private Family Matters (1x1)

[GoldieS 679]

"Silence, mortal." War replied, waving her paw in dismissal and furrowing her brow, causing Maple's mouth to disappear. "Only the souls of those who fight their battles with fervor and forwardness belong here, not those with a serpent's tongue. Here, we don't play those petty games with words and whispers. Clearly you lack the honor to remain in the halls." 

"Return to me once you're finished hearing Pest's 'wisdom' and 'stories'." War replied to Woody. "And make sure you use the restroom before you see him, his words are... legendary in their length. When you come back, I'll give that mortal whelp's soul to you. I'll hold onto it for now..." 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Woody closed his songbook it slammed shut. Woody sang a dark and nonsensical melody putting Maple's mouth back. After which Woody glared at War "That changes things..." He held out his paw. "Give it back now! It's not yours nor mine, It's hers. If you want I can help her fight you. With my help, she'd be quite the match for you. Given she'd be at the same level as you. I can't make her larger in size but she'd definitely be stronger than you. Like I said I'm not one for fighting but Maple here is. We're siblings, so we help each other out. That's why I came to Tartarus anyways to help her if she needed it."

Maple smiled at her brother both because of what he said and the fact he put her mouth back.

[GoldieS 679]

"You can barely summon a fortress, brother. Every magic you know, I know, and more. I've been fighting our siblings for thousands of years, do you not think they've used their champions to challenge me as well?" War smirked. "But by all means, take it from me if you want it back..."

The draconequus shifted her body, squaring up to Woody and maple, standing tall and broad while rolling her shoulders just slightly. Casually she held up the palm of her paw where a vibrant ruby red and golden flame burned, before War closed her paw into a fist around it. 

"I intend to teach you little brother, weather you like it or not. We can't have a naive weakling in the family after all." She added. "I've given you the rare opportunity to take your mortal and leave. So, leave, and come back later."

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Woody looked at Maple and nodded singing a very strong and noble melody, one that he knew by heart at this point, Maple was armored in a spell Woody used, Not only that but Maple had a weapon too made of a similar golden light that matched her soul, the weapon was one she used as much as she shot a bow, A spear, if there was any who showed finesse with "Even so I still intend to do this, big sis, You said I needed to... What was it... I think it was 'Take what I wanted?' So, this will be my first step in that direction."  If she's getting too hurt I can just stop time to get us both out of here. Woody thought a bit relieved he had a plan.

"You also said you prefer those who are a bit more forward with you. Now that we match up to each other, I think I'm going to enjoy this." Maple smiled "Haven't had a fair fight in a long time though perhaps this one is a bit on your end." Maple said with a hint of self-doubt, but she had faith in Woody here She'd fight until he stopped her. It's how their team-ups worked in the past so it'd work now... She hoped.

[GoldieS 679]

War gave off a genuine smile, before nodding and pulling up the gauntlets on her arms. "Very well. I accept your challenge. As a courtesy however, I vow not to dispel the blessings and enchantments you've bestowed upon your champion."

The Wolf pulled up her weapon, holding it in one paw to point it at Maple in a challenging manner. Her armor bulged just a little, the fur at the hem of her cape fluttering just a little as she stared Maple down, her demeanor no longer that of wild passion and anger, but pure focus. As a matter of course, War swiped diagonally like an expert duelist in front of her, not aiming for Maple at all, but instead with very different purpose. 

The very air itself was cut in half as the building around them was sliced in two. With a swiping motion of her free paw, the walls, and ceiling completely blew away, once again exposing them to the cold open cavern air. 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple, Admitably was intimidated by that. But at least Woody's protective spells would block strikes like that, Not that she planned on getting hit at all, They were on the same level now so she just had to use her, relatively few, advantages if she was going to do this "Well. I'm ready when you are." Maple said spinning her spear over her head and slamming the butt of it into the ground cracking it with ease. It wasn't as dramatic as what War had done but she was a lot smaller so it was still surprising. Maple took a battle stance and lightly tapped the blade her opponent was holding with her spear as a sign of challenge.

Woody was going to observe her fighting and try to help Maple any way he could. War may have gone up against the other gods or their champions but she never said anything about them at the same time and he figured they wouldn't anyway, given how they acted in general.

Edited October 2, 2017 by Maple Bat

[GoldieS 679]

Valaya somehow found herself next to Woody, smiling in excitement as she watched the customary start to the duel with arms crossed. 

"Careful... she is the god of war for a reason. Ever since she got that title, she's never lost a single fight, and that was a long time ago." Valaya explained. "At least you know her style right? I've seen too many poor fools challenge her without ever having seen how she fights. Ha! The look on their faces... you wouldn't believe it with how big she is if you don't see it with you own eyes, right?"

Thin tendrils of smoke rose from Wars nostrils as she stared Maple down. However, she wasn't one to care who struck first in a fight. The wolf suddenly vanished before Maple's very eyes, before just as quickly reappearing out of thin air behind her. She held her sword off to the side as she used her left fist to smash into Maple's back, armored as it was. The force was easily enough to shatter the bones of any unprotected mortal. 

Edited October 2, 2017 by GoldieS

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple dodged the attack at possibly the last possible moment she felt the force of the punch hitting the ground where she once stood. When she recovered from the stumble she moved again flying opposite of War's sword she closed in on War quickly and, why she was still getting up attacked her left shoulder with her spear.

"Maple's not one to underestimate an opponent like this," Woody said in response "If War underestimates her capabilities with my magic she's in for a rude awakening. We've done this a few times before and when we do it's for opponents that we can't afford to underestimate. We aren't exactly trying to beat her just trying to get Maple's soul back... Not sure how close that is exactly to beating her."

[GoldieS 679]

"Hey, it's all you." Valaya replied, taking a seat on a support beam that now served as rubble. "But ah, you should take a seat. It'll be a while. Her last big fight with Salacious lasted quite a while." 

War swat away the spear, side stepping it in the same instance. Her stance remained leveled and surprisingly graceful, movements fluid and soft. She finally brought her sword to bear, using her lightning fast speed to vanish once again and appear right on top of Maple, sword raised high over her head. With the same speed she brought the weapon down in the blink of an eye, but used one of the flat sides of her weapon in an attempt to smack Maple to the ground with the same incredible force she used to punch a small crater in the wooden floor. 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple reacted quickly but this time there was no getting out of the way she blocked most of the blunt force with her spear if it was a normal one it would have broken but this one was pure magic so it didn't. The ground, however, did some damage to her. But she stood back up and shook it off. She's too fast. She thought Then again she always moves behind me so that means I just have to anticipate that. Maple waited for War to move again when, or if she did Maple would quickly turn to face her if she ended up behind or in front of her, and strike with her weapon. For now she could only wait.

Woody didn't sit down. "I think I'd rather stand." He said dismissive. "Though let's hope it's a good fight."

[GoldieS 679]

War waited for Maple to recover, before leveling her weapon towards the bat once again. As predicted, she vanished before her, reappearing yet again behind her. Maple's response was perfect, yet not quite fast enough. Instead of hitting her with with her sword, War brought her weapon down in an instant to parry Maple's spear. With her free hand, War once again brought her fist around to smash into Maple. 

"Yah well, your friend has to eat sometime." Valaya replied as she sat with her legs crossed on the floor. "Not us, we can keep going for... well, a long time. Realistically, you could might be a match for her if you were trained as well as your friend. But your friend is only mortal."

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple spun out of the way of War's punch again barely avoiding it due to her blinding speed. "Woody! I could use a hand here!" She knew Woody was watching the whole time so he'd know what she meant.

Woody looked out to Maple, he sung a fast-moving, and captivating melody, enhancing Maple again perhaps now she could keep up with War but if she couldn't Woody was too exhausted. After that Woody looked at Valaya "Actually... We're both half-immortal. As I told War, Discord's our father but our mother is a mortal. I don't know how it works though." He sat down next to Valaya "I've always been pretty confused on how inheriting immortality work... Say... Did war ever talk about her mother I'm interested to know what she was like."

Maple, Who was now much faster than before, looked at War and ran at one of her legs making a diagonal cut across it as she kept moving.

[GoldieS 679]

"Well, yes... but not when she had one." Valaya replied, summoning a wooden mug of ale in either paw, offering one to Woody. "Guess it's one of those things where you don't know what you want until it's gone. She was all about her little brother, kind of a rabbit, but walks around like my pups. Pretty timid, shy, and mortal just like his mom. Funny lad, but didn't have a fighting bone in his body. Rori didn't realize what immortality actually meant, so when she outlived both her mom and her little brother... well... you guess. Never lost a battle since she lost them both, vowed to cut Discord's head off and have it as a trophy along with his pelt."

War merely slammed her sword into the ground, causing it to quake and rumble. The very earth before them seemed to shatter, upending and tearing asunder into spikes and chasms like the cave system she had created around the plateau they found themselves on. It effectively stopped Maple's darting across the ground, as there was no more flat surface to run across. 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple did the obvious thing and started flying still moving just as fast as she was on the ground. She was going to taunt War but decided not to, she needed to focus. Maple started flying in between the spikes to make it harder for War to track her. Once she gained enough ground Maple dashed attacked the right shoulder at first but it was a fake out and she quickly redirected her attack to the left arm.

Woodland started to feel bad, "Wow... Now I feel bad that Maple's putting up such a fight. Though I also feel..." He stopped himself from saying sorry lest war could hear him, "Bad for her you said a little brother. Timid and shy... Sounds a lot like myself... I mean I think so at least." He said. After which, Woody took a mug from Valaya and sniffed what was in it trying to gauge what it would taste like.

[GoldieS 679]

"You shouldn't, I promise she won't loose. You might be able to go up against that lazy sister you got, but... well, Rori is the god of war for a reason, how do you think she got that title? The last time she got in a big fight with Salacious it took around ten years until that Serpent decided to just leave so she could take a bath." Valaya retorted, chugging down her ale. 

Whatever it was... it was definitely strong. It had a strong blue berry scent to it, failing to mask the massive concentration of alcohol clearly overpowering the drink. 

"Besides, Rori likes this kind of thing. It's what she was born for, she doesn't care if you win or lose, only that you fought. Well, not you... but you know what I mean. I thought for sure she'd want to test out one of her champions in her stead, or maybe her chosen prince, but maybe she just needs to stretch her legs for a bit."

War, as predicted, moved to block the feint. And yet, just as quickly as Maple reoriented to deliver a devastating strike to her open side, War used her superior speed to block and smack Maple out of the sky with her spare arm. 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple had anticipated War to predict her move but wasn't quick enough to block the strike to her side. Woody's magic absorbed a good chunk of the force but it still pushed Maple back. Maple recovered mid-air this time and dashed at War again planning her next attack in advance this time. She looked at War's sword... Disarming her would be good if I could pull it off.  Maple landed on the ground and waited for a moment to act.

Woody looked at her. "I wouldn't call her lazy, She's not the best but in Equestria, she's one of our strongest fighters, even without my magic helping I'm sure she's taking it seriously though I mean I'm not saying Maple's going to win, War is far more experienced and skilled. But maybe War will give her, her soul back after this That's the only thing I'm hoping for out of this." Woody gingerly took a drink of whatever Valaya had given him.

[GoldieS 679]

"I thought she said she'd give it back when you came back after spending time with your gross brother?" Valaya rose a brow. 

The ale was in fact strong enough to skin someone alive. A mere whiff of the stuff was strong enough to send someone flying, but a sip of it? At least it had a hint of blueberry in it... 

"You probably don't trust me, I get that. But really, Rori's not like the others, or most creatures in Tartarus for that matter. If she sayes something, she means it. She doesn't go back on her word, and she doesn't play games like that. If she sayes she'll give it back when you get back, she will. Not like years later or something stupid like that." Valaya explained. "Wait, you know since she has her soul she can just bring her back to life and all that if she dies, right? Since you can't, don't you think it's safer to let her hold onto it while you're here in Tartarus? This place get get pretty mean sometimes. Gods are always ambushing and trying to destroy one another, and you're one of those after all. Safer to keep it here with her and all her warriors while they kill each other over and over again."

War remained where she was, sizing up Maple as the bat charged forward once again to strike. She continued to hold the massive claymore with only a single hand, the other used to block and deflect, or deliver counter strikes. 

Edited October 3, 2017 by GoldieS

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Woody started coughing violently and dropped the mug his throat felt like it was on fire... No. More than that it felt like he'd jsut drank. He regretted drinking that. He shouldn't have because he'd only barely been able to take the light Apple Cider, This however... "C... Could you... Tell Maple to stop them." He said weakly. "There's no point." He turned away and continued coughing and his face turned red from embarrassment.

[GoldieS 679]

"Me? What makes you think she'll listen to me? Your sister looks like a hothead... both of them really..." She chuckled, not noticing Woody's clear issue with taking the hard brutal drink. 

Valaya cupped her paws around her snout to yell, "Hey! Equestrian! Your brother says give up, you can't win!" 

War didn't hear, or didn't care, what they were shouting on the sidelines. Instead, as Maple came towards her, she finally swiped her sword with the sharpened edge aimed squarely at Maple. The very air around it, just like before the fight, rippled and tore, sending shock waves and turbulence through the atmosphere. It didn't have to hit Maple, it was more than enough to send an unprepared creature tumbling through the air like a piece of paper against a hurricane.  

[Maple Bat 3,568]

The sword did hit Maple, unfortunately, breaking Woody's spell and the hit connected with her leaving a huge gash in her side. After Impact with the ground Maple stood up weakly and coughed up a bit of blood, her own blood... not something she'd seen recently. "Alright... I believe it..."She exhaled loudly "You win. Well fought, I didn't give you enough credit." She looked at her side her wing didn't get cut off because it was open thankfully but there was still a large cut in her side from the force after Woody's armor broke. Maple was using the spear to support her standing at this point.

Woody was still coughing and frankly feeling dizzy "Maple! We need to speak with Slug anyways... Though... Maybe with something like that it could get infected rather easily... War! Could Maple stay a while I mean you have her soul and all."

[GoldieS 679]

War stepped forward, looming over Maple as Woody asked to keep her here. "Very well, I'll keep your mortal here with me for now."

She didn't seem to have any care about the mare's suffering, merely staring down at her as War drove her sword in the ground to adjust her gauntlets. There was a complete lack of interest in her apparent life threatening wound while Maple bled out on the broken floor. 

Valaya merely smiled. "Well, good luck with the slug of the family." 

"Here, a quick path to Pest so you don't get lost in some eternal labyrinth or something." War said sarcastically as she held her paw out to open up a small portal for Woody. 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

After getting over the last of... Whatever he drank Woody moved over to War's portal "Thanks, sister. Make sure Maple's alright, please. I know you can just bring her back to life but... Take care of our sister." He said with a smile to her as he left through her portal

"Could..." Maple coughed, holding her wing against her side using pressure to hopefully stop her bleeding. "Could you stop calling me 'his mortal.' I'm your sister for all sakes. Also bringing me back from the dead is good and all but he's right... You could actually try to keep me from dying. I know I've got nothing to say you'll listen to since you did beat me in a duel but might as well say it before I die." She said She looked up and saw Valaya She waved at her.

[GoldieS 679]

War scoffed at Maple's comments, twirling her sword one last time before sheathing it in its scabbard across her back. "You have no idea who you are, mortal. Your brother is a god, as am I. It isn't wise to compare yourself to us, no matter how related you think we are. You didn't inherit the spark from father, and that's all there is too it." 

"However, I commend your effort in battle." She added, spawning Maple's bow right in front of her on the ground. "You may yet still serve a purpose. Each god of chaos possesses champions and princes bound to their service for eternity, only the most powerful and loyal are given the gift of resurrection and the ability to travel from these after realms and the mortal realms. In a way, they transcend death."

Gradually, and rather painfully, Maple's massive gaping wound began to close and seal up, blood beginning to return to her body. 

 

Woody found himself stepping into yet another cavern, but this one a bit more... closed. It was as if a palace had been carved into the earth in a rather haphazard manner, nothing but caves and tunnels with the occasional stone wall and door covered in slime and moss. Wooden support beams and contraptions spread through out the path. One side of the cave opened up into yet another massive cavern, where large wooden scaffolding mixed with even bigger ramshackle creations, lit by glowing green lights. 

Everything smelt awful, like death and decay. Because of this, it wasn't hard to find her next brother, Pestilence. He was sitting in a basin of sorts, bigger than an elephant to be sure, just as a slug with his green lower body curling around the basin like a half moon. The rolls of his skin glistened in the light, a normal sized pony could literally get lost under one of those rolls. 

"Ah! Little brother, welcome!" His voice rumbled, booming in an oddly jolly fashion out of his wide dribbling mouth. "Have you enjoyed your stay thus far? I imagine things must be... confusing and unusual to you."

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple looked at her. "Well, aren't you shallow." She said being direct with War "Well, at any rate, I enjoyed the fight, show's I've got a lot left to learn. Perhaps you could help with that? ...I don't mean to be so forward but I could use the practice certainly and who better than you." She said waving a hoof respectfully. "Oh and thanks for healing that wound."

 

Woody gagged a bit as he walked in but held it to himself. He waved to Slug "Yes, things have been very confusing and actually a bit scary most of which was War's fault. Anyways, Didn't you mention in that main room there was a plan for me? I'd like to speak with you a bit more on that." Woody was actually still mad at war for her getting angry at him saying 'Sorry'

[GoldieS 679]

War scoffed and laughed at Maple's request. "No! What a waste of my time. I won't help you 'practice'." She snickered before waving her paw in front of her. 

Three heavily armored warriors rose from the ground. A massive earth pony built like a tank sporting heavy thick plate mail armor with spikes, dyed in a red paint with a little bit of blood and rust mixed in. He had large sword and a kite shield on either side of him. A similarly armored dog stood before them, nothing exposed on him and holding a halberd up. Finally, there was the pegasus. Quite a bit less armor, she looked more like a gladiator with half her body covered in armor with the other completely exposed. She sported a bow with a sash of arrows. 

"You don't need practice. You need training. But you're not one of my followers, nor will you live much longer compared to your brother. I may train my followers and send them back to the mortal world, and once they die there they return here to continue their training. You? You'll be here for maybe half a day." War concluded. 

War placed a paw on the diamond dog's helmet. "However, I will send you away with a task. The Blood team commander is somewhere out there in the mountains..." She pointed out over the cliff into the treacherous terrain. "Slay her." 

 

Pest chuckled at woody's comment. As the tiny draconequus entered the room, he would notice the foot deep layer of slime and sludge along the ground. The muck was hard to walk through, and there was no telling what it all comprised of. Off in the corner on a wooden platform sitting over the sludge was a giant rat creature, perhaps the size of a pony, dressed in white robes like a scholar, using an ink quill on a piece of parchment on his writing desk. 

"I did." He replied, his jovial undertone remaining. "I have only recently learned of you, but as soon as I had, I sent some of my children to investigate. I was surprised to learn of the kindness you and your mother showed them. You have my gratitude, and I ask that you extend my gratitude to your mother as well."

"I'm not a destroyer, nor a controller or facilitator. I, am a creator." He concluded. "And I see something similar in you. Your place among us isn't certain... but a place does exist. I'd like you to claim your rightful place in Tartarus, as the fifth god of chaos."

Edited October 3, 2017 by GoldieS