and
Red and Prodd have been on the road for three days since the caravan incident. There was no sign of the bandits that caused it, nothing attacked them during their nights in the wilds. Prodd kept himself distant most of the time, and slept very little. He appeared fine physically, and he said that was good enough. Then two continued on the path before them, less than a mile away from some quiet town called Wormrot.
Red would have felt rather bad for resting during the nights, but this entire trip Prodd had hardly shown her any kindness, and it was starting to get to her. Maybe it was just the lack of sleep, but all she knew he was this way on the first day.
“Come on, pick up the pace...” Prodd ordered to the mare behind him. “Wormrot’s in sight, we can rest there-...” He cut himself off, noticing the smoke, his crossbow raised in a heartbeat.
“Oh buck off, ya lowly twa-” That’s when she saw the smoke. She got her weapon out just as quickly as he did.
Prodd crept low to the ground, side stepping into the bushes to his left, he silently stalked up to get a view of the smoking village. He hoof-signaled to Red to approach the town.
Red walked towards the town, keeping to the road. The closer she got to the place, the more clear it was what happened to the outpost. All she could see was the palisade... well, what was left of it...
Prodd crawled forward and observed the town and it’s structures after confirming it was a ghost town. The palisade wall was relatively intact, save for two openings made by destruction and a main gate. The tallest structure was a four story tower with the top floor completely destroyed, he could use that as a good vantage point. Prodd stood up and walked down to Red and removed a few bear traps from one of his satchels.
“Looks like this place is rather barren... We should keep our guard up.” She looked over to the town, wondering if anyone was still there. “I don't think badger’s could have pulled this one off...”
“Yeah...” Prodd nods, he levitated the traps to protect the holes in the wall. “I’m going up into that tower for a better vantage point, I’ll drop anything I see...” He made his way to the tower and opened the door. “ I think something’s coming... I’d recommend you stay safe or hole up somewhere you could face any invader one at a time...
I love you...” Prodd closed the door behind him and ascended the tower.
Red nodded, and moved around scanning the area. She expected him to be safe on his own, so she just slowly skulked her way through town, before hearing the sound of broken glass over by what looked to have once been a general store.
Prodd watched Red turn to face a building, he faintly heard glass breaking and raised his crossbow. From his position, he couldn’t see directly into the building, but could see anything that came out and into the center of town. He covered Red’s position, watching her back from the tower.
Red slowly moved over to a window, and looked in, seeing what looked to be a diamond dog. He just looting the place, and just dropped something one could assume was a bottle or something.
Prodd saw Red linger at the building. He had no visuals over what Red saw, so he continued to watch her back. Nothing set off the bear traps yet; if the traps had went off, he’d have already known.
Red sighed and kept watching. “Hmmm...” The dog looked around, before moving back over to what remained of a counter top. He pulled out anything of value, hoping he’d find something that’d at least turn him a bit or two next time he dropped his finding at a caravan.
Prodd still couldn’t tell what was going on in the building. Before he could think of a solution, he saw a few figures move in the bushes outside the hole to the wall, a few yards behind Red. He saw the glint of his bear trap, this would be good for a laugh in a couple seconds.
Red heard a loud ruffle off in the distance, and the sound of hooves clopping down the road. She couldn’t see who it was, but she had to either choose between hiding in the building behind her, or running the risk of seeing who it was walking around the corner.
Prodd raised his crossbow on the hole in the wall, he could make the shot even without his lack of another eye. Three discordians stepped through the wall in a loose single file line. The one in front stepped on the bear trap and screamed in pain while hitting the ground, missing a leg. The trap was originally built to maim, but Prodd tinkered with it at some point and managed to get the device to amputate. The second foe caught a bolt to the head. “Just plain talented...” Prodd muttered to himself, grinning smugly while reloading his weapon. That might have been the first time he’s smiled this entire journey. The fresh corpse and the screaming comrade would be enough to slow the third down long enough for Prodd to take another shot.
Red sighed. They were definitely getting closer... She decided it was probably best if she took the building, and thus she opened the door to the ruined general store, but when she got inside, the dog was gone.
Prodd took a second shot and tagged the third discordian in the chest, probably piercing a lung, because the discordian hit the ground and was gasping for breath. Red could finish the wounded off if they don’t bleed to death soon, speaking of which, where was she? Prodd cursed under his breath and loaded another bolt. He stayed at his position, hoping Red gets out into the open. The other two traps he set prior are still out there, he knew that.
Red sighed, and looked around, not finding the dog anywhere. “Show yourself and I’ll let you live...” she had planned on doing so anyway but...
Prodd shot the discordian missing a leg in the abdomen, probably hitting his guts... maybe. Prodd sighed and reloaded again. What the hell is Red doing?
“Annnnd why would I take you seriously?” Somehow the looter was already behind her. “I mean, you’re probably just another discordant.” Red tensed and pointed her spear at the him. “Why aren’t you on the ground cowering?”
Prodd suddenly had a bad feeling in his gut. He tried to ignore it and scanned the town from his vantage point in case anything else would show up. There was still no sight of Red. He checked his crossbow and contemplated finding her, but he realized Red could most likely take care of herself.
Red just rolled her eyes, and took a seat down on a broken table. “If I were a discordant I’d have stabbed you by now.” The dog shrugged. “Why haven’t you hightailed out of here or just hidden or something?” The diamond dog sighed and took a seat too. “Because, I don't want to make too much of a commotion, and there is an entire squad out there right now.”
Prodd was about to descend down the staircase when he heard another one of his traps go off and a scream accompanied it. Prodd had his crossbow pointed on the area from his nest in a second. Four discordians were coming in through the hole, the lead missing a leg. He smirked at his trap working and took a shot; the second discordian hit the ground before the first one collapsed.
The dog peared on the window behind him, taking note that the squad was gone. They had probably ran off to go check up on the yelling off in the distance. “Looks like they’re gone... ya didn’t come into to town with some crossbow toting unicorn right? Cause looks like he’s about to get swarmed.” He had been aware of Prodd being up in the tower for a while, but the stealthy guy was good at keeping his head down and out of sight. “I’ll put five bits that he’ll be put down in a few minutes...”
Prodd loaded his crossbow and heard footsteps coming up the stairs. “Heh... this is why preparations are complete...” Prodd hooked just enough rope to reach from here to the general store Red hid in to the end of his bolt. He clamped it securely to a sturdy looking chunk of rubble and shot at the roof of the store. The bolt pierced the building and the line hooked to the rubble was almost taunt. Prodd reloaded his crossbow when one of the discordians made it up the staircase, he had a bolt in his chest and a mean look on his face. As the discordian and his buddies made it to the top floor, Prodd stomped as hard as he could at a very shaky floorboard and then used the rope as a zip line to the other building. The floor to the tower caved in when Prodd was about halfway to the roof of the store. “Oh that was fun!”
“Damn... t’aws impressive.” The guy turned around and started to pull something out of a pack he had on back. “I’mma keep this out in case archer boy get’s a bit trigger happy.” Red sighed and pointed her spear at him. “and how do I know you won’t just stab me with whatever you’ve go in there?” “Because... friendship is magic?”
Prodd rolled onto the roof. He drew his crossbow, confirmed it was loaded, and pulled out his shield with his magic. “Where the hell are you guys? Hello?” He yelled out, he hoped Red would hear him. He made sure to ask in plural, to imply that he wasn’t fighting alone in case anything else was out there. He crouched low at the corner of the roof overlooking the main entrance, it looked like somepony decided to plant a bush there as decoration.
Red sighed, and brought the spear closer to his neck, but the moment Red moved her spear closer to him, the dog had already pulled a kama out of his pack and redirected the weapon. “I only kill if I’m paid, or forced to. You’re making it really hard to get out of this without putting a blade in your skull.”
Prodd called out again. “C’mon, you know I wouldn’t do this to you!” He aims his crossbow at the door with his forelegs and preps a spare bear trap with his horn. “Would you kindly take a step outside?” He knew Red was in danger at this point. If she steps outside, she’s in deep shit; if she doesn’t...
“So... looks like the cavalry showed up... you mind if we don’t look like we’re killin’ each other? I don’t want whoever walks in to be a dipshit and stab me...” Red just gave him a look. “Spear master, some bird over in Duskfields hired my services, and I doubt getting in a mexican standoff with two randoms is in either of our interests.”
Prodd listened intently. “Look, whoever the hell you are, give me back my significant other here, and help yourself to some free dead shit!” He started to get angry, Prodd was rarely pissed, unicorns were rarely pissed, there was a reason for that...
“Calm your tities, I was just about to go on my way...” Red sighed. “He probably isn’t going to touch me dear...”
“Yeah? Can we just leave then or does jackass here got an agenda or something?” Prodd took a few deep breaths, his horn dimmed.
“Probably, but this town should be swarming now that you’ve killed a few guys. Best you and I lay low for a while...”
“Well that’s great...” Prodd dropped from the roof and entered the store, his crossbow was loaded, his shield was blocking in front of him, and he had a set bear trap hidden behind his back.
By the time he got in, Red and the dog had already put their weapons up and were sitting at either end of the store. “So... how are you this fine evening Mr.Sniper?” Red rolled her eyes. “Hello... how was pissing off the town, dear?”
“Felt pretty good...” Prodd answered. “And Mr. Scrotumbreath, call me by my first name... Cold.” Prodd kept his bear trap at his side and lowered his crossbow. He stood by Red and briefly nuzzled her. “Got a plan... dear?”
“Well... wait I guess...” Red said, returning the nuzzle.
“D’aww.... how cute.”
“Whatever, what do we do Oh Great Mut?” Prodd said.
“Meh, calling me a diamond dog is honestly just as bad, so keep yapping horn donkey.”
“Alright then, so we’re hiding out here?” Prodd asks.
“Would seem.” The guy started to walk over to the thing he was rummaging through before Red got here. “So... you know this place used to be a pit stop for trading? Only been up for about a year now.”
Red nodded. “Yes, that’s why we thought we could restock on supplies here.”
Prodd nods and checks to see if there’s a second floor.
Red followed behind him, and they soon found a staircase.
“AH found it.” the guy pulled out a bag of hooftacks, “Just what I needed...” he took the bag in placed in his pack.
Prodd couldn’t care less what the dog found. “Red... you okay?” He whispers to her.
“Yes, I’m quite fine Prodd.”
“Alright then...” Prodd said. “How long ‘till the discordians leave?”
“Probably a good while...” Red gave him another nuzzle.
“Shall we hide out on the second floor?” Prodd asked. He returned her affection for once.
Red smiled a little. “Well, I suppose that’s for the best...”
“Yeah...” Prodd went over into the corner and lied prone, covering the staircase with his crossbow from the shadow of the room.
Red noted this and took a seat over on a crate.
“You’re no fun...” Prodd whispered from the corner.
“Oh hush. You're just as bad.”
“Whatever...”
“You know what. I’m getting sick and tired of all your bloody-” She was cut off by the sound of the door downstairs opening. “Oh buck...” Then they suddenly heard the sound of a pony yelling at the top of it’s lungs in pain, and finally the sound of hard metal against stone.
“...I think they know where we are now.” Prodd said. “Please don’t go down and check...”
“I actually can’t leave the guy to die...” She was fairly certain he was the diamond dog that max had hired....
“Goddamnit...” Prodd muttered. “I’d go with you... but I’d be little use in close quarters...”
“Fine, just hide up here and try to find a window or something.” She moved down the stairs, spear already armed, only to find the dog was standing in front of the door way, twirling a chain with a kama attached to the end, and a small weight on the other, and beneath him was what one would assume was a discordant with a large dent in his skull. “We need to get the buck out of here, sir.”
“I would assume so...” the diamond dog nodded and went for the stairs, before stopping at the first step, waiting for the pony to head up first. Red followed behind, before throwing a contents of his back of hooftacks on the ground, making sure whoever walked in would have a nasty surprise.
Prodd stood in the shadow of a windowsill. “We leaving?” He asks, right before leaning out and taking a shot. A scream was heard. “Yeah I see five out there that are still alive...”
“Prodd, more of them will show up!” by now the diamond dog was already trying to dig a hole in the drywall with his weapon. “If we jump out there, we’ll die, it’s best we try and come out from behind the place.” He was making quick work of the wall, probably only take a minute or two at this pace.
“Should I keep shooti-” A bolt flew by his head, that answered his question. Prodd took another shot. “Yeah, lobotomized!” He had around sixteen or seventeen bolts left.
A few cries where heard from down stairs, “GOTCHA!” The dog kicked a few times and finally finished making his hole. “Come one, it’s done.” he jumped down, falling to the ground behind the building.
“Ladies first! Go!” Prodd yelled to Red. He took a third shot and reloaded his crossbow. They were coming.
Red jumped out, and flew down to the ground, waiting for Prodd to hurry up.
The dog got up to the side of the building and pulled a small glass bottle out of his cloak. He bashed it on the side of the building, before pulling out a matchbook and setting light to the side of building. It wasn’t spreading too fast, and Prodd definitely would have enough time to jump out, but odds are the fire would get out of control fast and hopefully ignite any who stayed inside.
Prodd saw the fire. In the blink of an eye he slid through the hole and rolled onto the ground below. He shook off the dirt and ran with Red. “Friggin’ morons!” Prodd yelled back at the discordians.
The dog rolled his eyes and started to dart off in the same direction as the two of them.
“Goddamnit why don’t we ever go somewhere nice for once?!” Prodd whined. “How about we hit a tropical goddamn island paradise or something!” He looked over his shoulder at the town. “Where the locals won’t try to kill us!”
“Just calm down, we should just keep heading to bloody Taloncanyon” The dog kept following. “HEY I was just fine until you alerted everyone.”
“Oh I’m so sorry! It’s not like those discordian’s were actually threats or something!”
“Yeah, and I didn’t mean to slice off my little finger but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.”
“
Just shut up, and let’s get out.”
“Fine dear!” Prodd retorted. He checked over his shoulder, nothing was chasing them.
The wall was just up ahead, and seeing how it was hardly in tact a hole was probably nearby. Red started to fly hoping she could just go over it.
The dog took note, and tried to climb over it, using his kama like an ice pick. He wasn’t in the mood to look around.
Prodd focused and channeled all the emotions in the past few hours; intense fear, worry, anger... envy. He shut his eye and teleported to the other side of the wall in a bright blue light.
The dog got over and fell to the ground on the other side. “We aren’t out yet, lets keep moving.”
Red nodded. “Let’s get over to that rotting forest over yonder.”
“Did I just teleport?” Prodd shouted. He quickly composed himself and ran into the dead woods.
The other two followed behind him like before. “Wait, you couldn’t do that before?” Red was confused...
“...Nope...” Prodd mumbled. He stayed close to Red.
“Cool then...” They were right at the edge of the forest now. “here we are!”
“So... now what?” Prodd asked.
“hide probably then go our separate ways.” Red kept moving deeper into the woods.
“Sound about right.” the dog nodded and kept following her.
Prodd rolled his eye and ran after the two.
Author
Topic: Duskfields (My Little Fortress) (Read 47836 times)