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Post by Red Charge on Jun 12, 2014 17:31:24 GMT -5
They slowly progressed down that corridor and a severe stench began to catch their snouts. The smell was beyond description, something their pony snouts has yet to encounter. There were no lit torches in this part and the only lights they had to go on were the ones from the corridor they came from, slowly they were plunging themselves into a darker area. So much so that they could just barely see each other anymore. On occasion one of the fillies would step on some decaying flesh, or something else unidentifiable. Sapphire nearly threw up several times along the way until her stomach finally gave halfway through. Unfortunately, to avoid the flesh on the ground she was hovering at the time and some of it got on Hoplite.
Fillydelphia was showing much more inner strength, or was it defiance? Was she so broken that she shut herself off from her senses? They did not encounter any golems on this aisle and Fillydelphia speculated that the Xs were to mark it a forbidden hallway, perhaps inhabited by something worse than golems. Maybe an abomination like the one they saw above. They finally reached the point where they could no longer see anything past their hoof in front of their face and the corridor split into many short pathways. They weren't sure, but there were either doors on the end, or the hallways stretched on much further than they could see.
Fillydelphia lit her horn, reluctant at first to use her magic, but giving in to the situation. Indeed, they were standing in front of many doors, Fillydelphia counted seven, but which one to go into? None of them had any special markings, only lines, the leftmost door starting with one line and the rightmost door ending with 7.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2014 19:19:36 GMT -5
Hoplite and Phalanx were more than unnerved and disgusted throughout the whole ordeal. Between stepping over fleshy substances they couldn't see, dealing with the foulest stench they had ever encountered, and Hoplite getting puke in his coat they were starting to run out of patience with this wretched maze.
Phalanx looked between what little she could see of their options. Several doors with a few etched lines, with no other hint as to what lay beyond it. By now, she would have been more than willing to leave this place if she could without consequence, and had more than lost patience with all the pathway-choosing. "Anypony have a clue what those lines mean?"
"A puzzle?" Hoplite asked nopony in particular.
"A hint to the Golem Maker to what part of the maze these led to?" Phalanx continued the question stream.
"A number system for chambers he works in?"
"Ugh, any clue you two?" Phalanx asked the militia ponies, just wanting to have a solid decision on this matter as soon as possible. Sooner we get Watermark, or find out where he ended up, sooner we can get out of here she thought to herself.
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Post by Red Charge on Jun 16, 2014 2:37:40 GMT -5
"It's just doors. Just open one, sheesh." Fillydelphia said irritably, "Not like there's a riddle or a puzzle we need to solve, you just go up to whichever door and open it. I'm betting one of those leads to Watermark."
Sapphire shrugged, she was in a very sullen mood since her tackle with Fillydelphia and hasn't spoken much at all.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2014 2:43:12 GMT -5
"Oh good," Phalanx started, approaching the door with two lines, "No pressure or anything if this goes to Tartarus." Hoplite kept close behind her as she approached the door.
"And no pressure if this leads to Watermark's corpse, huh?" Hoplite remarked grimly.
"That's kind of what I meant, Hoppy," she replied. With an sharp, anxious intake of breath, she pushed the door open.
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Post by Red Charge on Jun 16, 2014 3:02:41 GMT -5
The door opened into another long, thin corridor leading forwards into further in. At the end of the corridor was another door. This corridor, like the larger one was not regularly cleaned however it did not contain any of the rotting flesh or blood that the parent corridor did. It was just a plain albeit tight corridor. Fillydelphia took the lead so she could light the way, fortunately there were no hidden turns or doors along the walls and when they finally reached the door it swung open rather easily, allowing them to pour out into a rather large chamber.
In this chamber they noticed several ceiling hatches opening into cages constructed on the ceiling proper. There were no stairs or any feasible method for any of them to reach the cages. The cages themselves were full of skeletal remains and decaying corpses, one cage in particular seemed to have been collapsed due to the weight of the corpses. on the floor was what they assumed was the goop that dripped from said skeletons over a long period of time and the walls were lined with corpse piles. The stench was unbearable and Sapphire felt she'd have to wash herself in rainbows for days before she could get it off her.
Looking around as they came in, Fillydelphia pointed upwards at an unconscious Watermark lying in a very uncomfortable position on a bunch of skeletons in a cage. "Good thing you came with us Sapphire, get him down." Fillydelphia ordered, but not a moment after she spoke a low, unearthly rumble caught their ears.
A growl began emanating from what Fillydelphia previously thought to be a corpse pile. But then, surprisingly enough a somewhat skeletal creature lifted up from it, bits of flesh and decay still clung to its bones. It was massive, easily capable of biting clean through the ponies. It was the body of a Frozen Feral Praetorian, the breeding males of a pack of Frozen Ferals and protectors of the Den Mother. Hoplite and Phalanx were briefed on those shortly after a team of 'experts' cleared them out from the caves in the Hoofington area. One of them must have wondered here somehow, alive or undead.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2014 3:21:26 GMT -5
Phalanx and Hoplite were once again scrunching their noses as the onslaught of foul stench attacked their senses as Fillydelphia opened the second door into a room filled with cages. Fillydelphia stepped into the room, and the two siblings wandered into the room to take in the sights...and scents, as awful as both were.
"So many ponies starved and rotted to death down here...and these were ponies that got past that trap at the front door," Phalanx mused.
"I think I'd rather be crushed...or eaten...starving isn't exactly a fun way to go," Hoplite added, stepping next to his sister.
"Don't jinx it," Phalanx nervously chuckled. Both turned their attention to the unconscious zebracorn in the cage. "Well hey, at least he's here. Could be sleeping, unconscious, or worse...but he's here."
"Which means less walking around looking for him," Hoplite nodded. It was then the growl emitted through the room, turning the attention of the siblings to the rising skeletal beast in the room.
"Is that...was that..." Phalanx drew her spear nervously,
"I'd rather not answer that!" Hoplite snarled, drawing his shield and stepping in front of Phalanx. "Sapphire, keep doing what you're doing! Everyone else, keep that thing's focus away from her and Watermark!"
Phalanx drew in a sharp breath, taking off into the air and plotting a wide path of attack to make a prodding attack against the lumbering beast. Hoplite started bashing his shield tauntingly before advancing towards the skeletal beast. She had no idea what Fillydelphia would be doing, but she knew that the four of them weren't dropping this creature. Her spear would barely scrape the bone, Hoplite might shatter a *few* of the bones, and Fillydelphia...well, it's not like she knew what the unicorn was capable of.
If we can get Watermark out, maybe we can leave this thing and exit the maze...? she thought, hoped to herself.
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Post by Red Charge on Jun 16, 2014 3:59:25 GMT -5
"Hmm." Fillydelphia said, "I bet you that thing fell into that cage up there and ripped it from its hinges." She surveyed the room lazily, while Sapphire took to the air and, turning upside down, began yanking on Watermark's cage. "It's got some sorta spell on it, I think it keeps 'em unconscious!" She said, still upside down. Her helmet slid slightly from her head as she began to buck at the cage, trying to kick it loose. However, lacking the ferocious' undead size and strength, it seemed her kicks weren't doing much.
The creature circled Phalanx and Hoplite for several moments, deciding which of them to attack first. The two felt as though a wave of freezing water splashed against them as they felt the undead's aura of dread spread seeping into their bones. As if the creature was not terrifying looking enough, now it was enough to cause both their wills to waver. Fillydelphia seemed relatively calm, but her hooves were shaking slightly and her eye movements became more frantic as she searched the room for something that might help.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2014 4:18:26 GMT -5
Phalanx's ears drooped and she swerved out of her attack as the beast's mere presence started to peel away at her will. Fear freshly inspired and her courage stripped, she pulled back to reassess the room and her situation.
Ooookay...spear's not going to do anything, the thing's mostly just bone...could try breaking them. That thick, though? she thought as she tried moving to the beast's side.
"Hoplite! You thinking what I'm thinking with those bones?" she called out, trying to keep it's gaze for her brother to advance.
"Probably, but...you sure?" Hoplite called back, advancing with his shield raised.
"Do you have a better plan?" Phalanx retorted.
"Nope...in that case, go!" Hoplite rushed towards the beast with his shield at the ready, his steps unsure and his expression more nervous than determined. As he did so, Phalanx plotted a wide path to the beast's side with the intent to kick at one of it's forelegs as hard as she could. If she was lucky, the beast would focus on Hoplite and miss her entirely. If she wasn't, then Hoplite had an opening to bash at it's front. If the praetorian repelled both of them, well... to put it simply, she *really* hoped it wouldn't.
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Post by Red Charge on Jun 16, 2014 4:44:45 GMT -5
The praetorian however, didn't wait for Phalanx to move, he lunged at Hoplite, using its superior weight to push the earth pony back, one claw easily circling the shield, which it now grasped in its jaw and tearing at Hoplite's side, through the armor.
"Drop the shield Hoplite," Fillydelphia said, as her horn began to glow, immediately Hoplite felt great force exerted on his shield, spinning it like a helicopter rotor, the creature, unprepared for such a maneuver lost its entire lower mandible as it ripped through it, then sustaining several heavy blows to its skull before it backed up finally.
Meanwhile above them, Sapphire took to a different approach, she took off towards the nearest wall and used it as a counter-platform to launch off of, delivering a heavy kick with her flying momentum. But it wasn't enough. If only the cage was not up on the ceiling!
"Hey Fil, do you know any of those gravity spells? Can you turn me upside down?" She yelled.
"I know one, but I'll need a while to use it, means both of us have to stay perfectly still for a minute or two!" Fillydelphia replied.
"Hoplite, Phalanx keep those things off of us." Sapphire said, clinging to the cage without moving, forcing herself not to lose her lunch again at the smell.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2014 5:34:06 GMT -5
Hoplite yelled as the praetorian's jaw grasped his shield and raked at his side, no doubt feeling the claws causing damage, startling Phalanx from her plan of attack enough for her to abandon it.
Fillydelphia was quick on the draw, however, and after calling to Hoplite to release his shield caused it to spin like a saw, ripping through the beast's lower jaw and bashing it's skull enough for it to back up. Phalanx flew over to her brother, keeping off the ground as she briefly checked his wounds. Nothing serious...good thing he's wearing all that armor, she thought to herself as Fillydelphia and Sapphire discussed their latest plan.
"Okay, yeah, sure! Keep the giant, lumbering beast from keeping an eye on you two for a full minute! No problem!" Phalanx called out sarcastically before dropping her spear near the exit and turning to Hoplite. "Any ideas? That spear's going to be about as useful as a butter knife, so I've got nothing."
"Uhh...don't get bit?" Hoplite grumbled, grabbing and readjusting his shield on his foreleg.
"Sound advice...anything else?"
"Hit it's head really hard?"
"Spoken like a master of his craft," Phalanx muttered.
"You're the one supposed to be seeing it's weak points and exploiting them. I'm the guy keeping their gaze off you, if you'll remember," Hoplite smirked, already moving towards the beast, eyes focused on it's claws and teeth.
"Point taken, head trauma it is," Phalanx called out before flying up and above the beast. She didn't have as much room as she'd like, but Phalanx certainly seemed to have an idea with the counter-platform technique she tried on the cage mere moments ago. It's probably going to hurt me more than it'll hurt it, but it's a plan...right? As Hoplite made a dash towards the beast's side, Phalanx made her way quickly towards the ceiling, waiting for it's gaze to either shift to her or her brother. You know what to do if it keeps it's eyes on you, as does Hoplite. Keep it together, it's *only* an undead Frozen Feral Praetorian...
This better be worth it by the time it's over, Watermark.
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Post by Red Charge on Jun 16, 2014 5:50:40 GMT -5
The creature was more wary this time of Hoplite's shield, however its size allowed it to keep both ponies well within reach. Of course, it had its own surprises, jumping to the side, the creature's claws clung to the wall, tearing through the stone and grasping firmly, before the creature launched itself up at Phalanx, ramming her into a cage, knocking the air out of her lungs. Unfortunately for the pegasus mare, the cage ripped from the wall by the creature's strength and tipped over, trapping her beneath it and a pile of rotten bodies. Phalanx could not see outside of the cage, compressed under the bodies as she were and the added weight of the compressed bodies and the cage immobilized her. with every breath she took more grime from the corpses stuck to her snout.
The creature landed some distance away from Hoplite and turned to face him, having lost sight of Phalanx. It roared triumphantly as it was facing one less opponent and its aura of dread spread out all over again, freezing Hoplite's bones even more than before.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2014 6:05:57 GMT -5
Hoplite grimaced as he moved to the beast's side. This thing was *way* too big to take on. Phalanx might find a weak point, but now they'd have to rely on just her being able to strike it. Chances are, the praetorian knew this well enough.
And then the beast leaped to the side, latching onto the wall nearest to it. Stunned by this action, Hoplite could only watch as the Frozen Feral threw itself at his sister. The pegasus was rammed into a cage, Phalanx barely managing a squeak from the air being forced from her lungs as the whole cage was ripped from the wall, burying Phalanx under a mound of corpses. Judging from how he couldn't so much as see or hear his sister after that attack, he assumed she wasn't getting out any time soon.
He gulped, his ears flattening to the sides of his head as his situation dawned on him. He had to keep this thing's attention *alone*. No aid from his sister, no aid from the militia ponies, and once more without even the vainest hope of defeating this thing. As it roared and the sense of dread returned, Hoplite backed up several feet. What...what do I do? Look confident and challenge it? Look weak and bait it? he asked himself, raising his shield vainly in front of him.
He looked to his shield, a thought dawning on him. It was in no way a brilliant strategy, in fact it was downright stupid, but he didn't exactly have time to see what would keep the creature's gaze. It's been responding to threats...and it's wary enough of what the shield did to it's jaw... he thought to himself as he adjusted the straps on his foreleg, tightening his grasp on the shield. Without it in the way, attacking me would be more inviting...but with it on, I could try corralling it, or something. He gritted his teeth, running towards the feral with the shield at his side, ready to swing at a moment's notice.
Hurry up, you two, I'd rather not be this thing's breakfast.
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Post by Red Charge on Jun 16, 2014 6:16:52 GMT -5
As Hoplite charged forth he noticed that Fillydelphia and Sapphire had stopped what they were doing. Were they finished? No. Sapphire was still right side up and approaching quickly. As the praetorian was about to swipe at Hoplite's attack, she bucked it over the head roughly, cracking the skull where the shield had hit it previously. The creature back handed Hoplite out of the way as it turned to face her, Hoplite was lucky to be wearing a helmet, as his head banged loudly against the wall. Even so he was able to catch on to the pegasu' plan. She wasn't strong enough to take those cages down, but the praetorian was, if she could bait it to repeat what it had done with Phalanx.
Fillydelphia galloped over to the fallen shield bearer, "You couldn't do it on your own, we had to stop, but I think Sapphire knows what to do. I know you want to get your sister out but we can't move or it might attack us instead."
Sapphire, finally in her element, skillfully dodged the swipes by the creature and hovered up to the ceiling where Watermark's cage was. Baiting it. The Feral looked up after her and became tense, but did not jump. After several moments of this standstill Sapphire took off her helmet and threw it at the creature and was surprised as it jumped her midway through the action. Unlike Phalanx, he did not ram her. He drove a claw straight through her gut, colliding into the cage and dropping it down, further impaling the poor pegasus on its claw. The cage fell loudly on its side on the floor and Watermark and the other corpses rolled out of it.
"Wake him up." Fillydelphia said, there was something very sinister about her voice now. She ran towards the tiger beast and shot a concussion blast at its leg joint, causing it to trip. With painstaking effort, she lifted Watermark's cage off the ground and hurled it at the creature knocking it against the far side wall, Sapphire still impaled on its claw. With the creature momentarily immobile she rushed forth firing powerful blasts from her horn at the feral's wrist joints again and again to try and sever the joint entirely.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2014 6:41:22 GMT -5
Hoplite blinked as Sapphire started her attack, his gaze shifting to the pegasus mere moments before he felt the full weight of the creature's claws impacting with his side, sending him crashing into a wall. His head's momentum was stopped more suddenly than the rest of his body, his ears ringing from the impact and his head aching terribly. He rubbed the side of his head as he got back to his hooves, looking to Fillydelphia as she explained that Sapphire had a plan.
Finally, somepony with a decent plan, he thought grimly, looking to the pegasus. She's...baiting it to bring down the cage? That's, well, actually rather clever...if it works, we've got an easy way to get Watermark out. And so he watched, rubbing his head idly and looking to where Phalanx had gone down. Fillydelpha was right, as much as he hated to admit it, he couldn't go make sure his sister was alright underneath that mound of corpses. He strained his ears to try and pick up something from that side of the room, but it was drowned out by the sounds of Sapphire and the Frozen Feral.
Turning his gaze back to the two just in time to watch as the Praetorian finally took the bait...and impaled Sapphire in the process. The cage crashed down, and Hoplite found himself feeling even more sickened by the whole ordeal. Soon, Fillydelphia was running towards the beast in a fury, and Hoplite had maybe all of a few seconds to react. He had to get Watermark out of the room, save his sister from that mound of corpses, and do it before the Feral impaled anypony else.
With a renewed gait, he removed his shield and threw it to the side of the room his sister's spear laid, he needed to move as quickly as possible and a shield was just going to slow that down. He ran to the Watermark's side, kneeling down as he pulled the zebracorn a bit away from the corpses. He grabbed Watermark, lifting up his upper torso and shaking as violently as he dared shake the zebracorn. "Watermark! Wake up, for Celestia's sake! Life-threatening situation, can't deal with it while you doze, so wake up and lend us some help!" he yelled.
You had better wake up, Watermark. 'Cause if you don't, I don't think I can get my sister out of that pile of corpses *and* that massive cage.
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Post by Red Charge on Jun 16, 2014 6:53:49 GMT -5
Watermark stirred slightly and his eyes fluttered but he was not awakened that easily. That spell must have had him knocked out good. It was actually surprising that the powerful smell of decaying corpses didn't wake him up to begin with.
Fillydelphia did manage to disconnect the claw from the Feral and immediately took to lifting the claw and hovering it towards the exit, getting Sapphire only three quarters of the way before the cage smashed hard into her head, knocking her helmet off. Fortunately, it was merely a glancing blow. Fillydelphia shook her head, as her loose, sweaty black mane covered a part of her face, the visible part dripping with blood. Realizing she had no time to attempt another spell, Fillydelphia threw several more concussive blasts at the Praetorian to no avail. These struck the Praetorian's legs, throwing it off balance enough so that it couldn't charge her. Buying her precious more seconds to start hurling corpses at it blindly, running towards the door now, she'd try to lift Sapphire from the safety of the corridor, there was not much else she could do, she had no chance to fend off this beast on her own.
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