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Post by Red Charge on Apr 4, 2012 12:52:00 GMT -5
Team Phoenix was spending the last couple of days before their deployment training hard and getting fitted for their equipment. They had a difficult job ahead of them, destroying the Water Golem guarding the Cult of Eclipse's base. Not a simple task at all.
This golem was a powerful magical creation, and not solid either, so it required powerful magic to disable. Therefore four unicorns were chosen for the task - Tunnel Nexus, Mortar Retort, Hind Sight and Star Shade.
After their final preparations they were sent off. It was impossible to teleport inside the area immediately outside the acropolis, so they had to be teleported a distance away, and would have to trek their way through the swamp to get to the golem undetected by the vast forces battling the Equestrian Army.
And with a flash of light, there they were, four brave ponies, knee deep in bogwater, musquitos buzzing around their ears and the claustrophobic environment of the swamp closing in on them.
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Post by starshade on Apr 5, 2012 1:38:29 GMT -5
StarShade blinked repeatedly, letting his mind digest his new surroundings. Turning his head from left to right, the black unicorn scanned the backdrop, keeping an eye out for danger. It took only a few moments before he started to feel cold and shaky. Who could blame him? StarShade is the type of pony who wouldn't hurt a slug let alone another pony. The very thought of he and his comrades running into a group of enemy ponies made him tremble. Or maybe it was the chilly swamp water gushing against his legs.
One would wonder, why would a fragile pony who would never wish to harm another living creature be enlisted into a team whose mission is to locate and annihilate a monster created by the enemy? There're two answers to that question. First of all, StarShade is in the team because he had made it his sworn duty to save Equestria from any form of disaster, even if it means going to war. And he hates wars. Secondly, being the pony who cherishes and respects Nature, he believes that the very act of creating an artificial lifeform for the very purpose of spreading destruction and death is an act of downright abomination. Seeing the water golem as nothing more than a machine created by magic to wreak havoc, StarShade is more than willing to do anything in order to stop such a weapon and make sure it doesn't harm a single innocent life. To destroy an artificial lifeform created as a weapon is nothing like killing another creature of natural origin, and he will use all his power to do so. That is why he is in Team Phoenix.
Shaking nervously, the black unicorn took very deep breaths as he attempted to remain calm and waited for the signal/order to move out.
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Post by Mortar Retort on Apr 5, 2012 4:29:36 GMT -5
Retort was never one for combat; he was too old for a young colt’s war – and far too brilliant in his opinion to waste his life on some futile game of political chess. The whole notion frustrated him beyond compare. Also, military food was horrid and wilted. However, this was no ordinary conflict, and every able bodied pony was being dragged into the fray for the defense of Equestria. Retort knew little about the Cult of the Eclipse, but that didn’t matter – what mattered was what they had summoned. This golem they were to intercept, this was something Retort had to study. He also had a few ideas on how to go about dealing with it – it was his hope that defeating such a creature would finally put his alchemy on the map.
So it was with this prospect that Retort now found himself knee deep in bog water and mud, but he was far too excited to notice that slight discomfort. The first thing he did when he appeared in the swamp, was pull out a potion that light up blue when the light struck it. He uncorked it and took a long swig of the glowing liquid. Bitter, but quite pleasant all the same. He then took notice of the shaking black pony beside him and nudged the bottle towards him. ”Star, drink up.” He offered, it wasn’t the first time this pony tried one of Retort’s concoctions. ”Cinchona-tonic, little blood suckers seem to hate the taste. Help keep ‘em off you. You other ponies should take a drink too –added a little snippet of something ‘special’ for the taste and to help calm the ol’ nerves.”He devilishly winked.
Retort brought with him and large assortment of potions and elixirs in his saddle-bags, everything he could mix in time and thought would be useful. He scoured every book he had, used nearly every piece of plant, animal, or mineral he had available for this. He felt more than ready and after the incident in the ruins; he decided it was certainly not uncalled for to come over-prepared this time. He also had a few of those explosives he’d been dying to field test. He couldn’t see any reason that it would be ill-advised to use them this time. They thought him crazy during the expedition for ever suggesting such a tactic - crazy like a fox.
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Post by starshade on Apr 12, 2012 10:19:17 GMT -5
StarShade's face displayed a forceful smile as he found some comfort in recieving assistance from a familliar face. Both the black unicorn and Mortar Retort first met back in Canterlot. Back then, Retort was attempting to sell his alchemical products to the public, and StarShade was the very thirsty pony who had mistaken the former's items as refreshing drinks. They've been close acquintances eversince.
"Thank you very much, my friend," responded the black unicorn as he took the bottle using his telekinesis from Retort. "You seem to have a useful potion for almost any occasion."
Putting the bottle to his lips, StarShade took a sip of the glowing blue liquid before stopping to open his mouth and stick out his tongue.
"Err, how bitter," he announced, "I guess that means that this potion of yours must be effective, since they say that good medicine always go down bitter."
He continued drinking the potion while looking down at the murky water below him. He was a little upset that he wasn't able to do research on the fauna inhabiting the Froggy Bottom Bog, but the mission must come first.
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Post by Mortar Retort on Apr 12, 2012 11:05:47 GMT -5
Retort waited till the others had their fill, or not the silly foals, before he recorked the flask and hid it away within his saddlebags and continued sloughing through the bog. ”Indubitably!” Retort mentioned, in reference to his potion for every occasion. He explained further, despite any protest, as they team continued through the swamp to the last known location of the golem.
”One can never be too prepared, my mother taught me that. Bless her soul. I made sure I had everything I could foreseeable need to deal with both the swamp and this nasty business with a Water Golem. The rest of you have your magic and I have my potions. Together we’ll give this lot a taste of defeat and be back in Canterlot in time for a good warm cup of hot cider.” He gave an inquisitive glance to Starshade beside him,”You can be used as a gatling gun with a crank of your tail, yes?”He inquired, giving Star the once over. ”No matter! Keep me alive and I’ll keep you alive, that is my promise. I got an assortment of concoctions stowed safely in my bags to make sure of it. That is – long as you don’t lose a limb or something, I’m not a miracle worker, just an alchemist. Which reminds me!” Retort flashed his horn in a blue hue and drew forth several vials from his back, they were of assorted colors.
”Worked long and hard on these, I beg that each of you drink a sip from all of them. One will increase your magic potency (the mares love it), another hardens your hide, and the other - baring any horrific side-effects you needn’t concern yourselves with in the short term, increase your body’s healing rate. Drink up, they should last through the fight – hopefully.” He was never certain anything would be as effective as he claimed, but right now wasn’t the time to dwell on ‘what-if’ and instead a time for focus on the matter at hoof.
To ease the tension, Retort begun a low hum, nearly sing-song with a steady beat. Speaking the lyrics between the low murmur to The Mistral Colt, an old war ballad. The closer they got, though, the quieter Retort grew. Once near, he had all but stopped, just keeping an absent hum as they approached.
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Post by starshade on Apr 14, 2012 1:24:41 GMT -5
StarShade could not help but smile at his companion's words. There they were in the middle of a swamp while the sounds of war echo in the distance, and yet Retort was sharing his fun-filled thoughts to the group. The older unicorn's humour brought some comfort to the situation as though a candle had been suddenly lit in a dark cave.
"I surely hope so," said the black unicorn in response to Retort's claims.
”You can be used as a gatling gun with a crank of your tail, yes?”
"I beg your pardon?" StarShade responded, surprised at the question in which Retort had just handed to him. Is such a thing even possible? A unicorn used as a gattling gun while having his or her tail turned around like a crank was something beyond comprehension. Or is it? Being an amateur cryptozoologist StarShade has encountered many things which at first were thought of as mere flights of fancy but turned out to be actually the real thing. Truth is stranger than fiction, that was what he has learned. So who was he to say what is and is not possible? But before the black unicorn could answer his friend's question, the other unicorn had already let the topic slide and handed the young colt a proposition.
"Keep me alive and I’ll keep you alive, that is my promise."
StarShade's eyes grew larger in response to Retort's words. This is the first time anypony has ever asked something of him so openly in the face. It's different from being asked to join the fight in public. No, this was somepony asking for his assistance in an honest and sincere way, something which has never happened before in the young colt's life. Swallowing hard to adjust to this new feeling, the black unicorn felt dutybound when he replied, "I shall do my best."
To his surprise, Retort had begun singing, the older stallion believing that such an action would calm the nerves and boost the morale of the team. Unable to stop from smiling, the young colt decided to hum alongside the song, being unfamilliar with the lyrics.
After a while, Retort's voice began to go down, hinting StarShade of what was happening. They were getting close...
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Post by Red Charge on Apr 14, 2012 10:52:31 GMT -5
"Will you two concentrate? And stop chattering on and on, you'll get us spotted!" Hind Sight said with hushed urgency. "We must get to the golem as soon as possible, the entire operation is at stake here!" Hind Sight was rather burly for a unicorn and had no problem pushing through the muck and leaves of the swamp. "And NO magic until we get there. If we get intercepted we're done for!"
"As for you kind sir, forgive me if I prefer to remain with my wits and the potions we were already given by proffesionals from the army." He snapped at Retort. What Hind Sight really wanted was to study the pyramid itself. However, he was not fortunate enough to land on Team Moonbird, and so he was stuck with these two walking jokes. Hopefully he would live to see another day. There were still more Equiterian Ruins to explore.
The progress throughout the swamp was slow and tiring, but they could start hearing the battle from a distance. From the direction of the sound they could tell they were in the right heading. Soon they will be upon the right flank of the pyramid and the golem.
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Post by starshade on Apr 15, 2012 6:01:35 GMT -5
"Forgive us, Sir," StarShade responded to the larger pony as both he and Retort found themselves on the recieving end of a scolding by their superior officer. The black unicorn blushed as he felt ashamed for his moment of carelessness but refused to blame it on his friend who he thought was just trying to help comfort their team. And comfort is what he needs right now. Already his nerves were shaking and his legs trembling as the knowledge of them getting closer towards their targetted destination began to creep up to him.
Moving his glance from left to right as he scanned the area for any signs of life, be it from the enemy or the local fauna, both are dangerous to them, StarShade struggled to keep up with Hind Sight as the bigger unicorn trudged through the mud ahead of them. It proved difficult for the young colt due to his size. StarShade was smaller than the average pony, even a little bit smaller than a certain well-known student of Princess Celestia.
"Careful, StarShade," he said to himself, "No magic until we have located our target. No magic." Inside his mind the black unicorn was battling the urge to use his telekinesis to separate the mud or at least give him a little lift over the mud. He knows he must not do any of those things or risk making his team lose their element of surprise and end up as target practice for enemy fire, or as monster snack. So the young colt just presses on behind Hind Sight with Mortar Retort by his side, keeping himself mentally focused on the mission.
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Post by Mortar Retort on Apr 16, 2012 5:27:55 GMT -5
Retort was aghast that Hind Sight would suggest he, a professional alchemist himself (thought not officially licensed) was anything less than professional. He snubbed his nose at him while they walked, muttering an disgruntled aside about the ‘army professionals’ watering down potions and not willing to push the science to its limit. If Hind Sight wanted to use those placebos, he could have them. No matter, once this affair with the golem was over, they’d finally listen to Retort at the Royal alchemy circles – they’d see he wasn’t just another quack. Or, at least accept his papers and formulas as ‘safe’ and effective in theory. He was on the cusp of numerous breakthroughs – this was his ticket to the funding and materials he needed to take that final step.
As they trudged through the swamp, Mortar kept running through his head about possible strategies and contingencies that may arise. He wasn’t a soldier, he was green to battle, but he knew what he was capable of and what dangers and possibilities this water golem presented. He, after all, did read up on them before thrusting himself head-long into the conflict with it. Pays to be prepared and all that.
Retort’s ear caught wind of the sound of battle, same as Hind Sight. His heart jumped, for a moment, a spike of adrenalin and just an inkling of fear creeping into him. He contemplated more tonic, but in the final moment of internal struggle, opted to forgo the libation for now. Time was at hoof to see what they were actually up against.
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Post by Red Charge on Apr 21, 2012 18:54:59 GMT -5
And there they were, exiting out on a small elevation, eyes widening at what faced them now. They said it was a Watergolem, they were correct. They said it was massive, they were correct to a point. The point being that "massive", "huge" and even "colossal" were understatements. The water construct they were now facing was roughly the size of the stone structure it was supposed to protect. Its legs deep in what appeared to be two small lakes, firing rapidly thick globs of water at the charging Equestrian forces. The team could hear an ominous roar in the distance, coming from the direction of the Equestria Forces, but they could not even see past the defenses.
The Golem had not noticed them yet, now was the perfect chance to strike... however they intended to strike.
Hind Sight took a big gulp, "I've... uh... Well it is quite a feat to make an ice giant look small." He stuttered. Ice Giants, minions of the Ice Queen were large and fearsome creatures sculpted into ice by the Ice Minions and controlled by the Windigos to wreak havoc where they went. But even they seemed like quite a tame brawl next to this thing.
Hind Sight's horn began to glow. "I have some basic fire spells... for heating... anyone has a better offer?"
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Post by starshade on Apr 21, 2012 23:04:14 GMT -5
The growing sounds of the clashing of metal and magical explosions echoing in the distance made StarShade jump every now and then. The black unicorn shivered at the thought of being in the centre of such chaos. It was a terrible enough ordeal to hear the sounds of warfare from a distance, but to be caught in the middle of one is far too horrible to even comprehend. The young colt's struggle through the muddy terrain proved more difficult now that he was trembling with fear.
"H-how much furth-" his question was cut of by a hideous sound coming far away from him and his teamates. "What... was... that?"
Three-quarters of StarShade's gut kept telling him not to look up, which was why he almost regretted doing so with the very fabric of his being. For what greeted his now large, saucer-shaped eyes was something beyond anything his logical mind could comprehend. Hay, it was beyond anything he could even imagine from reading all those books about monsters, mystery creatures, comic books and horror novels. The young colt's mouth dropped as he could only stand there, paralyzed by both shock and fear, as he gazed upon the towering behemoth before them - an entity so huge that it nearly blocked their view of the entire pyramid itself.
Hind Sight's horn began to glow. "I have some basic fire spells... for heating... anyone has a better offer?"
StarShade remained motionless, his mouth wide open.
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Post by Mortar Retort on Apr 22, 2012 5:47:30 GMT -5
As Retort trotted out onto the scene with the rest of the ponies in the party, he could only look up at the behemoth of water towering over the field like some mythical colossus standing before an insurmountable city. His fez nearly slipped from his head as he followed the construct from the pools at its legs to the top of the giant, completely awestruck by such an incredible sight. He found himself so dumbfounded that he completely forgot there was an actual war going on in the distance – ponies were dying and they were to take down this thing. Luna, please be joking.
”Whoa…” Retort said, still dumbstruck. The stallion gawked at it for another moment before he finally snapped back to reality as Hind-Sight spoke about his fire spells – basic ones at best. They were going to need a lot more than a few fire-spells to evaporate this monstrosity. ”Right, ok, we’re doomed.”He glumly muttered, then took a deep breath and in an act of either of utter bravery or complete disregard for sanity, stepped forward with an air of command – he had a plan, Celestia help them. ”Sight, I’m gonna need that fire. Star-?” He glanced to the flabbergasted colt and then pushed the pony’s gaping maw closed with a hoof. ”Star, how far can you fling things telekineticaly?’
Retort stepped in front of the group. Using his horn’s magic to bring out a sealed jar of clear, oily looking liquid with numerous little floating silver pearls. ”Ok, plan, we lug one jar of this at each of the constructs legs – it’s potassium balls suspended in paraffin oil, potassium hates water." He quickly explained. "Hind Sight, when it connects and shatters, ignite the spots. The heat will cause the water to steam, likely weakening the legs while the last of the oil runs off the potassium (hopefully having passed through into the golems legs) and causing a terrifically violent series of explosions and Celestia willing, make the whole thing collapse like a sack of broccoli.” He nervously grinned, eyes darting back and forth between the two ponies. ”Worth a shot, yes?”
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Post by Red Charge on Apr 23, 2012 7:34:01 GMT -5
Hind Sight prepared. The Golem had yet to notice them, if any time was right, it was now. The unicorn of course harbored an intense desire to meet whoever could make such a massive water construct. Such powerful magic so masterfully fashioned was something noteworthy indeed. What more is that the creature it portrayed, a gnoll, was from the Zebra territories, quite exquisite indeed!
The golem did not seem to notice the unicorns now about to attack it. It continued splattering the Equestrian advancement with liquid, unrelenting and focused.
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Post by Mortar Retort on Apr 23, 2012 8:21:13 GMT -5
Retort gave a reassuring nod to the others, then brought forth the second jar of oil suspended potassium, wrapped in a dark blue-grey glow. He passed the second one to Starshade as he turned towards the goliath shadowing over them on the battlefield before them. He took a deep breath and adjusted his fez with a hoof – eyes fixed upon the right leg of the colossus.
”Star, aim for the left leg, about a third of the way up from the lake – I’ll take right. Hind Sight, blast the rainbow sheen you’ll see on the impact sites with your fire as quickly as possible. We have one shot at this – didn’t rightfully think I’d even need to use this stuff, all I brought.” He rambled off, then dropped the jar in his fore-hooves as he sat. He gave the jar a look with skittish eyes, then blasted the glass with a spell. The glass begun to crack, a coursing web forming along one side. A drip of paraffin oil trickled out and onto his hooves. He did the same to Star’s jar. He was banking on a complete shattering against the construct, but feared that the jars may pass through or fail to break apart without having weakened them beforehoof.
”They’ll hold-“ He reassured, ”I launch on your mark Star, when you’re ready.” He once more wrapped it in levitation magic and stood, readying the jar with a crick of his neck, prepared to launch. As he did this, he caught a better glimpse at the chaos below – taking a curious note at the effect of the golem’s eldritch goop it flung upon the ponies above and below. Peculiar, he thought, those effects were awful morbidly specific to each particular pony. He’d ignore it for now, Celestia willing, this brash plan would level the thing and we’d be done with it.
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Post by starshade on Apr 23, 2012 14:39:18 GMT -5
"Star, how far can you fling things telekinetically?"
It tooks StarShade a while but he managed to snap out of his somewhat vegetable state to reply to Retort's question. "Err, I can things far quite throw. I mean I can throw things quite far! Wait, what are you planning to do?"
Focusing his green eyes towards Retort's face without turning his head, the filly-faced colt gave the older unicorn a worried glance.
”Ok, plan, we lug one jar of this at each of the constructs legs – it’s potassium balls suspended in paraffin oil, potassium hates water." He quickly explained. "Hind Sight, when it connects and shatters, ignite the spots. The heat will cause the water to steam, likely weakening the legs while the last of the oil runs off the potassium (hopefully having passed through into the golems legs) and causing a terrifically violent series of explosions and Celestia willing, make the whole thing collapse like a sack of broccoli.” He nervously grinned, eyes darting back and forth between the two ponies. ”Worth a shot, yes?”
StarShade threw his sights upon the legs of the water golem. Each leg was in what seemd to be a small lake. Wheels turning in his head, the black unicorn finally understood the plan which Retort was trying to explain.
"Of course!" he said excitedly, "This monstrous construct seems to be drawing it's form from those large pools. If we cut the source..."
The colt then gave his older friend a good pat on the shoulder.
"Retort! You my friend are a genius! It might work."
Using his telekinesis, StarShade took the jar of oil suspended potassium from Retort and took his position. A dark grey magic aura enveloped both his horn and the jar as the black unicorn began to take aim, the jar hovering above and a little behind from his head. The young colt uttered a silent prayer to Celestia. Now it's true that StarShade has a problem with multitasking, which means that he's only good at concentrating on one thing at a time. But when he does begin to focus on that particular one thing, absolutely nothing can break his concentration, or his dead aim for that matter.
"Left leg," he said in a strangely cold and calculating manner, "third of the way up the lake." He paused for a moment to take a deep breath and allow his companion to take his own aim as well. With the jar hovering above his head was now still, the magic aura around it seemingly facing the required target, the black unicorn finally said, "Fire!"
With an unfathomable precision, the black unicorn launched the jar of liquid straight at his designated target with pinpoint accuracy.
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