If you were given a choice to die for other or live for yourself which would you choose? Even if they don’t trust you, like you, or know about you?
The sun rises on another day in Equestria. Nothing is amiss within the many lands splintered between the nations, except for the infamous Everfree Forest that seems to rule itself in its ruleless state.
“Damn it…” A creature not really found in Equestria with its attributes walks around in the Everfree forest bleeding out of its right shoulder.
The creature is a gray wolf with frosted white tips running across the center of his back. How the creature got here is no mystery to him. He hails from a world known as Alkaran where wolves, vampires, ghosts, ghouls, and everything that you would have or would not have thought of lives. This wolf, like any others, is a hunter. But not just a regular hunter, but one meant to hunt down evildoers that seek to unnerve the balance of his world. It was during one of these hunts when this wolf finds himself here.
“Where am I?” He asks slowly shaking off the haze of sudden movement and unconsciousness.
The last thing he remembers is rushing his target before having to alter course to protect one of his friends from being shot point blank.
“Damn it all… how long have I been bleeding?” he asks after forcing himself to rise to his feet.
The wolf closes his eyes and his back begins to glow a very pale and translucent periwinkle. The wound, his back, and paws glow together before crystals begin to rise from the ground and lace themselves around the wound. One of the other blue crystals is green and sinks directly into the wound causing the wolf to shudder. He turns his head and licks around where the wound embedded itself in his shoulder.
“There we go. Now, first thing first and establishing where I am, next is finding the others.” He begins to walk with a slight limp when he notices something faint catches his nose.
He turns towards the source opening his mouth slightly and breathing in more. There's no mistake about that smell. Exotic spices, herbs, the ever-lingering smell of smoke and magical residue.
"Alchemist. I must be near Greenwinter." He says turning towards the source, "Though that would mean I'm further out than I'm supposed to be.
He sighs and begins what he assumes will be the long walk into Greenwinter and the even longer conversation about why one of his kind is so far out of his territory without a pass. Just one thing after the next.
I'm gonna get chewed out for this, I just know it.
As he makes his way further towards the source, he begins to notice that the smell spreads out and separates here and there. Not being one that was taught in advanced tracking, he begins to pick random trails to follow until it went cold. He stops upon reaching another dead end and grunts with detest.
He sits down on his haunches and focuses on the crystals around his wound slowly allowing them to break and return to the earth from wince they came. The green crystal now has turned brown and now holds the cause of the wound inside of it. He slides the now brown crystal out and lets it shatter against the ground with the bullet causing him to sigh.
“Ah much better.” The wolf says stretching his body out forward, "Much better than the alternative."
He tries to pick up the smell again and finds that it's really lingered off from her. For all he knows, he could be on a wild goose chase or just following a trail that the Alchemist takes. If that's the case, would it be better to just wait or simply wander off? Perhaps his friend had all wound up on Greenwinter territory, which wouldn't be a good thing.
The wolf sighs looks up towards the skies glancing at the sun still high in the sky.
God I have no idea what time it is and plus why is the sky so bright? It's never been this bright over on this side. Has it? Maybe I'm just imaging things.
The wolf groans hating not knowing anything. He’s always had a thirst for knowledge involving the land because it let him hunt his prey better. He begins his walk anew until coming across a path moments later.
He begins sniffing the road and picks up familiar and yet unfamiliar scent. The smell of the alchemist is on this path as well, fresher in fact. The other smell too is there and causes him to wonder what this could mean. The more unfamiliar smell reminds him of magic casters.
Witch? Warlock? No. Something more beastly. Phoenix? Dragon? Not enough brimstone. Not spicy enough. Could it just be a different kind of alchemist? Or something I've never come across before...
The tracks in the road are still somewhat there which means multiple creatures have been traveling here.
Trade route? No, too empty. Something less. Secret path?
He begins to walk towards where the smell gets stronger. Not a safe idea, but an idea that needs to be done. What more does he have to go off of other than that? Perhaps he'll come across the source.
Well if I do, I hope they don’t freak out too bad. After all, don't really know what's here. Could be hostile, could be friendly.
After a while of tracking the scent, he comes across where the pass meets from a forest into hilly plains.
“Shit it's bright out there...” He says stopping at the forest edge.
He begins to prowl along the edge watching for any type of movement around him as well as out into the plains. Nothing so far until he makes out a small hut in the distance. A bridge over a small stream with animals a dozen outside frolicking and living without a care.
"Druids.." He mumbles feeling his eye twitch.
His experience with druids has been, less than pleasant. Sure not a lot of them have bad intents, but it's the ones that do have those bad intents that really irk him. They easily turn any of the animal kin races against one another with those stupid tricks and spells. He still remembers the druid and satyr that took out an entire pack without so much as coming into any danger. Was the almost the most embarrassing thing for all of his kin.
The door of the hut swings opens gently revealing a yellow Pegasus with pink hair with a saddle on with bags on the sides of them.
What the… where is her rider? Perhaps a shapeshifter. Perhaps the druids' companion. I've seen stranger things.
He begins to make his way out of the forest into the bright light hoping that this won't be a mistake. The Pegasus sings and flutters around talking to said animals.
Shapeshifting druid. Why am I not surprised.
"Hello there."
The Pegasus jumps with a very loud eep and quickly spins around. Their eyes lock and she visibly relaxes, "Oh dear, you scared me there. You look like a timber wolf, but you're not made of wood. I don't think I've seen you before little guy, where'd you come from? Oh, my! Are you lost? Here let me take you inside."
All whilst talking the Pegasus makes to come closer to him making the wolf look at her very strangely. Upon begin told he was going to be taken inside, he starts stepping back shaking his head, "Whoa whoa let's slow down here ma'am."
The Pegasus stops and her eyes go wide, "You... You actually... I mean... I've always thought I've heard voices, but you're the first one to actually move your mouth in words."
A novice? An outcast maybe. Perhaps she's gone mad. Better be careful with this one.
"I don't mean to startle you. But I'm X. I'm a little bit lost yes, but I promise you there's no need to take me inside of your home. I appreciate the offer, but I would rather stay outside for the moment."
"O-Oh. Right. Sorry. Um. My name is Fluttershy Mister X. It's quite fine that you startled me. I do get startled easily." She giggles at that, "Can I offer you anything to drink or eat?"
"I would love to, but it looks like you were headed somewhere. Perhaps I could accompany you."
"Oh... um.. I don't know how the others will react to you. You're not going to cause any harm, are you?"
"I wouldn't dream of it. I'll be on my best behavior as long as nothing happens."
"Oh, I doubt anything will happen. Ponyville has been so quiet of late. We don't get too many things here since Applejack and her family makes sure everything is safe."
"I see. Well, I'm glad this, Ponyville, place is safe." X says seemingly to taste the word Ponyville.
"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. Well come on, perhaps you can help me carry some of my stuff home."
"With pleasure ma'am."
Nice nice. Looks like she doesn't mean any harm to me, just got to play it safe. I just wish I could understand why she doesn't smell like any Pegasus or druid I've ever been next to.
The two walks side by side the Pegasus singing la ti das and fluttering about here and there. Perhaps she is a loon, or perhaps she's just a fun-loving druid/pegasus. He's still not sure on which one would be correct at the moment. She certainly has the makings of a druid stopping to talk to animals and such, but she flutters so easily and moves her wings like second nature.
Upon reaching what he would consider a village, he notices something that answers his questions. Unicorns, Ponys, and Pegasi everywhere. In the sky, walking about, shopping, talking, and everything in between. Some turn to wave high at Fluttershy and give him curious glances. He stays close to Fluttershy unsure of all the unfamiliar and familiar smells all while making sure to show his kind of as unafraid.
“Morning Fluttershy! What's that you got with you." A very strange blue Pegasus asks flying down with a rainbow trail disappearing behind her, "Looks pretty cool."
Are they serious?
“You guys don’t have wolves?” The X asks eying Fluttershy and the new Pegasus wearily.
"Of course we have wolves! They're made out of lumber, have nasty breath, and are way uncool. Then again, they can't catch me even if they tried!" the Pegasus boasts pushing out her chest.
"Wh-wh-what! W-w-wait! You heard him talk!?" Fluttershy exclaims her eyes bugging out and shifting between the blue Pegasus and X.
"Huh... Guess I can! Look like spending so much time with you is starting to rub off in a good way!" the pegasus retorts a smug grin appearing on her face.
The pride on this one is a lot.
She raises an eyebrow at X, "Though I hope you're not saying you're one of them. Cause you're pretty cool looking, but not that cool looking."
X rolls his eyes and holds up a paw before extending his claws, "I am a Wolfin. Not one of your timber Wolves. I think it would be highly ineffective for a wolf to be made out of lumber."
"So where you from anyway?"
"I'm guessing you ladies have never heard of Lez'ran," he says drawing a very oblong shape into the ground before placing a small X in the middle of it.
"Hmmm, nope. Pretty sure you're just making it up."
"Rainbowdash! How dare you say that about his home! What if he said that Cloudsdale is made up!" Fluttershy says glaring at Dash.
"Than I'd just fly him up there duh."
"That's not the point Dash. You shouldn't be so mean to him."
"I assure you it's alright," X says before Rainbowdash can get another word in.
"Anyway, if you wanna find out if he's lying or not, why not bring him by Twilight's place? I'm sure she'll freak when she sees him. Anyway, I got my job to finish."
Before another word is uddered she flies off into the air with a mighty push of her wings.
"Kind of brash isn't she?"
"Oh, she's okay once you get to know her." Fluttershy replies sweetly before pulling a list out of her left bag, "While we should probably see Twilight later, I'd like to get some shopping done first. If that's alright with you."
It should be fine. I haven't seen any sign of trouble, and if they haven't heard of the Wolfkin capital than...
"Y...Yes. That's alright." X replies furrowing his brows in thoughts ignoring all the curious looks towards the duo.
“No, I can't say I've heard of any of that actually. Which would mean you've probably been displaced from beyond the Mysterious South. Probably deep from the Badlands. How a spell managed to do that is a whole different type of issue too... they say that magic runs wild down in that direction and sometimes not at all in certain places... I would have to tell Celestia about this too." Twilight, a young looking purple Unicorn says shifting through various books levitating around her while a purple scaled and green spiked dragon writes various thing down on a clipboard loaded with paper, "Tell me X, what type of magic do your people use? Or can your people even do magic would be the better question. I could try to pinpoint an area that utilizes magic or may make a easy use of it."
"Right. Well, we all use various types of magic actually. It's usually based off of what region, fur colour, as well as needs of the village. We are all born with a certain element and through training, we find out what that element can do for us as well as for our kind. Which is why I was designated as a hunter above something say an engineer or a landscaper."
"Would you like to demonstrate for me? Spike, make sure you take notes on everything he does when casting a spell."
"I'm sorry to say that it's not spells as you mages use. It's raw magic. If you would like to see, you would have to come outside. I wouldn't want to cause damage to your home." X says shifting in his sitting position as one of the many wires attaches him shocks him lightly.
"Maybe later, I'd first like to write down all the information I can get while you're hooked up at the moment."
"And you're sure your machine won't hurt him right?" Fluttershy asks for probably the tenth time since he had been hooked up.
"I assure you it's completely sound. I've even used it on myself." Twilight says not looking away from her books.
"Alright, Spike, take a letter for Princess Celestia."
"I've already let her know while you were busy tearing books off the bookshelf," Spike replies looking quite proud of himself.
Twilight rubs the young dragon's head and thanks him for being so diligent. X can't help but wonder what brought these two unlikely creatures together. Of course, he has to remember that he's no longer in a place that follows his old logic. This place seems more orderly than where he's from. And from the map that was brought down, he can tell that he is indeed a far way from home. So far that he didn't recognize anything on the map.
All these equestrian based places, as well as a few, marked down places such as the Bug Bear territory, Griffonstone, and the Frozen North. Another thing to note was that the pointed east instead of North on the map. Which means that the Magnetic fields of this place are scrambled or else been moved or affected by something.
The more evidence he finds the more he begins to realize that perhaps the spell backfired in more way than one. Which would mean that he's probably here along with everyone in the immediate area, but they didn't appear at the same place, which proves to be quite the problem. Especially if he's weakened and finds something to replenish himself on before he or one of his friends can stop him.
"Something on your mind?" Fluttershy asks coming closer noticing him furrowing his face into a scowl.
"Hm? Oh sorry. Nothing you should be concerned about." X lies.
"Are you sure? I'm here for you in case you wanna talk about something important. I always hear out all my animal's problems."
X chuckles and nods his head, "Right. I assure you that it won't be an immediate problem if we can figure out what happened and where my place is in relation tot he map."
Fluttershy nods her head but doesn't back away.
"Alright," Twilight begins as she begins to put books down and remove the wires and cap from X, "Let's head outside and see what you can do while we wait on Celestia."
*Meanwhile*
Pant. Pant. Pant. Pant.
“Damnit!” A tall figure with white skin and spiked hair that covers his right eye, “I can’t believe I got sucked into that.”
The figure stumbles forward in the shade of the trees his outfit of contrasting hard against the dark greenery around him, “Where the hell that portal come from anyway!?”
He takes a moment to access his body making sure that his items are still on his person. A dagger and ring are in the rightmost pocket of his black well ripped jeans and a book remains strapped to his side by a belt made from the skin of various creatures. His bright red shirt has a huge burn across the bottom of it leaving his stomach exposed to the world. The orange and red jacket has seen better days as well and his silver spiked hair seemed to be just a tad bit shorter from all the fighting only moments ago.
The figure sighs and looks up at the sky seeing that it is daytime.
“Fuck…” The figure says, “Of all the times to appear, it had to be day."
He rubs the burn mark across his body slowly wincing and pulling back before grabbing a vial from his left side filled with a deep purple liquid. He pops the cork off of it and down the liquid quickly before throwing the tube haphazardly behind him.
“Oh I can't wait to find them, " He says was the burns slowly disappear, "There's going to be hellfire to pay!"
He begins to slowly move wincing every few steps as he feels a sharp pain in his legs or back from some of the wounds he had received. He makes sure to avoid being in direct sunlight for very long and sticking to more shadowed areas. Animals could be heard which means he's not in any sort of dangerous area and for all he knows the Hunters have no idea where he is.
"Damn Hunters. I'll murder every last one." He says taking out a dagger and flipping it a few times in his hands while keeping an eye out for any danger.
Speaking of killing, he soon finds himself at a path full of faint marks of travels. A smile comes across his face as he slinks back into more shrubbery as he starts following the path.
"I think I smell a snack~"
X stands still letting Twilight take notes as shards of crystals float around his body and coat his neck, chest, and back. He had been at this for who knows how long raising and lowering his choice of weapon. She had been pretty shocked to see as she put it "non-Unicorn use magic". Just shows how uneducated she is, but he wouldn't say that to her face. At least not in a public setting where more and more ponies were gathering up.
He lets the crystals crawl off his body and down to his paws where the form into extensions of his claws. They shine brilliantly and are serrated along the bottom part of his makeshift claws. Alone his forelegs are points of embrace for high falls and backlash of hitting certain creatures and objects hard enough to shatter bones. The same goes for his back legs as well as he rolls his shoulders and shakes his back and haunches.
"Can we hurry this up?" I feel like we've been standing here forever.
"Not yet!" Twilight calls out while a pink horse mimics her actions causing the crowd to chuckle and a smile across X's lips.
He sighs and waits as a while longer with his claws out until a shiver runs up his spine. He can sense something is close. Something powerful and with the intent to kill. He growls low and scans the crowd looking for anything amiss with creatures around him. If anything were to suddenly kill, it would most likely be a Unicorn is his guess.
None of them seem ready to snap and they all seem to be watching him and his power, but he's sure that one of them might be faking it. Or it might be something outside of the crowd casting it. Something hungry perhaps? The only thing more powerful than a wolf's hunger is a.
"Vampire's thirst!" X yells suddenly even more on edge and taking up a low stance.
The sudden shout and stance throws off everyone in the crowd and especially Twilight.
"X? What's wrong?"
"Everyone needs to go somewhere safe right now!"
"X? What's wrong? Is there some-"
"There's no time to explain! You guy are-"
A scream is heard followed by several more and laughter. X turns towards the sound and rushes through the crowd moving his crystalized claws along his back, neck, and chest. Rounding a corner he finds himself facing a very tall man he knows as his target.
"Cladmore!" X growls out with venom.
"You! Of all the! Fine! It'll be my pleasure to wipe my hands on a future towel!" Cladmore yells pulling out a knife from his right most pocket and slashing it across his arm.
Blood laces down his arm and into his hand hardening and fastening itself into a blade without a hilt. Three bodies lay around him. All three Earth Ponies.
"I'll kill you!"
"Please. Like you and your little crew could've taken me in the first place. Speaking of the crew, I don't see that they're with me. Or did you all just get lost huh? Laying a trap, or are you just a lone wolf now?~"
"Wouldn't you like to know!"
"Hmmm. No, I'd rather you die instead."
Cladmore raises up a hand and the pools of blood below him first bullets of blood towards the wolf. A small wall of crystals shoots up to block the rain of blood bullets than shatters as a foot breaks through and meets the muzzle of the wolf. The wolf goes flying back and rolling across the ground in a semi-daze.
X rightens himself digging into the dirt to stop his roll and jump out of the way as more blood rains down on where he used to be. He pushes himself forward running and running his crystals from his back to his forelegs and claws. X closes the distance between the two in an instance, but Cladmore seems to be more bored than impressed. The bloodblade and claws meet with an explosion of sound and power.
X pushes back as a knife come flying to strike him. More bullets come and are easily dodged due to the wolf's natural speed.
"Come on now. You can do better than that!" Cladmore taunts, "Oh wait, no. You can't. The group is called Hunters, not Hunter. Why don't you turn tail and just leave this place under my protection."
"Not at all!" X retorts.
"Well, you better hurry up~," Cladmore says singing his words, "Cause this sun is almost gone~."
Panics wells through X as he starts to realize that in fact, the sun is going down at an alarming pace. Time is playing against X and he's not about to let some vampire beat him.
"You think I'm afraid of the dark? Well, you're wrong."
"Really? Not afraid of the dark? Well, lets fix that."
Cladmore closes the distance between the two in a second and finds his sword stopped by crystals from the head of the wolf. X launches forward teeth bared with his crystalized paw aimed straight and true towards the darker creature's stomach. A knee to the underside of his muzzle stops the progression of the sure kill but allows teeth to sink into skin second afterward. X, latched onto Cladmore's leg, tosses him to the side and into a building breaking the wall and the building itself down.
Cladmore gets up dusting himself off with a free hand before rolling his shoulders and neck. X sends his crystals around his neck and claws into the ground and yanks it free to form a shield floating at his side and three short blades of crystals that could be mistaken as knives.
"Impressive. Impressive." Cladmore says clapping, "But tell me. How sure are you in this situation?"
"Very sure."
"Confidence. Always a good thing, since it's always such a joy to watch it change to despair."
"What are you on-"
X couch up blood as something slide into him from both of his sides. He looks back to see that the puddle of blood from before has thinned itself to reach him and locked into him like tentacles. One that was loosely wrapped around his right hind leg tights and throws him into up into the air before being yanked straight into the ground sending more blood from his muzzle and shattering his shield and daggers.
Cladmore slowly walks over to the downed X and crouches down, "The suns gone."
The sun retreats below the horizon making way for the rising moon. Cladmore breaths in deeply and leans down to X's ear.
"You smell that? It's fear. And death."
The vampire pulls out his dagger and places it lightly against his neck, "Maybe next. You leave the big job for the big people."
Cladmore presses harder the blade harder against X's neck and than stops before jumping back as a beam of solid light fries the ground where Cladmore once stood. X looks up barely conscious as he feels the tendrils in him wiggling slowly draining him of his life.
Cladmore looks up to see a creature flapping wings of white and a horn charged with a yellow aura. Cladmore can feel the power radiating off of her and can feel actual fear for once. He smiles up at the creature and waves a hand.
"Afternoon. I'm sorry to say that I'll be with you after you stop preventing me to take my kill."
The flying mage caster says nothing before lowering it's horn and firing a very wide beam of light. Cladmore barely manages to dodge it his entire left arm frying away with his blade. He clutches at his wound and stares up at the creature.
The creature lands and stares him down with neither hatred or any sign of emotions in her eyes.
"Leave." She simply says.
"Well, I guess I can tell when I'm not wanted."
He starts to back away his fear very visible on his face and in his actions. He never turns his back as the blood goes back to liquid around the wolf. He steps into the pool of blood himself and all of him slowly starts turning to blood before dissapearing. And with that, the wolf's mind fades to black.
Author's Note
This is the second version of this story. I rewrote a bunch of wordings, updated a few things, but the story remains the same.
To be prideful is to be bashful
To lose is to die
To win is to live
if honor is lost
well than they say good-bye.
Friendship isn't easy
Sometimes it makes us forget
That the one we fear most
is that the dangerous one of all
is the one we don't get.
X's eyes open. A little bit of light is filtering in through a nearby window. The room is white and there are three other beds in this room. Xron blinks the spots out of his eyes and turns his head around on his pillow. He looks up at the ceiling and wonders for a moment if he's finally home or simply imagining a place of comfort.
.
Oh god I’ve got such a headache…
Xron tries to roll over and winces because of the effort. He lies back on his back and sighs. At least he finds some comfort in still being alive.
Damn… I really screwed up huh? Sorry guys...
X hears a door open in front of him. He manages to look forward to see the magenta pony he's gotten to know only a bit of.
“You okay?” She asks placing a hoof on his stomach.
“Can't say I am... Yo-You are Twilight right?” Xron asks closing his eyes as the brightness fo the room starts to burn his eye and increase his headache.
“Yea it’s me.” Twilight says, “I came by to check on you. Applejack and Rainbowdash managed to bring you here while Celestia dealt with the other injured civilians. So far we've all be on rotation looking out for whatever that person was and checking on everypony's health. ”
“Do we know where he is?"
“N-No… He got away.” Twilight says looking away, "Princess Celestia couldn't track him either."
“Shit!” Xron says clutching the bed he lays on his claws unsheathing, “If only my team were here! If only I was stronger...”
“It’s okay X. I’m sure with us knowing about the impending threat, we should be able to help you deal with it! We'll be your new team! Me and my friends!” Twilight says trying to soothe him down while undoing several bandages running across his body.
Xron sighs and looks back at the ceiling, “I shouldn’t be alive right now you know. He played me and he'll continue to play me. You and your friends don't deserve whatever is coming.”
“How could you say that! Better yet, don’t say that!” Twilight says stomping a hoof as she turns her body to gather up new bandages, “Everyone has a right to live! No matter how strong or weak!”
"That's very true for a lot of creatures. But in my line of work, and being part of my race... If the chief was to find out about this. Haha...” X says knowing that every wolf fights till they die in battle or until they defeat their enemy.
To lose and to live is something very unheard of by his people. Sure there are rare cases, but those rare cases are the ones where you hear about one of his kind going insane, being banished, or going rogue. None of them have happy stories, but they don't need to know that.
"Are your people not the same? Every life should be valued." Twilight states proudly.
"Yeah. We believe every life should be valued. Until otherwise to say. There are various ways one may forfeit their right to live." X says thinking of all the rules and ways creatures turn evil or go, rogue, "There are many rules that govern my world, but I guess they don't apply here do they?"
"Exactly! Also, you've never answered about making a team with us." Twilight asks turning back and applying a green salve along his wounds.
X winces and squirms a bit, "Sorry but no go. There is a whole ritual and rules that apply to that. Plus he's dangerous. I don't want anybody-
"Pony."
"Pony near him," X says rolling his eyes at her correcting him.
He'd laugh if it wasn't such a dire situation. If he was on his home plane his life would be forfeited. He'd be given a choice of living until someone kills him or being killed on the spot with some type of honor. He'd happily take the second option, but he knows that the ponies around him would probably not kill him outright if he asked for it. Death would allude him and insanity may claim him.
He can't help but consider the cruelty of life even during the most pleasant of moments.
"But we can help! If this is about being a wolf, I'm sure we can form our own guild of Hunters."
"It's... it's more than that. I wish I could better explain it, but I'm really tired. Lost a lot of blood ya know?" X says hoping his lie would throw her off.
"R-Right. Sorry." She says her ears flopping back, "I'll let you get some more rest."
"Thank you. All of you."
With that Twilight soon exits the room taking the dirtied bandages with her.
*Everfree*
“Shit!” Cladmore says falling forward on his face as his left arm to the elbow is burned off, “It’s like she shot the sun itself at me!”
Blood begins to slowly wrap itself starting to become longer from his missing shoulder.
“Damn…” Cladmore says just lying there on the ground, “Hehe… At least some good came from last night at least.”
A rustle is heard from behind him. Cladmore rolls over and sits up staring in the general direction of the sound.
“Who’s there!” Cladmore yells scooting back while gathering power into his right hand, “Don’t test my patience!”
‘Don’t worry my friend we both want the same thing don’t we?’ A voice in a dark raspy hiss says through Cladmore’s mind making him shiver.
“Who… What are you?” Cladmore asks to the darkness that he now sees moving around him.
He can't feel anything alive around him, so some sort of entity has found him.
‘We are many and we are one’ The darkness replies chuckling, 'and we are stronger than you'
Cladmore manages to stand up by using a nearby tree to prop up on. He allows the blood to absorb back into him not taking a chance in showing hostility to an entity he might not be able to fight as well.
“Alright. What are we both after than buddy?”
‘Domination.’ Now many voices say in unison.
“I like the way you think but how will you help me?” Cladmore asks curiously as well as wanting to keep alive.
‘We have many working for us because we are many from all over. We are like you.’ The shadow says in a now more youthful voice, ‘Follow us and you will see and learn. You will also grow to yearn for more but don’t be greed will be your downfall. If you let it consume you like others have before you.’
"Question. Are you the one who brought me here?” Cladmore says watching as the shadows begin to consolidate into one figure much like his own.
‘We have influenced it but we did not summon’ The shadow says not truly answering but giving Cladmore some idea of how he got here.
“Right. So how are we doing this?"
'The time will come when motions will be set again. Many are waiting and judging both you and him. As well as the ones who have been here for longer than you both' the now pitch black figure says walking towards Cladmore, 'now close your eyes and breath deep.'
"Do I get a second option?"
"The only other option is to be forced."
Cladmore breathes deeply and does as told closing his eyes as the hand of the figure covers his face.
*Library*
Spike is reordering some books on the floor when he says, "How is he, Twilight?”
Twilight glances over her shoulders to the stairs she descended. She sighs and looks back to Spike.
“Really awful Spike. He’s really down about the whole thing. He’s really beating himself up about it.” Twilight says looking through some books, “I figured I would find something about wolves or something close to wolves and see what I can do to help him.”
“That’s really nice of you Twilight but wouldn't it just be easier to get Pinkie Pie to do something like that,” Spike says placing a book known as unicorn anatomy 101.
Twilight would've asked Pinkie if she could but Mr. and Mrs. Cake said that Pinkie locked herself in her room for some unknown reason. Twilight had tried to investigate more into this but every time she did Pinkie would always reply “go away…” or “leave me alone…” In a really depressed tone. Pinkie is on her list of things she and her friends have to do.
“That’s not really an option right now Spike…” Twilight says to spike as she finds a book on timber wolves, “Now let’s see… Timberwolves are known to hunt in packs, howl at the full moon, and feed on trees. It’s said that all Timberwolves communicate with each other whether looking over the hurt or coming up with signals for an ambush on prey.”
Spike walks over trying to look over the book with her.
“I really don’t see what… Oh wait right here it says that Timberwolves also seem to have a sense of honor. They tend to always hunt together and follow the rules of the back. There seems to be a hierarchy the dictates who eats first, who gets the first kill, cleaning, gather, and just about everything else. Not much is know, but…”
Spike looks look at Twilight, "What is it”
"It says that if a wolf is to fail its mission or is soon too weak to carry out orders, it seems the alpha usually chases it out or kills it. Do to the unknown means of communication of timberwolves, it says they may have some form of telecommunication for if a wolf fails tragically it is said to lose all will to live and decays to nothing after a various amount of time."
"You don't think he.."
“I really hope not Spike. Though I’ll check on him anyway to make sure of it.” Twilight says closing the book and making her way to the door, "But I want to get some help from Fluttershy as well."
Twilight begins to walk through the catatonic town. Usually, there would be lots of ponies moving about happy as the day is long, but with the latest events from the Everfree... The town seems very dead. There are a few ponies out and mourning, but almost all the shops are closed and the ponies she would normally see around the market area are no longer there. Either mourning or simply gone from the world.
She swallows slowly remembering seeing Celestia in all of her glory. The usually stoic face painted in rage as she flew off into the Everfree. What she went to do she still has no idea. No pony has reported her flying back over the Everfree yet, but Celestia is stronger than anything she has ever seen. So she should be fine.
Twilight stops and mourns with a few of the ponies she knows and makes it to the shack the sun a quarter of the way up into the sky. She takes note of all the animals sticking close to the shack and further away from the forest. A bad omen if anything.
Her hoof raps against the door and moments later it opens to reveal a flustered Fluttershy.
"Twilight! Oh its so good to see you!"
"Its good to see you too Fluttershy, but is everything alright? I could come back later if something is wrong. Or help you if I can."
"Oh no, everything is alright! It's just... the animals have been coming to me in bunches lately. They said that something is wrong with the Everfree. Something is disturbing every creature."
"Really? Perhaps it has something to do with what Celestia went off to do... Well, I'm sure things will get better Fluttershy." Twilight says nuzzling Fluttershy to bring her some comfort.
"Thanks, Twilight. Things have been very trying for all of us. I-I just.." Tears begin to form in her eyes and Twilight is quick to help comfort and soother her.
"It's alright. You know me and all your other friends are here for you. Even your animals are here to comfort you and love you!" Twilight says trying to reassure her.
"R-Right. I have to be strong for them and everybody else."
"And you don't have to be alone to do it either. Just, don't forget to take a break and rest okay?"
"Okay. I will. Oh, I'm sorry, you probably came here for a reason right?"
"Y-Yea. It's that. I don't really know what to do about X. I read up some information and I'm afraid for his well being and was hoping you could help me with him. But I see you have your hands full so."
"X isn't feeling well? Well, I'll certainly help him since it is my special talent to help animals whether in need or not." Fluttershy states proudly, "I'll be happy to help you. I was just getting ready to come to your place and ask when you needed one of us to watch him next."
"Thanks. I just don't feel like I'm a good pony to have this conversation with him."
"Just let me know what you need me to do, Twilight," Fluttershy says her smile beaming.
"Well..."
A creature stirs chains rattling as ancient bones pop from a long time of no use. The creature snort steam pouring forth from its great nostrils.
“The wheels are starting to spin again. I wonder if they can still hear the song. Or have they all grown deaf to it." The creature lets out a weak laugh that only those who knew what to listen for would make out.
