I watch the large creature dash out of the forest at a speed that would be breathtaking if it wasn’t so frightening. It collides with the largest pony, the clear leader of the group due to his taller stature and impressive armour, and he is flung into a tree further down. His body stops moving save the slow rise and fall of his chest. The pony had luckily avoided the horns.

“Parasite B, The Brute.” I whisper to myself, in a fight for composure. “It shares many similarities with a bull but is slightly larger and far more aggressive. The most fearsome part of this creature is its impossibly hard hide, which is stronger than steel.”

At that moment, the second largest pony, the one that most closely resembled the ponies I am familiar with, rushes toward the beast with a sword in its mouth. While the other two equines present have a special feature that makes them mythical, one with a horn and another with wings, this one has none to speak of. When the pony is in range it swings the sword with visible power at The Brute.

‘Cling’ The sword snaps in two with the broken part flying off in a wide arc, coming to rest mere centimetres from my legs. The blue veins visible underneath the parasites pelt glow with a sickly radiance as it prepares to counter. It brings its horns up with vile speed with the goal slicing the prey in half. Just before the warrior is struck it is pushed aside by a flying smudge of speed.

“Watch your ass Thunder!” The last armoured pony, this one adorning wings, shouts. “What in Tartarus is this thing anyway.” The one apparently nicknamed Thunder grunts in recognition and they both concentrate on their foe once more. The Brute runs in another charge but this time the soldiers are prepared. Thunder jumps out the way and the winged pony tries to follow suit but instead collapses with a groan of pain. I get a glimpse of their leg, bloodied and with a distinctly horn shaped hole.

“CLOUD!” Before Thunder can do anything else, Cloud is picked up in the parasite’s charge. The pony struggles between its horns to no avail. I turn away to try find a way out of my bindings, trying to ignore what is happening right next to me.

‘CRUNCH’ I feel my vision blur and hands clench instinctively as the all too familiar sound of shattering bones fills my ears. It is followed by a low suffering moan and a cry of anger. My blood feels colder than ice. I grit my teeth and continue to search my bindings for a weak spot when I suddenly remember something. I kick my boot on the floor and a small blade shoots out the top.

I quickly start cutting the ropes off and make the mistake of turning around. The corpse of the winged guard is crushed against a large tree, his blood smeared across the trunk. Thunder’s face is the purest depiction of rage. He swung his body around and reared his legs up in the prime position to strike the parasite who had so recently killed his friend. The legs launch out backwards and strike it with a hollow thud.

The Brute collapses onto the ground in a dazed way as the enraged guard approaches to hit it again. The restraints around my body finally snap and I start to make my way towards my equipment which lies to the side, forgotten. I gather the knives, poisons, and explosives I had intended to use against the Heart, so much for that plan. Finally I pick up my prized bow and get ready to leave this gore behind. At that moment I hear another groan of pain.

I turn to see Thunder skewered on the end of the parasites mighty horns. Two large chasms leak the pony’s blood onto the monster’s face and his eyes finally start to gloss over. He is then unceremoniously tossed to the ground. The Brute’s eyes then lock onto the now waking up pony who was knocked out the moment the creature showed up. It starts to charge.

I turn, allowing the final pony to join the fate of its brethren. “A noble death.” Images start to flash before my eyes. Of fallen comrades, screams of terror, the terrible miasma of decay, and friends who I’ll never speak to again. There is no such thing as a ‘noble death’. Time starts to slow down as I turn back around to face the wide-eyed soldier, moments from his demise. I pull out an arrow and draw my bow.

“Concentrate. If you are too hasty you will miss, and the shot will be naught.” I whisper the teachings of a long dead mentor like a mantra. I feel the tension of the string, the power of the arrow, and the ability that flows through my veins. Making a few final adjustments, I release the arrow.

‘CRACK!’ The arrow went straight through The Brute’s eye, through its skull, and out the other eye, bringing a whole new meaning to bullseye. The creature stumbles in its momentum to lay just in front of the shivering pony. Said pony looks at me and finally speaks.

“You… you k-killed it.” He speaks in a fearful stutter. “Y-you saved me, I think. Why?” His whole body is shaking, and he looks like he is about to pass out. Despite that he puts on a brave face.

“I don’t know.” I mutter honestly “I guess I just didn’t want to see another creature be killed by it when I could do something about it.” I can’t hide the shudder in my own voice.

“Another?” Realisation hits him like a truck. “No… please no.” He quickly scans his surroundings and notices his friend’s bodies, brutalised onto the lush nature. Any life left in his eyes melts away leaving only sorrow and despair. The shaking of his body slows, as if he no longer has the energy to do it.

“I’m sorry.”

There was a long pause occasionally broken by sobs before he spoke again. “Who… who are you.”

“Call me Artemis.” Another awkward pause starts to rear its ugly head, so I decide to break it. “I should probably get going back to my camp. See ya umm…”

“Slicing Steele.” I start to walk away. “Before you go, what was that thing.”

“You don’t know!?”

“Should I?” His tone is still sombre, but a small amount of interest is coming through.

“It was a parasite. Parasite B to be exact.” I feel confusion start to fill my mind. “Surely you would know what a parasite is. If they are here they will be causing problems.”

“As far as I know, this is the first interaction a pony has had with one. Are they all like this?”

“They come in many shapes and sizes. The one thing they have in common is that blue stuff… well that and being merciless killers.” I gesture to the blue, blood like substance oozing from the wounds in the dead creatures eyes.

“I have to warn the princesses about this.” He says after a moment, a steely determination in his movements. The horn on his head starts to glow a faint red before a beacon of light shoots into the sky.

“The hell was that!”

“I’m calling Princess Luna.” He states matter-of-fact-ly.

“I should be going then.” I blurt and quickly try to walk away.

“So thou art the creature that hast been rumoured!” I stop in my tracks at a booming voice.

Author's Note

I finally wrote the next chapter. Impressed, I know I'm not. Anyway my silly little story got an extra like so I kinda had to.

I feel like this chapter was awful. It was wasn't it. I've never wrote action before and on top of that I didn't write the end of this one acurate to my "plan". I'm pretty sure it's shit. Please tell me any ways I could improve my action in the future if you have the time, I really do need the help.

I hope this isn't too violent for the Teen rating. I toned it down a bit and cut a far more grusome scene so it shouldn't be. If it is too violent then just tell me and I'll bump it up to Mature.

Sorry for the long wait. On top of having a creative block, I haven't gotten good rest in a while and I've been busy. So thanks for reading. And until next time, happy fimfictioning!!