep, and tak sounds. And as I reached the clearing in which he stood, I could witness just how many corpses he had made. There were hundreds of bodies, not all of them were sentient creatures, but at the very least ten dozen belonged to intelligent beings. I swapped side to side at which I looked, periodically turning back to the frozen figure.
A quarter second passed.
I breathed heavily, I felt how my heart pressed against my ribs, and my eyes dilated to ripping degrees as I heard my [Mana Construct] and [Mana Shield] collapse. Suddenly, a strong ray of light entered my eyes, as my mask split in half, and my shield broke into countless metal splinters. A burning blade inched at my throat.
The creature before me looked exactly how a pony should have, and a normal pony would've been fooled, writing their slightly pale body, thin mane, and almost starved appearance off as health issues. What no one could ignore, however, was the radiant, purple gleam, the likes he had seen before only with those dreadful beasts in the Game's chamber and perhaps of the clouded creature I hazily remember that bore the shield before me.
He breathed heavily and staggered even as he lowered his sword slowly, the gleaming, blackened gold blade until it fell to the ground. His grey hoof slowly extended toward me, caressing my cheek so gently and yet I felt agonizing pain, but it was so close I couldn't tell if it was my own, or I felt his. Him, he truly looked like an older, mortal version of what I was now.
Sir Silver Blade is allowing his kin to view his stats.
Sir Silver Blade
Observe --> Inspect
My jaw slowly lowered itself as Silver Blade inched closer, staring deeply into my eyes, and while I could only fathom what he saw in me, I could see an entire lifetime behind the corruptive powers. I flinched when his hoof's tip touched my throat and pulled his hoof covered in my blood back, inspecting it thoroughly.
"How cometh a descendant mine bearing her highness' scent and mark?"He spoke slowly, his voice so smooth and welcoming, despite the harsh nature of his speech, it confused me greatly. "What is your name, colt?"
I stared at his patient visage for a few moments, expecting just about anything from his coming reaction, but I was split between it being a trap or genuine curiosity. "Star Touch. And, well, I suppose my mother's 'fragrance' just rubbed off me with time?"
A deep humming escaped his throat, and his hoof traced my jawline, before finally pulling back all of his limbs from me. "Your claim is one many made through the years, many a fool the lot, but... Immortal blood flows in your veins, my lineage in your flesh, her scent marks you, and I can feel..." He leaned his head back, closed his eyes, and for just a second he seemed peaceful, in a sense. "Domain over a realm, but one I cannot begin to fathom."
"It invokes within me... mixed emotions to knoweth my lineage to still to have survived and ultimately cross even closer to royalty." His voice drifted away slowly before he cleared his throat and bobbed his head slightly, the smallest of bows I supposed. "Your presence honors me, royal descendant mine, but why hath thee come?" He asked, one more revealing his accursed eyes. "I made my intentions clear, were I not to return, none may be sent."
"It wasn't my choice. Members of the Proud Lion Guild have stole me away in the dead of night and brought me here." I spoke without reaction or emotion, though it did irk my listener most dearly, though the silence of the Game spoke more bounds than any warnings of the system demanding me to cease my interactions. "They tried to assassinate me, but failed and paid the price, they won't harm anyone anymore as seen with their equipment on a unicorn and not a-"
"beaked cat." He finished with disdain, reminding me once again how xenophobic ponies of old (or currently) can be. "My most gracious apologies for damaging your equipment, I'd offer you armor or compensation, but I am afraid that there's nothing worth your size and status."
My mouth hung open for a moment before I took a deep breath. "No need." Leaning down, I focused my magic on the broken pieces and repaired the items, before putting them back into my inventory so as to not cause another PTSD-driven strike. "I've been battling the nightmares for some time, I am used to picking items from the battlefield." I leaned my face away.
"Pickings from the Battlefield... I am sure you have many stories to tell, none the least in how you managed to purify our accursed souls, I may presume?" He spoke in a slow tone, before walking in the direction I looked at. "Come, let us speak inside. It may not be the most comforting of places, but better than to wake in the rain."
I was about to open my mouth in protest when a single droplet of water fell onto my nose's tip. "Yes, I also have some questions." I spoke slowly, eyeing the knight who showed his back to me without any precaution, making me wonder about whatever situation I had found myself in. With a shake of my head, I decided to follow my predecessor's supposed ancestor.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four: Knight And Maiden [E]
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four: Scales, Iron And Glass [E]
Author's Note
This chapter is a collection of three smaller chapters dealing with the events of this arc that otherwise wouldn't be able to fill a chapter. This is not a filler chapter, but three small ones stuffed into one.
As always, this chapter wouldn't and couldn't have been made this well without the help of my Editor, his work, and input, ZeroOneInFinn
Chapter Four: Scales, Iron And Glass [E]
The Meeting With Caldura
I know I often describe teleportation, warping, or skills like [Transit] as walking through a thin sheet of water, but that description is not universal. Yes, the very first moment is exactly like described above, at least when transportation is successful I reckon, but that flickering moment following afterwards is so electrifying. It's a concentration of energy that danced over your skin while knowing fully that if it drew any closer you'd be incinerated. It's a rush to be sure, though when this moment ends biome attributes such as temperature, moisture or weather hit a dozen times harder in the brief moment of soreness.
Why did I put so much effort into explaining that? In this case, no reason, since it didn't apply. It didn't happen.
Instead, it was like fire burning away everything that wasn't me, the ambers not so much as licking my fur's tips as reality shrinked away and I fell through space, and yet when I left, plummeting out of a geyser of flame, I stood most certainly higher than I did before.
I shook my head, coughing violently as mostly obscure urges began to form within my bowels, and yet- "Hahaheheh..." I chuckled like a fucking idiot and licked my lips as I felt the remnants of chaos still linger on me like an oil film.
Chaos was in principle something so simple- yet practically unfathomably in scale as it grew in size to extend unchained only limited by the imagination of the user. It was freedom, it was like eating your favorite meal whenever you wanted, accomplishing any goal without so much as a twitch of a muscle, a veritable buffet housing everything a heart could desire and you can just take whatever you want. While my own powers in chaos were minuscule in comparison to Discord , seeing as I was still a [Chaos Disciple] and that was rooted in the fact I never managed to use it one time with acceptable results, I still indulged in it from time to time. In essence, it was similar to a natural power and yet… addicting. It wasn't just like a drug, neither was it totally akin to a stimulant, I'd rather describe it as a moment of absolute license, cutting yourself away from all restraints of reality. There was a reason I never succeeded in casting a spell, it was doubt, fearing to take a step that would land me on a metaphorical cliff.
But here chaos ruled absolutely, every particle was infused with it and the local native spirits hummed in their unorganized way that even the slightest whisper of one like me mayhaps could've changed reality. "Well, no need to indulge just yet, but maybe." I muttered and held my hoof in front of me. With a beckoningly coy but sincere smile, I felt how the vibrant energies heeded my wish. I let out a quivering breath as an icy cold and refreshing chill invigorated me and in my hoof's frog manifested a violently shifting mass that soon took on the form of a simple vial bearing a green liquid. I felt like chuckling, but the nature of my joy was 'uncentered'.
A... Stamina regeneration potion? That's odd. The Game asked with confusion, but there was no underlying reason for his confusion other than the randomness of my action.
"I can't bend chaos to my will, at least not yet without varying results of failure, but I most certainly can make vague requests, no?" I said with a shrug, before placing my first working result in my inventory. Well, the second result if you consider my previous best attempt a success. I once managed to create a lumberjack axe using chaos... it was made out of flesh, bone, and skin and was dressed like an old-fashioned lumberjack... It also had a beard and thank goodness wasn't alive...
A low scratching rung from a far direction which, after I turned towards it, bore a great cave formed from jagged, mismatched materials of varying nature. One of the main components was hard water, not ice. Hard. Water. The formation was difficult to look at; yet despite being fully rooted in the physical realm, despite being out of place, for the mortal eye it appeared like it perfectly belonged where it was.
I took a step forward with a tight expression on my face, though stopped before putting it back down when I noticed the bones littering the ground in the thousands. The remnants originated from many creatures, the majority being native beasts, a most intense preference for serpents was something I noted shortly after earth pony remnants. The bones were ordered strangely that broke up one bone before resembling any sort of pattern.
'Now that's some infuriating chaos right here.' I thought dryly with awful lots of casualty given my position, but perhaps my hardened nerves after the many battles have numbed my fear. It could also be that I possessed no interest in the further existence of this murderous forest and was more than willing to use my explosives and flammable items to set plan 'scorched earth' in motion. Well, I really had problems trusting myself right now to make any valid decisions so...
"Wer kommt, were wagt? Ich seh euch nähern, und bei einen anblick wie deinen, könnte Ich dich glatt verzehren."* The serpent speaking high German sounded with the most smooth, and yet insidiously poisonous voice.
'Game, my German is not good enough to have a conversation.' I said, and by the appropriate beep of the Game, took a few stops forward.
A great shadow began to grow on the side of the cave opposing me, a titanic snake easily the size of a two-story house, slithered towards the exit most gracefully only for a tiny corn snake to leave the cave. I raised an eyebrow before the bones snarled me like a rope. My eyes widened, and so did my mouth and just as I was about to use the full extent of my strength, I decided against it and thrashed with the power of an average pony my size. The mountain of bones ground against itself taking on the shape of an utmost vicious water hose, and when all bones were in place to resemble a creature, they melted into the most feared creature of this forest: Caldura.
Caldura's eyes were like windows behind which floated unstable neutron stars pulsating and radiating chaos in an erratic manner, much more so than the otherwise 'calm' state it usually resided. Emotions twisted, changing, reforming from which smothering lust became hateful spite, to disgusting indulgence and then transforming madness; all in a cycle of chaos divided.
"What an utmost fortunate day to see such a rare delicacy wuander in my hideout." Caldura spoke with dripping hunger and unending lust, as her beaded, pitchforked tongue licked over my upper body in one motion. Her saliva cracked and bubbled, and I really wasn't sure if acidity could be the worst explanation for it. "Mhmm~ A spirit caller, I thought your kind long dead. Do tell, did your slaves not tell you to keep away from the likes of ol' little me, battlecorn?" She growled in a daring manner and neared ever closer so that my entire vision was taken up by her eye in which I saw myself mirrored.
"Actually, a quiet well known lord of chaos told me to find you." I forced out as my lungs were slowly being squished, and yet I resisted my urge to escape using drastic means. When she squeezed a bit harder, I felt somewhat urged to respond faster. "By the way, Discord says hi." I expected many things, and perhaps that was my second mistake in the last five minutes, but her starting to chuckle that eventually ended in a snorting, gurgling, oinking manner was not what I anticipated. I also didn't appreciate being swung around while the serpent laughed violently.
"Hahaha *snort* now that's a good one..." Caldura finished with a low sigh, before practically ramming back into my face. "Discord's been dead for almost a thousand years, whelp. Why are you here? Make the most of this conversation, it's your last one." She growled most certainly like she was, unlike her previous reaction, quietly unamused. I grunted as her grip tightened, but it was all for show because if Caldura wanted to squash me it already would've already looked like a used toothpaste tube.
"Repay the debt to the serpent of change?" I choked out the sentence exactly as Discord said and every letter pronounced brought a sensation to my mouth akin to my jaw being shattered.
Caldura's iris tightened, it didn't shrink down to pinpoints, just a narrowed glare. "So what if you know him in person? The old patchwork obviously doesn't care enough about you if he sent you to collect old favors." A grin spread across her scaled face, far deeper than any creature should, all the way back to her hinges, and the lack of lips most certainly didn't pronounce 'kind intentions' in the slightest. "Or can't act on his own anymore."
I heavily regretted my previous decision of pacifism as the great jaw of Caldura opened and strings of acidic saliva dropped from her mouth's roof down the throat. The fact she had four fangs instead of two most certainly didn't make matters more comfortable, though I was sure some people in my position would be more than happy with what would come next were they in my place.
I grunted and changed my title to chaos disciple and attempted to break into the mirror realm. In a heart's beat cracks grew in all directions and the jaw of Caldura shut like a stapler. She released a panicked, screeching and extended 'NO!' and quickly tried to untangle herself from me, and it was partially successful. Some parts of her fell into the mirror realm with me.
I rasped and spat out a small fountain of the snake's blood and shivered in disgust as the liquid tried to eat away at me, but was not strong enough to overpower my poison resistance. ’Good to know that acid counts as 'poison' and slides off my fur’. I shook my head and with dizziness held my head, only to notice that my fur had changed. While the damaging components didn't affect me, the intense concentration of chaos did play a little trick on me. My right side almost became angelic in appearance bearing soft, fluffy fur and mane in pure, almost radiant white and pale eyes. The other was a thin coat of light magenta, my mane was curled and unkempt. This clash of colors met in the middle of me separated by the thinnest of lines, and it was noticeable with my horn that now was regularly curved and jagged at once.
I blinked hard as disgust washed over me seeing a mockery of the corrupting light usually seen in the eyes of nightmares found a home in me. Well, that, and when I slithered my tongue across my teeth feeling flat teeth on one side and shark teeth on the other.
But, despite this balanced display, it was pure chaos and for some reason, I felt rather giggly when an utmost deliciously mad idea popped into my skull. Straining my left hoof, I watched gleefully at the sight of seeing so much chaotic energy crackling over my fur.
Please no, John.
"Please yes, Star." I retorted and called the heaps of flesh and blood into my inventory, and when I found that it was too richly packed with power to simply stuff it there, hurled it into the Goblin Hideout. I was certain at least one of the two gems found it hilarious. With a wide, toothy grin, reality broke away and I found myself back at Caldura's lair.
The snake was hardly comparable to the titanic sock it was before, and while still twice as long as me, was less threatening but unwounded for some reason. No matter, the act came now.
"Aww, did the noodle get wet on her own? Ohhh~ I am so sorry, but did you expect for Ditzy to talk to any-how did you call me? Ah yes, runt. Did you really expect for Ditzy to talk to any runt?" I hopped onto my hind legs and spoke with a crooked and looping tone, before leaning forward with half-closed eyes. "Well, this runt ain't like the other foals on the playground I’ll tell you that much for certain."
Caldura rose to a considerable height, towering over me, but I kept my grandiose smile stable and walked closer while swaying my body around as much as possible, faking once or twice to take the walk too far and fall only to catch myself in a fluid motion.
"Oh, why so serious? We’re just joking here, aren't we?" I asked, and leaned my head back slowly and transferred as much mana as I could without casting into my horn, which had the utmost unique effect: My horn sizzled and my eyes appeared illuminated. "Aren't we?" Those two words left with the same charisma as those before but with intentional, vague oddness, almost an uncanny nature, you could call it.
"Get lost." Caldura snapped and hissed at me, now the other chaotic parts of her were drowned in anger, but I was somewhat certain that lust and disgust were still lingering alongside madness. I was also sure that if I fucked up this act I'd be taking back a huge carcass and I'd probably have to explain that blunder to Discord. And yet, while my thoughts were as calculated, I felt an alien bloodlust and hunger for cruelty spread throughout my mouth, yet it lingered under the charade.
"Get Lost?" I asked dumbfoundingly and held a hoof to my mouth while sharply leaning to the left. "You can't acquire 'lost,' it's given to you. And you can bet that I have been gifted plenty of that since I am here , but I think I can change it with a receipt in your possession." The snake continued to stare, not moving a muscle. "Ah really, I thought chaos of all things would love some small talk, typical Germane, can't stomach some social talk. Fine, Discord told me you could get me out of this forest without using more... destructive means." I grinned with a toothy smile and hazily waved my right hoof which was still caked with the blood of the snake
Caldura's eyes narrowed at me and the fierce light intensified to dangerous levels, and yet I felt like even backing down in the slightest would result in me losing my dominant position. If I couldn't keep my expression, sweat, and demeanor in check then this thinly balanced scale would tip with the weight of several severed body parts. There was also the aspect that I was deliciously amusing myself, playing the scene, it was so excitingly refreshing being the puppet master instead of a set piece for once.
Her extended silence tested not just my patience, but also my facial muscles.
"Wait here." Caldura said and turned around towards her cave, only for me to appear before her, something that most certainly bewildered her not just because of my arrogance, but also because [Transit] removed the caster for a short moment from all senses, so in her eyes, I left her field of vision for a singular frame. Well, I also left reality for a teeny tiny moment so I really escaped, well, everything momentarily.
"Neat crib ya got there, really colorful, but I believe the calcium-based interior design could use some mixxing up, you hear me? Maybe some lavender and a few pictures could really liven this place up." I beamed widely, twirling around once in a full circle, before venturing deeper as I felt the great snake steam even harder.
"Now I have no more doubt, you and Discord are one of a piece." Caludra growled and followed in a tense demeanor, though I doubt it was because of fear, more so caution. After all, the serpent couldn't know that I was not able to just instantly shatter any opponent I looked at instead of just warping my general vicinity to the most uninhabitable of locations.
"How kind of you! You know I rarely get compliments, and let me tell you, if I ever hear the word 'adequate' one more time I feel like I'm going to inspire countless engineers to create steam engines." I hummed joyfully, though was slightly mortified by how easily I let my pent-up anger slip. "I mean what kind of word is that even? A-De-Quat? Sounds like something the person who named the water transportation structures created- Aqueducts, that’s how they were called. Like that person named it."
"Stop. Talking."
I believe entity Caldura's emotions are shifting from anger to frustration. While more likely to snap, she's approaching a state where she might slip.
"You know that reminds me of a riddle I once heard." I said loudly and turned around by swinging my hindleg around and walking backward while facing the groaning snake. "What gets bigger the more you take away from it? A hole."
The snake narrowed her eyes and sizzled her tongue at me in defiance. "Oh, don't you get your tail in a twist, you're the one that tried to off me back there, and believe me, if I wanted you dead I wouldn't have stopped with a small radius. I could've taken your entire lair out of the bounds of this world, smothering your soul across the fringes of an entire plane of existence as your core would be still tethered to this realm. And then, then I could've robbed your empty home, and yet here I am, cracking jokes and striking conversations. It's called kindness, my scaled patron, and it's not mandatory."
I quickly ducked as my [Greater Spirit Senses] warned me of a speedy projectile aimed at the back of my head shot forward. "If you can't feel the exit like any competent user of chaos, instead of your destructive uses, then this relic would've allowed escape."
I lifted my head, leaving my bowed position, and turned to see a pile of shredded metals, components, and shattered mineral bits floating within a green bubble that popped a moment later, scattering the remaining on the floor. "Unfortunate." I added quickly, and though I was certain I could repair it, I decided to keep that card hidden a little while longer.
The great snake scoffed which appeared heavily amusing given the way her lipless face moved like a slapped piece of silicon. "You can thank the last pony who left my lair alive." She motioned to her left and found a sort of altar that was hidden by some strange magic to appear perfectly unnoticeable unless directed at it.
A much smaller snake appearing almost ethereal with dirty yellow magic coursing under the see-through skin lay abandoned on the stone with a single crystalized twig rammed through a scale on the body's chest, barely missing the heart.
My smile slowly died and I took on a more consolidating expression, before quickly turning around to face the frowning snake staring longingly at the lifeless body. "I assume the form before me is-"
"It's a puppet to protect my real body, though even without it I am more than capable of spreading my influence." Caldura spoke sharply, and although her plight was upmost saddening, none of us remained unstained by blood. Still, despite not searching for trouble, I had no trouble admitting that I did want the beast dead.
Branch of the Tree of Harmony'Come Closer'
I raised an eyebrow and slowly walked towards the brimming branch and felt an uncertain queasiness as the Game was pondering ever harder to the point I felt a headache build itself into a migraine in my skull.
I need to analyze the branch: Acquire it. The Game ordered and I was taken aback given the otherwise rather passive, persuasive, or even advisory nature, but this straightforward request startled me, and I turned back towards the snake only to find that Caludra watched up most carefully.
'I am doing this because you are asking for this, Game. Whatever consequences follow are yours to stomach, for all I care about this mass murderer could rot here until the end of time.' I thought utmost grimly, especially considering that otherwise, I used to finish my... problems in the short term. It was rather easy, for once, to describe how I could feel if someone has killed a lot of mortals. I first thought that the assassins were simply unbathed and dirty, but no, they were clean, they just bore a 'scent' on them.
The plight maiden in comparison had an iron-like smell on it.
And Caldera? She reeked of a slaughterhouse.
Affirmative. Proceed.
"Say, my serpentine fellow, are ya willing to strike a blackened gold bargain?" I asked with a huge salesman smile and clapped my hooves together, and while Caldura was not convinced, I was yet to hear an interruption. "I remove the little twig from your body, and you-"
"Take whatever you desire, I have little regard for mortal possession, though it's a fickle hope to succeed in that attempt. Just don't get killed in your attempt, removing your order-tainted corpse would be a troublesome task. Otherwise, be my guest." Caldura spoke with shifting tones, though all of them either represented a lack of faith, or an attitude that could be best described with 'do as you like, just don't bother me.' "Although I still possess my soul, it's ownership is bequeathed to Discord even if he never cared to collect it, so it is one of the few things I cannot part with." The snake answered monotonously and I felt want and madness within her wrangle for dominance, though the desire in her craved freedom, the insanity despite the captivity, were for one that can taste emotions blatantly obvious.
"Well, I was just going to ask you to eject any sentient soul out of this blasted forest upon stumbling inside, but since you're offering- don't mind me looking through your stash, oh slithering one." I took on a deep bow to the attentive snake, before walking towards the branch fully expecting feedback that would require me to 'hatch' the spirit of order in my possession. Oh goodness, explaining that to Ditzy will be a doozy.
I held out my hoof and watched as within a second or two, in a quick but ravenous, yet blood- and goreless process, my limbs became a thorny claw. I reached over towards the impaling object fully ready to cut off my newly formed limb and even twitched when my fingertips touched the crystal only to find it not giving off any distinctive reaction. I raised an eyebrow and slowly pulled the shard from the body and discarded it into my inventory alongside the order-infested scale. Honestly, this could be compared to removing a prick. A warm, humming, and comfortable prick.
"Huh, I do not know what all that hassle was about-uff!" I exclaimed with bewilderment as my body was hurled to the side like a lofty bag of trash. I landed on my snout and one hoof behind my back and pushed myself up while spitting violently. "Excuse you, you ruffian!"
The giant body of Caldura lay dead next to the smaller one on the altar, while the original vessel's wound began to glow and heal. The ethereal form began to stir, shivering and quivering until finally floating upwards with a 'stretched' expression. I meant it in the sense that eyes, mouth, and for some reason, nose-holes were as wide open as they could be.
"Well, I did my part so now I believe it's-" I started while patting the dirt off me, only for a loud crash to take my intention away towards a freshly formed, noodle-shaped hole in the wall. "-your turn... Fuck." I was unsure if I wanted to ever see her again, or never.
Don't have time to censor your insults. Busy. The Game called out, and I could only groan. And then I yelped loudly when a notification sprung up in my face, I only just now realized that without the Game I could not feel out the more rigid mechanics of my core's features, though luckily they also prevented heart attacks.*
You have helped five poor souls out of the darkest moments in their lives. Your path may be an arduous one, but you kept your empathy and kindness through battles, hunts, and nightmarish encounters, furthering your powers to support others.
I stared at the text with strained eyes, before blinking my eyes hard. Holding out my claw I began to count my fingers. "Sugar Drop, Malkenir, Silver Blade, Caldura... Who the fuck is number 5? Can't be Celestia, doubt it was Gerb or Cairn either and while my massage skills are good, I doubt Inkwell's back problems were this horrible... Eh." In the end, I shrugged and reformed my claw back into a hoof as, while it was cool to have fingers, I do appreciate having a neat little thing called blood circulation.
"Game?"
There is no description of the items as they are still residing in storage within me and no further description was added. The Game said... is what you were expecting, but in truth, just another window popped up in my vision with this message written upon it.
'Cheapskate can't even spare a second.' I thought with a grumble, before looking at the items and I didn't know how to feel about being able to choose my reward, at least when it was so vague, but I could rule out option three because fuck looks! I was already about to vomit with the damn diadem in my inventory and-urgh, not now, I can be angry on the way ho-out of this forest... I was also starting to get too beautiful. With 150 charisma I was already a nine out of ten, if not outright a ten on a good day and that didn't even cut the fact that I still had a 'flaw,' a tough one that suited my taste, reducing it by another ten percent. Now, why was being beautiful bad besides attracting a lot of photographers?
I know well enough just how much adult entertainment in bits circulates through Equestria and the metric shit ton of various product names just alluding to some figures in any governmental position was truly baffling. I didn't think there were this many ways to refer to Cadenza... I seriously regret having taken that day to learn about taxes, and so did my instructor who asked more times than I have hair to not mention the one tax form in a pile taller than myself, from an adult shop, to Celestia.
"And random stats is too random, sure it could give me a hundred points in strength, but could also just stuff me with 10 charisma." I hummed with a scoff before my eyes turned to the Iron Halo. I did not need to go into the implications of a halo and there were many possibilities, but given the nature of such an object, I ruled out the possibility of it being a consumable item. "It could be a piece of armor or a passive skill, maybe even something similar to an accessory..."
While option two could grant me a great boon, it could also completely fuck me over given the otherwise heavy-rooted nature of good deeds in the charisma stats, and sure it at times granted other attributes on the side, the Iron Halo seemed a safer bet. Also adding on the side that I can always get stats other ways, and worst case scenario would be that I got a hunk of iron which, given the nature of this metal on Equiss would be put into the equation, could grant some opportunities.
I extended my hoof and tapped the Iron Halo expecting it to plop on the ground, but instead, I felt something slightly cold above my head and noticed a crown-like ring of iron floating above my skull. I blinked hard and was beginning to regret my decision almost as hard as acquiring the skill valiant heart, although I despised it primarily due to the side effect of always smiling. But this here was much worse in a social environment.
"Would you like to hide the Iron Halo?"
"Oh thank goodness..." I exhaled with joy and chucked, wiping the sweat from my brows. The intricate design and engravings of this item were beautiful, but I already had problems with door frames, so adding another half meter most certainly wouldn't improve my situation in the slightest. "Yes, please." With a burst of dust, something that seemed almost too cartoonish for this world. I kind of grew fond of the settled line and the gothic-like 'spires' that grew from the crown, though I was a bit miffed when I realized just how far the hidden effect went. I could still feel it floating and rotating, and I was uncertain if it was still tangible or just a phantom in the mortal world.
"Well, just one way to find out. Time to poke someone's eyeb- not this shit again, urgh, I just forgot about it. Dang!" I grumbled and cursed myself, and forced my eyep-Arrgh! Eyes away from the entrance. "Huh." Before quickly snapping back to the opening, narrowing my eyes as my ears violently twitched as if a ghost graced them.
"Did it get quieter?" I asked slowly while turning my back onto the entrance to see if there was anything else to loot, though I had little actual hope for it. The Game was getting even quieter now, before he was mumbling about something regarding 'impossibility' and 'theft' but now he has gone mute.
Well, time to get the chores done.
Hidden Secrets
So... good news and ba-a-a-d news.
Turns out Caldura did collect the belongings of anyone unlucky enough to enter her territory, bad news, is that she disposed of the items by vomiting them into a hole, after having previously swallowed any 'adventurer' whole. Now, the great majority was dissolved as I could identify using [Inspect], many things that most certainly would've improved my life. But, as comes with all things, not everything is destroyed by one peculiar thing, this being super angry, spicy stomach juice: Metal.
Sure, it was one titanic clump of dozens of various metals melted into an approximately 100 metric ton heavy meatball, a fact that would've ruined anyone's hopes of getting rich who wasn't me, but it was neat. I just had to filter out... 100 metric tons of metal...
Hmpf, anyways, it took five water elementals and me to break it apart and bring it to the goblin hideout, since if I put that much stuff into my inventory my skull would've likely replicated the event of someone filling a potato sack with iron ingots. Sure, the majority was likely useless for crafting items, but I spotted a few nuggets of star metal, or as humans know it, silver. Let me tell you, Silver is a cracked conductor, but in itself was a good catalyst as well. I got it done by the very beginning of dawn, though the growing silence was starting to eat away at my nerves. Well, it wasn't really silence, more like one particular instrument of a grand orchestra was starting to quiet down.
"Game, when I said that you're responsible for anything Caldura did, I meant it, and I think your list is about to become very long." I said very slowly while standing at the bottom of the hole staring past an entrance that previously was completely blocked off by a solid wall of primitive bronze. And what lay behind was...
I cannot truly describe it, despite having read countless books and having written many just for fun, seeing as how my scribe job class has become above the pony limits. And even the most bloodstained nights in the mirror realms, hours in which the corpses piled to the roofs, the air was tainted by blood, and not a spot of pavement could be seen under the perishing flesh, this sight, perhaps, earned me a new scenery I'd visit one day were a hell to exist.
I saw ever-flowing blood-stained walls, floor, and ceiling, demonic and yet angelic carvings in the never rotting flesh and the bodily remains of sheep. Their 'carcasses' almost appeared to be partially capable of life. Their backs were drowned in red as they bowed before a great memorial surrounded by slabs of stone written in ancient text. I wondered how someone could remain in such a state, before noticing a slit that ran across their throat, and a thick imprint of blood between the horn walls.
I slowly walked closer to the wall, armed and armored to the teeth with the elementals following me slowly. Even though they were bodies of water that rapidly soared to keep their form stable, the ground would not be ridden from the blood, and the sound of water wouldn’t bounce off the walls in this… sanctum… I shook my head and stopped before the great painting, and with [Inspect], my senses sharpen and concentrated, I could make sense of each stroke, each color, and each emotion.
I felt my eyes and pupils widen further and further, the voices of thousands sounding in an endless wave of flesh and blood. I felt how the objects in the edges of my vision were slowly changing to show a much happier, warmer, more comforting scene. I ripped my gaze away, catching my breath and feeling how trickles of blood slowly weeping down my cheeks. Blood I quickly reabsorbed, even when, in this place, my own blood tasted this much sweeter, I wouldn’t let a single drop be added to this place of depravity.
"Devotions, warmth, adoration... worship." I whispered with narrowed eyes towards the granite wall painting once more, now with a firmer grip on my mind. I saw a great temple towered upon a hilly land surrounded by mountains scraping the stars. Sheep by the thousands making up an almost indistinguishable mass of white and black surrounded a temple of scarlet bricks and eroded rock. A serpent so grand it perhaps could've devoured all of them at once. Blood flowed upwards towards the tip of the temple where the snake bit down, drawing upon the shed crimson, and yet, with the display of gore and brutality, I felt only protection and safety radiation from the painting. I could make many theories about the deeper meaning, the reason for this to have become reality in the first place, but right now more important matters were at hoof.
"Tear this place to bits, take everything and place it in the middle of this room. I need further study." I spoke coldly, calculated, bitter, but... I strained my face and summoned seven [Great Fireballs] that surrounded me. Yoga-ball sized orbs of flames bathed the darkened, stained cavern in intense, ruby light, charring even far-off vegetation in their fury.
The fire consumed everything that wasn't from the stone that imprisoned those gullible fools centered here, the smoke cloaked this scenery of indecency and falling rocks from a collapsing cavern buried the sins of the past. And yet, squashed and burned, turned to ash even, I couldn't help but to have sensed… to have heard quiet laughter ringing out from the remains as whatever lingering memories were cleansed.
Ghosts were real, and most certainly they haunt the past, but the question was when would they come to do so with the present?
Meeting an old friend
Inside the Goblin Hideout, I sighed deeply and averted my eyes from the boreal stump sitting in the middle of a smooth cavern of stone in which the walls were engraved with symbols, most having no deeper meaning than representing symbolistically the Elements. In the middle was a patch of green moss on which flowers bloomed. Water surrounded this little island and the ceiling was covered with every elemental gem that I could find. The stump was already carved, having gotten finer and greater attention than its predecessor, reinforced with precious metals and gems, it seemed tungsten and tin were surprisingly popular with spirits, though at least it was so to Wadjeta and Tesla whom I showed chunk after chunk to find out the best materials. Right now the wood was filled with my blood instead of water. Now my parts contained so much power that actively inserting it, regardless of how careful, would just cause the tree to grow again.
Which was nice and all, but if I wanted to do so I had saplings at my disposal.
The opposite duo of Companion Spirits was most certainly vocal after having been freed from their imprisonment by the fey, though the chaos one was for some reason more insulted than the orderly one. The little times they did have direct 'conversation' with me, and I say that as lightly as I could, made my stomach churn. Companion spirits needed two sacrifices, as they actually did possess a physical body that went beyond 'I don't know, I just scrounged it from the ground' like elementals or the ethereal form of follower spirits. Of course, I wasn't about to make a golem for them, not that they'd accept it, but they required a base material to create their body, a core if you would, something that had great importance and reflected the spiritualist.
They were surprisingly eager in becoming free, though constantly attempting to push the other of the non-existing race, likely believing that I'd only summon one. The jokes on them though, I was already dappling in both the honey pot of the holy side and the cookies of the dark.
Well, I suppose the joke is also on me...
The spirit of order desired the scale of Caldura and the strings of my violin, after my quick refusal, said she could bring them to me in an even better shape afterward. I knew not what that was supposed to mean, but the strings laid next to me. The chaotic spirit on the other hand wished for the dolphin toy I won for Sunset years ago. I declined, but he said that the phoenix toy would be an even better fit given how... tsunami-like the emotions were. Truth be told, the emotions of those days had seeped into the toys. I didn't dare to look up their descriptions and effects at this point, just walking into a room with them outside my inventory made me ill. The second item... made me question myself.
I sat surrounded by tables and books of Malkenir, the texts, and diagrams were hard to understand even with my big brain of nearly 800 intelligence now, even when only about 150 were in real stats, the boosts made me way smarter. The Scribe Job Class was also a huge help in understanding the deeper meanings. The information, the plans, the ideas, it was so enlightening, all those schematics I thought of about equipment to make when the forge was finally done paled in comparison. Mechanisms, combinations, recipes, and formulas of such fine degrees that just to understand I had to make wooden duplicates to see how they worked. From armor design merging heavy frames with flowing plates to spring-activated crossbow bolts and even runes and enchantments, my mind was burning and experiencing euphoria at the same time.
And yet, as I sat in a circle of grand knowledge, a brand new spirit well in the making in just the next room, and hundreds of seared bricks cooking in a great blast furnace cushioned with sponge stone to keep me from suffocating, I occasionally turned back to a certain item, but deep down, I knew it was just a distraction. I slammed my hooves down onto the smooth stone plate held up by hundreds of fine, but robust metallic strings that made up its legs.
"All this effort and pain for this useless, fucking bunch of gems slapped into refined ore." I spoke lowly while leaning over Princess Platinum's diadem and seethed with anger and hatred at an inanimate object whose makers and wearers were long gone. "When this was made the world was much grimmer. Miners dug these gems while many hungered. The metal was gathered while thousands froze. Precious resources combined into a wasteful piece of accessory while untold many suffered in poverty and all of that for this!?" I shouted out loud and threw my hooves into the air, before bringing them down again.
The plate cracked and bits cracked off while the threads below bent and broke. I took a deep breath and used my powers to slowly repair the piece of furniture, only to open my eyes with newfound spite. The Iron Halo was calming, one of its effects did it at least, further reinforcing my decision in not having chosen the barbarian class.
"All of this so that some pompous piece of shit can look in the mirror and say 'I'm gorgeous.' Greed and selfishness in any world are an infection, but this right here is the pinnacle. It's nothing special, it doesn't make the user smarter, stronger, heal their wounds, or enhance their abilities, just some sparkly shit slapped together and glued to some mare of likely incestuous background, called expensive by wine-tasters. Then the shit was stolen. People risked their lives for this shit, people killed and died for this shit, so many lives ruined and destroyed just for some wasteful, arrogant shiny shit."
I let out a quivering breath, sliding my limbs from the table and falling onto my back. I looked up with tired eyes, bringing a hoof to my face and rubbing my visage while groaning loudly. "Oh who am I kidding, I am just wasting time."
The second item the chaos spirit wanted was my mirror. Yes, the skills were preserved as far as I understood, but something within me fought and clawed at the very notion to look at that blasted thing but giving it away without even so much as privately talking to her again was so painful. And yet, as much as I wished to bury these items in the deepest depths, I was so hard pushed to use the item, reveal it to her because of guilt, because of a sense of duty, because...
"Mirror..." I spoke loudly and slowly stood up to meet the mirror before me, reflecting a grand, powerful, strong, and majestic stallion, and yet, within the crystal reflection, I couldn't help but gaze upon a nearly fifty-year-old, humanoid corpse drowned in tar. "Show me the mare known as Sunset Shimmer."
I let out a low hiss and leaned my head back with a groan as I felt my magic slowly being sapped out. While not the best metaphor, this was like comparing having your blood taken under anesthesia by a very fine hand to bloodletting, and truthfully, I would've preferred the latter to this.
The mirror made from a... utmost dark memory portrayed a swirling vortex on its surface that slowly became clearer with each rotation until a clear image could be perceived. The surface was shaking almost like water, but I could see regardless, but what I saw was not Sunset Shimmer, instead, it was a ceiling. A nice ceiling, true, wooden planks curved into an outward bending curve, though not what I was after.
"Now that is disappointing." I mumbled to myself and sat down with a tilted head.
"Hmm, hello, is someone there? Trixie, is that you? Do you know where I put my purse? There is a sale in the town square and they’re offering those delicious turnips again." I heard the voice of Sunset call out and near hooves. A moment later I saw something move into vision, I saw the mare in question walk into the screen, and although hidden under an illusionary guise, I could peer through and felt my heart race.
"Wow..." Sunset had grown up quite a bit since we last met. Before she left she was a bit fluffy, no, not chubby, I mean she wore her coat quite thick, now it was a thinner cut and she had most certainly grown both in height and muscles. No, she wasn't the mare version of hoof ball star Bulk Triceps, but she had a stable build, especially her legs, and neck.
"Huh, who said tha-... Star? Is that really you?" Sunset turned towards the water and her confusion turned towards surprise. My heart raced violently as the many possibilities churned at all the words she could spit out upon confronting me, however in the end none of them appeared. "Goodness, you have grown so much! How have you been?"
I smiled sheepishly and pushed my right hoof through my long silver mane reaching a bit further than the middle of my back. "Well, I have been training a bit since our last meeting, a tad more physical exercise and more experimental sports."
"No, I mean, you've really grown up! You've been so scrawny-and and now look at you, you look even bigger than Cadence." Sunset took a few steps closer so that the majority of the mirror was taken up by her face. I have also come to the realization, given that the white in the corner turned out to be a plate, that I was looking through the surface of a sink. Seeing her smile though, the genuine happiness… made me feel only worse about this, even when I couldn’t deny that I was enjoying these few exchanged words already. "How have you been doing, you must have so many stories to tell. Wait, how are you even communicating with me, I don't recognize this kind of magic."
"Oh that, just added a breath of my magic into the mirror, and some thoughts to guide the spell. I wouldn't call myself an artificer, but I've added my own spin on some items." My smile softened and the previous anxiety was slowly subsiding. "Gosh, I feel like I've got a million topics to talk about, but not right now. How have you fared in all those years, you seem to be doing quite well."
Sunset rolled her eyes and blew a lock of hair out of her face, before pulling off a necklace that, similar to mine, disguised the wearer. Although given that I had [Greater Spirit Senses] active, I didn't even see the disguise. "Eyes as sharp as ever."
"To be honest there is too much to just talk about. I've left Canterlot with some personal items, my purse and almost forgot my bank card. After that it has been a haze, and my bits kept me afloat for about six months after which funds became a teeny bit dry. Not all too bad, I quickly found some freelancing work, nothing too grand. Remove infestations from plantations, clean some dirty water during a drought, repair broken items: Just little things to keep afloat." Sunset sat down and rested her head on her hoof as presumably, some fond memories swelled up.
"Things only really became exciting when I came to Trottingham, and let me tell you when ponies say that it rains, then it doesn't rain, it RAINS." Sunset chuckled. "It was there where I met the record-holder of having the most soaked tomatoes thrown at her per minute. I think ketchup prices exploded in the following days. Turns out she promised a big firework show and, well, forgot to properly close the lid so all the gunpowder was completely soaked."
I smirked broadly before my ears perked up hearing a distant voice that was far too quiet for the average pony to hear. 'Trixie is not amused by your ridicule, hmpf.'
"Her name is Trixie. Trixie Lulamoon, an aspiring show mare, though a bit boastful-we're working on that. Well, I kind of saved her show by using a heating spell very carefully to dry the gunpowder. After that I have just been tagging along, though it took quite a while since Trixie allowed me in her wagon, she's quite insecure about it... and I better not tell her about your call otherwise she will banish liquids inside of the wagon." Sunset chuckled after a short pause and smiled warmly.
"Goodness I am so happy for you Sunset, I was a teeny bit worried about how you fared in those years, but only a small bit- given that if any mare can find her way around then it's you."
Sunset snorted with a roll of her eyes. "Still a sweet talker, aren't you Star."
I bowed my head respectfully. "Always was, always will be and if that's a crime, then I am guilty as charged." I spoke dramatically and didn't stop until I heard Sunset chuckle and felt the genuine happiness of others was such sweetness, it made my heart light up. "Things on my side have been a tad stressful lately. Between juggling around making art, playing the violin, exercise, and studying I have found not a lot of time to just lay in the grass. Though I have been getting quite good at casting, see."
A [Ice Spear] appeared in my right hoof while a [Great Fireball] hovered over my left. The fire burned like a small star as the chaotic amassment of flame violently swirled and pulsated like it was about to explode in a violent eruption the moment it left my vicinity.
"Wow..." Sunset said with dumbfounded amazement as her eyes and senses tried to fully understand the inner workings of my magic. "You really are becoming a powerful mage, I can't even imagine what you could achieve in the future, or how big you'll grow till then, but it will be quite silver, that much I am sure of."
I had to fight tears, no it was not an exaggeration, but hearing someone praise you genuinely, not just because it's their job, but because they genuinely care for you. Even those, I could only assume, impressively faked words Celestia would spout seemed rather comfortable. Sadly, even the lessons had become rarer by each month and I barely even see her, just her planning shadow. Well, I also had my friends, but they, including Mommy, didn’t understand half of what I was blabbering about, they were just happy for me. Which… which was also a warm feeling in the chest.
"Hey, I don't know if this is appropriate, but can I… could I visit one of your shows should you ever be near Canterlot?" I asked after dispelling the spells and tapping my hooves against one another.
Sunset Shimmer's face changed a bit and concern spread widely. "Oh, well, I don't really go near Canterlot anymore you see and we're moving on a strict plan. Trixie and my show have stepped up a bit and we only appear on stages and... Oh sard it, Star, this is nothing against you. You're a great colt and I am sure you'll become an even greater stallion, but I cannot go back to the capital or anywhere near, I just can't bring myself over it. But... But if you like, there's always a seat for you."
I opened my mouth but was cut off when I heard the mare speaking in the third person enter the wagon. "What folly has Trixie heard being said about Trixie?"
Sunset turned towards Trixie and dunked her hoof into the sink which was enough to destroy the spell. The mirror's reflection now portrayed me. Just me in a regal, and yet lonely, cavern.
"I'd very much like to..."
The Fires of the Forge
A forge for a mortal and a forge construct for the Host of the Game were two fundamentally different things. A mortal can guide its forge, though may also ruin all metal permanently, however, is free to act as they wish while bound to the whims of the physical laws. My forge obeyed no physical laws, only me , and I had to abide by the rules bestowed Unto me by the Eternals. Just like the spirit well, or at least, the one I am capable oF creating, is not a functioning thing , it wouldn't work for anyone but me. The Eternals did something to either the Game to possess reality-warping capabilities or influence reality as a whole so that when I create these otherwise non-functional constructs they may in fact perform the desired purpose regardless of physicality, metaphysical or not.
Funnily enough, there was no particular design I had to follow in terms of size, modifications, and assets, things as such. My forge has a great basin spanning five by five meters and standing three meters in height. The bricks of the first batch allowed me to create this humble construct that needed just a little key to start thumping with life.
I stood on my hindlegs and my head managed to just lay atop the wall. I laid my hoofs onto the cold, dead stone and closed my eyes. A deep breath entered my lungs and a warmth began to spread between the bricks.
A deep breath left my lungs and embers ignited within the forge as the heat rose.
A deep breath entered my lungs as a gentle hum brought life into the stone and fire into the metal.
I took Maleknir's hammer into my hooves and lifted it while breathing out and brought down the tool.
My aether crackled violently like the shock of revival, the stone vibrated so lovely and it felt like a knot formed within the basin, a most basic soul if you could call it that.
I opened my eyes with splendor and smiled as my face was bombarded with imagery mimicking the sun. The steel stone ore I gathered through the years lay there and glowed blindingly while slowly becoming liquid. I felt something akin to pride and joy within me, a giddiness I haven't felt in a while, and took in a deep breath that would've burnt the nostrils of any other pony.
I fell down onto my hooves and stared at the crystal pipes that flowed into the stone-like veins that contained heat powder, a previously mentioned mineral that could output nearly as much heat as mana was infused. I tilted towards one of the faucets on the side of the basin about two meters above ground, but metal would flow regardless.
"But I am not bringing nothing to the table either." I grinned sadly as the Hobgoblin Club and my halberd appeared near me. To create a weapon you needed material, to create an item you needed to infuse. Of course, you cannot add a stack of memories to a stick, the material needed to be capable to hold the thoughts.
A third and fourth item(s) joined the weapons. The sword of Silver Blade with the horn of his brother removed, laying next to the corpse to be burrowed. And of course the quartet of blades from the Maiden. They all would be sacrificed to breathe powers mortally unattainable into my weapon.
My ears perked up as I heard the metal bubble, it had all melted, but it wasn't time just yet. Without looking, seven ice spears manifested above the forge and fell into the basin. A violent, near hostile hiss escaped the stone, and I threw a quick glance toward the smeltery controller, a stone and crystal block that acted as the heart of the construct, though it also allowed vision into the inside. The previously molten metal hardened into stacked, crusted sheets of brimming hot metal that slowly started to melt again.
Turning my head back to the forge, I pulled out a stencil made of gold, this was the most complex creation I could make with just a heater, though even that needed some seared bricks as a working space. It didn't matter, my end goal was to replace it all with refractive stone anyways, so no resources were wasted. The stencil was of an 'ingot', but given the size of the planned bar, it might as well just been a whole anvil. Given that the forge ultimately worked and could create more stencils with the use of smelting tables and some gold from the titanic metal heap, it was a waste of time.
"Well, I suppose I could also make it fit for a average sized pony, but to directly cheat with the weapon making to save resources doesn’t quiet sit well with me. This would be my weapon, my imprint, it needed to fit to me in every way." I clicked my tongue and turned toward a rack filled with all the resources I needed, well, all those not made of Steel Rock, I supposed.
Each material with the right memories infused could bring other effects. Giant spider silk fed with soft moss could boost magic power and mana. Ivory and gems influenced certain spell attributes. Carvings, runes, and enchantments spoke for themselves. And gold, at least that of the highest quality and not the stuff used for currency, was great for stabilizing the whole construct even when granting little to no structural integrity.
My set of armor would be something grant, too heavy for any normal pony, difficult for even one of my silhouettes to bear, but for me, it would be akin to medium armor. It was just a hard fact that pony or griffin armor weighed like paper to me, and was just as effective against nightmares. I calculated that my final set of armor would be around two to three tons, which might seem excessive, but given that I was about as strong as five to seven earth ponies, and heavier than a draft horse on earth it was more than bearable to me. I think with just the armor on I would weigh about four tons, and as I said, it would be medium for me- I walked in a world of eggshells and porcelain. Also because steel stone or steel rock was about 1.367 times as dense as osmium meaning that shit was not light in any conceivable manner.
I took the four items and put them into a hollowed-out block of seared bricks, before pouring inside a bucket of my blood. Truthfully any liquid would've worked, but I combined it with another step of the recipe to save a bit of time. The items hissed violently as they melted despite being well below their melting points and wood usually shouldn't liquify. The broth glowed with various colors as the memories of glorious battle, unbridled rage, unskilled determination, and pure sadism became the breath of the item to be. I felt a twinge of sadness, in a quickly dying moment of hesitation, almost like I betrayed those keepsakes, but; practicality must trump sentiment when death knocks on your door.
I turned back to the forge and smiled as the crusted metal had regained its fluidity and placed the stencil onto one of the smeltery tables and tapped the faucet with a quick touch. The molten metal, from the inside, was drawn and brought to the spigot like magic and flowed out like the stickiest of honey as it glowed with the radiance of a neutron star and with similar coloration. The golden form took in the metal and the faucet stopped when enough flowed to fill the stencil.
"Like magic." I said leaning closer with a cocky grin, counting in my skull as I lifted my hoof and tapped five seconds later as the metal suddenly set, the heat just vanishing and a perfect ingot or- perhaps slab would've been more appropriate, sat before me. "Sweet craftsmanship, this is going to make things a whole lot easier. Huhu, hopefully, I won't overdo it... Oh who am I kidding, I will totally overdo it."
I pulled the slab out and it weighed subtly in my grasp before I tapped the faucet with my [Magic Claw] to continue the cycle. After all, I had several more ingots to make and batches to smelt. Turning back to the table that was made of a particularly tough stone and supported by an equally long and wide block of rock, I pulled out a golden quill possessing a crystal tip and obsidian frame in which runes were carved. No, I knew absolutely jack about runes even with the material at hand, but I could understand schematics and Malekenir's father had spent many years standardizing runecraft for even unskilled beings to use, ultimately unsuccessful, but everything in the mortal realm, meaning up to level 30, should be feasible at least in replication with my level 50 crafter job class. I drew a sharply curved question mark hovering over a jagged x and with a star in its curvature. The rune glowed violently with crackling blue energy quickly turning silver.
"How delicious." I chuckled and turned and placed my hoof's tip onto the ingot. "Ignis, if you would be so kind." A small orb of red appeared next to me hovering calmy. With the perks gained, I could house more spirits, though when my new spirit well would be complete all the crystal prisoners would be freed. I just chose her first for this craft. The metal glowed and once again took on the blue-ish coloration, and I let it fall onto the anvil of Malkenir that I just pulled out of my inventory, before lifting said minotaur's hammer.
The clanking of metal took on a more delicate tone with each strike, being fed my magic with each motion, rang out through the deep caverns. The anvil and hammer glowed with power, sparks, and smoke of ancient runes given life and purpose once more becoming visible. Although having gained craftsmanship of level 50, thus being well beyond that of a common person, or most commercial craftsmen, I wasn’t as arrogant to assume my skills were above all ‘mortals.’ Beings blessed by supernatural intervention, selective breeding, or those who were imparted with knowledge or skills in other ways could certainly trump me without a doubt. The work was draining, but regardless of how many strikes I imposed, the form didn't change, and I knew exactly why. I wasn't giving form to the metal in a physical sense, I was hammering the silhouette of the metal into the required shape, my innermost thoughts of how I wished it to be shaped, and until I was done, it would remain the same.
I sweat violently, the floor flooded by a thin sheet of liquid, and the sheer power I was exhuming caused it to bleach into a silvery rock.
I lifted the hammer again, but stopped and held it before my eyes as the hammer glowed violently, silvery energy crackled across it as it began to shake. I grinned and lifted it as high as I could and slammed it down. A pulse of silver-blue energy traveled several meters in all directions as the slab, having absorbed most of the energy, condensed into a marble size ball that was consumed by the thunderous powers. A moment later, the pearl morphed into the shape of a great spearhead, the crown of a spear-staff in the making.
I chuckled darkly, I was no fool believing in some righteous cause, I was well aware that soon this weapon would drown the corrupted tides in their own blood. "But first, it gets to take a small sip of mine." I turned towards the basin and took the glowing metal into my hoofs. All moisture in my fur evaporated, but my flesh remained unharmed as I lifted the blade head and slowly placed it in the mind-infused blood. No hissing, steam nor screeching, the metal simply drowned and I watched with glee as the liquid slowly entered the metal. I would've loved watching, but then I wouldn't be able to finish the rest tonight.
I turned towards an even greater basin in which my leather armor, knight helmet, and assassin set were bubbling, taking much longer to disperse. There was a hint of annoyance, never having found the rest of the knight set, but now it was worthless either way, my skin was tougher than the helmet.
"Well, work to do. Time to lose." I said enthusiastically, before turning back to the forge.
I made a long staff of steel rock and carved runes into the shaft to reduce its weight, as the armor itself would be a pain to carry. Once made, I carved out an entry point for the spearhead where I would hammer it in and solder together, yet I left a hollow space that continued into the weapon head itself, it would be where Silver Blade's horn would find a place. I was hesitant while making these design changes, but in terms of advantages, it was the best catalyst I had available, even with the great chunk (the one chunk I possessed I might add) of onyx at my disposal it couldn't beat it, especially not after having encased the horn in molten silver, using some of the few nuggets I found. Once I put them all together, I pulled out my onyx and after having it sharpened into a long and thin spike, attached it to the butt of the weapon, as the metal head was very wide, ideal for cutting and separation, but I also desired a piercing element. Finally, I dunked the staff, only the place where I held it, not the whole weapon, in a mixture of various resins from the bog to create a coating similar to hard resin or silicone.
This weapon was perhaps my most prized work after hundreds of varying tables equipped with mechanical mechanisms, rooms, items, and tools used for crafting and alchemical purposes, stone carving, and cutting to improve the cavern as a whole. Not forgetting the addition of several levels, pipework, and a waterwheel powered by a connection between the mana crystals and water crystals above the waterwheel which sat above a deep chasm, so that the magical water disappeared before so much so as touching the ground. All of these projects and many more put me now here, with the crafting of an epic item, at level 50 crafter with [intermediate]. And the power of my weapon represented all those hours spent, although even with those runes recently learned, those that reduced its weight, it was too heavy for me to wield with my physical hoofs alone, just hold. I required three limbs as a minimum and four to comfortably wield, which was luckily provided by my [magic claws].
I just needed to make sure not to drop it. Sure, it wouldn’t drop to the core of the world… but depending on the height might cause an earthquake. No, I was not joking, this spear staff was well over three tons, it was absolutely massive and something you’d expect a dragonslayer to have, just that my weapon had probably as much volume as a pegasus does. Perhaps I went a bit too far, but after having my old weapon destroyed by my own light strikes, I wanted to create an item that could survive just about anything, even planet fall…
Although now that I mention planet fall, were it to fall from the atmosphere I would be unsure of the survival chances of anything in a big radius near the impact zone. Anyways, from offense to defense!
The armor was perhaps my greatest challenge yet in terms of precision. At first, I wove a full body suit of resistant fibers from the bog plants, most of which made the palace linens look like cheap wool. Then I forged and welded a frame that was attached to the suit and me with cuffs that, were it not for my ability to equip armor with a thought, would need to be cut to take the protection off. The 'skeleton' possessed several hollow spots with hexagonal shapes that I filled with a gel made from some of the mycelium, craggadile bones, corpse tree roots, and a sprinkle of flower pollen. Now, were it not for a 'tiny' injection of aether and the delicate care of my determined craftmanship, this would be less so a solid and more of a newtonian liquid, but here we were now. Finally, I placed the plates whichs’ overlapping edges I worked with and the 'unique' lacquer- so that they could glide effortlessly; though I probably had run out with the majority of chemicals and would definitely need to buy more material as time went on. I 'painted' the armor in silver after pushing great quantities of my magic into it since I didn't want it to be a jet black set, on one hand, because of personal preferences, on the other, because black absorbed more energy.
I was not just talking about sunlight, it actually affected how resistant it was to magic and the presence of projected power...
Anyways, with the scaffolding done, I added the cloth since it added to the resistances of the set, particularly to magic and frost. A great fuzzy coat that was draped over my back and fixed onto shoulder pads that could be removed quite easily. A long kama that was affixed to my waist reached down to slightly above my ankles. Now the kama wasn't quite as aesthetically oriented as I wove it with metal threads (don't get me started on weaving metals that were denser than osmium) and placed several long and curved plates over it. Although I could regenerate limbs, I often found that losing my mobility, especially my hindlegs, was more dangerous to lose than my heart which I could live without indefinitely. It wasn’t fun, but preferable!
Although not my style, I soldered symbols onto various parts of the armor, especially the edges, and drew my cutie mark in aether bleached gold onto my chest plate in which I placed one of the chunks of mana crystal that broke off when it flattened the gate guardian. I also placed the cut onyx pieces onto my gauntlets, those gloves even possessed fingers, which I intended to move with my Silverthorne's. My right gauntlet also possessed a beautiful hexagon of a mana crystal that I encrusted with heat powder creating a makeshift plasma cutter. Not as damaging as my [Mana Blades] but capable of burning through harder materials.
I grinned as I held my great blade staff with my thorn-made fingers under the armor, rolled my shoulders to test the armor's responses, and was pleased when it flowed smoothly despite weighing more than a horse. I grabbed my helmet and winced slightly as it ultimately appeared like a heavier version of something an Evil Warmaster would wear. It was a rigged helm with its curves diverting from the main body, it appeared almost like it was carved from a singular block of metal which wasn't all too far away from the truth as it was one piece with nothing movable. Three slits that span vertically allowed sight, with two horizontal ones that crossed the line where my eyes were. The inside was also fed with the impact gel, and the slits were filled with an experimental, self-grown crystal I made by mixing materials such as tungsten, silicate, and a bit of homemade steel to create a surprisingly durable glass, though I was sure that it was only so resistant because of the shape I cut it in and its small size allowed it to divert the impact. And when I say self-made, I just hurled a lot of ingredients in the forge and 'allowed' the construct to combine some materials to mix.
I turned towards my mirror one last time before it would be sacrificed and smiled as I saw a legendary knight you'd perhaps applaud to if he were to walk your town's streets. I shifted my shoulders just to test how the coat hung, before easily ripping it off and throwing it to the ground, waiting a moment, before infusing my powers into the armor. The aforementioned fur just crumbled away into nothingness while a new one found its place on my armor again.
"Alright, I won't have to fear turbines then..." I chuckled and held my clawed gauntlet in front of my helmet, the ivory tips made from the yeti-like beasts luckily didn't click loudly like most keratin would usually. "Goodness, I wonder how Amber would react seeing me like this." I smiled warmly, falling onto my hooves and grinning stupidly under my helmet seeing that the plates shifted with me into my feral position. "Would probably be screeching violently as to why I am alive, a horse, alive and a horse, before asking if she could ride on my back."
"Don't worry Amber, there might not be a single person who could get along with any situation better than you, but your big oaf in plated armor will always have your back." I leaned closer towards the mirror and there was the faintest hope of perhaps reaching her worlds away but I was abided instead with a smile. "And I will treasure our reunion until the day finally comes."
Summoning the Spirits.
I smiled proudly while rolling my neck as I sat atop a throne of stone carved from a singular block, or rather, a bunch of bricks I mended together, before sheepishly averting my eyes from the throne the hobgoblin once sat upon. Turns out that either the ol' fatass never fully sat upon the hideous monstrosity, or weighted less than me with my armor on, though the result of a pile of broken furniture in the corner remained the same regardless.
I looked at the corner of my vision and noticed that right now it was about 2 in the morning, so, roughly four more hours until I would need to return to the waking world. The hunters at night are much worse than those strolling during daylight, though it would help with my kill quest. Remaining in the Hideout had its ups and downs, while I was safe here and comfortable, I gained no sleep nor rest, and my position in the overworld would be unguarded upon my return. On the other hoof, my limp body was not open to intruders as seen by the trio of griffons.
I let out a stifled yawn and leaned back as the comfortable interior of the armor was slowly lulling me into sleep. Without the game, it was so silent, that I didn't even notice my eyelids closing when all of a sudden a ping rang through my skull.
"Right..." I grumbled sourly. "The spirit well is done." I slowly stood up, before quickly putting my beloved armor into my inventory as the crying of the stones below my hooves rang out. -And regarding inventory capacity, I had flushed out everything into the storage in the Hideout that I didn't need or wasn't spoilable because I would not eject all my corpses gathered, at least the plants would soon leave inventory once I managed to finish the garden area of my base. Yes, turns out that light gems could produce artificial sunlight, though I didn't intend to grow anything from it because if I needed the produce I could just pump Aether into it to jump several months of wait. No, it was just to store the stuff for a time when I could need it.
All those ingredients would be perfect for paper for the scribe, food for the cook, and material for the crafter.
Walking towards the spirit well, I squinted my eyes as the 'water' inside the stump had become so vibrant and, I know not how else to describe it, I think that I can't even see the wood below the surface anymore. I rubbed my eyes slowly in an attempt to push the sleep away, it was mental fatigue that plagued me, not physical. I slowly lowered my naked hooves into the well and smiled as I felt a sort of string connect to me, and my capacity for spirits expanded. It was like a bit of stomach space just cleared out after the mightiest of burps.
I chuckled sweetly as I pulled out the follower spirits of air, ice, and nightmare. The sensation was indescribable, it was akin to holding a newborn that quietly rested within your grasp, a blank slate, though their character is somewhat predetermined. I shivered when the ice crystal fell into the well, my mane flew when the air shard fell, and when the nightmare gem submerged in the pool I couldn't help but feel a native familiarity, though the feeling faded as fast as my memories of the knight I once crossed paths with, or the one who threatened Sugar Drop. I wonder why a spider would even have such a piece to this day, I mean, it would have to possess hands to use it, no?
I giggled when three new orbs of their elements' representative color floated from the well and joined in a circle now six spirits long. They were like children, just zooming around the room chasing whatever they were after.
My ears perked up when I felt the voice of an almost peculiar companion spirit: Avalyn.
"You know, of all the things you could've asked, I am wondering why these." I mumbled and pulled out two items. The feather of a phoenix, one owned by the supposed (only) friend of Celestia, a mythical creature I only so much saw as a feather falling from the sky. I still wanted to see that 'Philomena,' though I had more pressing concerns. "And a flower blossomed from my Silverthorns." The flower bore a gray stem and a head that reminded me of a shampoo-covered bathing sponge. Before Avalyn asked for it I didn't know the extent I could mend and 'mutate' these vines, though I still needed more practice after I finally got that [Imbued Weapon] skill to work. Still, I was intrigued by what weapons I could weave.
I placed the two requested items into the liquid and my eyebrows shot upwards when the brew became energized, before grasping the nature spirit's gem, and pushing it underwater like I was attempting to submerge a balloon. Just a second later, a violent wind blew from the well, though for me it may have been a strong breeze. Green energy crackled across the liquid and my hooves, but it hadn't hurt in the slightest, quite the opposite, it was invigorating. I felt how the gem was expanded and slowly pried my hooves away equal to the speed the form expanded. Suddenly, the water surface broke and I finally met the spirit.
"Wow, now that's what I call an avian." I spoke loudly and took a step back as a bore witness to a great, lime-green bird with grand wings that accounted for half of its mass, a voluptuous torso, slender and long claws of gold, and gleaming eyes of ivory.
Avalyn chuckled lightly while ruffling her feathers, though her voice sounded like the most delicate of crystal bells. "Mhm~ a breath of fresh air, in the darkest of caves, yet life in every crevace, my caller seems to have a taste for life most primal." She averted her eyes from the interior of the cave and laid them towards me quite hefty. "Though this is hardly a surprise for one to have become one with a root most violent, tamed and calm. Avalyn, the songbird of nature."
I mimicked her slight bow and lowered my head slightly. "Star Touch, spiritualist, battle sorcerer, and craftspony extraordinaire." I said most politely. "Though I also engage in cleaning the stain of corruption and residues of evil from the realm. Music is a side hustle of mine, however, and the violin is my favorite."
"How charming, but there's no need to downplay the tasks to come. We spirits are aware of those able to purge the dark ones, and I have no doubt that it's a task I too will be engaging in by association with you." Avalyn spoke with a lowered head, before lifting her beak and climbing out of the well. The songbird stood only a bit lower than Hauhuthos, though in personality they were the opposite.
"Be at ease, there were no attempts at hiding, I just hoped for a lighter note, but being on the same note is a refreshing development most assuredly." I lifted my own head and watched closely as the Avalyn walked a few steps away from the well, stopping by the frame of the door.
"Do not be surprised, I have heard the duo you wish to awaken. Chaos and Order usually cannot be wielded by the same master, then again, never have I ever seen a being holding light and dark without... melting." Avalyn ruffled her feathers and spoke the last word like a heavy hit on a xylophone.
I only nodded as I threw the four items in the now once-again-clear brew. The liquid turned into an ever-shifting pattern like two spheres of colored glass placed inside one another, rotating at a slow speed.
I heard the two spirits protest violently to the point that my hooves holding the shards began to vibrate and attempted to rip themselves from my grasp. With a final grunt, I pushed my hooves shoulder-deep into the spiritual booth. Unlike the summoning of Avalyn, this actually invoked a great sense of discomfort, not pain per see, but like two people were tugging at my arms in the opposite direction.
"Oh don't struggle so much!" I hissed as forces at play attempted to dislocate my limbs. Suddenly white and yellow energies crackled across the liquid's surface and traveled up my hooves and whenever those two streams met, a violent thundering ensued. The conflict grew more violent with each second as the set-free powers attempted to change my surroundings and me towards their representative element.
When the two crystals expanded at once, I felt how I was thrown back against the room's wall and my body submerged in the moat around the spirit well. "Urgh." I groaned pitifully, pulled myself up from the liquid and looked down at my hooves, and saw a similar altercation to when I bathed in Caldura's blood, though now my right side was more orderly instead of a mockery of it.
"Hahah, freedom at last! Come young master, chaos needs to be sowed!" An echoing, but still crystal clear voice called out.
"What foulness are you spouting, I was chosen and not-what in all orderly!" A second voice, this one could be compared to a glass panel. Clean, straight, and easily understood while possessing a razor-thin edge to her tone.
"Eck! The fun breaker got out!" The chaos spirit was a great floating mirror with a comedically large smile in the shape of a crescent moon, a square, and round eyes, though still possessing a sort of distortion to his' face's surface. Four floating, disconnected, three-fingered claws. One of those claws grasped me by my non-existing shirt's collar, stretching my skin to impossible lengths. "How could you allow this crone in the same room as me? I thought we had something special." He called out in a whinny noise while shaking me.
"I just met you..."
"We will have had something special!" He reinforced everything he just did by amping up his gestures and expressions.
"The crone would like to have a word as well." The 'crone' in question floated towards me and pushed the floating mirror away with pristine strings that, just like her, were unaffected by gravity.
The spirit of order appeared to me like a very long, scaled, and furred ferret with short wings. Insignias of gold and symbols of silver littered her body like a full-body tattoo. Her eyes were like gleaming pearls and felt like a soothing cold on a hot summer day.
"Host, I know your kind well, I have served two of your lesser kin for many years, so please do heed my warning: chaos is not a long-term plan." The spirit of order threw a foul glare toward her opposite who was badmouthing her with his mouth covered by hundreds of strings. "And Opmir is one of the worst picks to take."
"Mhph!" Opmir reacted seemingly allergically towards that statement and used his floating claws to cut the strings and tackled the floating mammal away. "Oh please, Faitebell. Your fluffy butt is as helpful as a candlestick in a bright day while it rains! The first one died bombastically, and the second couldn't stomach your constant blabbering after twenty-five years of your squabbling. Why, I'm not surprised that he ended up drinking every potion before going on the; oh how would you call it, suicide run?"
"And your 'companions' lived so long, hmphf? One combusted, another teleported towards an inhospitable realm, and don't forget about that second last one! What was his name again? The one that went and-!"
"Oi, that one's a low ball, even I disadvised him from going that far, walking pelt!" Opmir floated towards Faitebell, and poked her against the chest.
I sighed, and shook my head, and shook my head even harder when I looked at Avalyn who hummed and tapped her claw against the stone in the rhythm of their arguing. 'So this is my life now.' I sighed quietly, leaned against the edge of the well, and stared inside.
"Corpses of warriors. Muscles. Green skin ."
I retracted suddenly, and looked around the room, only to take notice that the sudden voice entering the scene had gone undiscovered. I rubbed my chin, and hummed quietly, before mentally going over my inventory and picking out the goblin who once possessed my halberd, and the hobgoblin. The voice was of a spirit, though it was unlike companion or follower. Was it perhaps the guardian spirit I could unlock for some time now? It wouldn't surprise me if the guardian spirit, unlike the other two kinds, chose the spiritualist instead of the other way around.
I would've asked the Game, but, well, he was being quiet right now.
I picked up the two bodies with my magic and dropped them into the well, and to my amazement, they fell like boulders into an ocean. For a solid minute only the arguing and now quiet singing of Avalyn could be heard until a bowling ball-sized orb of brown floated from the water.
"I could've sworn I didn't summon another follower spirit." I muttered, before turning towards the trio of spirits who stared at me with eyes wide as headlights at me. "What?"
Suddenly threads, floating claws, and feathered wings grasped me tightly and pulled me out of the rooms quickly. I tried to ask what their deal was, but all I could hear was their chaotic, distorted und unorganzied rambling. After having had enough of the foolery, I rammed my hooves into the stone floor, or rather, through, stopping the trio momentarily.
"Don't wait."
"Make haste."
"Abandon ship!"
"What's going on!" I shouted, and threw their appendages and likewise away from me. "You're acting like I just ended the world."
"No." Opmir's face connected with mine and spoke through 'gritted' teeth. "But you revived someone who can!" He hissed violently and sounded even more orderly than Celestia ever had.
I quickly turned my head back to the brown sphere. Suddenly I felt a drain on my mana and let out a gasp as I fell on one of my knees. Flesh and bones began to burn into reality, like reverse disintegration, as a titanic, hulking figure slowly began to form layer by layer while my aether was quickly sucked down the drain as if I was attempting to infuse with every square meter of stone in this dungeon.
The creature stood six meters tall, a hulking, slouching, green beast of muscles and veins. It appeared somewhat humanoid, if not closer to ogroid with its great, powerful arms. The spirit's head turned towards me, and scarlet red, pulsating eyes stared with rage unimaginable into me, while his great white mane that reached down to the middle of his back merely rustled like a dead bush in response.
It took powerful steps toward me as the impact was felt throughout the entire cave, the hideout that was covered in response, though not a single pebble broke in its wake.
The second the trio of spirits tried to move, I enveloped them all with my magic and slowly guided them behind me. I tried to push them, but given that they shared my level, they took it as a firm suggestion.
The beast soon stopped before me, and grunted between huffs and puffs, before falling down onto one knee, supporting itself only with one fist without which it would've fallen over.
"It has been a long time, master."
...
'GA-A-A-AME!' I shouted within my skull and through every depth within my soul to finally so much so as to gain a sudden twitch from my partner in violence.
"Have we met before?" I asked while I felt the presence of the Game quickly drawing near.
"Not you. Many horns goat. The host before you. Called me to fight immortals. I loyal to him ." The spirit called out, his stance seemingly neutral towards me, if not at least in the slightest positive due to my affiliation. His great hand reached out, with his index finger pointing at my chest.
"I have no recollection of ever having met you, entity Matombo, former rank: ancient spirit, current rank: guardian spirit." The Game spoke through me towards the one named Matombo, and the sensation of his voice vibrating through mine made me want to lick anything with even the smallest taste. Even the ground.
'And why do you know about his history? Is he that well known, or are you not telling me something? AGAIN?' I asked with my thoughts in an intense tone. Looking back at the green skin before me, I tried to find out a bit about him, after all, titles could sum up one's past.
Blood Ocean
Mass Genocide
??? Pony Massacre.
And the list went on... and on... and on...
I could feel how the succulent flesh of my mouth's inside attempted to press itself through the cracks between my teeth as I involuntarily sucked in more and more air through a small slit between my lips. I felt a quivering in my chest, in the flesh between my heart and ribs, and an icy-cold sensation that also scratched quite fiercely. I think I was feeling fear in that very moment as, while searching for the creature's power, Matombo's level of destruction it could bring, I found that in a head-on-head fight, the only way I would be able to beat it would maybe be to bring us both cracking into the nightmare realm or trap it on an empty world.
"Y-...You don't like ponies very much... do you?" I asked twice, for at first but a mumbling whisper escaped, though the threads on my limbs threatening to take me away, the quiet whistling of uncertainty ringing in my ears, and the tapping of several floating claws, most certainly gained me no confidence.
Matombo let out a low hum, any sane man would've called it a subdued roar, before lifting his eyes from my chest to face level. "The core follows you freely. I will speak to you. I speak like to core." The masses of muscle shifted ever so easily as if the enormous weight of his body was like a feather. "Matombo old. One of oldest spirits. Many master. Kings. Emperors. 'gods.' Even Eternals. I kill many. Core sees hooves. Core sees snout. Core sees wings. Core sees Horn. Core sees roots to dirt. More. More. More. Doesn't matter. It pony-like, so pony."
"O-Oh... Well, I guess it does make some sense I suppose. " I mumbled while shifting the grasp of the other three spirits in the room, and slowly walked forward while intensely trying not to come off as, how would a sane person call it? A yes, not shivering in my boots. "Okay, so rule number one, don't hurt ponies-, stop, scratch that. Don't hurt anything that isn't an animal trying to eat me, or a nightmare."
"."
".."
"..."
"Matombo not dumb beast. Matombo cursed to speak dumb. Me not dumb. Me was scholar. Learned with Eternals." Matombo's face sank slightly like he was bored and a bit let down, though perhaps my prejudice was only slightly justified given that the creature looked like it could make do with a plain rock as soap.
"Alright then, well, I kind of lost the wind in my sails here, and..." I started and continued to let out a drawn-out 'and,' before my gaze fell onto the forge far off at the end of the corridor. "Well, I wanted to have a little meet and greet, but it would seem like we got three and a half hours to kill, so how about some nightmare-murdering?"
"Yeah!" Opmir shouted like a yak, no, scratch that, yaks probably shouted like him given how old he likely was. "I mean, I am all for it." He now responded a bit timider when he realized that he was the only one to share such exhilarating enthusiasm. Matombo was slowly shaking his head with disapproval like a creaky grindstone.
"Let's go flat-face, there's conquest to be done." Faitebell finally broke the silence and turned from disgust to a somewhat neutral, if not slightly, very small, positive expression towards me.
Rolled my eyes, before calling my equipment toward me, and looked into my inventory just to ensure that some of my new tools were present. The majority was, much still needed to be tinkered with toready, but it would suffice given that all my resources, including the annoyingly hard-to-refill faith, were brimming as well.
With a final farewell to the hideout, I let reality slide off us all, as the drums of war were about to sound.
Crafter level 50→59
Iron Halo (Accessory)
Juggernaut Helmet
Juggernaut Chestplate
Juggernaut Leggings
Juggernaut Gauntlets
Kenos Bladestaff
Evelyn
Opmir
Faitebel
Matumbo
Spirit (Wis) Capacity:
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four: The Tower In The Sky [E]
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four: A Golden Heart [E]
Author's Note
Once Again, I'd like to thank my Friend and Editor, ZeroOneInFinn , for his help, support, and input. This story would not be the same without you, buddy.
Chapter Four: A Golden Heart [E]
I woke up to a soft rumbling, shaking me from side to side, and a pleasant smell of thyme caressed my nose. "Five more minutes mommy..." I mumbled out in a half-lucid state, before rolling to the side. Thin, coarse ropes tickled my face a moment later, and I leaned away from the uncomfortable surface with a grumble. A groan escaped me before I smacked my lips with sleepiness still clinging to my eyes, but despite the morning fatigue, I didn’t fail to notice a green giant through the crusted cracks of my eyelids.
"Master Awake." Matombo grumbled, his eyes glued to the path beyond. A green, healthy, lush forest stretched some hundred more meters before a bright light stole away vision. "Core told me to go. Pick you up. Follow compass."
"Huh? But... I didn't repair it yet?" I asked with confusion while rubbing the tiredness out of my eyes, before leaning my head back to see that the sun stood almost at its peak. 'How long have we been wandering?'
Good morning, Star. I trust you have slept well? The Game asked sweetly.
"Well, I can hardly say I ‘slept’ the last few years at all, so I think all things considered, it was rather nice." I pondered for a moment, before smiling and leaning against the neck of the green giant. Not so much to show affection or gratitude, but because I was a lazy potato. Gosh, I can’t remember the last time I slept off the top of my head. "So, you repaired the compass and sent us on a merry journey, I suppose?"
Affirmative. Once I was done with the analysis of the branch, I realized that it was far too late for maintenance, thus I extended my available time without decreasing the window for the next jump. The Game spoke once again in his old, calculated self, yet I couldn't help but smile and just enjoy the moment. There was comfort in routine.
"How are you holding up big guy?" I asked, leaning a bit away from his head, allowing him to meet my eyes instead of getting a faceful of his hair.
"Hmpf, back hurt. Forgot how pain felt. Was nice, now not nice. Miss old strength, but..." Matombo said in broken English while rolling his shoulder blades, flinching slightly before the faintest traces of a smile appeared and vanished just as fast. "This nice."
"Well, that's got to; wait slow down." I commanded, before hopping off my comfortable transportation opportunity, and became beholden to the same, deep burn wound he had since yesterday. I cringed, while spirits had no blood or organs, you could differentiate between their outside and inside, and I could look deep inside. "Yeah, we're fixing that right now."
"No need-"
"Bup!-bup-up-up-up!" I shushed him, pointing my hoof at him with a frown, before pulling out the broken pendant. "This is going to hurt me way less than you, besides, I'll heal up in like thirty seconds." Holding the broken items before my chest, I tried my best to hide the stinging pain that felt like a barbed syringe entering my flesh and managed so with acceptable results. Well, not pain-pain, that was reserved for divine magic, flaws, that kind of stuff, but awareness of damage sucked regardless. For a short moment, a hair-thin shell of red energy encased my body, before it burst into particles that were sucked into the item.
I never noticed it much back then simply because of how little health I had, but now it was a vibrant, richly packed force. Then again, my arsenal of health-based skills was practically non-existent.
Throwing that item away into my inventory, as it reminded me of spiders and bugs, not the insect kind for the latter, I retrieved my beloved bell. I lowered myself onto my knees and held the items to my heart, and the familiar silver circle and lights formed, before bursting out with a radiant glow as I cast it twice, depleting my faith completely. The lovely, soothing glow of the light, even when not closing up my wounds, left me with a pleasant, comforting warmth, negating even the emptiness my depleted faith reserves radiated.
"Hmmm. Is nice." I heard the giant speak, though I couldn't catch a smile when I stood up and put the bell away, I didn't need to, his gratitude was present either way just as much as the wound wasn't anymore. While trust was not particularly deep- How could it be? It was just a few hours! -Neglecting their support would be unkind, and I shuddered to think about the ‘Unkinds’ punishment.’
"Alrighty then-" I spoke happily before the words died in my throat, and both our necks’ hairs rose to their peaks. We turned to a verdant patch of greenery in which bushes, reeds, and trees formed a wall of plants. The bushes rustled ever so slightly, but to predators like us, it may as well have been a booming introduction.
From the plants jumped out a violent atrocity, a combination of a lion and scorpion suffering the effects of gigantism. While I have never seen a lion in person before, it most certainly wasn't supposed to be two and a half meters tall while on all fours. Matombo dashed, and his muscular arm was thrust forward and grasped the manticore's throat, keeping it suspended in the air. I felt the violent pull of the air soar past me, a tight tug at my skin. The giant cat thrashed violently, yet remained in place regardless of how much it fought, Matombo's grip was as grounded as if it were the mountains. Suddenly the stinger shot forward, aimed at the giant's own throat, though he caught it as well, the rest of his body unmoving, his expression unchanged, as if he had taken himself an hour of simply watching the piercing appendage draw near until he finally decided to act out of boredom.
I cringed and averted my eyes when a disgusting crunch rang out. I was not disgusted, no, but I didn’t quite enjoy seeing the act. Nightmares, no problem, animals? A little more hesitant. Matombo ripped the stinger off the beast, and the howling and whimpering filled the air. The suffering lasted not long before the green titan rammed the keratin dagger through the beast's eye and into the brain.
Manticore's don't hunt alone.
My eyes narrowed and I turned around, in the corner of my eyes I watched how three more residents of Frankenstein's zoo jumped from the tree and toppled Matombo, though my own health was a bit closer to the scissor of fate’s cut. My armor manifests around me just before the full force of one and a-half-ton of muscle mass collides with me.
Pinned to the ground, I was stunned for a short moment as the scorpion tail continuously but desperately shot forward attempting to pry itself through the supposed gap of my visor, but even without it I doubt it would be able to bend the Steel Boulder. I growled in the back of my throat, angered at the beast's continuous attacking and the tinnitus it was attempting to jam into my skull, well, that and the stinger. I was supposed to be the hunter, not the other way around. Using [Magic Blade] for the first time, the skill was incredibly floaty and a single moment without concentration would either cause it to disappear or fall to the ground.
The manticore momentarily stopped its assault to stare at the floating blade of energy, meaning that this skill was actually visible unlike [Mana Bolt], [Levitation], or [Mana Barrier]. The confusion did not last long, however, as the blade snapped forward and cut across the beast's left eye. The Manticore recoiled in pain, swiping both of its paws in front of its face. I used the moment like a vicious snake and ignited two [Mana Blades], in quick succession I cut off its paws, brutal but shortlived, and rammed the searing weapons into its throat in a wide uppercut.
A soft whining and gurgling escaped the Manticore before the muscles relaxed, and the 1500 kilograms leaned over my comparatively small body. I jerked my shoulder and let the body fall to the ground. Turing my attention to Matombo, I watched how two dead, mangled corpses lay next to him. This time I watched him, he grabbed the chimeric lion by the head and snapped its neck. A pitiful quivering followed in its toes a moment later, but only for a second. I didn't waste a moment and put the five corpses into my inventory. No reason to waste good protein.
"Sharp tailed Cats... usually not so aggressive." Matombo noted, and I could only wonder, before lowering myself and activating [Greater Spirit Senses].
I narrowed my eyes at the grass, even with the seven separate sets of feet-, hooves-, and paw prints, I could make out even the faintest changes in the soft forest loam, down to the slightly harder sedimental layers or crushed ants below the vegetation. I didn’t know how well pony sight was, it was most certainly worse than that of a human, though the latter didn’t apply to me. My eyes with just [Spirit Senses] were roughly four to five times better than that of a human, or about that of a cat, with [Greater Spirit Senses] that number was closer to about twenty times better, so on the lower end of most owl species. Of course, other factors regarding my skill set boosted that probably much higher given degrees, heightened processing ability, and thought capabilities.
I noticed the tracks of two ponies and a griffon, unevenly paced with some distance between each, somewhat shallow, dent in the grass. Some of them were much deeper than others, perhaps bursts of adrenaline in the escape. ‘Likely in hot pursuit by the manticores we encountered, or at least, belonging to the same pack. The sight didn't steal away most of my attention, however, for my ears took notice of something much more jarring. I heard the screaming of a little girl a few kilometers away.
I jumped to my hooves, looking around frantically to find the source, before charging forward. Despite being as fast as I was, Matombo was quicker, grabbing me by the scruff of my neck and putting me on his back while charging in my original direction. There was no need for questions or explanations, my mere intention was command enough, and we took off. I lowered my head, hiding my form behind his' while the titan destroyed every tree in his path without showing even the smallest signs of slowing down. It made sense. When a giant laser of doom could only cause a flesh wound, and Manticores weren't able to scratch his skin, why would wood stop him?
The intense vibrations I felt atop him would've likely been enough to mess up a typical pony's circulation to the point it would cut the oxygen supply, maybe even cause brain damage. Me? I just wanted to spread the meals of the last ten years across the forest floor. Suddenly my entire being pressed itself against Matombo's back when he hit the brakes, pushing me off while he continued to charge forward, now with a new target, yet another Manticore. It was a short ride however, for the beast exploded into bloody bits when the giant stopped his sprint by colliding them both against a large boulder. The thought of toothpaste brought uneasiness to my stomach.
"Good job big guy, quick and clean, no need for cruelty!" I called out, while no animal welfare activist, that unnecessary suffering was just a waste of time. I jerked, pulling my hoof away. Suddenly I felt something wet trickle against my hooves. "What did I step into-... oh no..."
I looked down and observed what once was the source of the screaming I heard. No, our reckless charge didn't hit her in the slightest, but... I can hardly say her state would've been much worse if we did. Deep claw wounds sunk down into the bones of her forelegs as well as ribs, the beast pinned her down and-
I gulped down the bile, kneeled down while tapping her face. The bright, light orange fur was smothered in scarlet that pooled ‘round her midsection. She had a hazelnut mane, with streaks of brighter brown. Her face was as pale as a ghost, and looking down, from her stomach where I saw the blood flowing, laid one of her hooves. I pulled it away, slowly with dread, and saw nothing, nothing but grass, neither flesh nor bone, the manticore's impaled her, and the sheer fact that she was still alive was a miracle in itself.
I quickly pulled out my bell, but when I held the divine item to my chest to draw out whatever beliefs and positive emotions I stored, only a growling sound emitted. My pupils shrank to the size of pearls as I watched Matombo, caked in blood, emerge from the broken stone. "Miracle... I don't..." I broke my own rule to always have enough faith left for a heal. A sudden pressure started to form in the vertebrae of my neck, as I lowered my face with averted eyes.
But I couldn’t look away.
My eyes snapped back to the little filly as the health points quickly dwindled, even with the heightened perception that led to a slower passage of time, the numbers were rushing down so fast that an entire digit would be lost every few seconds. I quickly grabbed a cookie from my inventory, using some expensive ingredients, some self-grown, it had a regeneration effect. I pushed it in her mouth, and when she didn't start to chew, I manually pushed her jaw up even when the crumbles flew in all directions. It- It wouldn’t work! How could I be so dumb, the stinger destroyed her stomach! I don’t even know if my food could heal anyone but me! When it didn't work panic was settling, I was looking around in all directions, [Inspect]-ing everything in my surroundings, but nothing was of use. Panic was clouding the back of my head, this wasn’t supposed to happen, only I was to get hurt, I could heal, so why wasn’t it like always?! I stared down, my hooves were drowned in blood, and the scarlet liquid clung to my fur against which even oil would have glanced off.
I-I was so used to the nightmare hunts in which no variables played a part that I had no preparations in place. What-What do I do? What could I do? There'sno plan.
"No... No-no-no-no, this isn't fair, it isn't fair!" I shouted, pulling a heavy blanket and putting it on the wound, before shaking my head and throwing it away, cursing at my own stupidity. This wasn't a cut, it was a fist-sized hole. Her head leaned back, the life force plummeting faster and faster with each moment. Helplessness, why was this always the reason? Couldn’t it have been a sudden strike, a quick end, why did I always have to stay, watch, and take the tragedy with me? Why am I always the last one standing? I needed faith, I needed it fast, the Silverthorne wouldn't work, its juices would kill her even quicker than the hole, and dry it would be as effective as cotton. I needed a perfect, golden solution. Gold! The pendant. I ripped it from my inventory with such force that several other items were pulled out as well, scattering them on the floor.
I put the broken pendant to my chest, but all I could feel was the slow ticking of the cooldown. I pushed again, harder, against my fur, but the number shrunk only slightly. Again. Again. Again. I kept going, pushing harder and harder while the numbers were falling faster and faster. 100. 90. 80. 70... Thud. Thud! Thud Thud!
"I don't give a shit about cooldowns! I don't care about rules! Work dammit! Work, work, work, work!" I was getting more aggressive with each moment, even Matombo stopped drawing near, he was just watching. The gold impacted continuously, denting it further and further into a crooked knife rather than a religious effigy. My skin broke, the hide was just peeled apart, and my blood smothered the holy relic like a sponge in tar, even when my ribs started to crack, I continued. I continued. I-
I tasted them, those sweet memories. Those moments of innocence were leaving her soft flesh behind, and there was no one to witness, cherish, or share them but an old, old Star. The first birthday, meeting outside the family, making a friend, drawing a picture and. and. and. The highlights of eight, short years were played out in front of my being, the emotions played out, the sounds heard. I held back my tears, my violent barrage slowing down but impacted ever harder while my battle to keep control over my own emotions was lost and I shed tears over this little filly I never met, never could've met, never will meet. Just a stranger in a world of unknown people, but for me, it was a story of life ending far too fast.
I lifted the pendant up once more, and it impacted with my barrel like a battering ram in a castle siege. The sharpened blade pierced my flesh and embedded itself into my heart, more of my health was sacrificed than most ponies had, and the item broke. It broke, it didn't lose its physical shape, needing some Aether to be fixed up, but it broke permanently with the sharp metal stuck in my flesh. Brightly hued blood, one might call it pale, glazed over the metal slowly.
The metal began to glow vibrantly.
My flesh began to heal faster than it should've, and neither my Silverthrones nor items nor [Rapid Recovery] were involved as the meat and bones sewed themselves together. I breathed out as a warmth I hadn't felt in over three decades spread through my chest, they were emotions of my own. Stable as they were, static even, the comforting embrace like a flame warming the frozen meat, sparked power I previously used through the hardship of others.
The glow spread across my chest, and like it was giving me commands, I followed without a doubt. Rising onto my hind legs, my forehooves, like a clock, took the position of a quarter after midnight. A Golden ring within a silver spell sigil hovered ethereally around my legs, with Aureate and Argent Spark floating through the air. Like clockwork, my forehooves fell to the left, turning to nine o'clock, and releasing the warmth given to me in an ascending flare, a beacon that flashed upwards in a divine burst.
I beheld a miracle of my own making. I watched how silver light replaced the lost flesh and blood, before slowly dimming down and revealing a little filly without a single scratch. I gasped, breathing wildly, before falling onto my butt with... I couldn't even describe the sensations that were coursing through me, I was feeling emotions of my own, as subtle and gentle as they were, they were like fireworks in this moment.
My eyes descended upon my chest and I took notice of a new coloration on my fur. A golden circle from which protruded thick lines that treaded my ribs, and thinner lines that traced my features, as well as intertwiningly traversed down to my forehooves. I quivered slightly, feeling how the warmth traveled over these lines, but also took notice of the connection between the halo and the mark. But, as the miracle's grace slowly faded away, only a faintly visible, but nonetheless luminescent, golden circle was visible on my chest.
"Hmm... little cub." Matombo grumbled, though there was softness under the low and deep voice. He joined me, though didn't sit down, instead, he pushed his hands under her barrel and lifted her. Holding her up to his face... he took a sniff of her mane? I couldn't lie, I raised an eyebrow, cringing slightly, and I said that while still being cacked in her blood, though it was sliding off me. "Parents close." He muttered while sniffing the air thoroughly, the short, organoid nostrils flaring a few times.
"Then let's make haste, if at least not be here when the other manticores discover the blood." I turned back to the flattened corpse and put it into my inventory as well, but not before putting back the scattered items. No need to put an even bigger target on my back, though vendetta against the pony eater burned solemnly in the depth of my chest, stirring my breath.
There was a hint of pain, somewhere from inside, but as sweet as the moment was, I rarely held comfort above anything.
I turned back to Matombo, jumped on his back, and with much patience, held onto him and the little filly, before charging with the same speed as before. I tightened my grip around the small, fragile frame, reducing the shaking as much as I could. Not long after, with the wooden shrapnel and stone bits flying past us, something gained priority with my senses. The stench made my neck hairs rise. It was a nightmare. But not any typical kind of nightmare. The smell... the sensation... it was of the same family as those Mind Mites that attempted to chew away my best friend's mind. But, who was around here that it could drain that-
The thought died in my mind as I felt the little filly stir slightly.
'There is no word for a parent that lost their child, and it wouldn't find meaning today either, but I still have to prevent the term orphan to apply to more than one pony in this forest.' I thought darkly, my mind tracing through the inventory for my steel boulder knives. While I hadn't had the time to make version 2.0 yet, they would suffice... for now.
I usually didn't go out of my way to kill living things, even when it came to the quest that perhaps could sway a horrible result where I just needed some more strength. Right now I could taste blood, and a lust for the crimson liquid. I may call foals stinkers, brats, and whatever, but I cared for the little shits, how couldn't I? I was a big brother, perhaps even somewhat of a parental figure to my little sister. I looked after countless little kids whose parents would pick up some random schmuck from the streets so they don't have to entertain their spawn. May my words not be twisted, I liked children, I loved their smiles, them being happy and carefree in this shitty, fucked up hellhole that was life. I cared for them so much that I wouldn’t just watch and let them turn into rotten adults merely because the ‘aww’s took the place of the ‘no’s.
And seeing them cry, be it family or not because it reminded me of the day John Weaver shed his last tears, this anger burned even brighter than the one I harbored towards the nightmares. Even when some billions-year-old race tried to instill ultimate hate for those monsters, they couldn't replicate it: My Hate.
I could only guess how fast Matombo was capable of running, but he was charging ahead quicker than any train I ever boarded and were it not for his power over the earth, then the ground behind us would likely have been airborne. I gritted my teeth as I leaned my head past his titanic frame, bits of wood and bitting air rushing past me, I could notice the bodies of several manticores approaching us. With narrowed eyes, I equipped a steel boulder dagger in my hand and counted the seconds until we reached them.
I crawled up on Matombo's shoulder, lowered my head, and awaited the moment he would ram his heels into the ground. When it came, the moment he halted and slithered past one of them. I jumped off my ride and rammed the forged blade into the skull of one of the beasts. The blade sank through the thick skull like butter, and when I twisted the weapon it cracked and opened like a rotten walnut. Expecting one of the beasts to pounce me, I quickly turned around and used [Magic Shield], however, was left confused when the bodies remained still.
"What?"
"Cats dead."
I heard Matombo's voice and turned back to the manticore which's head I split, grasping its cheeks and bearing witness to a brutality even I, in an all my gory fantasy, couldn't inflict on a still living being. It looked like someone rammed a spear of sorts through the animal's right side of the face, ripping off flesh and bone alike, before probing the hole with a crooked dagger. The meat looked torn regardless, minced and crumbling like the beast still resisted for a little bit. From the wound oozed a bioluminescent, purple , goo.
I narrowed my eyes, before picking up some life, sentient life. Ponies who were not all too far off. It was like a single instrument in a grand orchestra, and in an instant, I realized what tune had left the song when I released Caldura. It was sentient life in this garden of souls. I grunted, baring my teeth and growling animalisticly, staring down, barely holding back a roar. My eyes traveled toward the blade I was holding, some of the nightmare sludge was still stuck, pushing me back to the current matter. Spitting on the ground in frustration, I flipped the blade, flicking the gunk away, though a new layer grew on the metal, one of frost.
"Matumbo, return to whoever my spirits go when they're not beside me. I do not want to share this." I growled, and I could 'see' his outline despite my back facing him. He put the little filly on the ground, before nodding deeply and crumbling away to dust. I dared to spare a glance, seeing the dust flying away, and the filly on the ground.
"Tesla, this will be a moment. Anything that wants the filly dies." I didn't wait for his acknowledgment, I didn't even turn toward him, I just walked away.
Pushing past some bushes that hid a great pool of blood, I took notice of how the beast had the foresight to clean itself with the leaves and moss before going once more on the prowl. It likely was using deception, otherwise, it wouldn't have bothered to put so much attention to its visuals. I swiped my blade through the thicket, carving a path, even when the blood now stained my coat and blade. A moment of cutting later, I saw my goal and my blood ignited.
A little filly with bright orange fur with hazelnut mane bearing streaks of brighter brown walked towards a pair of ponies, a mare and stallion, as well as a griffon. 'Monster is using their daughter's skin to trick them.' I threw a glance toward the trio while continuing my determined stride. I knew exactly their pain of losing family, and then for them to appear again, even I with all my senses perhaps would've been fooled where my Amber to one day walk up to me.
The nightmare halted, staring at the shocked expression of the mask's assumed parents, and threw a glance toward me. Its expression morphed painfully to one of fear, but it was not true, those emotions were false. The bones, flesh, and perhaps even chitin broke and reformed under the fur and skin. And the gleam, the purple, nightmare soul ever so subtly shone in those irises.
"Daddy!" The monster screamed so deceivingly, but my heart didn't bleed for their ilk, not so easily, at least. My scowl deepened, and as the beast tried to sprint forward towards the meatshields. I used [Transit] to close the gap grabbed it by her forehoof, and lifted her up, reading the blade.
Physical Damage Blocked
My movement was suspended when I felt someone suddenly pop up on my radar, a mare that was able to penetrate my perimeter far too easily, or rather, I was far too easily distracted. And then to even land a hit on me, futile as it was, well, I can't say that I had much pride left anyway. I threw a glance at a mare of a smaller frame and hungry state. Her wilted, orange fur was stained by dirt, and her vanilla mane was infested by all sorts of dirt and plant waste. She was breathing painfully hard, one of her hooves was pressing against my cheek, while the other was holding onto my weapon with dear life.
"Don't-Don’t touch my foal!" She shouted desperately, using all of her little strength to push me away, only digging her hindlegs deeper into the soft ground. My blade wasn't so much so as quivering in the face of her attempt. I narrowed my eyes at her attempt, but I had to control urges that were deeply coded into my system, and the same weight I felt when I refused to kill nightmares was now pushing me in her direction. Attacking me put a creature from a 'green' state into a 'yellow' one, but defending a nightmare instantly pushed them to 'red,' like a kill command was set.
"Mare, this here is not you daughter, it's not even a pony!" I hissed louder, it was almost a growl. And even though I towered over her as Celestia stood over guards, she did not shriek away as any sane pony would. No, she pushed even harder as the squirming of the nightmare increased. The nightmare whined loudly, crying and begging for 'her mommy.' It took all my strength not to deal with the monster first, but the worry that she'd throw herself in my path and send both of them to oblivion was too severe for me. If this was a pony who just had the triggers of a nightmare and had to costume Aether, then it would be a completely different tune, but no. It was just a malicious machination searching for its next victim. A malicious farce given form.
"Let go of her, don't hurt my filly! You're hurting her!" She begged, finally realizing that moving me would be as successful as me supporting the demolition of a foal hospital.
"You daughter is fine! She's-" I shouted at her sinking silhouette, and this was the killing shot the nightmare needed to drop the act, realizing that even when it could fool the trio, were things come hard on hard, I could kill all four of them without even the smallest of wounds. I staggered back as a scream that may have belonged to a banshee howled through the woods, droplets of blood, and shreds of meat clouded my vision as the mare fell back, now only having three limbs.
It possesses a skill that boosts its strength by consuming fresh, sentient meat.
My face tightened and rushed forward using [Transit] to appear next to the nightmare in the shape of a filly and hacked its lower jaw off as it tried to consume the torn-off leg. A demonic gurgling ran out shortly before I kicked the monster in the face and sent it tumbling across the ground. Black blood sprayed in all directions, coloring the grass in ebony. It spasmed with a distorted voice stuck between filly and monster trying to gain any sort of footing, and with a final growl, I conjured four [Ice Spears] that impaled the nightmare. A violent thrashing was in full-on display in front of me, blood spewed in all directions and the screaming was enough for any mortal to shield their ears with all they had on them. Finally, the frost grew over the flesh, and like a statue, depicted one moment, and this one displayed a violent death.
"You!" I snapped back as the urge, although quickly subduing, popped into the back of my skull once more. The mare was hyperventilating while lying on the ground, staring at the stump and at who I assumed was her husband while the Griffon was ripping off pieces from his clothes in an attempt to stop the bleeding. My shout startled the trio, though the Griffon, like he was locked in his current task, continued to wrap the wound. "Stand still. You two, move aside."
With my [Magic Claws] I grasped the stallion and griffon, before pushing them some distance away. With heavy hooves and still on my hindlegs after all that bullshit, picked the mare up into the air with [Levitation]. Looking at the fear growing behind those dark, green eyes, I spared a glance at my Faith, seeing that with the orb in my chest, I regained enough faith for [Greater Restoration]. I stopped before her, and even while in the air, while 'on her hindlegs' I was still much taller than her, breathing heavily.
Despite it all... I couldn't entirely fault her.
I pulled out my bell, holding it to my chest and lowering my face. I could feel how much easier this skill was to use with the orb that I no longer needed to cower on my knees before the divine powers, now instead respectfully guiding it. The silver light pulsated, and I beheld how the flesh regrew. How the light formed a sort of ethereal, prosthetic limb that revealed the furred appendage once in its place.
"Wha... What? I don’t…" She mumbled in disbelief, though it lasted not long, after all, I stopped the spell and let her plummet to the ground. Regardless she was still staring at where the wound once was, her entire nervous system was confused as every shred of biomass was replaced, better than before for a matter of fact, and tasting what ponies described as 'divine powers' was an experience for sure. Perhaps it was addicting, but I didn’t know. I didn’t spend my time in the Canterlot Hospital healing the sick. Was it selfish? I say no, perhaps in the direst of cases, but most certainly anything less and it would stunt medicinal research, and with my abilities, before I entered this forest, were I to neglect my own healing chances during the hunts, I could maybe heal five ponies a day.
I turned around and walked back to the likely unconscious filly.
"Wait, please stop!" I heard the stallion shout as he once more reached his presumed wife, holding her while calling out to me.
I ignored them, before suddenly stopping as I felt Tesla relay a sort of message through the bond between spirit and caller. I mentally readied myself to run, only for me to realize that the slumbering filly had been roused. Turned my eyes in the direction I came from, and I saw how Tesla was guiding the dazzled filly through a bush (Not the one hiding a literal bloodbath), toward us.
"Wait mister firefly. I'm not this fast." I couldn't help but smile gently as the filly stopped, watching how Tesla joined my side. With a grin, feeling just fuzzy seeing her excitement, I leaned to the side and cleared the sightline for parents and child.
"Mommy!"
I leaned forward, between my legs through which the filly charged without any regard for my personal space. Tesla seemed to buzz at my miffed reaction, expressing his amusement.
They were very close to dying. The Game noted dryly.
'Yeah, but who was about to become their butcher?' I thought darkly while remaining with my warm and approachable, facial expression. To claim that I wasn’t dreading an emergency quest to appear with my every frame of conscience was a lie. I slowly walked towards them, making my presence as noticeable as possible while they had their moment, though it ultimately was not very effective.
"Mommy, who is that stallion." The filly asked while pointing her hoof at me, perhaps she meant my name, but it could also just be that those memories where the light was leaving her eyes didn't stick. Still, I mentally chuckled at how blunt foals could be. Goodness was I happy that stains just fell off me otherwise she would've likely hurled other tunes in my direction.
"Well, I can at least guarantee my name does not contain the word 'punching bag,' little miss." I said softly while falling down on all my hooves and slowly approaching them.
I was still towering over them all like an adult with a second grader. Upon mere registration of what I said, the mare who had her every maternal instinct triggered began to shiver and tremble, well, adrenaline was one hell of a drug. Of course, I couldn't know if her fear came from attacking the absolute titan of raw and refined power I was, the legal ramifications of attacking the Crown Prince, or some other arbitrary reason. The mare was vibrating so intensely that even her husband began to appear to shake against his will while embracing his whole family. I drew nearer with each slow and graceful step until I stopped before them, looking at them with a casual-regal stance.
"My-my-my-my-"
The mare stammered, her head leaning back as far as she could while trying to keep eye contact while I stoically waited with a kind smile, but I couldn't help myself and spoke in a tone similar to hers. "My-my-my-my. Dear, I wish not to guess whats on your mind, but are you perhaps attempting to say 'My Prince?'"
The two adults slowly nodded their heads, and I couldn't help but put a hoof before my mouth and chuckle into my fetlock. This, all of this, was nothing more than a play. My emotions did not mirror my actual feelings in the matter. I was angry at her for interfering in the hunt, regardless if her actions were conducted with proper reasons, it left a bitter taste, but not as much as was their fear.
And yet.
Their display, this completely irrational fear while their small, fluffy frames with huge eyes quivered before me, It just checked out every box on my cuteness list. After all, fuzzy and small correlate to cute nine out of ten times. "Oh please, no need to tremble before me. Not to be insulting, but-" I turned the side she punched me towards the duo, revealing that not even the dirt stuck to me, much less any wound. "-it takes a whole lot more to harm me. I didn't feel any pain, though I would like to ask if you could, in the future, restrain yourself from hitting me."
The two ponies, now with the griffon joining as well for some reason, nodded dumbfoundingly.
"Splendid!" I called out, clapping my hooves together, breaking the trance and sitting down on my flank. I reiterate. My inner emotions didn’t mirror those on the outside, I could feel their fear, and desperation burned brightly while the burst of joy, although eternally smoldering, was overshadowed. I scraped my tongue against the roof of my mouth in an attempt to remove the taste.
I had a hunger to quench the achings of the creatures' hearts before me. Well, also their stomachs, they did appear quite malnourished after all. Dirty, cold, tired, I could pile the negative adjectives until the moon crashed against this world, but there was also a paternal side that saw those teeny, tiny little ponies and wanted to bring them some happiness. Also because I was one of the best cooks in this world and their ribs were all saying ‘hi’ right now.
"Now tell me, what would you like to eat, perhaps you could introduce yourselves during a little supper."
"Ex-excuse me?" The mare stammered while slowly tilting her head, her eyes as wide open as possible, tail tucked under her. I also noticed how hard her ears pressed against her scalp and how close she held her hooves to the body. She was scared to death, not that I needed to read her body language to register her emotions.
I looked through my inventory seeking something that didn't contain meat. While meat could be consumed by ponies, most didn't, and those that could stuck to smaller portions. "Well, you appear to be quite starved if I may comment, so I am taking the liberty to feed you. Would perhaps a creamy leek soup with spring onion and some button mushrooms suffice?" I asked while pulling out a cauldron filled with said soup. No, it was not one of those small ones that could fit like five to eight bowls of soup, this was a big one... well, given my current size, it perhaps could dispense five to eight portions of my caliber. Using this moment, I also absorbed the corpse into my inventory including blood, while I still took up most of their attention.
"Spare your question for some time, you have experienced some... turbulances right now and some silence would help your state." I spoke out as the mare was about to open her mouth again, although that wasn't quite the case since she never fully closed it. She took my firm remark to the heart and slowly nodded while I filled some big bowl I made. Well, this wasn’t the fanciest meal I prepared since I made them ages ago at Cook level 10, but you wouldn’t expect to see them at a soup kitchen either. Also, items didn’t spoil nor change temperature in my inventory.
"I can't eat that." I raised an eyebrow at the filly, through the saliva-inducing steam of the soup, and stopped the saddle in the air. "I'm lactose intolerant."
'I wished nobles would keep that part from their foalhood, this bluntness, instead of the imaturity.' I mused in my head while continuing to fill her bowl, much to the confused look of the filly.
"You don't have lactose intolerance anymore." I remarked and planted the bowl in front of her.
"I'm pretty sure that doesn't go like that." Amber said slowly in a questioning manner while tapping the spoon a few times. I raised my eyebrow, before mentally facepalming. It was a trio of earth ponies. I had become so used to seeing everyone but I use their magic for everything that it confused me. Man, the ratio of unicorns to other pony tribes was really unbalanced, at least, if you lived in the middle or upper layer of Canterlot, that is.
Cute. The Game noted in his game-y voice, though I shared the sentiment.
"I assume you don't remember what happened before you woke up with my friend looking over you. Yes?" I asked while filling up four more bowls, one for each. Yes, my bowl was more akin to a bucket, but I haven't eaten since I evolved, and I doubtfully called that the traditional way of consuming calories. I threw a spare glance at Tesla who left my side to buzz near the little filly. If I couldn't look up her stats I might've boldly claimed she was a spirit caller like me, but no, the electric bubble just liked her.
The parent looked at one another for a brief moment, before turning to the filly who was shaking her head. Thank goodness she had no clue, a near-death experience wasn't a recommended core memory. "No, I just remember running away from a manticore and then bam!" She shouted suddenly, spreading forehooves far apart. "I wake up with this little nightlight near me. Can I keep it?"
"Amber, you can't just ask things like that." Her mother scolded in a hush, and while I would agree in most cases, I would've been a bit less direct. On the other hoof: They were starving, tired, lost, and constantly under stress. I let it slide, even as the filly let out a prolonged 'aww' while Tesla tried to cheer her up.
I took a scoop of the soup, humming to myself as the creamy and slightly biting flavor permeated my mouth. "While not exactly my choice of words, I have to agree. Tesla is one of my companions for life and needs my divine power to remain in this world." While some would have shaken their head at how easily I would reveal some core information, that wasn't the case, I was just rehearsing the bullcrap explanation Celestia and Hauhuthos had for my powers.
"Divine power? I thought that was just a myth?" The griffon spoke from the sideline having distanced himself from our circle, possibly feeling somewhat left out in this 'pony party' I assumed. I enveloped his small frame and pulled himself nearer to the group, before putting the pot back into my inventory and placing some chopped wood from my arsenal in its place.
"Well, then I suppose the dame here is still bleeding and I am exceptionally good at illusions, no?" I asked slyly before putting a few more spoons of soup in my mouth. He was already sweating when I opened my mouth, right now he was melting while heavily pushing against my aura. If I were to let go now he might just find his way out of the forest. "You may stop resisting, I have no intent to harm you."
Despite what some may believe about magic, there was no distinct 'healing magic.' You can set the flesh and bone back into place and sew it, enhance bone growth, or put certain body parts' flesh into stasis while the body repaired, but straight-up healing falls in most cases into one of three categories. Divine magic, which asked reality itself to close one eye, time magic which reversed the wound from happening (Though there is no official case where it was ever used successfully), or some form of forbidden magic like the huge umbrella that was dark magic with the power over blood or flesh.
There was also biomancy, but the thing is it's a huge outlier since having a horn isn't required, yep, earth ponies and pegasi could have it due to their cutie mark where it correlates with anything biological. Well, a unicorn could try it, but all the information would fry one's brain or turn their targets... into whatever they don't want. All cool, there are some great doctors out there. Yeah... no... Said cutie mark is usually found pretty young, thus when they try to use it on themselves the results almost always end with... let's just say in comparison magic burn has a high survival rate.
"And divine powers are a real thing, just exceptionally rare and can be incredibly dangerous. This is always most true for the wielder himself since they may draw upon the wielder's life force, either primarily or when whatever reserve they normally use is depleted." I spoke, closing my eyes and calling up all my follower spirits to myself, and igniting the wood with Ignis. While not dark, it was becoming quite cold, after all, fall was practically here. Well, I wasn't cold, but the other members of the Being Alive Club had pretty thin coats and even thinner fat reserves. "I am just fortunate enough to possess several that range from healing wounds to my own physique being empowered. Afterall, most 12-year-olds shouldn't look down on adults, no?"
"You're twelve?" The stallion called out in confusion before putting another spoon of soup in his mouth to stop his mouth from spouting any more words. At least I assumed this, the mare, on the other hand, couldn't help herself and muttered to herself 'Stallions, a stomach on stilts.' He was staring at me, well, understandable, from my body to my voice I might appear to be twenty-five to thirty… hundred kilograms.
I opened my eyes and swayed my gaze over to the male members of this little survivor assembly. The stallion bore a fuzzy, dark brown coat while having his daughter's two-toned, hazelnut mane. I also had to take note that, while not being anywhere near my size, was probably one of the biggest earth ponies I had seen. He was about a hoof or two taller than my grandfather of this world. He was also built like a block with a sturdy jawline, chunky muzzle, and wide frame, everything about him screamed draft horse.
Now take everything I said about the stallion and turn it upside down and you had the griffon. He was small, like really small despite being fully grown, Gerb could probably sling him over his shoulder and carry him around. The griffon had a, or rather, would have exceptionally bright coat were it not for the dirt. A great white bed of feathers enveloped his avian side while possessing some black dots on his chest and facial area. His lion half had a sort of blue-grey tone, though I didn't take much interest. His face was sponging up my attention, it was just so adorable with 'plump cheekbones and a short and petite beak.
"Oh no need to be surprised, I had more than enough of it in the past few days where my dimensions advanced exponentially." I said with a chuckle, while the filly was mouthing my words, but just couldn't quite hit the corners. "To return to your question, you were quiet deeply wounded when I found you. It was pure luck I was near you to... pry the cat away and heal you wounds. However, as is often the case with the exceptionally rare, I can't chose areas that I want to heal and restored you everything. Including your case of lactose Intolerance."
"..."
"I made the boo boo go away." I clarified while finishing my huge bowl before most had even eaten a fourth of their meals. "Yes?"
"If you can heal ponies, why are there sick ponies?" The little filly whose name I only knew contained the word, Amber, I was more than mature enough that someone called Amber wouldn't push me into overdrive, asked while raising her hoof. Oh, to be so oblivious to the inner workings of the world, hah, where is this jealousy coming from?
"Well, you see there's one Star Touch, and quiet a lot more ponies." I quickly interjected when her father, after finishing his bowl I might add, was about to say something to his daughter. "Besides, all divine powers bear their price, and mine is quiet a deep one. Were it not for some lucky coincidences then it would be less so of healing and rather a trade in places, putting me in the hospital, or, well I suppose we don't need to push matters, young Amber Sap." Having had enough of just calling them stallion and mare, I went ahead and used [Inspect] on all of them. Pretty average when it came to stats, though the stallion was quite above the average when it came to strength and endurance. Like, a lucky buck and he might cause brain damage to a manticore.
"You know my name?" The filly asked with wonder sparkling in her eyes. Well, wonder and the reflection of all my follower spirits since they apparently preferred foals over their master. I still looked after the nightmare one just to make sure, even when mortals couldn't feel it like I did. This spirit was constantly breaking apart, you could call it smoking like nightmares would when they didn't get aether.
"I know all my subjects' names." I replied warmly, though I bit my tongue, saying these words made my skin crawl. "Spring Sap. Amber Bark. Peter." I called out their names in the following order: Stallion, mare, griffon. I looked twice at his name, but he really didn't have a last name, just Peter. On the subject of Peter, I felt a sudden, huge, wave of guilt form and push him almost so quickly against his limits as Twilight when a quill delivery is delayed and she only has three emergency packs of writing utensils.
"Hehe, well I'm not really a subject if I am being honest." Peter said, raising his stick-thin claw up and caressing his chest fluff nervously. "I kind of just crossed the border and started working here…" As his words dried up, he waved his claws around him, though keeping arms very close to his body…
Did he just confess a fucking crime to me? No, no one was this fucking stupid-he actually did just do that? My goodness, humans would eat all of them up, literally and figuratively.
"Hmm, as far as I know the immigration process from Griffonia to Equestria is quite generous following you didn't commit any crimes or you-" I said while my tongue was halted, the griffon before me was just nodding in shame. "Dodge the draft." I narrowed my eyes, not on purpose, just that something unpleasant came back into my mind correlating to the armor set of the proud lion assassins. Draft and soldiers, murderers, and assassins.
I wasn't dumb enough to just chuck the item in the broth without checking the pockets and finding evidence, specifically a letter. Of course, I couldn't decode it yet , but soon I would, and then some griffons would die... Also, a sudden realization, if you clump items together so that they stick together on their own, then [observe] would count it as one item. The wrath metal dagger belt, urgh what a lengthy name, was removed before it was dissolved into the liquid and strapped around my right, upper tight, protected by the kata. Otherwise, a single strike from a nightmare would cut the strap.
“You know that for all intents and purposes, I won’t judge while inside this forest, and it would be a tad… cruel to enact any form of punishment after surviving this.” I spoke slowly, pushing the subject away as gently as possible, while not directly saying that I would ignore it. You didn’t have to report a crime, and there was no punishment for it, even as a judge, but if a guard or like asked you, you had to answer, just as much as a judge had to reveal anything they knew about a case were it to reach the legislative level, regardless if you were to judge this situation or not.
“Nonetheless I highly advise you to stay further away from crimes if you could, most pony judges don’t use their leeway, nor are most so bold.”
"I’m not Bold.” He sighed deeply in defeat. “I'm a coward, I know that look, you don't have to say it." Peter said, looking away, while not near tears, the sadness was definitely clouding his gaze.
I...
"Apologies, but you words reminded me of a trio of griffons I met not long ago who tried some... rather unpleasant, military actions on me." I apologized, and honestly, I wanted to throw away this royal speech, but I was in public and those four really needed some beacon they could look up to. "But, know well, Peter, that I do not define bravery as storming at the first soldier in the battle, or being strong enough to break the tides of war. I see bravery as facing whatever difficulties you may face in your ever day and overcome them. All of us are different, for some the hardest task may be to slay a dozen manticores and for some even standing up may sap them of all their strength, though the actual deeds matters not ultimately, only that we try in hopes of conquering these burdens."
I could just feel the doubt in the griffon’s eyes, a person I owed absolutely nothing, who expected much less from me. It was like he was looking for my judgment, my disgust, my anger, anything negative. I wanted to gag at my own speech, it was so abhuman, something you’d expect in a kid's cartoon, but was not misplaced in this world it seemed. I was feeling like a bullshit general, leading his army of crap with how this entanglement of words-urgh!
"There was once a time where everypony assumed I wouldn't so much so as reach my first birthday, but I conquered this, at the time, seemingly impossible task and pushed on to stand where I am today. Maybe I had the backing of the royal crown, but it didn't guarantee my success, my ambitions, my character or growth, just assured that I had a roof over my head and food on my plate, privileges that I cannot claim everyone can profit from. Being brave is only defined by yourself, by whatever task you may deem daunting and desire to complete."
And… well, there was just so much doubt, this densely packed clump of negativity, I couldn’t just silently watch, not with [Valiant Heart] coercing me to take on the supportive stranger role. Shut up Game, don’t blame me for the perk's doing!
Sensing regression of negative energies in entity Peter. The Game noted, though I could feel and see the results myself as the poor, small griffon was sniffing in an attempt to hold back the snot from leaving his beak. I didn't know him, but I didn't need to, much less profit from the action, to give some kind words.
"Didn't make it to your first birthday? How far away did you celebrate?" Amber Sap said, and I couldn't help with the cute bluntness of the filly anymore and let out snorting laughter while both parents tried to somehow relay the message that her choice of words was not fitting, or someway relaying my message. I wished them good luck while my enjoyment was drowning their words out, heaven's, I felt tears rolling from my eyes.
Age scaling differs from creature to creature. It would seem as if a human’s mental age of 44 correlated to a physical pony age of nine... The Game noted dryly with annoyance while I chortled wildly.
Quest Update
level 25+
Dominant Stat: Strength
You have fulfilled one of the requirements for the hidden quest: Path of the Strong.
Nostra CulpaThere is no greater penance than to absolve another of their sins, their pain, suffering, and grief, thus the Holy Tree spoke. I keep these words in my heart even now as I see the last remnants of Her Divinity wither away, the rotten brood consuming the very thoughts I cherished my whole life. I hold this last seed’s sap in my hand, the last few glimmers of The Well’s spark in my eyes after it was stolen by the winged thieves, and pray with a tight grip over my heart, that one day, I too, will find salvation.
Divine Rejuvination ...with a heart of gold and health forsworn… I shall bear your burden, and smother your pain, for one who turns their back onto those suffering bears but a lump of coal in their chest. And one, who forsakes their flesh in protection of another holds a nugget of gold behind their ribs.
Absolution ...with a heart of gold and health forsworn… I Impose my care and love upon those few and many, far and near so that they all might find comfort in even the most dire of moments, regardless of how warm their hearts might be.
Inventory:
Skills:
Faith Capacity: 600 →2200
Base Capacity (100) x1
Spirits (100) X5
Nostra Culpa(500) x1
Nostra Culpa bonus(Faith x2)
View Online
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four (Interlude): Feathers, Scales and Questions [E]
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. The Game: Aether and Mind
The Visuals Of The Characters
The following images were sent to me by Poparakelis .
Star Touch, formerly known as John Weaver
Fatebell
Evelyn
Matombo
Gentle Touch
Sugar Drop
Gerb
Starting here are the descriptions of important, reoccurring characters.
Opmir
Cairn Song
The Game: Aether and Mind
Goblin Hideout
Name: Goblin
Goblins are the most common Nightmares, some even say that they were the very first ones to ever be 'birthed' into a once beautiful realm. Although they lack strength, they only require little to become more. Their biggest strength lies within their resourcefulness, as well as their strategy to overwhelm their enemy, before devouring their fallen kin and the prey. Do not let them call for help.
Name: Goblin Guard
The Goblin Guard is the first boss you'll encounter on your journey through the various dungeons. Although this is the very first big task you'll have to face and prove your worth, it is not as impossible as it may seem. Every race scales differently when it comes to weapons and stats. Use their disadvantages.
Name: Hobgoblin
Hobgoblins are Goblins who have absorbed enough Aether from creatures they have slain, unlike most other Goblin variations who had to reach a certain skill threshold. These sturdy nightmares who put all their focus in purely physical damage and defense as well as the search to fight the next worthy opponent to push them towards their next level of evolution ??? If fighting these brutes, it is advised to keep distance or dodge their attacks at all costs.
*Goblins and Orcs are natural enemies that often have territorial fights with another, both share similar features and are easily enraged.
Scavangers
Name: Mind Mite
Mind Mite is one of the lowest kind of nightmare; they are so weak that they prey on the weakened victims of the second-lowest kind of nightmares, the Mind Drainer.
Undead
Zombie - Brain Eater Level - 20 Class - Undead Scavenger- level 18 Race - Earth Pony (Undead) HP (Health Points) - 1000 [--- per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 150 [--- per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - unlimited [--- per minute] STR (Strength) - 200 END (Endurance) - 50 DEX (Dexterity) - 25 INT (Intelligence) - 0 WIS (Wisdom) - 0 CHA (Charisma) -0 LCK (Luck) - 0
Bad Dream This is the product of a sentient creature dreaming about negative aspects, which have been formed into an unstable conclusion of energy. With time it will dissipate and reduce itself into negative energy, which will reach the nightmare realm.
Zombie - Damned Soul Level - 30 Class - Undead Brawler- level 30 Race - Minotaur (Undead) HP (Health Points) - 4000 [--- per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 770 [--- per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - unlimited [--- per minute] STR (Strength) - 375 END (Endurance) - 250 DEX (Dexterity) - 67 INT (Intelligence) - 43 WIS (Wisdom) - 70 CHA (Charisma) -0 LCK (Luck) - 0
Damned Soul. This nightmare is the result of a sentient creature bearing great amounts of negative energy being slain or having died. Skills of the original creature are passed down onto the nightmare, with some abilities created through the former host's beliefs or mutation of once existing skills. Additionally, this nightmare is capable of drawing upon experience and reflexes from the source of their lifeblood.
Gargoyle Level - 34 Class - Harbinger Race - Gargoyle (Undead) HP (Health Points) - 4200 [--- per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 0 [--- per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - unlimited [--- per minute] STR (Strength) - 300 END (Endurance) - 212 DEX (Dexterity) - 468 INT (Intelligence) - 89 WIS (Wisdom) - 288 CHA (Charisma) - 187 LCK (Luck) - 98
Gargoyles are highly specialized undead creatures that are employed by most necromancers who gained the ability to manipulate souls. Unlike the majority of servants of reanimators, the Gargoyles were never alive, to begin with, they are creatures using a combination of dread rock and abyssal stone in combination of soul remnants. Despite its similarities to golems, this creature is much more cunning and fierce than any animated living stone warden could be.
Gargoyle Despite its weight, it can move, fly and maneuver with excellent speed and delicacy. In addition, all members of this race can turn themselves into statues, boosting their resistance to physical damage and regenerate health at excessive speeds. They possess a great vulnerability to blunt damage and lightning while being immune to most mid-tier fire spells.
Ghoul - Damned Soul Level - 42 Class - Undead Crusher- level 1 Race - Minotaur (Undead) HP (Health Points) 4000 -> 8500 [--- per minute] MP (Mana Points) 770 -> 1250 [--- per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - unlimited [--- per minute] STR (Strength) 375 -> 567 END (Endurance) 250 -> 450 DEX (Dexterity) 67 -> 112 INT (Intelligence) 43 -> 76 WIS (Wisdom) 70 -> 105 CHA (Charisma) 0 -> 0 LCK (Luck) 0 -> 0
Damned Soul. This nightmare is the product of a sentient creature bearing great amounts of negative energy being slain or having unnaturally died. Skills of the original creature are passed down onto the nightmare, with some abilities created through the former host's beliefs or mutations of once-existing skills. Additionally, this nightmare is able to draw upon experience and reflexes from the source of their lifeblood.
Ghoul A low-tier undead can become a ghoul, however, this requires them to shed themselves from any semblance of emotions and empathy, rendering them apathetic, as well as reducing cognitive abilities and further advancing the process of decay. Ghouls are notorious for their resilience to physical damage, as well as their ability to resist debuffs, while also increasing their strength. They are a young necromancer's favorite.
[Seismic Slam] - Tier 1 Level 1 Attacks can be modified to create shockwaves, break armor and cause internal bleeding. Chance to stun opponents.
[Earthquake Punch] - Level 1 Launch a wave of condensed kinetic energy as a projectile with your fist. The attack causes knockback and 500 points of damage. [Steel Fist] - Tier 1 Level 1 Initiate a bare-handed attack dealing 200% of the regular damage, while reducing attack speed by 15%. A successful hit adds 300 points of armor to the user, which are deteriorating at a drastic rate.
[explosive impact] - Level 1 (Passive) Attacks have a chance to deal explosive damage.
[Entrenching Evil] Level 12 Call upon a foul unakin spirit to root a target in place
[Earth Manipulation] Level 12 Control the earth
[Warcry] Tier 1 Level 1 Call upon kindred allies and increase the damage and speed of all allies, including the user, by 35% for twenty seconds.
[Sacrifice] Level 12 Sacrifice parts of yourself, or other creatures to momentarily increase all stats and levels of both skills and classes. The increase depends on the quality of the material.
Lucus Caelestis
Lower Lesser Sanctum guardian Level - 25 Class - Divine Scion - level 25 Race - Construct/Artificial ? HP (Health Points) - 800 [--- per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 420 [--- per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - unlimited [--- per minute] STR (Strength) - 150 END (Endurance) - 175 DEX (Dexterity) - 125 INT (Intelligence) - 0 WIS (Wisdom) - 0 CHA (Charisma) -0 LCK (Luck) - 0
Construct This creature does not require any sustenance to exist, however, cannot regenerate without the use of skill or repairs. This creature is immune to mortal status effects and those affecting the mind. It cannot grow.
Gate Guardian Level - 35 Class - Divine Warden- level 20 Race - Construct/Artificial ? HP (Health Points) - 10000[--- per minute] MP (Mana Points) - 3000 [--- per minute] SP (Stamina Points) - unlimited [--- per minute] STR (Strength) - 325 END (Endurance) - 500 DEX (Dexterity) - 100 INT (Intelligence) - 210 WIS (Wisdom) - 115 CHA (Charisma) -0 LCK (Luck) - 0
Construct This creature does not require any substance to exist, however, cannot regenerate without the use of skill or repairs. This creature is immune to mortal status effects and those affecting the mind. It cannot grow.
Empowered This creature is strengthened by an outside source to exceed normally present limits
Shackled: Range & ??? This creature is bound under one of several conditions. This being cannot distance itself from something too far. Another condition is what restrains this being.
The Game: Aether and Mind
I have seen much throughout my life, changes that have had the most significant impact in all of mankind's history would just be one of the few I could name on the top of my head, though, despite all the insanity, I never imaged that my life would take this turn. You might be wondering what the crazy person in front of you is blabbering right now, so let me build the stage. In the year 2025, unexplainable abnormalities have started to pop up throughout the whole world; those ranged from the appearance of previously unknown elements that, by all means, shouldn't exist to people vanishing en masses. At first, the majority of the population gave it no second thought and simply stamped it under the case of a tragedy, but that changed quickly. Over the following year, the rate at which people vanished worldwide rose more than tenfold, and people began to ask questions.
What followed was the most significant scientific gathering of the greatest minds in the world to find answers, but the results were more than shocking the least. When people were vanishing, they were literally vanishing, as if holes in space and time would randomly open up and close within a matter of seconds. The population at first sunk into worry and fear of being the next victim of this cosmic event, but their fright was soon replaced with greed. At any location where people went missing, and only humans were affected by this phenomenon, the area began to change. Plant and animal life never before heard of started to pop out, herbs, and remedies that could cure any disease were discovered, and health was improved in a way never seen before. Hell, even strange ores and minerals were found that allowed dreams otherwise only seen in science fiction to come closer to our grasp by the day.
A golden age of mankind where all previous conflict about politics and religion was halted for the global goal to distribute the seemingly magical resources for the betterment of humanity... or rather for the economic hunger of companies and countries.
Sadly not everyone was a victor in this peaceful time. Countries that hadn't received any major universal incident were quickly left in the dust; nations like Greenland, for example, broke apart without anyone willing to trade with them and their natural resources anymore. Then there were the survivors of the phenomenon that stole away people. Those people lucky, or often, unlucky enough to just barely be graced by these events were alone, and society couldn't give two glances at those 'losers of the golden age.' A human life, despite everything that was done for the health improvements, was only worth more than a dime because of the need for the required labor to harvest the newfound elements, as well as the human rights that lost their importance more and more as humanity was spoiled rotten.
Now, where does my role come into play? Well, here goes nothing.
At the young age of twelve, at the beginning of the whole world-changing event chain, almost my entire family gathered in one location to celebrate my sister's eighth birthday. Everything seemed so innocent at the time that I could practically relive those memories while a little smile would grow across my face. We decided to celebrate at a camping location somewhere in the woods, I cannot remember the name though it was changed not long after to the Willowberg resort.
My young self watched in pure awe at the party, the biggest and last one I would ever partake. A large banner hung between two far spread apart trees, and the words 'Happy Birthday Amber' were written on the pink paper, a mountain of neatly wrapped presents in various colors and sizes standing on a dark oak wood table. Music of some movie- I forgot its name - played loudly to which the little birthday girl sang the lyrics happily.
My mother just finished the duet with my sister while smiling happily at the sight of her daughter grinning widely. Throughout the whole time, I knew this woman, she was always happy, despite everything, she was just overjoyed with every moment she spent with us. I wonder how she's doing...
"Is my little birthday girl ready for the big surprise?" She asked gleefully, Almost breaking into a giggle while her smile was just barely controlled, and the words were forced out, her voice nearly breaking in excitement. I don't know how we deserved her, but for some reason, we did, and never have I met someone overjoyed with the happiness of others like her, and it's unlikely that I ever will.
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" The girl repeatedly shouted, hopping up and down in her chair in excitement, her ponytail flopping in every direction possible.
My mother leaned forward, her face only a few inches away, barely holding back the excitement as, by the looks of it, she was vibrating. I am sad to say that I can't remember their faces anymore, or anything physical detail for that matter, only who they were as a person remained. I don't know if the event was linked with the loss of memory or if I could really just forget them, but it didn't matter in the end, did it?
"But only under one condition." My mother spoke while raising her index finger and tipping on her child's nose. "You'll have to close your eyes and not open them until I say so, ok, sweety?"
Amber hummed playfully as if she was considering an alternative, or perhaps she was just pretending to do so, a moment later, she gave her parent a confident nod.
"Great!" My mother half-shouted, before spinning around comedically and walking towards the car. Amber, like the good girl she was, closed her eyes and even hid them behind her small hands, but even with these concealments, her enthusiasm could not be hidden as the grin nearly split her face in half.
Despite the celebration not being about myself, I couldn't help but be carried along with the happy pull of the atmosphere. I watched with a smile as my relatives huddled up into one massive group, already anticipating to view my sister's joy, and I mentally prepared myself aswell. Not long after, the living wall split into two, and from the middle of it walked out my mother with a massive cake in her hands, the carrier looking almost as sweet as the dessert.
My mother's demeanor then slowly calmed down, and her expression was replaced with a soft, motherly look as she stopped a couple of feet in front of us and leaned forward. I watched as her mouth ever so slowly opened, the lips already twitching as if she was wordlessly repeating the sentence she was going to say before it happened and her eyes brimming vibrantly with joy.
And then...
The whole area in front of me began to blur, in a matter of seconds, reality twisted and turned, my family not even realizing as they were stolen away, still smiled as they began to fade from our world. The spectacle lasted only moments, as when the scenery violently snapped back into its natural form, the sound of glass shattering rang through the woods like a roar. My family was gone, just vanishing from one moment to another with no slow or natural interlude between the change of two children's lives.
With a mighty splat, the cake that was previously held by my mother collided with the floor, the sweet food spread across the grassy ground, the words 'Happy Birthday' could still be made out. A large chunk fo cake hit my sister on her cheek, causing her to jump slightly and opened her eyes, only to see nothing but a destroyed birthday cake. She was frozen still for a moment and could only stare, full of shock and with nearly all other emotions drained away, at the mess in front of her, and the lack of family.
"Mommy?" She asked while looking at the spot where they previously stood, and then her gaze went over to me and my blank expression. I felt nothing on that day, perhaps it was too much, or my young mind simply couldn't comprehend this supernatural event, but there was one thing I knew, everything would change, starting with our lives.
As this was one of the first events that happened, people didn't know about the world-changing events that would play out in the future, and as such, the information of missing people was still treated with shock and enthusiasm to find the missing ones, but with no luck. A nearby camper took notice of two lonely children in the woods and called for help. The police, firefighters, and the mountain rangers searched relentlessly, but in the end, after weeks of searching, they gave up on the operations as all hope of their survival was lost at this point.
My sister and I then went on to live with our aunt Rose. At the time she was carrying for her husband who had a nasty fever, it was also the reason why she was not present during the celebration. Although I don't want to enjoy the suffering of others, we were lucky to have, at the very least, one remaining person to take up the position of being our legal guardian.
Rose was a kind woman who sadly never had children on her own as she was physically unable to have them and, as such, jumped on the chance to raise my sister and me immediately. I cannot say that my childhood was anything unusual, I would even call it boring, so there is not much to mention there. As the years went on I slowly came to accept the loss of my parents and the rest of my family, although it did not mean I lost all emotions for them, I loved them, and I still do if they are alive somewhere, but I just couldn't live in the past.
Amber, on the other hand, never got over it. As the years went on, all previously known traits of her's simply vanished. The wide grin, the large ponytail, the joy and happiness we-I loved were gone as my little sister grew cold over time. Her childhood, along with all happiness, vanished on one day. She stopped visiting friends, and anything remotely close to a birthday soured her mood beyond belief; instead, she drowned her problems with work.
But... Despite everything, she was still my sister, and as such, I did not want to give up on her too. Since the faithful day happened, over twenty years have passed before my life would be changed yet again.
"What do you mean seventy bucks for a damn flower bouquet?!" I asked, nearly shouting while glaring at the small and chubby man in front of me. The flowers I was holding were discovered almost two decades ago and were as common a roses, so why did this half portion think he could sell it like for the price of gold? Did he think I wore the large hoodie and the sneakers because I was some rich rapper or something? The store I was in wasn't even anything fancy, just some little shop you'd visit once in a while when walked past.
"Oi, if you don't like the price, then put the blooms back and get your arse out of here, brat." The owner of the shop said while crossing his arms while gritting his teeth like a chihuahua with rabies.
I could see my own scowl in the neatly polished bald head of his, and by all means, it wasn't a happy expression. I had shopped for flowers every year, the same kind every time and not even once have I seen such a throat-cutting jerk, just because his once prize winning chrysanthemums couldn't compare to the newly discovered flowers didn't mean he could just jack up the price four-fold. Sadly, he actually could and did. No one was selling the old stuff anymore other than some old people clinging to 'the good old days.' I mean, why would you want a monotonous scrub of petals if you could have a living crystal rose or a bush that literally created glowing particles around it?
"Choke on it," I spat through my teeth as I grabbed my wallet from my pocket and threw a handful of crumpled dollar bills on the counter in front of him. He gave me an annoyed glare before he counted them slowly, so slow that that counting only seven bills took over five minutes, I spend glaring at the shop owner. I may not be the nicest person, I admit, but he started the conflict. Once he finished with the counting, a broad customer service smile spread across his face, revealing white and healthy teeth.
"Paper or plastic?" He asked with a giant smile and a joyful tone as he pulled out two bags.
"Paper," I answered shortly, my skepticism of the man in front of me at an all-time high. With a short nod, he dropped the flowers carelessly into the plastic bag and shoved it forward.
"In the name of Bob's Flower Emporium, please revisit us in the future," Bob said as he stood on his toes and leaned forward with a bright and joyful smile.
I stared at him for a few moments, unsure which one of us had gone insane, and quickly grabbed the items and left the store, only hearing the iconic doorbell and a quiet 'Works every time' from Bob, the weirdo.
I shook my head while sighting, my eyes locked onto the street as my thoughts began to wander. 'Damn that jerk, now I barely have enough for the rest of the month.' I grit my teeth while my scowl intensified.
I didn't have a very prestigious job, I was a simple courier working for a multibillion-dollar company called Minictah corporate at the time. This company specialized in the refining of newly discovered ores which processing was either troublesome or dangerous. You'd think that your life would be exciting as you are literally carrying around millions of dollars with you, but the truth couldn't be more different. They basically made some random person sign a contract before every delivery and told them to deliver a battered suitcase to a specific location as delivery trucks were too obvious and became too much of a risk to have their wares stolen. The payment was great if you weren't paying for insurance because then not much was left for anything other than necessities. Sadly, if you weren't planning to live on the street after one failed contract because your delivery exploded from being exposed to too much heat, it'd be best to pay the fee. There was also the fact that you had to reach a specific location in a time limit too short to get to on foot. In other words, you had even less by the end of the month. That put me in my current position where I can't afford a very healthy or luxurious lifestyle with my budget, the only reason I am not overweight is that I tend to walk some of the travel distance on foot. I also learned to stomach the nutrient and vitamin sludge.
Another minus for the job is the fact that you won't have any friends, it is literally a requirement in the contract. These companies want nobodies who got nowhere else to go to do the job as they are least likely to be robbed or to spill the beans that they are carrying around something worth more than what most people make in their whole life. Although stealing the stuff was rather unlikely as they would fine you with double the amount of the deliveries worth, and if it's taken from you? You get put in a cute little cell during the investigation while the thief gets... Well, people vanish all the time, and money sure is convincing...
I came to an abrupt stop when my eyes met with a puddle of clear water. A well-browned face greeted me, not the nice, smooth brown your average African-American had, but more of a dirty bronze tone, the result of walking several miles through the concrete jungle daily. What I also saw in the reflection was a pair of green eyes, fluffy, yet cut short brown hair and a petite goatee. Some may consider these detail beautiful, but if they took into account the complete lack of muscle mass as well as the little flesh on my bones, they'd probably turn around instantly upon sight.
I let out yet another sigh as my gaze looked upwards, a massive concrete block with dozens of windows and balconies. The living standards have drastically improved over time as companies with huge labor requirements couldn't risk an epidemic spreading across a majority of their workforce. As such, these firms implemented company-owned housing in which people had enough space and could not cause daily income crashes. No one lifts a finger anymore; if money isn't involved, I know that too well.
With a sigh I pulled out the flowers, Mystic Blooms, for a matter of fact, a kind of rose whose top was flat and purple while having the shape of a fan, these would actually open and close like the actual object during night or storms in one quick motion. I threw the plastic bag into a nearby bin before pressing a call button, not the one I wanted to visit, but a family friend who knew that I was coming, as well as understand my want to make this a surprise.
A shrill sound rang through the speaker, notifying me of the short window in which the door would be open. I let out a low sigh before entering the building and instantly being assaulted by a cold wave of air. The stairways of these buildings would always be around one-degree Celsius in both winter and summer, if you didn't want to freeze to death, you had to pay a fee for constant heating.
I let out a sigh, put on the hood, and pushed my hands into my pockets before I slowly made my way up the stairs. It would be a long walk as my destination was on the thirteenth level in a building without an elevator. My footsteps echoed in the large building while my only friend was my breath that I could see in the cold, why she chose this location to stay was beyond me. She worked as an architect in a construction firm and could've easily gotten a fancy two people apartment all for herself if she wanted to, but instead opted to go to live in the so-called 'Worker slums.' At the thought of how well the building matched her, I let out a snort, blinding me just a for a moment with the white air. Still, a frown quickly replaced the previous expression once the thought went through my head yet again.
I came to a sudden halt as stood in front of her door, a grey and black nametag glued to the large plastic door, while every other of those hundreds of entries was well decorated. I took a deep breath, slowly calming myself before I lifted my fist, but just as I was about to knock, the door was opened by its owner, who looked less than pleased.
"What do you want, John?" Amber sighed as she leaned against her doorframe with a large frown plastered across her face, her overall look could be described as bored and annoyed. Her long brown her was tied into a bun, perfectly complementing her pale skin, gray pullover, and glasses resting on her nose.
"It's that day again, you're coming this time?" I asked shyly while holding the flower bouquet forward. In those twenty years, she only visited our empty parent's graves four times, the last time being thirteen years ago.
Amber's eye slowly wandered towards the flowers, and upon sight, she let out a long and tired sigh. "John, just-can you just..." She tried to put her thoughts into words as she went to stand upright. She closed her eyes and mumbled, counting to ten, before looking at me with a sorrowful look. "John, we've been over this already, I moved on completely . Mom and dad and the rest are gone, I live my own life now, so do you, and although I am thankful for what they did-" She stopped in the middle of her sentence, her eyes no longer able to look into mine and thus stared on the floor. "Her little girl has been gone for a long time now." She said as her eyes finally meet mine once again.
My jaw dropped while my fist clenched the flowers, nearly snapping the stems in half, there were no violent thoughts that went through my head or anything alike, but these words were hurtful as if someone declared my little sister as dead.
"Please stop coming if it isn't important." She said slowly, before walking back into her apartment and closing the door behind her silently, not even granting me a second glance.
I stood there, staring at the nameplate, stating that here lived my sister, but it seemed like even letters would lie these days. With an angry grunt, I threw the flowers in the trash pin, the petals separated from the rest of the flower instantly and scattered across the floor. I glared at the remains with mixed emotions. Anger, sadness, regret, and stinging pain went through my mind and body as I crush the remains on the ground with my shoes, before kicking the crumpled mass away. I didn't care, If I was fined to death for littering, the last person I cared for just told me in the straight in the face that she was dead, and since Rose was gone for over a year now, I had nothing, but what?! A crappy apartment, a dull day to day job, no, here's the answer, a distinct lack of future!
I breathed heavily while staring down at the mush, my eyes had watered slightly, think what you want, but I could give less shit about my tears at this point. I watched with a profoundly burning anger as the yellow juices of the flowers formed a puddle, almost perfectly replicating the form of the destroyed birthday cake, but perhaps this is what I got. These flowers originally sprouted there where they vanished, was it all my fault, did I drive her away, did I torment her with these plants that I thought would be fitting?!
A long and deep sigh left my lungs, polluting the air in a cloud of steam, with no other reason to stay, I turned around and was about to descend the stairs, go home and forget the annual graveyard visit as a whole and just move one, yeah, that was probably for the best. Yet, my wish was apparently unheard as I came to a halt when my eyes caught something rather unusual. I was met with a large, holographic advertisement board of some sort, this would be nothing strange if I were in the city or in an electronics store, but in a cheap housing complex?
You are one of the lucky individuals who fulfilled all requirements, and thus you were chosen to join "The Game: Aether and Mind." Do you have any important unfulfilled businesses left to do? Answering falsely will put a penalty upon you.
Yes/No?
"Advertisement sure has gotten aggressive lately..." I muttered under my breath while reading the note a second time. It was true that some companies had gotten really pissed when people gave false answers during surveys, so much so that sometimes these cases went to court, mostly because one party took one step too far and the other went a mile further. Still, you wouldn't ask some random guy these questions, or would you? I let out an annoyed sigh, I couldn't care less about the advertisement and just answer truthfully.
"No, I've got nothing to do in life anymore, when do I get my coupon?" I asked with a raised brow as the advertisement vanished without making any sound, which was unusual as any model would always make some sort of deactivation sound. That was the first sign that told me something was wrong; the other was that both of my feet were stuck on the floor, and the staircase railing was rising.
"What the Fuck!" I screamed out loud when my eyes met the ground, and I saw that it had suddenly morphed into a black, tar-like substance drawing me into it like quicksand. My eyes widened in shock, and I tried to pull my legs out, but the thick liquid was not budging, instead, it was pulling me deeper. My breath picked up as I could feel a pair of three-clawed hands dig into my calf and dragging me deeper into the liquid. No, I couldn't die this way, not by an anomaly! Please let me be in some coma after being hit by a bus or anything other than this! I let out a scream, crying for help, and everything from that was just a blur as I could all my feeling drained from the black liquid that up to this point had swallowed me everything below my waist.
The door opened and out walked an annoyed Amber, but just before she could ask what was happening, she watched in utter horror as I was sucked into a dark abyss. Amber ran forwards, the naked feet crushing the petals and nearly slipping as she dropped to her knees and grabbed my hands in an attempt to pull me out. Despite her efforts, she only managed to slow down the inevitable, but for the first time in many years, I could finally see some emotions in her, sadly I had no time to enjoy the moment.
I stared at Amber with high hopes and despair, but these daydreams of her saving me were crushed when I saw her slowly sinking into the black liquid too, but she didn't even realize it. I-I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes for just a moment.
"Amber?" I asked her, gained her attention as small tendrils slowly rose towards her torso. "I love you, don't you ever forget that," I said with a smile and teary eyes, before pushing her away. The look of shock and betrayal as she stumbled backward and out of the dark ground burned itself into my mind. Without anything holding me back, I sunk into the liquid in one go, absorbing me and stealing away my consciousness along with it, but at the very least, sparing me of the pain of drowning.
"JOHN!!!" was the last thing I heard before everything changed yet again.
Author's Note
The first five chapters are mostly about the main character's thoughts, as well as to build the base of the story. The crazy moments that you are most likely expecting will happen a little later
This story is a little experiment I wished to do for a while now, not exactly this way, but it goes in the general direction. I currently have two public stories that I update about twice or thrice a year, fanfictions that each are planned out, and for a while now have a lot of attention given to them. I also have about five fictions that I began but gave up upon after about fifteen thousand words or so.
So what is this story going to be then? It's simple, a more lighthearted story. Both Don't You Dare, at the very least the last five or so chapters, and A rewritten Past have a long list of plans and ideas that I woven into a plot, but I realized that I was perhaps putting too much thought into these stories. I found myself doubting my writing skills again and again, which now already lead to several discontinued fanfictions that all had, at least from what I've seen so far, all had original and unique stories.
In the end, and after trying out seeing this long list whenever I'm going to write, I decided to write this. A story about a man landing in Equestria with the unique power to control Aether and Mind. Perhaps this sounds weird, and those aware of what The Gamer is might believe that this is going to be an overpowered mc story, but this isn't.
In the future, there will be an exact explanation of how that is possible or why, and that gets me to the next point: What can you expect from the main character.
John is a nobody, and even with the GAME in his head, that still doesn't make him the attention catcher of the whole world. No race depends on him; no grand fate or evil creature wants to kill him either, and, although he is not a bad man, he doesn't care about anyone but his sister, and currently without her, only himself.
This story is precisely what I wanted. It doesn't matter if he/I make a mistake, there won't be a huge plot hole, a lack of explanation or even grand consequences, it will be as if he was just a normal Stallion, living a mundane life, in a world so much better than his old, while he searches for power. That may change in the future when the character has grown. But for now, there won't be any 'huge jumps' other than the beginning events.
I thank you for reading this short little message of mine. Also, please be put to ease when I say that I won't be throwing away this story after I had my fun. Still, I can't promise an 'update schedule' like my main stories have, and to those people reading Don't You Dare or A rewritten Past, don't worry, I won't be forgetting to publish those chapters either.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter one: An unwelcome visit
'Who wants to join this shit show now?' I thought loudly in my mind, raising an eyebrow while the two horses in front of me waved their gaze off of me, freeing me from the torment of looking cute. I really hoped that not another pony would show up, being adopted by a seemingly single woman was perhaps the best scenario for me to be in as that meant fewer people to act normal around. The ponies would least likely be catching anything unusual, the more of these animals knew of me meant that the situation became spicier by the beast. Of course, having built a persona with a lot of these horses believing me to be nothing but a normal colt was also an excellent way to survive, necessary even given that these creatures seemed to be herd animals, not a bunch of lone wolfs.
"Are you expecting somepony?" The Pegasus asked with a confused and slightly concerned look on her weird face, probably worrying about having to share me. Wait!?
'Some-PONY? Oh dear fucking god you can't be serious.' The very thought about having not only to hear but also to use such a butchered version of a once universal word was pure pain, especially given that there are more creatures than Ponies. Oh, right, racists.
Should I adapt your speech and translate it into a more pony-like way of talking? The Game asked, he who was my one, only and true friend in this hellhole with far too vibrant colors.
'Oh yes, you're my lifesaver, pal. If I were to talk like a candy corn animal like that for the following years I'd probably hang myself with my vocal cords that I previously ripped out with a rusty fork.' I replied with a sigh of pure relief escaping me, and the very fact that that was my answer was a clear indication that my vocabulary was not fit for this world. 'I want to sound like a super nice guy, one that everyone likes and never talks too much shit, cut the ways of talking, swear, and things that might seem out of place. I want to be the person least expected to secretively be a candidate for this words SCP foundation.' I did not care if I would sound like the most prominent do-gooder this world has ever seen, nor am I interested in the way these animals see me, once I am strong enough I'll abandon those beasts once and for all.
Affirmative, execute 'A real nice guy' protocol. Oh, dear fucking god, please tell me he isn't meaning what I am thinking right now...
"No, I'm not awaiting anypony-" Urgh! "-I don't think so at the very least." Said Gentle as she held her right hoof to her chin, her face wrapped in confusion and excessive thinking.
Summer shrugged with her- withers, I guess? -before walking towards the door, her steps barely perceivable as if she was a cat, elegant and light. Gentle looked after the Pegasus, I assume she was thinking of following or staying. In the end, she, a few seconds later, levitated me on top of her back before following the oversized chicken.
The new position that was not obstructed by feathers allowed me to see more of the outer world, not even mentioning just how fluffy these equine backs were, nearly swallowing me in their puffy glory. The apartment of Gentle was huge, at least, by human world standards, I could make out various rooms, counting about six in number and fully furnished by what seemed to be custom made wooden furniture. Several shelves housing books and photos decorated the walls, a couple of carpets covered the wooden floor a the even the ceiling was not left alone with those crystals hanging from the ceiling by golden threads. If It didn't know any better, I'd think I landed in the living space of a high-income citizen. In other words, she must be loaded!
The Horse, Gentle Touch, slowly walked towards the door and was unable to keep up with her friend, not that I mind as the sightseeing tour of my new home was filling me with amazement and made me wonder what the rest of this world was like. A world that was not a rotting dump, at least, from the few bits I've seen so far. But alas, not everything lasted forever, as the moment my personal means of transportation reached the door, Summer breeze opened the wooden gate.
Warning: A high-level entity who is neutral to hostile towards you is close by. Consider retreat or attempt not to anger entity by all means.
My heart nearly jumped out of my furred chest upon hearing the warning bells go off in my head. The Game's warped voice that rose and sunk in quick succession like an alarm summoned a slight headache while filling me with fear and anxiety. This sensation of highly concentrated fright and adrenalin washing over me in several waves nearly caused me to fall from my high horse. heh. Only in the last moment was I able to catch myself in the last second by clamping all of my limbs tightly against Gentle's back. My form shivered greatly as if it was a hair's width away from death.
"Excuse me, does a certain 'Gentle Touch' live here?" asked a smooth male voice coming from the direction of the doorframe. His British accent was only barely perceivable, but it was still there.
"That would be me, may I ask who you are and why you are here?" asked Gentle Touch with her recognizably soft voice even when filled with skepticism. She apparently did not expect guests, and the Pony in front of her was not someone she knew, that was not a good sign.
Before I could sink any further into my worries, I was levitated off of Gentle's back and into her hooves, taking me into a tight hug. It was only then that I realized that I, myself, was not scared, but rather my form was what shivering in fear from the sudden voice and energy that sharply washed over me. Even now, this insidious sensation was weakly radiating from all directions. I don't know if the Pony put some sort of debuff on me, or if this was my newly acquired body acting out, but I needed to get this insanity under control.
A quiet clicking noise snapped me, or rather my equine body, out of its stasis and forcefully looked towards the origin of the sound and finally allowing me to see this danger with my own eyes. Gentle Touch seemingly did the same as her grasp around me tightened ever so slightly. A golden circular medal with a large sun sigil made out of crystal was embedded into the soft metal, giving the jewel an even shinier color tone inside of what seemed to be an iron case. My eyes then wandered to the Pony that was holding the apparent form of identification. A unicorn that was nearly two head taller than 'my mother' with a short cut light azure coat and a neatly combed white mane, through which an equally pristine horn poked out, looked at me with great curiosity with his brown eyes.
"I am Agent Mist Path. I was sent here by the crown to investigate the situation involving a certain foal yesterday. However, when I arrived, I was informed that you had already relocated the little one, which greatly delayed my arrival. My apologies." His voice was so smooth and polite that it made me worry about how one could even be able to speak this way, not even mentioning the fact that he was able to talk without moving a muscle, yet his smile remained entirely still during his speech. That was never something good, I meet enough lone sharks in my days to know if somethings off. With his introduction finished, he put the identification metal into some sort of saddleback that was strapped onto his back with large pockets on both sides of his barrel. A sun symbol could bee seen on either side of the bag, making me wonder what their obsession with the flaming star was, hopefully, not in any way similar to that of the Aztec.
"And you want to do what exactly?" Asked Summer Breeze standing on the other side of Gentle Touch with a raised eyebrow and a confused tone as she pointed one of her wings forwards in a questioning motion. Although her positioning seemed to be somewhat goofy, it was evident that she did take on a defensive stance even if she was unaware of that.
"Miss-"
"-Summer Breeze." added the Pegasus quickly.
"Miss Summer Breeze, I can assure you that I have no ill intentions, but it is important to check upon the colt given his unique situation and state he most likely is currently in." Explained Mist with his smile finally fading and speaking with a severe tone.
'Game, please tell me he isn't able to find out our secret?' I asked worryingly while remaining while continuing to hold my curious appearance towards the possible member of the Pony CIA.
Negative. Aether is the purest form of energy, the only way to expose our disguise would be someone thoroughly skilled in the manipulation of Aether. The chances of being discovered by any being on this world, even if they were aware that there was an Aether entity residing inside of you is so low that worry should not be wasted. The energy instead used not to reveal ourselves. The Game explained to me with a light hint of reassurance, and as little as it was, it greatly reduced my worry and giving me the power to slowly calm down.
"Sir, I know that his cond-" Gentle Touch started, though was abruptly cut off.
"Miss, I am well aware of what his physical condition is as I have already reviewed the footage of the memory shards set in place of the clinic, and I can agree that his state has mysteriously improved greatly." Mist spoke with a slightly raised tone as he lifted one hoof of the floor. His look has not wavered from at all as if he was trying to see something. "Still, as impressive, unnatural even, as that feat is, that was not my reason for coming here, though they might be connected. Would you mind putting him on a table and letting me enter? The sooner this observation has been completed, the earlier all of us can resume their normal daily activities."
"Ehm..." Gentle Touch gulped silently as she looked down at me, to which I reiterated by doing the same towards her. "Sure." She did not sound reassuring or confident in the slightest, and her slow and uneven walk towards a close-by table located in what I assumed to be the living room was unnerving, like having to wait in the doctor's office for results. I could hear the door close and two sets of hooves following behind Gentle Touch, once they stopped closely behind her, she finally let me down onto the wooden platform and gave me an uncertain smile. "Don't worry, he won't do anything to you like the meany doctor."
"Depending on the condition of the foal, Doctor Goodwill will be questioned too, though that is just mandatory." Said Mist as he slowly walked past my adopted mother and put his saddlebag on the ground. To my surprise, his belongings emitted a heavy thump upon impact, making me wonder if he carried around dumbells.
"His name is Star Touch." Added Summer Breeze as she finally joined the quartet of horses.
"That certainly is an interesting choice for a name, though I can guess how you came up with that, miss." He spoke as he rummaged through his bag, sinking everything down to his stomach into the back. My eyes nearly widened, though the Game kept me in check as a normal foal would in no way begin to question the laws of space. "Ah, there it is!" He called out as he retracted his form out of the far too small room and levitated in his white magic, a ring with a single blue gem.
'What is that?' I wondered with a mentally raised eyebrow. 'He's not going to propose to me, is he?'
The object in question is radiating magic, making it at the very least a level 25 item of rare quality. Observation is advised.
The moment the Game answered, my two mares decided to join in and ask what the Ring was, swaying the attention away from me and onto the Stallion, thus allowing me to [Observe] both the Ring and the one holding it.
Agent Mist Path This Pony's level and power is far too great to be observed, and contact should be avoided until you reached a higher level or gained a higher reputation with this individual
Magic Ring You don't know what this Ring does yet, and its level is too high to be observed. Be cautious, it may hold a foul enchantment.
I did not expect to not gain a single level Observing too high-level targets, especially when one of them is a high leveled agent, and the other is a magic item.
You Observation level is far too low. Although Observing the Pigeon, even when it gave you little information, your level was still high enough to gain sufficient knowledge. The Game evaluated, this time not even making me angry for not explaining it to me, but rather letting me learn from experience... Aww, I thought I would gain an intelligence point.
"What's that?" The Pegasus asked and taking the thoughts out of my mind.
"It kind of looks like an inhibitor ring, but something is strange about it." Gentle Touch spoke with a slow and low tone as she loudly mumbled to herself while inspecting the Ring for herself.
"That is partially correct, miss Gentle Touch. This is an evaluation ring, and although it too does block the use of magic from the horn, its main purpose is to weigh the mana reserves and output of a young unicorn." He explained while levitating the Ring in front of all of us, allowing us to inspect its unknown glory.
Knowledge acquired on an object previously known as "Magic Ring."
"Now, this may twinge a little bit, but I'm sure you'll survive small one." Once he spoke his sentence, he reluctantly lined up the Ring over my horn and pushed it down to the base.
Horn-based magic use has been restricted. Find the origins and deactivate it to retrieve the ability to channel mana through your horn.
The message practically exploded in my face, covering up my whole vision for two seconds, and once gone, an infernal itching traveled up and down my horn while concentrating the most negative feelings there where the Ring was placed. I attempted not to do act out, but I could not help it and attempt to push the energy that was cut off out and destroy the blockade. It wasn't like being unable to burp, sneeze, or even urinate, but more like a lighter version of suffocation in a way.
"Fascinating..."
Shit!
"Is something not alright?" Gentle asked worryingly as she took a step closer to me in an attempt to spot anything that might be wrong with me, well, more than usual.
"Normally foals don't even notice that their magic has been cut off and instead are irritated by the weight of the measuring device. Though he is apparently able to perceive it. I wonder why-" His words cut off like a soft bar of butter that was hit by a one thousand degree hot katana.
"What?! What is wrong, is he not well?" Gentle's voice quivered with worry and fear as she looked at me with wide eyes, while Summer Breeze was sweating furiously and bitting at her hooves with such speed that dozens of tiny bit of keratin were flying everywhere.
"That... those results are astounding..." He half-whispered while staring at the Ring with a blank look on his face, causing both horses to stop their buffoonery. "This colts magical power is nearly five times higher than that of a four-year-old. This explains Swift Wave's sudden death." Mist jumbled the last part.
...
'Game? Did we-'
The death of the entity known as Swift Wave was caused entirely by our actions. Do you wish me to further elaborate?
'I... I am... I don't know what to say. I mean, I really don't care about them, but to kill them, anything that can talk is quiet extreme...' I answered as I felt dread slowly spread like a virus through my abdomen and ever so unpleasantly slowly corrode its way into my chest.
Our current body would've died after six months of developing after not only not receiving enough nutrients and energy but also because of the unhealthy diet of the mother. The entity Swift Wave was suffering from more than five diseases for extended periods, two of them being deadly. If we had not intervened, then her death would have been slow and excruciating. My actions have, at the very least, numbed her pain during our birth by releasing a low output of energy to kill off any sensors and artificially flooding her system with endorphins.
His words, although they relieved me, made me not feel less any morbid about my choices. Although the Game tells me to have done the right thing, and [GAMER's Mind] is agreeing that that was the best course of action, I felt a bit empty inside now.
"How is that possible? How does that have anything to do with the mother's death? What does it mean for my Star Touch?" Gentle Touch fired off three seconds in less than three seconds, pulling the poor agent out of his shocked state.
"Wah? Oh right, my apologies, I -or Equestria for that matter -has not seen a foal born with such a high level in over twenty years. With such talents, he is easily qualified to visit Celestia's school for gifted Unicorns once he reaches a certain age..." Mist's voice was filled with amazement as he pulled off the Ring off of me and took a much closer look at the now orange glowing Ring. He didn't even acknowledge Gentle's first question, passively or actively, was up for debate. His praise or the swift jump of topics to facts made it only ever so clear that he did not wish to further elaborate.
Horn-based magic casting is now aavailable again.
"Isn't that where all those posh noble foals go?" Summer Breeze asked with little enthusiasm in her voice as she tilted her head to the left, giving the agent bored look. Did everyone just forget that he was just talking about someone's death?
"Eh, although that would not be my choice of words, yes, that is where the most powerful nobles send their offspring to be educated. It would also be the first time since, well, ever, that a foal would be able to learn there who is not from any lineage." Said Mist as he scratched his head with his hoof, his previous professionalism had been seemingly washed away by the mind-blowing relaxation. His form was ever so slightly shaking if it was by anticipation or worry was unknown, though it did seem to have at least some high importance to him.
Being a well known and beloved public figure would allow for one of the best ways to hide within open sight. It's advisable to get in good graces of powerful beings for the time being as it would decrease the shock from seeing a unicorn having suddenly gained beyond average levels of power.
'I don't like that one bit, but it's too late for that now. Damn, I just wanted to be a nobody and having to go to school again? Urgh, just kill me now...' I thought with dark thoughts as my mood slowly entered Shitland.
Learning becomes near obsolete as I can record any pieces of information, text, and even speeches you hear or see, allowing you to review them at any point of time. The Game said, lessening my hatred for the future and replacing it with the joyful thoughts of having gained perhaps the best kind of sidekick.
"Really?" Gentle Touch said as she slowly walked toward me and putting one of her soft hooves against me back, comforting me for being 'such a big boy.' "My little colt, could be there one day?" Gentle Touch asked carefully. What the hell is so special to go to that school, and who is Celestia?
"It is simply what I am assuming based on the results, but it would be quiet a shock if his talents were to go to waste by becoming a baker or sculptor." Mist said as he put the Ring back into the bag and lifted a barely visible glass orb, its surface shifting slightly as if it was trying to match its surroundings. Was the object alive?
"Why did you pull out a crystal ball? Are you a fortune-teller? Uh-uh, tell me about my future!" Summer exclaimed as she jumped around energetically, completely obsolete of her surroundings.
"Eh-no." Mist quickly murdered her hopes and dreams of learning when her shining stead would come with a single word, or whatever goes through their heads. "This orb's purpose is to become invisible for the eye and only detectable with magic once it has been powered. After seeing that little Star Touch has such great percipience up close, then seeing how well he can sense magic from further away might be important to measure now aswell."
"Are you not expecting a little too much of him? He's just two days old, and this seems like a lot of stress for him." Gentle said with concern as she began to rub my back. If she ever decides to quit being a nurse, then becoming a masseuse would make her a rich horse.
"Yes and no. Normally a foal is only tested with one of these tools, most of the time simply having their magic evaluated, though sometimes when a foal is born with special skills, equally unique tools are needed. These tests are not very hard as they don't really require the foal doing much, and the little strain is a little pay off for having their abilities discovered." Mist said with closed eyes while his aura slowly began to intensify, making the actual orb disappear, but his magic grip radiate.
Normal ponies are not able to see magic, and even our body is not able to perceive the color spectacle, but I am able to receipt the magic which's user did not attempt to conceal. And thus, another point of my bottomless bucket list of questions for the Game was answered.
"Good, now, little one, follow the magic with your eyes." Said Mist, though what he most likely wanted me to do was to follow the signature and simple motioning with my snout where I felt the magic, like a hearing test, so to say.
Without much hassle, I followed the orb, each time I did so correctly, in other words, always, the male horse would praise me and take one step back. I don't know how far Mist believed me to be able to do 'see' the orb, but given that the Game was able to locate Gentle Touch from one hundred meters away, then I'd think that he'd soon fall out of the window. Finally, after having reached the other side of the apartment and being about thirty meters away and having gone so far and distancing himself from the ball to be able to see if I was still doing it right, he stopped his test. Mist let the ball reappear shortly after before he walked back and put the object into his bag without saying a word. Though once he was back, he said one thing. "You are really something special, aren't you?" I could not make out if that was another praise or something more profound, though I just took the former to further boost my ego.
"Well, it seems like I am unable to fulfill this test to its fullest, but the results are incredible, to say the least. There is one more experiment I wish to do before taking my leave, though I have to warn you: Although this test may seem dangerous, it is one hundred percent safe." Two audible Gulps, one from behind and the other from Summer, rang through the little home, making me wonder just how much more absurd this world will become.
Mist suddenly turned around with high speed, his aura gripping something round with so much energy that it hid the object. My eyes, as vast as they were, managed to widen even further. Out of instinct, I tried to lift my arms to protect my face, but my hooves did not respond and froze stiff from fear. My physical form was still that of an infant, a squishy, bony, and nearly dead bouncy ball. Yet I still felt something in me reaching out. It was like a liquid or was it gas, I could not tell, but it was alive in a sense, idly and tranquility did it slumber until now so much so that I never perceived it, but once it heard my distress, it finally awoke and heed my call. My body ever so slightly relaxed and allowed my mind to work. The world seemingly slowed down to a thousandth as I watched the ball, the objects which my eyes were unyieldingly fixated to and guarding it without rest or blink, closed in as the gleaming in Mist's eyes grew as if he knew I could do it.
I paid him no mind as I reached inside of me with my mind, and out of the serene lake inside of me, aligned with my mind, I pictured a hand grasping forward, taking the ball within my grasp. The second my etherial claw made contact with them with arcane power charged object, I felt a struggle as if two forces clashed against one another like those of magnetism or fluids. However, mine was superior, overwhelming the native power and pulverizing it and released it after destroying the spell construct. My pupils widened as I tasted magic for the first time, a rush unlike all physical pleasures I have ever experienced: power, adrenalin, joy, happiness, and control overwhelmed me as I could feel the ball from every angle. Weight, texture, material, temperature, and in a sense, even smell and taste it. The projectile that fascinated me and laid me into a zen-like state gradually slowed down before stopping mere inches away from my face, afloat gently in my grey aura. Although I had not taken the object in with my mortal eyes, I knew full well what it was, but eye contact was what ensured me the perception of my magic. It was a simple softball, though it felt heavy in my magic.
"Before you become angered with my methods, Miss Gentle, I would like to point out that if the ball had come any closer to your son, then it would've simply bounced off due to its enchantments." Mist spoke, making the pressure of my 'mother's' hoof increase against my back with every word he spoke, making me wonder just how hard he pissed off the mama bear inside of the horse. Mist Path then quickly pulled the ball out of my magic grasp, showcasing the apparent gap in power as it delivered not even a millisecond of resistance, and dropping it off over his raised hoof. Still, the ball continued to float, he went even as far and pressed both of his hooves from left and right against the magic magnetic field, but it wouldn't budge. "See? now harm would've been done, and these tests sadly need to be played out as if they were a real scenario."
"Is that everything?" Gentle asked begrudgingly as she pulled me closer to the table edge and against her fluffy form. In a sense, I could understand her why she was so angry, had anyone done anything to my sister at that age, then he would've not left unscratched, but this was different. I was not hurt, hell, I wasn't even crying or screaming or even shaking, partly due to my form and my spirit still being trapped in this state of ecstasy. I might not like the method that guy used or how shady he acts, but if he can do more tests to let me get stronger, then he can become my godfather for all I care about.
"Yes, though, you'll likely have to visit the castle and talk with one of the magicians present to receive official documents on your son's capabilities, as well as an inhibitor ring to ensure that nothing will happen should he go through a magic surge. Expect a summoning letter in the following days." Mist said as he closed his saddlebags and put them on his back one again and walking away, though he did stop once to wish both mares a good day, not receiving any words in return, before closing the door and being gone.
Everyone stayed silent even though the troublemaker had already left, making me wonder how long I'd be trapped in this of sound devoided place, though my prayers were heard as the Game finally talked with me again.
Through the special action of levitating an object on your own for the first time, you've created the skill [Levitation].
Levitation - Level 1This spell allows the user to move an object with the power of their mind. The spell itself has no limits and is completely dependent on the power of the caster. * Maximum weight: 2.5kg (Int * 100g) *Cost: 1 mana per 10g per minute *Maximum Range between caster and object: 1m
I cannot fathom what went over me, or perhaps I could, but the joy of seeing a new skill and possibly becoming more than a simple delivery guy one day was enough for me to do something out of the ordinary. I lifted my left hoof and waved slowly and wearily at the door as a scramble of squeaks and blurps escaped my muscle, all sounding all too happy.
"You really are one bundle of joy, aren't you?" Gentle Touch sighed and shook her head as her muzzle lowered itself into my short mane, nuzzling it. I did not know much about these aliens and their ways of raising their offspring, or any newborn for that matter, but they were incredibly touchy.
She is marking you with her scent to ensure that other ponies will know that you belong to her. This behavior should lessen once all the smell of the previous mother has left and or been overshadowed.
And now I want to change my skin...
"Ehm, Gentle?"
"Yes?"
"I, ehm, I don't mind if that is how you want to raise him, but don't you think it would be good for him to wear a diaper before he makes a mess?" The Pegasus asked with uncertainty in her voice and a slight twitching in her wing as she noticed my energetic attitude. Her words were enough to let dread and horror form a pit of terror in my stomach, and the sight of Gentle having an epiphany was not soothing this darkness.
A gasp escaped Gentle's muzzle as she slapped both of her hooves against the sides of her face with a look of shock. Just how comedic where these animals attempting to be? "You're right, I can't waste time. Summer, please entertain Star while I get the search going." Gentle did not even give Summer a moment to respond before galloping away, her half-swollen stomach bouncing with her movement and nearly causing her to stumble.
Once Gentle was gone, the Pegasus and I made eye contact. I carefully looked at her of emotions devoided face. At the same time, she gazed into my damned soul, before a primordial roar, also known as a squeaking screech, escaped her powerful throat and lunged forward, embracing me in a soft, cuddly death grip.
'Game, get me out of here! I don't want any more cuddles, no more hugs and no diapers on my butt!' I screamed in my skull at full volume as I felt Summer's muzzle bury itself into my back, and her strangely dexterous lips assault my hide.
My advice: Just let it happen...
'Screw you, you damn son of a-'
'-Bitch' I grumbled angrily as I felt my back legs being lifted by a- in comparison to my magic -powerful aura that wrapped itself softly against my lower form. I shuddered slightly as I felt the somewhat cold powder sprinkled in my underdeveloped private area, the sight of what seemed to be a sheath hiding my penis lessened my fear of this nudist world only by a slither.
"He sure is calm." Summer Breeze commented as she idly looked over Gentle's shoulder. If what she was doing could be considered perversion or pedophilia or something absolutely normal in this world, I did not know.
"I know, he's really well behaving for a colt so young..." Gentle's voice slowly drifted away into silence as she looked over her works, apparently satisfied as she put the powder, along with the other complementaries, into a nearby drawer under the changing table in her bathroom. "I was anxious that the doctor traumatized him, given how timid and silent he was, but now I believe he just even more of a miracle foal."
"Yeah, I can believe that," Summer added as she grabbed a diaper from under her and handed it to Gentle with her teeth. "Though it makes me wonder, why was the Mist fellow so amazed by Star? Sure, if I could fly four times faster than anyone else that I'd sure be something exceptional, but he seemed to nearly explode from joy." Her voice sounded confused, seemingly surprised at how much praise the stranger gave me.
Gentle slid the diaper under my lower form and began to slowly wrap it around my waist while talking to Summer. "Breeze, what Star did today was beyond amazing. Most Foals learn Levitation at the age of six, most adults can't even cast it for more than just mundane tasks like carrying a basket or opening a door, but stopping a projectile? The only ponies I know who learn that are in the guard. Most unicorns can't even cast spells outside of their cutie mark, a majority can't even learn more than three spells in their whole life." Gentle spoke with amazement and proudness in her voice as she finished preparing the portable cloth toilet and binding it to my butt.
"Wow, I didn't know that magic was so hard to do. Didn't that one book from the schooldays say that any unicorn can cast any spell?" Summer suddenly asked as she titled her face.
"Really? From all the things you picked up from all those years of education, you remember that?" Gentle questioned with a raised eyebrow as she turned away from her work and me, and onto the Pegasus's face. "In theory, yes, but most unicorns simply don't possess the needed mana reserves and or output to cast them without hurting themselves."
"Hey, you know that not much can get through my thick skull. Besides, that was one heavy book that hit me in the face." Summer muttered as she scrapped the floor with her hoof, making Gentle giggle.
Star Touch, I'd like to inform you that although I suppressed the desire of relief, this form has reached its waste capacity limits and will now have to lose unnecessary weight. The Game spoke politely and avoided any words that may sound rash or strong.
'Do not use that name when speaking directly with me, ok? I will never be that illusion. Also, to answer your question, yes. Taking a shit now would mean I wouldn't have to crawl with it around later.'
Gentle's muzzle suddenly scrunched up as she smelled the stinking scent coming from my diaper, luckily my embarrassment, as muffled as it already was due to my status as the Game's host, had reached its limit. Though, I was surprised that instead of annoyance, I found relief in her face. "Phew, you were right summer, that was a close one."
Sigh...
Not much followed after this newly achieved low in my life, a new diaper was forced upon me, and Summer bid her goodbyes after spending a few more hours with my adoptive mother, mostly talking about things I had no idea what they were. Even the Game had no idea what they were talking about, but then again, how were either of us supposed to understand aliens? Those two, at least if they were no oddities, also made it quite clear that these animals were damn touchy and used every opportunity for skin contact made evident by the constant hugging of everything and everyone. The flaw [Outcast] now made so much more sense, but for me to not end up like that was more of a perk than it was anything remotely negative.
Shortly later, Gentle brought me to her bedroom, choosing that it was best if I were to remain on her side for the foreseeable future if it was out of loneliness or just a cultural thing, I did not know. Her form laid down on her side as she shyly presented her udders having already gained in volume. The process of feeding was becoming ever so slightly easier for me as my body grew to enjoy it more and more like an addiction, allowing me not to have a mental breakdown. With only little struggle on my side, I wrapped my lips against her meaty pink udders and felt the silky smooth liquid rush down my throat and fill my belly.
Sadly I was not able to view the night sky tonight as my feeble form used up the few scraps of energy I had left when I sucked out the last drops of available milk from Gentle, who was slowly brought to the realm of slumber midway through the feeding. How long would I have to do this? I don't know, but if I had a guess, then I'd say it would be years before I would reach maturity and be able to gain some control over my life instead of being handed- hooved? -around like a baby. Whatever horrors I will go through in the future, they are all worth it, I just need to keep telling me that, and I'll succeed.
Author's Note
For anyone wondering why the ability to see Unicorn magic is not an ability is because it is not one of John's/Star Touch's skills, but rather a function of the Game. One day he might be able to gain the power himself, though nothing is guaranteed.
I would also like to point out that the mentioning of breastfeeding, diapers, and other baby-related stuff is only used as the protagonist is in the form of a newborn. Should I give more direct descriptions of certain events, please be aware that I am not doing this to spread this particular fetish, not that I am going to judge anyone for their sexual life or interests.
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter 3.5 relaxing and repairing [E]
I have never seen a treehouse on earth with my own two eyes, but I have to admit having one is pretty dope, especially when it was self-made. And Gerb's father was a pretty darn good hobby builder, although it did make me wonder why he was a furniture mover instead of an artisan or craftsgriffon
"And so Pomp Puncher threw his premium pompin' tastic punch against the visage of sir Vulgrom, also known to the criminal side of Argendake as 'Ze Zorstorer'." I read out loud a comic.
"PSST! Don't spoil it Star, I'm only at issue six so far!" Sugar Drop complained.
I laid on the ground atop my stomach, smiling to myself as Sugar, who laid in a similar position as I, lifted her legs and nudged me. Although in truth she just found my legs to be comfortable hoof resters I assumed.
"Come on, we bought those comics like a month ago, how are you still there?" Gerb replied with sass and shock, even throwing his comic onto the floor. Although his position, that being seated on a bean bag, made this action hard. Yeah, maybe I should've bought a smaller one instead of thinking about longevity.
"I mean, we also bought a whole bunch of books." Cairn Song said from the side with a pinch of confidence I wouldn't've expected him to have two years ago.
'Yeah, we bought those. Not like I paid 90 percent of the bill... Nooo.' I mused with false annoyance. In terms of finances, I am pretty set for my age, even aside from the sum of pocket money that I receive monthly, one that likely was higher than my annual earnings as a delivery guy extraordinaire, I had other sources of income too. My little pencil idea was successful, even if most of it had to be redone to be used by the public masses and not just one with access to Aether. The ownership of this patent: 'A piece of wood filled with a coloration rod inside' (Yes, that's what was written on the paper) ensured that if things didn't turn out well, I'd still have a comfy safety net.
I still have no idea what they used to compliment the coal’s aspect like it was some sort of very soft graphite, but still different enough to raise my eyebrows...
I also had a thing going on with the creation of art since it was much faster to level up than writing and having all those 'projects' in my room was suffocating. Although I hope that the demand for my art was due to my craftsmanship and not because of my title. Nonetheless, I tried to not flaunt either title or wealth, it was poisonous to one's mind, and my position as the host already was pushing my 'sense of empowerment to uncomfortable heights.
"Is that robo friend 2000? I thought they were sold out everywhere?" Sugar suddenly asked with interest and gained our attention. She pointed her hoof at an old and bumped robot you'd see in those ancient toy commercials. "Can I have it for a moment?" She pulled the toy towards her before receiving an answer.
Gerb shrugged. "Sure, knock yourself out, it's broken either way."
"How did you break it? It's made out of metal." Cairn Song asked, hopping down from his seat near the window.
"Hey, I didn't break it." Gerb said with a hurt tone, before crossing his forelimbs. "My dad sometimes picks up stuff ponies leave behind or throw away. I mean, do I look like I could afford that stuff?"
'Ouch, someone hit a sore spot.' I thought to myself, cringing quietly to myself while observing the displeased look on Gerb's face. Although I could sympathize with the lack of new toys, at least when I was young.
You are 9. The Game commented from the side, now I could understand why Gerb was so easily infuriated by accusations.
Cairn Song winced and rubbed his hoof while looking away for a moment. "Sorry." He said gently, while his ear flickered.
"Oh, don't take it so hard to the heart, just hit a soft spot." Gerb answered with a sigh, before rubbing his shoulder in return. His eyes fell onto me inspecting the toy.
"Yep, nothing is moving inside this things." Sugar Drop enforced the state of the robo friend 2000 while violently shaking the toy like a fish called Nemo.
"Can I try something?" I asked while taking the toy from Sugars aura, earning a confused, cross-eyed look. How interesting of a reaction.
"Come on Jerky, you're the last one who's got to ask for toys." Gerb said with an empathetic tone, making me believe he didn't mention my wealth, but rather my generosity.
I lifted the toy before my eyes, before deeply concentrating on the toy. The toy vibrated as its screws were all turned at once, and the parts were separated and laid in piles on the floor. Magic has become... I wouldn't quite describe it as an extension of my will, neither as something natural, rather a multi-function tool I'm quite well used to, but at times I forget to use it as well and stick to my hooves instead.
You seem to possess knowledge of this primitive electronic object. The Game noted with an interesting tone. How weird, I thought he had in-depth knowledge of my whole life.
'I've built a similar robot during school future day: We were able to visit one company for a day, and I chose a department store that specialized in electronics. I cut parts from sheets, welded, cabled, and all that stuff.' I mused in my head and smiled a bit harder. Curse that perk.
"Hmm, so that's the flaw." I mumbled to myself, gaining the attention of my three friends who crept closer. I questioned how some devices could function when this country barely had any industrialization to speak off. However, I now had my answer and a new viewpoint on this world and chain of development: It wasn't that ponykind didn't have a drive for development due to Celestia's warding presence, they were just using a more lucrative path in the direction of arcane engineering.
"The power source, this crystal here, was cracked. By the looks of it the robot was thrown pretty hard." I said calmly while feeling only the faintest of emotions radiating from the object, which probably wasn't used much.
"Rich kid probably wanted it in blue or pink instead of grey." Gerb muttered with annoyance, and Cairn's emotions showed that he shared this opinion to some extent.
"Never took you for one hatin' the rich folk." I spoke with a feeble country accent, Gentle's family sends too many letters. I ignored this statement for the most part and held the broken item to my heart and pushed a tiny bit of Aether into the crystal, so as to not cause an explosion.
"Not to be mean or anything but, ehm, those living up there aren't really the nicest ponies." Cairn admitted with a crooked, somewhat unsure tone. "Of-of course that doesn't include you."
"Really? I haven't seen anything that bad." Sugar Drop said with genuine surprise, but I could only silently huff at the nativity.
"Yeah I wonder why..." I said a bit too loudly while listening to the crystal's cracks being sealed.
"Dad used to make furniture in Baltimare, then some rich colt bought the whole company and let go all the griffins, that was like half of the staff. 'Least that’s what dad told me." Gerb rolled his eyes, before looking at the parts which floated into the air and were slowly put back together into one toy. It was oddly satisfying seeing them all just flawlessly, fluidly fly back into their place.
"If helps any, I believe a big business like that was asking for financial support from the crown a year ago or so, but was denied. I haven't heard anything since, but maybe it went out of business." I said coyly, before handing the toy to Cairn Song. "Would you please turn that small switch on the back?" I couldn't test it myself, as that result couldn't tell me if the item would only work for me, or everyone.
"Uhm, should I?" Carin Song asked Gerb shyly, who seemed unfazed by the question. Cairn gulped and carefully put the toy on the ground, his ear flickered continuously like someone was telling him the toy was going to blow any second. With a flick of his hoof, the toy sprang into life and walked while making a torrent of noises.
For repairing your friend's toy and filling him with excitement, you receive 10 points of charisma.
"Hey, it worked!" I exclaimed happily with saliva gathering in my mouth. It would be no overstatement to say that literal stars were shining in my eyes given the pounding of my heart. The possibilities were endless and a chance to gain equipment upgrades outside of loot drops was monumental, now all I had to do was get the smithing job and I'll be set for the hunt. Oh, how long 'till I could make a crossbow or even better, a bastard sword?
"Erm, where did Gerb go?" Sugar asked, pointing at the empty spot next to Carin Song, who jerked upon seeing his best pal missing. If one squinted they could faintly make out teeny-tiny puffs of smoke that once resembled the griffon's silhouette.
"Jerky!" Gerb called out with excitement from outside of the treehouse. Suddenly a great trove flew through the window, one which luckily was open at the time, with the pigeon griffin in tow. He opened the chest and heaved over his treasure with gleaming eyes and claws that dug into the wood. Excitement was the only emotion that fuelled this one. "We'll have a long afternoon ahead." His own body shook with excitement, causing his fluffy feathers to puff into a pillowy chest plate.
Looks like we won't have to only break and repair a singular item to level up this new class. The Game noted dryly but didn't sugarcoat that leveling this class would take some time.
I gave Gerb a soft smile, first as his radiating emotions warmed my heart, second, he was so damn fluffy when he was excited like the world's best pillow! Oh, and third cause it would advance my quest, that one also contributed to my smile, yes, of course.
And thus, I spent my afternoon repairing broken toys, however it didn't feel like a chore or grinding. It was quite enjoyable to show my friends how to put together all the toys and teach them a few things while also experiencing a hastily advancing sense of understanding for mechanisms and cooperating parts. It also revealed to me that intelligence didn't so much as make me 'smarter' as it allowed me to understand concepts better and more easily.
It was a pleasant way to spend my time... even when Sugar was constantly resting her head on my shoulder and making a tad too many compliments. Still, it was worth all the hassle to see a griffon go 'floof!'
View Online
The Game: Aether and Mind
Chapter Four (Interlude): Bittersweet Candy [E]
Sugar Drop
"Dinner's done in an hour, sweety!"
I grunted loudly while climbing the stairs upwards to my room while barely holding my backpack with my magic up, and dragging along a heavy sack in my hoof. "Ok!-" I shouted, before yelping loudly as I almost tripped and fell down the stairs. "-Mom."
With a final heave, I threw the sack onto the floor in front of my door, and my backpack just plopped onto the ground the moment my magic gave out. I grumbled under my breath in between inhalations as I tried to feel for my magic only to sense barely the smallest bit. "That was so much easier a week ago."
I sighed, and with much annoyance jumped onto my hindlegs, thinking it would be easy, only to almost fall backward and down the stairs, had I not quickly grabbed onto a nearby shelf. I had no idea how earth ponies- or Star- no idea why Star of all ponies could walk on his hindlegs so casually, less so running around like a minotaur.
"Seriously, how do you do it, Star?" I muttered annoyed, though I mentally hit myself as I felt myself becoming more snappy and hypersensitive with each passing day. I grabbed my backpack, slinging it over my back, and pulled on the sack with both my forehooves along as I walked towards my door, using my magic to turn the doorknob, and entered my room. "Star..." I said quietly as a bitter hum, and a deep growl from my belly rumbled in demand, however in thinking so- I lost focus, tripped over the sack, and toppled down onto the floor, spilling the bag's contents across the floor.
I shook my head to rattle off the dizziness, before a frown formed on my face. "Oh horseapples." I muttered begrudgingly, before listening carefully in anticipation of my father yelling something about swearing. A lecture was not something I wanted well… ever , but most certainly not right now. Looking over the partially emptied sack I saw the spilled cards, dozens of them; love poems, boxes of chocolate, stuffed animals, and my personally least favorite: Prench perfumes.
'Ughh, why would anypony want to smell like that?' I thought begrudgingly, before pushing all those 'gifts' from my 'secret admirers' to the side. Well, as secret as a hearth's warming eve tree that is.
I shook my head in annoyance and blew away a few strands of hair that hung closely in front of my eyes, before once again picking up the sack after tightly closing it, and pushing it into my closet, though at this point it was more of a walk-in-garbage-can . I couldn't wait until dad would clear it out at the end of the week, but if things were to ramp up any further then he'd probably need to start doing it bi-weekly.
Pushing away those bothersome thoughts, I turned toward my bed. I trotted away from the closet and hopped upon my bed with a little smile.
The school day was finally over, today felt like an eternity, and I was just glad I could relax from everything there. Who even wants to read all those horrid and stomach-churning stories about Equestrian and pre-Equestrian wars? It's so much horror, doom, and gloom, ponies dying and killing! Sure, history is important, but I just can't at all understand why so much hatred was directed at other races just because they're different. It's madness, like the ponies back then were actively allergic to other creatures, hay, some of them are today, but, like at least it isn't such a widespread allergy anymore. Although Star and Gerb would claim otherwise.
Stomach turning.
"Urgh, and I just managed to forget too." I groaned in annoyance, before picking up a pillow and slamming my face into it and releasing a muffled screeching into the soft fabric. I felt like a boiler with ever-rising pressure. I was only surprised that the amount of steam I'm letting go didn't set my pillow aflame. My stomach rumbled so horribly, even with my head covered I could hear the rumble in my ears. So much hunger , it didn't matter what I ate, it all went down like water, I even went to Hay Burger and won their eating challenge and I came out even hungrier than before - what's wrong with me! The world didn't make any sense, I am eating more than mom and dad combined, but it was like everything became cardboard.
"Urgh, enough with the belly talk!"
I grit my teeth, feeling the sharp tips pressing against my tongue and a burning sensation stinging my eyes as tears began to form. Every day I'm getting hungrier, I'm surprised I haven't tried eating my pillow out of desperation. It's not just hunger, no, not fat reserves or whatever they are called in biology class, but, urgh, how do I explain it, it feels like I'm eating myself, even my hair was getting thinner, how much longer till I had holes?
'That would be absurd.' I snorted bitterly, before looking at my hoof from under the pillow worryingly. 'But it wouldn't even surprise me anymore.' I really did feel like I was eating myself ever since Star just up and vanished almost four days ago.
It's been four days, but it feels like I haven't eaten in years. Before I was growing faster than any other pony, Saddle Arabian tourists even asked me in their native tongue for the path, thinking I was an actual horse, some fillies even asked if I was related to the Fleur De Lis.
But now it felt like I was rotting away.
Every day I'm getting slower and weaker, a month ago I could pull a wagon for dad with ease, but now I can't even prepare it, and my magic is slowing down just as badly. I felt like my perception followed this trend, things were almost like the time before I met Star. I didn't realize how weak and tired I was back then, or how used I got to never being hungry, but after then I felt greater than ever, the world was brighter and more colorful, as if I could conquer any challenge. I was stronger than any stallion my age, faster, and could run and cast day and night, sure, not as potent as some prodigies, but it was consistent.
Now, I shuddered and tightened my limbs around my torso in an attempt to silence the rumbling, I felt like I was barely hanging onto a threat. At home I'm so hungry, less so when I'm with mom and dad but it felt like there was one daisy sandwich a day for me, and once eaten there was nothing more to get.
And at school, it's like drinking broth.
Every colt in school has a crush on me, there is no denying that. I saw a list of the top ten cutest, most talented, most popular... blah, Everything! And I'm always on top. Sure, it was nice being liked, but it gets annoying hearing "Oh Sugar Drop, you're so beautiful. Oh Sugar Drop, you're so pretty. Oh Sugar Drop, you're so breathtaking." every five bucking minutes! I mimicked with overly joyous enthusiasm, before grunting with anger.
I know what they really want, and the fillies always try to inch closer to me to get more popular... or because they want to meet Star.
My anger was punctuated once more as my gut cried out in protest.
Star... He never ever looked at me like all of them , never hurled those empty compliments at me. I mean, I wouldn't mind hearing it once or twice just to see someone rational say it. Star really doesn't care how I look, (or was just extremely good at hiding it, which, to be honest, was even more impressive), and I feel really content being around him - N-n-n-n-not just because of the food - but, how can I put it into words, I feel just so normal around him. Like, I could say or do anything and not get a single 'Urgh, you're weird', 'Yeah, that's a bit too much' or 'can we talk about something else?'. No, any topic is on the table.
I look back fondly at those lazy afternoons just hanging around in the living room doing nothing but laying on the couch, doing absolutely nothing, or reading while just talking about random topics like 'why licorice was a thing' or 'how vases are made', even otherwise socially sensitive topics were no problems, in particular, estrus. I hate the season, and while I cannot deny that some mares have much bigger internal struggles with it, I was bold enough to claim that mine were the biggest externally to the point I wasn't even allowed to sit in a room alone without an adult mare- like I was a pile of black powder while sparks rained.
But it wasn't a problem with Star, he wasn't affected at all by the season and it was nice to just talk about these things. He was probably the only colt who really could relate to your body going haywire or having a mind of its own. Not that puberty wasn't a problem for colts, but, well, it's just hard to compare. And, well, it's just easier not being the only weirdo in the room, and when he hugs me the problems just disappear for a while, even the burning 'down there' subsides, if not outright quenches, and I feel like laughing again. I really dreaded the next one, even when it would be another six months of peace.
I sighed and rolled around on my bed until my face met the ceiling.
"Nothing is ever wrong when you're around. Its like you always know what to do, and even when you don't, you still fix the problems." I released a steady stream of air from my mouth, and the air almost whistled even though my lips weren't even in any position to do so. A sudden thought popped into my head and it arrived like a slap. "I really should've taken some pumpkin pie home when you asked me." I grumbled, before crossing my hooves. Star's cooking was filling, actually filling, just like his hugs were, or his pats on the back or head, or when his hoof graced my ears or-
"Urgh!" I exclaimed, pulling my pillow from under my head, and pushed it into my face as I felt my face heat up again. All of this was so horribly frustrating and I had no idea in what order to - okay, by the rumbling of my stomach I knew the order - but the best idea I had long-term would be trying every meal in Canterlot, the short-term would be going to miss Touch's house and ask if she still had any of his cooking's leftovers but that would be cruel.
I didn't need to be a detective to understand Gentle Touch's sadness or the silence of the royal guard at the castle gate when I asked when Star would be back.
I just hope he was safe wherever he was - what a sentence - it's Star, he always knows how to deal with any situation. At least, that was what I liked to tell myself.
"Oh, just where are you?" I mumbled as I slowly put the pillow under my head again. I'm getting tired again, even thinking hard was getting exhausting and sleep was only giving me some energy. Oh well, it was still over an hour until dinner, a little nap wouldn't hurt.
And I woke right back up the second I closed my eyes only to find myself standing in the middle of my room. "Huh!" I exclaimed loudly while frantically looking around, wondering if I started to sleepwalk or worse - nope, the pillow was still there - I haven't developed sleep-eating instincts yet. Though what else fell into my eyes immediately was that through my window I saw neither day nor night, but a sort of colored heaven, a vast river with lesser streams of pure colors weaving throughout, though weirdly they all possessed a sort of silvery gleam.
I raised an eyebrow and turned around only to see the frozen, hazy form of Star standing stiffly with an empty look on his face. Now I was starting to get a bit creeped out.
"Is this what dreaming is like?" I wondered and said my thoughts out loud while holding a hoof to my cheek, though the touch was awfully realistic. It was weird, but dreaming was something reserved only for ponies for some reason, neither griffon nor minotaur, nor any other species, to be honest, dreamed. "Lucid dreaming in this case. It was called something like that, wasn't it?"
I took a step closer to the phantom mannequin and as I neared I could see him ever clearer, making me wonder if my eye-sight truly was as bad as the teachers claimed it was. And when I stood just a few centimeters away, I bit my lip while feeling a rushing sensation passing through my chest. It may have just been a figment of my mind, but it felt so real and life-like I could just quench my hunger right here and now if I were to just...
"It’s just a dream, couldn't hurt, could it?" I mumbled, though my voice quickly turned to an average volume. I trembled and I could feel how my face shifted and a shaky smile formed on my face as I walked even closer. My face was just a tiny distance away. I felt a rush pushing further forward like a brisk wind rushing through my chest, tingling my heart. I licked my narrowly open lips, so tight that it felt like I starved a knife, and dared to quickly peck a kiss on his lips.
I pulled away in an instant, squealing loudly in embarrassment while hopping around. I felt alive, alive like I had never been before. It was like my chest was about to burst open in a torrent of butterflies. Suddenly I fell onto my flank and pushed my snout into my hooves feeling just how heated it became and let out a giggle. "I did it, it’s just a dream, but I did it!"
I giggled loudly, before crossing my hooves and hugging myself tightly. Was this how it felt to love someone or was it sheer adrenalin to have done it? But this wasn't real, yet it felt so real, so true that I even felt my hunger saturate by a chunk.
"Oh, it worked, I didn't think it was like a call to enter others' dreams." I could hear Star say, saying words I never heard before, words only the real star would say.
I suddenly felt so cold, as if a blanket was ripped from me on the coldest of winter nights and I was so paralyzed I wasn't even shaking. I turned my head around creakily, pushing back to its natural position if not at the very least spare me the sight.
"What's wrong Sugar, did something happen? Are you-." Star stopped his sentence, even his breath halted while he glided his tongue over his lips. "Wow, I knew you loved strawberries, but I didn't think you'd use so much for air refreshment, I can practically taste it."
"Hahahahahahaha, why yes, just ol' me using a bit too much perfume and candles and such and nothing more, absolutely nothing more, absolutely, yes." I laughed loudly with a mouth wide open before speaking as quickly as I could with the broadest smile, so great in fact I felt my skin tug for relief.
Star stared at me with a sunken look on his face and his eyes diverted from my face twice, before taking a deep breath. "Alrighty then, if you're feeling unwell just give a word, it’s not like my schedule is filled all that much these days anyways." He shrugged and rolled his eyes so casually. He was so terribly casual about it all it felt like I was going insane.
I would've nodded in agreement if I knew more about the contact or wasn't practically melting out of my own skin.
"Anyways, I have a bit of time, but not much, so I'll be quick. I'm currently lost in a forest, don't look too close into it, it won't be on any map and I don't want anyone looking for me."
"Huh, why wait-what, but what if something-" I interrupted him, but he returned the favor and cupped my snout with his two hooves, and if I was previously just metaphorically melting, I did so now literally.
"Because unlike anyone else, I am the only one who knows how to get out of it, I-can-do-it-don't worry." He hastily spoke as he felt my jaw open once more. "I am fine, I will be fine and I'll claw my way back in no time." Star said reassuringly with a soft smile, and his hoof slowly pulled away from my head almost like he was caressing it, and then concern filled his face. "Goodness, you've gotten so thin in two days." Oh, why are you worried about me in this scenario?!
"Two? It's been almost four." I said in confusion, and this confusion spread as he now felt the same. "And, well, I think I’ve gotten a bit too used to your... you know..." I started slowly, but my voice got ever quieter until it was just a whisper, and I couldn't keep eye contact and instead just traced the carpet's outlines with the tip of my hoof.
"Oh, well my cooking really is nutritious, the castle chef's always ask for my recipes, well, when they allow me to cook that is." Star said so brightly and despite being exactly what I wanted to say, I couldn't feel like I was just slapped in the face. "I've been trying to make candy for a while, and I think I've come up with a good recipe. It’s in my shelf left from my desk at Gentle Touch's house. Sixth row, twelfth from the left. You can have the whole thing, I don't really like candy, but I love cooking." And now you're overly generous as well, I am not the one lost in a forest!
"that's-." I said loudly, before quickly swallowing what felt like a whole cup of saliva. "Nice. But, I don't think it would be a good idea to just go and take something out of your room while you're gone and Gentle Touch is, well, you know."
"Why, my mom has full respect of my property..." Star halted before his smile fell and concern grew grim. "She must be worried sick." And only then did he seem actually worried, truly worried like someone took his very air away. "I don't really want her to know where I am, she'll only worry more, but it would be cruel not to at least give some reassurance somehow."
"If you want, I could relay a message." I offered and took a step closer and threw my hoof over his shoulder. I mentally bucked myself for going for physical contact again in one minute, but it felt so-o go-o-od!
"Really? That's great!" Star exclaimed, smiling while looking into my eyes and hugging me tighter than usual, but I was shivering for all the different reasons. Those blue eyes. "Okay, tell her I'm in the Shaded Woods, but immediately tell her not to look it up. I'm fine, I will return at the latest in about a month, if not I'll send another message. Look under my bed, the code is 9743, it’s a bit late, but I really wanted you to have it. Got it? I think I’ve got enough energy to repeat this another time."
I listened closely, for while my eyes weren't that great, I had a really good memory. "Got it, anything else, maybe for Princess Celestia."
Looking at Star, his face didn't move, but I felt something shift, turn almost bitter behind his facial features. "Oh, I actually don't think I can spare that much more energy sadly. Until next time, hopefully, in the flesh."
"Okay. Goodbye." I said almost mechanically, trying to suppress the sadness that weighed down my chest.
"And thanks for being such a good friend." Star said while his form slowly turned into a quickly dissipating mist, and with his presence gone I felt how the dream was quickly melting away.
"Yeah... a friend."
"Dinner is ready!" I heard the booming sound of my mother ring through the house, and I jumped from my bed in response and practically charged through my door and down the stairs. "Woah, Sugar, where are you running to?!"
"I got a message from Star, I'll be back soon." I quickly blurted out, before leaving the house and rushing through the streets of Canterlots second layer. I suppressed my inner emotions, the tumult that felt like it was about to burst out of every one of my facial orifices.
Looking back, it probably wasn't the wisest idea to run through the streets during the peak of work hours, most certainly not at the beginning of the week where deliveries arrived. The whole path was filled with carts, and it took a lot of my caution being thrown in the wind to run between carts given how dangerous a rolling wagon can be in a mountain city. I shook my head and pushed on, pushing through the crowds and silently thanking my own height for allowing me to see over the ponies, it also allowed them to jump out of the way. It had its perk to -and I quote Star- “Grow like a fungus”.
It took me not long to reach Gentle Touch's home, and while out of breath and having burned through the energy gained already, I didn't waste the time to catch my breath before quickly knocking on the door.
I waited impatiently, hopping from hoof to hoof as I felt how the boost of energy was pushed from my stomach into my body, and while I felt my strength grow back to its peak, so did my hunger slowly claw itself back into focus. Finally, after a millennium, lasting but ten seconds, the door opened, but I couldn't recognize the pony opening it.
"Oh, hello, you must be Sugar Drop. Gentle Touch told me about you, please come inside." I heard the unknown stallion say with a low voice, it wasn't threatening, but he sounded worried I'd pop like a soap bubble if he spoke any louder. He was slenderly built, honestly, I mistook him for a mare for a moment with his gleaming white coat and the fluffy red mane that was kept in a ponytail. His long legs, petite frame, and thin neck almost seemed a bit misplaced with his great, large, and unusually fluffy wings. Well, his mane was less like a ponytail that mares bundled their mane in and more like a broom. His tiny pair of goggles was a bit too large for his petite snout and his cutie mark was barely visible in the sun. Of course, it could also just be my eyes, but I think it was a diamond.
I nodded slowly, before walking past him slowly and he followed silently, not to be sneaky but the carpet just swallowed his steps.
"Thanks, mister..."
"I'm Twinning Schist, a-" He stopped for a moment, his tongue hanging onto the roof of his mouth momentarily leaving him agape. "Well, I do hope I'm at the very least a good friend of Gentle Touch." He chuckled, holding his hoof in front of his mouth, but that smile fell quiet quickly when his ear twitched as if he heard something.
"Twinning Schist?" I asked slowly, wondering if I spoke his name correctly.
"Yup, it's a bit of an unusual name, but it fits well with my occupation. I'm a gemologist and work in the mineral department of Canterlot, but right now I'm taking some vacation days. Sorry for the quick introduction, but I wanted to at least say something given that I heard so much about S-his friends, but I'm a stranger."
"It’s quite alright." I waved my hoof, reassuringly to calm down the anxious stallion. He didn't seem bad, but most certainly had even less social finesse than Gerb.
"Twinning, who's there?" Gentle Touch called out from the living room. Her voice, to describe it lightly, was gloomy, slow, without any energy, and filled to the brim with sadness.
"It’s Sugar Drop, dear. Can she stay?" Twinning replied loudly, well, loud compared to his previous volume, though I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"Yes."
I looked at Twinning, before nodding slowly and walking into the living room, and I nearly gasped seeing Star's mother.
She lay on the couch widely splayed out with ice bags on three of her hooves, and several boxes of tissues, most empty, splayed around her like a fence. She looked absolutely terrible, deep dark bags had formed under her eyes as if she hadn't slept in days, and red lines scratched across the whites of her eyes as she lifted her head weakly to greet me.
"I'm sorry but, I don't think you can m-meet up this week." Gentle Touch said as sweetly as she could muster, with her weak smile shivering, before faltering back into a frown.
I stared aghast at the display of an otherwise so joyous and lively mare. I gulped, feeling as if the very air was choking me and even my hunger seemed to have silenced, though not due to satiation but because it was too scared to grumble right now. I felt strangely ill now, however, like the hunger subsided for a short moment, or perhaps was just drowned out by an even more uncomfortable sensation, one that, unlike the passive hunger, actively was giving off a sensation akin to chocking.
Twinning Schist walked over to Gentle Touch, bringing another tray with a bowl of warm water and a soaked towel, before slowly cleaning her eyes.
I blinked hard and felt my hunger regress slightly just looking at the pair, before gripping my bravery and hoping not to worsen things even further.
"I met Star."
Twinning Schist yelped loudly with a quiet, but high scream, before falling to the side of the couch and water spilling over his coat. The reason? Gentle Touch jumped from her position like an insane boar, rushing towards me. She picked me up like a just-born foal and lifted me despite being more than a head taller.
"Where, what happened, how is he? Is he okay?" Gentle Touch asked so quickly I could barely concentrate on answering, and she took note of it. Miss Touch slowly lowered me to the ground, though the expression of anticipation dominating her tired face didn't let go.
I stared a moment longer, before finally catching my breath. "I know it sounds insane, but it was like when I caught nightmare fever. He entered my dreams, not just spiritually, but physically, I could actually touch him, and I haven't dreamed apart from then and today."
"Are you sure those events aren't connected by emotional distress?" Schist spoke slowly, wiping away the warm water with a spare towel. "I'm no doctor, but, well, isn't that kind of magic reserved to ponies with a correlating cutie mark?"
"But Star has one exactly like that." Gentle Touch said quickly in realization. "A dream catcher, that was what he called it. I’ve never heard of it, not even a dictionary mentions one, but he said that it collect nightmares so that they don't reach ponies." She spoke, her voice becoming more lively as she spoke. "And to never keep one too close to your body, not sure about that, but yes, he has one! What did he say."
I took a step back, then another as Gentle Touch inched a bit too close to my face. "He said that he's-" Gentle Touch inched closer, though she could see from my concerned look to not reduce her distance any further. It hurt me to be so cold right now, but it was physically painful being near her. "First of all do not look up where he is, you won't find it, but don't even try. Only he alone can get back, and he said he would, and I quote, 'claw his way back.' Okay, and he's in the Shaded Woods."
"The what?!" Schist shouted loudly, like, her ears were ringing from his high-pitched tone and wondered if there was cracked glass.
"What, why is this bad?" Gentle Touch turned away from me and practically charged at the poor stallion, barely halting at the last moment. He took a quivering breath and blushed.
I winced as the moment chose to disregard Star's warning and talked. "The Shaded Woods is a maze spanning countless biomes. Princess Platinum’s priceless crown possessing the Auror gemstone was stolen and the thieves ran into the forest in an attempt to escape."
"But Star said he could find his way out, so there's nothing to worry about!" I intercepted, but it seemed not to push the stallion away, and Gentle Touch pushed him to speak more with her eyes burning into his.
"Sir Silver Blade and a company of Equestria’s finest knights was sent out to reclaim the treasure and bring the thieves to justice."
"And, they made it out, didn't they?" Gentle Touch inquired with desperation claiming her eyes.
Schist looked away with a sad expression. "They haven't been heard of in hundreds of years, nor has anypony ever come out of it in over one thousand years of recorded history. Not even her highness and her fabled sister were able to escape it without the maker of it, though who created that horrid place no one knows, nor do I think they're still alive."
"No..." Gentle whispered, taking a few steps back, before falling on her flank and holding her hooves in front of her eyes, though no tears left her - perhaps, there just weren't any left.
"Well, I have full faith in Star." I said with a puff of my chest and stomped on the ground. "He said it with such confidence that I can't help but believe in him, and it wouldn't be the first time Star conquered the unconquerable. He promised he'd be back in a month and I am expecting to see him full heartedly."
Gentle Touch slowly pried her hooves away from her face.
"I have heard of some of the feats of Star Touch, and I don't think any other pony I know -well, we haven't met in person yet but you know what I am talking about- could have as good a chance at getting out." Twinning Schist agreed with a big nod, before rubbing the shoulder of Gentle Touch.
"Yeah..." Gentle Touch smiled weakly and sniffed. "' He beat mana burn and killed a nightmare, even She was impressed by it. Broke every expectation and then some." A tiny ray of pride and one even brighter of hope shone through the depressed expression of Gentle Touch. "My colt will soon be back."
I tilted my head and smiled softly looking at the scene, before taking an even deeper breath to wash down the weightiness of the room. "He told me to get something from his shelves and for you to look under his bed. 9743." And the moment I said this sentence out loud, Gentle Touch's eyes cracked wide open and she ran towards the stairs with Twinning barely hanging onto her hoof as she dragged him along. Although it may have been her hoof barely hanging onto his shoulder.
I followed up the stairs quickly, but I couldn't match that mare's speed in my state, or in my prime, hard to tell ‘cause she walked up those stairs so quickly it was like someone repeatedly stepped on a type-writer.
Looking around the corner, I expected Star's room to be fancy given his prince-yness but it was surprisingly simple and efficiency based. A lot of room with neatly organized shelves, a lot of shelves, an absolutely gorgeous desk that looked custom made, a wardrobe with not much to comment on, and what appeared to be a really, and I mean, really expensive feather bed.
"Fleese pful mhe ut." Gentle Touch's muffled scream sounded almost like a shy psalm, only her hindlegs stuck barely out. Twinning averted his eyes and hid his fully redded face, before grabbing onto her hooves and pulling her out.
"I got it." She exclaimed happily while shaking her now puffy hair into place and victoriously lifting a very large metal case that looked like you could fit a deflated bouncy castle into it. "I didn't know Star bought this, it looked really expensive and reinforced." Gentle Touch sounded with astoundment while turning the case around slowly until her face met with the combination field. The lock looked like it would survive longer than the entire block in a race of time.
A series of frantic clicks sounded, while I walked towards the shelf left of the desk and pulled out a tin box, and quietly gasped at the absolutely gorgeous imagery painted onto the metal. There were dozens of swans, all in pairs, swimming on a lengthy river toward the sunset. Even though my eyes weren't the sharpest, I could feel just how each line displayed so many emotions, and upon closer inspection, the metal wasn't flat, it was carved to highlight the swans, the water, and the sun.
I slightly opened the case and immediately closed it. My eyes teared up as I just, for that short-lived moment, felt so much love, care, and gentleness wash over me that I almost cried and dawed at once. But, someone else took this role for me, as I heard the quiet sobbing.
I turned around and saw cards littered on the ground. They all displayed various events of Star’s life with Gentle Touch like when she picked him up from the hospital, another was a rather descriptive image of her hugging him and another was them sitting on a bed staring at the stars. There were dozens of cards, but Gentle Touch was focused on something else. A great portrait drawn with expensive colors on silk encased in a dark oak painting frame and a crystal panel. The image was so crisp and detailed that I wondered for a moment if it was a great photo, but knowing Star, this was self-made.
The painting displayed the pair on a dreamy hill under a starry knight, standing in front of a strange tree bearing soft, paper-like blooms. Star was so small back then, I almost forgot how he used to be so much smaller, guessing by the size difference that was him, from three years ago. They looked so happy, but my joy quickly clenched silent upon seeing a silver plaque, it wasn't star metal, but I could feel Star's magic radiating from the glowing and shimmering plate.
To my beloved Mommy -I will never forget all you’ve done for me.
Gentle Touch's face fought between sadness and happiness while shielding the painting from her tears with her fur. Twinning sat down next to her and hugged the grieving mother tightly.
I wanted to say something, but there was nothing I could add. "If Star calls me again, I will give a notice." I spoke quietly, but I knew at least the stallion heard me, so I quickly and quietly made my exit..
"Sugar Drop, I left your portion on the counter." Mom called out. "I told you father to wait, but you know how hungry he gets after work."
"It’s fine I'll heat it up in a moment!" I called out while walking up the stairs and was thankful that mom didn't ask about Star right now.
Opening the door quickly, closing it even quicker, and jumping with a great leap over the carpet in fear of accidentally tripping again and squashing the box.
I placed the metal on my bed sheet and rubbed my hooves gleefully, before finally opening the tin fully. The sheer intense aura of the sweets nearly knocked me backward and the emotions, this pure love just exuded from the black cubes. Counting them, there must've been over a hundred of them inside, they were layered atop one another and only separated by a thick sheet of waxed parchment. I carefully levitated one of them to my nose and melted upon sniffing it. Saliva gathered in my mouth and I could barely swallow fast enough as to not drool onto my bed. I gulped one final time before taking a bite from the candy.
My eyes exploded with fireworks and I fell onto my back, rolling from side to side while squealing gleefully as I felt my stomach actually fill up, and the taste was divine. It was a sweet, fluffy, milky mixture somewhere in between a marshmallow and whipped cream encased in a layer of fresh milk chocolate. But the taste was the least notable thing to me. I could feel Star as I swallowed the candy. Not literally, there wasn't a wad of fur stuck inside, but the emotions I felt when around him.
I tasted his love, even if not directed at somepony, it was still prevalent and intense.
I took the rest of the candy piece with another bite and clutched my cheeks as I savored the taste ever so deeply, engraving it in my mind as the memory of it first touching my tongue set my heart ablaze. A pleasant sigh escaped my lips as I felt satiated for the moment, that one piece was enough to fill half my stomach.
"I need to find out what your love really tastes like." I whispered quietly, before quickly closing the box as I felt my hoof slowly reach for another piece. "I need you to be mine." I felt the sudden rush of energy slowly reach my head and felt almost giggly. "You'll be mine."
A moment passed.
And as another passed I realized what I just said and held a hoof to my face in horror that rushed over my spine and ribs. "What am I saying?! That's just wrong to say, absolutely!" I paused and gasped. "I sound like the colts at school. No!"
"Is everything okay sweetie?" Mom called out and it took great restraint for me not to immediately reply in a non-calm way.
"Yes, everything is alright." I called out, before dragging my hooves across my face and mentally cursing the paper-thin walls of the house, I can't get any privacy.
'I don't care how exhilarating this feels, how much my stomach and heart want/need your love Star, I won't-' I thought to myself mentally as if I was talking to the colt in question personally, and yet I stopped myself and looked over the lovely imagery displayed on the tin. I knew the kind of sweets these were, I had seen them every day after school as I dropped them into the trash can: Hearts And Hooves Day sweets. But these, although not the first ones directly bought or made for me, were the first ones I actually cared about. Gifted by someone I actually cared about. By a...
...Friend...
I slowly dragged my hooves over the embossed image and circled one of the pairs at the front. "What won’t I do?" I whispered while pondering deeply as my stomach remained silent and my heart beat vibrantly. I sighed deeply and pulled out a piece of paper and wrote a very direct note saying 'Do Not Throw Them Away, Dad!' and stuck it on top of the box, before laying them on my night desk.
"I don't even know what I will do."
