Been awhile. Sorry about that. I haven't had access to the latest MLP episodes and haven't felt inspired. I miss it so much. But one very determined individual got me back to this story and refused to let me stop until I got back into my groove. Thank you goes out to Guestspirit for letting me know that people are still interested. Thank you also goes out to all those that have taken their time to read my story. See you guys next chapter.
Chapter Eleven
Pathway to Where?
It was a slow procession down the cleared path. Though the snow was pushed out of the way and the high walls kept out most of the wind, they just couldn't seem to pick up the pace. Their encounter with the dark spirits had drained whatever energy they had. It had drained some more than others.
Twilight looked to Maylin. Her body was pale and limp. Whatever she had done, it had taken everything out of her. She was draped over the back of a large spirit. Nearly unconscious, her eyes fluttered on the occasion, but never fully opened. She would whisper something, but it couldn't be made out. The spirit that she lay over, would swivel its ears back and seem to be listening to her quiet words. The spirit would then motion over to the other that walked. If they had some sort of conservation, Twilight couldn't tell. They would either nod or shake their massive heads, but continue on the path… wherever it was leading them…
These spirits… the ones that approached after the dark spirits were purified by Maylin's light… were different from the ones that had been following them before. They seemed like they had mass to them unlike the wispy creatures that surrounded them. Of course they were solid. The smaller of the two was carrying Maylin without any trouble. The larger one had pushed and shoved the large pieces of earth and ice that had blocked the way after the dark spirit attach. With a single swipe, it had removed most of the debris. Their solidness and strength wasn't their only difference.
The spirits that were following them were in familiar forms of birds and beasts. Not these two. They were large and thick. Bodies like dogs, but strangely feline in the way they walked and moved. Long whiskers protruded from their plump cheeks. Their thick paws laid heavily into the snow as their claws raked across the ice leaving deep marks. They appeared like lions with their curly manes and were even as big as one. They growled and even purred like a cat. But they also barked like a dog. They would occasionally let out a yelp if they heard something they didn't like. This would cause every pony to jump at the sudden loud sound.
Poor Spike had to take refuge on Twilight's back. Though every time there was the slightest of noise, he would dig his claws into Twilight's back. She would give him a dirty look and he would give an embarrassed smile. Twilight could only roll her eyes. She couldn't complain though; he was keeping her back warm. She couldn't really worry about her sore backside… she was more worried about Maylin.
She looked up to Maylin. She was just lying there. She seemed peaceful enough, but she was obviously trying to wake up. She wasn't having much luck though. She just continued to lay there at the mercy the bumps. The larger spirit would check and make sure that she wasn't about to fall off. For being so large, it was surprisingly gentle.
"Um… excuse me…," Twilight approached the two spirits, "Um… Kong… Jia Li…," she tried to remember the names that Maylin whispered as the two large spirits approached, "How… how is she?"
The larger of the two just snorted at her question. It refused to even look or acknowledge her. The smaller one growled lowly at the snotty behavior of the other. It looked to Twilight and smiled with its big toothy grin. It didn't say a word… maybe it couldn't speak… but Twilight could feel that it was saying it was going to be alright… that Maylin was going to be alright. It gave Twilight relief, but she couldn't feel at ease. Not until they were somewhere safe… and warm…
"Where do you think we're heading?" Applejack scanned the endless tundra, "I can't make anything out."
"Well wherever we're going, I hope its warmer," Rainbow Dash shook her wings free of any snow and ice.
"Here, here," Rarity agreed.
"If you're cold, hold this," Pinkie handed Rainbow Dash a salamander spirit, "He's been keeping me nice and toasty."
Rainbow just looked down at the spirit, then back to Pinkie, "Umm… I'm good…," she tried to hand it back.
"No, no," Pinkie refused with a smile, "Here," she placed the spirit on Rainbow's back, "Isn't he nice and warm?"
Rainbow didn't seem to like having the little spirit on her back at first, than a small smile formed on her face. The remaining snow that lay on her was starting to melt away. The salamander spirit started to glow a feint orange as it settled into a comfortable position.
"Aww…," both Pinkie and Fluttershy couldn't help but smile.
"Where did that little fella come from?" Applejack couldn't recall a spirit like that following them.
"Oh… he was one of those dark spirits that attached Twilight," Pinkie explained, "He and the others felt bad about what they did, so he asked if he could help somehow and I told him that I was little bit cold and he said that his element was fire and he could keep me warm. So I picked him up and put him in my mane and he's been keeping me warm ever since."
"He… spoke to you?" Rainbow had a hard time believing her.
"Well duh," Pinkie Pie laughed, "How would I know that he and his friends wanted to come with us. It's not like I made up a conversation in my head or something."
Every pony looked to one another. Pinkie was known for doing some pretty strange things… even having entire conversations with inanimate objects… this shouldn't have seemed strange… but it did… Though it wasn't… it was Pinkie Pie after all.
"See," she pointed to some spirits that were hiding behind the wall of snow and ice, "They're too scared to come any closer… kind of embarrassed about the whole trying to take Twilight crown and dragging her off… Well… they weren't sure if we would want them following…"
"They told you all that?" Twilight asked.
"Pfff," Pinkie snorted, "No. I couldn't understand a word they were saying," she indicated to the other spirits, "Just little guy," she nuzzled the salamander spirit, "You so remind me of my pet baby alligator, Gummy. Oh!" she jumped up into the air, "I'll call you Gummy Jr. or maybe Gummy the Second or maybe…," she started to spout off a bunch of Gummy related names.
"Grrr… ruff…," one of the doggish lions barked at them.
It seemed to want them to stop fooling around and pick up their pace.
"Just a moment Jia Li," Twilight felt like she needed to do something.
The large spirit growled and barked.
"Umm… Kong?" she thought she may have the wrong name.
It snorted, but it stilled looked like it would wait. The other rolled its eyes as it gently pawed at its larger companion. They then started to growl and snort to one another. Twilight could only assume that they were having some sort of communication.
"Little spirits," Twilight was hoping that she could talk to the hiding spirits, "You don't have to hide. We're not mad at you for before. You weren't yourselves," she approached the snowbank, "You're all better now," she smiled, "We would love if you would come with us," she bowed to them.
The spirits seemed frightened by her kind words. They ran and flew off in any direction they could. Twilight wanted to go after them, but there wouldn't have been any point to it. They had gone off into the frozen tundra where the snow was deep and it would be hard to follow them. She had other things to worry about. Though she still wished that she could have convinced them to come.
"Poor things," Fluttershy felt sorry for them, "They didn't mean to hurt us."
"Yeah…," Twilight sighed, "At least one of them isn't afraid to still around," she looked back the Rainbow Dash and the little salamander spirit.
The others had gathered around them and were warming their nearing frozen bodies. Their faces were filled with contented smiles and their lips were letting loose oohs and awws of pleasure.
"Come on girls," Twilight smiled, "We better get going. Maylin still needs help and…," she was interrupted by a long howl.
"Oh no!" Fluttershy shuttered as she hid behind Twilight.
"Twilight," Spike started to shiver at the sound of the growling and howling.
She bit her lower lip, "We need to move."
They didn't have time to agree. Picking up their hooves as fast as they could, they ran down the cleared path. The sounds that had grown so familiar and terrifying were sounding closer and closer. The doggish lions kept looking back to see where the dark creatures would emerge, but nothing ever came into view. The larger of the two took a position behind them, while the other led the way.
They all just kept running, hoping that they would out run whatever was coming. The howling came from all around them. It was hard to tell from which way the dark spirits would come. The doggish lion in front sudden came to an abrupt stop. They barely had time to stop. Out ahead stood several misshapen shadowy figures. Twilight turned around, but her eyes were horrified to find that more dark spirits had gather behind them.
"I am getting really tire of these things," Rainbow Dash snorted in frustration.
"I don't think that their all that fond of us either," Applejack gritted her teeth.
"What do we do?" Fluttershy was nearly in tears.
"I don't know…," Twilight looked up to her crown, "It will work this time," she came up next to the large spirit that was carrying Maylin, "It has to work…"
She closed her eyes and concentrated on her Fail Safe Spell. Once again she felt a blossom bloom inside her mind. Opening her eyes, she could see that her magic was starting to materialize from her horn. Focusing on the dark figures, she let loose her spell. A brilliant light bubbled out and the wave hit all the dark creatures. They tried to flee from the wave of light, but they were soon consumed by it. The black shadows started to disperse and hints of light emerged.
"YES!" Twilight celebrated as she let the blossom in her mind close, "It worked!"
"Way to go Twilight!" they all congratulated her.
The two lion like spirits, however, continued to growl and the hair on their back bristled up. Something wasn't right. Twilight looked to the once dark creature. The light was starting to peek through the tattered remains of the shadows was being devoured once again. The light disappeared into the darkness and dark spirits stood whole again.
"Oh no…," Twilight wasn't sure what to do next.
She thought that she had begun to understand her understand her connection with the Golden Oak Spirit. She thought that maybe she was beginning to understand her new found magic. She thought she had start to understand what she was supposed to do. She was hoping that she was starting to become what Maylin thought she was.
The dark spirits shook themselves free from any remaining light that tried to show through. They started to growl and hiss angrily towards Twilight. Clawing and pulling themselves towards the group.
"Oh man…," Rainbow was growing nervous like the rest them.
Kong and Jia Li barked and growled at the approaching dark creatures; they were not impressed by the loud noises. Closer and closer they came. Tighter and tighter the ponies' circle became. Kong scratched the frozen ice as he let out a loud snort. He charged towards the dark spirits with all his force. He started to tear and slash at them with his massive paws. The dark spirits in turn started to attack. Twilight felt so helpless as she watched him tear through the dark shadowy figures. She just looked on as the large spirit fought. She didn't even realize that Jia Li had come next to her.
"Ruff," Jia Li growled down to her.
"Huh?" Twilight was able to tear her gaze away.
Gently, the lion like spirit slid Maylin's still limp body down to Twilight. Motioning to the path that lay ahead, she seemed to want Twilight and the others to make a run for it. Spike quickly took hold of Maylin so she wouldn't fall to the ground. Twilight tried her best to maintain her stance, but she wasn't use to carrying that much weight.
"I gotta sugar cube," Applejack came over and took Maylin on to her back, "I'm guessin' that she wants us to make a go of it when it's clear?"
Twilight looked up the Jia Li. She nodded her massive head and turned to face the oncoming dark creatures. Like Kong, she scratched the ground and leaped towards the spirits. She clawed and slashed with all her might. Looking back at Twilight, she motioned for them to go.
Twilight hesitated. She just didn't feel like she could leave the two to fight so many creatures.
"We have to go now," Spike urged her.
"But…," Twilight still couldn't move, "… we just can't leave them…"
"I really hate to say it... I mean I REALLY hate to say it," Rainbow Dash admitted, "But there isn't anything we can do against these things. Not even your magic stopped them. I don't know if there's anything we can do to help. We… we have to make a run for it…," it was so hard for her to say.
"I know… but…," Twilight still felt the need to stay, "I wish Maylin would wake up," she looked to her.
They were so concentrated on their conversation that they didn't realized that one of the dark spirits had gotten past Kong.
"BEHIND YOU!" Rarity yelled, but it was too late.
It took a running leap towards Twilight and Applejack. Twilight tried to summon the flower in her mind once again, but it wasn't blooming fast enough. The spirit was nearing on them and appeared as if tear into them. Just before it brought its sharp claws down as blast of red and orange flames blew it back. Looking over to the little salamander spirit, they noticed that plumes of smoke were from its nostrils.
"Whoa…," both Rainbow Dash and Spike said at the same time.
Looking back and forth between the two battles, they could see that other spirits had joined in the fight against the dark ones. A great stag was throwing massive stones. An agile dragonfly was whizzing about stirring up whirlwinds. A delicate nightingale flapped its wings causing gales of winds. An elegant koi with every movement of its tail splashed shards of ice. They all came together to fend off the attacking spirits. Little by little they drove back the dark creatures.
Twilight thought that they may win the fight. That they may be able to drive off the dark ones. Every pony and Spike cheered them on as they started to gain ground. Even the little salamander spirit had joined the fray. With ever toss of earth, gale of wind and wave of icy water, the dark spirits retreated further and further back. They soon would be forced to leave or continue to face the onslaught.
One of the larger dark spirits wouldn't allow that.
It took in a death breath and screamed. It sounded like claws on a chalkboard. The sound alone caused them all to become weak in the knees. Collapsing in unison, they felt like the energy had been drained out of them. Even the good spirits were having a hard time getting up.
Using what strength she had, Twilight looked to see that the dark spirits were once again approaching. She tried to stand, but her legs felt like jelly. She withdrew inside looking for the blossom that gave her magic, but she could concentrate hard enough. The spirits were about to reach and there was nothing Twilight could do. She closed her eyes and once again tried to move.
"Ooohh… big kitty…," Pinkie Pie groggily pointed out.
Twilight looked to where she was pointing. It appeared to be a tiger approaching. The dark creatures stopped in their tracks as the big cat came closer. They arched their backs and began to withdraw. The tiger growled; with every hiss little blue and white flames expelled from its mouth. It took in a big gulp of air and blew out the hottest flames that Twilight had ever felt. It consumed the dark spirits and caused them to flee still being burned by the white hot flames. They disappeared into the frozen tundra with only their wild screams being heard upon the wind.
Twilight watched as the tiger snorted at the fleeing spirits. It seemed satisfied with its victory and turned its attention back to Twilight. It came up to her slow and gave her a big sniff and then started to growl lowly. She wasn't sure what it was going to do next. She wasn't even sure if it was a spirit or not. She winced as it looked over her.
"Now, now Atsuko," a gravelly voice cut through the chilly air, "They are different, but they are not the enemy. You've already driven the Dark Spirits," a figure started to emerge, "I need them in one piece if they are to explain to me why my granddaughter is incapacitated… hmm…," the figure came up to Twilight, "… this one is… different… she is… something more…"
Twilight couldn't hear the rest of the stranger's words. The world had grown dark and fuzzy. She could feel her head falling, but never felt it hit the ice.