open A Darker Fate: Beyond these Walls Chapter Two.

[Ihei 712]

@@Umbreon,@,

 

Willow Starsinger

 

Willow was about to probably explode at the pony closest to her until somepony crouched next to her. It was Pavisa. Pavisa? She never really knew her very well during her time in the group. Pavisa was rather quiet. Zintiik was the closest to her when she was in the group.  Now she was asking if she could help? She knew Orion and the others wouldn't approve. But she believed that if she wanted somepony's trust, she needed to trust them first. So far, it worked. 

 

Willow nodded at the now-unicorn, saying a small "thank you" in the process. She heaved her brother onto the mare's back and turned back to see what was happening. She understood Zintiik when he told the rest of the group that he shouldn't have trusted them. He didn't have much experience with talking to them, only feeding. She looked around, finding Kricket. He looked miserable. But he didn't seem to notice her when she confronted the little wyvern.

[EcstaticWind 572]

Aegis Dare

@ Everyone Present

 

Aegis would've responded if he could, but his rushed words to Clockwork were all he could give. His brain hit overload after putting himself back together at least three times, feeling guilty about abandoning the team to save Kingfisher and Pavisa (and because of their lack of any kind of remorse), and being fueled by adrenaline. His attempts to avoid violence had gone wrong and only seemed to make it worse, which added to Aegis' mental stress and brought him to the point where he should've passed out.

 

He managed to keep himself going through sheer willpower, but his next words came out like a rushed stream of panic. "Gotta go, he'll be right behind us, save who you can, go!" He said, speaking much faster than usual. As in 'drank 30 cups of coffee' fast.

Edited March 27, 2014 by Windbreaker

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

@@Windbreaker,

 

White Eclipse

White Eclipse grabbed Aegis and shaked a little bit, trying to get through to him. The stallion wasn't doing well at all, and he wanted to know what's wrong.

"Calm down, Aegis! Everything is going to be okay!" Eclipse said in a moderately loud tone. "Kingfisher and Pavisa will be fine. If you want to help them, you won't be going alone. Now, do you want to take the chance and disobey Kingfisher's orders to make sure they get through, or just continue on??"

[EcstaticWind 572]

Aegis Dare

@@Geek0zoid, 

 

If Eclipse's words and actions were meant to reassure Aegis, that's not what they did. Instead, Aegis shoved Eclipse back with all his strength as if to say 'Get away from me'. He was breaking down and panicking, and Eclipse decided to shake him like a doll? No way that was happening again.

 

"No touchy, no shaky, go away." Aegis said, words coming out like a blur. It was a miracle if anypony could even understand what he was saying at this point.

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

@@Windbreaker,

 

White Eclipse

"Aegis, don't you understand that I'm trying to help you??" Eclipse said walking up to the pony. He seemed to be shaking nervously, almost as if he was a criminal on the lookout for the royal guard. He patted his friend's shoulder lightly and spoke in the calmest tone he could. "Take a few deep breaths, Aegis. Everything'll work out."

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Emerald Gaze.

 

@@Scribblegroove,

@,

@@Umbreon,

 

Emerald shore a sideways glance at Stahl as subtly as she could - it was useless: she couldn't hope to convey anything with him without the creature hearing: a shame, as the paranoid mare didn't like the idea one but. Not that she expected it to fail - rather she felt that they weren't being told the whole story. Making a contingency plan was easy among her colleagues, but a guard? No such chance of secrecy...

 

"It's this way... " She stated calmly - the picture of compliance as she mentioned what she expected their next trial to be to the captains. "I doubt that you're going to sneak out in that armour, so I hope you know how your going to explain marching out of the district with this creature unbound."

 

---------------

 

Amethyst Void.

 

It had been the instincts linked to this pony form that had led Amethyst to raise her hoof to her face in dismay before - and not it was those same instincts that made her dearly want to slam her head against the wall.

 

These ponies actively tried to kill themselves!

 

She rolled her eyes instead of injuring her face, and shrugged towards shadow.

 

@@Tricksters Pride,

 

"Just throw everything we have him and hope it doesn't go like last time?" She smirked cockily as she became to radiate the dark light of arcane energy - despite not really feeling in the least but confident in her plan. Rhalkeem had a... a habit of being difficult to escape from or kill. It was a frustrating combination.

 

---------------

 

Kingfisher.

 

"Too late for that now I think! Come on, we're not waiting for you! Hurry up!"

 

Leaving companions behind wasn't great - in fact it was a terrible thing, even without being emotionally involved with them. Leaving friends or even [/i]enemies[/i] behind was even harder though... but she couldn't waste her chance to get to safety herself simply because they seemed to have a death wish.

 

@@SilverHeart,

@@Midnight Scribbler,

 

"You, move. You too - go!" She urged on the Witch and Warlock with a none-too-gentle push. Sunshine was spared this treatment, but ushered out with the same level of urgency.

 

@@Umbreon,

 

"You too, bug. move!"

 

@@Icy Void,

@,

 

"Midnight, Crimson - stop stalling!" By this stage she was standing in the doorway - leaving to follow the others. They couldn't have gone far. Pausing, she spared a last look back before following.

 

---------------

 

Rhalkeem.

 

@,

 

The elder stepped forward casually - now up close, his 'otherness' was more apparent. His eyes shifted with the colours of arcane energy: though less so than the other two beings. His hooves also didn't seem to be quite in tube with the ground - each step seeming to move more or less distance that his movements suggested that it should have.

 

Flicking the 'main' out of his face, he stared at the pony with an expression which was so filled with cocky self-assuredness, it would have disgusted Redwave even.

 

"There are no good deaths, my little pony. Don't fret though - I won't consume you. A filthy essence like your own would not be worth the effort." He stated in an off hoof tone. "No, I will consume your friends - the two that shouldn't be here - and recover what is mine in due time. One if the drawbacks of ageing you see - you will all stop running eventually."

 

He looked at the sword dismissively.

 

"Really? Your materials are as mundane as your thoughts... if it was myself in your position I would simply lay down and accept my fate..." still speaking with his smooth voice, the creature made its own first strike without even breaking stride - a flash of black light appearing between the pair, detonating after a seconds delay. The room shook as the deafening pressure of the contained explosion was vented through the exposed opening: leaving a crater in the solid rock of the mountain and blackening the world around them. At the same instant, the bands flickered back into existence just long enough for the pony to continue walking directly into the blast without so much as flinching.

 

"Would you like to try again?"

[~Sole~ 852]

Emerald Gaze.@@Scribblegroove,@,@@Umbreon,

Emerald shore a sideways glance at Stahl as subtly as she could - it was useless: she couldn't hope to convey anything with him without the creature hearing: a shame, as the paranoid mare didn't like the idea one but. Not that she expected it to fail - rather she felt that they weren't being told the whole story. Making a contingency plan was easy among her colleagues, but a guard? No such chance of secrecy..."It's this way... " She stated calmly - the picture of compliance as she mentioned what she expected their next trial to be to the captains. "I doubt that you're going to sneak out in that armour, so I hope you know how your going to explain marching out of the district with this creature unbound."

---------------Amethyst Void.

It had been the instincts linked to this pony form that had led Amethyst to raise her hoof to her face in dismay before - and not it was those same instincts that made her dearly want to slam her head against the wall.

These ponies actively tried to kill themselves!

She rolled her eyes instead of injuring her face, and shrugged towards shadow.@@Tricksters Pride,"Just throw everything we have him and hope it doesn't go like last time?" She smirked cockily as she became to radiate the dark light of arcane energy - despite not really feeling in the least but confident in her plan. Rhalkeem had a... a habit of being difficult to escape from or kill. It was a frustrating combination.

---------------Kingfisher."Too late for that now I think! Come on, we're not waiting for you! Hurry up!"

Leaving companions behind wasn't great - in fact it was a terrible thing, even without being emotionally involved with them. Leaving friends or even [/i]enemies[/i] behind was even harder though... but she couldn't waste her chance to get to safety herself simply because they seemed to have a death wish.@@SilverHeart,@@Midnight Scribbler,"You, move. You too - go!" She urged on the Witch and Warlock with a none-too-gentle push. Sunshine was spared this treatment, but ushered out with the same level of urgency.@@Umbreon,"You too, bug. move!"@@Icy Void,@,"Midnight, Crimson - stop stalling!" By this stage she was standing in the doorway - leaving to follow the others. They couldn't have gone far. Pausing, she spared a last look back before following.

---------------Rhalkeem.@,

The elder stepped forward casually - now up close, his 'otherness' was more apparent. His eyes shifted with the colours of arcane energy: though less so than the other two beings. His hooves also didn't seem to be quite in tube with the ground - each step seeming to move more or less distance that his movements suggested that it should have.

Flicking the 'main' out of his face, he stared at the pony with an expression which was so filled with cocky self-assuredness, it would have disgusted Redwave even."There are no good deaths, my little pony. Don't fret though - I won't consume you. A filthy essence like your own would not be worth the effort." He stated in an off hoof tone. "No, I will consume your friends - the two that shouldn't be here - and recover what is mine in due time. One if the drawbacks of ageing you see - you will all stop running eventually."

He looked at the sword dismissively."Really? Your materials are as mundane as your thoughts... if it was myself in your position I would simply lay down and accept my fate..." still speaking with his smooth voice, the creature made its own first strike without even breaking stride - a flash of black light appearing between the pair, detonating after a seconds delay. The room shook as the deafening pressure of the contained explosion was vented through the exposed opening: leaving a crater in the solid rock of the mountain and blackening the world around them. At the same instant, the bands flickered back into existence just long enough for the pony to continue walking directly into the blast without so much as flinching. "Would you like to try again?"

the attack sent ronin flying back and into a wall with painful force, before slumping to the ground. After a moment he stumbled to his hooves shakily, spitting out some blood as he did so. He was pretty sure that impact cracked a rib or two, but he ignored the pain. "You eathrals... Always so clever, yet so blind to the most obvious things..." He grunted, before pointing his sword at the eathral "I swear on my life... You won't be "consuming" or killing any of my friends... That includes these two. You got that bastard?!" He growled, before charging forward and slicing at the non-pony over and over again "RUN!" He yelled to those who still remained Edited March 27, 2014 by ~LoSt SoLe~

[Tricksters Pride 100]

Shadow

@, 

(Oh also 'this' is thoughts... Just so you know. (Also beams is not a solid beam, its more similar to a rapid pulse.))

 

Shadow chuckled before his essence seemed to become tainted with a murky deep red color. 'Ohhh Ammy, it'll be far easier to run this time..... Trust me i've got one hell of a backup plan should we not hurt him enough to force him to back off for a bit, but i digress... Its time to deal with a bit of misfortune.' Shadow then dispersed his mist into a more maneuverable formation and fired of 4 beams of energy, same color as the new taint, one towards each side of Rhal (Other than the one facing Ronin.) which dissipated into the ground around him and one to hit him in time with one of Ronin's more powerful strikes. After he fired them off he stated "Yeah your right Rhal, ageing is a real shame... Feeling your years weighing on you yet? I ain't and i'm ageless too, guess that means i won't ever stop running..... Well, until i'm big enough to kill you at least."

Edited March 27, 2014 by Tricksters Pride

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa and Zintiik

 

@,@@Nomadic,@, @@Midnight Scribbler, @@SilverHeart, @@Icy Void,  (And anyone I missed)

 

Grunting as she stood up under Orion's weight, Pavisa glances towards the door as Kingfisher steps through.  "There you are...  C'mon, sooner we get out of here the better!"  The ex-guard reaches to tug on Willow's hoof, nodding towards...  Well, away from the ethereals.  "You too, let's go!"

 

As this was happening Zintiik had flown towards the doorway, turning his head to look towards Orion and Willow.  He blinks as he sees the unicorn on Pavisa's back, the sight reminding him eerily of the time when they had been leaving the temple back at the Falls...  Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he looks instead towards Willow, finding her looking at Kricket.

 

Kricket still looked terrible...  It almost made Zintiik feel bad for the little elemental.  Not that he would admit it - that would be acknowledging the emotions already driving him insane, as well as admitting that he actually liked the little worm that enjoyed biting him.  But Willow liked that little elemental, and Zintiik didn't want her to have to leave it behind with the thing that had left it in the state it was currently in.

 

Sighing loudly, the changeling flew back to grab Kricket in his hooves.  "C'mon, you're coming too ya little cretin!"  He was prepared to have his exoskeleton burned...  Or frozen...  Or whatever Kricket was made of, Zintiik still didn't quite understand.  But once he'd grabbed the wyrm, the changeling quickly turned to fly back out towards where the others had gone.  

 

 

Stahl

 

@,@@Scribblegroove,@,

 

"I'll figure something out," Stahl muttered quietly.  He had no idea how they were supposed to explain this...  He still didn't like the idea himself.  But with no one else suggesting a possible way to save Canterlot, he was improvising.  He would have given anything to have someone more qualified than him making the calls right now.

 

He spared a brief glance towards Emerald again, wondering what her thoughts on the matter were, but unable to ask her with the creature following them.  Sighing quietly he turns his gaze straight ahead as they walk towards the gates, trying to figure out some way he was going to talk their way through this.  

[Ihei 712]

@@Umbreon,@,  

 

Willow Starsinger

 

"What about everypony else? What're we going to do?" Willow hadn't thought about it, but she wondered why Pavisa wanted to help Orion. Didn't the other group hate him? She wasn't sure if any of her other friends would get out alive. "Shouldn't we do something?" 

 

(( Lazy post xc ))

[Nomadic 210]

Denarius

@@Midnight Scribbler, @@SilverHeart, @@Umbreon, @, @, @@Icy Void

 

Denarius had heard the beckon to leave. Willow appeared to be as safe as anypony else, and still a sliver of empathy crept through his thoughts. "Willow leave with the others. If you caught here you're not going to be helping them", he spoke with a degree of succinctness as he forcibly weaved his words into the conversation. A sigh passed through his mouth as his mind wandered to thoughts of their current situation, and any of the possible outcomes. His head shook somewhat erratically in a state of mild bewilderment. "A certain degree of perversity will more likely be required to solve this situation here rather than simple fighting", he mumbled to himself in a dull tone.

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

@Windbreaker,

 

Blasted Nova

As Blast ran next to Clockwork and waited for a response, he started to wonder about the others. He assumed that Kingfisher would be back by now, but they seemed to be taking a long while. He was beginning to worry a bit. Without hesitation, Blast screeched to a halt and made a 180 degree turn and began running back.

 

As he came back, he could hear Aegis shouting at the top of his lungs. He looked like he was freaking out, and Eclipse was trying to talk some sense into him.

"Whoa, whoa, what's going on?? Aegis, what's wrong??"

[EcstaticWind 572]

Aegis Dare

@@Geek0zoid, 

 

Aegis glanced over at Blast when he heard somepony call his name and his body started to relax. His breathing slowed to a manageable level and he was able to speak coherently. "Just a long overdue panic attack coupled with my fourth or fifth mental breakdown today. This story had better be worth the mental and physical harm I'm putting myself through..." He sat and took a few deep breaths now that he was sane enough to consider the advice. He looked as if he needed lots of sleep.

[Icy Void 19]

Midnight Sky

 

Midnight turned to follow Fisher out, but looked back before running off. "Well, time for me to go. See you some other time, and take care of my sister!" Midnight said before running off after Fisher. He didn't want to risk spending any more time in that chamber with the probably now angry ethereal, Midnight quite enjoyed living after all. That and he still had his goals, and he can't gain more power if he's dead in some cave in the middle of nowhere. It pained him to leave his sister like this, but he knew Sunshine could handle herself and that this provided the best chance of reaching a sort of peace between the two groups, at least from Midnight's perspective. Running through the ruined door, Midnight managed to get to where Willow and Pavi were walking with Pavi carrying a hopefully just unconscious Orion on her back. "I hope you don't mind if I stick with you mares for our little escape. You might need some help being weighed down with Orion and having to protect young Willow here. That and I can tell you horn has started generating magic, so I'd like to be nearby if it starts acting up. Once we're relatively safe I can teach you some basic control if you'd like too, but for now let's try and stay alive. Agreed Pavi?" Midnight said as walked over to stand next to his now-unicorn friend. The last thing they needed right now was an uncontrollable outburst of magic, especially when the thing they're running from feeds off magic.

[SilverHeart 741]

Mirror grunted in annoyance at Kingfisher's pushing, though she complied and kept pace with the group as they made their was out of the chamber. Nearly giving the mare a dirty look. However she managed to control her annoyance. The sea wench was hardly trust worthy. Not that Mirror was going to take a break of good luck for granted...but it probably wouldn't end well if she blindly accepted the mare's actions at face value. That could wait though. What mattered for now was getting to Orion and leaving.

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

Midnight Scribbler

@@SilverHeart,

@,

@@Umbreon,

@@Nomadic,

@,

@@Icy Void,

 

Scribbler glanced down at Sunshine, then to her brother. "We will, stay safe, friend." He turned his head to Sunshine "Well, it looks like you're with us then, though I think we're all together for now anyway. Stay close" He reluctantly listened to kingfisher as she shoved him from behind, he knew he had to do what Kingfisher was telling him, but he did not enjoy taking orders from the pony who'd thrown her blade at his friend, and pushed him for that matter. He moved to keep beside Mirror, as they made their way out. He could see Pavisa had Orion on her back, and Willow was there, safe. As they got up to Pavisa, and exited the room, Scribbler leaned his head down to Willow. "Stay by us, Willow. We won't let Orion come to any further harm, and I'll heal him the next moment I have to spare. I promise." He said in a hushed voice. Seeing Pavisa carry Orion was somewhat confusing. One moment they wanted to kill the Stallion, the next they were carrying him to safety. This was truly bizarre, and it was the second time the two groups had found themselves merging for survival in an ancient temple. This time, Scribbler wasn't at any form of advantage, nor was he at full energy like he had been before. Things seemed different this time, but at least they weren't trying to kill one another.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Clockwork Green

@@Geek0zoid,

Clockwork continued speeding along, and just as blast fired in from behind, he spouted off questions about why he was moving ahead so quickly. Turning his head back, Clockwork noted a look of sudden realization in Blast's face as he screeched to a halt, falling behind before he could get a word in. Clockwork turned his head back, just in time to see a low hanging crystal in front of him, moving in fast. He collided with the giant gemstone, causing it to break off, and fell with it to the cold stone floor. Landing hard on his belly, he panted from being winded against the floor. "Blasted distractions" He thought as he attempted to regain his breath, and stand again. The crystal had shattered on the floor, and it was now unnaturally dark. "Bloody hell.. What now?" He thought, disoriented from the hit. He remembered Shadow's spell, and how he'd broken the gems to darken the path behind them before. This time he was in the dark, and it wasn't so amusing. He picked a direction and started walking blindly until he could see again. The light came dimly at first, then more bright, and he soon realized he was backtracking. Grunting in annoyance, he turned around and went back the other way, attempting to find the light on the far side, where he had intended to be. "What a waste of valuable time.. I should be out of this hole by now."

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

@@Windbreaker,

 

Blasted Nova

Blast sat down next to Aegis and gave him a small cereal bar. He hoped it would calm him down a little bit. He didn't look he was in too good of shape.

"If you wanna talk about your problem, I'm here with open ears, man." The supersonic stallion said, putting on a smile to attempt to comfort him.

 

((Sorry for the lazy post. I'm in a bit of a rush.))

[IridscentNionios 1,420]

@@Umbreon,@, @,  "I propose we first focus on the problem at hoof. Focus on succeeding. If we succeed none will question why we did this... plus our friend here will have the chance to prove everyone that not all of the denizens of arcana have evil intentions." 

Terra was reaching the end of his patience as he tapped his foot on the ground as they moved. Worries about this, about that, talk talk talk... it was annoying. Couldn't they just stop it already? Didn't they have enough worries? Ugh! Fighting fighting fighting with each other... couldn't they co-operate and stop being judjemental all the time? Jeez...

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Rhalkeem

 

The armour didn't appear this time: didn't spark into existence or block the weapon. Once, twice, three tines it cut through the shape of the pony - leaving cold, unbleeding lines in its wake. The force of the spells added to the assault only enhanced the effect: searing dark marks across the survive of their target.

 

The pony crumbled - cut to ribbons, it dropped to the ground like mere cloth.

 

Across the room, a spark was followed by a pulse of impossibly coloured light - which shone brightly as the creature stepped out with a look of feigned annoyance. He paused to watch the display as his not-body was torn to pieces - only to be burned up by beams of light from the feeble ethereal.

 

"As entertaining as this might be, you should pay more attention to your surroundings." He mused. A detonation struck the creatures face: it crumbled again and reformed with another burst of twisting colour. "And to yourselves! Your all changing - it's disgusting really. Heartbeats all around, and even whispers in the ears of these ponies... they might not hear it yet, but they will. You told them of your own plight no doubt - but did you inform them of what your presence is doing to them? I think that..."

 

---------------

 

Amethyst Void.

 

'I don't think it's working - the magic or the pointy stick...'

 

He was toying with them... Amethyst felt a sinking feeling in her stomach as the elder continued to speak - he needed silencing, and quickly.

 

Desperate times called for desperate measures.

 

"Hey Rhal, how's it feel knowing that your only second best in this world?" The Ethereal taunted - flitting up towards the ceiling and firing off another detonation behind her - watching as another body crumpled and another rift brought him back through...

 

"All talk and no action, just the same as last time! No statues to hide under today!" She stuck out her tongue in what was admittedly not the greatest of taunts. Anything to get him to stop talking. "Look at you - just letting them run away! You're a terrible eldritch being, you know? Just awful!"

 

'Come on... make a mistake already!

 

---------------

 

Kingfisher.

 

Ushering the ponies into the hall, Kingfisher did her best to direct them after the voices ahead of them - leaving them to die wasn't an option, unfortunately.

 

I'm getting really sick of all this running...'

 

'Run from this' - 'be captured by that'... wasn't it about time they won something? About time that chance swung their way? Where was Redwave? Where were reinforcements or the lucky break they deserved? Why was everything going wrong, all at once it wasn't right, wasn't fair! Any why was it so dark too? This was...

 

Still moving, her internal monologue stopped. Could she hear something up ahead? Not voices talking or shouting, nor growls and dark laughter...

 

Music?

 

It was familiar to her - like she had heard it before. It might have been familiar some of the others too: to anyone who had discovered the lavish wreckage in the snow, for example. It had even been heard briefly within the cursed cabin. Faint and distant: eery and enchanting at the same time - it was like a beacon to her. She didn't know why... there was just something compelling about it that seemed to lead her onwards.

 

---------------

Edited April 4, 2014 by Cinderscribe

[Tricksters Pride 100]

Shadow

@, 

 

Shadow watched as his beams made contact with the ground underneath Rhal's old form and chuckled darkly as the debris scattered around the cave. 'Hehehe that's alright Ammy... I wasn't targeting the old cockroach in the first place.' He then snatched the gem that was thrown towards him into his own form and (After doing something with the gem...) outright snickered at Rhal before mimicking him in a mocking tone. "You should pay more attention to your surroundings like i do! Cause i'm incredibly observant! Pleeeease Rhal i have as much as a heartbeat as you do... Welllll unless you grew a twisted little heart while i wasn't looking but i'm fairly sure that the concept of change is beyond you. I'm pretty surprised that you think at all..... Totally with Amethyst on this one, your getting outdated..."

Edited April 4, 2014 by Tricksters Pride

[~Sole~ 852]

'Heartbeats? Whispers? What is this crazy eathral talking about?' He thought, as he watched the elder creature reform easily as if the combined attacks were nothing. "Amethyst, what's h-" he was cut off as she began to go an a small taunting rant, and his jaw nearly hit the floor. This attitude was much... Different then what he was use to seeing from the female eathral. After a moment he shook out of his stupor and glared at Rhal "I have no idea what your trying to get at, but you won't trick me that easily!" He growled, before jumping forward and slashing at him again as the others attacked

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa

 

@,@@Icy Void, @@SilverHeart, @@Midnight Scribbler, @@Nomadic, @,

 

Pavisa smiled at Willow as the others came out of the room that now sounded like it was...  She didn't know, exploding or something.  "See?  Nothing to worry about."  She glances towards Midnight when he speaks and answers with something somewhere between "thanks" and a wordless grunt.  "I don't want to learn how to control it, I want it gone.  I'm an earth mare."  

 

She noticed out of the corner of her eye as Scribbler said something to Willow that she didn't quite hear, but Pavisa didn't really care by this point.  They needed to get out...  They could all go back to the whole hating each other thing afterwards.  She starts to go down the hall away from the battling ethereals again, though she soon skids to a stop as a familiar tune reaches her ears.

 

She'd been the first one into the wrecked train car - she knew that music.  She had thought she'd heard it again at the cabin and just attributed it to her mind playing tricks on her.  Now it was here again...  The question was, was it real?  Or was she imagining it?  "Does...  Does anypony else hear that?  I know that sound..."  Shrugging to try and get Orion into a more comfortable position across her back, the ex-guard takes off more quickly than she'd been going before she'd noticed the music.  She had to find out what it was...  That, or she was about to confirm that she was going insane.  Which given everything that had tried to kill them on this adventure so far, she would have been willing to believe that.

[Icy Void 19]

Midnight Sky

 

Midnight smiled inwardly when Pavi made her comment on being an earth mare. How unlike they were, Pavi just wanted to go back to how she was while Midnight himself was actively seeking change. "Don't worry, I can look into that once this is all done with, I happen to have the largest private collection of magical texts in the world so I might have something. But for until then it would be safer if you could at least suppress your magical energy." Midnight said as he ran alongside the others. It wasn't much longer before Midnight began hearing the same music that's been following them this entire trip. First in the train car and then Pavi reported hearing it in the cabin, and now here it was again, still the same tune. But unlike back at the lodge, Midnight was there this time and he noticed that the energy emanating from the magic seal on the music note lock box was undulating in sync with the melody. "I hear it too, and I get the feeling it's being helpful. Every time we've heard this tune it was right before we faced some terrible threat to our lives. Like an alarm. So maybe we should pick up the pace a little." Midnight said, finding it difficult to think and run at the same time. Whatever this music truly was though, it wasn't very likely that things would get any better for anypony.

[EcstaticWind 572]

Aegis Dare

@@Geek0zoid, 

 

Aegis pushed the cereal bar away, frowning slightly. "Uh, Blast...that thing is spoiled. We can't eat that. My problems can wait. In the meantime, I'll find Clockwork and keep an eye on him. I'm the fastest out of us, and these tunnels are big enough for me to fly in. The rest of you, go back and assist Kingfisher and Pavisa, ok? Get them out of these tunnels safely."

 

After speaking, Aegis took off down the tunnels at top speed. As he approached an area that was strangely dark, he brought out the crystal he'd broken off and held it out in the darkness.  The crystal seemed to glow brighter than it did when he took it. "What the...? Well, if it was going to do something bad, I'd be feeling it by now. I'll examine it later when my head is clear."

 

They crystal glowed brighter as he talked to himself, reacting to his determination. The more determined he was, the brighter the crystal would glow. As if it was fueled by fighting spirit.

[Ihei 712]

@@Umbreon,@@Midnight Scribbler,

 

Willow Starsinger

 

Watching Pavisa haul away Orion and having to follow Scribbler instead of knowing that her brother was going to be safe or not was irritating. She knew Scribbler meant well. His healing skills were amazing, but she couldn't help but worry about Orion's situation. He took a pretty bad fall from being blown back by "Rhalkeem." She was afraid of the possibilities: he could've gotten amnesia and that was the last time she saw the normal Orion, or he could've been killed or in a ten year coma. She knew it was ridiculous, but he is her only family. She couldn't do anything but worry.

 

It took all her will not to snap. She wished she were home, where none of this happened. She was happy she made friends, but one thought came after another, and she wondered - who did she prefer, her own brother or her only friends? Denarius was trustworthy and a kind friend, Zintiik has a good sense of humor, Scribbler is a good stallion to confide in, and Mirror was quiet but still a friend. If she was ever to face the choice that if she could hit the replay button and none of this would have happened - Orion would be safe, but Willow; she'd be lonely. She depended on both of them to keep balance.

 

She wasnt sure why she was thinking about this. She maybe thought that Rhalkeem would take any of the others. So what was she supposed to do next?

 

"Wh-where are we going? Where are we going to stay?" Willow asked like a little filly, afraid. She saw Zintiik flying over with Kricket in his, well, hooves - and smiled at the gesture. She didnt feel up to talking, so she nuzzled the bug instead and placed the little drake snugly in her saddlebag, but kept it open so he would have space.

 

"Zintiik, I have a question for you," Willow said quietly, looking at her hooves as she stood in place.