Spike cried out in surprise, scrambling away from whatever was staring at him, only to run right into the cell bars. Groaning and rubbing his head, a chuckle came from his watcher.
"I did not mean to scare you, I only wondered if this sight was true."
Blinking and letting his eyes adjust to the dim lighting of the jail, he got a better look at the speaker. A familiar black and white striped pony was standing over him. No, zebra. That's what Twilight had called her before.
"Is that you, Zecora?" He asked, squinting.
She nodded. "It is good to see you well, though bad you share the fate we befell."
Spike frowned, he'd never gotten used to her odd way of talking. Though at least she made some sense most of the time, instead of spouting randomness like a certain pink pony he could think of. "What do you mean, 'we'?" He asked, but even as he did the outline of ponies hiding further back in the cell caught his eye.
Zecora noticed his gaze finding them. "We were on our way to a safe haven, when captured by one called Blood Raven.
"I saw him... or her on the way in. Couldn't tell with that mask on. It's hard to believe a pony would work with those things." Spike muttered, irritation in his voice.
"Anger will not help here, we are in worse trouble I fear." She said, wiping away his brief thoughts of knocking some sense into Blood Raven with a club.
"Naturally I agree, which is why we have to flee." He said, before realizing what he did and made a mental note not to talk with Zecora for long since apparently the way she spoke could rub off on him. Turning to the cell bars again, he noticed they were close enough together to keep a pony in, but he might be able to squeeze between them. As he was struggling to get his head through, Zecora spoke up.
"You must not try to leave, or there will be no reprieve!"
"Okay, now you're making as much sense as Pinkie Pie." Spike uttered with a grunt, finally getting through and hitting the dusty floor with a thump. "If we stick around, we're just as bad off. Our only chance is to run for it."
She lowered her voice, but he could hear the worry rising in her tone. "You do not understand, Griswold will kill you where you stand!"
"Griswold? What kind of dumb name is-"
Zecora's head whipped in the direction of the only exit from the prison, making him stop speaking an look as well. In the doorway was a large monster the same shape and height Coldcrow had been, but this one was twice as thick, covered in bloodstained clothes and wielding a hefty axe in one hand. Spike also spotted a key on its belt, which he guess was for the cells. All he had to do was get it, preferably not getting cleaved in half in the process.
"That is the one you must subdue... it was nice knowing you."
"Thank you for your vote of confidence, Zecora." Spike muttered sarcastically, wondering what he was supposed to do now.
A crack sounded across the field, getting both Twilight and Rakanishu's attention since it hadn't been anything they had done. Woodfist kept moving, having not heard it at all. Another crack and they looked around, unsure of where it was coming from. Until a winged one landed on Rakanishu's head.
Twilight turned to the sky and saw the other winged ones flying around in a frenzy. It took her a moment to spot the different shape among them, swerving, spinning and flipping around in such an erratic pattern she wasn't sure if it was a strategy or simply panicking. Two more cracking noises and dropping winged ones later made it clear it was the former.
She couldn't tell who it was, but she didn't care. Help was help. Without having to worry about things coming at her from the sky, running was back to being the best chance she had. Dashing to the side, she sent a trio of fireballs at the weaker monsters blocking her path. One took a direct hit, bursting into flame and screaming while the others around it scattered. Charging through the gap, she kept moving and hoped the pegasus would be able to follow.
"Twilight!" A vaguely familiar voice shouted.
Glancing back, Twilight saw two of the winged ones diving at her. Spinning herself around to stop and aim, she let loose with a few blasts of ice magic. The things tried to avoid them, only to crash into each other and get hit by the same spell. She jumped to the side as they spiraled into the ground, shattering to pieces on impact.
The ground rumbled as Woodfist caught up. Twilight released a blaze of fire in its face, but it didn't show any reaction. It pulled back one massive hand, swinging faster than she thought something that large could. Its fist slammed into her side, sending her soaring for a few yards before rolling to a stop. In too much pain to even want to move, she raised her head and hit Woodfist with a hailstorm of ice. It didn't slow down in the least.
Struggling to stand, she had to at least try her last option. With a crackle lightning flew from her horn straight at Woodfist, only to suddenly veer sharply right just over halfway to her target. Rakanishu, knife extended, had absorbed it again. Twilight watched in horror as he raised it to return the magic. There was no way she could dodge it, and she doubted she could take another hit the way she felt. That's when he started to turn.
"Look out!" She screamed, knowing exactly what was about to happen.
Rakanishu slashed at the air, lightning streaking from the blade to where the pegasus was still fighting off the winged ones. It blasted right through the group and when the flash faded every shadow that had been in the air was falling. He turned back to her, satisfaction apparent even on his grotesque face.
Twilight watched in silent horror, reminded of the orange pegasus that had saved her from the thing back in Ponyville. Once again, somepony had been killed just because they were trying to save her. This one though... this one wasn't going to get away with it.
Hoping one of her spur of the moment plans would work for once, she charged at Woodfist, a rush of adrenaline and fury overtaking most of the pain she'd felt. It showed no reaction, continuing to stomp toward her. Woodfist brought up an arm as she got close and she leapt to the side. The monster's fist smashed into the earth and she lunged at its face, her horn radiating a blazing light. Thunder shook the air as Twilight unleashed her magic point blank into the thing's face, blasting the oversized rock into gravel.
The lightning that tore through it started into the sky, before turning back toward where Rakanishu was standing. She'd expected that, having changed direction the second her hooves were on the ground again. By the time the electricity had touched the knife, Twilight was only few steps away from him. He saw her coming, panicked and swung before it had taken in even half the bolt. The energy went wild, breaking from one thick bolt into dozens of smaller arcs shooting off randomly, sending both Twilight and Rakanishu tumbling across the field.
Groaning as her pain came back twice as bad, Twilight could barely lift her head, let alone anything else. Rakanishu on the other hand, that had only been the first hit he'd taken since the fight started and he was on his feet again in only a few moments. Knife in one hand, he stalked toward her. However, what really caught her attention was coming up behind him, somepony soaring just above the grass and... corkscrewing?
A voice rang out. "Hey!"
Rakanishu turned around to look, but that's all he had time to do. The pegasus twisted upwards and spun, one of its hind legs colliding with side of his face. Rakanishu's head rotated all the way around with a sickening crunch of bone. Twirling through the air, the pegasus somehow landed upright with her eyes closed, barely two feet away.
The pegasus wore a heavy metal boot on each hoof and a simple, lighter armor around her body. Her fur was light grey and her light yellow mane was sticking out in various places thanks to her display of aerial acrobatics. Twilight couldn't believe her eyes. It had been a long time, and they hadn't exactly been close, but she knew the pegasus standing in front of her.
"Ditzy?" She asked, wondering if she was mistaken or delusional from taking one too many knocks to the head.
Ditzy Doo smiled, opening her eyes. One was staring down at Twilight, but the other was turned toward the sky. "Twilight." She said, just before toppling onto her side with a clash.
Twilight quickly found the strength to lift herself up. "Are you okay?"
"Ohh... dizzy..." She muttered.
Letting herself drop again, Twilight chuckled. "Flying like that, I'm not surprised."
"I'm used to it." Ditzy pushed herself up, still wobbling a bit. "You okay?"
"No, but I can keep going." Pain shot through the side Woodfist had struck as she rose, but she was able to stay standing. "Thanks for saving me... but what brought you out here?"
"Looking for you." She replied brightly.
"You were?" Twilight looked around, expecting other ponies to show up. "Shouldn't you be with a rescue party then?"
"Oh." Ditzy's expression darkened slightly. "Camp wrote you off."
She stared at Ditzy, not expecting that. After everything she'd done to help out, all the creatures she fought off... they'd just declared her lost without even looking? "Then... why are you..."
"Virtuous and I didn't." She stated, looking around for something.
A smile crept across Twilight's face. Even in times like these, there were ponies she could count on. Not to mention a certain dragon that could also count on her. She was going to suggest they get moving, but Ditzy was starting to get a little frantic, apparently unable to find whatever she was looking for. "What's wrong?"
"Where'd Spike go?"
"I was separated from him a while ago, those creatures were taking us to two different places for some reason." Twilight explained. "I've got an idea about where they took him, and now that you're here you can fly up and see if the place I want to find anywhere nearby."
Ditzy tilted her head, clearly confused. "Who was here?"
"Um... you, me and a whole lot of those guys?" She glanced at Rakanishu's corpse, wondering what the pegasus was talking about.
Shaking her head, Ditzy suddenly turned and flew off. Twilight hesitated, then started after her at the fastest trot she could manage since her side ached with each step. Luckily she didn't have far to go, the pegasus landed again by a handful of corpses. Once she caught up, Ditzy pointed a hoof at one of the bodies. "Who did this then?"
"Aren't these the ones I electrocuted?" She asked, examining the one she was pointing at. One look told her otherwise. That creature, as well as the others in the small area, had all been stabbed multiple times, occasionally having their throat slit as well. "What in Equestria... did this?"
Ditzy shook her head. "Only saw a fast shadow."
Scanning the edge of the trees nearby, Twilight watched for any sign of movement. "Is somepony out there?"
There was no answer, but she thought she faintly heard the shake of leaves from somewhere.
"Creepy." Ditzy commented, stepping away from the forest under she was next to Twilight, who nodded.
"Let's just keep moving. Did you happen to see an old town when you were flying around? I think they took Spike to a place like that."
Taking to the air again, Ditzy hovered above the treetops for a moment before drifting back down. "Over here." She said, landing and leading the way.
Following, Twilight occasionally glanced over her shoulder, watching for anything coming up behind them. She never noticed the figure shadowing them from their side.