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Post by Gleam Lucre on Jun 5, 2013 11:13:36 GMT -5
Of all the times for a delay! Gleam inhaled and exhaled in a purposeful, steady pattern to normalize his breathing faster. After all that running, to lose the trail of the undead so quickly was a terrible thing. At least Nova Blast should be able to pick up on it again, thanks to that training he had.
...Something about that thought bothered Gleam. It took another moment for it to click, and then there was a metallic clunk as his hoof made contact with his helmet. Wouldn't the trainers know that Nova Blast was an undead sensor? It wasn't like any of the trainees here had secret files or anything, except maybe Sunspire, who'd worked for Rainlock Security before. Nova Blast's undead sensor status had to already be known by the sadists training them here. They'd probably do something to hide it so that Nova Blast couldn't 'cheat' for them...and to ensure that it was just that much tougher for Gleam's team as yet another step of their 'enhanced' training regimen.
Of course, that must be it. They should have gone after Lightning Crackle's team instead of trying to take on the undead monster right off the bat. Gleam had been learning to make good decisions and plans quickly, but this one was turning out sloppy.
...But there was no sense changing things now. Besides, if Lightning Crackle had her way, the most likely place to find her would BE wherever the undead monster was.
"Maybe it went to ground," Gleam said, "Stay quiet and keep an eye out while Nova Blast works. Lightning Dust, you head up and look for anything that might be Lightning Crackle's team in the middle of a fight."
Either Lightning Dust would spot something, Nova Blast would pinpoint the undead's location, or...worst case scenario, they'd all feel that unearthly dread Nova Blast talked about as the undead snuck up on them. Gleam thought this covered all the bases...now if only he could feel totally confident about that. |
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Post by Red Charge on Jun 6, 2013 11:05:48 GMT -5
"They can't stop me from sensing an undead..." Nova Blast called out, apparently thinking the same thing as Gleam, "No, we have to be in the wrong direction...!" He turned sharply and proceeded towards the camp in a gallop.
Lightning Dust took high up into the air, but it seemed that all of the other groups were down below, as she saw none of them. "I'm seeing nothing up here." She called, "I can fly faster than you can move, let me go ahead and recon, fire off a flare every three minutes Sunspire, if I see anything I'll use it to spot you and come back."
The pegasus then took off in a rush, leaving them running back towards the camp. Sunspire grit his teeth, "We need a better plan than this." He said, "This isn't getting us anywhere."
"You have anything better in mind?" Birch Bright yelled at him, "This place is unnatural, we've been running all over the place and there aren't any tracks at all, of anything. No birds, no animal droppings... what is this place? Why are there no animals here?"
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Post by Gleam Lucre on Jun 16, 2013 10:58:33 GMT -5
It wasn't until Birch Bright said it that it became obvious to Gleam. Of course, he had the excuse of being raised a city pony, growing up in a place where wildlife was carefully tended in secluded areas and the trees around were always perfectly trimmed. But here, in what should have been a more 'normal' forest...there was no sign of any animals. No tracks, no sounds, no smells, no little 'presents' left behind...not even anything as overlookable as a colony of ants crawling up the tree bark.
The trees being obviously tended wasn't shocking, that was normal. Ponies always took care of their environment But the lack of other life was definitely not the norm.
...And there was no time to be shocked by this, because this forest wasn't empty at all. Somewhere there was an undead lying in wait for any unsuspecting ponies to get close, and somewhere (hopefully somewhere else) Lightning Crackle and the rest of her fool team were trying to hunt it down.
"We can gawk at the forest later!" Gleam snapped, "Both of you, hurry up and follow Nova Blast! Sunspire, make sure to send up flares for Lightning Dust! Now move!" |
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Post by Red Charge on Jun 25, 2013 12:59:28 GMT -5
The group continued to run, Sunspire sending up flares for Lightning Dust every so often, but the flying pony did not return. They headed in the direction they last saw her flying to, hoping to find her there.
Soon enough they could see the other groups, or at least, scattered ponies running around the forest. Some of the groups were still looking for the monster, but others were fleeing from it. Naturally they headed in the direction opposite to the fleeing ponies, who did not even bother to stop when they signaled them to ask them what the monster was.
Of course, a sense of deep dread spread over them as they approached the monster, though they could not see it yet, suddenly they all felt a dire need to flee. It was going to find them and kill them. How could they kill something that wasn't alive? Even Nova admitted to never actually KILLING any undead. They were not trained for this, the monster would kill them and steal their souls. What were they even doing looking for it?
The fear was overwhelming and Gleam suddenly found himself unable to proceed, as though his legs were glued to the ground. He was frozen with fear, that monster would be the end of him, there was nothing he could do. If he went there, he would die, or worse.
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Post by Gleam Lucre on Jun 30, 2013 12:41:17 GMT -5
At first, Gleam had even been pleased to see activity through the trees. They'd gone off in the wrong direction and it seemed like everypony else had found the monster before they had, but at least their team was on the right track now. Seeing some of the ponies fleeing in terror from their target wasn't the most inspiring of sights, but Gleam had to admit that for every pony that fled, that would be one more pony the undead wasn't killing. That was good, right?
...And then Gleam's hoofsteps faltered as they got close enough to the undead to feel it. It was one thing to hear a warning from Nova Blast about the aura of dread the undead radiated, but to actually feel it was something...something completely...different...
...he was going to die.
Gleam's legs locked up.
If he took one more step, Gleam was going to die.
Instincts buried at the dawn of pony civilization roared forth from their hiding places, trying to sweep Gleam's mind away with them like a rushing river.
Run, run the herd is lost! Leave the others where they fall! Flee now, the wolves are upon you!
Nova Blast was yelling or something, pulling and pushing at his unresponsive teammates to try and get them moving. Birch Bright was shaking so hard that his armor was rattling like thunder. Gleam noticed these things only distantly, like they were happening to somepony else.
Yes, it was all happening to somepony else. Because he wasn't going to die, he was going to turn and run and live and - and - and -
There was a piercing female scream from the woods in front of them. Gleam's head snapped up. That voice...he'd never heard it contorted with terror before, but...he knew that voice!
Shaking all over, coat matted with sweat under his armor, Gleam felt sick and dizzy. He should run...he had to run...what was he doing here, he wasn't a soldier! He was somepony in borrowed armor with stupid aspirations and no business being in this place!
And if he didn't move his flank right now then somepony was going to be killed by something too horrible for words...if not worse. Why couldn't this monster be something else, like perhaps a dragon? Facing a dragon would be a thousand times better than this!
'...If it were a dragon...' Gleam thought, feeling a bit like a bolt of lightning had struck his brain, 'No, that's it! It's not an undead, it's a dragon, it's not an undead, it's a dragon...'
Screwing his eyes shut, Gleam focused on that mantra. It wasn't an undead, it was a dragon. Not an undead, just a dragon. If he could just fool his panicking senses... It felt like forever, but finally the idea of it being just a dragon relaxed his legs enough for Gleam to take a step forward. This was desperation, an insane ploy that would without a doubt fail the instant Gleam laid eyes on their target, but... |
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Post by Red Charge on Jul 16, 2013 7:35:07 GMT -5
Whatever it was, it was nothing like Gleam had ever seen before in his life. The monster was an abomination by every meaning of the world, a hideous six legged beast made of both fresh and rotted flesh, Gleam could not define what it was for the simple fact that it wasn't anything. It was predatory, massive and with many parts from many different creatures.
It was disturbing to look at the throbbing, wounded flesh that seemed almost soldered unto the terrifying frame of the beast, different furs, skins and limbs all protruding out of each piece of the monster's body. Half a wing here, a diamond dog arm there, hoofs flailing about uselessly as they dangled in the air. The legs were uneven, metal was integrated with flesh and bone to ensure the creature's legs were the same height, large hook like spikes connecting it to the body parts above it. The tails, yes there were several, were each different, some looked like mammal tails, others seemed reptilian... but most disturbing were the heads. Just seeing this was enough to cause Birch Bright and Sunspire to bolt away in fear. Pony heads, intact, fresh looking pony heads. A dozen, maybe more, protruding from one long neck and staring blankly in every direction, their mouths open in a silent plea for help... it wasn't long before Gleam realized some were actually talking, whispering, begging...
The neck itself ended with teeth, sharp snapping teeth, which were currently busy munching on a pony from one of the other teams. It seemed to have ambushed it and took half of it down. It snapped unto the pony and threw it in the air, snapping it as it fell. Most revoltingly, the head of the downed pony soon took a place next to the other heads on the bulbous area around the creature's neck.
It could see everywhere, it was quick as lightning and it was worse than Gleam's worst nightmares.
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Post by Gleam Lucre on Jul 31, 2013 23:36:56 GMT -5
This was not a dragon.
In a tiny corner of Gleam's mind, he was trying to figure out exactly what he was looking at. His eyes refused to take in the entirety of the thing in front of him: he could see the mismatched legs, the gnashing teeth, the tails...but they refused to combine into a single picture in his brain.
What he could see...was horrifying! What the Hay was this? Why the Hay was he here in front of this?! WHY, WHY, WHY!?
The eyes, the faces, the dying whispers clawing into his brain, too much too much get them out get them out get them out of his brain!
Gleam's body had frozen in place with panic, his eyes unable to look away as the abomination burned its image into his retinas. It wasn't until the head of the pony being torn apart and devoured landed next to the others with a disgusting splutch that Gleam regained enough presence of mind to make a move at all.
He tried to open his mouth to scream, but all Gleam could manage was a strangled noise. Just enough sound to really get the abomination's attention.
The THING turned its maw toward him, drawn to the sound of a new potential meal. Its teeth were still slick and dripping from the pony it had just torn apart - somepony Gleam had shared a mess tent with and seen struggling to succeed in training, somepony whose name Gleam had half-heard in passing - Oak or something - and somepony who'd shared a few jokes with everypony waiting in line for the shower. A regular, living pony just like everypony else. And now that maw was itching to add Gleam's head to the space next to his!
But Gleam's legs were locked in terror still, he couldn't move and it was getting closer, it was getting closer - !
A magical aura burst to life as somepony else grabbed Gleam with telekinesis and flung him away from the approaching menace. Lightning Dust was Celestia-knows-where, Birch Bright and Sunspire were running, but Nova Blast was still standing. |
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 17, 2013 6:07:04 GMT -5
Just then a bright flash blinded Gleam, as suddenly he found himself once more in the training yard. All of the trainers, sans two, were there waiting for them. As he looked about he saw more and more ponies teleporting into the yard after him. "Alright maggots, training is done for the day." said Big Axe in his thunderous voice, "Canterlot is under attack by nightmares and they need reinforcements. We're to teleport back there immediately and help out. Remember, nightmares can corrupt you if you're not careful and I don't want to see any corrupted slayer wannabes, or I'll take them down myself. Now get in your teams and let's go!"
At that, the trainees rushed to find their teammates, each group hurrying to a teleporter and vanishing out of sight. Lightning Dust dragged Gleam over to their own group, most of which have still not recovered from the shock of the undead. Nova Blast however quickly took charge and headed them over to a teleporter, sending to to Canterlot.
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