The Lord of Ragnarok

The Lord of Ragnarok

Chapter 18: Flight Test

Roof of the Temple of Celestia Sol - L0rd0f7hund3r’s P.O.V.

“Sir 7hund3r, please be careful!” Fluttershy shouted.

“I’m going to try,” I yelled back, floating above the roof by about ten feet or so, “but I gotta tell ya, this is too damn fun to be careful!”

“HOLYSHITTHISISAWESOME!” Roared LightningSword, as he swept past me in his flight.

“Show off,” I groused, then gained a slight bit more altitude before leaning in for some flight maneuvers. I did have to agree with James in that flying was fun. Zooming around, with the wind in your hair, pushing through your primaries and rushing past your ears, it is exhilarating! And this is coming from someone that is a confirmed acrophobe. I can’t climb higher than four feet before panic sets in. But this, flight? FUCKING EPIC.

Couple that with the new senses that having this form as default made some rather interesting changes, for sure. Jim and I were talking the other night that we were now seeing and hearing stuff, not just in the temple but everywhere we went, that we couldn’t do so when we were human. On The Outside, I used to possess 20/160 vision. In Texas, I was legally blind without corrective lenses. Now, I could see for miles and miles with any lenses on me at all. I retained some glasses on my character, but there is just straight glass in them. They had a charm on them that I cast upon them that darkens the lenses when the sun is brightest. I’m not going to stare into the sun any time soon, but I could probably brave a Willie Pete (with hearing protection,) and not be incapicitated.

Hearing was another thing that being an Equis had vastly improved for me. I liked to think of myself as an audiophile, with an ear for deep sound. In this form, though, I was picking up stuff, not just in my tunes but also in my environment that I could not pick up when I was human. That did make sleeping a chore, hearing the temple creak and groan as the witching hour passed. I found a charm that made my quarters into a sensory deprivation chamber, so that has helped tremendously.

Neither James nor I had ever tested our flight capabilities in-game before. Both of us relied on teleport stones, fast travel runes, or some of the portals that Mannulus could craft. Granted, flight was going to be a slower potion in comparison to simply grabbing a portal to any destination we desired, but it was nice to have an option other than walking. I wish we had known of this sooner. Would have made the trek down Odin’s Reach much easier.

“Hey, Steve,” James called out, “do you see that?”

Confused, I turned towards my friend and asked, “See what?”

He pointed down, into the Everfree and my gaze followed. It took me a few moments, but I did eventually pick out a flash of blue. I knew that Rainbow wasn’t out today, (I was pretty sure she was boinking Mannulus at the moment,) so the blue could not have been our resident velocitor.

“Let’s go check it out,” I replied to James and he nodded.

We angled ourselves down and swept towards the forest. Our eyes tracked any movement in the sea of trees below but it was my ears that picked up the scream. James stopped, turned to the sound at the same time I did. He looked at me, I nodded, and we zipped into the direction the scream had come from. We found a grove after a few minutes flight and in the middle of that grove was the origin of the scream.

It was a humanoid creature, very tall, with a long tail akin to a cat or similar feline species. It carried a stave in a two handed grip and it's fur was spotted like a leopard. The flash of blue I caught earlier was actually the color of it’s pelt where the simple tunic it wore did not cover. A shock of silver-blue hair that hung down between their shoulders. She, and I could see a profile of the creature and I did see some choice mammaries on them, was defending herself versus a cyclone of manticores that had chased her in the deepest part of their territory. She was vastly outnumbered but it did look like she had given them something to think about. One of their numbers had a swollen eye, from where i could reasonably assume she struck them with her stave.

“Jim, get Fluttershy!”

My friend saluted and said, “I’m on it!” before putting on speed back to the temple. I squared every ounce of courage I possessed and touched down in the clearing. The felinoid hadn’t spotted me, but the manticores did. Some were uneasy with my presence there; others were roaring out challenges, like they expected me to fight them.

I didn’t have my whip, Serpent’s Tongue, on hand but I didn’t think I would need it for a situation like this. I had some elemental spells stacked and ready for casting; part of being the guild’s elementalist was that I could have fire, ice, water, and lightning ready to strike at a moment’s notice without a need to chant the spells themselves.

“Back off you lot!” I roar, gaining the attention of the felinid caught in the center of the clearing, “Back off or I’ll shock you through your stingers! I know you absolutely hate that, so don’t tempt me!”

The manticores that were already paying attention to me were now shuffling around, clearly stunned and uneasy now that I let it be known that I wasn’t afraid of them. Manticores never scared me at all, neither did the cocatrice that Fluttershy raised, or the basilisk that she nursed back to health after rescuing it as a hatchling. Now, the timber wolves she raised? The ones Discord crafted? Those things frightened the fuck out of me. I’ve fought off some powerful and strange creatures before but timber wolves are by far the most unnerving. Neither here nor there, just point of fact about me.

Our felinid trespasser gave me a wary look, like she couldn’t decide if I was brave or crazy. I was not one to comment, given she looked exceedingly tired and on the brink of passing out. How she saw me at this moment might be tempered by her current state of exhaustion. Speaking of which, her attention was so split between myself and the manticores that she failed to notice one of them creeping up on her. I let that hybrid cat know my displeasure by calling down a lightning bolt; it struck right in front it, causing it to turn tail and run. One was down, seven more was left to go.

“Now which one of you wants to get a ride on my boomstick?” I asked the remaining beasts, who now seemed much more wary.

I heard a rustling of wings above me, and when I looked, I saw James and Fluttershy coming down. Our felinid newcomer was looking between the three of us, apparently she was trying to decide whether things have gotten better or worse. As soon as Fluttershy touched down, she held out her arms and let out a sharp whistle.

“That is enough!” she shouted, “I think you all have caused enough trouble for today.”

There was a riotous wall of roars from the manticores but a single look from Fluttershy and the cyclone was silenced.

“I don’t care that she is an intruder,” Fluttershy said, “is she wearing a blue tabbard, eh? Is she wielding a sword or ax?”

These questions are met with silence.

“That’s what I thought,” Fluttershy said, “now that we’re here, we’ll be dealing with her. Go back home, all of you, or I will be very, very cross.”

The manticores turned on their heels and ran. Knowing what I knew of both cartoon Fluttershy and current Fluttershy, having her mad at you was a bad thing. Meanwhile, our guest was looking at us, three pegasi with the powers of lightning, animals, and velocity, and she seemed to be astounded. Or unnerved, it was really kind of hard to tell. From what I could tell now that I could focus solely on her, she was unsteady on her digitigrade feet. Also, and I couldn’t believe I only now just noticed this, her arms were rather short considering how tall she was. (She’s taller than me by more than a few inches.)

“D-darmok…” she squeaked, her eyes now focused entirely on me.

“Um, I’m sorry?” Fluttershy asked.

“D-darmok…” our guest said again, then she began speaking in some language that is mere gibberish to me. I could even see Fluttershy struggling to understand this.

James looks at his lover and asked, “Are you getting any of this?”

Fluttershy shook her head, adding, “I don’t understand any of this at all.”

I was as nonplussed as the others, as our visitor continued speaking in gobbledigook. She got up a good head of steam with what I could only surmise was her native tongue before she paused mid sentence (or mid rant) and promptly collapsed. Fluttershy was on her in an instant, checking her pulse. James and I followed suit, flanking our beastmaster as she checked this poor creature’s vitals.

“She still has a pulse,” Fluttershy said, “but her breathing is labored and weak. We need to get her help, quickly.”

“I still have a teleport stone,” James told us, “it would be easier than trying to carry her.”

“Won’t we have to carry her, anyway?” I asked, “unless you’re thinking of getting her to the new sawbones in the Temple-”

“That’s the precise plan,” Lightningword said, “besides, I don’t think any one of us can carry her.”

“She can’t be that heavy,” I dismissed, and then proceeded to lift her into my arms. It is a very lackluster attempt.

“Holy shit!” I cried, “Don’t tell her this when she wakes up, but damn, is she heavy!”

“Teleport stone?” Fluttershy asked Lightning.

“Teleport stone,” James replied. He then fished out the squarish, orange gem that was a teleport stone from the coin purse he often hung on his armor. He got into a position where he could get all us within his wing span and tossed the stone down. There was a bright yellow flash and before one could breath, we found ourselves in the Temple’s infirmary, next to a very startled female high elf.

“What is going on?!” she asked.

“We have a new patient for the doctor,” James told the elf woman, “she just turned up in the Everfree chased by a cyclone of manticores. She fainted after we got them to leave her be.”

“I will call the doctor immediately!” The elf woman said and she strode out of the room.

“We better get her on the examination table,” I said, then remembering my dismal attempt to move our relcatriant visitor, “Lightning, ger her feet.”

Between the two of us, we managed, barely, to get the felinid woman on the table, apparently at the same moment our resident high elf male walked into the room.

“Whadda we got?” he asked.

“Found her getting chased by our resident border guard,” I explained, “she was trying to tell us something after we drive away the manticores, then she collapsed. Doesn’t look like she’s injured, but then again, I’m no medic.”

“Damn right ya ain’t,” the elf man said, “by the way, name’s Mockoy. And ya’ll are…?”

“Oh, that’s right, we haven’t been introduced,” I stated, then starting with the woman of our group, “this is Fluttershy, she guards the fifth floor. That's Lord LightningSword, Guild Member of the Temple and Dark Paladin, and I’m L0rd0f7hund3r, elementalist and a fellow guild member.”

“Great, yeah,” Mockoy said gruffly, “now lemme look over my patient.”

All three of us stepped back as Mockoy examined the felinid woman. While I was not specialized in healing and restorative spells like our new surgeon is, I could tell what craft he is using to make his examination. It isn’t too long before he came over to tell us his findings.

“Ya’ll are in luck,” Mockoy began, “your Uncia girl there ain’t in too bad a shape. Been rode hard and put away wet, but outside of some minor dehydration an’ a little malnutrition, she seems to be okay. I can’t find any physical trauma on her, no recent scarrin’, either. I’m havin’ my nurse put some fluids in her. She should be comin’ round any minute.”

“Uncia?” I asked.

He looked back at the prone figure being given IV fluids, Mockoy said, “Her. Her people are the Uncia. They live in high latitudes, typically close to mountain peaks. For her to be down here, there must be something terrible happenin’ with her people.”

“Why is that?” Lightning asked.

“The Uncia aren’t adapted for lower altitudes,” Mockoy explained, “their lungs are evolved to live in rarified air, so comin’ down to close to sea level, where the air is thicker, could push her to her limits. When she comes ‘round, you should be able to ask her about it. The Uncia have their own language but they are learned of the common tongue.”

“Good to know,” I said, “can you rouse her now?”

“Guess so,” Mockoy said, then he motioned for us to follow him. We all walked to the examination table where the Uncia woman lay. His nurse was carefully using an enchanted IV bag that had clear fluid flow from it into a tube that was affixed to one of the Uncia woman’s furry arms. Mockoy nodded to his nurse, she hung the bag off an IV stand, and then he performed an enchantment that caused the Uncia woman to glow. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around the room before affixing her eyes on me.

“Darmok,” she whispered.

“Ya’ll a’ight miss?” Mockoy asked, “yer still a bit exhausted and dehydrated. I’d suggest bed rest and plenty of fluids but I don’t know how well you’ll adhere to that.”

“Doctor,” the nurse said, “you’re new appointment has arrived.”

“Ah, yeah, the wounded pegasus,” Mockoy said, “don’t none of ya’ll get yer wings amputated. I can regrow ‘em but it’s a bitch and a half, plus painful to boot.”

“We’ll keep that in mind,” James said as the doctor left.

“Darmok,” the Uncia woman said again, looking at me, “you- are- the master- of lightning, yes?”

“I can conjure some lightning bolts when needed, yeah,” I answered, “why do you ask?”

She then began to utter a prayer of some sort and when she finished she continued speaking, “it is something I was told when I was young. The Spirits have never led me astray and they do not now. But, that is neither here nor there. Your doctor is correct; I am not meant for this low altitudes. I came here seeking help for my people.”

“What’s wrong and how can we help?” James asked.

“We are under siege,” she said, “human men, dressed in blue. They have surrounded our capital, Jalad, on the Duleainspire. They cut us off from our water and they have burned our crops down. Our males are out gathering food for the coming winter so we have little to feed ourselves while we are sieged. The men in blue constantly assail our city limits, sending wave after wave of soldiers to attack us. We easily repel them but it is only a matter of time before hunger and thirst become the end of us. I can run for a day, a night and most of this morning seeking out aid. It is only by chance upon this new forest that I even come to be here. Please, you must help us!”

“You said men in blue,” I asked, “was there also a white emblem upon the blue field? Like a six point star?”

“Yes, yes!” The Uncia woman exclaims, “A six pointed star, in the color of bone! The one they have who commands them also has but a single eye. He is followed by a woman with long, straw colored tresses. She seems to do something to the minds of those who displease her.”

“Anok the Destroyer,” James seethed.

“And his bitch in crime, TheTuetonicRose,” I add.

“I am sorry,” the Uncia woman continued, “but do you know these fiends?”

“We have a sordid history with them,” I answered, “The Sanctus Theocracy and our Temple have a long quarrel between us. And it seems like they’re trying to lay a claim in our backyard.”

“So will you help?” The Uncia woman asked plaintively.

“We will,” LightningSword said, “but we’ll need to inform our Gild Leader first. That might take a bit. Why don't you rest here for a while, miss-?”

“Ah, yes, I have not introduced myself,” she said, adding, “amongst my people, I am Jalad or priestess. I speak for those who have moved on. But I am called Aesir.”

Temple of Celestia Sol - Council Room - Mannulus’ P.O.V.

The wooden spell staff I had created, something made from ironwood, began to smolder as I took in everything told to me. I felt my brides hugging me, trying desperately to calm me down, but I had been pushed too far. Finally, I was facing Twilight. She looked into both my good eye and the emerald that made up my fake one. I took a breath. Anger still flowed through me, I was still seething over what they had all told me.

The fact that the Sanctus Theocracy was attempting to get a foothold was bad enough, but to know that they were going through the process of demoralizing, and starving, out an entire race of people to do it. It fit their typical actions, but it only made me confirm what I had learned about them. Anok the Destroyer and his followers needed to be dealt with. I looked toward Sombra who had the same expression.

“We need to strike, drive them back, and we need to have more than just one of us. In truth, I believe this should be a multiple guild member party. In addition I want to send reinforcements. It shouldn’t be any of the lower level citizens of the temple. When we hit them, we need to hit them hard.

Solar Flare smiled, “I could reduce them to ash my love. It would be so easy to do.”

I smiled at her, “I know, and the thought has crossed my mind. But the fact that Anok the Destroyer can take dragon form is what bothers me. Virth would be an asset. With the slave collar she will follow commands, but then the issue is that she won’t have to do more than she’s ordered to do.”

I looked at L0rd0f7hund3r, “7hund3r you’re one of our elemental magic castors. It’s obvious you should go. Select a team, but know that I’m going to have backup ready. In fact I may send backup through regardless. I refuse to allow these fucks the pleasure of getting one inch more of territory.”

In truth I wanted to send an entire army of powerful NPCs to face Anok. I wanted to destroy his army, and then afterward I wanted to march onto the Theocracy itself and watch it burn. I wanted to see it reduced to ashes, and then I wanted to build something worthwhile on its corpse. It was the best option.

“Whoever goes, Anok needs to die,” Sombra said.

Every eye turned toward him, “He’s their biggest hitter, and he’s obviously the power they’ve rallied behind. Destroy him, and destroy their morale. Personally, I want to be there, and I want to give the killing blow.”

I looked at him, and he was nearly healed, but at the same time I wondered if sending him would be the best thing. I didn’t doubt his resolve, but I did fear that his thirst for vengeance would blind him to the lives of the indigious people we were going to try to save. I wasn’t a great pillar of morality, but I understood exactly the consequences of what could happen if we didn’t handle this correctly. I looked at Sombra, and considered how best to answer.

“Killing him is certainly a goal we need to accomplish, but there is an entire village there that needs protection. We need to hammer him hard, all of them hard, but we can’t let them past the line to attack the village directly.”

He growled, “A single village in exchange for destroying an entire nation of trouble. They need to be defeated, they need to be destroyed, And this would be the perfect opportunity to do so.”

"Be that as it may," L0rd0f7hunder started, "we'll need an army grander in scale and greater in power than what we have assembled now. Besides, I think I know the perfect blow to strike against the Theocracy."

"Tell me more," I said.

"TheTuetonicRose," L0rd0f7hunder explained, "pretty sure she's Anok's side piece, if not his main bitch. Take her off the board and I think we break a great deal of Theocracy's hold in the region."

"WHAT are you on about?" Sombra growled.

"TheTuetonicRose is a mind witch, see?" L0rd0f7hunder began, "she has the skills to enthrall large swathes of people. Ten-to-one, a sizable segment of the Sanctus Theocracy's forces are mind slaves. Off her, and they lose up to half of their army, at least."

I had to admit that was a viable option. And 7hund3r did have a point that our numbers were too few to wage an all out war against The Theocracy.

"Ah agree," Clopmaniac stated, "if that twat wert muckin' about wit' th' minds of their soldiers, then it stands to reason that if we were to off the slag, Th' Theocracy would stand to lose a great many of their followers."

"I'm not sure I agree," Sombra said bitterly, "but it's a better option than we could hope for."

"So who will your team be, 7hund3r?"

"I'm want Clopmaniac, because she has the ability to teleport. We know where the city resides and our guest can pinpoint it for us on any local map. I'm also requesting Mistress Marevelous, as a support option."

"I OBJECT!" Sombra roared, "my sister is in no state for combat and she only just returned to me! If that bastard is there, he might take some perverted pleasure in-"

"I want to go," a small voice said.

"Janie?"

Standing, Mistress Marevelous stated again, "I want to go. I don't know how m-much help I can be, but I can't wallow in my misery while innocent beings are held hostage."

"Janie, why-?"

"Mistress Marevelous, are you certain?" I asked.

Janice simply nodded.

"What did happen t-?"

"idontwanttotalkabouit."

7hund3r raised his right hand and said, "you don't have to if you don't want to. I do appreciate you volunteering, though. I could need your heart out there."

"Thank you, Steve," Janice said.

"Are we decided, then?" I asked the assembled Guild Members. I received nods of affirmation in return.

"I still don't see why I am not going," Sombra grouse.

"I would love to, Dave," 7hund3r explained, "but we don't want the Theocracy to know you're still kicking back the Ole Oh Two. You're like our trump card, sitting in the hand we've been dealt, waiting for the moment to be deployed."

Sombra nodded, solemnly while his bride smiled in reassurance.

Trixieisagoddess sighed, saying," Good God, I'm surrounded by geeks."

"Tell meh true, boyo," Clopmaniac said to 7hund3r, "you jus' kannae keep a gorgeous Mare like me outta yer sights?"

7hund3r replied, "I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brain."

Trixie then roared, "I KNEW IT; I'M SURROUNDED BY NERDS!"

The Front of the Temple, entrance into the Everfree

Adagio’s P.O.V.

The smell of the outside didn’t fail to impress. But then again, it was seldom that my sisters and I ever got to step outside. Typically Mistress Rarity had us prepare to enthrall those unfortunate enough to reach her floor. Today however, we were given a special mission directly from Lord Mannulus. Naturally, we could not disobey, and besides, when a powerful necromancer speaks, you listen. I walked toward the three that were going to face an army, and I bowed slightly.

“Lady Clopmaniac, Lady Mistress Marevelous, L0rd0f7hund3r, we have been given the honor of joining you.”

I noticed their surprise. I also noticed that I was being admired, and that felt overly wonderful.

“Lass, we’re the only ones going.”

I shook my head, and my sister Aria huffed, “Yeah, right. Lord Mannulus came to our floor and personally informed us that we would be joining you, right Adagio?”

I nodded, “It is true. He did say that since you were facing someone with mind control magic you needed someone to counter. Because Mistress Lulamoon is busy, and Lady Trixieisagoddess is going to be traveling to the Kingdom of Coronam, it was suggested that we go with us. After all, who is more suitable to enthralling an army than we?”

“Okay, look, no. Just no.”

I looked at L0rd0f7hund3r, batted my eyelashes, and pouted, “Truly? Do you believe we would be unable to stand our ground and fight?”

“I think that he’s worried we might be distracting, huh?” Sonata chipped in.

I looked at my sister, and I wondered why they decided to make her a Unicorn. I was a traditional Equis, and Aria was a Pegasus. Honestly, I think I would have made a better use of the arcane magic than my sister. Sonata typically used her spells to create tacos. I rolled my eyes at her response.

“Sonata, please, the adults are talking, but you have a point,” I looked at L0rd0f7hund3r, “Are you worried about undressing us with your eyes? If that is the problem we have no problem fighting nude.”

“Fockin’ Trixie…” Lady Clopmaniac said, “He ain’t worried about that. He’s worried that you’re gonna try to seduce him and get some sweet dick on the battlefield ya daff floozy!”

I watched a strange occurrence happen as a spit take happened with L0rd0f7hund3r having taken a drink. I raised an eyebrow.

“Lady Clopmaniac, you wound me. We would never attempt to seduce anyone on the field. Perhaps afterward, in the temple, but not during battle.”

“Yeah, not happening. I’d rather chew my own hoof off than have anyone use me like a cheap sex doll,” Aria growled.

“Aria, if you were chosen as a bride it would be an honor, and do not pretend that you haven’t fantasized about being taken by L0rd0f7hund3r.”

She looked at me, “I haven’t and you know it! I was interested in… Never mind! Stop being the worst!”

“So, I’m not the worst anymore?” Sonata asked innocently.

“Sonata,” I sighed, “Adults, talking, please, for the love of your own body, stop talking,” I looked to L0rd0f7hund3r, “Despite your objections our orders were from Lord Mannulus. As such his word is law for the temple. If you wish for us to remain then you need to speak to him, but his decision is sound. Having us present to keep mind control from being used on you, and to battle the mind control already being used would only be a benefit.”

I saw him sigh, “Fine.”

We neared the group of them, and Lady Clopmaniac began to call upon the same magic that Lord Mannulus used to create portals. Standing near them was the new addition to the temple. She was some kind of cat creature. Honestly she was rather fetching. I did wonder if we did a good job would our masters allow us to take a male or three for pets. If they looked like she did then I could see the potential for them being used as a great stress relief.

I looked at our clothes, each of us wearing the chitions that Mistress Rarity created for us. Of course they were infused with her magic making them as strong as most armor, but the freedom of movement was wonderful. Once the portal was open we stepped through, and I saw the battle. I looked toward Aria, she nodded, and together we began to move out. Slowly, a lone note began to rise, but soon two others joined it. Together as we sung the ruby pendants on our chests began to glow. Those pendants made our voices project. The song began to change, and I smiled, yes, some fear would be delicious right now.

♫New blood joins this Earth
And Quickly he’s subdued
Through constant pain disgrace
The young boy learns their rules
With time the child draws in
This whipping boy done wrong♫

I watched as multiple members of both sides began to fall, crying, curling up on themselves, and we changed our focus. The cat like ones we left alone, and instead we focused on the humans, watching them drop to the ground, crying, curling up, begging for mercy. More turn toward us, as we advance. The song again begins to change, I rolled my eyes, I did not like this one.

♫Du Hast Mich
Du Hast Mich
Du hast Mich Gefragt
Du Hast Mich Gefragt
Du Hast Mich Gefragt und ich hab nichts gesagt!♫

Aria and her choices. I wrestled back the control. Having them commit suicide right now would useless. We needed them to be controlled, to understand that they were our playthings. We needed them to know that we had full control over them. I changed the song. I smiled as I took the control, and I knew the song. Lady Trixieisagoddess had given it to specifically so I could control all lower beings.

♫I put a spell on you
And now, you’re mine.
You can’t stop the things I do,
I ain’t lyyyyin’.

It’s been a thousand years,
Right down to the day
Now the Sirens are back
And there’s hell to pay!

I put a spell on you
And now, you’re MINE!♫

I watched as hundreds of them stopped, their eyes glowing a soft yellow.

“Hello puppets! My name’s Adagio, what’s yours?”

A mass answer came back, “Your slaves!”

♫Your wretched little lives
Have all been cursed,
‘Cause of all the Sirens singing
We’re the best!
I put a spell on you
And now you’re mine!♫

More turned toward us.

“Do you love us?”

Again a mass answer came, “YES!”

“Good, turn on your former masters for us, kill them, and bring me their heads.”