Chapter 16 F (Part 2.3) Second fight
Tremor and Callidus vs. Zenith and Sand Dust.
Callidus and Tremor walked through the forest once they emerged out. A campfire was spotted up ahead for the two, but before they got close to it, Zenith stood behind them, chuckling lightly. The two quickly turned around to face him, but remained silent when Zenith gestured them with his hoof to be silent. He soon walked passed them calmly and motioned them to follow him. When they stared at him confused and cautious, he turned around and made sure his tone was low.
"Now I'm not going to trick you and all, but you have to quiet, my partner is sleeping and I wish not to disturb him. Come, we can chat and relax. It is cold out here after all and the fire is quite warm." He said, before walking towards the campfire with a calm smile on his face.
Tremor looked at Callidus with a careful glance before the brown pony nodded in agreement. They both knew what they were getting into as they followed them to the fire.
"What is this about?" Tremor asked.
"Tone must be low." Zenith said, sitting down and pointed his right hoof at Sand Dust curled up in a ball. "My partner is asleep. Colts these days are full of energy, yet as quiet as he may be, he tends to run dry just like them." He chuckled lightly.
"So why talk now, you had plenty of time to do so before." Callidus whispered.
"My partner was asleep; I usually prefer keeping him company instead of just fighting. We fight together if we need to, but when he is tired, I wait for him to wake up and get to know my enemies." He explained.
"So, even in the face of danger, you ask us to wait?"
"Yes." The zebra stated.
"We can't wait forever you know." Tremor declared.
"You have nowhere important to go. The passage you came through is sealed up so that no one can enter or leave until the user of this floor is eliminated. It would be highly rude and not honorable to eliminate an enemy who is not armed and only offers time to know his opponent so that when one of them falls...they will at least know who they defeated and commemorate their foe for their unique skills." He stated, keeping his zebra army heritage close to him.
"So it's more of an honor code then?" Callidus asked in interest.
"Yes, so, I assume you two are Callidus and Tremor? My name is Zenith and my partner here is Sand Dust." He greeted.
"Yes you are correct, but according to Night Shadow, everyone in your group possesses special abilities. What are yours?"
"Abilities? Sometimes I considered this ability to be a curse...but as time grew by, I started finding it as a gift. A gift...blessed by my god." He said, starting to smile as he held out his right hoof.
A few butterflies flew from all directions and landed on his fore-leg. Soon, ants came out from the ground in small armies as other types of insects gathered around the group in many numbers.
"I can gain help from these guys." He said.
Callidus, being the pony he was, couldn't help but be amazed. Tremor, on the other hand, started to lose interest.
"For years, living in Zebrafrica, I always considered this gift to be a curse. I was born with it and the only ones who ever loved me for who I was had been my mother. The village...they only used me as a weapon and had me kill my only friend." He said, as he ordered all the insects and bugs to return back into the forest. "I also can manipulate plants, but only a little." He chuckled in embarrassment. "What about you two, what can you do?"
"We are just ponies that have been trained to be just like your master is now, except only better." Tremor said, slightly boastful.
"We are super soldiers that seek to use the elements to bring peace to this world one way or another." Callidus added.
"Is that so?" Zenith asked in amazement.
"Yes, nothing supernatural about us."
"So, this peace thing...how are you really going to use the Elements of Harmony if you can simply take this tower and use it as a weapon to gain peace like Blue?" He asked.
"It's not right to destroy others even for a cause...if the legends are true, we can use the elements to bring harmony to the world."
"And if it is, then I wish you the best of luck. For now, this weapon...it destroys yes, but it destroys to set an example of how war can tear others apart...even friends. Instead of sons burying their fathers, it is the fathers burying their sons. Instead of the brothers fighting beside their brethren, they are fighting them to the death. To be honest, harmony is but a long shot away from this world. Peace cannot be obtained without war as war cannot be obtained without peace."
"Yes, but do you really believe Herus or Midnight will just work together. No, at this very moment, they are making their move to stop you."
"I already knew that since Blue started his conquest for peace in the beginning." He said. "I believe Blue will succeed in some way, at least put the world into a state of fear and make them realize that the large amount of lives lost was unnecessary and easily avoided if they worked together to stop the biggest threat in the world." He said proudly.
"It's a nice theory, but Herus is way stronger then he wants you to believe. Blue is just an earth pony, intelligent yes, but just an earth pony."
"No." Zenith said, his grew stern as his expression became clear with seriousness. "He is more than just that. He is …a god."
"You're kidding right." Callidus said, dumbfounded.
"One who controls the tower is god. One who decides who lives and dies is god. One who will bring peace to this world and salvation...is god." He stated, beginning to grin.
"Then there needs to be change..."
"And there shall, for he will bring change. When a hundred of years pass, a new god will come to continue what Blue had left off and cast judgment upon the world. The cycle will continue and those who strayed from this cycle will be lost forever in the plains of Plutonium."
"You underestimate your enemies. Do you even know what you're dealing with?"
Tremor continued to wait, growing impatient
"It is not what we are dealing with, but what we are clearing way for! Soon…soon others will follow this goal for peace. Somewhere in this world, we will all remember it. We as a whole world will remember it." He stated in a proud tone.
"Even with those numbers...it's still not enough."
The ground started to shake as explosions from other battle from the outside and inside raged through the tower. Sand Dust slowly awoke from the tremors and got up from the ground, rubbing his eyes. He soon, looked around and spotted Callidus and Tremor before looking at Zenith calmly.
"Had a nice nap, Sand Dust, this here is Callidus and Tremor. We will be fighting them to the death in a few minutes so wake yourself up, okay?" He said, nuzzling the small colt.
The colt nodded his head and stared at Tremor. His emotionless expression gave no answers to what was on the small pony's mind.
"I see, so you want to fight him?" Zenith asked as Sand Dust nodded his head. "Alright, I will fight Callidus." He softly smiled. He soon looked at Tremor and held out his hoof. "I wish you luck against him, this colt is full of surprises."
"In all my life, I have never seen someone like you...so calm and content…may the best solider win." Tremor said, shaking his hoof.
Zenith smiled as he shook his hoof lightly as he backed away.
"Sand Dust, ready?" He asked as the colt nodded his head, getting in front of Zenith.
"Nothing much to do now but fight." Callidus said, stretching. "So, who's going to start?"
"It is best if you do." Zenith said, taking out a Machete from his cloak and equipping it with his mouth.
Sand Dust readied himself as he looked back at Zenith and then at Tremor. Callidus took out his grenade launcher while Tremor started to whistle softly. Zenith and Sand Dust both nodded their heads and separated from each other, running in opposite directions. Sand Dust's horn began glowing as the sand beneath Tremor's hooves started to shift. Soon, ants stormed out from the holes in the sand, heading towards Callidus in numbers.
"Well, this is awkward." Tremor said, casually.
"You think!" Callidus yelled, shaking off the ants violently.
Soon, snakes burst out from the sand with venom dripping down their fangs. The ants soon sprouted out their wings and grew stingers laced with burning venom that could paralyze within seconds.
"Callidus, get us out of here!" Tremor yelled.
The brown pony grabbed his ally around his waist and pointed up.
"Hold on." He said, firing a grappling hook from his wrist watch.
The two ponies quickly vanished into the tree tops above. Zenith , on the other hand, somehow escaped within the branches from a few miles away, keeping his eyes closed as insects swarmed the area. He smirked when a beehive nearby spotted the two. Once he spotted them, he moved his lips, releasing inaudible commands to the insects. Bees began pouring out from the hive, flying around in fury, looking for places to sting on the two ponies.
"Blasted insects!" Tremor yelled, swatting at a few.
"Why don't you be useful for once and use your flamethrower?!" Callidus said, throwing a bomb into the air.
The two ponies jumped onto another branch right before the grenade exploded, sending incinerated bees flying in all directions.
"Because I'm not going to waste ammo on such simple things." Tremor argued.
"It's you or your ammo, you decide!" Callidus yelled in anger.
Zenith eyes widened as he clutched his right eye in pain.
"Damn, they used fire. We have to separate them." He muttered as he pressed his hooves together again.
Sand Dust's sand lifted up from the ground and wrapped around the tree, crushing it. The colt, however, was nowhere in sight along with Zenith.
"Where are they, did they just decide to vanish?" Callidus asked, spinning the chamber on his grenade launcher.
"Oh, when I see them, I have a little surprise for them, something I made myself." Tremor stated with pride.
"You actually made something?"
"Oh yeah, I'll make such an entrance to, it will be so epic."
Sand soon took the form of a massive wolf, spotting the two from a distance before running towards them, baring its fangs with malice.
"OH GREAT, MORE ANIMALS!" Tremor shouted.
The two ponies jumped in opposite directions as the wolf ran by. Callidus and Tremor the quickly got up, both pointed their weapons and fired, causing a large explosion where the wolf was.
"Did we get it?" Tremor asked, reloading his missile launcher.
"You should know the answer to that question by now." Callidus said, keeping his guard up.
Giant streams of sand spread across the area, most heading towards them with crushing force that knocked down trees within its path. The streams of sands took forms of snakes, hissing loudly as they soon approached the two. Callidus hesitated before firing a cryo bomb into the mouth of one of the serpents as Tremor readied his launcher, attempting to get a clear shot.
The sand snake exploded into ice before bursting out in a form of a hydra. It came down with tremendous force, knocking over the trees the two stood on.
"Figures..." Callidus whispered, jumping to another tree.
Tremor quickly followed but missed the branch and landed roughly onto the ground below.
"OFF ALL THE ROTTEN..." Tremor yelled, gritting his teeth in pain as he quickly stood back up.
Sand suddenly emerged around him from the dirt and started wrapping around him in a tight grip, beginning to drag him down into the sandy bed. Tremors had other ideas as his muscles suddenly tensed, ripping one of his hooves out of the sand.
"You think sand is going to keep me down?!" He shouted, smiling with pride. "You must be dumber than I thought!"
"Tremor, get out of there!" Callidus yelled, holding another grenade in his hooves.
More sand accumulated each time the pony struggled, increasing its grip and sinking him further down. It wasn't long before hornets emerged from the sands, flying towards Callidus and readying their stingers.
"Oh no you don't!" Callidus shouted.
The brown pony jumped down before the hornets reached him and tackled Tremor out of the sand. Out of survival, he rolled around and fired another incendiary bomb, but it exploded a bit too close, scorching his coat in the process.
Large snakes emerged out from the sand as the hornets fluttered in the air, glaring down at him. Zenith chuckled as he watched through his hornets' eyes. Sand Dust, who was standing from a distance, slowly came out of the sand and looked back with an emotionless gaze.
'I have to get them out in the open, we can't last much longer like this.' Callidus thought, grabbing Tremor and grappling into another tree top and landing into an open field.
Zenith smirked as he ordered his hornets to go after him. Sand started to shift from beneath their hooves as the snakes submerged into the sand, forcing Zenith to stop the insects and order them to fly away. The ground began shaking as sand began to shift in many directions until the answer to all of this finally was visible. A towering giant made of sand formed from the floor, staring down at the two, raising its massive palm.
"That colt never fails to impress me." Zenith chuckled before escaping off into another hiding spot far from the area.
"This has gone long enough!" Callidus yelled in anger, pointing his launchers at the giant.
With that, Callidus fired everything he had into the giant with explosive results. However, the holes made within the giant's body only sealed up as it brought its palm down. It may have been going slow, but with enough force added into it, one hit could be absolutely fatal.
"Screw it!" Tremor yelled, pointing his launcher into the air.
Just before the hand crashed into them, Tremor blasted right through it, allowing them safe passage through the hole he created. The two quickly jumped out as the both reloaded quickly.
"Nothing seems to be working!" Callidus shouted, throwing a cryo bomb into the gaping hole in the giants hand.
The Giant hand turned to ice, but it wasn't done. He slowly brought it's other hand down, launching a massive wave of sand. The sand blew Callidus back into the forest but luckily for Tremor, he managed to dodge and aim his launcher at the giant.
"There's a heat signature within the giants heart!" Tremor yelled.
"Fire at it then!" Callidus shouted, escaping the sand by grappling into another tree
The giant broke it's frozen hand free, rose it into the air, and lunged his hand at the blue pony.
"The bigger they are." Tremor whispered, locking on to the signature as he ignored everything around him. "The harder they fall." He said, firing the launcher.
A massive hornet came out from the stomach of the giant, leaping into the shell's path, exploding on impact. When the giant's fist came down, it sent a giant wave of crushing sand at the two once again. It towered over the trees and knocked out everything in its path.
"You're welcome." Zenith said standing on top of a tree branch. "My termites are doing their job, so, don't worry about any more...projectile nuisance."
"Fine, i'll play this little game..." Tremor whispered as he popped out of the sand, reloading the missile launcher. "Let's see you survive this one!" The pony shouted, firing once again.
As predicted, another giant hornet burst out of the stomach, but the missile suddenly flew up into the sky. Tremor smirked as he guided the missile with just his hoof, making it avoid everything thrown at it.
"Come on…come on!" Tremor whispered, starting to sweat.
Just when the missile was about to hit, the large hornet caught up and dived right into it.
"GOD DAMN BUGS!" Tremor yelled, suddenly noticing a wave of sand approaching him.
Tremor reloaded quickly before doing what he always dreamed off. He ran forward, jumped, and fired the missile below him, forcing him to fly above the giant and land on a nearby tree branch.
"I did a rocket jump, HAHAHA, I'm so * &# awesome!"
Callidus, however, wasn't so fortunate. He had no time to avoid the incoming sand that smashed against his body, carrying him away further into the forest. The giant began to deform as Sand Dust slowly made his descent towards the bed of sand. The colt stared at grenadier before submerging himself into the sand and travelling to where he had taken Callidus.
"Sadly, I have to fight you instead of Callidus, oh well." Zenith chuckled as he came out of the sand, standing on top of a giant black scorpion. "Though, I must say, you were very smart to use that rocket to help you over the wave of sand. Sadly, I must say, you are out of ammunition, are you not?"
"Not entirely..." Tremor said with a smirk
"Are you sure?" Zenith adjusted his glasses, softly grinning.
Tremor reached behind him, pulled out two large objects and slammed them together. He started to laugh softly as the "object" started to hum softly and glow dark orange.
Zenith's eyes became slit as he held out his right hoof.
"Aim to the sky." He spoke, causing Tremor's right fore-leg to move up, aiming the 'object' up. "Prepare to fire."
"What the…this isn't what I had in mind! What are you doing to me?!" Tremor demanded.
"I'm sure you are fully aware of me controlling insects, but you are not aware that I can even control micro sized ones, sometimes...even nano sized insects." He said as he began grinning slightly. "I have insects in your body, biting and controlling your every movement, I also have special termites eating away at your ammunition. To be honest, you are food to them and a nest for their larva."
"Go * & yourself, this is totally unfair!" Tremor said, trying to gain control.
"You know, whenever a shocked pony says that to me, I always get the feeling they want me to really do it to them." Zenith countered as he held out his other hoof. "Aim at yourself." He ordered moving his hoofs a little bit, causing Tremor to aim his own weapon at his face.
"You really think you can get me to aim a five foot cannon at my own face?!" Tremor asked, cracking his neck in rage.
The zebra simply chuckled and retorted.
"Well, I do actually."
He glanced to his right and became calm. When he glanced back at Tremor, he began humming lightly, giving the pony a final soft tune before ending his life. After two minutes passed, he stopped and smirked at him.
"So, how do you want to be buried?"
"It's been two minutes, Zenith, what's the matter, can't get me to pull the trigger?"
"Well, I would like to know what kind of grave you prefer, unless you want to be cremated." He said as he softly smiling at him.
"Normally, I would like to be buried in a coffin made of the steel of my ammo, but I don't plan on going out today." Tremor declared, slowly but surely pointing the cannon away from his face.
"Hmm, it seems you managed to gain some control of your body, but each time you move your muscle, my insects will continuously chew upon your flesh and nerves, unleashing not just pain but also injecting venom. You must be in a whole lot of pain to give me that smug look.
Tremor lightly started to chuckle, ignoring the pain coursing through his body.
"You don't think I was trained for situations like this?"
"Well I am pretty sure you were not trained in fighting a zebra that can control insects as well as mutate their sizes." He stated with a mocking smirk.
"How about you...were you trained to fight the strongest stallion in the world?" Tremor asked, starting to sweat.
"I do not believe anybody can be the strongest, for their can never be the strongest. Anything can top anything if they used their minds and strength." He stated.
"Wise words...ALLOW ME TO PUT THEM TO THE TEST!" He shouted, breaking out of his control and pointing his cannon at Zenith. "TASTE MY THUNDER CANNON!"
Zenith remained still, smirking at him impressed. Tremor fired, sending out a sonic wave of thunder and lightning that vaporized everything in its path. Whatever stood in Tremor's path was completely obliterated. The zebra, however, was nowhere in sight.
"Awesome, the cannon actually works!" Tremor shouted in joy. "It just completely blew him away."
Suddenly, Zenith's hooves grabbed his as he burst out of the sand covered in scorpions, staring at his face with a malice grin upon his lips.
"That blew away a lot, congrats, but...you have no more ammo or time to avoid this." He said, before opening his mouth.
A volley of hornets burst out, smacking Tremor back into the sand, stinging him in the process. Zenith wiped away his saliva as he got out of the sand.
"You sure do talk a lot." The large pony said, wiping off the hornets from his face like a worn rag. "But this gun uses the elements and its surroundings. Combined with magic, I could fire this thing for days on end."
"Then I must up my insects a bit." He said as he made his hornets return back to him and burrowed into his coat "Maybe I will have my termite's dispose of that weapon." He said.
"Break such a tool of awesomeness, why, you afraid of it."
"No." He stated. "But you are too fond of it; it blinds you from your enemy's skill." His eyes narrowed as his tone became grim. "Have you forgotten, the venom in you will soon reach your heart and decrease its beats of symphony. Eventually, it will reach your lungs and suffocate you. The result of death will be cruel and I seek two ways in killing you, both backed up by one another." He adjusted his glasses. "Either you die from the venom...or from my fatal strike that will get you when you least expect it."
"Venom huh...I have enough time." Tremor declared, aiming his gun once again. "You however, don't."
As the pony pressed the trigger, a huge blast of fire erupted from the cannon, heading straight towards the zebra. Zenith eyes became slit as he stood within its path, grinning madly. Once Zenith was vaporized from the blast the air grew quiet as more roaches were seen scurrying around the last post he was on.
"Not this again." Tremor said to himself, charging up the weapon.
Suddenly, it stopped functioning once Zenith emerged from the sand behind him, covered in scorpions. Tremor groaned in frustration as he gently tossed the gun aside and reached for his backup machine gun.
Once he reached to his back, all he felt were pieces of the gun. Most of the machine gun had been eaten away by the small termites devouring the metal and tearing apart the springs within the mechanism. Zenith began laughing as large stingers burst out his back, pointing straight at the stallion.
"What do want huh, to fight you with just my hooves?" The annoyed stallion asked.
"No, I want you to just simply die." The zebra said, charging forward with his machete gripped tight in-between his teeth.
"Fine, a small striped zebra vs. a six and a half foot work horse." The stallion said, scrapping the ground. "BRING IT ON!" He yelled, charging at the zebra.
Zenith's stingers launched forward into the ground, propelling him forward as he performed a twisting helix attack, using his machete as the slashing tool to make his impact dangerous.
Tremor crashed right into the zebra and slammed him to the dirt, practically making the ground cave in from the force.
"You better not try any of that magic voodoo junk!" Tremor ordered, trying to grab the machete.
One stinger burst out from the sand, impaling the pony's stomach, lifting him up into the air as the zebra got up from the ground.
"SON OF A * *!()!" Tremor screamed in pain, grabbing the stinger. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO DO THAT!"
Zenith moved the stinger around before slamming Tremor into the sandy floor. The pony grunted in pain as blood continued to pour from his stomach. The stinger retracted back to Zenith, sinking into his back with the other as the zebra began approaching him with his machete ready.
"So sad, I have not even shed a single sweat."
"Say that to my face you cheap fighting peasant!" Tremor yelled, becoming even more angered.
"No, I think keeping my distance would be fine." He said, stopping only halfway away from him. "So, how are you going to die, blood loss, venom, oh the options are too much to choose...hmm?" Zenith taunted.
"So you're just going to sit there and wait as I bleed out? Such a weakling."
"You can insult me all you want, you are going to simply die no matter what. How pitiful, I don't think you are going to be bury the way you always wanted. My termites ate away most of your weapons and ammo." He chuckled lightly as small ants began pouring out from separate holes in his body.
Few got off his body and began making their way towards Tremor. The pony closed his eyes and sighed softly.
"Fine, be that way..."
The wounded pony suddenly got up and punched the zebra through a tree, making it crash to the ground loudly. Strangely though, Zenith's body was revealed to be nothing but a hollow shell being eaten away by multiple insects. Emerging from the sand next to it, the zebra grinned, patting his shell.
"Like it, I used this three times so far to protect myself from your attacks and stall you so that venom can do its work, so far, I am sure you will be suffering greatly the longer you withhold its course of action." He stated, grinning at him.
"Fine then...but you asked for it." Tremor said, smirking evilly.
The large pony quickly turned around and started to throw out punches as quick as his bullets. For a pony of his size and wounds, this was quite a feat to behold. Zenith's eyes narrowed as he began dodging each swing with ease. His eyes became slit as multiples irises appeared within the pupils.
"You are too slow, child!" He laughed.
He was suddenly kicked through another tree as the words left his mouth.
"To slow my flat hoof!" Tremor shouted.
Zenith slowly got up from the ground and started laughing.
"How will you feel if I told you now that I allow you to at least land a blow on me?" He asked.
"My gosh, now I understand why Mico got annoyed with my pride." Tremor said, smirking. "I still got you though."
"Oh, yes, you did, but I did, too." He said as bulldog ants escaped the cheeks on his face from the small holes spotted beneath his eyes.
"Insects are within you. I can read your movements like a book with these eyes! Attack you with precise skill without any flaws behind it! I am the natural born predator here and you are the prey."
"If there's a will there's a way. I will bring you down." He said, grabbing him by the neck and punching through his stomach. "Ok...i didn't expect that."
The bulldog ants began biting at every spot of flesh they could find on Tremor as Zenith remained grinning at the angered pony.
"Hit me as much as you want, I will not feel your pain, no, but you will feel your own."
Tremor screamed out to the sky as he grabbed Zenith and snapped his neck, ripping his hoof out of his gaping stomach in the process.
"For once in my life...I don't know if i can actually win..." He whispered, panting.
"I believe that's true." Zenith said as vines burst out from the sand, wrapping around Tremor's throat, forcing him against the bark of the tree.
The zebra was covered in his own insects, revealing that he was disguising himself into his own shell.
"Forth time I used this."
"And it will be the last time!" The pony yelled, kicking the side of the zebra's face.
Zenith made no movement or shown any sign of pain as he stared at Tremor, returning him a sardonic smile as his eyes became slit.
"My body is tougher than you can imagine. It can survive high temperatures like a roach, survive like a roach, fight like a mantis, and have the tough shell of a beetle. I...am basically more than you can handle." He said as slime began pouring from his holes.
He raised his right hoof and swung hard, knocking Tremor back into the bark of the tree as the vine tightened around his neck. Tremor growled as the vine tightened, cutting off his air supply.
Zenith brushed back his mane as he sat down, looking at him calmly.
"So...tell me...all about yourself." He said, loosening the vine.
Sand Dust stared at Callidus from a distance against a tree covered in numerous scratches. The colt closed his eyes and reopened them, sitting down calmly.
"Amazing, you show no signs of fear, happiness, or any emotion at all. What are you?" Callidus asked, pointing his launchers at the colt.
The colt did not answer and pointed his right hoof at his throat. Slowly a sand snake, small in size, came out and bit Callidus' fore-leg. The brown pony quickly took his gun and smashed the snakes head with the butt of his gun before firing another round at Sand Dust. A wave of sand took the shot, protecting the small colt as he continued looking at him with his hoof pointed at his own neck.
"What are you..."
The colt lowered his hoof as sand around him launched forward. Callidus aimed his grenade launchers and fired his entire clip into the oncoming colt, blasting away at him with each shot. The colt gathered more sand around him, taking the hits so it that it would not bothered harming him. He continued to stare at the stallion through the waves of sand emotionlessly, hiding away or perhaps void of all emotions and expressions. The brown stallion started to get worried as he unloaded his guns, letting the empty shells fall to the floor around him.
Sand Dust watched as he quickly wasted ammo against his absolute defense. The sand was his shield and weapon. The small colt gently raised both hooves into the air causing the wave of sand to wrap around him into a massive ball.
"How is he doing that?!"
The colt that was guarded with the ball of sand launched out sand spears towards the gun pony. Callidus' eyes popped out of his face before he leaped into a nearby bush to dodge. While this happened, Sand Dust rested his hooves against each other as a larger spear appeared over the ball and launched forward in violent speed. The spear hit the bush, but the brown pony was nowhere to be seen. The colt clapped his hoof as the spear exploded into small sand darts shot in all directions.
Seconds passed after the smoke cleared until an active grenade crashed next to the colt. Sand Dust quickly covered himself with a sand ball as it went off, scorching the sand but leaving the colt unfazed. The colt came out from beneath the ball and landed on the ground, clapping his hooves together causing it to explode into a giant shower of darts, raining down. Sounds where coming from all around the colt, confusing him on where he would come next until another grenade smacked him right on the back of his head and went off.
The colt slid back, using his sand to slow him down. He stared at the direction the grenade came from as small pieces of sand fell from the back of his head. He slammed his hooves into the ground causing all the sand around him and the area to rise up, taking Callidus along with it. The grenadier once again used his grappling hook to get out of the sand, but this time he propelled himself to the small colt. The sand quickly stopped him, squeezing him tightly as it slammed him hard onto the ground. The sand soon formed into a snake, slithering around the colt before lunging forward.
The brown soldier panicked as he ducked under the snake, but managed to fire another round at the colt as the grenade exploded, launching him back into a tree. The colt managed to successfully protect himself from the explosion with a sand shield, slowing him down and gently landing to the floor. The colt's sand soon wrapped around Callidus' hooves, beginning to tighten hard as he pinned him down. Sand Dust eyes lowered as sand around him became snakes and slithered towards Callidus.
'I'll have to get right up to him, blow him up completely...it's my last option.' He thought.
The snakes soon charged forward, crashing nearby and sending a powerful heavy wave of sand against Calldius, knocking him back.
'I have only four shots left and two grenades...please, for the love books don't screw this up.'
Sand Dust raised his hooves as sand waves ascended from the floors and into the air, heading towards Callidus on both sides. The brown pony dashed forward towards the colt, pointing his gun and fired one shot. A small wave of sand grabbed the bullet, protecting the colt as he closed in the sand when it exploded. Callidus smiled, this was just as he planned. Running through the smoke, he jumped over the colt, landed right behind him and jammed his launchers into his back. Without a second though, he fired two grenades that exploded almost instantly. Before Callidus crashed into a tree from the force, he caught himself and landed roughly in the dirt.
The colt used the wave of sand that crashed down as a bed to cover his airborne as sand began falling from his body. He glared at Callidus as cracks had formed on his face. The sand slowly began to sink into the cracks, reforming the shell he used to protect himself. Callidus took this chance to shoot his grappling hook into the colt and shot thousands of volts into him as he aimed his launcher.
"One shot...one colt...game over."
A sand snake appeared from the floor, crashing through the hook's line and snapping it instantly before the colt launched forward a massive sand spear through the sheets of sand. Callidus swayed to the side as the spear flew passed his face, cutting his check. He quickly spun around and fired his last shot at the colt. But then the colt submerged himself into the sand, blocking the explosive round before rushing towards the stallion in the form of an anaconda. What he didn't expect was for the shrapnel to suddenly fly at the colt from behind and start flickering red. Callidus quickly jumped for cover as the colt's eyes widened. The shrapnel then exploded in a large display of fire, ice, and lightning, sending a shockwave throughout the entire forest.
When the sand deformed and the debris had scattered, all that stood there was the colt, panting out of breath. But what was protecting him in an embracing form was a mare made of sand. The cold eyes lowered as he looked up at the mare of sand staring down at him. Callidus slowly stood up, witnessing this with his own eyes. He was more confused by the fact that a mare had appeared then the fact the he survived.
The colt watched as the sand mare began falling apart, hitting the ground hard like glass. The colt shook his head and stared forward, readying himself with his sand flowing around him.
'I have one normal grenade and one thermal grenade. I have to end this.' Callidus thought, taking out the two bombs
The sand rushed towards Callidus as Sand Dust launched a few sand spears. Combined with his sand tsunami and spears, he made a powerful destructive wave. Callidus had no choice but to duck and weave the spears before the wave of sand hit him, launching him into the bushes behind him. The colt made sure to lift the sand, bringing the soldier into the air before slamming him into the rough bed of sand.
"I need to get close to him again...hopefully with better results."
The colt did not wait a single second for the foe to get up as it launched forward with violent rage.
'That's it, come on and get me.' Callidus thought, holding the grenade in his hooves.
The wave of sand turned into the form of a mare, charging forward with her horn pointed straight at his chest. Callidus managed to grab the sandy mare before she impaled him. He tossed her to the side and dashed at Sand Dust in an evasive maneuver. Sand Dust eyes narrowed as the mare of sand burst from the ground beneath the soldier, impaling his stomach with her sharp horn as another appeared behind him and impaled his right shoulder. Soon, sand snakes burst out from the sandy depths and coiled around him, beginning to crush down on his body.
Callidus froze in shock at the pain flowed throughout his body. He started to shake as blood poured out from his body but refused to cry out. The small colt stared at him emotionlessly as he lifted his hoofs preparing to finish him off with his crushing sands.
Zenith sat calmly on the ground, staring at Tremor surprised.
"Our lives...they are not so different, huh?" He asked, softly smiling.
"What is your point in this, I have nothing left to give but my pride." Tremor replied weakly
"It is always best to know your enemy's past so that you may give him a proper death and acknowledgement that his death did not come so...stale. His past shall be remembered." The zebra stated.
Tremor closed his eyes as he listened to the words spoken to him
"I'm sure your friend is no different from Sand Dust and me either." He said, chuckling lightly.
"Nobody's different."
"So you believe everyone is similar in some way." Tremor asked.
"Yes, but also different as well. In a way which our lives had encountered many struggles and that we managed to pull through them. For those who haven't either require help or just want to figure a way out for themselves. I can be wrong or just contradicting myself in some degree, but...we are the same in a sense. We all experience something many do...that's pain."
"And I can see that in your eyes. So why continue it then?"
"Because...there are some things in this world that still has not been helped yet, so they continue to attract attention the only way they can so that one thing, their hope, comes to their aid. Like Sand Dust...he is waiting for his hope to come."
"Which is..."
"I don't know. It's something I cannot figure out myself. The colt has remained silent since I found him in the desert dying of dehydration."
"So that's it then...I have no more strength to fight you with...*pants*...such a sad way to die to."
"It is, you fought well, I give you credit, but you end here." Zenith said, looking at him calmly, before walking away. "I will assist Sand Dust in his battle against your friend, rest in the heavens in which your god had made for you."
"You'll just leave me here..."
"Yes, where you may become one with the earth. If you have some other way in surviving, best use it now before you either bleed out, suffocate, or die from the venom."
Tremor gave Zenith a dark yet calm look causing the zebra to stop and chuckle lightly.
"Now don't look at me like that. Accept your death if you have no will to fight anymore."
Tremor slowly looked down, looking away from the zebra.
"Do not worry, you will join your friends in the afterlife very soon." He said as insect wings burst out his back.
Zenith flew off, beginning to feel his body grow tired from the overused energy with his concentration in manipulating the insects. He had stood in his enhanced form for too long and had to rest so his energy could be preserve. He looked ahead across the desert Sand Dust had made with his sand titan and continued straight.
'When is Blue going to launch another attack, it is wise to eliminate Herus if it were me, but instead...he is stalling. What is he waiting for?' The zebra thought as he descended down to the sand, beginning to run as his body became normal.
The zebra eyes lowered as he began to think about the small colt. It was his responsibility that he took to protect the colt at all times. As if on cue, he remembered the time they first met in the deserts of the Sahara.
Sand Dust and Zenith stared at one another under the cold bearing moonlight that casted its ominous glow upon them in the middle of the desert. Both were stalemate in their fight and baffled that they ended their fight in a draw for over a day.
"What kind of colt in the middle of the desert attacks a random pony passing by?" He asked, softly smiling at him after being impressed by his strange power.
He soon paused after spotting the skeleton of some pony behind him lying on the ground. The colt spotted his shocked gaze and launched a wave of sand, but gritted his teeth angrily when two large scorpions burst out protecting Zenith from the crushing sand.
"How long has that been there, the maggots that had infested it tells me for months and close to a year. Tell me, were you actually protecting that skeleton?" He asked.
The colt did not answer, but grew afraid as he launched another wave of sand. The attack failed to kill Zenith but succeeded in destroying his scorpions. The zebra remained calm, staring at the body of what used to be alive.
"Is that your...mother?"
Callidus and Sand Dust stood in front of each other and remained frozen as fire burned around the two. Callidus had only his thermal grenade left and his neglected shotgun that he forgot about during the battle.
"So...for a kid...you certainly fight well..." Callidus panted.
Sand Dust remained quiet as sand began swaying around him. He did not blink or move from his position as his ultimate defense and offense began preparing itself for an evasive attack block.
"One bomb...one chance...*sigh*...and all you do is block and counter."
The colt remained silent as the sand beneath and around Callidus started moving.
"I know what you're doing colt, you think it will work again?"
The colt soon pressed his hooves together as a giant wave of sand came forth from behind Callidus. The stallion heard the sand coming. Using what was left of the grappling hooks wire, he wrapped it around around a tall tree branch and hoisted himself up. He then took out his neglected 1887 shotgun and fired it at the colt. The little pony took minor damage, but when callidus landed in front of him and continued to fire, chunks of his sand shield started to fly off. Callidus shot and destroyed of the shield before tossing the grenade behind the colt. With only one shot left, he quickly blasted Sand Dusts head, sending sand everywhere.
"Have you had enough yet?" Callidus asked.
The colt became shocked that his sand shield became overwhelmed by the stallion's attacks as the cracks on his face began sealing away with more sand. He glared emotionlessly at Callidus preparing to finish him.
"Tremor, it's about time you made it." Callidus said, glaring behind the colt.
Sand Dust looked behind him quickly before realising that it was just a trick. Callidus took the opportunity to punch through the back of the colts head before ripping it out and bucking him forward. The brown pony then jumped turned around and took out a switch.
"Lights out."
He clicked the switch, detonating the thermal grenade, blasting a huge hole into the ground and incinerating the plants and trees nearby. Callidus weakly stood, brushing off the dust from his fur and snuffing out the fire in his hair.
"It's...it's finally over..."
As the fire scorched the sand and submerged trees, Sand Dust emerged from its beds breathing heavily while covered in severe cracks. Sand slid down his body as a deformed mare covered his body as if holding him tightly. His eyes were piercing knives into Callidus as he began walking forward towards him.
"Why won't you just die..."
Sand Dust did not answered as he continued pushing himself further towards the soldier. Soon, the mare of sand deformed revealing an actual pony skeleton, staring at Callidus.
"Why...why...just...please..."
The colt reached out before falling onto the ground, crawling towards the stallion as the skeleton fell apart. He soon stopped when his heart stopped. Sand snakes that had appeared right after the colt lifted his hoof towards Callidus stopped just close to his legs. Sand Dust remained still as he faced the side of the sandy forest.
Callidus eyes widened as shock and mixed terror overtook him. Despite his instinct, he grabbed the colts hoof. The colt's head jerked up, yelling in pain and anger as a sand snake burst out from his mouth and grabbed his throat. The colt's eyes were full of rage; Callidus had to break free. With a quick movement, he ripped his hoof away but was unable to break his glance. The skeleton mare was gathered up by the sand and eventually, only a piece of her bone was crushed, pointing straight at Callidus.
"I...I don't understand..."
The bone soon flew forward, aiming straight for the stallion's head. Callidus swayed to the side, barely missing the bone as it hit a tree behind him. but then a wave of sand hit him, causing him to crashed into the bark of the tree before another tendril grabbed his right hind-leg. The colt grinned as blood seeped down his teeth, finding his chance to kill Callidus thrilling. Callidus reached to his left where the bone shard was and grabbed it, becoming frightened by the sight of the colt.
Sand Dust pulled Callidus towards him, readying two sand spears by his side. Callidus grit his teeth as he held the shard tightly in his hoof, knowing that he was about to experience one of the most painful things in his life. after a few moments, the sand spears impaled the stallion's stomach and right shoulder once he came crashing forward. Sand Dust's eyes widened as Callidus shock with pain, impaling the bone shard into the colts heart with one final blow.
Sand Dust eyes became dull as his breathing stopped. Blood dripped down from his fatal chest wound as sand fell flat to the ground, becoming smooth.
Callidus rolled onto the floor, panting loudly as a smirk came to his face.
"Now it's over..."
"Or so you think?" Zenith said, standing behind him.
"Oh hi...I think you missed the show...come back later." Callidus said, becoming delusional.
"It seems you managed to take down my partner. At least I took down yours, thus making us equal." He said, trotting to the side of the destroyed skeleton the mare was. "And you even managed to take down his mother."
"You killed Tremor...why do i find that hard to believe..."
"Impaled him, poisoned him, and even had my vines strangle him. He has three ways in dying; blood loss, asphyxiate, or intoxication." He said with a cheerful smile.
"Oh...so you left him...you know how many enemies did that to him before."
"I am sure plenty, but I am also positive that being tied and choke down to a tree bark would be good enough to finish him off. If you were in his position...you will clearly see the true terror he felt after fighting me. It was amazing I will give him credit for that, he managed to out best me in determination even after all of his arsenal was eaten away by my termites."
"Terror...I don't see it, he practically controls terror."
"I was not afraid. You know...those who seek to control fear over others only increases the chances of them being afraid of many things. One of them..." His tone grew grim, "is finding somepony that is not afraid of them and simply...mocks their "attempts" to induce fear."
"He did that I take it...hehehe, he always did try to be funny..."
"I believe I should finish you off." Zenith said walking towards him calmly.
"No please...take your time...it's not like I'm going anywhere..."
"Taking my time will grant you many chances in attempting to attack or flee. I will not grant either opportunity for you, neither I have granted for your friend, Tremor." He said as a large stinger burst out his back and pointed straight towards him. "Farewell."
"Yeah, but you forgot one thing...Tremor is too stubborn to die..." He said smirking.
Zenith felt something tap his shoulder as a familiar high pitch sound filtered his ears. The zebra glanced to his side as his eyes became widened with shock.
"Nature called...she want's her bugs back." Tremor said, smirking.
He turned the cannon up to maximum power and fired a huge blast of fire and lightning right into his face. Zenith slid back on the ground covered in burnt marks. Callidus coughed up blood as he looked to Tremor
"Kick his flank..." Callidus whispered, losing conscious.
Zenith got up and gritted his teeth in pain when he could not see with his right eye.
"How...you should be dead."
"Honestly, I don't know why myself. For a moment I was out, believing death had taken me into her sleep, but then...I was awake again. Good as new to, like nothing had ever happened." Tremor said, glaring at his hoof.
Zenith narrowed his eyes before becoming impressed.
"I admired your will to live. You might have an ability that suppresses venom or...a nice healing factor...whatever it is...supernatural or not, I will be sure...to behead you."
"Oh, so now you want to kill me quickly." Tremor said, cocking the launcher. "You had your chance, now it's my turn."
"Do you think you can kill me?" Zenith asked, getting ready. 'I just need to wait for my bugs to heal my wounds, then I will perform a doppelganger technique and finish him off from there.' He thought.
Tremor pointed the cannon dead at Zenith.
"Yeah, I do."
The cannon shot out an explosive blast of fire and lightning at the Zebra. Zenith quickly clapped his hooves together, summoning two scorpions that emerged out from the sand, taking the hit from the blast. Once they were killed, Zenith readied his machete in his mouth and motioned his hooves right to summon two spiders from the ground, shooting webs at Tremor. The stallion retaliated by blasting the cannon to the left, vaporizing the webs and the spiders as he continued to glare at Zeh.
"You're powers won't work on me anymore."
Zenith smirked as he clapped his hooves and slammed them into the sand.
"Madre terra!" He yelled.
Dark coated roots burst out from the ground. Trees made of the strange material emerged, filling out the entire area. Zenith pressed his back against a tree, beginning to laugh. Roots began entangling around him as his body became one with not only the tree but the earth beneath Tremor's hooves. Tremor slowly walked to the left, continuing to fire his elemental cannon at the zebra with explosive results.
No matter how strong the blasts were, it did not scratch the strange earth material trees. A titan form of Zenith made from the trees emerged from the ground glaring down at the cannon-man.
"These types of trees comes from the center of the planet!"
"I don't care where they come from, I'm taking you down!" He shouted, continuing to fire.
A large root came down from the ground as Zenith began launching spores of acid. Tremor spun out of the way of the large root, shooting at the acid spores in the process. Unsure on where it would lead, he grabbed the root and pulled on it with what was left of his strength. The root gave off a burnt odor of charcoal as it began pulling him down into a hole. He was quickly lead into a massive area full of molten trees and in the center was a crucified version of Zenith with small green veins within his skin.
"I will end this here and make you food for this planet. The insects, plants, and all of earth will devour your body and soul. God...she will make good use of you when you are dead!" Zenith yelled as thousands of vines shot down towards Tremor from all directions.
"Then I hope she enjoys a good dish of disappointment." Tremor declared, overcharging the cannon past maximum power.
He slammed the cannon into the ground like a pillar and pulled the trigger. The cannon started to hum loudly but it didn't go off.
"Because in one minute, there won't be anything left of both of us."
"I will bury you into the terrae!" He yelled.
"You can try." Tremor said, taking his fighting position.
The vines rapidly crashed down into the spot he was on, causing smoke to spread everywhere. Soon, small bulldog ants popped through the green vines, crawling down into the smoke.
"Let's see if I got him." Zenith grinned.
The smoke cleared, showing Tremor holding the vines in his hooves as he yanked on the vines with all his strength, ripping them up from the ground. Zenith eyes widened as he yelled in anger.
"You damn foolish creature! I will see you dead!"
He launched another wave of vines that were made from the molten trees. Tremor dodged to the side, avoiding the vine. With only fifty seconds left, he had to make his move. He dashed forward to Zenith's location and picked up a jagged stone.
"Your persistence in living only irritates me!" He yelled summoning more molten vines. "Get him my brothers!" He summoned two massive praying mantis..
Tremor only speed forward, sliding under one of the mantis and japping the other in the next as he slide by. He got up to his hooves and dodged the other vines as he reach the zebra.
'Three seconds left...then I can perform the doppelganger technique. Once he throws his weapon, I will be able to dodge it, and survive from that cannon.' He thought as the second mantis swung its claw down towards Tremor.
The large pony grabbed the claw and chopped it off with the jagged stone. He threw the claw to the side and kicked the mantis forward into the other behind it. Now with only thirty seconds left, Tremor ran right up to the cross and jamped the stone into it's base.
"You are simply walking into Death's embrace!" Zenith growled as vines burst out from the molten wood. '1 second left!'
Tremor knocked down the cross with a strong push, sending Zenith down to the floor.
"This ends now." Tremor said, standing over him with the stone. "
Zenith grinned before laughing.
"No, not for me, but for you. I am going to send you into the terrae!" He yelled.
His rooted chest opened revealing a glowing green orb.
"I decided to change up my plans. I am going to destroy this entire floor...and I am going to take you down with me!"
"But that's what i planned all along..."
Tremor dashed forward and jammed the stone into the green orb as he pushed Zenith's head into the ground. Only Fifteen seconds remained.
Zenith's gritted his teeth in pain as vines wrapped around the soldier.
"Like I said...I am taking you down with me." He groaned.
"And so am I, the cannon will vaporize both of us before you can."
"We'll see about that!"
Ten seconds remained.
"And yet you still try to kill me...to prove nothing." Tremor declared.
"Do you think this self-destruct thing is on a timer?" Zenith grinned. "I am the trigger!"
Five seconds
"Then do it...it was the only way you could have won to begin with." Tremor said.
"Then so be it!"
He laughed as his eyes glowed brightly and mouth gave off an eerie cacophony screech. The place began to rumble and soon a burning hot sensation smack against the pony's body faster than he could imagine. Lava burst out from the pores of the molten roots and trees. The lava inferno burst and roared in an unanimous tone, coming down from even the sky.
Tremor sat down with a smile and closed his eyes. As the chaos grew around him, the cannon overloaded, exploding in a large explosion of fire and light.
"I guess...it was always meant to end in fire..." He whispered as time slowed around him.
The molten forest exploded, filling only half of the area with lava that scorched the sand into ice and soon into nothing.
Ten minutes pass…
From a distance near the bodies of the unconscious Callidus and dead Sand Dust, Zenith burst out from the sand covered in scorched marks. Small fire ants and spiders fell off his body, dying instantly once they touched the ground.
"It worked. I had to change my plans five times before using this technique, now that he is gone..." He paused and gritted his teeth. "Damn it." He stared down and saw a severe wound in the side of his stomach. "I can't heal from that...I don't have enough energy." He fell flat on the ground.
"At least I took him down. Too bad...I didn't get to take down his...partner" He muttered as his vision grew blurry and mind became fuzzy. His breathing began slowing down and soon Zenith faced darkness which death had conjured up to ease his suffering.
Another minute passed until Tremor emerged from the large hole in the ground, completely scorched and covered in cuts.
"Plot pulling punk." He whispered, falling to the ground unconscious.