Equestria Eclipsedby DougtheLoremasterChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 1“…The flash of muzzle-loaders lit up the darkness, one, two, three seconds, followed by a scream and then silence. All around me the sounds of gunfire died down one by one, with a scattering of screams in the darkness. And then, silence, nothing but silence. Just me, alone in the eternal darkness. Suddenly, there was the unmistakable sound of hoofsteps growing closer. In a panic, I swung my head around and the light from my helmet illuminated a curious sight. The slender creature possessed dark lavender fur and resembled a drawing from my book, I gasped in disbelief, that muzzle, those hooves. Could this be a pony, believed for ages to be extinct? As it stood there, I stared at it in awe. It appeared to be a female, of a relatively curious nature. Probably the most prominent feature I took notice of was its lack of eyes. It appeared to have pits alongside its snout, that flared as it turned its head this way and that, as though it were analyzing me. As though it were studying me. I stared at it as it opened its mouth to reveal two hooked fangs. I froze, was this to be my fate? Was I to be devoured by this strange creature? That’s when I heard the distinct click-clicking sound coming from it. From all around me, the sounds of hoofsteps grew closer…” -From the Diary of Unknown “...And that is why I am requesting a small investment to fund an expedition to discover the lost civilization of Equestria.” Ember looked up from her notes. The auditorium was filled with aristocrats from all kingdoms, though as she stared hopefully out from the podium her heart slowly began to sink. What should have been excitement at her presentation, was an awkward silence. There was a slight cough before one of the guests, Chrysalis, the Queen of the Changeling Empire, spoke up. “And just how much are you needing for this little escapade of yours?” Ember felt nervous as she spoke into the microphone. “Only two storm gems and seventy-two hundred palladium ingots.” A dragon began choking on his Hors d'oeuvres as another called out in disbelief. “Only two what? You can’t be serious!” Ember desperately called into the microphone. “It’s for supplies and we’ll need a crew and specialized gear and..” As the room erupted into chaos at this, Chrysalis turned her gaze towards the doorway, where a robed griffon locked eyes with her. With only the faintest nod, Chrysalis calmly turned away from the podium, as the griffon raised the hood on its robe and vanished from sight amidst the unruly crowd. *** Ember’s head hung low as she slowly trudged down the hallway. On all sides, she could feel them watching her, laughing at her; the would-be investors and aristocrats of high society. The laughter was deafening as it continuously rang in her ears, mocking her, taunting her. Just when she felt she couldn’t take any more of their judgemental stares, Ember heard another type of ringing in her ears, cutting through the drone of mockery. Reaching into her purse, Ember fished out her cellphone, which was ringing, and smiled at the caller display. Answering it, her voice took on a gentle, caring tone. “Hey honey, how are you?” On the other end of the line, Gilda Featherfall could be heard giggling at the greeting. “Oh you know, babe, just getting dinner ready for when you get home. How did your little speech go?” Though neither was romantically interested in the other, both Gilda and Ember had been proudly wed for two years; a result of the Dragon and Griffon Kingdom’s treaty of peace. As both kingdoms had grown, in order to solidify the treaty between the two, Princess Ember and Princess Gilda had been coerced into an arranged marriage. Though at first, both were vehemently against it, over the past two years, the Princesses had settled into a steady relationship; growing much closer, in which Gilda became a willing housewife, while Ember earned the gems to provide. Ember chuckled at the response. “It didn’t go so well.” “Oh no. Well don’t you worry baby, when you come on home, I’ll make you feel like a proper Dragoness. A full scaled massage with molten oil.” Ember smiled. She couldn’t help it. There was just something about the way that Griffon spoke that just made all her worries melt away. Ember smirked. “I’ll hold you to that.” “I expect nothing less.” As she was talking, Ember headed towards her office, unlocking and pushing open the door. She froze for a moment at the strange form of a black feathered griffon sitting in her chair. Locking eyes with the intruder, Ember took notice of how relaxed the creature was. She spoke into her phone. “Gilda I’ll call you back.” Hanging up with a small click, Ember confronted the mysterious Griffon. “Who are you and how did you get in here?” The Griffon just sat there quietly, as Ember without waiting for an answer, ran out into the hallway calling for security. It wasn’t long before two security Dragons, dressed in police attire appeared in the doorway, shouting at the Griffon. “Claws where we can see them!” “What do you think you’re doing here?” “Guests are not permitted in the labs!” Clearly amused by this reaction, the Griffon calmly raised her front claws and gently tapped on the desk with one of them, causing a glint of gold to shine forth. The officer’s eyes went wide before their attitudes immediately changed. Both immediately bowed their head and spoke in more hushed and respectful tones. “Er, forgive us for interrupting your meeting, ma’am.” “Yes, carry on. As you were.” Ember stared, dumbfounded as the two cops pushed passed her, leaving her alone once more with the griffon. Turning from the retreating cops to the griffon, who was now smiling, Ember spoke hesitantly. “Just who in fang are you?” Shaking her head, the Griffon once more tapped on the desk, revealing that same glint of gold. “Who I am, Mrs. Flashfire isn’t important. It’s those I represent that you should be aware of.” Ember froze as she saw what the police had seen, a small golden ring with the insignia of a Griffon’s wing engraved on it. Without a sound, she mouthed. “Griffonautii.” Nodding, the Griffon spoke softly. “Why don’t you close the door and take a seat, Mrs. Flashfire. I have a proposal from my employers that I believe you will be most interested in.” *** “Is this real?” Ember stared at the worn, waterlogged book in front of her. The pages were yellowed from age, torn, and clearly had been through a lot within a cover that Ember could have sworn was a tanned hide with an unidentifiable furred texture. The Griffon stared pointedly at her, as Ember slowly and carefully peeled the pages apart. “You tell me, Mrs. Flashfire. You’re the expert on Ponies after all.” Ember’s heart raced as she slowly looked up from the old book. “Are you saying this book…came from Equestria?” “That’s right. Or at least we believe so.” The Griffon’s eyes shined a bright acidic green, for a split second as she finished her thoughts. “We were hoping you could authenticate it for us.” Pulling out a pair of spectacles from her purse, Ember put them on. “I see, alright then, let’s see what we have here.” Using a pair of tweezers to turn the fragile pages, Ember muttered to herself growing more and more excited with each passing moment. “Hm, this isn’t paper, the fibers are too large. it’s almost as though it’s made of fibrous calcium…Hm, and this binding isn’t plant-based, is this some sort of muscle-like sinew, and if it is, from what?... And why are all these pages blank? They have an odd smell, rust? No, it's more acrid than rust...Wait, that’s it!” Glancing quickly up, she practically shouted at the Griffon. “Quick, cut the lights!” Meanwhile, Ember had pulled out a large black strip, on which rested a luminescent tube. As the lights went out, Ember held the tube close to the pages while the Griffon stood nearby watching curiously. As the ultraviolet light crossed the surface, glowing words materialized in the darkness: What day is it? I don’t know anymore, and I won’t have much time to care; the torches are dying. I lost three more flames, I’m down to my last one. I can hear them. Whimpering, nickering, whining. They know. They know the lights are dying, and when the light dies, so too will I. I barricaded the door, hoping to buy some time, but there is no hope. The timbers won’t hold against those hooves of theirs. It won’t be long now. This isn’t the way it was meant to be. Equestria was a land of peace and harmony. That’s what we were told. What a crock of scales. Nothing waited for us here but death. If anyone finds this, know we set out to prove the existence of Ponies. The last few words were sloppy as though written in a hurry, next to a large stain. And we succeeded. Signaling to the griffon to turn back on the lights, Ember pressed a button on her spectacles, giving a low whistle followed by a moment of silence. As the lights came on, Ember spoke up. “This was found in the river, wasn’t it?” The river. On the borders of Equestria, a single river of an unfathomable depth ran out from within the zone of stark darkness. Regular spring water, the river wasn’t magical in and of itself. Yet, every few years, artifacts of lost explorers would find their way into its waters; almost as if placed there by some entity. Ember had seen quite a few of them, but as she closed the gruesome book, it became clear just how excited she was. The Griffon responded. “Yes, a fisherbeast was angling in the river and fished up that book. We ‘procured’ it from them. Why?” Ember tapped her spectacles on the desk. “I could tell. Here take a look at this.” Passing the spectacles to the griffon, Ember instructed her to press the button on the side. Doing so, the Griffon shouted out in surprise. “What is that?” Ember’s eyes twinkled with excitement. “Magic.” The Griffon narrowed her eyes in a skeptical manner. “Magic?” “See how the gold and midnight blue intertwine around the object? That’s preservation magic. From them.” Passing a claw through the shining particles, the Griffon took off her spectacles and passed them back to Ember, noticing the excitement in her voice. “Who exactly is ‘them’?” Going to her bookcase, Ember pulled forth a storybook. She opened it on the desk and began to read. “The Two Sisters. Long ago, in Equestria, there were two sisters; Alicorns. Possessing the wings of a Pegasus, the Horn of a Unicorn, and the sheer strength of an Earthpony, the two Princesses ruled over the land. The eldest was as white as fallen snow, with a mane and tail that embodied the energy of the Aurora Borealis. Celestia’s magic was as radiant and elegant as the Sun which she awakened in the morning to raise into the sky, and put to bed every night. The youngest was a rich navy blue, with a mane and tail that housed the stars in the night sky. Luna’s greatest joy was to raise the moon at sunset and feel the cool night’s wind in her mane. At dawn, she would gracefully lower the moon once more.” Closing the book, Ember clutched it tightly against her torso. “Oh, it would be so amazing to meet them. Tomorrow is an eclipse; the moon will move in front of the sun and the gateway to Equestria will open once more. Oh, how I’d love to have entered it.” The Griffon opened her beak to speak only to be interrupted by Ember’s mutterings. “-If only I had gotten my funding, I could have gotten a crew, some equipment, and-” “Mrs. Flashfire-” “I could have finally achieved my goal-” “Mrs. Flashfire, if you would just-” “-I could have finally met them! If I just had gotten funded.” The Griffon cleared her throat and shouted. “Mrs. Flashfire!” Suddenly shaken from her fairytale daydream, Ember coughed with embarrassment as she replied. “Oh, I’m sorry. Yes, your book is authentic, I can say without a doubt this journal came from Equestria. Thank you for sharing it with me.” The griffon shook her head before saying. “Mrs. Flashfire, there is a secondary reason for my visit to you. I was sent to collect you as well before I leave.” Ember looked confused. “What do you mean by ‘collect-” Her words were cut off as she felt something slam into the back of her skull and the world went dark. Chapter 2Standing there, bathed in the glow of her luminescent suit stood the eccentric Griffon, her light illuminating the face of a pink-furred equine. The mane of the creature was a rich bubblegum pink, with baby blue eyes. I blinked. A pony, no way. The pink pony blinked in the bright light, turned its head, and in a very hyperactive feminine voice protested. “Hey watch where you’re shining that light!” She laughed nervously as she stared up at the pink pony. “Oh sorry about that.” I watched her press a button on her suit causing the light to dim, and that’s when it happened. Still looking down as the light dimmed, she was completely oblivious as the face of the pink pony split in half revealing vertical rows of sharp, saliva-dripping fangs. I tried to scream as the creature chomped down onto the spot she was standing; the sounds of bones breaking and a sickening squelching were all that was heard as the light vanished. Silence fell in the pitch-black darkness, leaving me alone with my thoughts. What just happened? My heartbeat pounded against my chest as the sound of gravel crunching reached my ears. Whirling around with a flashlight, I suddenly found myself face to face with what was once the pink pony, its face now changed to resemble a carbon copy of its latest victim. It laughed at me, in her voice, repeating the last words of the eccentric Griffon. “Oh, sorry about that.” Its face started to split open, revealing row after row of murderous teeth. I opened my mouth to scream- excerpt from the Journal of the Unknown Explorer Chrysalis tapped an impatient hoof against the armrest of silver-clad bones that comprised her throne. Past trophies of her many conquests, she had the bodies of her fallen foes dipped in silver; a reminder to all, who currently ruled Drakon. The keyword there is currently. It had been one hundred years since her reign began. And now the wheel of fate would spin once more, choosing the next ruler. “Where is your champion, Chrysalis? Or are you not competing this time?” Staring at the projection in front of her, Chrysalis grimaced at that sweeter-than-honey voice. There on the screen were four sub-sections, each depicting a surviving race on Drakon; Torch, Dragonlord of the Dragonlands, Glumptin, King of Griffonstone, Agri, Cheifteness of the Kirin. And then there was Diamdra. Chrysalis’s eyes narrowed in spite. Oh, how she hated the Queen of the Diamond Dogs. “My choice will be arriving soon, Diam-” The Diamond Dog Queen narrowed her eyes in annoyance at being addressed informally, but Chrysalis paid her no mind and continued. “So sit there and shut your mouth-” Diamdra’s mouth opened to yell, only to be cut off by Chrysalis finishing harshly. “Like a good dog.” “How dare you talk to me in such an insulting manner!” Chrysalis snorted in derision. “Believe me, Diam if I could kill you I wouldn’t be wasting my time on insults, you wretched mutt!” A somber silence fell over the five. Immortality. All five possessed it. The reward and punishment for competing and winning that horrid game. Each had lived through the horror of that castle. Each had the scars of victory. Torch swallowed hard and finally spoke up in a booming voice. “So where is your champion at, Chrysalis, you know we can’t keep them waiting.” “They’ll be here any minute.” Chrysalis felt a tingle of annoyance. Where are those idiots with my offering? In the caverns below, two adolescent Changelings carried between them a squirming, wiggling burlap sack tied at the end. The two were bickering back and forth as they rushed along the rocky corridors "Thorax, this is all your fault.” The obsidian exoskeleton of the Changeling brother bristled as annoyance rippled across his face. Turning to his twin sister, he barked out. “Shut it, Ocellus.” Blinking her teal eyes, Ocellus grinned, well aware of how close Thorax was to losing it. She knew full well just how hard on himself he was. And how he refused to blame her for anything, instead taking it as a willing yoke around his neck. Even when it was her fault, calmly she spat back. “Mom’s gonna kill us for being so late.” And then it happened. Thorax, still struggling against the wiggling burlap sack, and being goaded by his sister, grew larger. His spindly limbs elongated and grew thicker, a long tail sprouted forth as scales covered his body and he rose, towering over his sister. He leaned down and roared in Ocellus’s face, freezing as she spoke sweetly in response. “Was that so hard, bro? Now pick her up and let’s go. Mom’s waiting.” Ocellus marveled at the sight as Thorax effortlessly slung the burlap sack, still wiggling furiously, over his shoulder as he growled behind him. “Oh shut up, let’s go, you.” Chuckling to herself as he lumbered off, she skipped happily along, easily keeping pace. “Mom, we’re here.” Thorax tossed the squirming burlap sack down onto the hard stone floor. Chrysalis slowly rose from her throne and walked over to her son, her jagged horn crackling with lime green magic. With every step, a crater appeared around her hooves, her body quaking in rage. Barely containing her fury, Chrysalis spoke in a whisper, causing the very cavern to shake from her very presence. “Where have you been?” Stepping forward, Ocellus stated outright. “Sorry mom, it was all my urmphf-” Pointing her hoof at her own self, Ocellus suddenly found her brother’s hoof pressed firmly against her mouth as he interrupted her, staring his mother dead in the eyes. “It was my fault.” Chrysalis’s eyes softened at the display, but only just. Her horn ceased crackling and the rumbling in the cavern slowly came to a stop. She sighed and turned away. “Just get your flanks down to the chamber, we can’t waste any more time. My sisters aren’t known for their patience, after all.” Chrysalis led the way down a side corridor, encased in cobwebs that ignited as she approached them, burning away to reveal the dark and dank hallway. Candles along the wall lit up with silver and gold flames as she approached the door at the end of the corridor. The door looked to be a plain oak door, nothing unusual about it, aside from the over one hundred locks that covered it; all of which burst apart as she placed her hoof on the door frame. Behind Chrysalis, four creatures watched in awestruck trepidation as the door suddenly swung open to reveal… Nothing, but an empty 9x9 hoof jail cell. Confusion crossed the others' faces, as Chrysalis turned to face them. She pointed at a small orange dragon with purple spines, the Champion of Dragonlord Torch. “You-” Immediately she was interrupted by the dragoness. “Smolder. My name is Smolder.” Chrysalis rolled her eyes, as her horn glowed a bright lime green. “I couldn’t care less what food decides to call itself. Get in there!” Smolder was levitated and hurled bodily into the cell. The instant she hit the floor, Smolder stood up and began to angrily shout while drawing two revolvers at her side to point at Chrysalis, who stared impassively at the display. “How dare you-” Her words were cut off, as the wooden door suddenly swung shut on its own accord, before clicking audibly. Five seconds of stunned silence passed amidst the remaining Champions before the door swung open once more; to reveal an empty room. Looking from one to another, Chrysalis’s fangs glinted in the candlelight as she said softly. “Who’s next?” Once. Twice. Three times…One after the other, the remaining Champions entered the small cell, only to vanish into thin air as the door slammed shut after each one. The door opened up with a click, after the fourth Champion, it was time for Chrysalis’s entry. Off to the side, Thorax fumbled with the sack opening, causing his sister to grow impatient. Ocellus shoved him out of the way and easily undid the knot keeping the struggling burlap sack closed. At once, Ember burst out of the opening, knocking Ocellus to the floor, and lunged in fury at Chrysalis. The Changeling Queen’s eyes went wide as Ember swiped at her with her claws, the movement catching her unawares. Ocellus struggled to get up, now entangled in the empty sack, but Thorax was already on the move to intercept the enraged dragoness. Slamming bodily into Ember from the side, Thorax’s momentum sent them both tumbling into the cell. Chrysalis just stared dumbfounded as the door slammed shut. Ocellus shouted at the closed door as she scrambled over to and clawed desperately at the unmoving timbers. “Thoraaax! And as the door slowly swung open once more, a single tear made its way down Chrysalis’s muzzle, dripping onto the floor. The cell was completely empty. Chapter 3I heard the sounds of revolver chambers being unloaded. She was fighting something, maybe if I was fast enough I could save her. I gritted my fangs as the acrid scent of my arm’s wound graced my nostrils. What was left of it, that was. Damn it, I thought angrily as I raced toward the gunfire. I had to save her., I wouldn’t fail her as well. I ran as fast as my talons could carry me, readying my thorned whip. The sounds of gunfire suddenly stopped followed by an unearthly scream, and then silence. I slid to a halt in the entranceway of a stone chamber to see her standing alone in the center. Everything told me to turn and run, but I ignored my own fears. As I stood there, she slowly turned around and I stood petrified at the sight. She was jerking around in erratic movements, her eyes hollowed out, and beneath the sockets, I could see something staring back. I took a step back as her body swung at me, and I noticed the black tendriled lotus sprouting from her back. I swore under my breath and charged forward as the monstrous carnivorous plant burst through her chest; staring at me, mocking me. It grabbed me with a lightning-fast tentacle and a great gaping maw sprang out of the ground- Excerpt from the Journal of Unknown Explorers The teleportation glyph vanished as Ember and Thorax fell to the ground in a heap. Springing up, Ember furiously looked around at her surroundings. She was in a stone room, the stained red, jagged walls bathed in the acrid scent of rusted iron. That’s when she noticed the suit she was wearing; a bioluminescent outfit complete with helmet and heads-up display. On her side, hanging by a chain was a book. She blinked and lifted it up. It was the same book as before. The journal from before. Curious, she tried to open it, only for it to resist her many attempts, almost as though it was refusing to open, on its own accord. Giving up on it, she decided to take a closer look at her surroundings. She moved forward only to stumble over Thorax's groaning, shivering form. His chitin was a sickly orange, as he lay there gasping. The moment he tackled her flashed in her mind, but as she stared at him, she felt pity. She stood over him, confused. What happened to him? No sooner had she thought this, than the book at her side flew up in front of her, opening to reveal a blank bonemeal page; she watched in amazement as blood-stains began to appear forming words on the page: I stared at Thorax, as he lay there, his breathing terribly labored. I didn’t understand what was going on until it then dawned on me, he wasn’t supposed to be here. This strange sickness resulted from his breaking the rules of this death game. “Is that me? Death game? What in the- Wait, he broke the rules? What rules?” Suddenly the book snapped shut and fell to her sides. She stared at Thorax’s shivering, incapacitated form. She shouted across the open room. “What rules? What game? ” Just then the walls around her erupted in a shower of debris. “Get down you idiot!” Gilda stood in front of the kitchen sink, furiously scrubbing the last night’s dishes, glancing at the phone on the counter. It lay still, unmoving. Her eye twitched in anger as she raised up and threw the plate at the wall, watching it shatter. She’s late. No text. Turning furiously back to the sink, she scrubbed frantically as thoughts stewed in her mind. No call, I swear if she is cheating on me, I’ll- Her thoughts were interrupted by a screen appearing before her, causing her to double-take at the scene depicted on it. She watched as Ember sat, with her back to a section of stone, blindly firing a proton assault rifle over it at, what Gilda could only describe as her worst nightmare. What in Tartarus? Suddenly honking filled the air, causing her to look out the window. All across the road, the rush hour traffic of the Changeling Empire had ground to a halt, as the drivers all seemed entranced by a screen similar to her own. Gilda blinked and slowly turned back to the screen. What was going on? That’s what Ember was trying to figure out as the world around her exploded. As she was tackled to the ground, she turned to see a small Dragoness with purple spines, swearing under her breath and unloading round after explosive round of incendiary bolts into something, while standing on Ember. After a moment or so, she hopped down and placed her back against a large chunk of rubble, panting. “No good, I can’t get at its eye.” Ember had instinctively scrambled to place her back against the rubble and shouted over the now roaring beast, as a tentacle covered in thorns whipped overhead. “What’s going on?” The Dragoness seemingly ignored her, fumbling with a strap on her leg, and withdrawing a small cylinder. Pressing a button on the side, she nodded as it began to transform and unfold, causing Ember’s heart to pound. “Talk later, shoot now. Ever fired one of these?” Ember’s eyes widened as she stared at the weapon before her. A Changeling Proton Assault Rifle standard military grade. Reaching for it, Ember watched as the world itself seemed to slow down on an almost cellular level, and the book at her side leaped up, opening in front of her; it’s once more empty pages, slowly bleeding a strange narrative, featuring the current situation. I found myself staring at the beast, my shots having no effect, as the proton bolts dissipate across the bulbous surface of the monstrous plant. That’s when I realized that the rifle in my claws uses Changeling magic. Something my mom taught me long ago. If I could only change the ammo to one that burns, perhaps I could provide a better distraction for my Dragon friend. Once more the book snapped shut, leaving a confused Ember as everything returned to full speed. She thought about what the journal had told her and looked down at the rifle in her claws. Burns. Ammo that burns, what did mom say? Inci- no that’s not it. Wait! Ember’s claws began to glow with her eyes, a bright teal blue crackling light like lightning down her spine. The cartridge in the chamber morphed into incendiary rounds, and she took aim at the beast. “Chew on this!” *** Chrysalis stared at the projection as Ember unleashed her latent magical prowess, and the explosive energy of her rounds rocked the cavern, as she pulled the trigger again and again. The corners of Chrysalis’s mouth turned upwards in a smile. That ferocity in combat, that reckless blood wrath. That complete disregard for her own safety in battle, the desire to kill her enemies at any cost. Chrysalis chuckled. Well, she gets that from her father. Chrysalis paused as memories of Torch grabbing and swinging a 30-hoof tall column against wave after wave of enemies flooded back. We were so young. She grimaced as Ember jumped out of cover. Dragons, no finesse- As Ember stood there a tendril encased in razor-sharp fangs slammed into her, causing her to fly back against the jagged walls. Before Chrysalis’s eyes, she staggered to her talons as blood dripped down onto the stone floor. -and resilient as all Tartarus. Look at that sloppy, uneven hoofing. She definitely got that stance from her father’s side. But the Changeling magic she is channeling; changing with ease between the various rounds: incendiary, frost, shock, and even adhesive rounds. One by one the various types exploded against the enraged behemoth as Ember screamed obscenities, taunting her enemy. And just look at that attitude of hers. Well, that? Chrysalis grinned wolfishly with pride. She gets that from me. *** Smolder’s revolver dropped to her side in shock. What just happened? She stared up at the Dragoness before her. What had been a timid and mostly unsure creature had changed into a berserker upon contact with her rifle. She watched as Ember was slashed across the chest, ripping her suit and drawing a spray of blood. Still, she refused to back down, shouting out in a wild voice. “You think that will stop me, you pathetic sack of pus?” The creature’s undivided attention was on Ember as she released round after round into the fleshy plant. Smolder marveled at the sight as Ember’s arms were slashed, her leg tendons were severed and still, Ember held her ground in front of that strange black object at her talons. What was that? Leaning forward, Smolder realized it was breathing, but only just. It’s alive. Is she protecting it? Shielding it? A flash of lightning arced throughout the room as Ember screamed a primal scream followed by an explosion of fire. Smolder just stared at her as the rifle-wielding warrior shouted out. “You’re finished!” Moments later, Ember’s magenta eyes blazed with a glowing ice-cold shade of teal, her claws glowed brightly as she opened her mouth and a magical surge traveled down her spine. Suddenly a ferocious blast of Envious green fire blasted the creature. As it exploded into a million pieces, Ember’ staggered, her arms falling to her side, as the rifle fell from her grasp. She swayed unsteadily for a moment and fell forward, finally succumbing to her wounds; crashing to the floor, her breathing slow. Smolder stared at her as the innards of the beastly plant rained down. She glanced from Ember to the shivering wretched creature next to her. She closed her eyes for a moment, before redrawing her revolver and placing the barrel against the unconscious Ember’s temple. “Sorry about this, but I'm winning this thing. I can’t have you stopping me.” With that, she drew back the hammer and placed her claw on the trigger. "Farewell."
Chapter 1“…The flash of muzzle-loaders lit up the darkness, one, two, three seconds, followed by a scream and then silence. All around me the sounds of gunfire died down one by one, with a scattering of screams in the darkness. And then, silence, nothing but silence. Just me, alone in the eternal darkness. Suddenly, there was the unmistakable sound of hoofsteps growing closer. In a panic, I swung my head around and the light from my helmet illuminated a curious sight. The slender creature possessed dark lavender fur and resembled a drawing from my book, I gasped in disbelief, that muzzle, those hooves. Could this be a pony, believed for ages to be extinct? As it stood there, I stared at it in awe. It appeared to be a female, of a relatively curious nature. Probably the most prominent feature I took notice of was its lack of eyes. It appeared to have pits alongside its snout, that flared as it turned its head this way and that, as though it were analyzing me. As though it were studying me. I stared at it as it opened its mouth to reveal two hooked fangs. I froze, was this to be my fate? Was I to be devoured by this strange creature? That’s when I heard the distinct click-clicking sound coming from it. From all around me, the sounds of hoofsteps grew closer…” -From the Diary of Unknown “...And that is why I am requesting a small investment to fund an expedition to discover the lost civilization of Equestria.” Ember looked up from her notes. The auditorium was filled with aristocrats from all kingdoms, though as she stared hopefully out from the podium her heart slowly began to sink. What should have been excitement at her presentation, was an awkward silence. There was a slight cough before one of the guests, Chrysalis, the Queen of the Changeling Empire, spoke up. “And just how much are you needing for this little escapade of yours?” Ember felt nervous as she spoke into the microphone. “Only two storm gems and seventy-two hundred palladium ingots.” A dragon began choking on his Hors d'oeuvres as another called out in disbelief. “Only two what? You can’t be serious!” Ember desperately called into the microphone. “It’s for supplies and we’ll need a crew and specialized gear and..” As the room erupted into chaos at this, Chrysalis turned her gaze towards the doorway, where a robed griffon locked eyes with her. With only the faintest nod, Chrysalis calmly turned away from the podium, as the griffon raised the hood on its robe and vanished from sight amidst the unruly crowd. *** Ember’s head hung low as she slowly trudged down the hallway. On all sides, she could feel them watching her, laughing at her; the would-be investors and aristocrats of high society. The laughter was deafening as it continuously rang in her ears, mocking her, taunting her. Just when she felt she couldn’t take any more of their judgemental stares, Ember heard another type of ringing in her ears, cutting through the drone of mockery. Reaching into her purse, Ember fished out her cellphone, which was ringing, and smiled at the caller display. Answering it, her voice took on a gentle, caring tone. “Hey honey, how are you?” On the other end of the line, Gilda Featherfall could be heard giggling at the greeting. “Oh you know, babe, just getting dinner ready for when you get home. How did your little speech go?” Though neither was romantically interested in the other, both Gilda and Ember had been proudly wed for two years; a result of the Dragon and Griffon Kingdom’s treaty of peace. As both kingdoms had grown, in order to solidify the treaty between the two, Princess Ember and Princess Gilda had been coerced into an arranged marriage. Though at first, both were vehemently against it, over the past two years, the Princesses had settled into a steady relationship; growing much closer, in which Gilda became a willing housewife, while Ember earned the gems to provide. Ember chuckled at the response. “It didn’t go so well.” “Oh no. Well don’t you worry baby, when you come on home, I’ll make you feel like a proper Dragoness. A full scaled massage with molten oil.” Ember smiled. She couldn’t help it. There was just something about the way that Griffon spoke that just made all her worries melt away. Ember smirked. “I’ll hold you to that.” “I expect nothing less.” As she was talking, Ember headed towards her office, unlocking and pushing open the door. She froze for a moment at the strange form of a black feathered griffon sitting in her chair. Locking eyes with the intruder, Ember took notice of how relaxed the creature was. She spoke into her phone. “Gilda I’ll call you back.” Hanging up with a small click, Ember confronted the mysterious Griffon. “Who are you and how did you get in here?” The Griffon just sat there quietly, as Ember without waiting for an answer, ran out into the hallway calling for security. It wasn’t long before two security Dragons, dressed in police attire appeared in the doorway, shouting at the Griffon. “Claws where we can see them!” “What do you think you’re doing here?” “Guests are not permitted in the labs!” Clearly amused by this reaction, the Griffon calmly raised her front claws and gently tapped on the desk with one of them, causing a glint of gold to shine forth. The officer’s eyes went wide before their attitudes immediately changed. Both immediately bowed their head and spoke in more hushed and respectful tones. “Er, forgive us for interrupting your meeting, ma’am.” “Yes, carry on. As you were.” Ember stared, dumbfounded as the two cops pushed passed her, leaving her alone once more with the griffon. Turning from the retreating cops to the griffon, who was now smiling, Ember spoke hesitantly. “Just who in fang are you?” Shaking her head, the Griffon once more tapped on the desk, revealing that same glint of gold. “Who I am, Mrs. Flashfire isn’t important. It’s those I represent that you should be aware of.” Ember froze as she saw what the police had seen, a small golden ring with the insignia of a Griffon’s wing engraved on it. Without a sound, she mouthed. “Griffonautii.” Nodding, the Griffon spoke softly. “Why don’t you close the door and take a seat, Mrs. Flashfire. I have a proposal from my employers that I believe you will be most interested in.” *** “Is this real?” Ember stared at the worn, waterlogged book in front of her. The pages were yellowed from age, torn, and clearly had been through a lot within a cover that Ember could have sworn was a tanned hide with an unidentifiable furred texture. The Griffon stared pointedly at her, as Ember slowly and carefully peeled the pages apart. “You tell me, Mrs. Flashfire. You’re the expert on Ponies after all.” Ember’s heart raced as she slowly looked up from the old book. “Are you saying this book…came from Equestria?” “That’s right. Or at least we believe so.” The Griffon’s eyes shined a bright acidic green, for a split second as she finished her thoughts. “We were hoping you could authenticate it for us.” Pulling out a pair of spectacles from her purse, Ember put them on. “I see, alright then, let’s see what we have here.” Using a pair of tweezers to turn the fragile pages, Ember muttered to herself growing more and more excited with each passing moment. “Hm, this isn’t paper, the fibers are too large. it’s almost as though it’s made of fibrous calcium…Hm, and this binding isn’t plant-based, is this some sort of muscle-like sinew, and if it is, from what?... And why are all these pages blank? They have an odd smell, rust? No, it's more acrid than rust...Wait, that’s it!” Glancing quickly up, she practically shouted at the Griffon. “Quick, cut the lights!” Meanwhile, Ember had pulled out a large black strip, on which rested a luminescent tube. As the lights went out, Ember held the tube close to the pages while the Griffon stood nearby watching curiously. As the ultraviolet light crossed the surface, glowing words materialized in the darkness: What day is it? I don’t know anymore, and I won’t have much time to care; the torches are dying. I lost three more flames, I’m down to my last one. I can hear them. Whimpering, nickering, whining. They know. They know the lights are dying, and when the light dies, so too will I. I barricaded the door, hoping to buy some time, but there is no hope. The timbers won’t hold against those hooves of theirs. It won’t be long now. This isn’t the way it was meant to be. Equestria was a land of peace and harmony. That’s what we were told. What a crock of scales. Nothing waited for us here but death. If anyone finds this, know we set out to prove the existence of Ponies. The last few words were sloppy as though written in a hurry, next to a large stain. And we succeeded. Signaling to the griffon to turn back on the lights, Ember pressed a button on her spectacles, giving a low whistle followed by a moment of silence. As the lights came on, Ember spoke up. “This was found in the river, wasn’t it?” The river. On the borders of Equestria, a single river of an unfathomable depth ran out from within the zone of stark darkness. Regular spring water, the river wasn’t magical in and of itself. Yet, every few years, artifacts of lost explorers would find their way into its waters; almost as if placed there by some entity. Ember had seen quite a few of them, but as she closed the gruesome book, it became clear just how excited she was. The Griffon responded. “Yes, a fisherbeast was angling in the river and fished up that book. We ‘procured’ it from them. Why?” Ember tapped her spectacles on the desk. “I could tell. Here take a look at this.” Passing the spectacles to the griffon, Ember instructed her to press the button on the side. Doing so, the Griffon shouted out in surprise. “What is that?” Ember’s eyes twinkled with excitement. “Magic.” The Griffon narrowed her eyes in a skeptical manner. “Magic?” “See how the gold and midnight blue intertwine around the object? That’s preservation magic. From them.” Passing a claw through the shining particles, the Griffon took off her spectacles and passed them back to Ember, noticing the excitement in her voice. “Who exactly is ‘them’?” Going to her bookcase, Ember pulled forth a storybook. She opened it on the desk and began to read. “The Two Sisters. Long ago, in Equestria, there were two sisters; Alicorns. Possessing the wings of a Pegasus, the Horn of a Unicorn, and the sheer strength of an Earthpony, the two Princesses ruled over the land. The eldest was as white as fallen snow, with a mane and tail that embodied the energy of the Aurora Borealis. Celestia’s magic was as radiant and elegant as the Sun which she awakened in the morning to raise into the sky, and put to bed every night. The youngest was a rich navy blue, with a mane and tail that housed the stars in the night sky. Luna’s greatest joy was to raise the moon at sunset and feel the cool night’s wind in her mane. At dawn, she would gracefully lower the moon once more.” Closing the book, Ember clutched it tightly against her torso. “Oh, it would be so amazing to meet them. Tomorrow is an eclipse; the moon will move in front of the sun and the gateway to Equestria will open once more. Oh, how I’d love to have entered it.” The Griffon opened her beak to speak only to be interrupted by Ember’s mutterings. “-If only I had gotten my funding, I could have gotten a crew, some equipment, and-” “Mrs. Flashfire-” “I could have finally achieved my goal-” “Mrs. Flashfire, if you would just-” “-I could have finally met them! If I just had gotten funded.” The Griffon cleared her throat and shouted. “Mrs. Flashfire!” Suddenly shaken from her fairytale daydream, Ember coughed with embarrassment as she replied. “Oh, I’m sorry. Yes, your book is authentic, I can say without a doubt this journal came from Equestria. Thank you for sharing it with me.” The griffon shook her head before saying. “Mrs. Flashfire, there is a secondary reason for my visit to you. I was sent to collect you as well before I leave.” Ember looked confused. “What do you mean by ‘collect-” Her words were cut off as she felt something slam into the back of her skull and the world went dark.
Chapter 2Standing there, bathed in the glow of her luminescent suit stood the eccentric Griffon, her light illuminating the face of a pink-furred equine. The mane of the creature was a rich bubblegum pink, with baby blue eyes. I blinked. A pony, no way. The pink pony blinked in the bright light, turned its head, and in a very hyperactive feminine voice protested. “Hey watch where you’re shining that light!” She laughed nervously as she stared up at the pink pony. “Oh sorry about that.” I watched her press a button on her suit causing the light to dim, and that’s when it happened. Still looking down as the light dimmed, she was completely oblivious as the face of the pink pony split in half revealing vertical rows of sharp, saliva-dripping fangs. I tried to scream as the creature chomped down onto the spot she was standing; the sounds of bones breaking and a sickening squelching were all that was heard as the light vanished. Silence fell in the pitch-black darkness, leaving me alone with my thoughts. What just happened? My heartbeat pounded against my chest as the sound of gravel crunching reached my ears. Whirling around with a flashlight, I suddenly found myself face to face with what was once the pink pony, its face now changed to resemble a carbon copy of its latest victim. It laughed at me, in her voice, repeating the last words of the eccentric Griffon. “Oh, sorry about that.” Its face started to split open, revealing row after row of murderous teeth. I opened my mouth to scream- excerpt from the Journal of the Unknown Explorer Chrysalis tapped an impatient hoof against the armrest of silver-clad bones that comprised her throne. Past trophies of her many conquests, she had the bodies of her fallen foes dipped in silver; a reminder to all, who currently ruled Drakon. The keyword there is currently. It had been one hundred years since her reign began. And now the wheel of fate would spin once more, choosing the next ruler. “Where is your champion, Chrysalis? Or are you not competing this time?” Staring at the projection in front of her, Chrysalis grimaced at that sweeter-than-honey voice. There on the screen were four sub-sections, each depicting a surviving race on Drakon; Torch, Dragonlord of the Dragonlands, Glumptin, King of Griffonstone, Agri, Cheifteness of the Kirin. And then there was Diamdra. Chrysalis’s eyes narrowed in spite. Oh, how she hated the Queen of the Diamond Dogs. “My choice will be arriving soon, Diam-” The Diamond Dog Queen narrowed her eyes in annoyance at being addressed informally, but Chrysalis paid her no mind and continued. “So sit there and shut your mouth-” Diamdra’s mouth opened to yell, only to be cut off by Chrysalis finishing harshly. “Like a good dog.” “How dare you talk to me in such an insulting manner!” Chrysalis snorted in derision. “Believe me, Diam if I could kill you I wouldn’t be wasting my time on insults, you wretched mutt!” A somber silence fell over the five. Immortality. All five possessed it. The reward and punishment for competing and winning that horrid game. Each had lived through the horror of that castle. Each had the scars of victory. Torch swallowed hard and finally spoke up in a booming voice. “So where is your champion at, Chrysalis, you know we can’t keep them waiting.” “They’ll be here any minute.” Chrysalis felt a tingle of annoyance. Where are those idiots with my offering? In the caverns below, two adolescent Changelings carried between them a squirming, wiggling burlap sack tied at the end. The two were bickering back and forth as they rushed along the rocky corridors "Thorax, this is all your fault.” The obsidian exoskeleton of the Changeling brother bristled as annoyance rippled across his face. Turning to his twin sister, he barked out. “Shut it, Ocellus.” Blinking her teal eyes, Ocellus grinned, well aware of how close Thorax was to losing it. She knew full well just how hard on himself he was. And how he refused to blame her for anything, instead taking it as a willing yoke around his neck. Even when it was her fault, calmly she spat back. “Mom’s gonna kill us for being so late.” And then it happened. Thorax, still struggling against the wiggling burlap sack, and being goaded by his sister, grew larger. His spindly limbs elongated and grew thicker, a long tail sprouted forth as scales covered his body and he rose, towering over his sister. He leaned down and roared in Ocellus’s face, freezing as she spoke sweetly in response. “Was that so hard, bro? Now pick her up and let’s go. Mom’s waiting.” Ocellus marveled at the sight as Thorax effortlessly slung the burlap sack, still wiggling furiously, over his shoulder as he growled behind him. “Oh shut up, let’s go, you.” Chuckling to herself as he lumbered off, she skipped happily along, easily keeping pace. “Mom, we’re here.” Thorax tossed the squirming burlap sack down onto the hard stone floor. Chrysalis slowly rose from her throne and walked over to her son, her jagged horn crackling with lime green magic. With every step, a crater appeared around her hooves, her body quaking in rage. Barely containing her fury, Chrysalis spoke in a whisper, causing the very cavern to shake from her very presence. “Where have you been?” Stepping forward, Ocellus stated outright. “Sorry mom, it was all my urmphf-” Pointing her hoof at her own self, Ocellus suddenly found her brother’s hoof pressed firmly against her mouth as he interrupted her, staring his mother dead in the eyes. “It was my fault.” Chrysalis’s eyes softened at the display, but only just. Her horn ceased crackling and the rumbling in the cavern slowly came to a stop. She sighed and turned away. “Just get your flanks down to the chamber, we can’t waste any more time. My sisters aren’t known for their patience, after all.” Chrysalis led the way down a side corridor, encased in cobwebs that ignited as she approached them, burning away to reveal the dark and dank hallway. Candles along the wall lit up with silver and gold flames as she approached the door at the end of the corridor. The door looked to be a plain oak door, nothing unusual about it, aside from the over one hundred locks that covered it; all of which burst apart as she placed her hoof on the door frame. Behind Chrysalis, four creatures watched in awestruck trepidation as the door suddenly swung open to reveal… Nothing, but an empty 9x9 hoof jail cell. Confusion crossed the others' faces, as Chrysalis turned to face them. She pointed at a small orange dragon with purple spines, the Champion of Dragonlord Torch. “You-” Immediately she was interrupted by the dragoness. “Smolder. My name is Smolder.” Chrysalis rolled her eyes, as her horn glowed a bright lime green. “I couldn’t care less what food decides to call itself. Get in there!” Smolder was levitated and hurled bodily into the cell. The instant she hit the floor, Smolder stood up and began to angrily shout while drawing two revolvers at her side to point at Chrysalis, who stared impassively at the display. “How dare you-” Her words were cut off, as the wooden door suddenly swung shut on its own accord, before clicking audibly. Five seconds of stunned silence passed amidst the remaining Champions before the door swung open once more; to reveal an empty room. Looking from one to another, Chrysalis’s fangs glinted in the candlelight as she said softly. “Who’s next?” Once. Twice. Three times…One after the other, the remaining Champions entered the small cell, only to vanish into thin air as the door slammed shut after each one. The door opened up with a click, after the fourth Champion, it was time for Chrysalis’s entry. Off to the side, Thorax fumbled with the sack opening, causing his sister to grow impatient. Ocellus shoved him out of the way and easily undid the knot keeping the struggling burlap sack closed. At once, Ember burst out of the opening, knocking Ocellus to the floor, and lunged in fury at Chrysalis. The Changeling Queen’s eyes went wide as Ember swiped at her with her claws, the movement catching her unawares. Ocellus struggled to get up, now entangled in the empty sack, but Thorax was already on the move to intercept the enraged dragoness. Slamming bodily into Ember from the side, Thorax’s momentum sent them both tumbling into the cell. Chrysalis just stared dumbfounded as the door slammed shut. Ocellus shouted at the closed door as she scrambled over to and clawed desperately at the unmoving timbers. “Thoraaax! And as the door slowly swung open once more, a single tear made its way down Chrysalis’s muzzle, dripping onto the floor. The cell was completely empty.
Chapter 3I heard the sounds of revolver chambers being unloaded. She was fighting something, maybe if I was fast enough I could save her. I gritted my fangs as the acrid scent of my arm’s wound graced my nostrils. What was left of it, that was. Damn it, I thought angrily as I raced toward the gunfire. I had to save her., I wouldn’t fail her as well. I ran as fast as my talons could carry me, readying my thorned whip. The sounds of gunfire suddenly stopped followed by an unearthly scream, and then silence. I slid to a halt in the entranceway of a stone chamber to see her standing alone in the center. Everything told me to turn and run, but I ignored my own fears. As I stood there, she slowly turned around and I stood petrified at the sight. She was jerking around in erratic movements, her eyes hollowed out, and beneath the sockets, I could see something staring back. I took a step back as her body swung at me, and I noticed the black tendriled lotus sprouting from her back. I swore under my breath and charged forward as the monstrous carnivorous plant burst through her chest; staring at me, mocking me. It grabbed me with a lightning-fast tentacle and a great gaping maw sprang out of the ground- Excerpt from the Journal of Unknown Explorers The teleportation glyph vanished as Ember and Thorax fell to the ground in a heap. Springing up, Ember furiously looked around at her surroundings. She was in a stone room, the stained red, jagged walls bathed in the acrid scent of rusted iron. That’s when she noticed the suit she was wearing; a bioluminescent outfit complete with helmet and heads-up display. On her side, hanging by a chain was a book. She blinked and lifted it up. It was the same book as before. The journal from before. Curious, she tried to open it, only for it to resist her many attempts, almost as though it was refusing to open, on its own accord. Giving up on it, she decided to take a closer look at her surroundings. She moved forward only to stumble over Thorax's groaning, shivering form. His chitin was a sickly orange, as he lay there gasping. The moment he tackled her flashed in her mind, but as she stared at him, she felt pity. She stood over him, confused. What happened to him? No sooner had she thought this, than the book at her side flew up in front of her, opening to reveal a blank bonemeal page; she watched in amazement as blood-stains began to appear forming words on the page: I stared at Thorax, as he lay there, his breathing terribly labored. I didn’t understand what was going on until it then dawned on me, he wasn’t supposed to be here. This strange sickness resulted from his breaking the rules of this death game. “Is that me? Death game? What in the- Wait, he broke the rules? What rules?” Suddenly the book snapped shut and fell to her sides. She stared at Thorax’s shivering, incapacitated form. She shouted across the open room. “What rules? What game? ” Just then the walls around her erupted in a shower of debris. “Get down you idiot!” Gilda stood in front of the kitchen sink, furiously scrubbing the last night’s dishes, glancing at the phone on the counter. It lay still, unmoving. Her eye twitched in anger as she raised up and threw the plate at the wall, watching it shatter. She’s late. No text. Turning furiously back to the sink, she scrubbed frantically as thoughts stewed in her mind. No call, I swear if she is cheating on me, I’ll- Her thoughts were interrupted by a screen appearing before her, causing her to double-take at the scene depicted on it. She watched as Ember sat, with her back to a section of stone, blindly firing a proton assault rifle over it at, what Gilda could only describe as her worst nightmare. What in Tartarus? Suddenly honking filled the air, causing her to look out the window. All across the road, the rush hour traffic of the Changeling Empire had ground to a halt, as the drivers all seemed entranced by a screen similar to her own. Gilda blinked and slowly turned back to the screen. What was going on? That’s what Ember was trying to figure out as the world around her exploded. As she was tackled to the ground, she turned to see a small Dragoness with purple spines, swearing under her breath and unloading round after explosive round of incendiary bolts into something, while standing on Ember. After a moment or so, she hopped down and placed her back against a large chunk of rubble, panting. “No good, I can’t get at its eye.” Ember had instinctively scrambled to place her back against the rubble and shouted over the now roaring beast, as a tentacle covered in thorns whipped overhead. “What’s going on?” The Dragoness seemingly ignored her, fumbling with a strap on her leg, and withdrawing a small cylinder. Pressing a button on the side, she nodded as it began to transform and unfold, causing Ember’s heart to pound. “Talk later, shoot now. Ever fired one of these?” Ember’s eyes widened as she stared at the weapon before her. A Changeling Proton Assault Rifle standard military grade. Reaching for it, Ember watched as the world itself seemed to slow down on an almost cellular level, and the book at her side leaped up, opening in front of her; it’s once more empty pages, slowly bleeding a strange narrative, featuring the current situation. I found myself staring at the beast, my shots having no effect, as the proton bolts dissipate across the bulbous surface of the monstrous plant. That’s when I realized that the rifle in my claws uses Changeling magic. Something my mom taught me long ago. If I could only change the ammo to one that burns, perhaps I could provide a better distraction for my Dragon friend. Once more the book snapped shut, leaving a confused Ember as everything returned to full speed. She thought about what the journal had told her and looked down at the rifle in her claws. Burns. Ammo that burns, what did mom say? Inci- no that’s not it. Wait! Ember’s claws began to glow with her eyes, a bright teal blue crackling light like lightning down her spine. The cartridge in the chamber morphed into incendiary rounds, and she took aim at the beast. “Chew on this!” *** Chrysalis stared at the projection as Ember unleashed her latent magical prowess, and the explosive energy of her rounds rocked the cavern, as she pulled the trigger again and again. The corners of Chrysalis’s mouth turned upwards in a smile. That ferocity in combat, that reckless blood wrath. That complete disregard for her own safety in battle, the desire to kill her enemies at any cost. Chrysalis chuckled. Well, she gets that from her father. Chrysalis paused as memories of Torch grabbing and swinging a 30-hoof tall column against wave after wave of enemies flooded back. We were so young. She grimaced as Ember jumped out of cover. Dragons, no finesse- As Ember stood there a tendril encased in razor-sharp fangs slammed into her, causing her to fly back against the jagged walls. Before Chrysalis’s eyes, she staggered to her talons as blood dripped down onto the stone floor. -and resilient as all Tartarus. Look at that sloppy, uneven hoofing. She definitely got that stance from her father’s side. But the Changeling magic she is channeling; changing with ease between the various rounds: incendiary, frost, shock, and even adhesive rounds. One by one the various types exploded against the enraged behemoth as Ember screamed obscenities, taunting her enemy. And just look at that attitude of hers. Well, that? Chrysalis grinned wolfishly with pride. She gets that from me. *** Smolder’s revolver dropped to her side in shock. What just happened? She stared up at the Dragoness before her. What had been a timid and mostly unsure creature had changed into a berserker upon contact with her rifle. She watched as Ember was slashed across the chest, ripping her suit and drawing a spray of blood. Still, she refused to back down, shouting out in a wild voice. “You think that will stop me, you pathetic sack of pus?” The creature’s undivided attention was on Ember as she released round after round into the fleshy plant. Smolder marveled at the sight as Ember’s arms were slashed, her leg tendons were severed and still, Ember held her ground in front of that strange black object at her talons. What was that? Leaning forward, Smolder realized it was breathing, but only just. It’s alive. Is she protecting it? Shielding it? A flash of lightning arced throughout the room as Ember screamed a primal scream followed by an explosion of fire. Smolder just stared at her as the rifle-wielding warrior shouted out. “You’re finished!” Moments later, Ember’s magenta eyes blazed with a glowing ice-cold shade of teal, her claws glowed brightly as she opened her mouth and a magical surge traveled down her spine. Suddenly a ferocious blast of Envious green fire blasted the creature. As it exploded into a million pieces, Ember’ staggered, her arms falling to her side, as the rifle fell from her grasp. She swayed unsteadily for a moment and fell forward, finally succumbing to her wounds; crashing to the floor, her breathing slow. Smolder stared at her as the innards of the beastly plant rained down. She glanced from Ember to the shivering wretched creature next to her. She closed her eyes for a moment, before redrawing her revolver and placing the barrel against the unconscious Ember’s temple. “Sorry about this, but I'm winning this thing. I can’t have you stopping me.” With that, she drew back the hammer and placed her claw on the trigger. "Farewell."
