Side D - Chapter 4: A Desperate Search, a Desperate Fight

I lunged forward, the doctor avoiding the spike in my hand while sending one of his new arms to strike me. Stumbling to the side, I lifted my weapon, pointing it at the monster. I grinned, staring it down, liberated from my fears of evil deeds when faced with such a heinous foe. Darting forward, I brought the spike, hefting it as a club, swinging it at the beast, who, caught off guard, was struck across the face, an advantage I wouldn't let go to waste as I moved forward, continuing my onslaught. Blow after blow fell like thunder upon the doctor, and just as I felt he might have fallen too far to recover, he hefted a table and threw it into me. Doing my best to dodge, I was still clipped in the shoulder by the projectile, sending me stumbling back in pain.

Pushing past the lightning bolts of pain that surged through me, I tightened my grasp on the weapon in my hand. Closing the distance once more, I found myself rebuffed as the doctor struck me across the face, generating a pain across my shoulder as he let me in on his own pain. I kept on my feet, tears creeping at the edges of my eyes. I had to fight. Maybe not win, but fight. If I could delay him just long enough, the others would turn the odds against this beast.

Double hissed as he released the artifact once more. He didn't like the idea of using it himself, but given the circumstances, it was the best idea. He had cleared far more floors and rooms than anypony could hope to in the course of a normal search, thanks to the amulet he toted around. The only problem was now that he had used it so much, his body was being gripped by such a potent fatigue and numbness, his speed suffered almost as much as it had benefited. He wouldn't, however, relent in the slightest. Even if it meant pushing himself beyond breaking. His cousin was buying this precious time, he wasn't going to waste it by taking a breather.

Rounding another corner, he came to a halt. Before him, through an open door, was a massive figure, looming larger than life. Taking a massive gulp, he gripped the amulet tensely. The bulking figure took a few steps forward, closing the distance fast. This wasn't something he could deal with, but if he was to guess, this was likely the way he needed to go. Either that, or it was all an elaborate ruse to confuse his search efforts through the castle.

Raven hated this form. She had taken many a different shape in her relatively short life as a changeling, but this one took the prize for disgusting. The multilimbed, and completely irregular form of the doctor was a strain on her, but it was a necessary strain. All a part of the plan, that was to be her mantra for this evening it seemed.

Opening another door, she peaked inside, but found nothing. If only she had a better route, one more fraught with particular dangers, it might've done her well, or in the very least let her be particularly helpful. If any guards had been about the place, she might've been able to pass them, but the distinct lack of any guards only served to make this form more annoying. not only was it troublesome to manage, but it also seemed to serve no particular point as far as the situation was concerned.

The next door was just as uninteresting. It led to what was either the fifth closet or the third bathroom she had found on this hall. Either way, it was excessive for the basement level. If Twilight weren't a noble, the heating, arcane crystal, and water bills would've been inordinate, even for Raven's adoptive family, and that was saying something.

She shook her head, moving off once more. If only she had something beyond finances to consume her mental energy at this point, she might've felt at least somewhat less annoyed or frustrated, but as it stood, she was just a deformed spider type thing and had nothing but checking doors to do.

I ducked under yet another attack, springing forward with the spike, slashing across one of his many limbs before bringing the thing back around to slam it into his face before hopping backwards, avoiding his counter attack. I stepped to the side, avoiding another attack, and then another, the breeze from the speed of each attack ruffling my already messy shirt or grazed my hair. I couldn't get hit or I'd lose.

Weaving around another attack, I lashed out with the rod, slamming it into his gut before ducking back, avoiding yet another one of his attack, only to see another attack coming from a difficult angle. No other choice present, I fell backwards, letting the blow flash above me, sending my hair whisping after it as I rolled away a distance before rising to my feet. Darting forward once more, I brought my weapon down on another one of his arms, gaining a growl of frustration.

Double juked to the side before darting off to the opposite side, slipping to the side of the mammoth creature. His attempt, however, seemed to have failed as it slammed its fist down in front of Double. His limbs were tired, and stopping was more an exercise in controlled tumbling as he fell face forward on his numb legs. Preserving his momentum a best he could, he planted his hands on the ground, awkwardly flipping over the thing's arm, landing behind it.

Turning about, he bolted straight for it, leaping to reach its neck height. He landed on it with a triumphant whoop as he rode the thing's frantic movements as it tried to get him off. Clambering up, he locked his arm around its throat, doing his best to cut off the circulation. His adversary was obviously at least somewhat cognizant of this, as it whipped about, turning on its heel, before letting itself fall backwards.

Not wishing to become pony pancakes, he lept off, landing ungracefully once more where he had started a few seconds earlier. Fingering the artifact, he considered trying to use it, but his limbs were nowhere near well enough to carry him through. He needed time.

Berry charged down another hall, throwing door after door open. No sign yet, not a one. It was frustrating how little action she was getting in what might have been in a castle crawling with Empire buggers. She had to have the single calmest route. No a door led anywhere beyond spare bedrooms and bathrooms. This place must've intentionally been built like a maze, otherwise castles were just stupider than she had realized.

Barreling through another set of doors, she made her way down the long hall, throwing door after door open. She needed to be useful. Otherwise, why was she here? She knew she was being a help by searching, but it wasn't good enough in the way of help. She needed to be able to find at least one of the ponies, otherwise she was just being as helpful as the white pegs in Cloudship - of definite use, but feeling far less helpful than the red ones.

Dodging yet another blow, I brought the rod of Dark Stone back around, smashing it across his head, sending him into a stumble to the side. Both of us were tiring, but between us, he was looking far more battered. Even so, I knew that I didn't have much more in me. I smiled even as I took several heaving breaths. I might not win, I might even die, but I sure as heck made this guy pay for it. Even if he transferred his wounds to me, he'd feel it in whatever passed for dreams with this guy.

Slipping to the side, I dodged yet another furious attack. I was so low on energy, I wasn't sure if I even should attack anymore. Dodging took enough energy from me, and the pain he was already in made his attacks slow and ponderous. He was feeling it as much as I was, and we were both showing it readily. It was a shame I didn't have something a tad more lethal and less effort dense than basically a giant pencil of Dark Stone, but having such a dense object of antimagic potential certainly had its advantages. For one, neither of us could use an artifact if we wanted to. That might've been enough of a reason, but compound it with the fact the darn thing was so potent that when out of its case it would slowly sap the vitality of any nearby, I felt it was the only smart option to take into this battle.

Stumbling away from yet another frantic lashing from the doctor, I huffed, sweat pouring down my forehead as I strained to keep myself going despite the pull the Dark Stone was exerting. If victory was at all possible, it wouldn't be me snatching it easily from the jaws of this battle. That didn't mean I wasn't going to do my best to make it happen.