Crystal Symphony [CYOA]

You decide to avoid releasing any more of your magic in case you will be forced to use it in the imminent battle, or simply because you do not want to risk losing your conscious while you are already in this troublesome situation. While Bearwalski could probably manage to hide the presence of other ponies besides you, you need him to concentrate his powers purely on yourself. You give ‘Brick a nod he blindly understands and then, you step forward.

You ascend with a careful, patient step. You look back to see the small portion of the army follow suit; the very moment they forced to battle the timber lion. In a pleasant surprise, Mudbrick blasts its head with a single buck.

You pass several wooden and timber versions of real-life animals, deer and snakes included. It seems, you consider, this “Warden Tree” has its own ecosystem. Excluding the living and passing beings of nature who give you no bother, there are also multitudes of engravings similar to the timber lion previously seen. They are just that, unmoving cuts.

You ascend further up the petrified tree and the narrowest trope imaginable. The strange thorns sparkle in the dim sunlight; this makes you question their sharpness and if it can even be rivaled by simple, pony-folk sword and steel. You walk into a circular opening, a formation of branches held together with vines, dried leaves and fallen branches. You are able to notice several… crystallize statues here, all three made out of different kind of crystal each. One of them is a feminine looking shape of a dog-like creature. The second is a female gryphon and the last is a male pony. On closer inspection, you notice a hardened layer of greenish goo surrounding their now long-deceased bodies.

>What do you do now?

>>28206530
Examine the dead carefully. Can we tell if the Furies killed them? Also, try to stay low and be aware of your surrounding.

>>28206530
I wonder if the Furies took them. Mot much I think we can do. Does Red have any ideas about these figures?

“Hey, Red Sulfur,” you turn your head to spot the apprentice of Ginger Spice but… he’s nowhere to be seen. There are sounds of destructed terrain, cracking woods and moaning pleas of pain; it seems that unlike you the animals did not allow Red Sulfur to pass to easily and stood in their path. That stallion should be fine, but it will take time for them to reach where you currently are. Without Red Sulfur’s explanation, those are just that for you, statues…

You approach the crystallized phantoms with a careful eye of what is surrounding you. There are a few oaken squirrels and birds, as well as a single, creeping owl. Aside from that, the entire are is clear and empty. All three of the crystallized creatures have a look of agony and pain portrayed over their faces. The crystal layers covering their skin have a clean and even feel to it, completely different from the uncut embracement that is your form. On one of them, the gryphon female, the greenish layer is still wet and soft; it is still new.

The last you met, the Furies did not have an ability to do something like this… Perhaps you missed something?

You look around yourself: nothing. You can carry on with your ascend or wait for the others to reach this spot.

>What do you do now?

>>28207079
I think we should wait.

>>28207179
>>28207079
Same here. Hide, wait and see what will happen.

You decide to hide your presence even more than you already are and, with Bearwalski’s permission, you swiftly trot into the nearby gathering of branches. With a powerful surge of natural energy, the twigs enclose around your body and blossom in a dozen of white flowers, making you stealthy from what might, and probably is, about to come out.

In ten minutes or so, Mudbrick and his army are finally able to reach the branched platform with the crystallized bodies. While Mudbrick only has a couple of small rends over his body, some of his soldiers are not so lucky; they are all still able to charge and fight, due to the effects of the “Fidelty Helmet”, yet their bodies are visibly struggling.

Mudbrick tosses a cut head of one of the wooden creatures and, in a loud echo, counts, “That makes five.”

Red Sulfur clears his throat and allows the hood to fall off his head. He looks around, probably searching for you.

Then, in a strange but obvious trap, a creature crawls out of the bark. The sleazy goo forms into what can only be described as half-ooze, half-crystal creature. With hundreds of all-colored particles presents and flowing, like a lava-lamp, inside of it, the creature menacingly crawls, forward, like a slug. It resembles either a petrified resin or rosin.

Mudbrick turns towards it immediately. With a grunt, he takes a step back. He considers if his kick will be effective.

Red Sulfur grabs Mudbrick by his shoulder. The inattentive stallion did not even spot the statues behind him first.

At closer inspection, you can spot several of those ooze-creatures forming all around them. It is a trap.

>What do you do now?

>>28207649
Think we may sacrifice some power to maybe TK a path through? Maybe give some power instead to Bearwalski?

>>28207707
>>28207649
I feel like it could work. TK some of the bastards out of the way with least possible magic loss and power forwards.

You consider giving some power to your oaken cub, Bearwalski; at first. Then, you remember how your dark magic and his natural magic is able to coexist, that is to say, the complete lack of thereof. You look at Bearwalski with a mental smile one could only give a friend and whisper, “Perhaps, you can prepare us a safe retreat?” you ask.

You decide to act quickly and, with a patient control of your mind you form the dark runes of the powerful, evil magic. A cloud of light-consuming, hovering energy escapes from within your body and forms into a miasma of telekinetic energy; you do not waste any time to put it to use. You blink, forcing yourself to stay awake. Your magic quickly surrounds the ooze that is the living resin of the “Warden Tree” and, with a pushover force, you toss it away.

>Body Changes:
04% [-1] Alicorn ‘Dark’ Magic[Magic]
02% [+1] Volatile Arcane [Magic]

Just in time, it seems. The natural magic creeping inside the ooze is able to break through your telekinesis with ease. A bit too late, you allow yourself to grin. The creature is falling from such height; it will probably land and explode.

A narrow road opens further into the tree, it is wavering and crooked. The second ooze creature is quickly forming into the same slug-like form as the previous one you just got rid of. Mudbrick appears to be confused at the current situation yet, he’s standing in a proper battle stance; he’s preparing to fight for his life. Red Sulfur, thanks to his “Quartz Eye” or not, has managed to finally spot the crystallized creatures. He’s inspecting them with a narrow eye.

>What do you do now?

>>28208114
Fucking run, dammit.

>>28208114
Can't we just get them to run?

“Mudbrick,” you shout at the small gathering of forces as you smack your hoof. You attempt to grab their attention and it seems, Mudbrick, without any trouble or argument, answers you with a positive nod. The stallion, this time, grabs Red Sulfur by his shoulder instead and the two, with the other soldiers behind them, run for it. Bearwalski jiggles his head as the path, barely, opens just enough to make it possible to climb without crouching.

Once you are certain Mudbrick and Red Sulfur away from trouble, you take a step forward. But then, one of the Fidelity Helmet wearing soldiers stumbles and falls, forcing his hooves through the branched flooring. As he attempts to stand up, the ooze-like creature consumes him whole. The goo it is made out is transparent and you are able to see the soldier flinging in a suffocating despair. The particles of crystals inside of it are quickly covering his body, literally finding their home on his skin and, quite possible-to –come once he’s dead, bones. It does not waste time.

>What do you do now?

>>28208447
We cannot save everyone no matter what we do. Proceed, but use TK one more time if needed.

>>28208447
I want to save him and pull him out. I want to so badly. I don't want Aurora watch him die when she could have done something.

Just waiting if you guys'd like to discuss this, else I pick the one I'd like to go with.

>>28208631
Using too much of our power will not help us in the long run. Plus, as I said, we cannot save every single one of the ponies involved. Such is life.

>>28209134
But we can save this one. I'll agree and let Aurora's hesitation to save him and have her realize it's too late for him. She has to feel like shit afterwards.

>>28209216
Reasonable enough. We shouldn't let people die and feel nothing about it. Again.

You stumble forward and prepare to manifest the black, drawing canvas inside your mind. You make the first line of the cursed text that is required to mark and create the magic of alicorns and demon-ponies alike. You stop, you stop suddenly. You realize it with a horror in your own mind: you will not be able to save all of them, you are simply too weak to even protect yourself right now. Using every single bit of the energy inside you is a risk not worth taking.

It is too late for the poor, obedient servant of Sombra regardless. In a painful, longing minute that you stare in shock, he succumbs to the ooze and drowns. His lifeless body will remain inside that creature for a long time, you wager in a shock. The creature stops and gurgles clearly pleased with its prey. To your dismay, two more of the oozes wither out of the petrified bark; they have a slightly dark color to them with their crystal particles sharing a blue-gold hue.

As soon as you and the rest of the army run up, they follow. They are not as slow you would have hoped for. The trope is narrow and despite your best struggles, they are slowly approaching the last chain and member of your group, yet another innocent “Fidelity Helmet” soldier. Mudbrick throws you a grim look and suddenly, stops.

>What do you do now?

>>28209415
Mudbrick wants to stay and fight, probably. He wants to defend his soldier, even if it is just mindless body. Try to use your crystal figure. We do not need air.

>>28209415
Tell Mudbrick you'll protect the troops he had to keep moving, then go fight those lifeless slime.

You gently slip through the trope as you allow the soldiers to pass until you reach Mudbrick. He looks at you with you a brutal, ready-to-fight attitude. You shake your head in a grinding negative and with a push you point him towards the ascending trope. His confusion is quickly changed into compliant and dutiful embark. Instead, you climb down to face and hold the creatures themselves. Bearwalski, following you obvious taunt, allows them to sense you.

The ooze creation is swift to consume your hoof and part of your body. You smash your crystal head in an attempt to break into it but, instead, you drown further in. Like a quicksand, it consumes you with a painful, sinking slowness. You struggle to release yourself with the strength that a golem is supposed to have and use! Instead, you sink further into it until you can feel the tree sap draining your powers and see the crystal debris teasingly floating around you.

You force your hoof through the creature’s head, or where this blob of a mutant is supposed to have it, and then you rip it open. You force your body through the opening, struggling to leave the living prison. Bearwalski rends the creature with a help of his own, a powerful surge and cut of the nearby tree. The ooze blows up into hundred of liquid pieces; like an amoeba, every single one of them attempts to escape your rage. They wither away.

Covered in the green ooze and weakened every more than usual you do not even notice the, previously floating crystals, present inside the goo now attached to your body. They are covering part of your body, holding like glue. The second ooze creature does not waste time; it is already preparing to carry on the failure of its twin.

>Body Changes:
03% [-1] Alicorn ‘Dark’ Magic[Magic]
03% [+1] Volatile Arcane [Magic]

05% [+5] Gravity Scapolite [Crystal]
07% [-5] Crystalline Debris [Damage]

>What do you do now?

>>28210020
Well we got rid of one of these shits. With our level of magic low already I am not sure if we can fuck up another - if I understood correctly, contact hurts our magic, which is our vis vitalis. Can Bearwalski try to lure it away to give our army more time?

You grunt in a visible displeasure as you jump away from the upcoming monster. It creepily turns towards you without wasting either speed or time. The monstrous, crawling creature of tree resin and cowardly, natural magic comes near you again. The invisible, but so painful, tendrils of his body surround you, like a cushion. The “Warden Tree” goo stops on its way as soon as you are no longer an enemy (an invader), but just another flower in a garden.

The ooze inside of it creepily boils, reflecting your presence. It turns with a sludge and makes slow progress towards the remains of Mudbrick’s army. It might take a while for it to catch up to them, but, it eventually will. You nod at your most favorite, most likeable and cutest of all oaken bear cubs – Bearwalski. You say, “Bearwalski, do you think we can somehow lure this thing away? I don’t think we’ll be able to escape it for much longer, and I don’t like it.”

The cub looks at you with an innocent, though deadpan, expression and then simply raises part of the tree to stumble the massive collection of miasma and liquid and force it to become a falling snowball. The ooze hits several of the dead, stone-like branches on it ways and then disappears in the petrified crown of bark underneath you.

It is betrayal from within. “That works too,” you comment at the pleased cub of yours.

Your army has managed to reach the further layers of the tree while you are stuck here with the crystallized statues. But then, there’s a sudden echoing and metal-like caw that is more than familiar to you, it the cry of the “Furies”.

>What do you do now?

That'd be all for today then, thank for playing!

>>28211489
Good night Vince. I'll post suggestion tomorrow.

Here, have a bump at page 10

good night bump

>>28211225
Keep climbing I guess. Hurry to catch up to the army.

>>28213342

>>28215544

>>28211225
I guess we have only one option, >>28214324 this one. Warn our ponies about the scream, they can't hear it now, so we have to inform them. Are there any good hideouts here? Between the branches or something?

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Cute changeling bump.

You rush forward the narrow trail in the pursuit of your comrades; the painless yet loud and obnoxiously ringing caw grows in volume and strength. You ascend the road devoid of painful and dangerous thorns as well as any bushes and piles of leaves which could be potentially hiding the creatures of nature as well as the toxic, hazardous oozes. The “Warden Tree” is a maze of slippery and impossibly strong bark, one that literally consumes and feeds on the light of the sun. There are many massive branches and corridors, and mazes, top of “forest” present, potential to hide for both you and the guardians of this tree.

That’s what they are, right; the present sentinels of the “Warden Tree”?

You arrive on top of one the small, encumbered platform. It is a claw-like branch holding the tree-trunk like a dragon claw would hold its most precious possession. You slip through the massive finger until you arrive on the “palm” of the claw. You are covered in the thick shadow of the claw-looking branch. Despite that, the openings between the fingers are so huge, it is of no problem for Celestial sun to glitter through them and bright up your way.

The soldiers are standing ready; you can barely hear their coughing, painful breathing. It appears that even they managed to hear the caw of the “Fury”. Mudbrick is waving his hoof at you; he’s calling for your attention. You approach them with a careful step. Red Sulfur is holding a strange, multicolored fruit closely resembling a flame flicker in his hooves. With a clearly surprised voice, he mutters, “This is a passion fruit,” he says, more to himself than towards you, “But it can only be found on the very far south meadows of Badlands, in the “Crimson Oasis”… How is this possible,” he bites his tongue, trying to come up with a clear, reasonable answer. He hates thinking; it seems so, as he cringes, “Why is it here?”

You stop and point Red Sulfur towards yet another crystallized statue, a once living creature of the sky, a teenage dragon. Red Sulfur nearly drops the fruits from his hooves as he shakes his head, “… I do not understand a thing.”

Then, you hear whistle, a whistle so shattering it cuts through the sound barrier of the air itself: Golden Shield’s javelin. It passes above your heads with a momentary glitter, a reflective ember. The echo is so powerful, at first you do not even realize what is happening but then… you can hear it with an absolute clearance. The Royal Legate took the battle to the sky himself, and he threw his javelin to a height impossible. One of the “Furies”, enraged, roars into the air. The powerful, magic noise of the creature forces almost all of your “Fidelity Helmet” wearing soldiers to fall on their knees in obvious, crying pain. Despite the distance, the fear is present; their despairing reaction is crystal.

The “Fury” charges towards Golden Shield, you can only assume, with such strength it makes the branch tremble. The reaction of the spirits is immediate; they begin to manifest themselves all around you. There’s a timber wolf, an oaken elk, a pine ape. There’s a boiling, furious green hue blazing inside their eyes, one of animal instinct: protection.

>What do you do now?

I fucked up and divided the update into three instead of two post, beg ya pardon.

>>28217719
Holy shit so that poisonous berries don't work as supposed? Well fuck. I guess we're the only one capable of any elaborate action. Or maybe Mudbrick and Red, they seem unaffected. Let the former command his army as he pleases. I don't know if we can help Shield in other way than getting Furies' attention on us.

>>28217710
Golden Shield is so dreamy.

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It seems that I'm going to be sleeping when most of you are able to roleplay, expect you anon. Perhaps we should postpone next session until next thursday?

>>28218687
Do what you feel like, Vince. Timezones are bitches.

>>28218812
They are, I expected to run after work next week but I was put on a morning shift again. That it seems there's not as much interest, if people could say why it would be appreciated.

>>28218970
I honestly hope you won't switch to some superlate hours, but I'm one person.

>>28218970
I am usually busy until 4 pm EST on most days. I play when I can but I think it'll be more fun once this shit is over with. I can't describe this mission as fun, it's more stressful to me than anything else when I played recently.

I swear to Amore, if the Equestrian forces don't get here soon I am going to kill somebody.

>>28218687
dang man

>>28226725
I just don't think the daily updates-system works with how fast the board is.

>>28229066
Are there alternatives?

>>28230261
Besides an array of bumps? Only running on weekends when he is free.

>>28221603
What you plan us to do once this mission is done?

>>28217719
Give our protection or whatever to Brick. Maybe Bearwalski can do his magic to tangle up the elk?

>>28230879
Finally go the fuck back to the CE proper and get to work looking for powerful magic mcguffins while exploring characters and their relationships. Maybe track down the resistance while we're at it.

very fast bump running at incredbl hihg sped

>>28232494
This, if I have to be honest. But possibly with some allies, which will make things a bit easier.

Bumpity.

>>28235846

Bamp.

Oh wow, thank you for bumping!

“Bearwalski,” you shout, standing ground as the elemental zoo unleashes their assault, “Protect Mudbrick, now!”

The “Royal Centurion” stops before his painfully trembling and crawling soldiers; the caw alone was enough to put them into a miserable stasis. The glittering, green vines surrounding him just in time for his rebuttal; the elk and the wolf stop before him in a bewilderment and confusion. All of a sudden, the magic of the cub makes him appear friendly, neutral and part of the “Warden Tree” elemental family. This quick moment is enough for the calculating Mudbrick to attack them head on, with a painful and open surprise. His single buck is enough to crush the wolf.

In return, though, Bearwalski’s energy no longer protects and caresses you; you fell tired and vulnerable. The pine ape, a creature of the same height as you, crushes its massive fists into the ground just a few inches away from your face. You jump back from it and, with a grinding and slow twist of your hips, your crystallized hoof smashes into him.

The ape is send back with a stumbling roll; it stops and stands up as fast as one can blink. His solid, circular muzzle echoes a cackle of a beast of nature, an elemental spirit: a taunting cricket song. Its timber tail twitches like a snake.

You mentally bite your tongue, “I don’t have time for this,” you rush forward, “I need to help Golden Shield!”

“Stop!” Mudbrick announces in the middle of his fight as his precise buck comes in contact with the elk’s body. “Only a single one of the ‘Furies’ went for him, ‘Royal Golem’. You’ll need to take care of the second one, the ‘Royal Legate’ asked you personally to do so. Believe in “Golden Shield”, that overgrown bird is no match for the ‘Royal Legate’!”

“Gnnh,” you hesitate verbally, “What about your soldiers!? Why is the ‘Swamp Cheery’ having no effect?”

He does not answer, he does not hear you; he’s deaf and busy, he’s in a middle of a fight.

So are you… You raise your head towards the black, approaching shadow. The pine ape is falling towards you. The glowing, clenched fists are put together above its head, as if in preparation for the right, perfect chance to smash you upside your head with strength unimaginable. Despite the astonishing feeling of headache and weakness, you can feel your dark energy boiling with rage, with annoyance and hundreds of other negative emotions and feelings.

>What do you do now?

>>28240032
Focus on the fight and out ability to dodge, push the negative emotions aside, they'll only distract us and I don't think we're up for using even more magic at this time before we've even gotten to spitfire.

Prepare to buck once that thing has its back to us after a swing

>>28240032
>>28240813
As he said, don't let negative emotions influence our already a bit blurry judgement of the situation. And dash forward to dodge the enemy then buck the shit out of this thing.

>>28240813
>>28241752
Damnit you guys, we ARE dark magic! The anger invigorates us, gives us energy!

>>28240813
>>28241752
But we need our dark magic to keep us awake, so trying to calm it down is going to make us more sleepy.

>>28241934
Well, we aren't very angry when we're asleep. And our energy replenishes then. So I assume negative emotions might not be necessary for the time being.

>>28242023
Haven't you noticed? When enraged Aurora seemingly gains a temporary boost to her abilities. It's like dark side 101 bruh.

>>28242081
I must've missed that somehow. But I'm afraid it may fuck us over.

leaving page 10 quickly!

found on page 10.

Crystals have feelings bump.

You take your emotions under control. You calm your inner anger and you prepare to face the charging wooden ape with a clear and enduring state of mind. The breath of nature, the ever-free air surrounding, and escaping, every tendril, every branch and leaf of the “Warden Trade” does not consent to allow you to do so. It weakens your spirit; it deteriorates the control of your body, forcing your dark energy to fall into a passive clash to even let you stand.

You are a bit slow to dodge the incoming ape, and in what you though would be a lot of time saved, you barely avoid the impact of his hit as you charge onward. The pine monkey, with a grin forever plastered on its face in form of a twisted bark, is quick to turn to face you. Before you can even raise your legs, it jabs its paw into your direction. The pine ape, with a surprising ease, rips off a part of your “Wonderbolt” uniform, leaving a trail of green energy behind.

You stumble back and attempt to dodge next but yet again, this manifestation of the natural fury is just too fast; its timber fingers rip off another part of your uniform, barely avoiding a contact with your crystallized flesh. Thankfully, Bearwalski comes to your rescue: the tiny cub catches the paws of the monkey within his magical vines. This forces the pine ape to stop in its mad, and rapid, movement and attack.

>Body Changes:
06% [-4] Inorganic Fiber [Armour] [Metal Latex]

This is all it takes for Mudbrick to smash his head into the stomach of the beast, raise it in a painfully looking head uppercut and then, with a slow but effective turn of his hips, he kicks both of his legs into the ape’s chest. The ape begins cracking in several places at once, the wood it is made of shatters and dissolves into hundreds of pieces.

How many ponies out of Sombra’s “Royalty Caste” are as strong as those two? - You enviously ponder.

You thank Mudbrick with a nod.

Mudbrick straightens up his neck and nods, like a soldier should, gracefully back at you. He then catches a strange, multicolored fruit thrown from another direction. You look to see who did this, and you spot Red Sulfur already inspecting and walking around the crystallized form of a teenage dragon; he looks interested, although tired. He does not bother with an explanation but Mudbrick, knowingly of his position, bites into the fruit without worry.

“This can’t be,” he says out loud, “To have so much, and so jointly, of “Futurium Ash” found together; in one place.”

You approach him with an annoying grind, “Red Sulfur, we could have had got hurt. What are you doing?”

Of course, he’s unable to hear you, though he continues on his inspection, “This can even be enough for a mirror…” With that, he looks at you with a lazy, but already victorious expression, “Aurora Flare, I want to borrow your crystal necklace,” he attempts to hold down his yawn, “Else I’ll be unable to gather this material. Think you can kindly?”

>What do you do now?

>>28247775
Signal him to give more details, we need to know what reward we're entering risk for

>>28247775
Give him the necklace and hope he tell us more of what he is planning.

>>28248188
This. I want to know everything.

You signal him with the proper gestures you, and Mudbrick’s forces, agreed on beforehoof. Of course, Red Sulfur is completely oblivious to your awkward, and even ridiculous, leg wobbles. You mentally sigh and approach him even closer. Your crystallized emeralds peer towards him as you write a single word on the ground – “Explanation”.

Red Sulfur looks at you with an insulted, harsh gesture and turns towards the black-blue crystallized flesh of a teenage dragon, a shock and struggle on his face. The pattern of his body is one of stacked mudbricks made out of ebon sand. Red Sulfur raises his hoof but avoid making a contact with the thing he identified as “Futurium Ash”. He sighs, visibly tired or lazy to clarify but understanding that you won’t agree without getting an explanation first.

He says, “It is rare to find even a tiny batch, a grain of this unique sand even for the more renowned alchemists and miners; some ponies with related Cutie Marks dedicate their entire lives to find enough of “Futurium Ash” to forge a mirror out of it. But here, there’s a statue made out of it, can you believe it! It’s not a simple reflection that you can find in a mirror though, oh no. If you merely touch it like this, you’ll be having a weekfull of nightmares. If you touch the surface of the forged mirror with hoof or magic, you’ll be forever stuck in a world constructed out of your worst fears.” He pauses, he’s keeping a serious expression, “But if you simply look into the mirror, you’ll see how you die.”

Words escape your tightened, petrified lips, “Die?”

“Yes, indeed,” he expected your answer, more like it, “And if try to avoid it, you’ll be able to see the changed future.” Red Sulfur shakes his head and then, he tightens his hood, allowing the shadow of it to fall over his eyes. He mutters, “To create something that can practically let you life forever, or until old age, is akin to a Philosopher’s Stone. They say that the only pony that, in known history, had such a mirror in his possession was… The king himself: Sombra.”

If he did, you never gave it a notice or care. In Sombra’s presence, you were in constant fear and feel of failure.

>What do you do now?

Last update for today.

>>28249333
Whoo shit. Another magical thingy plus information that our beloved leader can possibly have one of these fantastic trinkets allowing him to see if he's going to be killed. And these trips. This may be useful but is it really, really the right moment?

bumping at page 10.

>>28206507

have a good night bump

>>28249333
Man, that is tempting, but that won't do us much good if we die here. Didn't he bring gloves or a towel or a jar to deal with ingredients like this? Using the magic of the bracelet might still have the same effect on him, we need more info.

You mentally take a step backwards; you ponder on the whole situation under Red Sulfur’s direct glare. A flare of black magic mellows in your crystallized eyes. You write down the following: “It is useful. Right now, not the right time. We need to save Spitfire. We do not have time to waste. Golden Shield in trouble, too.”

“An opportunity like this will never present itself again,” he says in a rather mad monotone, “I’ve told you, didn’t I? It’s impossible, one in a million chance to stumble into such a large pile of “Futurium Ash” in one’s lifetime. Something is wrong with this “Warden Tree”, maybe not wrong,” he yawns, trying to put his sporadic thoughts into a coherent explanation, a skill he obviously lacks of, “But you can find fruits and crystals of incredible value and rarity.”

“Yeah,” you grind you head half-interested as you peer towards the echoing, returning screams of the Fury. You approach the edge of one of the claw’s talons nearby and peer into the far-away distance. You attempt to spot Golden Shield but, to no avail. Your hollow, crystallized voice forms a sigh as you ask in a written question, “Towel, Gloves, and Jar. You bring nothing. You are unprepared. Why?”

“I am,” he says with leeway attitude, “A napkin, to deal with dangerous artifacts. The “Futurium Ash” is in another league entirely, Crystal Golem.”

You write, “Necklace magic might react negatively…” He stops you mid-sentence as he reads your message out loud.

“I’m not going to use your magic, or even your whole necklace,” the stallion exclaims, “Those oozes are able to contain it within themselves, right? Yet, they are living beings and will be hard to control. From what I understand, their natural magic is in complete opposite with the dark magic inside of you, right? That’s why you act and feel like manure.” Red Sulfur twitches his hoof in an explanation, “I’d rather act than explain but… That must be the same for those creatures as well. If I put the “Futurium Ash” into a small ball of slime and then put one of your crystals into it, then it will be forced to battle the dark magic and will be weakened against it, just like you. This way, it’ll turn into a make-shift container. Simple, isn’t it? Just have to improvise a little bit. And the result? A mirror of gods! Kind of.”

>What do you do now?

>>28256264
Lets give him the necklace he seem to know what he going be doing.

>>28256264
If he's that certain, light as well give him a try

You remove your necklace off your neck and with a trusting nod you hang it towards Red Sulfur. The reef gold stallion takes your amulet with an obvious excitement; he was an enchanter in the making, as lazy as one can be, and just like Ginger Spice he was thrilled to find, discover and enchant. The apprentice of the “Royal Enchanter” removes one of the two amulets left on your necklace and gently puts it in his mouth to hold. Then, without a care or worry for time and world around him, to your boiling annoyance, Red Sulfur takes a sharp object and smashes it into the statue’s ear. The petrified dragon is unable to react; unlike you he’s nothing more but a shelled skin, a phantom.

>Inventory Change:
[Crystal Necklace (Alicorn ‘Dark’ Magic %1/7)]

Once the chunk as big as a hoof falls into the ground, Red Sulfur moves away. In a snarky surprise you watch him attempt to catch one of the jolting, vivid remains of the “Warden Tree” oozes. After a minute or two, you stand up to help him as you block the path of the, surprisingly innocent, creature. This gives Red Sulfur enough time to take the small sphere of living resin into his hooves and then bring it back to the laying chunk of “Futurium”. The energetic ball of slime freezes as soon as Red Sulfur pushes the amulet containing dark magic into it. It starts to bleak out and wither. Then, as if using a shovel, or a ball of glue, he grabs the chunk of “Futurium” into the slime container.

With a relaxed sigh he says, “Woah, it actually worked.”

He didn’t know if it would. You look around yourself and, it seems, the small break gave enough time for Mudbrick’s soldiers to rest. To your surprise, you detect Mudbrick dividing the multi-colored fruit into even pieces and giving it to each one of his soldiers. Whatever magical effect the fruit contained, or if it did, he was willing to share it.

>What do you do now?

>>28256384
Ask about the fruit

>>28256384
what's special about the fruit?

“Red Sulfur,” you ask the stallion out loud, wishing he could at least notice your lack of moving mouth and respond. You mentally sigh. You boop his head and force him to look towards the “Fidelity Helmet” soldiers which are somehow managing to chew on the fruit pieces they are given with their helmets still present over their head. You then point the apprentice towards the ground to see your simple, two-word message “Fruit explanation?”

Your writing is, probably, one of the worst in the Crystal Empire; especially now, you being a crystal golem and all.

Red Sulfur vehemently pushes the slime ball into the pockets of his cloak. His eyes widen and then narrow in annoyance. The “Quartz Eye” gazes at its wielder with a strange, cold glare. It blinks with an innocent menace. It does not appear that Red Sulfur’s eye has agreed or took part in gathering of this material; or that it likes the slime.

Red Sulfur shakes his head and then, with a carefree shrug, not caring for his hood’s feelings, yawns, “‘Passion Fruit’ is a unique crop that is able to restore the energy and remove the tiredness of those who eat it, as well as force their adrenaline to pump to action without being scared. Think of think as powerful coffee that is not going to kill you.”

“Right,” you mutter under your crystallized breath, “So simply a magical fruit.”

Red Sulfur continues, “It is supposed to be only grown, and found, in the wilderness of the far meadows of Badlands. This is the strange and eldritch thing, Aurora. This is a natural garden of Equestria. Doesn’t really welcome us, eh?”

You spot one of the soldiers approaching Mudbrick with stumbling, injured step: he was in a fight. Mudbrick can be seen glancing somewhere into the distance and then, approaching you two with a trot. He explains with a couple of sign gestures that the soldier has found something interesting and weird somewhere deep around the other side.

To your dismay, the path he is pointing towards is one that is different from the ascension trail Bearwalski created.

>What do you do now?

>>28256556
Does Mudbrick think the detour is worth it? Aurora is probably getting pretty antsy to be on her way.

>>28256551
>You boop his head
I need to see this drawn.

>>28256556
Ah, right, suggestion. Well, let's see what Mud has to say about it and mayyybe take a small peek.

In gestures, you ask Mudbrick if he thinks the detour is something you can afford right now and he, with an audible mathematics, states that you are correct and that it will be possible to leave this place to be checked for in the future. While Red Sulfur is obviously curious with Mudbrick’s initial suggestion, he notes that he’ll follow the safest option and that he’s already more than happy to be able to come here; and that he’s no longer grouchy at this.

You mentally smile at that, the smile of yours is holding many meanings, honest and ill. You pick up Bearwalski back upon your hooves and then you softly put the cute oaken cub on your rear. The spirit of nature yawns with a noise of a soft, breezing wind, seemingly tired too. “Just a bit more, please,” you ask him with a loving entreaty. He chirps.

Bearwalski’s magic, once again, expands a safe and narrow road to allow you to carry on with your ascensions without ripping and ruining your body against the sharp thorns, the slippery petrified surface of the bark or who knows what else. You pass through dead, twisted branches and then, a maze of orange-leafed trees. The “Warden Tree” is truly a garden, and traversing towards the peak of it is like walking through hundreds of forests at once.

The “Cloudsdale” unit is nowhere to be seen but you know they are nearby, and Meridian is with them, waiting.

After an exasperatingly sluggish rise you end up on top of one of the more simple, yet large, branches. The only thing that you are able to spot is a wound inside the bark, a hole at the size of a pony. Somepony, or something else entirely, has managed to breach through what appears to be impenetrable trunk, stronger than any steel or crystal. There’ a bright, glowing energy, an eldritch green fire. Even you, a crystal golem, can feel the heat coming from it.

The road disappears right before the breach and then, you when you stop; you notice greenish vines and thorns surrounding your body. When you move your head, you spot Bearwalski slowly surrounding you in a wooden cocoon. At your shout, he does not respond. At your question, he remains silent. He’s somehow… different. You no longer feel his natural protection, you no longer feel yourself safe. Barely awake, you collapse on your knee.

Mudbrick, Red Sulfur and soldiers are not sure how to react, there's an obvious, blurred confusion over their faces.

>What do you do now?

>>28257087
Wish I could deliver anon.

>>28257243
I believe in you, Vincent. I love Symphony.

>>28257177
No! We can't afford to sleep now! Not yet! Shield is counting on us! Pour everything we have into simply staying awake.

I wonder if it's a passage to heart of the tree or something. It clearly weakens us way more and influences Bearwalski, who is a spirit of nature after all.

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I think I'll finish here for today. Thanks for playing!

>>28257495
YES

see you vince.

have a good night.

page 10 already? Weird.

>>28257495
Thanks for running!

bumppppp

Up you go dammit.

>>28257356
That might be kickass. Maybe something good will happen to us for once?

>>28262500
You wanna go in?

>>28262794
Not him, but I kinda do.

You can’t afford yourself to sleep now; not now. Under the heavy, meddling presence of Berwalski and his magic, you still manage to take a step forward. Then you take another. You manage to get closer to the vividly blazing rend and as you look into it, the presence of the tree glares back. The dominant barbs of oaken cub stop you in your path, the sharp thorns caress and scrabble across your crystallized flesh and then, pierce themselves into your body. The strength and hold of his timber flora is able to keep you in place despite your paramount struggles. Your body grinds.

He doesn’t want you inside; he, or the creature that is currently controlling him.

You will have to fight Bearwalski. Find a way to shrug him off your body. In front of this “portal” you must decide if you want to enter it. It has a strange, warm and eldritch aura that welcomes you. On other hoof, it doesn’t.

>What do you do now?

>>28263872
Well shit. Can we try to talk sense into Bearwalski somehow? Try to reach him without outer interference?

“Hey there,” you shake your head, attempting to push the slowly crawling thorns off your neck. The pulsating spikes rip with a swift twist of your neck but, at what is only a blink of a moment, they come together and go on with their harassment. “Bearwalski, snap out of this! Scarab Amber won’t like what you are doing right now. Come on.”

Yet he does not respond despite your best struggles and efforts. Now, like a vile parasite, he tries to devour you in his magic. Mudbrick raises his head at you. He’s already preparing to jump in and save you. The wide branch you are currently standing on top has managed to twist, raise and lower. Like a snake, it split the soldiers from each other.

>What do you do now?

>>28264074
So yeah, he's definitely controlled by the tree right now. Can we withdraw a bit to see if it will release him from under it's control?

>>28264074
Well we are going to destroy what ever is inside the tree controlling our bear.

You can't move, you are kept in place by a lot of thorny vines and trailing plants created by Mr. B.

>>28264214
So we ether move Mr.B off us by magic, or pass out which no one wants right now. Let get Mr. B off us by magic.

>>28264253
This. We have to act.

>>28264253
You can also allow Mudbrick to interfere and take him off if you do not want to use your magic.

>>28264290
Ya get Mudbrick to remove Mr. B

>>28264290
We probably will need that magic later, so Mudbrick should be the one to get him off

>>28264309
But he should do it carefully.

“Mudbrick,” you squeal as you swing your head in a tireless effort to repel Bearwalski’s web, “Some help here?”

The bearded stallion narrows his eyes and says, with a surprisingly calm and concentrated tone, “Of course, Royal Golem, I need to calculate and take all the mathematical possibilities into account first; else it’ll end up badly.”

“Just hurry up-“

Of course, he understands. He’s an understandable and obedient warrior, a true soldier figure. Mudbrick manages to cover the jumping distance without a drop of sweat, unafraid of miscalculating and falling off the branch. The branch reacts with a wave and a raise of its form but Mudbrick has even managed to take that into account. He shortens the space between you and himself in a few seconds, and then he manages to removes a batch of thorns with his buck.

The possessed oaken cub turns his blazing, green muzzle at his direction, still holding you in his control. He raises a powerful, root-like branch from beneath Mudbrick’s hooves but the stoic soldier simple sidesteps away from it. Then, he takes a single, furious step in your direction and smashes his shoulder against Bearwalski himself. The oaken cub is send flying from the sheer impact alone, crashing against one of the branches and rolling down the tree. The sound of his pain is one of a leaking waterfall that is constantly being interfered by all the rocks on its way.

Without Bearwalski’s magic you are able to free yourself off his vines. You thank Mudbrick, a friend, with a nod.

“Happy to serve,” he shouts out loud and places his hoof to his template. The branch you are standing on begins to tremble furiously and then, several wooden silhouettes start forming on top of it; silhouettes of all sort of animals.

If you really want to enter the wound inside the “Warden Tree” now, you will have to hurry. You will need to leave the others to their own challenge.

>What do you do now?

>>28264468
We need to kill what ever is in the tree controlling all the animals right now.

>>28264468
Fucking run in there.

>>28264468
Get in there you lump of rock.

“Royal Centurion, I trust you to take care of this,” you announce as you step forward. He takes a shot of his bottle and gives you back a reaffirming, royal salute. You look into the abyss of natural magic and then, you step towards it.

“Wait,” you can what sounds like Red Sulfur shout away from the distance. It is too late to turn back now; you enter.

>>28264712
Deus Vult

*** *** ***

You feel as if you open your eyes, as if you wake up from a sleep. You find yourself in an empty room, no, an empty space, a bright and welcoming abyss of floating, silent energy. As you look closer, you can see blurred, phantom figures of hundred undergrowths. You can see the transparent greenery of the leaves, thousands of blooming flowers all around you, all outside your perception. You are unable to reach them or properly descry them, but from where you are standing, you can witness the sheer amount of power the creature inside this tree holds and controls.

It is silent and it is endearing yet, you are unable to enjoy even a second of it. The dark magic inside your body reacts, it reacts with such volatile disgust and retort that you practically shriek. The natural force around you is just too much; the evil energy breaks out of your control and, like a fleeing incest, attempts to leave your body in fright.

But there’s nowhere to run, you are inside the heart of the “Warden Tree”, and it does not welcome you here.

A strange, glowing creature approaches you; it is the same size as you. All you can see it a white-green mass of tranquility, a powerful being that is not allowing you to see it. No, that’s not it; you are just unable to see it. The creature is just out of your comprehension, it is outside of your ability to pieces the workings of the word. The mythological beast is probably thousands of years old, it have seen things you cannot fathom.

It looks at you.

And you gag, with all the grunt and pain a pony would gag, all of your dark magic out of your body. It evaporates.

>Body Changes:
00% [-4] Alicorn ‘Dark’ Magic [Magic]
00% [+4] Volatile Arcane [Magic]

But somehow, you are still awake. Somehow, you are still glaring straight into the face of this creature.

It does not answer, it does not appear interested. Instead, it waits patiently, like somepony would watch an ant.

>What do you do now?

>>28264740
Oh for fuck sake, I've been trying to fix the obvious "04% [+4] Volatile Arcane [Magic]" mistake but I fucked up twice. Whatever, you get the idea.

>>28264740
Try to show we mean it no harm, although we probably couldn't hurt such a powerful being by any means. Be humble. See what it does. If possible, try to explain our situation, but I doubt it will help. Wouldn't hurt to try.

>>28264750
Sometimes it happens. Don't worry.

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>>28264740
>all of your dark magic out of your body. It evaporates.

W-well, while where here let us implore this being. Plead to it that we have not come here to purposefully mean it or this tree harm. We want the pegasi back, the one the furies have taken. Please leave us be and we will not harm this tree.

“I’m not here to cause trouble,” you attempt to mutter, your voice escaping with a slow, crushing ricochet.

The natural spirit does not move and it does not show any reaction. Instead, as if opening a spirit garland jalousie, it reveals a dozen of images, a manifestation of what is currently happening on few tiny, small parts of the “Warden Tree”. The many images, like ghosts, come to life from their colorless, dim selves. The origin spirit of the “Warden Tree” displays you the damage you and Mudbrick caused, the dead natural beasts and amber oozes. Then, it stops your glare on one of the many crystallized statues; as if the creature is saying, simply: intruders are not welcomed.

“We didn’t do it on purpose,” you say, “We defended ourselves, believe me. We only want a single pegasi back and then we will leave. A giant, brass bird called a “Fury” stole her and we need her back. We won’t harm you anymore.”

The creature does not budge; it does not step back of forward. Instead, it raises your necklace and cracks the last, remaining amulet holding to it. The dark magic shimmers in the tormenting hot presence of the natural energy. You dip your head forward, despite the pain, and you literally force the dark smoke before you to fly back into you.

Then, there’s an impact. Something smashes against your side and forced you to fly into the fabric of this dream.

You are able to stand up but… you are unsure of what to do now.

>Inventory:
[Crystal Necklace (Alicorn ‘Dark’ Magic %0/7)]

>Body Changes
01% [+1] Alicorn ‘Dark’ Magic[Magic]
05% [-1] Volatile Arcane [Magic]

Proper numbers here.

>What do you do now?

>>28265084
Well shit, let's confirm that we're actually awake and find a path to anywhere but here

I think that's all for today. But do not let that discourage you of posting suggestions Wink.

happy little ponies running around.

>>28265084
Well, we technically aren't dead now let's check out the surroundings. Let's hope that did something to help our forces.

>>28265084
I suppose we're deeper in this dream, so might as well take a look around. If I'm wrong it will still help us to know our surrounding.

File: e1d[1].png (194KB, 680x234px) Image search: [Google]

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Bump

You glare around yourself in a worry, you mental pant is real. You slowly raise your legs with a pathetically slow wobble, but then, you are, once more, raised by the force beyond your control and smashed into the fabric of its power. The creature trashes you relentlessly; it merely toys with you - not even that. Despite all of it, there’s no perceptible or present damage on your body, as if the mythological creature is not trying to kill you, it is merely reminding you of your place. You are unable to focus on noticing anything useful during this one-sided brawl.

The sea green lustrous fiend closes the distance between it and your current, crawling position within a blink. It appears from the burning, bitter air. You raise your head with a struggle as you feel and sense something that resembles massive, deer horns smashing into your torso. You feel the shockwave of natural energy burst trust your body, pushing you into the glass-like outer space of its presence. It takes all of your might to hold on to your magic.

You first crack and then eventually rupture away the “heart” of the “Warden Tree” as you break out of twig. You leave a second, probably, rend on the body of the “Warden Tree” as you fall out of one of the highest branches. You attempt to grasp the slippery, petrified trunk but your speed, reaction and power is simply too slow. You have no idea where you currently are. You come falling down with incredible velocity and you come smashing down with inconceivable impact and force. Your back crashes against the near impenetrable branch; it leaves no scratch on it.

>Body Changes:
00% [-6] Inorganic Fiber [Armour] [Metal Latex]
43% [-4] Crystallized Flesh [Crystal]
11% [+4] Crystalline Debris [Crystal]

You attempt to hold down to the trunk of this branch a second time but the thorns practically slide through your crystallized flesh, like knifes through butter. The slippery, hard to hold surface makes it impossible to stay still.

Your fall will be a long and painful hour and then, you will die. You raise your hoof in a cry for help. And it comes.

Bursting out of the sky, breaking through the wind, Soarin grabs your crystallized hoof with the speed of sound. The mere impact of his landing forces the branch to shake and crack. The “Commander” is holding you with all his might, his wings are flapping with such force they practically rend the air and deafen the sound in the echoing are around him.

Your crystallized heart skips a beat.

A black, brass shadow appears looming over the two of you. The “Fury” is here, right now, and it is standing menacingly on top of its prey. The close, blinding sun reflects off its metallic feathers. With a clockwork movement and whispering sound it slowly raises its beak ready to bite into Soarin with all its ferocity and eldritch undertaking.

>What do you do now?

>>28271135
Roll over to cover Soarin. He saved us, we save him.

>>28271135
Protect Soarin, take the hit if need be

>>28271135
Is there any way to warn him?

>>28272259
He ate the Cherry so he doesn't hear you. You might want to try some other way?

>>28272296
>>28271330

In a mental gasp you attempt to crawl up using Soarin’s grip and support. With a substantial endeavor and struggle you manage to climb on top of the stone tree and then, find your balance. Just in time; you give Soarin a slight nudge to catch his attention, and in a form of thank you, and then you push him away from upcoming disaster.

The beak of the brass demon cascades upon you without a delay, the creature bites into your neck with an echoing, cracking resonance. Your crystallized flesh shatters under the fierce bite. Hundred bits of crystals rain upon the ground and your back. Once you regain your composure, you grab the neck of the creature with your hooves.

It tries to escape.

>Body Changes:
38% [-5] Crystallized Flesh [Crystal]
16% [+5] Crystalline Debris [Crystal]

>What do you do now?

>>28272520
Shame we don't have a mouth to bite it with, but unless it plans to crash itself into something it can't get us off, so let's punch the bitch while it's in out grip

>>28272520
Allahu fucking akbar. Grab it's neck as hard as we only can and punch it/force it to crash, depending on it's behaviour.

You tighten the embrace of your hooves around the creature’s neck, your speed and the delay of your actions is of no concern. All that matters is the weight and force you are able to put behind your bear hug, and you can put a lot. The “Fury” attempts to bite off a huge piece of your crystallized flesh but is unable, the clockwork inside it grinds. The brass bird of chaos and disharmony spits off your back raises its beak and caws; caws with its magical scream.

Only this time, nopony gives a flying feather. You are more than prepared to fight it on equal ground. You raise your knee and smash it against the brass surface of its chest, the creature replies with an angry flail of its massive, clanging wings; it raises you and it above the ground. You strengthen, as much as you can, the hold of your clench; then, you smash your knee into its chest again and again, using the opportunity to its full advantage. The demonic spawn of Tartarus is finally sick of this one-side conflict; it spins into the air and then crashes its wings around you.

>Body Changes:
36% [-2] Crystallized Flesh [Crystal]
18% [+2] Crystalline Debris [Crystal]

>What do you do now?

>>28272807
Is that all you got , you price of shit bird? Grab the fuckers wings and pull.

>>28272807
Endure and keep it up, if we can breach it's outer defense then it's internal mechanisms will be our for the taking

>>28272807
Continue to fuck this shit up.

“Is that all you have?!” your crystallized shout escapes your struggling body. You slide off your front hooves of its neck and then, with all the power of your golem body, you break open the hug of its wings with an echoing fracture. The “Fury” attempts to smash its wings against you like the pest it considers you. Instead, you grab each of the edges of its metallic wings and then you force it to roll and spin in a disharmonious getaway. The two of you wrestle in the sky in a battle of predatorily strength.

The one considered dangerous enough to be prisoner of Tartarus is struggling to keep you from landing another hit on itself. You tighten the grip of your hooves and then you push the wings of the brass birds the way they are not supposed to be pressed. The dark mechanism breaks with a loud response. The bird opens its massive, hungering beak to bite into you and despite your ability to see the incoming attack; your body is too slow to react.

But, another Pegasus pony is there to continue your fight. Gliding Wing literally comes crashing down into the head of the creature with a force of lightning itself. The “Initiate of Harmony” smashes her hoof through its brass skull. Her element is blazing in red fire, it’s bright and it’s active. “Soarin!” she shouts as she, with a gentle and grandiose dodge, avoids the attack of the damaged “Fury”, “This was not in our plan, what are you doing!?”

Soarin flies by and he catches you once again, with an obvious struggle (you’re not fat, just heavy). He looks at the falling, yet still dangerous brass bird and then, he calls towards Wind, “Forgive me, my body acted on its own.”

The “Fury” attempts to reach Gliding Wind. Every single wave of its wings causes them to shatter further and further.

>What do you do now?

>>28273143
He should get us to solid ground. I'm sure the pegasi can handle it now, especially with their Element.

>>28273282
But try to help them as much as we can without endangering ourselves. We must show our involvement continuously.

“I’d like to help more,” you grumble at Soarin, a heroic stallion that he is, with a weak expression, “But I don’t have wings. Maybe you can put me somewhere on safe for the time being?” you attempt to sound being genuine.

“Yeah, Aurora Flare,” Soarin grunts with a smile as his body falls through the air. He attempts to keep you two afloat. With a struggling flap of his wings, the “Cloudsdale Commander” manages to safely land you on top of the branch. You barely manage to escape slipping once again, though you do rend your hoof against yet another thorn. You do miss Bearwalski’s created safe and clean roads, and you are wondering what’s currently happening with him.

“Your magic would be useful about now,” Soarin keeps his smile, he’s obvious preparing for a liftoff.

“I… I can’t use it right now; else I’ll lose my consciousness.”

“That’s fine,” he says with a present certainty. The stallion opens his wings wide into the cold, blazing air.

“Soarin!” Gliding Wind stops him with a shout of her own. She attempts to surround the brass bird within the powerful tornado of her Pegasus magic but, as you yourself are aware, the magic is useless against this evil spawn. “I have this under control,” she exclaims as she smashed her hoof into the bird’s chest, “Go, and take care of Spitfire!”

Soarin accepted the proposition with a single nod. Soaring turns towards you next, “The bat pony and the “Wonderbolts” have already saved her, more than likely, unless they encountered any trouble with the tree. What about Mudbrick and your other forces, Aurora Flare? I suggest we leave the premise as soon as we possibly can.”

>What do you do now?

>>28273672
Let us wait to make sure the Fury is defeated and help by charge of all our forces if necessary. Maybe it will be all solved in one simple fight, but I still want Equestrians to know we really mean helping them.

>>28273801
Yeah, I don't want to leave this thing alive to possibly come for us when we leave the area for good

“They are… somewhere on the tree, Soarin, I don’t know. I got separated from them,” you explain as the two of you watch the battle unfold. Gliding Wind is surely having the upper hoof in this battle; the damaged and falling apart “Fury” is unable to fight back despite its sheer size and chaotic origin. Gliding Wind has eaten the “Swamp Cheery” and is now completely invulnerable to the annoying, sold drenching caw. She’s able to peacefully, gracefully glide and use the wind around her to her full advantage; she avoids every single smash and slash of the “Fury”. Her burning “Loyalty” is also amongst the very few things that are able to oppose the “Fury’s” guard and presence.

All in all, she’s simply the perfect pony to take the brass bird head on. Her hoof forcefully pushes into the bird’s beak. With a tremble and a shudder, the bird’s body twists and turns and then the red, burning gaze goes out. It dies. Gliding Wind allows the lifeless body to crash through the layer of clouds and then, to vanish into a dot. Its fall is going to be long judging from the current elevation you are on; still, it is going to land, eventually. Gliding Wind adjusts her helmet and, with a peaceful stroll through the wind, she lands nearby you and Soarin. You can see a flicker of her eyes through the openness of her helmet. “I did not interfere to save you, I want you to know.”

“I did,” Soarin smiles at his companion and then attempts to grab you by your shoulder. You remove it slowly. Too personal. He looks at you with a present confusion, “Do you know what happened to your Golden Shield? I’ll take you to your forces if you tell me where we can find them. Are you alright?”

…Why is he asking you if you are alright?

“Just leave her here,” Gliding Wind says as she turns her head away, “They did what they had to, and we owe them nothing now.”

>What do you do now?

>>28274071
No, please! They're further up the tree I think. The Legate was fighting the other Fury. Please help me find them and get them out!

>>28274071
The tree did not want us around it, so they are likely still fight the animals it sending at them

“No, please,” you mentally gasp, “Please help me find them and get them out! This tree is… having creatures; the creatures are trying to kill us! Golden Shield is all the way on the ground fighting another Fury. Please, Mudbrick and the others need help. They are further up the tree, I think. I’m not sure; just catch their attention with a signal or something.” You are still explaining with signals and gestures, because both of them are deaf for the time being. It seems that they are able to read each other mouth movement, on other hoof; those are Celestia’s soldiers for you.

“Not my problem, they might as well die,” Gliding Wind says as he opens up her wings and soars into the distance.

Soarin sighs towards her and then shakes his head in a retort. He grabs you by your legpits, an intimate touch, and says “Let’s see if we can find them, shall we? It’s got very quiet all of a sudden, hope nothing happened.”

“I hope this is enough to have us all forgiven,” you attempt to ask him with a gesture of your own.

Soarin keeps a rather awkward and long pause as he lands you on the next branch on the tree. He’s descending, but you soon realize why: you were near the very top of the “Warden Tree”. It seems that when you escaped the “heart” of tree you end up appearing at another place entirely. Lucky for you it was near one of the “Furies”. And Soarin.

“Of course,” Soarin finally smiles, fully aware that you alone can hear him, “I’ve given you the word of the “Cloudsdale Commander”.” You point your hoof towards him as he grins, “Of course, Soarin’s word as well.”

The two of you keep slowly descending down the tree. None of the creatures previously present and perilous are now showing themselves, the few engravings you have refuse to materialized and turn themselves into living creatures. For a moment, you can enjoy the silence. Maybe you can… relax, just for a bit? It won’t hurt. Despite the long way you two have hovered down, there’s still a very long way to go still. Soarin finally stops once he lands you on yet another massive branch. He sighs weakly, tired. He noticed a couple of nuts growing on a small, fertile branch.

He picks them up and, swiftly, he breaks their shell.

>What do you do or say now?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-gXQqtjBjU

>>28274748
Stop him! It may break our word with that entity. Explain what we went through and that it may have saved our forces. Also thank him. Thank him very very much.

File: b4e4bff83f2df7afe4e159170c33a898.jpg (24KB, 483x354px) Image search: [Google]

24KB, 483x354px

Also I'm going to sleep. Thank you are for playing today, had a lot of fun. Hope you too.

>>28274918
Glad you had fun Vince.

bump into the light.

have a good night.

Have we anything to say to Soarin?

>>28274918
I certainly had fun and I am glad o hear you had it too. Now, >>28274862 just as he said.

>>28279070
I can't think of anything other than sincerely thanking him.

Soarin a best.

>>28279886

>>28206507

bump

>>28279886
Agreed. Soarin is the least shit pegasus.

You move your hoof in a pathetically slow hurry in an attempt to grab the nuts before Soarin bites into them. The Pegasus looks at you with a present confusion; he tries to break his hoof free. You hold his hoof tight, though you soon realize what in the hay you are doing and you let it go. Soarin’s eyes are seeking an explanation. You point your hoof towards the tree, he nods. You attempt to explain with hoof signals what has occurred inside the heart of the “Warden Tree” though, your explanation is lacking. The menial signs you’ve prepared can’t clarify the things you met there, neither the things you went through.

Soarin is looking at you with a deadpan expression; you mentally blush at your own awkwardness. You place your hoof against the petrified soil; you start writing the explanation in plain, obvious words. This “Swamp Cheery” is making everything so troublesome, you think. You lettering forms a clarification of what has happened and why it would be for the best not to anger the “Spirit of the Warden Tree” any further. Soarin gives you an uncertain bob.

He says, “Though it carries the smell of a delicious apple, I believe you, Aurora Flare. Don’t touch anything, right?”

You offer him a nod and a mental smile. Then, you gently move your hoof to outline of a “Thank you”.

Soarin looks at it with a naivety only he can, then he smiles back, “You do not have to thank me, Aurora Flare.”

You mentally bite your lip and erase the letter “T”. You then redraw it, much bigger and bolder than before.

Soarin chuckles at such an exaggeration, “That’s very nice of you, Aurora Flare. Listen, if you really want to display your gratitude, how about you make sure that the two of us do everything we can to put an end to this war, eh? It feels as if with every passing day, the ponies are forgetting the times before this war started, and how it should be.”

>What do you do or say?

Sorry for the only update today, rather tired.

who wants to give a hug

>>28283910
I hope it's possible that the Crystal Ponies can recover. They've been so broken by Sombra's rule and this war. I remember before Sombra, before the war... before I was turned into this terrible thing I am now. I was a music teacher.

It's kinda shit because I would really like to have a proper conversation with Soarin right now. Call me crazy but if he's not taken I'd put him on the list of possible husbandos. Hey! Maybe once this is over we can convince him to come back with us? To see that state of the Empire first hoof?

sleep tight thread

>>28284761
I want to give him a hug.

>>28284873
I don't mind talking to him. Bet Mudbrick can take a care of himself, he has no Fury to worry about now.

>>28288409
Still waiting bump.