Guardian

CHAPTER 4 - CONTACT

“Hm?” Eiza looked up and to the north through the treetops of the forest. The sun was soon to come up now, so the sky was getting lighter, the stars harder to see. What caught his attention, however, was a wave of Psi that had passed by just then. Wherever it may have originated from, Eiza could tell that it had traveled an immense distance to reach where he was due to the odd wavelength.

Eiza began wondering if the inhabitants of the land were all unicorns like him, as his sister had always told him when he was little that unicorns were capable of magical feats. Perhaps the “magic” was actually Psi?

As he continued to wonder and walk, Eiza heard a rustling noise in the brush behind him. Not turning, but keeping his attention on the sound behind him, Eiza continued to walk in the same direction. After a few moments, whatever was in the brush suddenly jumped out with a howl. Eiza jumped and flipped around in the air, facing his attacker.

“What the...”

Never before had Eiza seen a creature like this. The shape was obviously wolf-like, but composed of various bits of wood. What's more, there was not just one, but three of the wolves. Snarling and appearing to be somewhat hungry, the wolves suddenly lunged forward at Eiza.

Retaliating quickly, Eiza used his Psi to sent a nearby boulder flying in front of him, crashing into the three wooden wolves and scattering their parts about randomly. Eiza smirked at how simple the task was, turned, and began walking away before noticing bits of wood in front of him glowing and floating backwards.

He turned around and became wide-eyed at the sight before him. The wolves had been blown apart by the rock, but they were reassembling themselves into one massive figure. Trees lifted and uprooted so that they could join the structure, and nearly every piece of wood within a hundred feet seemed to conglomerate into the massive wolf beast.

“There's definitely not enough room for this here... Um...” Eiza turned and began rushing through the forest at full-speed. If he could make it out of the forest and into an open area, he would be able to maneuver better to combat the monster, and perhaps have some help as well.

Charging through vines and brush, he could hear the huge wolf let out a deafening howl before trees behind him began toppling, heralding the monster's charge towards him. At this rate, Eiza would surely be run down by the creature. However, luck seemed to be on Eiza's side, as he suddenly found himself in a clearing in front of an oddly-shaped tree. Various bottles hung from the branches, and a totem rested implanted in the ground in front of a large oval door with a skull atop its frame.

With no time to judge, Eiza rushed forward and knocked on the door frantically in an attempt to get whatever resident was within to open up and help him out. A reply came as the door opened slowly, revealing a zebra with a tribal mohawk and golden jewelery.

“What makes you think that it is remotely right, waking me up at dawn's twilight?” The zebra, expectedly irritated, seemed ready to slam the door right in Eiza's face. However, her expression quickly changed as a massive wooden wolf head poked through the woods and into the clearing. “Goodness gracious! A timber wolf that big is outrageous!”

“I know it is! We need to get out of here!”

“Ah, my silly silver-haired friend, there's no need to fret. The solution here is a better bet!” Reaching inside of the doorway, the zebra pulled a satchel out and hurled it at the timber wolf, landing inside of the beast's maw. Instantly, the giant timber wolf backed up and began hacking and coughing in an attempt to get the taste of whatever was in the satchel out of its mouth.

“Oh, wow!”

“Don't dilly-dally, my white-coated friend! Deal the finishing blow and bring the beast's end!”

“My pleasure!” Using his Psi, Eiza sprouted a huge column up from the ground beneath the timber wolf, shattering the beast into many pieces. This time, however, they did not reform into another monstrosity. Eiza sat down and sighed heavily, the use of Psi and going for so long without nutrient intake finally beginning to take their toll.

“Most impressive, that display of power! However, what are you doing out here at such an hour?”

“Trying to find someone to help me out. I guess I found someone, huh?”

“Of course you did! Although, I would have rather hid.”

“Huh? Oh! No, not help from that thing, I could've probably dealt with that myself if I had gotten into an open area, but I kinda dragged you into that. Sorry.”

“No worries. So then, where were you headed in such a hurry?”

“Well, I was heading there-” Eiza pointed up to the mountain, now visible through the treetops, “-but you know that I got sidetracked.”

“Canterlot? I see. But surely somepony important as you knows how to get there safely?”

“Huh?”

“Anypony else would agree. The safest route is definitely not through the forest of Everfree.”

“Well it's not like I wanted to go through this way, I just kinda got stuck with it.”

“You must be new then, to this land so vast. Come, well talk more, I shall treat you to breakfast!”

“Ah, would you? Thank you so much, I'm actually very hungry.”

The two headed into the home inside of the large tree. Shelves lined the walls, all stocked with potions, potion bottles, and ingredients. In the middle of the main room was a large cauldron where a bubbling liquid released a delicious scent that filled the room.

“What would you like? Soup? Salad? I've a delicious recipe for cream of rose-spike.”

“Uh. Anything that is filling. I need the nutrients.”

“A hard trek ahead? Perhaps you'd like to lie down? You may use my bed.”

“No thanks, that's not necessary. I don't have to sleep too much so long as I have sufficient nutrient intake.”

“Hm...” The zebra stopped her searching on the shelves and walked over to Eiza, patting him on the head and looking in his ears, proceeding with a few more examinations before he spoke up.

“Uh... What are you doing?”

“Not a normal pony, this much is true. Tell me, friend, just what are you?”

“Um. A unicorn?”

“Haha! A clever response from one who fights like a brute. Oh, by the way, do you enjoy bamboo chutes?”

“Um, thanks and uh... Yeah sure.” She noticed that I wasn't from here so fast. Do I really stick out that much? I guess even this form can't hide my Psi. I probably should've kept the cloak.

“Zecora, that is the name by which I am known. Tell me, my friend, with what name have you been bestowed?”

“Uh...” Zecora? Some kind of pun? She's a zebra, and her name has zebra in it... Oh no, if I use my actual name, she'll definitely know I'm weird again. Think, think... Ah! She's giving me a strange look! “Uh... Brimstone. My name is Brimstone.” Zecora cocked an eyebrow at the silver-haired pony and looked at him strangely for a moment before smiling again.

“Brimstone! Quite a name! One truly worthy of a stallion of whom rocks are his game!” Zecora turned back to her shelf and grabbed a few bottles, then turned and walked back over to the cauldron and dumped the foods within into the pot. “So tell me, Brimstone, where are you from? Nopony native of here would cause such a conundrum.”

“Um... Uh... Wait, where is 'here,' exactly?”

“Hm? Truly that clueless you cannot be. Gaze upon that map over there, do you see? The red 'X' indicates the location of you and me, here in the heart of Everfree.”

Brimstone walked to the map and looked at it for a while. It appeared that there was a small town much closer by than the castle on the mountain. While he had been trying to get to “Canterlot,” he could have instead set his sights on “Ponyville,” which was much closer by. He probably would have noticed the town once he exited the woods, though, even if he hadn't run into Zecora. Maybe I'll make a detour there instead.

“The stew is ready, so if you will, come over please and eat your fill.”

“Ah! Thanks.”

Dipping a wooden bowl into the cauldron, Zecora handed the stew to Brimstone, who downed the entire thing almost instantly.

“Goodness me! Never before have I seen someone eat my cooking so ravenously!”

“Ah, yeah, it's really good. Plus I'm about starved, so it's even better. Can I have more?”

“Help yourself to your heart's desire, take all you need to quench your hunger's fire.”

Brimstone continued scooping up bowl after bowl of soup until the cauldron was emptied out. Patting his stomach cheerfully, he felt himself dozing off to sleep.

“You know, Zecora... I think I might be forced to take you up on that sleep offer...”

“Haha! This is perfectly fine. Stay a while, take your time.”

Hearing his sister's voice from so long ago, Brimstone listened to a familiar lullaby play through his mind as he drifted into sleep.