open Beyond these Walls: An adventure through Equestria. (Applications open!)

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Orion Starsinger.

 

@@Midnight Scribbler,

@@SilverHeart,

@,

@@Windbreaker,

 

Legion looked over the pirate captain as best he could, given the poor state of the body he had to work with - it was no surprise that Orion had focused on mental pursuits considering his distinct lack of physical attributes. Those details didn't concern him - they were merely irritating.

 

"A pirate... What did I tell you? Murderers and thieves even now trying to turn you against me out of nothing more than sheer spite..." He commented in a disjointed tone - as if only half sure how to work the inflections of his voice. He didn't move to defend himself - locking down a couple of spells that he might be able to cast should conflict come about.

 

Tilting his head very slightly, he was able to direct his speech towards the other pony without taking his eyes away from Crimson.

 

"And you, what do you think of his words? Am I to be executed for protecting my family? Protecting my friends?" He stated loudly towards the other armed unicorn.

[RAGESTAR 479]

@,

@@SilverHeart,

@,

@@Windbreaker,

 

Scribbler immediately took aim at Crimson's sword, firing a bolt of telekinetic energy, attempting to knock the sword out of his hoof and into the wall behind him. It turned out to be about the extent of his energy's capability in the tunnels. The aura was powerful, and forced the rest of his stored energy down, his eyes returned to normal once again. "You attack what you do not understand, and blindly wave weapons at a pony you barely know. He defends himself against hostility, and so do I. What makes us so different?" Scribbler stated calmly.

 

 

@@Midnight Scribbler @everypony else who's there

 

Crimson cursed as Helios flew out of his hooves and skidded away into the shadows, he then glared at Midnight and shook his head with a sigh. "No...you are the one who doesn't understand!! You're assisting a murdering psychopath!! I'm not attacking him out of ignorance, I'm attacking him out for the good of my friends and all the other innocents of equestria!! I met him before you, this stallion killed my friend for trying to stop him! All this bastard cares about is getting his dirty hooves on the Litany of magic, so that he can use its power to kill everyone!! He may not realize it, but the power is going to his head! He thinks me and my friends are evil, just because we're trying to keep him away from his source of addiction! You have to believe me! Don't follow that bastard so blindly!" said Crimson, managing to ignite his body in flames, but judging from his wounds, he knew they wouldn't last long.

Edited November 18, 2013 by ragestar

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Kricket.

 

@,

@,

 

There was something off: the mare - Willow - was asleep. That made sense to the little aspect. No, what didn't make sense was what the changing creature was doing - was he putting her to sleep? He looked like he was trying to say something.

 

"Raa-aak!" It echoed harshly, wondering if trying to take another bite out of the changing creature might make it leave Willow alone...

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

@,

@,

@@SilverHeart,

@@Windbreaker,

Scribbler found himself caught between a rock and a hard place. If what this pony said was true, he'd be betraying Orion to listen, and likely putting himself against the most powerful unicorn in Equestria, and illusionist. He'd be siding with a wounded pirate and another pony he'd never met before. The odds were not in favor for Crimson's story, even if it were truth. Scribbler fired his horn once again, drawing up all the energy he could. The effort was draining, but he felt he had to do something, this pirate wasn't going to stop. "Don't make me drop you. I will protect Orion, because I have no reason to believe you. Your position is very, very grave. I suggest you stand down Pirate!" With that, his eyes began to glow again, reaching a full charge. Normally this would be far greater amounts of energy than he would ever require for such a simple spell. It was as if he were trying to run in the water, slowed by it's resistance.

[EcstaticWind 572]

Aegis Dare

@, 

 

Aegis grinned at Aphrodite's antics. He knew a mare like her once, though she was much more friendly at first. 'Both had that same playful but no nonsense streak. I wonder what she's doing now...'

 

He trotted up beside Pavisa, since he hadn't really spoken much to anypony. "Hey, Pavisa, I was wondering about this quest. How'd it start? Did everypony just kind of get swept along with the current like I did?"

 

 

Noble Persona

@, @@Midnight Scribbler, @@SilverHeart, @,

 

'This is perfect. I can earn their trust and rid myself of a potential enemy. Things are looking up.' Noble glanced at the pirate, then back to the 'crazed Alicorn'. "I cannot speak for everypony, but I wouldn't. If I cared about anypony that much, I would turn my blade against the world if it meant keeping them out of harm's way. Love makes ponies do great and terrible things..."

Edited November 18, 2013 by Windbreaker

[Umbreon 569]

Zintiik

 

@,@,  

 

The Aspect didn't respond in a way that Zintiik liked...  He couldn't understand what it had shrieked at him, of course, but something about it just didn't sound good to the changeling.  The little dragon had already tasted him once, and Zintiik wasn't much of a fan of it since then.  And he couldn't move by this point either, the way Willow was laying on him.  That meant that if it decided it was time for another taste, there wasn't really anything he could do about it.

 

"Uhm...  Good worm?  You just...  You stay up there!"  I'm talking to a glowing snake.  That bit me.  Maybe I really have gone off the deep end...

 

 

Pavisa

 

@@Windbreaker,

 

Pavisa glances at Aegis before turning her gaze back to the path in front of them.  It wouldn't do to walk into a trap while chatting.  "Well, a number of the group got letters from somepony...  I was under orders, myself.  I think my CO received the same letter, but he's a lazy no good...  The point is, he figured it would work well enough to send a recruit.  Apparently he didn't think the Litany was real and I was going on a wild goose chase..."

 

She gives a small shrug before continuing.  "One hell of a first mission, huh?  Nopony at home is going to believe half of this.  They're all going to say I'm making it up just to make it sound better."

[RAGESTAR 479]

@,

@,

@@SilverHeart,

@@Windbreaker,

 

Scribbler found himself caught between a rock and a hard place. If what this pony said was true, he'd be betraying Orion to listen, and likely putting himself against the most powerful unicorn in Equestria, and illusionist. He'd be siding with a wounded pirate and another pony he'd never met before. The odds were not in favor for Crimson's story, even if it were truth. Scribbler fired his horn once again, drawing up all the energy he could. The effort was draining, but he felt he had to do something, this pirate wasn't going to stop. "Don't make me drop you. I will protect Orion, because I have no reason to believe you. Your position is very, very grave. I suggest you stand down Pirate!" With that, his eyes began to glow again, reaching a full charge. Normally this would be far greater amounts of energy than he would ever require for such a simple spell. It was as if he were trying to run in the water, slowed by it's resistance.

@@Midnight Scribbler

 

Crimson gave Midnight a sad look. "I don't know what's worse, what Orion is gonna do to you after losing his mind to the Litany, or what Celestia's gonna condemn you to for committing high treason to help a murderer accomplish his goal..." said Crimson before watching as Midnight fired a ray of energy at him. "Sorry traitor...but I'm not giving up until I'm dead...but that's not gonna happen...not yet anyway...ragestar!" Said Crimson as his flames turned gold, he then absorbed the blast with his hoof. "Your outta you're league, traitor...I've been trained to fight warriors, not confused traitors...so just give up...or I'll have to fight you anyways..." bluffed the pirate, stalling for enough time to allow his friends to find the litany. Knowing full well that he had no energy for a fight, he could barely stand as it is.

[Icy Void 19]

Midnight Sky

 

While the others had been crossing that pit, Sunshine had told Midnight that there were voices some ways behind them that she heard echoing through the temple. Deciding to check it out and hold Orion back if need be, plus possibly find Crimson, Midnight and Sunshine had gone back the way they had come until they found an interesting situation. "My my, things have gotten quite out of hoof back here now haven't they." Midnight said as he stepped into visible range of the ponies that were before him. To one side stood some new pony that Midnight didn't recognize who was opposite from Orion plus two others that Midnight didn't recognize. Almost right in the middle stood a now flaming Crimson who was facing down one of Orion's companions who was also looking magically charged up for a fight. "I see you've made good progress, even if you have lost your wings and such, Orion. Let me introduce myself, I'm Midnight Sky, researcher of all forms of magic. We met briefly when I held back your petrification spell to allow my friends to escape." Midnight said in a casual tone. His plan was to delay Orion's group as long as he could, but as a backup he was fighting through his pounding headache to gather as much magical energy as he could while not allowing anypony else to notice. Midnight figured he had enough magic for a good strong chaos burst, the only chaos spell he was ever able to learn that would hopefully do something to hold them all there for awhile. But Midnight hoped it wouldn't come to that.

 

 

Sunshine Rays

 

She didn't say anything at first, just stood by her brother as he talked to these ponies. She didn't understand why things always went right to fighting, why nopony could just stay calm and negotiate. She was so caught up in the looming violence that it took Sunshine a moment to realize she was feeling a bit more like her old, usual self. "I think this Litany thing is focused on the others, I'm not so moody anymore. And we can see that magic is working a little bit better. So why is everypony here so aggressive?" Sunshine said in a overly happy tone. The more she realized that the Litany's effects were weaker, the happier she got and the weaker it's effects on her became and so on. Apparently not even a super powerful magic book can lock down a base emotion like happiness for long. She just hoped that it's effects on her brother weren't too painful for him. "Whatever you do big brother, I'll help however I can." Sunshine said as she took a step closer to her brother.

[Mephisto 56]

Blake wandered forward, through random twists and turns. He would lay down something random and outstanding to mark where he'd been. He did NOT want to get lost in this place. He came across a tall staircase, he chose to climb it and dropped his torch at the bottom step, as he saw a faint blue glow near the peak of the staircase.

Edited November 18, 2013 by Blake Diamante

[SilverHeart 741]

@@Midnight Scribbler,@, @, @@Windbreaker,

 

 

 

It didn't seem like anypony was really paying attention to her. Looking back another pony had appeared, probably another pirate. The moment he began to speak she knew what he was. Looking around it seemed pretty easy to walk past any of the ponies. Mirror Image crept along the shadows until she was right next to Scribbler, "I'm going to go ahead and find the Litany...I won't be of much use in a fight in here." Mirror whispered to the stallion as she started to sneak further down the hall.

[RAGESTAR 479]

@@Midnight Scribbler,@, @, @@Windbreaker,

 

 

 

It didn't seem like anypony was really paying attention to her. Looking back another pony had appeared, probably another pirate. The moment he began to speak she knew what he was. Looking around it seemed pretty easy to walk past any of the ponies. Mirror Image crept along the shadows until she was right next to Scribbler, "I'm going to go ahead and find the Litany...I won't be of much use in a fight in here." Mirror whispered to the stallion as she started to sneak further down the hall.

Crimson noticed that one of Orion's allais were sneaking away, but he couldn't stop her, still trying to seem to have full energy. "Dammit! Hey Midnight! Stop that mare! She's trying to help steal the Litany!!" He said, keeping both eyes on his opponent.

 

((He's talking to Midnight Sky, just so you guys know.))

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

@@SilverHeart,

@,

@@Windbreaker,

 

Scribbler glanced to Mirror and nodded, quickly returning his white glaring eyes to Crimson. "I don't think that's wise, but if you must, be careful Mirror." He whispered back, not wanting her to split off, but knowing he couldn't tell her what she should do. Scribbler remained fixed on the angry Stallion in front of him, waiting for him to make a move. "I'm not backing down, and I won't abandon my friends, I don't believe Celestia would incarcerate me for that. I have no further words for you about that. The Litany remains to be found, and what makes me believe any of you wouldn't use it for lesser purposes?"

 

(I've been referring to myself as Scribbler for that very reason actually)

Edited November 18, 2013 by Midnight Scribbler

[Mephisto 56]

Blake reached the apex of the stairs and saw the light coming from a table in the room center. A table with paper... The litany. He walked toward it whilst looking at the strange markings and designs on the walls of the rotunda. "Hoooooly. Shit..." He said as he neared the table, in extreme awe of the situation he was in.

[RAGESTAR 479]

@@Midnight Scribbler

 

Crimson scoffed. "1. I haven't attacked you yet! 2. That may be you're intent, and I can respect it, but how sure are you that Orion really has the same intent? And 3. When I find that damn book, I don't care what Celestia OR my friends say, I'm destroying it! This world doesn't need any more power, there are far too many of those with evil intent. I know this for a fact, because my father killed my sister for the same reason...power...so I'm gonna make sure that no one in Equestria gets that power...even if it means my death..." said Crimson unwaveringly.

[Icy Void 19]

Sunshine Rays

 

"No brother, you should stay here and help Crimson. I'll go after the other pony." Sunshine said to Midnight Sky before running off after the pony that was trying to sneak away. "Hey wait up! I only want to talk to you!" Sunshine called after the pony that was sneaking away.

 

 

Midnight Sky

 

"Sure thing sis." Midnight said to Sunshine before she went off. Hopefully that other pony didn't hurt her, if Sunshine got hurt because he let her chase after somepony Midnight didn't know what he'd do. "You know Crimson, that pony does have a point. There is nothing wrong with doing everything in one's power to help their friends and family. However, when the nature of what you're doing effects an entire country, then the morality of it can only be discerned by time. And in case you're wondering, I also intend to destroy the Litany. I'll admit at first I would have liked to keep it intact and just lock it away somewhere, but after seeing just how potent it's power is I have come to terms with having to destroy it, even if it is the last of an incredibly rare and powerful set of relics from another time. But enough with the bravado, surely we can settle this like civilized ponies." Midnight said calmly, keeping an eye on Orion just in case. The longer this stand off lasted, the more time his companions had to find, and hopefully destroy the Litany, so Midnight was prepared to everything in his power to buy more time.

[EcstaticWind 572]

Noble Persona

@@Icy Void, @, @@Midnight Scribbler, @, @Anyone I may have missed

 

'He's just wasting my time. I'd guess he's not alone. Maybe from the other group I was tailing. Still... If I call it, that may get this Orion and his companions to trust me.' Noble thought, taking an educated guess at the offer of civil discussions. "So you can waste more of our time and beat us to the Litany? I think not. Why else would you be here if not to stall for your friends?"

 

Aegis Dare

@, 

 

"That's quite a bit that I've missed," Aegis joked. "If you want, I'll back you up when you tell everypony, but then you have to help me go house hunting. Fair deal?" He fully expected Pavisa to refuse and tell him to find a house on his own, but it didn't hurt to try his luck.

[RAGESTAR 479]

@@Midnight Scribbler @@Icy Void

 

Crimson ignored the newcomer and shook his head, sighing. while still staying concentrated on Scribbler. "I already tried warning him, Midnight...but he just won't believe me, he think's were the ones trying to steal it...but if you think it'll help, I'll lower my guard..." said Crimson before deactivating Ragestar. Not seconds later, Crimson fell to his knees and coughed up some blood, panting. He was now all out of magical energy.

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa

 

@@Windbreaker,

 

Pavisa turns and smirks at Aegis.  "House hunting, huh?  Well, if you can make it through training then I can set you up with a bunk in the Canterlot barracks no problem.  Don't suppose that works for ya?"  Laughing to herself she gets distracted by the glowing crystals for a moment, squinting slightly at them.  "Hey...  Is it just me or are the lights getting brighter?  I mean, it's been kinda gradual so it might just be my eyes adjusting...  But I feel like these crystals are trying to guide us somewhere."

[Icy Void 19]

Midnight Sky

 

 Midnight couldn't help but smile at the pony's remark. "Well I won't lie. You are exactly correct, I am stalling for time. But that doesn't necessarily mean I'm not open to negotiation, I just happen to be allied with the group of ponies ahead of us right now. It's all a difference in perspective. I just happen to believe that nopony should have that kind of unnatural power because something as potentially good as that is just as potentially evil. And any good done with that power will have some equivilant back fire, that's just how things work." Midnight said before turning some of his attention to Crimson. "Are you all right? Do you need any help Crimson." Midnight Sky asked the pirate, not daring to move just yet in case these ponies jumped him, but hoping the pirate was all right. "See, we can talk peacefully. Now lets all just calm down and discuss this. There's no need for any of us to get hurt, not over a simple misunderstanding." Midnight said, turning his attention back to Orion's group.

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

@,

@@Windbreaker,

@@Icy Void,

@@SilverHeart,

@,

 

Scribbler watched as Crimson dropped again to the ground. "Pitiful, why would he push himself? He's nearly dead.." He thought, as he gazed around to the others who had shown up. He didn't feel worries about the one who had just run past, she seemed to be of no threat. The others were more important to him now, one was armed, he knew that. His magic charge still at maximum power.. He pondered for a moment, feeling that he might be crossing Orion at this point, but he also knew that his next move could mean the difference between a fight to the end, or a unification of forces. He released a small amount of his energy into a reddish cloud, which grew around Crimson, causing his bleeding to slow. He knew this would save the Pirate's life, and hoped it would be enough to persuade the others he meant them no harm. He maintained his charge, feeling more and more tired from drawing up so much energy.

He looked down the tunnel to Midnight Sky. "I do not trust you yet.. But I will not attack you. You have my word on that, for what it may be worth to you. I am not here to make enemies."

[RAGESTAR 479]

@@Icy Void @@Midnight Scribbler

 

Crimson nodded, still panting. "I'm fine...just a little worn out, is all...I've been through much worse than this..." he said before turning to the unknown pony and shrugging. "So what if we are? We are trying to stop your raving lunatic of a friend from getting his hooves on the Litany, after all. Trust me, pipsqueek, this guy has more dark plans than he's letting on, and he's kinda one cupcake short of a pinkie party, if you know what I mean..." said Crimson with a laugh, but stopped as Scribbler healed him. Crimson then stood back up and smiled at him. "Thanks for the save, pal, I don't wanna fight you either, but if you insist on helping Orion steal the Litany, then I'll have no choice...so how about you just sit here and hear us out...ok?" Asked Crimson.

Edited November 18, 2013 by ragestar

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

@,

@@Icy Void,

@@Windbreaker,

 

Scribbler peered down at Crimson. "If you are looking for enemies, that is your business, and precisely the reason why I will not let my guard down." He wasn't going to give them a chance to catch him offguard, and the way this pony was talking, he could understand why Orion had a distaste for his temper. "The more you speak, the more I realize why Orion dislikes you. However noble you make your cause out to be. I still don't trust you, as long as you remain hostile."

[RAGESTAR 479]

@,

@@Icy Void,

@@Windbreaker,

 

Scribbler peered down at Crimson. "If you are looking for enemies, that is your business, and precisely the reason why I will not let my guard down." He wasn't going to give them a chance to catch him offguard, and the way this pony was talking, he could understand why Orion had a distaste for his temper. "The more you speak, the more I realize why Orion dislikes you. However noble you make your cause out to be. I still don't trust you, as long as you remain hostile."

Crimson scoffed. "If you haven't noticed, genious, I'm unarmed, depowered and smiling. I'm no more hostile than you...so why don't you shove it. I'm willing to talk this out if you are, so try not to be so rude, ok pal?" Asked Crimson with a rather strained grin, trying not to make things worse.

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

@,

 

Scribbler laughed "heh Rude? Me? The only one throwing insults here has been you, my friend. I've merely been stating my position." He maintained his charge, still outnumbered by the others he didn't know. "What more have we to say? You want to stop Orion, and destroy an ancient artifact, and Orion wants to obtain it, to keep it out of the hooves of those who would misuse it. And I'm caught in the middle of all of this. The point here is we have unstoppable forces meeting immovable objects, and I'm merely here to see one through, and you, the other." At this point, Scribbler was merely attempting to convey himself as truthfully as possible without raising doubts in Orion's mind of his intentions.

[Icy Void 19]

Midnight Sky

 

"This is much better, I always did prefer to avoid making enemies, if at all possible." Midnight said as the other pony seemed to lower his guard somewhat and heal Crimson. "Now we can get to the matter at hand. First off, I'll have to disagree with you, Crimson. I can't believe I'm actually going to stand up for Orion, but he is hardly a raving lunatic. He's just misguided and under the influence of the Litany. Next, at least as far as I can tell he doesn't have any dark plans, his goals from what I can tell seem rather noble though I question his methods. And just for the sake of word choice, you can't steal something that doesn't belong to anypony to begin with. So please try to refrain yourself from making offensive remarks Crimson, because they attack us due to something you said then I might not help drag you away from this, no offense." Midnight Sky said to Crimson.

 

While he did fully mean everything he'd just said to Crimson, Midnight also hoped it would help get on the good side of Orion's ponies too. "Now with all that said, how about you introduce yourself since I've already introduced myself. And in my opinion Orion does seem to have fallen prey the Litany's promise of power and as such is far more of a liability to the very things he says he's going to protect than an asset. And what you say is perfectly true, all of us have been swept up in the current of these events, but you have to admit that destroying it is a much better solution in the long term. That at least eliminates any chance of it being misused ever again. But then, if it were preserved it could be used to save Equestria someday. That's just how things work and nopony can change that. I am simply stating our point of view on this whole matter, and keeping Crimson from making things worse." Midnight said to the other pony with a meaningful glare at the downed pirate.