Striding Outlander

by Author Shimmer

Rating: teen
Tags: Science Fiction, Adventure, Violence, Princess Celestia, Crossover, Alternate Universe, Human, Main 6, Princess Luna, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Romance
Length: 8276

Betrayed by Samuel Hayden, The Slayer was sent away and finds himself in a odd world called Equestria. Finding himself drawn into the lives of the ponies of Equestria he’s faced with two options. Stop Hell’s destruction, or find peace within himself.

After being betrayed by Samuel Hayden, The Slayer was sent away finding himself in an oddly new, magical, pony filled world. He finds himself drawn into the lives of the ponies of Equestria but some ponies among the crowd fear him wholeheartedly. Now he’s faced with two options. Either he returns to his own world and save his people from hell’s destruction, or will he let these ponies help him find peace within himself and this new world?

Book one

An MLP:FiM/DOOM (2016) Crossover

A/N: This story sets after the events of Doom (2016), and before Doom: Eternal.

Will contain large amounts of gore/violence

Story cover art & Chapter art by Star Shimmering

Published 2021-07-05 20:50:00 UTC
Last updated 2021-11-15 22:56:26 UTC

Prologue - Where it all began. . .

Author's Note

I recommended that you read this with a High Contrast Dark or Ultra Dark formatting setting so as to better experience the typography.

Story cover art & Chapter art by Star Shimmering

I’m not sure how this’ll all go but I’ll do my best to make this fun to read for you all. Your support for any edits for errors you may or may not see or proofreading would be GREATLY appreciated. Don’t expect any daily updates though. Anyway without further ado, enjoy!

Prologue - Where it all began. . .

Once upon a time In a world before Earth came to be there was the Maykrs. . .

The first deity of the Maykrs, the Father, Built the Gate of Divum many eons ago. It’s purpose? To access the hidden city of Immora deep in the heart of a realm known by many names: the pit, the dark abyss, the Netherworld, and many other countless titles. . . but there was one name that all sentient creatures know it by, a name that have been given by the Dark Lord himself:

Hell.

Twenty-five years ago in Earth’s time, Hell found its way to open a portal towards Earth. From the mouth of the black void legions, and legions of Hell’s most vilest creations, and dwellers of the dark realm marched out. They were rage, brutal from the strike of their very claws, and feared so much even a child had nightmares of their bright venomous yellow eyes:

The Demons.

They shed blood and mercilessly brutalized any living thing on their sights. The horde of the demons overwhelmed the very best and most advanced machinery and weapons technology that mankind could muster against the opposition. No matter what they threw or plotted against them It was utterly useless, they moved and were too quicker then them, caring for themselves they did not, for only they sought out the blood of humanity. They were willing to sacrifice their own to get to the heart of their world. They slaughtered thousands and millions more followed.

Until… He came.

In the first battle, when the shadows first lengthened, and all thought hope was lost, one man stood. Burned by the embers of Armageddon, his soul blistered by the fires of Hell and tainted beyond ascension, he chose the path of perpetual torment. In his ravenous hatred he found no peace; and with boiling blood he scoured the Umbral Plains seeking vengeance against the dark lords who had wronged him. He wore the crown of the Night Sentinels, and his reckoning was uncounted.

The scribes carved his name deep in the tablets of Hell across eons, and each battle etched terror in the hearts of the demons. At the time they didn’t know who he was nor were they prepared for his arrival, striding forth to feast on the blood of the wicked. For he alone could draw strength from his fallen foes, and though he was mortal, his strength grew, swift and unrelenting. For as he gains in strength so do they fall in numbers. His steel barreled sword of vengeance cut through layer after layer of the legions like a sickle through a field - his fury surpassing their own. Though Hell’s forces were fast, He was faster - more relentless.

None could stand before the horde but him. Like a plague, despair spread before him, striking fear into the shadow-dwellers, driving them to deeper and darker pits. But no matter where they hid he would always find a way to break through the rabbit hole. When the Striding Outlander marched forth in the dark realm a new challenger from the depths of the abyss rose, The Great One, a champion mightier than all who had come before. The Titan, of ferocity and immeasurable power. He strode upon the plain and faced the unyielding warrior, and a mighty battle was fought on the desolate plains. The Titan fought with the fury of the countless that had fallen at his hand, but when the demons thought for a moment victory was theirs - there fell the Titan, and in his defeat the shadow horde were left in utter disbelief.

On that day came the birth of a title: all those that tasted the bite of his sword, ripped and teared apart at his hands, those who realized he was far worse than them, those that stood and watched as he stood victorious over the Titan’s corpse roaring an in-human battle cry named him...

The Doom Slayer.

CH.1 - Wrath of the Executioner

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

CH.2 - New Companion

The Doom Slayer watched the snow dragon closely who stood by the corpses engulfed by its flames. He learned a few things after meeting the drake. She was a female, had manners like a house maid, and a kind personality that only a mother could give to a child. But what still puzzled him was not just her owing him as an absolute fealty regarding him as an authority figure but her assistants addressing him as "My Lord".

His brow twitches by the mere thought of that word. He only just met her and already he doesn’t know what to do with her.

“My Lord.”

The Slayer looked up in response to her call, he had been so lost in trying to understand this strange drake, he didn’t even notice she was standing in front of him.

“I have disposed of the bodies you massacred. In time the bodies will turn to ash, and no dragon or pony will find their remains.” She announced with her head bowed and her right claw placed to her heart. The Slayer gave her a simple nod to her report.

“Please forgive me my Lord, for I have not properly introduced myself. I was sent by the great queen of all dragons in the snowy mountains to act as your guide. My name is Zyerks, daughter of Blazer, my mother and great granddaughter of Kyerks the queen who rules the snowy mountains. It is my duty to be your humble servant and protector, from morning until night, from cradle to the grave, and devote all of my being into your service, my Lord.” The snowy drake known as Zyerks introduced herself with her arms spread out and her snake cyan like eyes shining.

The Doom Slayer stood there staring at her. His eyes locked with hers, and he paused.

There was no fear, yes, but there was something more buried beneath it, deep behind the surface. Tranquility. Contentment. Peace. Joy.

Sincerity.

He paused, his muscles twitching as they stared one another. This was ... This was …

She—No, he realized, she—is not like them. She’s not evil. Nor your foe. She was friendly, yes. But she was not evil. Nor did she have the face of a liar or a trickster. There was a look to her eyes, a spirit behind them that the shadows of evil could never replicate. A wellness of the mind and soul that was visible without word or deed.

No, he thought, relaxing somewhat. She is not your enemy.

And yet she was happy, and that baffled him. How could she be so happy to finally meet someone who’s the most terrifying force of destruction?

All of it flew through his mind in an instant, and he broke eye contact even as she tilted her head, looking down to the floor. Maybe—

“My Lord?”

He looked back to meet Zyerks’s eyes again when she called.

“May I ask for your name?” Zyerks asked, looking at him curiously.

The Doom Slayer cupped the chin of his helmet considering how to answer the question. His eyes went back to the mountain corpses and a thought came in mind. He walked past her heading over to the side grasping his hand around a leg and pulled it with ease pulling out a now charred body of the green dragon, he shoves his hand in the dead drake’s mouth then yanked it out with a big tooth in hand. The Slayer walks towards a wall and without hesitation stabs the tooth on the wall, the tooth squeals as he slowly carved the letters down. Once he was done he threw it to the side, turning back to face her and placed his hand on the left side of the wall next to the writing.

Zyerks steps up to look at the wall, getting a chance to read what was written in her master’s hastily scribbled carvings:

Doom Slayer

The words sent chills down her spine but also left her in awe. What a truly scary and yet marvelous title ‘Doom Slayer?’ the name echoed in her head. What is he? He’s not a pony, yes, neither a minotaur or a dragon but his strength and speed far exceeded that of the princesses. Especially after witnessing him killing the few dragons in less than twenty seconds or less, and he had done it without the slightest hesitation. What is his origin? Could he be someone from a far away land that has lost his way? Her mind was reeling with questions; it would be best if they’re saved for later.

“I see,” said Zyerks, “incredible strength and a spine-chilling title, just like the prophecy has foretold; you are most definitely the Lord I was meant to serve.” Her lips formed a smile gazing at the words in wonderment. The Slayer tilted his head when he heard this.

Prophecy, he thought, what is she talking about?

“Oh, my apologies, you probably don’t understand what I mean,” Zyerks said, patting her tail to the ground, “Here let us sit and I shall tell you everything you need to know.”

The Doom Slayer complied as he threw his Super Shotgun back in his hyperspace inventory then gently sat down cross legged with Zyerks following suit sitting a few feet away from him. Once the two were comfortable she cleared her throat.

“I suppose you’re curious to know about the prophecy I speak of, correct my Lord?” Questioned Zyerks.

The Slayer nodded answering her question.

“Long ago during the time when Nightmare moon was still in prison within her own moon, my great grandmother’s father gathered his people in an important meeting and told them of a dream he had: a glimpse of a silhouette creature whose strength and speed far surpasses the princesses themselves, a creature that can cut through legions like a sickle through a field. “Their strength will be our shield,” he said, “They will be the spear that stabs at the heart of our attackers, and those that would seek to harm the ponies, griffins, and our kind should feel warned,” my grandmother told me when she heard this she thought he was being bonkers.” Zyerks explains while grabbing a shard of gold from the floor, flicks it in the air landing gently in her jaws before snapping shut.

“That is until she had a dream as well.”

Zyerks dipped half of her finger in the dusty floor slowly beginning to draw images of the dream. “It was a little similar to her father’s dream but it was at the end that had a few differences; she found herself walking in a tube shaped cave, a very long one mind you, moving forward she made it to the end and that’s when she saw it. The same creature that her father saw in her dream, stood a few feet away from her lending a hand to a little drake, and that little drake… was me.”

Her finger stopped as she finished. The Doom Slayer looked down curious to see her work. The image revealed a tall faceless bipedal figure down on one knee lending a hand to a small little baby drake who is trying to reach theirs with their little claws. Only difference between himself and this “Lord,” was that It didn’t wear any armor similar to what the Slayer had on. So what made her think he was the one? Is he really the one she’s been waiting for all these years or had he just crossed and screw the prophecy over? He glanced up at her meeting the warmth of her smile yet again.

“I've been looking forward to assisting you since I was a baby drake, my Lord.”

She lowered herself on both knees with her claws down and her head bowed in subservience on the ground while continuing her speech. “When I was told that I was chosen to be your servant I knew then and there I was destined for this; and I want you to know that I’ll humbly do my best to reach for your expectations, where you go, I go along with you, whatever obstacles we face or how low the darkness will take us I wanna face them with you. Now and forever, I’m your loyal servant and protector. But most of all I’ll do my best to guide you. So you can rest at ease.”

As Zyerks finished her speech hoping he would be pleased. Her heart grew with worry though when silence was her only response. Is he not pleased? She thought, her body trembling. She ventured by glancing up at him, her eyes meeting his. His head was tilted to the side even while she couldn’t see his face she could feel his gaze with hers, studying her with such intensity, and the fire persisting; burning, hot and angry.

“M-My Lord? Have I said something that might’ve angered you?” Zyerks asked worriedly.

The Doom Slayer gave a simple shook of his head.

He raised two of his fingers then placed them on the left side of his neck below the chin giving it light taps whilst gesturing his hand side by side. Zyerks sees this and immediately gasps with her claw over her mouth, understanding the gesture.

“You… can’t speak?” Zyerks asked, her tone one of stunned horror. The Slayer nodded as an answer to her question.

“Did something happen to you that had caused such a thing?” Zyerks asked, almost too scared to imagine the cause of such a fate. He turned away from her, ran his finger down on the dusty floor writing down something. He finished quickly pulling his hand away, allowing her to read the revelation before her.

One day, I’ll tell you.

“One day?”

Zyerks looks back at the Slayer making sure if what she read was right. The Slayer nodded and she let out a collective sigh.

“Very well,” she said, placing her claw to her chest. “Then I shall wait for the day when you’re fully ready to tell me. Until then, I won’t ask anymore about your past.”

Right as she said this the snowy drake places her left claw over her mouth letting out a yawn. She was so caught up that she didn’t even realize how tired she was.

“Well it’s getting late my Lord. Let us rest and we can figure out what our first move shall be by morning.” Zyerks said as she stood up stomping her way towards the pool of gold and gemstones then dived underneath them. The Doom Slayer watched as her head turned to gaze at him.

She smiled at him warmly letting out another yawn before telling him in a near whisper. “Goodnight… my Lord…”

Slowly her eyes begin to close. Her body rises and falls beneath the gold as the snow drake drifts off to dreamland. He didn’t want to admit it but she looked kinda adorable when she’s asleep. He shook his head, he shouldn’t be distracted by this and find a spot to nap in.

His armor scans his new cave for a place to sleep. The last time he’d slept was when those vile priests entombed him in the sarcophagus many eons ago. After being put into the Divinity Machine, sleep was rendered pointless to his now immortal body, becoming a leisurely activity or a means to pass time. He considered it a blessing but didn’t help at the fact that all his dreams offered nothing but horrible memories from his past.

Sitting against the cave wall, he rests his head against the cold stone, wishing to himself that he had a pillow. He closes his eyes, toning the midnight ambiance out, and slowly drifts off.

CH.3 - A Scream Beyond the Tress

Author's Note

Now I know what you might be thinking.

“Star? Didn’t you said you were on break for a while on your last blog?”

Your absolutely right, I am still taking a break. Buuut, I decided to publish it today as an early gift basket for you guys. However! That doesn’t mean the schedule has change; the chapters will always remain publish on every Monday and Thursday.

Now with that out of the way enjoy my shimmerings!

CH.3 - A Scream Beyond the Tress

The Doom Slayer’s eyes shot open. Right arm reaches for his back whipping out his super shotgun aiming it from side to side finding none in his surroundings as if to defend himself from the last remnant of his memory. He paused, his muscles twitching as his chest rises and falls quickly. He could feel his heart pounding wild against his ribcage, beating as though he was still living through the last waking moment, even though he vaguely became aware he was no longer in danger. Fresh adrenaline coursed through his veins - eager and waiting for something that would happen, which it already had. Not only was his body motivated to be alert thanks to the adrenaline, but it also sharpened his other senses.

Completely aware he was no longer feeling the dread of incoming physical danger, he closed his eyes and tried to get his body to slow down, bringing himself out from the last memory of whatever it was.

No, he thought, reassuring himself. It was just another nightmare.

Slowly, he raised his eyelids.

He blinked in bemusement when he noticed smoke dancing through funnel loops above him. Sitting himself up, his eyes followed the smoke’s trail along with awareness of someone humming a melody tune as it bounces across the stone walls.

Eyes landed on the source finding the back scales of a snowy drake wagging their tail side-to-side. Was that her? He thought, a bit surprised of how musical her voice was to his ears. The humming melody stopped as the snowy drake swiveled their head around to the Doom Slayer’s direction. She stared at him, her lips formed from ear to ear a broad smile.

“Good morning my Lord. I hope you slept well,” Zyerks said, bowing her head with her right claw placed to her heart. “I went out to find you something for breakfast. I didn’t know which food you’d like, so I came back with this. Fried and well cooked salmon.”

He stared at her with a blank expression. Cooked salmon, he thought to himself. The last time he’d eat any food was when his mother made him a plate of bacon and eggs with a cup filled with the sweetest of orange juice during his childhood many eons ago. However, just as sleeping was rendered off the list, even eating wasn’t needed with his immortal body. Subconsciously his HUD flickered to life, his eyes trailed off to the upper left side of his screen, and was nearly in shock when he suddenly became aware of the time.

Thursday/July 1st/2011

Wait… he’s been asleep for two-hundred and forty-three days?! Was he that tired when he arrived here? No, he thought relaxing his muscles, maybe he just overslept. Yeah that had to be it. One thing’s for sure though, this is the last time he should ever go to sleep.

Getting to his feet he trudges his way over to the small fire pit in the middle of the cave, sitting cross legged on gold and gemstones. Speared by a wooden skewer cooking above the dancing flames is today’s breakfast; a gigantic salmon. He found himself staring down into the pit, eyes glued on the dancing flames which touched and licked the underside of the meat. He wondered how it’ll taste once finished.

“It’s ready my Lord.” Zyerks’s calm voice bounces across the stone walls of the cave. He reached up, gripping the sides of his headgear, and giving it a twist. There was a slight hiss as the pressure seal was broken, and the Doom Slayer extricated his helmet from his protective covering.

When Zyerks saw his face she was quite shocked, and in awe. The best way she could describe what she was seeing was a hairless ape. Long straight dark gold hair cascaded around noble facial features, as eyes of icy blue showing great experience and weariness stared at the cooked fish with calm composure.

Oh my, oh my, she thought, right cheek cupped by her claw as she could feel her blood rushing to her cheeks. For a hairless ape and a force of destruction. . . he’s beautifully handsome. As if the prophecy couldn’t be any more true to what she was seeing, her Lord was beautiful in her eyes, and that increased her love for him tremendously. But it wasn’t a romantic type that filled her heart and soul. Rather it was a love that inspired her.

Holding it by the tail, he detaches it from the skewer. Rising and turning around, he gives his new acquaintance Snowy Drake most of his attention, but not before taking a large and eager bite. It tastes fine. But not good enough to eat on everyday lunches; he’ll have to make do with this one for now.

Zyerks eyes blinked, realizing she’s been gawking at him for too long before immediately shaking her head, snapping herself back in reality.

“So my Lord, I was thinking since you’re new here in our world that, if I may, I could give you a grand tour around the place,” Zyerks said gesturing her hand at the entrance, “once you know your way around I could take you to a few places as a start to find that which you lost.”

Taking another bite of the belly, his eyes glance over to the snowy drake, taking her words in his thoughts. Zyerks had a point, and he was well aware of it. He got lucky he was able to find one out of his arsenal but he’s got seven more still unfound and searching for them by foot could take up his whole day. He can accept her being a helping hand, and while she is friendly he can not lose the firmness of his guard. He’ll keep her close whilst keeping an eye on her, closely…

Tossing the fin into the fire, he stood up and grabbed his helmet from the gold filled floor. Pulling it over his head, the HUD flickers to life, as a cushioned rubber ring slowly tightens and compresses around his neck, creating an artificial environment. As his armor calibrates itself, he begins making his way towards the mouth of the entrance but abruptly stops. Turning to his shoulder glancing up at the snowy drake beside him moving up to the tight shackle contracted around her neck.

Zyerks notices his gaze and looks down at him tilting her head.

“Is something wrong my Lord?” She asked, looking at him with curiosity.

He raised his hand gesturing to her to come close. She leaned in, getting eye level with him and watched as he walked over to her side staring at the wrapped steel shackle. Both hands grabbed hold of the collar clutching both sides in his grasp and with a swift effortlessly ripped it off her with ease freeing her scaly neck.

Carefully Zyerks stroked her claw from the front, her sides, and her nape. A sense of ease washed over her causing her to let out a relieving sigh. She immediately got down on both knees lowering with her claws down and her head bowed in subservience on the ground.

“Thank you for freeing my neck’s shackled prison, my Lord. It was indeed a bit hard to get air in my lungs with that metallic collar wrapped around me,” Zyerks said, glancing up at him. Her lips formed from a broad—to a warming smile, “beget I shall not of your act of Kindness for I will treasure this in my heart.”

The Doom Slayer didn’t nod and just stared at her blankly.

“Well let’s not waste anymore time here. Shall we go?”

Right wing laid gently next to the Slayer’s side. Taking this gesture he gently climbed over her wing, following up to her shoulder, neatly sitting on top of her back.

Slowly she stood back up and began to stomp straight down the long cavern tunnel. As they exited the cave Zyerks stepped forward carefully examining the trees and areas around the forest.

She took a few deep breaths, her wings opened up spreading wide, giving them a good flap lifting her body into the sky and causing everything to rattle and shake with the force of the wind. With a few more quick flaps she flew up into the clear blue sky, the earth’s floor getting farther now from view.

Reaching high to the sky the snowy drake slowed down levitating herself by the support of her wings flapping. She stared into the view before her. Spreading her arms wide announcing to her master.

“Lord Slayer, Welcome to Equestria!”

Inside the cottage a group of animals surrounded a butter yellow pegasus in a circle listening closely as she read to her dear friends their favorite book.

“When the chicken opened her eyes, she wondered if they had; for verily it was so dark it was as if they were still shut. Imagine how frightening it was for the little chicken to find no one around her. She could—”

Her narration was interrupted by a soft knock at the door alerting Fluttershy and her animals. She looked at all the critters, bears, birds, and mammals sitting around her raising one hoof.

“Um, could you excuse me for a moment, please?” Each animal nodded and began to scatter from different directions. With that she stood up making her way to the door. Raising her hoof she opens it, winding it up before her seeing two familiar mares standing outside of her doorstep. One on the right a cyan pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane, and one on the left a lavender unicorn with a rim cut navy blue-colored mane.

“Oh, good morning Twilight, good morning Rainbow.” Fluttershy greeted them, her lips adorn with a warm smile.

“Good Morning Fluttershy,” Twilight returned happily, “I hope we’re not interrupting anything. If we are, we could always come back later.”

Fluttershy shook her head while waving her hoof. “Oh not at all Twilight. What brings you two here?”

“Well me, Rainbow Dash, Spike, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie are on our way to the dragon migration and we were wondering if you’d like to come with us?” Twilight offered through her reply.

“Oh I’d love to—”

There was a brief delay as Fluttershy’s brain processed Twilight’s words before inevitably cutting her words short. She stared into deep space, her mind filled with images of fiery torrents of flames, and three gigantic silhouettes of scaly winged lizards with bright snake-like eyes staring at her, a chilling audible chuckle escaping through their lips. Fluttershy cupped both her cheeks screaming and tried to flee back inside. Halfway towards the stairs she was pinned down by the cyan pegasus.

Twilight watched while stepping inside the cottage insisting to her friend. “C'mon, Fluttershy, it'll be fun!”

The shy buttered yellow pegasus clawed her hooves on the carpet as Rainbow Dash had hold of her tail in her teeth dragging her towards the door.

“There's nothing fun about dragons! Scary, yes! Fun, no!” Fluttershy commented, pulling her tail off of Rainbow’s teeth galloping towards the stairs before being stopped by the cyan pegasus again, pushing her back towards the main entrance.

“But Fluttershy, the great dragon migration happens only once in a generation! Do you really wanna pass up a chance like that?”

Counting on all her four hooves for support, Fluttershy firmly grip on the back side entrance’s ellipse shaped wood from being pushed any further to the outside world.

“Now that you put it that way, yes!” She replied.

In a flash the lavender unicorn disappeared—then reappeared outside of the cottage standing before Fluttershy with a genuine smile.

“Aw, Fluttershy, we just don't want you to miss out.” Twilight said. Fluttershy puzzledly looked at her.

“Miss out on what? Dragons? Big, scaly, fire-breathing dragons?” Fluttershy queried. Twilight took a moment to process the querying question through her mind before looking back at her pony friend with a smile and replied.

“Well... yeah!”

“Thanks, but... no thanks!” Fluttershy faltered clearly. Rainbow Dash stops having enough of this and gets up to the timid pegaus’s level.

“Look, Fluttershy, I watched that boring butterfly migration with you,” Rainbow Dash recalled, pulling out a picture taken of the recent butterfly migration she spent with her, “so now it's your turn to watch the dragon migration with me! You owe me!”

At that moment Fluttershy’s eyes narrowed, her chest rising and falling, and a mixing feeling between anger and fear derived its way from her chest, rising up to her throat, escaping out of her lips into a near squeaky shout.

“I... said... no!”

Before Rainbow Dash could react Fluttershy thrust her hooves to her chest adding a left leg kick to her belly air escaping through the cyan pegasus’s lungs. Twilight gasped unexpectedly, shocked at her friend’s sudden brute strength. She galloped straight for the window letting out a low growl, gritting her teeth, aggressively raising both her hooves in the air before bringing them back down, opening the window up with tenderness and leaped out.

Fluttershy up on her heels without even turning around. She forced herself to breathe, faced slightly to the right of the field and ran. Imbued with the strength the butter pegasus had she ran as hard and fast as she could. Her heart was pounding as she tried her best to run, not daring to open her eyes in fear that she may see a nonexistent dragon descending down upon her. Despite every ounce of her being telling her to stop. She ran off the main road and into a forest. She dodged tree after tree, jumped root after root. She felt her strength begin to fade. Her sprinting became a gallop, her gallop a trot. Finally, Fluttershy had to stop completely. She panted heavily trying her best to relax and calm her beating heart.

It’s okay Fluttershy it’s okay, she thought reassuring herself, there’s no dragons following you… you’re okay.

Aware and assured she was not being chased, she slowly raised her eyelids. Raising became an opening, opening—to blinking in bewilderment. She finds herself oddly in… the Everfree?

‘Oh my, I must’ve ran too far by instinct that I didn’t pay attention to where I was going.’ Fluttershy scanned her surroundings finding none but large pillared trees and bushes. She really did run too far deep didn’t she?

‘I should probably find my way back then.’ Fluttershy thought to herself looking around the area hoping to find a path or maybe a road back to her cottage. After sitting for a good few minutes her legs were recharged then stood up ready to advance. Until she stops dead in her tracks when she hears a deep guttural growl from behind her neck.

The Doom Slayer watched the snowy drake explaining and pointing out the small neighborhood while the indicators in his helmet told him it was detecting a lot of small dotted life forms coming from the town.

“Over there is a magical and harmonies town called: Ponyville,” Zyerke pointed her claw at the various apartments each bigger than the other, “inhabited by ponies from three different races; you have the earth ponies, the soaring pegasus, and quite talent unicorns.”

His eyes followed her claw as she pointed from a mile away to what he believed to be a silhouette of a castle. Like all images of the castle he had seen through books, amusement parks, and television shows. This image of the castle was mythical and—he couldn’t quite find the right word for it, but then it came to him:

majestic.

“And about a mile from here is one of Equestria’s beautiful ancient kingdoms: Canterlot. Ruled by the two Princesses of the sun and moon. The main ruler out of the two is Princess Celestia, and the second is her sister Princess Luna. At least that’s what I’m told.” Zyerks explained, eyes glued at two towers while the Slayer starred in silent awe.

Zyerks turned her head at him. “Of course, I’ve never met them before nor have I seen them but I’ve been told by my people that their beauty is exquisitely striking to the eye.”

The Doom Slayer nodded taking in each piece of information. So this confirms it. He’s no longer in his world. Right hand gripped a spike from the back of the snowy drake and a heat had begun to grow within his gut. Not only did Samuel Hayden send him away he tossed him into another dimension like plastic to a bin. Was it his intention to send him to his personal prison of a fluffy, cute little world just so he would have time to continue his work? Was this a joke to him or something? Slowly his chest starts to rise and fall. If this was his way of mocking him and making a joke out of him then he better be prepared for the day he finds him!

He could be back in his dimension saving innocents from the demons right now. Instead he’s stuck here in a childish world because of a cyborg bastard who wanted to use a dangerous artifact for the sake of science. Because he had no choice! The Doom Slayer stopped himself as he felt his rage building up from his gut—to his throat. He took a calming breath, he needs to stay calm, seething in anger isn’t gonna get him nowhere, and focus on his new goal, finding a way off this world. Just as the Slayer finished his thought he turned back to his snowy drake companion realizing that he was too deep into his thoughts that he hadn’t paid attention to whatever it was she was explaining.

“As for this my Lord right below us,” Zyerks said, looking down at hundreds of trees dotting the earth’s floor causing the Slayer to also look down. “Is the Everfree forest. To this day Just five percent of the forest remains mostly undiscovered and unseen by all and is undoubtedly a dangerous place in these parts. I for one would not venture here for not even one piece of a gem except in great need.”

She turns her head back to the Slayer.

“So where would you like to go first? We could go to Applelossa or Manehattan, though it would be a big risk considering ponies would scatter and scream their heads off seeing a dragon flying over the city.”

The Doom Slayer just sat staring at her blankly.

“Dodge Junction maybe or the Dragon Lands?”

Cupping the chin of his helmet the Doom Slayer hummed quietly thinking. His eyes darted back the snowy drake nodding his head.

Zyerks nods back to the gesture.

“Very well, Dragons Lands then Dodge Jun—”

Just as she was about to finish her sentence both of them heard an ear shattering roar, and screams. At the same time his armor registered a heat bloom about not too far from their current location. Rolling her body around Zyerks and the Doom Slayer looked straight at the direction of the roar as sounds of low growls and barks echoed through the trees of the Everfree. The two stood still wondering what in the world could be happening over there.

She placed her claws on her hips, saying under her breath. “Hmm… I knew there were some who had escaped through his slaughter in the cave last night.”

Without taking her eyes off the direction where they both heard it Zyerks asked. “Should we go check it out?”

She felt her nape tapped by the gloved hand of the Slayer almost telepathically giving her the green light. She nodded before her wings began to spread wide.

“Very well, hold on tight my Lord!”

With a great flap Zyerks started diving down, the Slayer’s thoughts focused, the trees rushing past him in a blur, as they streaked their way toward the screams.

CH.4 - First Witness

Fluttershy panted like crazy, rushing air to her lungs. Tears swept across her face as every gallop sent pain shooting through her hooves and legs. She has to do something. She must open up her wings and fly quickly, but they’re stuck, glued to her sides. Despite every ounce of her being telling her to stop she tried her best to keep running as her heart was pounding through her rib cage. Her whole body was crying out for relief, pain filling her legs.

Fluttershy nearly had a panic attack when a loud roar pierced her ears, shaking her whole being. Her head cracked to look behind her, as not one, not two, but an unnaturally large group of dragons appeared from behind the clouds, soaring at high speeds straight for her. At that millisecond she counted at-least ten of them. She heard a snapping sound behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw the dragon had tried to bite down on her, It quickly recoiled its head, letting out an annoyed roar as it continued flying again.

The large beast opens its jaws, trying to close them on her a second time but misses when the buttered yellow pegasus takes a quick turn causing it’s head to collide with a rocky wall.

She took another turn, stopping in her tracks facing a dead end of a wall. Her head darted up—side to side looking for anywhere she could climb on, her chest rising and falling due to her heavy breathing. Fluttershy felt her heart leapt to her throat when she heard ten tremendous thuds shook the ground, as if something gigantic had just landed. Fluttershy ventured in a slow robotic motion around her shoulder. Fluttershy felt her heart almost stop as her eyes widened at the sight before her.

Ten giant dragons had landed in front of her. One next to the leader growled softly as smoke billowed from its nose. The leader was the calmest of the few. The leader had darkish grey scales, white under belly, snake-like venom eyes and greyish single-lined spikes on his back and tail. The other two beside him were twins of the same color, both were albinos. The rest of the group were in different shades of color.

The fourth, darkish purple.

The fifth, green tinted in black.

The sixth, charcoal grey.

The seventh, flaming orange.

The eighth, light-shaded pink.

The ninth, darkish blue.

Finally the tenth, maroon.

“You have no idea how deep you dug your grave, you little runt,” the grey one exclaimed.

“Darn right boss. I spent too much time trying to get that gem and this little, little pest ruined it by crushing it with her meaty hooves!” The purple one shouted aggravatingly. The group behind them nodded their heads in empathy.

“Oh… umm… I… I’m so sorry. I-I didn’t mean too, I was just…” The yellow Pegasus timidly said, trying to hide behind her pink mane.

The grey drake shook his head. “Sorry ain’t gonna cut it missy.”

The grey drake raised his claws, intending to punish her without an ounce of mercy, but then he was struck by a thought.

“Hmm… you know what, I’ve changed my mind, I'm not gonna eat you.” The grey drake said calmly, lowering his arm.

“Oh…. I… uh… thank you…I guess I’ll just…” The yellow pegasus was reduced to mumbling trying to step to the side and leave only to be blocked by a half cupped claw.

“Who said I was letting you go?” The grey drake said it’s lips adorn with a smug smile, “you didn’t let me finish you little runt. I said I’m not gonna eat you; instead I have other plans for you.”

“Boss! Boss!”

Everyone including Fluttershy paused as they looked to the direction of the sky a little wheat-yellow drake descended upon them. One of the drakes in the group clicked their tongues in annoyance that their little entertainment was cut short by this interruption.

Within landing the little drake sprinted up to the grey one bumping into its leg glancing up at him.

“Boss, thank goodness I found you.” Said the little drake letting out a collective sigh. The grey drake tilted his head in puzzlement.

“What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay in the cave and guard our gold?” He demanded his eyebrow quirked up at the baby drake.

“Yes I know but that’s what I came to tell you!” He exclaimed, his chest rising and falling. All the drakes gave each other confused looks upon hearing this before turning back to the little one.

The grey drake raised a brow at the little one. “Whatever do you mean? Tell me what?”

Fluttershy carefully looked around the corner of the grey dragon’s leg getting a better view of the baby drake.

The yellow drake cleared its throat.

“Boss you’re not gonna believe this but last night this thing, this creature, came into our cave. We tried to get rid of it but…,” it covered it’s face with its claws, “oh faust the amount of effort we did wasn’t enough, it slaughtered them all, every last one of them!”

The maroon dragon blinked, staring at the baby drake with a blank expression.

“It slaughtered all of them..?”

“Yes but I managed to escape through the massacre. I wish I could tell you more but we don’t have much time! That monster could be here any moment so we need to get out of here before—”

At first Fluttershy didn’t know what happened, there was a massive thud that shook the ground, causing her to flinch and shut her eyes, and something wet spattered. As her eyelids slowly opened, Fluttershy gasped. The little drake had disappeared! She could see its remains in a round puddle of blood, surrounding it in a maroon mist. But nothing could prepare her for what she saw behind the dark, bloodied mist. Coated in the mist was an armored creature. She wasn’t sure what it was at first. The proportion looked wrong and for one, the figure was thicker, with stockier legs. It looked almost like an adolescent dragon. Or a minotaur maybe? she wondered as she ran her eyes over the flat, green surface of the armor it wore. Her aqua eyes followed down, finding lighter patches across the creature’s chest and signs of battle scars on the arms, only deeper, and more…brutal. It’s armor looked battered and worn.

Are those claw marks? She thought, her eyes darting from one part of the armor to another. What could’ve attacked it to create those..?

“Well don’t just stand there,” Fluttershy heard the grey dragon shout, “burn the little cretin!”

The purple dragon pulled back, inhaling all the fire it held up inside its belly. The creature cracked its head at the drake, reaching down for its left thigh with a metallic ball in hand. Taps its thumb on top before chucking it towards the wide open mouth. The flaming glow from its neck faded. The drake brought its claws up grasping around its neck. It felt its throat contracted as it coughed and gagged. Tears streaming on its bloodshot eyes. By this opening advantage, the armored creature lunges in the air pulling a strange metallic object from it's back. The creature pointed it at the head of the dragon. Hot shells exploded from the barrels. launching forward, piercing through the drake’s head exploding into a red mist and It’s body collapses to the ground.

The bipedal figure whipped the weapon around from behind. Propelling itself by firing a few shots towards the green tinted dragon. The creature threw its weapon away, disappearing in a flash. Right hand cocked back bawling tightly into a fist. plunging through the forehead creating an explosion of bone, flesh, and brain. It’s body fell on its back leaving the five other dragon’s and the buttered pegasus stunned.

On one knee the creature landed turning to his shoulder to see another dragon charging towards him. Mouth fully agape. It rolled its body to face the winged lizard, brought both hands up, took a step back flexing its fingers into a tight fist. Right as the flaming orange dragon was inches from snapping its jaws, the creature sidestepped, and a loud spine-chilling crunching sound broke through the air.

The creature’s right fist had struck, landing with its effortlessly might straight into its victim’s throat. The drake’s eyes shrunk as it’s windpipe was crushed, it’s forward energy being matched by the stopping force of the punch. It’s body betrayed itself and swung itself free of the ground, it’s whole being shifting out from under the overwhelming power of the punch and hitting the ground with a hard thud.

The drake jerked and twitched on the ground, as it tried with all its might to get air from its broken windpipe, only to be filled with blood that poured freely from the mouth. It squirmed and jerked, as it’s eyes rolled into the back of its head. It lasted for a few seconds until the body finally stopped squirming as life escaped it.

Fluttershy stared at the corpse that lay not too far from her. Fear courses it’s way through every vein of her body causing her to curl up shivering on the floor. Never had she seen such a display of violence and brutality. This creature, this monster is no doubt from the darkest depths of Tartarus! Watching it massacre the other drakes Fluttershy trembled as she considered what destruction it might wreak upon all she held dear. She wanted to run. More than anything, she really wanted to. But her limbs had been turned to lead by an all consuming terror. Even if she had the will to turn and run, something from the back of her mind told her that would be a very bad idea…

One dragon among the group, a light shaded pink, stared in horror as the monster stood with blood dripping from both bawled fists. Rather than face the wrath of this bipedal freak of nature, they spread their wings and decided to flee but it didn’t get far. With speed faster than Rainbow Dash herself it’s right wing was grabbed by the figure, and hurled to the ground. The light shaded dragon just had time to scream, before the figure punched it through the poor firebreather's head with a practiced ease. Blood oozed and dripped out from the punctured hole. Looking up, the creature saw the three remaining dragons who stood staring in horror.

The bipedal figure stalked slowly towards them but stopped halfway catching a glimpse of something. With a double-take, it walked backwards slowly and turned its head. They watched as the figure trotted its way towards a bush shoving both arms in yanking out a metallic object in both hands.

Both the dragons and Fluttershy’s eyes slowly widened as they all felt their heart sink to their stomach at the sight before them. The figure had another metallic object in its hands, it was as big as it’s torso with four long sets of barrels. Three of the barrels stuck together in a triangular formation. Slowly the barrels began to spin. They spun faster and faster in every second. Once its speed increased, all three of them were struck by a swarm of powerful rounds, turning the two from the leader’s sides into twisted, mangled corpses. Steam billowed out of the barrels as the figure watched their bodies collapse to the floor. For what felt like an eternity the figure stood in silence and so were the trees and the air. Then it’s head cracked to the buttered pegasus’s direction. But not long as it saw her she heard a tremendous thud shake the ground grabbing her attention to what stood behind the creature. It was another dragon but bigger and one she had never seen before. It’s scales were pure white quite like snow. It reminded her of Angel in a way.

Fluttershy felt herself quaking with fear as the figure and the drake approached her. As they strode calmly toward Fluttershy she sat there glued to the ground, her eyes welled up with tears, she was too afraid to move, run, or even fly away. If… this was it. If this is how her life ends then she’s glad that none of her friends, her animals or Angel are here to witness her upcoming doom. Will it be painful? Fluttershy wondered as the duo drew nearer. Her wide eyed expression and body remained as immovable as stone. Her eyes flickered, her vision began to blur and eventually promptly fell to the ground unconscious. . .

Author's Note

Hope you all enjoyed! More will come soon (If God Wills), stay tuned for more!