Don't Hesitate

Chapter 3

Alex was drifting with Walburn and Rade through the colourfull void. Alex was by no means happy. The mad man that drifted behind him was the constant reminder of that.

Everytime he looked over his shoulder he found Walburn doing something different. One time He was concocting some kind of potion with his chemist equipment which made Alex really nervous. He had never seen Walburn so concentrated, but then when we looked back a second time he was doing something else, like using his magic to propel himself around Rade in a playful manner, or something else equally as childish. Alex found it hard to hate the necromancer when he acted this way.

"Walburn," Alex called. "How long are we going to be like this?"

"Like what buddy?" He asked back.

Alex's left eye twitched when he heard the word 'buddy'. "Like this," He motioned to the empty colorful space around them. " floating through nothing."

Walburn nodded understanding his friends question. "I don't know Alex. We could be here for a few minutes, hours, or even weeks." He said. Alex's facial expressions darkened. "Not much is known about the rifts between worlds and unfortunately," Alex turned to face Walburn. " I'm not sure we are even heading back to your world."

Alex felt not shocked but relieved. He was actually surprised by his relief because under normal circumstance he would be angry. Very angry.

"Well I guess it's better then where we were." Alex said with a shrug. Walburn also shrugged and return to whatever amused him.

Alex returned his thoughts to himself. He could feel his life was going a direction that he had very little power over. He also noticed that he himself was changing.

'Oh god I couldn't actually be considering Walburn as a friend... Could I?' Alex thought to himself sneaking a glance at Walburn. Walburn was using his magic to maneuver around Rade again. He was poking it with his fingers and Rade was having a reaction that would make you think he was being tickled.

'Nah.'

*****

Twilight had returned home as well as all the other elements with heavy thoughts. She had her curiosity sarted about their evolution but it was the dark nature of its origins that troubled her. The story of Strider's death, all the ways he had affected their world, and his unseen student weighed heavy on her mind.

The other elements were faring no better, except for Pinkie and Rainbow who were quick to move on. Applejack and Rarity found it hard to concentrate on their work, and Fluttershy felt like crying. The only thing that helped any of the elements was that Celestia was going to set everything up for Strider to be made public tonight. Strider would finally get the recognition he deserved.

On this night Luna was planning a display of shooting stars to commemorate the opening. Celestia asked the elements if they would want to be there for it, but they all had seen the exhibit already and wished to watch the shower from the comfort of home.

As the sun began to set Twilight, Applejack, and the other elements as well as the town's folk began to make their merry way to a hill outside of Ponyville to watch the spectacle. Ponies set up picnic blankets and brought a vast amount of food for the occasion. Everypony had a happy smile on their faces completely unaware of what this day was for.
"Hi girls." Twilight greeted.

"Hiya Twi." Applejack nodded in her typical get up. "We all ready here?"

"Ya we sure are A.J" Pinkie responded. "We got our punch, cupcakes, ordinary cake, muffins, chocolate moose, strawberries, apples, oranges," Pinkie went on and on about the stunning amount of food she had brought. It was still fascinating to Twilight how she managed to do these things, but she had learned her lesson the first time from when she tried to explain the unexplainable thing that is Pinkie Pie.

"Applejack could you of least tried to dress up?" Rarity asked in a pleading tone.

"Ah already told ya," She huffed. " ah don't like getting all frissy' prissy' about everythan'."

Rarity shook her head in disapproval. "But dear you have such a nice body, you would look simply marvelous in one of my ensemble."

Twilight gave Applejack a quick envious look over her body and had to agree.

"Hey there's one!" shouted a voice that could be identified as Sweetie Belle.

Everypony ceased their conversations and turned their attention to the night sky. The sky began to fill with light blue streaks that crossed the blackness. The sight caused many ponies to gawk in awe and they continued to watch them making light conversation with their neighbors. Everypony continued to smile and wait until the very last line of light vanished. Everypony began packing up their picnic sets when somepony yelled.

"Were ya'll going there's three more!" Shouted Apple Bloom.

Everypony stopped dead in there tracks and looked back to AppleJjack's little sister. She was indeed correct. Up in the sky were the bight balls of fire.

Unlike the shooting stars before these were much larger, slower and sputtered flame. The three of them were all different colors. The one in the lead was red followed by a moss green and copper orange. They were beautiful but in the elements eyes they were perhaps dangerous.

To Twilight this did not look like something Luna would do. Her fears came true when the green and orange meteors split off into different directions. The green one collided into the mountain were the dragon once slept while the orange one headed towards Canterlot. The fiery red one kept it's course until it crashed into the Everfree with a loud bang.

While everypony else panicked the elements took off to the every where the red ball of fire had landed. As Twilight ran through the forest she had no idea what she was getting in too.

*****
"HOLY FUCK I'M BURNING!" Alex screamed.

Alex yelled as his body descended to the earth below him. Even though Alex screamed there would be no one that could hear him in the red inferno that coated him. Although he could have sworn he heard Walburn laughing from his green fireball who had Rade's orange one next to him. Alex lost sight of him when their burning vehicles split off from his.

"SHITTTTTTTTTT-" Alex smashed into the ground. The trees that were in his way were torn from the ground or shattered. Alex's body slowly came to a halt forming a long trench with some licks of fire along it.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He screamed still under the impression he was on fire.

Meanwhile in the green sphere of fire Walburn was of course laughing at Alex's screaming before hand. He continued to chuckle until he notice the big mountain blocking his meteor's path.

"Oh no..." He said with realization returning to his face. "This must be the 'karma' Dad spoke so much about."

His transportation crashed against the side of the mountain dispelling all the fire. Walburn's body began to fall but he stuck his blade into the mountain side stopping himself. He looked down to see it was a perilous fall to the trees below.

"Defiantly Karma." Walburn whispered and began to climb down.

Meanwhile a orange ball of fire had effectively destroyed one of the guard tower's walls in Canterlot. Inside the rubble something stirred.

The two guards that were in the tower were now partially covered in rock and unconscious. They were completely unaware of the massive figure that rose from the destroyed wall. Rade tossed the last piece of rubble that held him down with no difficulty.

Rade was more nervous then he had ever been. The sudden separation from his young master both worried and frightened him. The only time he had been this far from his master was when he was scavenging for equipment in ruins but that was in the familiar destroyed city limits, not a different world filled with who knows what.

"We are under attack!" called a voice. "Inform the princess immediately!"

Rade turned his head to the towers entrance and saw two unconscious beings that he had never seen before. He cautiously walked over to them paying mind to the voices outside.

As Rade got closer he found that they were bipedal creatures with fur. These two were wearing some dark armor, and one had wings while the other had a horn. Rade twitched slightly when he heard the yelling outside, he picked up the two unconscious beings and sprinted out of the whole in the wall..

"I need to see Walburn soon." He thought. "I don't trust that Alex at all."