open Expedition into Uncharted Land

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@, 

 

The aufhocker growled as Chronos brandished the silver coin in front of him. The two stood off for a tense moment before the beast seemed to give in and swiftly melted back into the forest from which it came. The dark aura that had settled over the camp faded away, allowing the moon to once again illuminate the clearing. 

 

"It will not return tonight" Nymphaea said moving towards the exhausted stallion, "you are lucky."

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN,

 

"We are lucky... lucky that we found the coin, and that you knew that the creature feared it... How did you know the silver would work?" He said as he sat down and removed his helmet. He looked at the kelpie and sheathed his sword. He leaned his shield on a rock and looked at the sleeping Tyra. He stood back up and put the coin back where the Kelpie took it from.

 

@@Eternal Night,

@@Firehearted,

 

After feasting on the creature and searched for the two ponies. After checking all the bushes it gave up the search and flew off, to find a new meal. 

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@,

 

"The Dragkinn had a tradition of carrying silver coins and jewelry when they ventured from of their fortresses. It is a pure element, toxic to many of the creatures and spirits that are so drawn this land. Whenever silver touches our skin it burns worse than red hot coals. I could not tell you why, only that it is terrifyingly painful, even more so than iron" Nymphaea said as she made her way back to the stream. Absentmindedly she dipped her throbbing hoof in the cool and rejuvenating water. Silver burns, unlike the ones she received in the fight with the giant, couldn't be healed immediately simply by being submerged, however the water still helped to ease the tension and pain that lingered throughout her foreleg.

Edited March 13, 2015 by HunterTSN

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN,

"If I had known that, I would have worn my ceremonial armor, It is about as effective as paper but it was about 60% silver." He said as he looked at his shoulder pad. He looked at the Kelpie and said " is that why you seemed so afraid of the coin?" He said before taking his helmet and looking at it.

[Firehearted 120]

@@Eternal Night,

I curled my noise at the stuff he had sprayed on him.

"Ugh"

 

"I think it flew off... We're staying here till daybreak. Try and sleep. In the morning we'll get our stuff and move on. I don't want to risk it coming back for us later and I doubt anything will bother to come into these bushes for no good reason"

[Eternal Night 61]

@@Firehearted,

 

(Yea I honestly have no idea what to do this post, used up all my creativity the last two.)

 

I didn't hear a word that Atlas said, my heavy eyes were already slamming shut as a wave of incredible exhaustion overcame me. Nearly the moment I had rested my head against the bed of moss I had completely passed out. I dreamt of nothing that night as my body was treated to a pure restful sleep.

[Firehearted 120]

@@Eternal Night,

 

You're not done, Atlas... Not yet...

 

I yawned waking up. Daylight crept into the bush. 

 

I looked down at Cosmo's body. A bullet hole in his head and a sword in his back.Sweet Celestia.

 

"Why, Atlas" He groaned. "Why?" The 'body' rose up and turned toward me. 

"Cosmo?" How is he alive?

"Why Atlas?. Why did you kill me?"

"What?" I remembered. I'd shot him in his sleep and stabbed him for good measure. Dragged him kicking and screaming. I'd laughed as I blew his brains out...

 

"No, no, no..."

"Yes..." Cosmo groaned.

 

"NO!" I shouted turning to run. I didn't no, no, no I DIDN'T.

 

"Atlas..." Groaned someone else, who I didn't care nor from where. It was a blur as I darted into deeper wood and the canopy closed up the sunlight.

"OOof" I fell down from a ledge. The moon was up? But it was day seconds ago...

 

Before me stood a pike... A pike with a guardsmen of Griffon Baron SharpWords on it. He was impaled all the way through his lower abdomen and out his mouth. He breathed a raspy breath of someone clinging to last threads of life that were slowly slipping away. He looked at me with eyes of pain and fear. They spoke of horrors no one should face or feel. They seemed to ask "Why?" to me. He faced his executioner with fear. His executioner faced him blood dripping from him.

 

I tried to frantically get the blood off my coat as if it would cleanse me of the sins I had committed but it was no use. From the brush three emerged, covered in blood. Cosmo and two more guards, each his own shade of deep red and shade of terror.

"Why?" The guards rasped through nonexsitant throats.

 

...

 

I fled into the forest running from my crimes and praying they'd go away.

"Hunter!" I shouted seeing him in a clearing. "Dear Luna, what are you doing here?!"

 

"Monster" He growled at me staring daggers.

 

"What?"

 

"Don't think I don't know what you did!"

 

"W-What?" My voice began to tremble.

 

"I should finish you myself" He began to approach me getting that feral look in his eyes as his hair grew out and claws emerged. "You're more of a monster than me" I bolted again seeking refuge. 

 

I didn't check if he was chasing, I just ran.

 

 

Zecora's hut! I slammed the door shut behind me. "Zecora!" I called into the tree/house. From the only other room emerged Zecora, along with Leads, Silver Cast, Patches, and Hunter.

"We know what you did that day and we will make you pay" Zecora rhymed slowing moving forward. They all began to move in unison eyes locked on me. My best friends had bloody entente in their eyes, to make me pay for what I'd done.

 

With another shout I turned to flee to find the door missing.

 

"Why, Atlas? Why, Atlas? Why, Atlas?" The chanted creeping closer.

 

"NO!" I screamed. "NO!" They grabbed me.

 

I flew awake from the bush. "NO!" I screamed again now awake. "I didn't mean to do it! It made me do it!" I bawled on the floor like a child. "I didn't want to do it" I cried. Why? Why did I have to remember? Why can't it all just go away? Because I did it and no matter why I did it and I would pay for it by living my life with the grief.

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@,
 
Nymphaea narrowed her eyes, shooting a peeved look towards Chronos.
 
"I am not scared of the coin, do you not also avoid that which can harm you? I am cautious, and with good reason" she growled, indicating with a jerk of her head towards her burnt leg. "Saving you has earned me a scar that not fade so quickly. I would not mind normally, however our trip ahead will be very taxing for me while I continue to feel effects of the silver."

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN, 

 

Chronos rolled his eyes "Hold still..." He said before putting his hoof on her shoulder and using his magic. He did the opposite of what he did to the flower, He used his magic to revert her flesh to before she touched the coin. He then took his hoof off of her. "You get one... Next time, unless your dead, don't expect me to do that again. It almost completely drains my magic and it gives me a headache..." He sat back down and continued "Also don't worry about losing you memories, It only makes the flesh younger, not everything else. So your hoof is younger then the rest of you now..."

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@,

 

Nymphaea frowned and pulled her hoof away forcefully, and angry glare in her eyes.

 

"You should not have wasted your energy, you do not know enough about me to act so foolishly. Your magic has done nothing but cure the skin, the essence of the silver has already traveled throughout my body, weakening me from the inside" the kelpie snapped. "You may have eased the burn, however you have helped no more than you would healing the area of a snakebite or a mouth that has drank poison."

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN,

 

" if it works like snake venom, would you prefer amputation, would that make you happy? Or maybe you would prefer burning? If that is it, I can still get the silver coin again." He said aggressively " Be happy I even thought of trying about help you! I tried to be nice to you by trying to heal your wound but..." He sighed "I'm not even sure if I should trust you enough to take you to Equestria. Who knows what you would do, I bet 50% of the Ponyville population would probably disappear within a month. " He continued before looking into the darkness and began to think. He then put back on his helmet and stood up. He was close to actually trying to go back to sleep, he would rather go back to the foes he has slain haunting him then spend another moment with the creature. "You're lucky I am a stallion of my word or I would have abandoned you by now."

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@,

 

"I am lucky?" she growled, her lithe body rippling in anger. "You are lucky I didn't drown you the moment you went near that river. You are lucky I knew the aufhocker would run from the coin. You are lucky I bothered to save you from a horrific death in the hengemyr you got yourself into by not listening to me in the first place. Hear me knight, had I not pitied your quarrel you would still be aimlessly wandering the forest in search of a treasure you knew naught about, that is assuming you had not already been killed."

 

Without giving Chronos a chance to respond the kelpie slid back into the river, disappearing quickly and completely under the black water.

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@HunterTSN,

"Yeah... run like the coward you..." He said, before walking over to a tree and sitting next to it and leaning on it. He wished he could just leave, probably take the coin for protection. But He promised the kelpie he would get her off the island and he was going to keep that promise, even if it kills him. He stood up and decided to go on a walk, He walked over to the stream and looked into at the water before going for a walk, keeping the stream on his right. He sighed and started to walk, he had drained his magic but he can still fight, so he didn't worry. He just needed sometime to think, away from that creature. 

[Unicorncob 5,679]

Morning comes, around 6:30am...

 

Tyra gently smacked her lips as she regained consciousness, blinking her eyes open from the great sleep she'd just had.

With a loud, long yawn, she stretched out her limbs and sighed with content as air clicked and popped in her limbs.

 

The sun was rising over the trees, and the fire had long burned out. The young warrior lifted a foreleg to smell her pit. Nothing noticeable, so she could go a while longer without a long wash. She threw on her tunic and harness, and attached her axe to her back.

 

She didn't notice Chronos or the Kelpie anywhere, simply assuming they were still asleep. After a quick sip of water and a wash of her face, it was time for breakfast.

 

She began trailing off toward the woods, away from the campsite. The clearing should be noticeable enough for her to make her way back, and she wouldn't go too far anyway. Just until she found a rabbit, or at least a squirrel. Maybe some more fish, perhaps?

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob,

@@HunterTSN,  

 

Chronos made his way back to camp, he had stopped for a few hours, from about 3 AM to 5 AM to put a large group of husks out of their misery. He was pulling an arrow out of his shoulder pad when he returned. He noticed Tyra was gone "Good to see that she is awake." He said as he succeeded at pulling the arrow out. He tossed it aside and also noticed the Kelpie was no where in sight 'good' He thought before placing his shield on his back and took an axe he looted from one of the Husks and wedged it into a tree. He didn't need it. He sat down on a rock and removed his helmet. He loved having alone time...

[Unicorncob 5,679]

Eventually Tyra had returned, a few fish hanging limp in her mouth and looking rather pleased with herself. A successful hunt!

 

She spat out the fish next to the burned out fire and looked over to Chronos, sitting on a rock by the river, by himself. She grinned and trotted over to him.

"Good morning, friend," she greeted, "how are you faring? I slept very well, myself!" She dunked her face into the river, presumably to either wash it or take a drink. Or both.

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

"I had woken up in the middle of the night... I decided to go for a walk and well, I put down an husks I came across..." He said, he was starting to think about the ungrateful kelpie from last night. He took his shield off his back and looked at it, there was a crack in it from a sword staff, one of the husks back there was a griffon.

 

He looked at Tyra and set aside his shield "You missed quite the fight last night... Me and the Creature scared off this strange wolf, it survived every hit I could make, even the Creature was injured..." He said. " even though she didn't really fight, she just scared it off with the coin..." He said, sounding annoyed. He looked at the stream where the kelpie had retreated.

[Unicorncob 5,679]

@

 

Tyra listened to Chronos' explanation, bringing her head up and shaking the water off it.

She blinked as soon as he mentioned a fight.

 

"There was a battle last night?!" She frowned, ears, and helmet-wings, drooping with disappointment, "Why did nopony wake me up?"

She wasn't disappointed that her companions hadn't done anything of course; just that she'd missed a good fight.

 

She glanced over to the lake herself, thinking about the Kelpie. Why did he keep calling her a 'creature'? Yes she may have tried to kill them before, but they were all companions now!

 

...weren't they?

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob,

 

"The wolf seemed to ignore you because you were sleeping, we didn't want any unnecessary casualties." He said "Really all the fight was, was just me fighting the wolf while the Creature just stood around thinking. I love strategy as much as the next pony but she took her sweet-ass time." He said as he took his helmet and put it on. He stood up and put his shield on his back. He looked at Tyra "maybe next time you and I can go and hunt some Husks, to make up for not waking you."

[Unicorncob 5,679]

@

 

Tyra pouted toward the water, her reflection rippling on the surface. "I wouldn't be injured..."

It's not that she wasn't grateful for their keeping her safe, just that she would have enjoyed taking on a giant wolf creature. That sounded like fun!

 

However, she perked up at Chronos' proposal to hunt down Husks, and she grinned at him.

"I accept!" She nodded, then looked to the water, "Though, perhaps it can wait our companion wakes..."

 

"Oh, I brought fish too!" She declared proudly, pointing toward the small pile of fish.

Edited March 28, 2015 by Unicorncob

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob,

(She hasn't told us that she is a kelpie yet, that is why Chronos calls her creature)

 

 Chronos sighed "I would rather not stick around when the Creature comes back. After the fight we had an argument after I attempted to heal her wound..." He then said something that Tyra couldn't hear "the ungrateful cur..." He noticed the husk blood on his hooves, but didn't care, having clean armor wasn't his biggest concern right now. Chronos looked at the pile of fish "Nice catch..."

Edited March 28, 2015 by Senatus Romanus

[Unicorncob 5,679]

@

(Ah jeez *fixed*)

 

"An argument?" Tyra repeated, cocking her head to the side like a confused dog. He knew the two of them didn't really get along, but what could they possibly have to argue about? Especially after coming out of a battle triumphant!

 

She grinned at his compliment, braided tail swishing happily. "There were plenty of fish up the river, I fished with my father quite a lot as a filly!"

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob,

 

"The coin, it is made of silver and that is apparently poisonous to her kind. I tried to heal her, but all I could do was ease the pain. She is lucky I even thought of helping..." He said before looking at the stream. "Our 'companion' can fend for herself for now on, I'm going to get her off this island, but until then She is not getting anymore help from me." He said, kicking a rock into the stream. He gave an agitated sigh.

 

He looked at Tyra "You remind me of my cousin" He said

Edited March 28, 2015 by Senatus Romanus

[Unicorncob 5,679]

@

 

Tyra's ears drooped at Chronos' speech, watching the ripples of the water as the stone plopped into it. She wished there wouldn't be so much hostility in her little group.

 

"Our friend may not be very social," she began, then looked up to him with a hopeful grin, "but, anypony can turn around. She hasn't led us into danger, and if I can trust her, then I'm sure she may trust us in return!"

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob,

 

 "I will not help somepony who does not want it, It is a waste of energy and resources." He said to Tyra, looking at her hopeful grin, he sighed "I doubt it...  you can trust somepony all you want but that doesn't mean they deserve your trust. " He said. He looked away from her, she really did remind him of his cousin, both trusted too easily and always seemed to have a glass half full point of view.