Oroshi

Today was a relatively normal day in the town of Ponyville, but with the luck that the town has garnered over the past year, it probably won’t stay that way for long. So the ponies of the town were making the most of the peace and quiet as they could. And at the Golden Oak Library, the curator Twilight Sparkle—who became an alicorn a month ago—was peacefully reading a book in the library’s upstairs living quarters, same with her assistant Spike. But the young dragon wasn’t reading a comic this time around, instead he was reading an actual book, and from the unsured look on his face, he didn’t appear to be enjoying its contents.

There are many places within Equestria that are yet to be explored, or have unusual magical properties, or so full of mystery that no pony truly knows about them. for example, the Everfree Forest. Even when princess Celestia and her sister, as well as the Pillars of Light, lived in the forest in the old castle of the Two Sisters, the forest was still full of mystery and wonder. And despite the forest’s limited size, it always seems that its boundaries either shrinks or grows on a whim. This forest even had the master sorcerer, Star Swirl the Bearded, stumped in how the forests magical or paranormal properties work, same goes for the two princesses that used to rule within the forest in their youth.

But despite ponies not knowing the full capabilities of the Everfree, or what it entails. But what ponies do know about the forest, is that it home to a surprising amount of unusual creatures and monsters. From Timberwolves to Ursa Minors and Majors, Hydras, to Cragadiles, and many more creatures that are never seen anywhere else within Equestria’s boarders. Or even around the world of Equus.

However…no pony knows the real reason why the Everfree Forest is home to all of these unusual creatures. And the real reason is because the forest, is a dimensional hub, a focal point in where various points of different worlds align. And because of this, on occasion, anything that wonders into the focal point might end up crossing into the forest of Equus.

“There’s no way this is even possible.” Spike said after reading the section of the book he held in his claws.

“What’s not possible Spike?” Twilight asked as she looked away from her own book, as she lounges on the library’s couch.

“This book claims that the Everfree is some sort of…dimensional focal point…that connects our world to other worlds, and that’s why there are so many monsters the live in the forest” Spike then closed the book before placing it on the nearby table. “That can’t be true, can it?” the dragon asked his alicorn caretaker.

“I personally don’t think so. I’ve read that book you were reading, and several others on the Everfree, and there’s no tangible evidence that supports this theory.” Twilight then turned the page of her own book as she goes back to reading.

“So it’s just hogwash?” Spike asked.

“It’s possible, but considering that life tends to throw curveballs at us Spike, I wouldn’t be surprised if something as farfetched as that could be real.” Twilight said as she continued to read her book.

Shrugging his shoulders the little dragon grabbed the book, and headed back downstairs to return the book to its proper place. But as the dragon did so, he did think about what his caretaker/sister-figure said, in how life tends to through curveballs in their direction. And considering how Twilight was turned into alicorn a month ago, after a year of crazy adventures that happened to him and Twilight’s circle of friends. putting the matter aside the little dragon made his way back up to the living quarters of the library, and decided to fetch one of his comics to read to spend the afternoon.

~~~~~

Far out in the middle of nowhere, reaching high into the sky is a place called the Ancient Tower. Few know who or why this tower was crafted, but now the tower is abandon as well as partially coming apart. But the tower is not completely uninhabited. The tower is the sight, and stomping grounds for various types of monsters, from flying wyverns, elder dragons, and several other different varieties of monsters.

But one of the rarest monsters that visit the tower are the ones known as Kirin’s, elder dragons that resemble equines, with free flowing manes and tails with a long horn protruding from their forehead, that is also covered in dragon scales with three clawed digits on each foot. These majestic and yet aloof creatures also have the ability to not only produce lighting and electricity, but also seem to call them down from the heavens to strike down their foes, even on cloudless pristine sky. However, Kirin’s are not only masters of lightning and thunder, but these majestic equines also have another power, in the form of a sub-species called Oroshi Kirin. unlike their white scaled prime species, the sub-species are midnight blue in color with nearly blacken manes and tails, and instead of controlling lightning these kirins command the cold. Summoning clouds and mist of freezing cold air, pillars, and spikes of ice, even surrounding their horns in ice and snow creating massive blades of ice that can freeze their enemies, or outright demolish them.

And it is one of these majestic creatures that was on high of the Ancient Tower, with a party of four hunters trying to slay it.

High up on a platform within the tower, the air was cold and frigid, layers of frost covering almost every part of area. Accompanied by the occasional spikes or pillars of ice embedded or jutting out of the ground. in the midst of the chilling mist of the area, stood the icy phantom beast that is an Oroshi Kirin, baring small cuts and dents on its scaly hide. With four hunters baring different weapons, surrounding it, and trying to land clean precise blows onto the chilling monster.

“Your mine now!” a female hunter with a Hunting Bow cried out, as she fires a large arrow at the midnight equine. The arrow soared through the sky, skimming past the hunter with a Lance, before striking the ice phantom beast in the shoulder…bounding off the hard scales but also staggering the monster.

“Try this on for size!” the Lance user said as his weapon spiral with a vortex of pressurized wind surrounding it. “CORKSCREW…JAB!”

The Lance wielder planted himself firmly before the Oroshi Kirin, then thrusted his weapon into the monster, releasing a torrent of pressurized air that bored into the monster and due to its staggered state, was knocked down onto its side. Seizing the opportunity the rest of the party took the chance to land clean hits. The Hammer user of the group jumped high into the air, swing his weapon around before coming down like a mountain, slamming the head of his weapon onto the monsters tough scaled hide. Following up on the assault was the Long Sword wielder, swinging her weapon with such grace and pose, that the blade sparked with flames with each strike, ending with a fiery flurry as the hunter swung her weapon full circle before sheathing it.

“And now it’s my turn.” The Bow user said as she charged her arrow, the bladed tip glowing with a thin layer of white, that turned orange then red.

“Take this!” the hunter released her arrow that rocketed towards the monster, aiming to hit the monster right in the head. but the icy beast managed to get to its feet just before the arrow hit, swooshing right under its head, and striking the ground just a few feet behind it.

“AGH, come on! I had that shot!” the Bow hunter grumbled.

“Save the complaining for later.” The Long Sword user said as she darted in with a flourish sword strike, missing her own attack as the kirin hopped out of the way. “We have to kill this thing before it leaves, otherwise we won’t be able to track it.”

The group was then cut off from conversing with one another, as they saw mist quickly building up around their feet’s. All of the hunters dodged rolled away from their positions, before spikes of ice erupted from the ground, creating an icy patch several feet around them. but their respite was not over. The Oroshi whinnied with a passion, as it reared up onto its hind legs, horn swirling with cold winds, and bits of ice particles at nearly reaches well thirty feet into the air. Then with one downward swing of its head, the Oroshi slammed the swirling vortex of ice and frigid wind down onto the Lance, Bow and Hammer wielders, knocking the Bow and Lance wielders to the side. Their bodies covered in frost and ice chunks…while the Hammer user was frozen in place, with spears of ice puncturing through his body!

“Glenn’s down!” the Long Sword user called out, before realizing that the kirin was right before her, red eyes glowing as a cloud of frigid mist surrounded the pair.

“Clair look out!” the Lance user cried out, but was too late, as the mist detonated in frozen flash. Sending spikes of ice over a dozen foot radius, leaving a cloud of ice lingering over it, and frozen and impaled hunter in the center.

“Damn you monster!” the Bow user screamed as she fired three arrows at once, striking the monster in its side again, but it galloped off before another triple shot could hit it.

The monster then hopped about the battlefield, swinging its head around causing large pillars of ice to shoot out of the ground, knocking the Lance user away. Thankfully, the shield blocked the attack, so the hunter wasn’t severely pushed back. the Bow user tried to hit the prancing beast, but every time it looked like one of her arrows would hit, the damn monsters hopped in a different direction, or made a quick U-turn to just make the arrow miss. the hunter was about to launch another flurry of arrows, but had the dodge roll as large chunks of ice came barreling down at her from the sky, mist trailing behind them as they slammed and shattered into the ground, spreading more chunks of ice around the area. Recovering from the dodge the Bow hunter saw the monster galloping away, towards the edge of the towers platform they were on!

“Oh no you don’t!” the Hunter shouted as she fired more arrows, trying to gain the monsters attention, but the arrows either continued to miss or they just bounced off the armored flanks of the monster as it continued to run off.

“You’re not getting away!” The Lance user said as he sheathed his weapon, and ran after the monster, jumping off a small ledge and quickly drawing his weapon out before making a downward thrust! And with all the strength and weight put behind it, the head of the weapon punctured the stone ground…missing the monster as it leapt into the air…and started to scale down the tower.

“Damn it!” the Lance wielder said as he pulled his weapon out of the ground. “It got away.” The Bow user sheathed her weapon as she ‘tch.’

“No use crying over it, for now.” The hunter then pulled out her carving knife, and began to hack away at the ice encasing her fellow hunter. “Let’s try and see if Glenn and Clair can be saved before they die for real.” The other hunter sheathed his weapon, and quickly started to dig out Clair.

Down on a lower section of the Ancient Tower, scaling down its steep foundation, before reaching its lowest section and heading inside the structure. As the creature took a moment in collecting itself from the fight, the beast headed over to a small puddle of water, and took a few quick drinks before nibbling on some moss and vines clinging to the wall. Silently nibbling on the vegetation and drinking from the puddle, the Oroshi’s nose twitched, as an unusual smell slips past its nostrils. Smelling the air and now driven by its curiosity, the monster followed its nose to a different section of the area it was in, smelling crisp fresh forest air coming from the farthest corner of the chamber. But as the monster stepped ever closer to the corner, something happened to the monster.

Reaching the corner the Oroshi was surrounded by a near blinding white light, causing the monster to rear up on its hindlegs and whinny out in surprise. But before it could gallop off, the blinding light grew even more brighter, before an explosion of light filled the chamber and when it dissipated, the monster was gone! The kirin continued to flail about in place, bucking and sweeping its head about, as the light continued to shine around it. and as it continued to flail about, the monster felt its body feel, unusual.

To describe what the monster was feeling, its body was feeling as if it was changing, from its muscles stretching then shrinking, to its bones feeling they were being rolled and mended. It was a painful experience sure, but the changes to its body also caused an strange sense of euphoria to course through it, but the sense of pleasure was overshadowed by the pain. Thankfully, the strange experience ended rather quickly.

When the light finally vanished and the monster was able to regain its sight, the Oroshi found itself in an what appeared to be another chamber. Similar to the one it was in, but not as cavernous or spacious, this one was much smaller, significantly so. Having enough of strangeness for the time being, the Oroshi sprinted out of the chamber, and traversed collapsed hallways and other chambers, moving with such grace and speed that one could mistake it for a ghost. And as it galloped about its mere presence left frost and ice clinging to the ground, walls, and collapsed or scattered objects as it traversed around its enclosed surroundings.

Several minutes of galloping about, the elder dragon reached a large hole in a wall, and when it reached it the monster found an expanse of gnarly trees on the other side of what looked like a steep ravine. Stepping through the hole, the monster trotted a few feet from the structure, the grass being frozen over as a thin layer of mist began forming around the Oroshi. Standing in the midst of the grassy field on its side of the ravine, the monster scanned its surroundings taking in everything around it, including the abandon looking man structure it came out of. After scanning its surroundings the monster turned its attention back to the ravine…and uttered something that normally never comes from the monster, and that something was…a word!

“Strange.”

After examining its surroundings, the Oroshi made its way over to the ravine, and with a single bound the elder dragon landed gracefully on the other side of the ravine. Grass freezing over as it begins to make its way into the forest, the low lining mist trailing just behind the majestic creature, as it disappears into the darken woods.