There is a forest, a forest that was considered horrific and terrible with beast and creature that would cause no small amounts of harm. A forest that rejected the influence of any magical creature that can by multiple manner eliminate and devour anything. With any attempt to cull its territories being responded to by violent refute by the almost alive woods. And within this forest considered so dangerous was a small colt.
His fur was white like fine paper with a mane of blond hair that simply helped him stay in direct odds with the colors of the eerie forest around him. Both his fur and mane had a special quality that would shine in direct sunlight like a lighthouse that was trying to tell everything around it that it was there. Even now with small beams shining through small parts of the thicket above he appeared looking like a polar bear in a desert. Incredibly obvious which helped showcase his current activity.
Daniel was confused. He was very confused as he sat on his rear and stared at what was supposed to be his hands. He looked at the Hoofs a small part of his mind remembering his first horse Iren before it was revealed to be a joke since Iren was incredibly frail yet pretty. A show horse for him to care for since he would obviously ride with others.
Shaking his head Daniel focused back onto his would-be-hands. He inspected them carefully, not seeing anything odd about them before he noticed something odd from within. Something was there yet not doing anything like a muscle that wasn't being flexed.
So he tried multiple things and multiple methods to try and use whatever was inside. After a half hour being unable to do anything he tried to scour his memories for something that could with his endeavor.
He almost face-palmed or face-hooved as he suddenly remembered the swift, deadly, and powerful stinger tipped tails of his friend. With new realization in mind he coursed mana through his body(pathways intact?) and when feeling an odd pull marveled at how the hoof planted on the ground was adhering to the ground feeling like he was ‘flexing’ the nail which in turn was like using his grip.
The dirt when ripped out clung to his hoof but when moved in a position where it wasn't sitting on his hoof it fell away with only a small portion of the dirt clump staying on his nail. Then with a stop of energy, the dirt fell onto the ground.
Daniel with a smile and uproarious laugh celebrated his new discovery! “I figured it out! I have a semi-spiritual organ!” He cheered using the dumb classification Ferik created, laughing and stumbling about in a small manner like a dance. The discovery was good for the boy's mood as he figured out the mystery behind his hooves.
Then the boy was back to his initial task: what was going on?
“Hmm” the boy hummed for a moment “I am a horse.” He stated simply. The answer was incredibly obvious.
The boy then took notice of his fur, a shining shimmering white. Then tilting his head forward he let his mane enter his peripheral vision showing its golden hues.
“Ugh! I need to fix this.” the boy said as he then started to walk to begin his work. Then he fell forward not realizing he needed to learn to move around in his new body
The boy growled in frustration and then after a hour went to work. Walking around the forest the boy grabbed small sticks piled them up into a stack right next to a large pool of mud. He selected the puddle carefully making sure its color matched the healthy soil of his memories.
The boy looked happy at the pile of sticks that matched him in height. Then with quick work and a breath it was set aflame. Now he just had to wait for it to burn away.
Daniel then with a long head start threw himself into the pool. “Hahahaha!” the boy laughed as he rolled around the large pool letting it slather and cover his mane and fur in healthy browns.
He was reminded of his time with his friends as they all marched through mud with varying levels of difficulty with him having ease in the slick dirt, albeit thanks to his lack of heavy plated armor or just being below 100 pounds.
Now he was wriggling around letting himself be soaked into the cold mud shivering slightly. The sun child giggled as he let himself be stained and sloshed with deep browns.
Looking at his forelegs he smiled at the color “Fertile dirrrrtt” he said stretching his saying of ‘dirt’ as is tradition. As always it got him laughing like crazy ”HaHaHAHAhaAHahah” he went before he said it again “Dirrrrtt”.
The boy stopped his splashing play as he started playing instead with his imagination. He lunged forward through the mud whisper-screaming “oh no! Sqwusaqwsskskwuqusss” he went making explosion sounds with his mouth as he ‘flew’ his hoove above the mud before his other hoove dove out of the mud to grab and crash it.
Without fingers the boy was limited in his play as he couldn't really use more than make two ‘figures’ at a time who he sent to fight and destroy each other. After a time, he got bored of this and began a sappy love story with a princess and serf.
He then had the serf kill the king and take the princess. Daniel was laughing madly as he imagined the panicked look of the girl.
At a time, he repeated the same act again and again simply enjoying how violent the escalation went. Sleeping beauty on their couch while the prince tries to kiss her just for things to turn into an epic fight, where the prince while dodging attacks still tries to kiss her.
Finally, after a time the boy looked over to the fire he built and noticed with a big smile that the fire was finished burning with all that remained being a pile of burning ashes.
“Yes!” the boy cheered as he threw himself up onto his legs and galloped over to the smoldering pile of red-hot black soot.
Then with a smile he walked onto the pile of burning black wood and laid atop it. The boy with his high fire affinity sighed out in comfort as he started to wiggle his body gently.
The smoldering heated wood crumpled and turned to dust underneath his small amount of weight. The comforting high amounts of heat was great but it wasn't the main priority.
As the soot cooled down the boy raised himself back into a standing position. Now thoroughly stained in deep browns and blacks the boy smiled as he was back into second favorite pair of colors his first being white and yellow.
Now while he may have liked to keep himself into his white and blond colors it felt insulting to his squads primary colors. The exact science pervades him but the reasoning behind the outfit color of the Black Mud Knights was endearing.
It was the color of dirt that was fed ash and death from a serious fire that destroyed the area yet fed it with precious and numerous nutrients from burning wood and dead animals. A sight that he saw many a time by his own power and from invading forces before it quickly was gone with flourishing woodlands.
The child smiled as he was now in a appropriate color and began wandering the forest.
The brown and black dyed colt trotted along through the forest not caring for the sounds of various normally unseen creatures by virtue of the dark woodland. After all he could see them with his amber-bronze eyes that apparently caught and amplified any light it came across. Again, the exact mechanisms were lost on him but it still didn't mean he couldn't understand a little.
As he trotted along going into a prancing skip, he smiled at the various hidden touches of color such as flowers and birds that were in the trees. This place was lively despite its eerie look.
Then he stopped his instincts telling him something was looking at him with a hungry and predatory way. He rotated both his head and body, almost tripping in his inexperience with his body. This just made him appear more vulnerable.
“Who's there?” Daniel demanded his voice traced in small amounts of fear. He didnt know what was looking for him.
And they answered that exiting from the bush were wolves counting 4. Or least that is what he thought initially before he realized they were made up of twigs, logs, and leaves. They were interesting to look at as he noted the pieces of wood that were seemingly not carved(didnt look it) but grown in ways to appear as claws and teeth.
He was no expert but he knew most animals were not made up of wood so he had to wonder. Were these things puppets?
The timberwolves mistook the boy's curiosity for being frozen in fear and took advantage of it, with the head of the group lunging forward to take him.
In response the boy seeing the action brought his forearm backwards to his flank. He was confused after not being able to grab anything before he realized his mistake. He didn't have his Whip!
Realizing this the boy rolled to the right of the lunge dodging the attack but another wolf in the wait bolted at the action.
At the sight of another lunging wooden automaton the world seemed to slow under the eyes of Daniel. Then with a barley a blink the mid air creature burst into deep golden fire.
The wood thing screamed in what appeared to be pain as its body combusted the familiar sound of wet wood popping filled the air. Inner-mechanisms going into overdrive as a wood ‘organ’ attempted to start combat against the fire.
It was somehow ironic. It was a special creation grown and made personally by the timberwolf who held it. It suffered near death by a horned pony and created the organ to not suffer again.
Stored water was circulated and mixed with flower mixes that the timberwolf created by ingesting flowers for the creation of a secretion of an inner brewed potion to combat the fire. It was useless however as spirit enhanced magic fire tore through the timber-wolf plowing through defenses and had already broken through a fragile piece of its ‘cauldron’ organ cancelling the distribution of the antifire. And after a moment was now licking its destructive force over the heavier parts of the older organs nearing the core that held its ‘mind’.
The timber-wolf panicked in fear of death as it threw itself against the ground hopping to stomp the fire away. It didn't work and then it threw itself into a nearby creek attempting to soak it self to combat it's nearing death. The water worked somewhat but beyond creating steam and delaying death it still dug into it. Perhaps if it had a deeper source of water it could live.
The other timberwolves stopped their movement as they saw the impossible sight. This colt was targeted for the main reason of not just being young but because it was missing the main markers to signify the young as more dangerous. Through observation and knowledge passed by older progenitors they knew this colt may hold increased strength than the other types but with pack tactics they could overwhelm easily. He didn't hold any wings to evade and strike with gusts of wind but also no horn to exact various magics.
But now one of them was aflame in gold.
The leader of the pack, larger and more intelligent than its other members scanned the area using both its natural and enhanced senses and its connection to the woods even if not its territory. It scoured for any reason for this occurrence. Perhaps a horned one using magic or an odd object lobbying device.
Nothing came but the same result. It was only itself, its packmates, and the child pony who was watching in joy as its unfortunate packmate tried in vain to extinguish the source of its inevitable death.
The leader stood confused, scared, and in horror at what was happening to his packmate. But its battle hardened mind was able to catch up and it barked to its other members. The two snapped out of their pause and followed the order of their leader. They retreated as the child watched in joy the death of their fellow timberwolf. They considered it a sign of odd and horrid luck as the colt did not look at them.
Daniel smiled as he watched the odd puppet mimic screaming as its body was destroyed. With an easy smile he fueled the fire and burned it brighter with his mana. The wolf stilled as its wooden body then collapsed into a pile of ashen wood into the water which floated up and was then moved along the water of the creek.
Daniel sighed as his entertainment ended, smiling a little as he noted the timberwolves retreat. While he may have acted a little rash with staying his mind on the burning puppet, he was observant enough to still keep himself keen on his potential opponents.
He was after all not a naive and nonbattle-touched 8 year old after all. He was 9, saw and participated through enough combat to keep him noted even without powers, and was a god(selfclaimed) albeit a young one. So who cared if he turned into a horse? He could handle himself.
Meanwhile the pack of timberwolves had finally stopped their run certain they were away from the colt.
Now missing a member the hunting pack agreed to return to their territory which they followed by river.
As they walked along to their home the leader took pause suddenly. The other members halted and looked around fearfully before they saw it as well.
The torso of their other member was in the river burned to a horrid black and bleached white. It must have flowed in from the creek and into the larger body of water.
The packmates looked before they started their march back to homebase but the leader didnt. Instead it entered the waters and with its teeth grabbed the body and dragged it to dry land.
The packmates looked at this oddly approaching their leader confused as the body was clearly too burnt to consume properly. They growled slightly irritated as the timberwolf leader shook its body dry.
Then the leader continued its odd actions using its forearms to keep the body in place as it used its sharp teeth to rip into and tear open the torso. The wolf growled through ash as it tore out a curiously intact wood organ.
The pack members recognized it immediately. It was the fire suppressant or potion creating organ which was dripping a yellow liquid.
The leader could tell the thing did its job as it was still intact despite the condition of the rest of the body. It could only surmise the failure of its job was the missing tubes that let it course the liquid throughout the body.
It growled as it realized the mistake while the organ was fireproof the rest of it wasn't because its ally didn't circulate it even once. If it did so its body would be considerably more defended from fire even if non magical. It was a glorious thing that could have saved the timberwolf.
The leader wouldn’t make the same mistake. It gulped the organ down its throat letting it settle within itself already diverting more resources to incorporate it properly.
Its lesser packmates argued against the action as it would mean now that the leader would need more resources to not just use the thing but also not let up his own growth of claws, teeth, jaw power, wood strength, intelligence, and more that let it become leader.
It growled in response that the new thing inhabiting the forest was enough of a danger to disregard its goal to gain more territory for now. And luckily enough his fellow pack member told him the story of the organ's inspiration more than once to help him know how to properly use it.
It saw a pony brewing potions in a field mixing flowers found in the everfree to create a liquid that helped wood resist the effect of fire. Its irrational fear of fire was what helped it want to make an organ to help make the same substance. And the leader more benevolent than other and not wanting to simply kill the lesser yet still powerful member decided to help give materials so that it wouldn't be held down by fear.
Because of its paws-on experience it knew what flowers were needed to make the protective fluid.
A fluid that would help it in keeping itself and its other packmates alive against a thing of fire.
It knew why the fear was so pervasive now in his past packmate. The eating heat of fire couldn't be underestimated anymore.
A Night and The Second Day
Daniel’s next part of his journey was by all accounts peaceful as he was able to roam around safely with little irritation from anything around him. Not even bugs touched him as the mud on his new pony body acted as a deterrent for the bugs that would want to feed on him. He could have done it better by chewing up and spitting out a mist of some plant juice but he wasn't Derin so he wouldn't do that.
For the most part. After all the mud deterring most bugs was a coincidental benefit.
A centipede crawled across the ground where Daniel walked. He recoiled slightly at the creepy crawly “Bleh”. Then he noticed the long bodied multi legged bug crawling toward him.
If the boy really wanted to be rid of any insect or bug he could simply just.
The centipede before him burst into fire, making a high pitched squeal slightly before dying the fire snuffing out just as quickly as it appeared. The only thing remaining of it was a blackened ash effigy of the past insect.
“Hmph” Daniel huffed slightly before he rebegan his sight seeing ventures.
He noted the creeks and rivers and the abundant amount of trees covering this woodland but he really couldn't find anything noteworthy except for the occasional Wood-Wolf. They all seemed to act dumber than the ones from before as they just charged in blindly and did not try a retreat. They all were wood however so they all burned the same. Some stilled immediately while others thrashed more violently seemingly from varying degrees of strength.
Then he saw something odd. The trees and environment of the forest just changed. It was like a clear dividing line separating one section of woodlands from another with no form of gradual change. It was like a clear line of desert to tundra. It was just a sudden expanse of large and dark woods, somehow much darker than the normal gloomy woods he was in. Even with his special eyes he could barely see around only a dozen feet in front of him.
“That is cool, I wonder if there are some treelikes there?” He asked, imagining the old monsters that appeared like odd trees when they stood still on their hind legs. Before something died on its toxic spines and then ate them.
“Meh. Too dreewy- driry- dairy- duwuy.HMMMM” The boy squealed, stomping his hooves before he sighed and focused. ”Dreary” the boy trying to be nonchalant ‘shrugged’ almost tripping before he went back to exploring a hint of anger in his trout “Can't freak out like that.” He reminded himself harshly ”You're better than that. You are a knight of Mud and a god, have some prestige.”
The next place he found was an old dilapidated castle in the middle of a much clear wooded area. It was a gray and broken thing with some odd plants here and there breaking through stone. BUt he could tell from its odd architecture that it was something he should look through.
He walked along noting the decorations filling the halls, there was a painting depicting a large fight between what appeared to be ponies and another side. But the other side of the painting was ripped away. And the other paintings were in a similar state, dilapidated and broken from their past beauty. He opened and rummaged through the rooms.
“Kitchen. Larger than the one I knew.” Daniel noted as he walked through a large cooking room. He rummaged through some cabinets before he sighed “Nothing here.”
“Waste room.” Upon opening a room he saw both a toilet and a bathtub. “Huh, usually the toilet is put into a different room than the bathing tub.” he squinted when he saw a long tube extending up from the tub and ended in a flat circular disc with holes in it “Odd.”
“Guard station.” he grabbed a helmet to put on before he saw a large spider crawl out of it. He surrounded the helmet in fire before dropping it when he knew the spider was dead.
Up some spires and higher into the castle, he stepped over a shattered chandelier and then met a large set of doors. He shoved them before he heard the telltale sound of a metal lock. He burned through the metal lock and shoved the doors. Or tried before he started beating on the door, then he rammed into it.
“Dah!” he cried out as he bounced away from the door. “Grrrrr” he growled before he tried ramming into the door again this time with a large distance to build up speed…
*Slam* the doors went as he then rolled on the ground “Wowowowow” before he stooped with his body upside down. His raised legs gave away to gravity and dropped, he was now flat on his stomach before he raised himself up and shook his head violently to dispel his nausea.
He looked around this new room being far larger than the past ones. “Ballroom.” he commented as he looked at the shattered stained glass windows on the walls and the large chandeliers on the ceiling.
But the thing he took most notice of was in the far end of the room. Up large dirty marble stairs on what appeared to be a circular stage was a set of two thrones. One was made of blackened wood, cushions and backrest were made of dark fabrics to depict a starry night, and the carved wood was adorned with dark but reflective onyx and bright clashing white quartz. And the other was a bright throne made from bleached wood, golden yellow fabrics depicting a burning sun with cascading rays of light, and like the other was adorned in gemstones but in more than a dozen colorful types from white diamonds to orange topaz. And both on the top of the thrones had carved gemstone detailed depictions of a moon on one(with craters) and a sun on the other.
Despite the presence of dirt, dust, rubell, and spider webs both looked practically in perfect condition.
“Throne room.” Daniel corrected as he audibly gulped before he wretched his attention to some doors to the side. He opened both up and found two destroyed rooms that were exposed to the air. Both were decorated to fit both tastes to the thrones . He saw a destroyed bed frame in one “Royal bedroom’s. Destroyed.”
Daniel weighed it in his head before he sighed “Everything is destroyed or in bad condition.” he turned to the sun throne guiltily “Sorry.” he lamented before he walked out of the throne room.
He trotted along the halls humming lightly as he tried to remember the paths needed to get out. “Oh, that's the ballroom” he commented as he saw a large room with many long tables.
Luckily the thing was easy to escape from thanks to the giant holes in the walls on the bottom floor. He also found the front doors if he ever wanted to be polite to the ruined castle.
“Onwards to another potential home!” he cried out as he started to sprint along the forest to find a place to stay.
He immediately tripped on an exposed root as he was still unused to using his body. His indoor trotting was just the level of skill he currently was at, anything else was bad.
Daniel suppressed his angry yelling before he got up from the ground, found the errant root that wronged him, and burned it. He didn't let his fire expand to the rest of the body of the tree or even to other roots. Only the root affected him so he would only punish the root.
“You dont kill a man's entire family for slighting you. You only hurt those who have hurt you, no need to bring anyone else into it.“ Daniel was reminded of the words of his Boss/Leader Max. This was after he was shot with an arrow however so he had to be restrained before he fully destroyed the mansion of a hysteric noble including his staff and family who shot him because of rumors of a ‘demon child dressed in flame.’
Daniel calmed his emotions and started to rhythmically breathe deeply. Then with a final heavy exhale he went back to his usual cheer “ONWARDS!” he screamed, startling some nearby birds with one bird having been startled hard enough to slam into a tree.
The colt walked up to the bird, noticing a crooked wing as it uselessly flapped. Then the bird was engulfed in golden fire which caused the bird to squawk in fear and thrash as Daniel went back to his walk.
The bird stopped her fearful squawking as instead of dying the fire emanated a odd comforting warmth like fall sunlight. Then the bird miraculously felt flesh and bone shift in her wing before she could feel herself being able fly once more.
Daniel walked along the forest with his head held high with confidence.
Eventually Daniel found a large lake. Daniel had fun walking back and forth as he practiced his walks by going backwards.
a cave with a somewhat jagged entrance. Entering it he found the cave was quite large and there was a black tree in the middle of the cave which was within a pool of water aloft a bit of land. It was artistic.
The boy looked around further, liking the sight of various other plants around the cave including vines and shrubs which were exposed to light from what appeared to be 3 holes in the ceiling by the entrance. Otherwise this cave went deep (around the size of multiple homes) but did not seem to connect to any other passage into the earth.
Daniel walked up a slight incline to a spot where he could overlook the cave, it wasn't the tallest spot but it wasn't needed. “This cave is cool enough.” He deduced and nodded his head satisfied with his find.
The colt turned to the entrance of the cave humming with his eyes closed as he started to walk outside. “Now to get m-.”
When he opened his eyes in the forest it was night. “Did I lose track of time?” Daniel asked aloud while he tried to parse through his memories. “I spent a lot of time walking through the woods. Then there was the castle, and then I found here.” Daniel mapped out. “I woke up like middayish?” he asked, then tried to reason things out.
He shook his head after a moment, his brain throbbing “Bah it's probably nothing.” He dismissed “It's the sun, ‘it's so reliable people compare clocks to it after all’.” He quoted his friend, not really knowing the meaning behind his words.
So Daniel turned around and walked back into the now dark cave. As he walked into it he burned his mana. Then with a thought a mass of fire emerged from nowhere which collected into a burning ball the size of a fist.
Daniel looked at it for a moment before he dismissed it. “Nah.” He didn't need to generate light.
The boy covered in drying and shedding mud and black ash walked upwards through the cave until he was at the plateau from earlier. There he laid down or tried too before he had to experiment to find a comfortable position. Then when he finally had it down he started to burn mana at a snail's pace. His body kept itself nice and hot at a blistering 105F despite the chilling night air.
The boy's head rested against the stone ground not complaining as he was already used to this form of sleeping condition. You didn't become a member of a band of mercenaries/knights without getting used to bad sleeping conditions.
Daniels eyes fluttered open to see a burning field. It didnt take long before he saw men, human men numbering 14 wearing foreign armor, were screaming as they ran about burned. They were trying to extinguish the fires on their persons rolling about and acting like headless chickens. They couldn't keep any type of cohesion to themselves to even try and fight.
Daniel could remember this day. He and another member of the Knights were coming back from a minor altercation in the kingdom's territory. Some smugglers kidnapped some woman from a town, and they were returning to report it after saving them. Then they were ambushed. But he didn't know why he was dreaming of this however as this 'fight' was dealt with handily by his fire magic.
"AHHHHH!" A man like his contemporaries was in heavy plate armor interrupted his inner thinking as he screamed incredibly loudly as his armor acted as a soundhound to enhance his yelling.
Daniel remembered this particularly well. The man’s screaming stopped but he didnt still as he fell onto his knees and tried to crawl forward to Daniel. In his surprise he fueled his fire harder and the fire engulfed the man, fully obscuring him briefly.
When the fire stopped the man was dead. But the main thing was the armor. Steel plate was heated so fast under the span of 3 short seconds that it melted like wax. Red hot metal cooled only slightly under his command over heat. It was an odd thing. The metal drooped but still held enough integrity to keep the arm raised.
This memory was fond and important to Daniel; this was how the melted statues began.
A hand patted his head which he realized then was the same as his pony body from the location of and the length of his ears.
Daniel looked up at the source of the petting which was Yurik. The physique boosting man was looking oddly at the melted effigy. “Looks kinda… Good” he said hesitantly but genuine “I think Mace would like it.” he said referencing the local artist Daniel talked with sometimes.
Daniel looked upwards with a smile blossoming on him with small tears in his eyes “Really?” Before his death. Mace was a large and burly man with a dangerous name but he carved out his own destiny by becoming a professional carver instead of a soldier. Daniel liked the man as a close friend. But then he refused to snitch on the Black Mud Knights and was tortured to near death. He rushed over to help but he was already gone.
Yurik smiled, “Yeah. He always liked your weird little statues.”
Daniel even though he knew this was a dream smiled brightly. Mace let him hang around his shop which let him practice some wood carving and they always came out badly. Probably since he refused to use any other wood that wasn't the strongest. But Mace always gave him tips to be better or make sure he didn't break off into large chunks.
Then the fires on the other men who were either collapsed onto the ground from shock and pain or still running about intensified and they too were engulfed.
Again after a few moments they all were dead and turned into melty steel statues. It didn't matter what position they were in while they moved in this dream. They all were reset to the same places as his memories.
Then he raised his hoof ”What are you doing?” Yurik asked curious.
Instead of an spoken answer he instead willed his golden fires to manifest on what used to be the chest plates of the men. The fires were extinguished to show a symbol of a star like those in the night sky, superposed in front of a paint pallet, within a screaming melted skull. It took high amounts of skill to make the image the first time but now was easy as pie. But as this was a dream/memory the image came out wonky, hard to discern, and covered the entire front.
Yurik laughed boisterously as he saw the image and Daniels disappointed look “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! You should keep it simple next time.”
Daniel huffed lightly “Its supposed to be a tribute to me and Mace’s apprenticeship.”
Yurik’s smile stayed “Is that so? I can understand the star and palette but why the skull?”
“Its supposed to be intimidating and show off like revenge y’know?” Daniel tried to explain.
“I don't know, I think the skull a little much. Keep it just you and Mace.” Yurik advised the child.
Daniel did not become contemplative like in reality instead he nodded and spoke resolutely “I will.”
Yurik nodded before he started teasing him again “Also apprenticeship?” he began making Daniel blink as he realized what he said. Daniel never admitted Mace was his teacher. “Isnt it a little improper for a god to be under the teachings of a mortal?” he asked with fake astonishment.
“Its not like that!” he yelped, face turning pink “Mace was close with me so his name being tied in such a way would make people remember him when they learn of me. That's all.” Daniel tried lying.
And while the lie was better than what most kids could make it did not convince Yurik “Sure kid. Sure” he chuckled as he shook his head.
Daniel awoke to sunlight within the cave and he stayed laying down as he silently mourned his friend. He wanted to maybe carve something again .But he then realized that without his human form he couldn't. Then he got up.
Looking around he didn't see any sight of a ‘Task’ as his leader described them. He didn't have an objective to tide himself over with.
“You better showup soon.” Daniel said aloud as he walked out into the morning light. He wanted to see his friends and his ‘rewards’ would surely help him in that.
Daniel looked around before he started comparing the inside of the cave which was mostly barren with the lush albeit gloomy looking woods.
“Maybe I should start a garden?” Daniel wondered aloud. After not hearing any response but the sound of rustling nature he nodded ”I can do that later”.
After another mud and ash bath to keep his complexion Daniel didn't really have much to do.
“I'm bored.” Daniel sat down onto the dirt and started to use his ‘grip’ on the ground and started ripping away the grass and piled it up small.
Daniel tried experimenting with his grip and started trying to climb up a tree. He flowed a small constant stream of energy to his hooves which triggered the spiritual organ. After a moment he realized he really couldn't pull himself up from the ground. But he could trot upwards to jump a small amount to then plant his hooves.
He started sliding a bit before he poured more energy which let him stay suspended on the wall. Daniel smiled slightly remembering an odd show he used to watch back on earth “Spidaman” he said with an odd… New Yankshire accent? Something like that.
“Hm?” While he was clung to the tree, he noticed something else. There was something else that was taking in his mana.
Dropping away from the tree Daniel focused on the flow of his mana. It was a surprise for certain, but he still had pathways and they were still high in number and were of high enough quality to keep up a high output.
He focused on how his mana reacted when he channeled his mana stopping it from his hooves, and he started doing his best Ferik impression.
“Think now young Daniel. You currently possess a set of 4 spiritual organs in your forearms and legs which take mana and burn them for various effects. This is because of your odd and inhuman body which has these mutations. But as you are not currently using these that must mean something else is taking the energy. Something that is in your legs.”
“I see. Yes.” Daniel lifted a hoof before he slammed it into the ground then he did it again this time with mana. When it impacted the ground it made an indent. “Indeed.”
Daniel went to a tree. Then through various positions and poses was able to test his body on it which left dozens of indentations.
“Yep it would appear that your entire musculariturical- Is that the right word?” Daniel wondered aloud as he dropped his impression of Ferik. “Anyhow I can now hit really hard with my muscles now!” Daniel cheered remembering all the teasing and admiring glances at Boss Max before he went to buck the tree pouring a ton of mana into his back legs.
*CRACK* The tree went denting and cracked under immense power *Snap* Daniel fell and tried to get back up but he fell again. Then he wondered what in the world just happened.
Looking backwards Daniel’s face dropped as he saw his back leg bones shattered into what looked like two meaty bags. Bags that were filled with something vaguely hard and solid alongside a very chunky liquid.
It took a moment before he realized his mistake: “I just shattered my legs.” As he said those words a corrosive sensation slowly filled his back half of his body. ”HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Daniel bleated as pain slowly poured over him, tears filling his eyes. He couldn't even try to will his legs to even twitch a muscle. This was likely because he made his legs perform such extreme force that they practically exploded alongside bone under their own force.
Just as quickly the pain seemed to subside slightly from flooding hormones and chemicals like adrenaline.
But it was unneeded especially with someone as experienced in pain and thinking underneath extreme duress. Thankfully he was able to surround his ruined legs in golden fire. And under his command his legs started to repair themselves under his ability.
After a moment to catch his breath Daniel let his fire die down prematurely, he did this to keep himself in some pain. “Damn it Daniel, stop messing up!” He chastised himself “Stop being an idiot!”
After a moment he stood himself back onto shaky hurt legs. As he did so he instinctually flowed mana into his bones which lessened the shaking. He felt dumb, at realizing his mistake. Why would a creature have the ability to increase strength if they couldn't handle it somehow!
“You have increased strength.” Daniel said to himself to calm himself down “Let's go grab our throne.”
And so Daniel spent the rest of the day attempting to drag an enchanted throne back to his cave home. He was admittedly able to disconnect the enchantments on the throne but the size and weight was still difficult to handle even with his newfound strength and durability. He killed a few Wood-Wolves as he looked particularly weak and vulnerable at times.
Author's Note
So yeah sorry if this took a little time had other projects I work on that are nonMLP related.
But yeah, I extended more into Daniels past and showed his abilties more. Also I had him experiment with his body and explore certain locations around the Everfree.
Initially I was going to have it so that Daniel would start hanging out in the cave that the Tree of Harmony is and lounge around in his stolen throne. But I decided against it after a while.
Also what member of the Mane 6 are you most interested in seeing him interact with?
Also Oops should edit some tags real quick