Spirit Waker

Trixie couldn't help herself but be astonished at the sights before her. The spires were lurking above the closest mountains, the mighty castle made of stones so black they absorb the very light around it, and the lack of life or color from anything around. If the mountains were alive, they would quake in fear.

Yet, the majestic stoic and sleek design of it all can not cover the undesirable creped filth and degeneracy within. Experimentations and barbaric abominations alike. If you weren't food, you were a test subject. If you were neither, then you were dead. They cared not for age or sex. If you breathed you were beneath them.

At one point, she did exactly what she thought the mountains would do. The fear ate at every moment of her life when she was stuck in one of these detectable cesspools of hell all while constantly being woken up for pain or pleasure. It was demeaning and it taught her what true hatred was. They experimented with her body in ways she never thought were possible. And when they were done, they let the others test out their “work”. Even the thought of it sends a revolting shiver down her spine. But it also increased the fire burning within her stomach. With all the fear they fed her, she learned what true hatred was. With that hatred, she learned to stop fearing. Once she had conquered her fear, she learned to teach it.

While they experimented on her in their labs, she began experimenting with herself in her cell. While they did not need to seal off her magic, as most were fast enough to kill as soon as the flick of an aura appeared, she didn't need to cast to theorize.

She could still recall the books she read. Memorization was important to her. Her time as an actor taught her that timing and remembering who was who and what places liked what more was more important than the act itself. So she did the spells in her head envisioning scenario after scenario, remembering which classes don't mix, and most importantly, how to stop herself from dying. It was during a moment of lucidity of being used like a rag doll that she came to a sudden realization. If she could just be invisible, they wouldn't bother her. But she would still give off an aura. So if she could turn her magic invisible...

A plan was formed.

She spent the next of her time there learning to do just that. She knew that if she could target her magic with magic, she could escape. It opened doors she hadn't thought possible. She began to play around with the idea when she could and put it into practice when they weren't looking. Her greatest creation was learning that she could turn her magical aura invisible with a single spell and concentration. Once her aura was invisible, all of her spells would be invisible including the spell she used to turn it invisible. Thus, when her captors thought they were safe, she proved them wrong with two spells. Invisibility and a thin binding spell around the throat. Three were dead unsure of what happened to them. All the while Trixie smirked realizing her true potential.

If only Twilight could see her now.

After that, she went on a rampage freeing prisoners, killing creatures of The Horde, and eventually destroying the building that caused her so much pain. Needless to say, she ended up in a magic coma for a week after the feat, but it was worth it. Not only had she begun something greater than herself, but she was now known more for her assassinations than her old career. As sad as that was, she had to ignore it to do what she needed.

Eventually, she came across Applebloom who was cleaning herself in a river surrounded by at least 10 bodies of those devilish green short things. Not even a single mark was on her. So it was in Trixie’s best interest to ta- ask her to come along to help other ponies in need. The fact that she could move the cart around better than Trixie was just a bonus.

And so a bond was formed for the same goals. A vanguard and an assassin move from town to town, castle to castle, and battlefield to battlefield doing what they know best. Trixie soon became known as the moonlight’s assassin while Applebloom became simply known as Juggernaut.

Despite all of Trixie’s feats, there was just one thing that constantly bugged her. Applebloom’s point of change.

For starters, Trixie hadn't thought the pint-sized filly would grow up to be so massive. Perhaps even more massive than her late brother. And her strength... Trixie has had the pleasure of watching Applebloom crush an entire hulking abomination in between her front hooves. It just popped like a grape.

It was at her first battlefield that she learned of Applebloom's healing abilities. She could recover from any strike against her body and magic seemed to just glide over her. Despite her best attempts, Trixie could never figure out the reason for it. And she already knew Applebloom wouldn't tell her herself.

The conclusion Trixie came to was that young Applebloom had too come from her own castle of experimentation.

So the infamous band of Ponies made a name for themselves and drew the attention they both wanted and hated. They were welcomed everywhere they went and ambushed at every opportunity they gave. It was a luxury and a nightmare in one package.

Yet they push through. Neither giving an inch to those that try them. Saving, killing, and escaping day in and day out.

But this hunt is different.

This isn't your average run. Simply causing chaos while freeing the slaves to kill the master is their usual go-to; This is an assault. Everything that moves dies and the castle will fall. Master and beasts alike. The rumor goes that any creature that goes in is already dead the same day.

They become husks and join The Horde. So there must be a nest here and it must be destroyed at all costs.

But the fortress that houses the infernal worms is not what was astonishing to her. There are sure to be a dime a dozen of them and one castle starts looking like the next after a while. No, the part that was messing her up was.

“Where the hell is everyone!?”

Trixie looks to Applebloom for an answer but she merely shrugs and walks over the hill they had been camping on. They've been staking the place out for three days and they haven't seen anyone enter or leave the entire time. So that means either their information was leaked or false. Both are terrible prospects and could lead to a series of problems. Or, an even worse scenario, they're all marching somewhere. If that were true, it's all the more important they find the hive and kill it.

“We act quickly. In and out this time. I know we promised to burn this place to the ground, but something isn't right here.”

Applebloom snorts and makes her way to the bridge in front of the closed gates. Trixie's magic flares to form two eyeballs that quickly turn invisible. They would keep both of them safe and alert them of any magical danger or traps along the way. Especially when those damned worms are involved.

Applebloom spins on one hoof before launching her hind legs into the large gates sending them open with a giant crack. Inside was nothing. Scratches, burns, and signs of fighting could be seen. Aside from this, not a creature could be seen.

“Eerie,” Trixie states walking past her guardian to take stock of the room in general.

Whatever has happened here has happened a long time ago. Most of the blood has already dried to the point of peeling or blending into the stone and wood. The wood itself is already warped from the amount of liquid it's absorbed and the air is stake and suffocating. Many of the windows are boarded and several doors have been barricaded off. She sends her eyes out to look further down the foray and only comes back with the same conclusion.

“The nest grew too big.”

So the question now is, where is the nest? How many hosts do they have? And how come none of them have left? A spell? Couldn’t be. She hadn’t felt anything when she came in. A sense of danger? But if something was threatening the Queen… a faulty Queen? Possible…

“Applebloom, we ha…”

It… it wasn’t possible. Applebloom holds the same expression as Trixie as they start at the glowing and circling mark of Applebloom’s cutie mark. It had been years since a cutie mark had don’t anything like that. And the last time was when the Princesses were called with the Elements of Harmony to come to the castle before the last stand. Did that mean harmony was still alive? But why was it only acting now?

The mark suddenly shoots off down the foray with Applebloom hot on its tracks. Trixie reaches out to stop her but curses her bad luck. She quickly attaches an eye to her and takes off behind her knowing she won’t be able to keep up.

Applebloom blows through a barricaded door and quickly makes her way into the room it holds back. She doesn't stop as her body slams through and topples through a table scattering chairs and the like all over the place. Trixie stops bewildered at how she seems so unphased by everything around her. Even more so, she cares not for the danger that lurks deeper within for them most likely. But even Trixie couldn't help but wonder where everything was. Not a single infected or wormhead in sight and worse yet of all, not a single body.

The twisting paths that Applebloom follows eventually lead the two, one more tired than the other, to a large gate. The mark in question hovers above a lever that would unleash whatever was behind it. Applebloom takes a step towards it.

"Wait! A-Applebloom! D-Don't forget why we came here... W-We don't know what's behind there."

They lock eyes. Even with the lack of words, Trixie knew that they would be alright. There was always this reassurance about her. Anytime Trixie began to doubt herself or what she was doing, the sigh of

Applebloom always managed to clear her head and steer her right. And her eyes... The steel and fire within them.

Trixie takes a deep breath to try to steady her breathing before backing up some.

"Look. I'm going to put up some spells first."

Applebloom shakes her head and places a hoof on her chest. Right where her heart is. A sign of trust.

Trixie sighs before shaking her head, “Just to let you know if I die before you then my spirit will haunt you forever more.”

Applebloom turns and yanks the lever back unleashing the horrors within upon them. Tears move and grind from inactivity and noises of shuffling and things being broken could be heard. Against her better instinct, Trixie stops herself from running. All of her life has been nothing but that. But she was done with it. Just like with Starlight, she would stand by Applebloom. Until the bitter end…

The inside of the inactive room reveals darkness. No light source is to be seen. The two stand there staring into eternity waiting for something, anything. Seconds felt like hours as eventually, a creature stepped forward.

Trixie's heart began to race and her blood began to go cold. It was as she feared. The creature before them is known simply as a husk. This Husk in particular is that of a Pegasus dressed in a Prench maid outfit. A Husk is the last stage of the worm infection. The stage in which everything has been consumed inside and the parasite have fully fused with the host. Generally seeing one is a bad sign.

This is why seeing forty walking out was driving her crazy.

“N-No! G-Get back! All of you!”

Surprisingly, they all came to a halt starting at her. Even as more stood at the edge of darkness, they just stopped and stared at her. And unlike anything either had seen, they began to part giving a path to them straight down the middle.

Every alarm bell in her head was going off. This… was too much. This is a trap. A very elaborate trap indeed. She wasn’t sure how they did the cutie mark thing, but this… this had to be! There was no other explanation! Harmony wouldn’t just lead them to their death like this.

And yet Applebloom walked. And Trixie followed behind.

Despite the darkness, the two could tell where they needed to go. Harmony was truly with them despite everything leading to the opposite. Deeper they go where they find all manner of beats turned into either Wormheads or Husks. The most shocking of all was the head of the supposed leader of this forsaken castle being displayed before the stairs leading down into the dungeon before them. Its tri-horned face is stuck in a permanent state of both awe and horror.

“You can feel it, Applebloom?” Trixie asks into the darkness.

Silence rules but she could feel her vanguard’s affirmation.

“I never thought I’d find myself willingly walking into a breeding pit. If all goes wrong, we take turns haunting each other.”

Applebloom snorts before the telling sounds of her hooves against stone stairs down a stairwell. Trixie keeps silent as the two make their way down the rather clean stairwell. As the bottom echo because quieter, light can be seen further in. And not magical light either. Light from a fire most likely, but where was the smoke going?

As they go around the final bend and into the corridor of cells, Trixie is once more at a loss for words. Silk woven curtains hang loosely from the ceiling as Wormheads and Husks move about cleaning, arranging, and crafting a matter of all sorts of things from fur, leather, and feather. Disbelief was hardly the start of what she felt.

They were using torches to help them see better as well as candles. The one thing they should fear is being used by them to help? Surely she must have already died somewhere and she was only realizing now that this is but a mere dream state. Yet no matter how much everything was surprising her, the largest surprise had to be that of Applebloom walking towards the Queen of said hive who looks to be talking to a husk as if he was having the time of its life.

Ridiculous was too weak of a word here. Trixie would have to come up with a new word to… incredulous. Yes yes. That seems about right.

“Applebloom… Incredulous.”

Not as magnificent as she had in her mind, but she’s sure she got the point across. But Applebloom paid her no mind as she stops before the Queen as it took stops and stare at the Earth Pony before her.

The staring contest begins in earnest. A look of intrigue passes the two. Followed by concern. Then surprise and… glee?

“Forgive me but I do believe something has been lost in translation.”

Applebloom turns and motions toward the Queen who in return radiates a warmth of happiness. This sweet filling flowing through her clashes with the alarm bells going off. Wait…

“Sweet… Bell… No. There is only so much I can deal with at once, and this is far from it. You both better not be telling me that this… thing! Is Sweetiebelle!?”

An affirmation from both. In sequence despite Sweetie’s large and faceless cylinder white form. The only thing that could be considered the head is that of a mouth and claw-like appendages that the other queens are known to use to feed themselves. Yet here was one with full sentience using them to motions ideas and craft. Using its hive mind for something other than death and food.

“I… I need to lie down.” Applebloom gives Sweetie? A sheepish look before shrugging. Sweetie in return waves her off before letting loose a sound of clicking mixed with squelches. Several husks immediately lift Trixie, much to her horror, and carry her off in a wordless scream.