EQ Game Quest- The Demons Return

[***NOTE, THE CASTLE RUINS WERE MOVED TO THE NORTH FOR LORE REASONS AFTER THIS QUEST WAS COMPLETE***]

>It was a typical, bustling Midday in Outer Hayven.
>About as typical as people had come to expect in a town in the middle of a deadly jungle full of the worst humanity had to offer while being ruled over by a government that many were beginning to suspect did not care for them.
>In other words, it was feeling more like earth by the day.
>As the residents lullfully went about their day, it was then that they heard a Loud, deafening howl.
>It just happened, and kept going.
>People screamed, others rolled on the ground, as the town was assaulted by a horrible.
>And then ,just like that, it ended, only to be followed by a a loud, horrible CRUNCH from the front gate.
>Those that were brave enough to follow the yells of the guards and other ponies to the front of the Town would find their nerves tested like none before.
>The gate was bent inward, the thick wood hit hard and splintered from the outside.
>IT took nearly an hour for those brave enough to help to pry the gate open, and what happened next would leave everyone to rethink their lives.
>AS soon as the gate was open and the folk brave enough to set foot outside had done so, like an over sized javelin, a large hunk of sharpened wood got flung from the swamps, whatever throwing it hidden by the thick trees and under growth.
>Landing a good twenty feet in front of the gate vertically, the large hunk of wood stood like a testament to insanity, symbols that hurt they mind to look at covering it as many gasped, others rushing forward, to help the three battered and bruised ponies chained to the thing.


>It was Griff who was the first however, to stop those who would attempt to rescue the ponies, not one to leave a man to die, but felt it necessary to point out that They had seen creatures pretend to be ponies before.
>However the Medics and Guards refused to allow time for better precautions, though luckily it appeared they were not infact shapeshifters.
>As they were lowering the ponies onto the mats to be carried off, one sprung to life, screaming bloody murder as ponies tried to force him to lay down.
>”oh god no, just let me die! JUST LET ME DIE! ITS GOING TO COME BACK, ITS GOING TO MAKE US BEG FOR DEATH. YOU DIDNT SEE, YOU DONT KNOW, IT DOES NOT WISH TO GIVE US AN EASY DEATH, ITS COMING, ITS FUCKING COMING.!”
>Everyone watched as the screaming pony was hauled away with the rest, only a handful with even a hint of an idea of what he might be talking about.
>As the guards tried to herd the crowd back inside however, a sickening, deep laughter suddenly came from the forest.
>If sound could be rotten, this voice was it.

>”Hear This Warning HUMANS, Your Town Is MARKED. It WILL Die Unless You Offer Us Our Due In FLESH. You Will Come to Serve US Instead Of The Ponies, It Is Your NATURE!”
>The laughter came back up, as many Guards and a few brave Folk put themselves inbetween the forest and the crowd, spears and weapons pointed at the unknown as they forced everyone inside and closed the gate as best they could.
>As the crowd slowly went into a panicked uproar, Suddenly the Equestrian Captain, Insertnameherebecauseicantrememberit, spoke up loudly from atop the wall.
>”CALM DOWN EVERYPONY! Please remain within your wits and within the walls! WE WILL get to the bottom of this event and what has happened, but we will need EVERYPONY to stay CALM and not interfere.”
>”LIKE YOU HELPED ALL THOSE OTHER TIMES? OH, WAIT!” Someone yells over the crowd.
>A bad move, as with the panic in the air, it causes an instant rift between both parties, Pro and Anti Equestrian, the Crowd becoming am ass of arguing, forcing the guards to make them disperse before it can become a brawl.
>However some still stick around, for one reason or another not ready to simply wait and let things play out in the background of their lives.

[open up with your thoughts as this unfold I suppose before continuing to any thoughts as your character sticks around.]

Players;
1.Homily Sermon 2
2.Addy 2
3.Northern Lights 2
4.StrayShot 2
5.Notim/Curiosity 2
6.Ruby 2
7.DayBreak 2
8.Tea Time 2

>Lights is certainly one of those that stick around- looking at the horrors with an intense, perceptive stare. He still had his wits about him- given he WAS immortal - but... seeing others like this really ruffled his nonexistent feathers. He seemed to remain calm, though he wonders why his ears seem to be ringing. "...This..." He dashes over to Griff, a serious look on his face

>Stray Shot was making his way to the middle of the town, leaving the Embassy as his work ended early following the disturbance. Following the voice from the forest, he spotted Griff and heard the urgency in his voice as he barked orders and suggestions. Stray quickly galloped over to his side, looking up at the birb with wide eyes. "What the fuck was that?!"

>Homily stands near the front of the crowd, staring wide-eyed at the wooden monument. He ran to the gate with his farming hoe as soon as he heard the commotion, and now stands stock still at what had just happened. He mutters prayers under his breath.

>Stray looks down at the disturbing scene of injured ponies and the wooden monstrosity, raising his eyebrow at the runes engraved in it. It makes a feeling of foreboding stir in his stomach. He remembered the words he had told Griff the other day about wanting to help prevent more ponies from dying. While the demonic voice calling from the forest made Stray's hair stand up, he had already seen such a creature close up.

>Tea at the time was heading out of the workshop, walking next to the wall with a special delivery of weapons. A couple of bows were broken during the last day's practice session among guards, the brown mare puzzled 2 by 2 'n took an order to M. The mare was proud about the accomplishment when--- the loud clusterfuck-of-a-Vietnam hit the deck, making the mare's half-singed fur FLY UP, with the cargo that she tried to balance on her back dropping and crashing down against the ground, "Holy MOLLY WHAT????",

> Cury blinks a couple of times. From her high seat at the rooftop of a weak shack where tools are storaged, the unicorn observes the pandemonium with apparent uninterest. Only the yells call for her attention, keeping her ears perked up, but her eyes explore beyond the walls, failing to see anything but tree tops. As she chews on her meal -- a chunk of bread with cheese-- and her desire to see what caused the ruckus dies, the sight of an orange pegasus approaching the crowd makes her smile widely.

>Griff had reacted quickly to the screaming, trying to crawl along the ground ineffectively as he screamed in pain, his bird ears more then sensitive to such an event.
>He could not describe the sense of horror he felt once he saw the gate, or once the Poor bastards on the Hunk of wood were thrown at them.
>Quick as he could be, he joined the guard in tryng to help defend against whatever was out there, nearly pissing himself in fear as he scanned the tree line, shaking like a fucking child.
>He barely noticed the crowds tension, his mind racing as he stood by the gate, looking out into the great unknown, axe ready in case the apparently thin wooden frame between them and the horrors outside gave way.
>He just could not stop shaking, his mind blendered and diced out of sheer fear and confusion.
“Ah.....fuck what tha hell....” is all he could muster.

>Daybreak had just gone out of her house for the day in hopes of rummaging through the woods again for supplies when the events near the gate unfolded. She hurried over to see what the commotion was about, only to catch the end of it and see ponies being hauled off and a split crowd being controlled by the guards. The brown and pink mare tried to listen in as to what had happen but only heard babbling. Another group was there investigating the situation and chose to come up to them.

>Addy drops her pen in sudden surprise, her notes filled with scribbles from the shock,, quickly grabbing her crossbow and sprinting off toward the front gates meeting up with everybody as nobody knows what the hell is going on, seeing better for her to watch and observe than comment on the situation.

>Stray drops to the ground, drawing his crossbow as he takes cue from the Equestrian guards. He brings the weapon to shoulder in the prone position, his eyes narrowed as he scans the treeline. Noticing that his hooves, including the one on the trigger of his crossbow, were shaking, he started to steady his breathing, trying to reamin as calm as one possibly could given that anything could come out of that forest at any time.

>Homily slowly leaves the crowd and walks toward the gigantic wooden stake as if in a trance. He stops about five feet from the obelisk, and just stares.(edited)

>The Icy Blunicorn twitches his snout, those slightly oversized ears pinned back. He was speechless, and furiously trying to figure out the next best thing to do. He may not agree with everything Griff believes in regards to the town, but he trusts him more than most thanks to their endeavors with the werewolf. Eyeing the smallish group, he notes how most have fled. He still tries to decide who here is staying out of a desire to do something, and who here is paralyzed with shock. He isn't sure himself.

>Griff turns to Stray, shaking his head.
“Ah fucking dont know, but tha thing KNEW we were humans.....That just dont make sense....”
>Griff looked over those still sticking around,frowning as he gripped his Axe Tighter.
“You dont think....we caused this, do ya?”

>"Not on purpose, so that's a futile question." Northern Light said.

>Tea Time looks between the crowd and the box, crowd and the box, but considering her options, the mare didn't really had many... besides, a bunch of merchandise could save someone in town, perhaps one of the trainees would use them. As such, the unicorn bites down into the corner of the cracked box, pulling a rough looking crossbow on top of the stash, a pack of bolts, putting the strap over her neck, while she proceeded to drag the thing towards the crowd with her teeth. Not much that she could do without magic.

>"HEY ORANGE!!" Yells the creamy mare named Cury to StrayShot as she waves a hoof at him. Without leaving the rooftop, she keeps an eye on the events at the gate. "Hey wanna go rape the snake guy? We raped a gator already." Her childish excitement matches the dirty look of her mane, fur and attire.

>Seeing everyone's weapon's out, Daybreak was glad she had her own with her. If only she knew how to use it properly that is. She hears from the griffon that the thing that did this knew they were humans. Didn't...everybody? Was that a bad thing? Before she could gather her thoughts, she noticed a familar mare on the rooftop from a few nights before. What was her name again.

>Stray Shot's brow furrows as Griff's question registers in his mind. His stomach tightened when he realized... how DID that thing know they were humans?! A shiver visibly goes down Stray's spine as he quickly reverts his gaze from Griff back to the treeline. Surely... surely, this couldn't be their fault, could it? Stray couldn't imagine the implications of what it meant if their expedition last week had caused the current crisis. "I... don't know..." he mutters in response Hearing the familiar voice of a certain mare behind him, his concentration is broken from the hellish situation as he glances back at Cury for a second. "Get down!" He yell-whispers to Cury, gesturing for her to crawl up behind him

>"Make me!" She yells back to the stallion, and shows her one of her fore hooves. After a while of holding the pose, she realizes the lack of fingers makes it impossible to flip the stallion off. "Ah, nevermind... Hey, what's all that with the gate? Did you guys blow up a pump?" She asks in a more cordial tone, although still shouting her words.

>Lights hisses under his breath to the nearby orange pegasus with the similarly totally-not-feminine snout. "Does anyone know anything about this? Any weird events in the forest?"

>Addy remembers meeting the nice brown mare pulling the cracked box, rushing over to Tea Time giving her a hand moving those weapon reinforcements "hold on, I got you" she says giving a mighty heave, her heart racing in preparation for what she thought might be her death again


>Griff turns to Northern, nodding slowly.
“Yah have ah point I suppose...”
>Suddenly,  the captain approaches Griff and his little group.
>”Well, I guess I should of expected to see some of you here...”
>Griff sighs, shrugging
“Its in our nature.”
>”So it is...and in your experience too. You and Stray are one of the few to have any Experience with such abominations....do you have any idea what it was going on about? What it wants?”
“I.....Ah can think of what it means by flesh I suppose....” He says, looking at Stray nervously.

>Tea nods to Addy with a stressed and a brief half smile, as they'd drags the box all the way to the crowd of faceless bystanders, the mare, frankly, caring more about them than the.. spiky obelisk thing, and with spit, would shout on top of her lungs with a high pitched shreek, "OI, YA MOUTH BREATHERS!", [directing it mostly at NPCs], "_QUIT LOLLYGAGGING AND COMIN' GET Y'FREE ARM WHILE Y'HAVE WHAT'CHU WALK ON! IT'S CHRISTMAS IN HAYVEN!

>Homily shakes his head, and steps away from the stake. Turning around, he sees Griff and Stray Shot, and moves to meet them. "W-what was that?"

>Stray Shot winces as Cury speaks loudly again, rolling his eyes as she attempts to flip him off. Glancing at both Cury and Lights (a pony he had never seen before but asked the same question), he whispers, "I think it's another demon...thing..." Stray says unsurely, his mind still not fully able to accept that these were demons. The stallion's ears perk up as Griff and the Guard speak, looking up at the birb and Equestrian. "W-well..." Stray starts, glancing worriedly at the forest, "Like Griff said... flesh. The thing we dealt with last time," Stray gulps, "I think it wants to feed on us." He says with an evident disgust in his voice


“Ah nother fukkin deamon I reckon.” Griff says, Giving Homily a nod.
>”Another? This seemed quite different then the horror that attacked the gate before.” The Captian say,s raising an eyebrow at the three.

>"Different, but it's gotta be related, I imagine," Stray says, looking at the ponies with a shrug

>"... Another? " Northern said.

>Daybreak saw the other brown mare along with [insert Addy's Color Here] pulling in a box together into the crowd and went over to them. Only to stop and cover her ears from hearing the loud shriek she gave. " Christ woman! That voice..." shaking heard head aided with her hearing recovery, but what did she say? Free. That's what she said. But just as she was about to hop on into it, she overhears the Griffon and the others near him talking about " Demons?" she went up to them, " There are demons in this world?"

>"You guys r-really think this is related to that incident?" Homily said.

>Lights shakes his head, a wistful sigh out of his snout. "Hmph. Werewolves, demons... I suppose I shouldn't even be surprised about this. But can someone tell me what happened with the... first?"

>Griff smiled awkwardly.
“Err, well....that...thing....may not of been the only thing we ran into that night...the other one was...eating hearts and talkin...”
>The Captain looks Griff up and down for a moment.
>”And of course you said nothing about this to us?” He asked sternly.
“Ah didnt think it would matter if ah told ya or not.” Griff said back a bit vicously.
>The captain sighs, shaking his head.
>”Well, now it is a major problem, and I dont have the ponypower to spare trying to solve this...”

>Homily turns his attention to Northern. "On my first night here, myself, Griff, Stray, and some others went to try and rescue some ponies in the woods. There was a demon, and it didn't end well..."

>Griff turns to the others, then looks at Stray and Homily for a moment.
“Well.....We went out tah try and rescue some ponies...ran into this...Centaur thing with snake hands and a puss filled bulb fer ah head....head ponies tied to stakes, was rippin em to shreds while alive to get at their heart....”

>Cury grins with satisfaction. It is the perfect excuse for her last plan, which is still stored in the saddlebags hugging her sides. The cheese sandwich is dropped as Cury gets up. Without a thought, she leaps from the roof and falls atop piled stacks of hay which she used to get up there on first place. The dirty and wildly decorated helmet atop of her head, and her 'clothes' made of rags, flexible branches and leaves rustle softly as she approaches Stray Shot from behind. To that sound is added the one of the small bones of birds ornamenting the outfit over her chest, back and flanks. Several small tools hung from improvised and actual belts around her torso and legs, mostly construction ones, but also a few sharp objects. Her real mean of defense, however, is the makeshift war scythe she holds on her right foreleg. "Howdy motherfuckers." Curiosity carelessly announces. [half busy with smth, I'll have my full attention here in a second. Assum cury follows stray everywhere if I miss on something important]

>The brown mare named Teat Time wouldn't keep much of attention to Daybreak, handling the meager supply of fixed bows out to the crowdsponies, coughing a bit after her shriek while looking sideways at Addy, "Thing's not right.. not right at all... somethin' tells me that the guard captain was right, yesterday--", she huffs and puffs, adding a, "You alright?", while her ear twitched from all the banter around and a particular conversation happening slightly away from them, guards, griffons... and a familiar pastor pony, at which she'd quizzically cock her brow at "...?"

>Lights definitely thinks that Griff needs to patch things up with the Embassy, but now's not the time for politics. It'd be boring if everyone got together well! "Ahah... man, and there I was spending my first day cleaning. But... whew. "(edited)

>Lights shakes his head, "I... sorry. Not something we can change. Rather... what can we do now?"

>Stray looks at Northern Lights, evaluating the pegasus up and down as Homily answers him. He wondered, looking at the small group of mares and stallions that were left, how they would react to seeing the type of creature Griff and Homily were describing. Letting his two comrades explain, Stray keeps his eyes, and his crossbow, trained on the treeline in front of them, scanning it visually. He stands up, however, as Cury approaches, momentarily distracted by her bizzare, Lord of the Flies-style outfit. The expression on his face appears both disturbed and impressed as he can't help but break the seriousness with a smirk at his unorthodox 'friend'. "Damn, someone's been busy..." he says, looking the mare up and down

>addy continues to pass out crossbows and armament to all of the NPC ponies to afraid to come to the gate with tea, once it's complete she makes sure she's fully stocked on Ammo, looking at tea time with a solemn nod, trying to give her some source of security

>Demons AND werewolves? And...a centaur with...snakes for hands? Yea. brb. " Time to head back to the box of weapons. She faced toward the mare who was handing out weapons. " Psst, hey kid. Mind passing your big sis one of those? " Daybreak said

>Homily glances confusedly at Cury's garbing, before turning to look at the wooden stake again.

>Griff grunts.
“Ah get the sentiment Lights....”
>The Captain was about to say something, but finally noticed Addy and the others.
>”h...HEY! YOU CANT JUST HAND THAT OUT! ITS EXPENSIVE!” He yells.
>He makes a motion, and some guards start taking the items back and pushing their way to the crate.
>Griff just snorts in amusement, before looking around.
“Ah....Homily...Stray? Northern? Ah think...it might be up tah us tah do somethin bout this shit....”

>Lights thinks nothing of Notim Portant- it's not her fault she snapped and went crazy, this world seemed to be one where it'd be easy for sanity to be lost.

>Homily keeps staring at the carved stake as he speaks. "Y-you're right, Griff. We have the uh, most experience with t-this."

>Stray's ears fold back as he hears Griff suddenly yell at some pony, but doesn't bother to pay attention to what it was about. He looked at Cury for a moment, then Lights, before returning his gaze to Griff at his suggestion, nodding with a resolute expression on his face. "I think... you're right." He shakes his head, looking to the swamps. "This shit can't keep happening," he mutters, feeling his stomach churn.

>Daybreak Just as she's about to get her hooves on a (not really)shiny new weapon, the box is pushed away from underneath her, leaving her to fall to the dirst, " OI! What's the big idea, HUH?! How am I supposed to protect myself from demons and shit?! AYYYYYY! " she calls out after the guards, shaking her fists.

>Addy is glad in the face of a demon terrorizing the city gates what we give out is what is causing issues

>lights nods, "We can't prevent everything, but it's our town to defend when things go south. Not all have what it takes to do this, so we gotta make damn sure we do all we can."

>the Captian yells loudly, magically enhanced loudly.
>”we WILL be handing out emergency weaponry, however it must be done in a way we may keept track of what is handed out and make sure what everypony gets is what they are best suited ot using! PLEASE be pateint we will be ready for such things within a few hours!”

>Meanwhile, Homily starts feeling...odd, as he stares at the images.

[Homily, roll d12, 8+ pass, 3- crit fail]

>Stray Shot is really glad that he was one of the special snowflakes that had gotten a hold of a crossbow that he unquestionably owned and could modify to his heart's desire.

>Lights doesn't particularly object to the perks of being the Embassy's little bitch

>Daybreak spits at the dirt, " Whatever. I'll remember to leave you all presents when I find out where you live..." She wondered for a moment where she could find some spray paint and turned her gaze to Tea Time and Addy. " You tried. Your houses will be spared."

> Tea _goes livid at the guards. 'S wasn't like there were many, and things were broken in the first place after militia practices -- before they were brought back to a normal state. With morning and day's worth of work... something snapped in the small mare, her girlish voice breaking into another, more violent shriek at the guards, "OII, 'tis fixed merch! This gonna go back to yer captain, bloody mammals!", though, as livid as the workshop-garb's wearing mare was, she wouldn't resist the punks taking the stuff away, keeping the one she still had strapped around the neck._

>Homily blinks.
>And suddenly the world melts away around him.
>He is standing in a dark, murky place, where nothing feels quite right, like just beyond his vision something watches.
>And then, suddenly, he is assaulted by images.
>Most, he can not make sense of, but a few click.
>Ruins to the south, filled with gigging shadows telling him to come,  that it is where he belongs, where he is meant to be.
>A sword cutting through lies like butter, revealing only the truth.
>...and A monster, so dark and terrible but somehow.....not full of evil, only nature.

>To everyone else however, Homily was lying on the group twitching like mad.

>Lights DASHES over to the good priest, putting one hoof on his shoulder and the other on his chest to get his heart rate. "Oh what the- seizure? No... what?"

>Stray Shot gives Notim a looong stare for a moment, momentarily mesmerized again by the little bird bones on her outfit. He loops his sling over his neck, letting his crossbow hang from his neck for quick access as he walks over to Lights while the weapons stuff is being figured out, offering a hoof to the unicorn. "Looks like we're gonna be workin' together. You know Griff?" He asks Lights before hearing someone writhing on the ground behind them. Stray turns around, his eyes widening in horror as he sees Homily twitching on the ground. Quickly, he rushes to his side, putting a hoof on his forehead. "Oh my God! Are you alright?!"

>Cury pokes Homily with the tip of her scythe. When she does so, it reveals she is wearing only one rubber boot, which protects her right foreleg. "Woah..."

>Griff curses, rushing over to homily, shaking him.
“Fuckkin cunt dont ya die on meh ya god blesssed fuckin bastard!”

>Daybreak hears the 'Plop' of the horse falling down, gaining her attention. " The hell is wrong with this guy? Did he do something before falling out like this, or is he just on drugs?"

>Tea spits on the ground after Day while muttering, "God damn cunts, the lot. Gotta go and get a pole to stick up one.", and looks at both Addy and Day, "Good. No bloody fixing from this mare, ain't getting that one from me."

>Homily's eyes shoot open, and he jumps up from the ground! "Aaaagh! What... what the hell just happened?!"

>Griff sighs in relief, looking at Homily with a chuckle.
“Fuck what that hell? God fucking spank ya or somethin?”

>" I don't know dude, you tell us. " Daybreak said to Homily

>Lights sighs out in relief, though his light body was pushed easily when Homily jumps up from the ground. "It looked like a seizure, what did you experience?"

>Stray Shot jolts back from over Homily as he jumps up to his hooves, making Stray sigh in relief .

>"I-I was just looking at the stake and then... Then I saw visions..."

>Stray raises an eyebrow, tilting his head. "What kinda visions....?" Stray says, worry in his voice .

>It was then that Daybreak noticed the stake he, and others were reffering to with the odd carvings and whatnot, " Oh, this thing? " she tapped at it with her hoof.

>"So you saw me atop the ruins of Canterlot? It couldn't be that scary." Cury says to the priest, rising her weapon and using it as support. Her assumption goes on, "I promise jews will be illegal."

>"T-there's something to the south, it... it wants me to go south."

>Griff goes stiff, fear clear on his face.
“Vi...visions...li...like when....or did yah even see those...i....”
>Griff recalls the abomination, when his mind felt like it was melting, before something spoke in his mind, telling him fire was its weakness.
>He shivered, not wanting to experience such a thing ever again.

>Addy keeps up with tea and day, protesting the confiscation of arms rushing to the main gang to see the spasming homily before it's all over.

>Stray shivers when he hears Homily say 'it', all of the sudden a Lovecraftian, Dunwich-type horror pops into his mind, connecting it with the demon they had faced last week. "...'It'?" Stray asks with a raised eyebrow
"What, dare I ask, is 'it'?"
>Griff looks down, trying to steady his hand, trying to calm himself.
>His nightmares came back, but he pushed them down, fought them back, as he stared up at homily, determination in his eyes.
“South....where south?”
>Homily has a crazed look in his eyes. "I d-don't know, I just need to go south! It told me to be there..."

>Griff nodded, patting Homilys shoulder, then looking around.
“Then we go south...”

>Lights takes a deep breath, ensuring Homily's >fine physically... though the more he hears, the more he thinks he'll need some mind rest when all's said and done. "Then we go south, without much hesitation." He twitches his snout before turning his attention back to Stray. Those icy blue eyes of his didn't seem like it pierced his soul, but Stray feels like he can tell a lot about the unicorn just by staring back. "...My apologies for not responding earlier, I tend to put on blinders when something's going on. I'm Northern Lights, and I suppose you're Stray-something?"

>Cury oses the expression of amazement on her face, trading it for a bemused one with squinted eyes. South was already a direction close enough to her private kingdom. "That's my fucking turf. Let's go."

>Lights has more questions and less of a desire to get the answers whenever Notim Portant speaks.

>Stray's expression turns into a horrified frown as he backs away from Homily slightly, looking to Griff and the preacher as they both appear nearly frantic. "F-fine..." Stray finally agrees hesitantly, looking to Lights as he speaks. "Uh, no worries. Seizures tend to do that." Stray's face is plastered with a terrified expression, but he offers a hoof to him. "Hey Lights. I'm Stray Shot."

>Daybreak runs her hoof over the markings then takes out her journal and pen. She starts copying the designs into it for future refrence.

>Homily retrieves a plank and a small section of rope from his saddle bags. "Can someone tie this to my neck please?"

>Griff stood, cracking his knuckles as he stared down the jungle.
“Ya a cunt Cury, but yer a right cunt.”
>Griff turns to the others.
“Grab what ya need, it wont be a short or easy trip ah reckon...but look about, those damned guards and tha rest o that towns just gon wait, and waitins not gonna do noone any good.”

>As Daybreak tries to sketch however, she aswell starts to feel odd.

[Roll a d12 Day, 8+ pass, 3- Crit Fail]

>Lights takes the hoof in a shake- firm, but not that strong . He looks stoic, like a generic protagonist screaming on the inside. "We'll get a chance to talk more when all is said and done I suppose..." he flicks his ears up and gives a weird look to Homily. "As a leash, or a noose?"

>Homily is stunned by Lights' response. "Uhm, as armor, actually."

“...what?” lights tentatively tilts his head, "I see a rope and wood... are you alright?"

>"I want the plank to get tied around my neck for extra protection. Not a... leash."  Homily said.

>Day coughs, then starts drooling black goop, as her eyes roll back into her head and her hoof starts drawing frantically on her pad.
>She starts screaming, drawing everyone's attention, as, suddenly, the images she was starting at on the totem glow black and....fingers? Start reaching out for her.

>Griff turns quickly, cursing as he steps back, horrified.
“Fuck....SOMEONE BURN THAT DAMNED TOTEM ALREADY!” he yells out to no one.

>Stray looks at Homily weird for a moment, but then remembers how his friend liked to get extra protection. It actually makes the stallion give off a rare chuckle. His gaze drifts to Cury, noticing her attention on the symbols. When Stray hears coughing, he turns around, seeing Day drooling black goop and her eyes rolled back. Seeing her drawing the symbols, then glancing at Cury, he quickly jumps and tackles Cury away from the symbols, a frantic look on his face.

>Homily drops the rope and plank, and rushes to Daybreak. "She's seeing it too..."

>looks at Tea Time before hearing the ear piecing scream come day being next to them both she reaches out for day, holding her as homily breaks out the rope.

>"Let's just get the fuck outta here before it gets the rest of us!" Stray yells out frantically, getting off of Cury after tackling her.

>Cury drops to the ground under the weight of Orange. "WHAT THE HELL?! AGH! OH... Chocolate is dying!" she yells, first in annoyance, then at the sight of the spasming mare.

>Daybreak's mind was going haywire. Was it even her own mind anymore? The drawings in her journal were frantic resembling things unknown to her at the moment.

>The brown mare at the time stayed where she was with Addy, looking how Day went forth into the farther crowd to do... the 'obelisk'... the mare was still angry, but the scream... and what was happening with Day, made her shoulders twitch back, a softer "-- oh no.", and a gasp escaping from her lips, "Addy...??? Addy, what the hel--- what is going on out there!?!?"

>Griff yells as no one listens, pulling out his axe and just starts swining it at the Totem in mad swings ,hardly aiming.
“Git her away from this damned thing!” he yells, trying his best to not stare at any of the symbols himself.
>Suddenly though, he hits a good mark, and the thing acts totally unnaturally, starting to twist and crack and splinter madly, slowly getting faster and faster as flames start shooting out of the deep ravines being made in it.
“Uhhh.....” Griff says, gawking.

>Lights stops in his tracks, gawking in awe as he bristles near the group.

>As Homily sees the damage Griff is inflicting to the obelisk, and the subsequent effect it has on the obelisk, he tries to pull Daybreak to safety.

>Cury leans the edge of her helmet closer to her eyes and stands against the hellish menace, although slowly retreating, keeping her scythe defending her.

>Stray Shot falls onto his back as the thing starts cracking and twisting, backing away by pushing himself along the ground as he watches in a mixture of awe and terror. He keeps his body close to the ground, trying to make as little area for debris to hit as possible.

>The young mare Daybreak coughs up more black goo. What a week this had been. Yesterday she was choking on pink goo and today it was black. What color will she have coming out of her mouth tomorrow? She twitched as she was being pulled away, still writing in her journal then flipping to the next page and continuing .

>Suddenly, as Griff takes a step back, the thing just...
>Shatters.
>Griff covers himself as he is covered in splinters, thankful for his armor though the pieces are hardly going fast enough to do serious harm.
>Coughing as the smoke clears, nothing but a scorched hole in the ground left, he blinks, turning to the others.
“Err...everyone alright?”

[roll a d20 for hidden thing, 15+pass, 17+ success]

Griff 2 = didnt roll lol
1.Homily Sermon 2 =12,fail
2.Addy 2 = 8, fail
3.Northern Lights 2 =14, fail
4.StrayShot 2 = 2, fail
5.Notim/Curiosity 2= 7, fail
6.Ruby 2
7.DayBreak 2= 1, fail
8.Tea Time 2 = 20 success

>As everyone recovers, Tea Time barely notices something...strange.
>For just a single moment, she swore she saw something...glow, in the crater made by the thing shattering.

[Day, roll a d12, 7+ success for understanding what you drew while gooping out]

>Addy braces as the splinters rain down around her, looking over at tea in a frantic as the loud noises and rain of debris ends and her senses come back to her.

>Seeing the holy stallion's face, Day gives him a punch out of instinct and fear over what just happened. " What the FU-" she then looked down at her journal at the scribbles she made just now...

>Stray Shot has hit the deck long ago. He protects his head with his forehooves as he keeps his face down, waiting for the debree to finish falling.

>Lights nudges Stray once it all settles down, given that Stray is the only pony within nudging distance. "I think... it's over."

>Day barely, notices a...pattern. Hexagons? Five? Hidden among the other nonsense, though shes not sure what they might mean...

>Cury shakes her entire body after the rain of splinters is over. Her eyes closed during the explosion and prevented her from seeing anything weird, yet she acts as if something were around. Scooping the surroundings, the swamp pony begins to adventure farther from the crowd.

>Ta WAS still too pissed with guards, with her sanity somewhat blurred to comprehend what she was observing. She stares at the entire conundrum, a cocktail of mix of rage and worry brewing inside of her, as something out of this world just kept happening and happening, in front of her eyes -- the small mare in trance --- hold on!! "What the-- Wh--?", almost as if she was hypnotized, the pony jumped on her hooves and rushed forth towards the crater, her eyes staring intently at the glowing--

>She squints at the paper as if she were an old woman, " Who the hell wrote in my journal..." she looked up at the others who seemed to be all in a tizzy over something, " No really, who the HELL drew in my journal!? "

>Stray raises his head and pops one eye open, looking around and seeing that Lights was right, the debris had indeed stopped falling. Giving Lights a sheepish grin, he stands back up to his hooves and looks around at the damage .

>Lights tilts his head to the mare he didn't know, raising a brow. "Are you alright? Can you recall anything from the past couple minutes?"

>Looking down into the crater, Tea almost cant spot anything, that is until she sees a strange, smooth bit.
>Looking closer, it is a clearly hoof shaped oval rock, and upon picking it up, is covered in inter laying circles of some strange language.
>it gives off a bit of heat, nothing harmful but also quite an unnatural thing for a rock to do.

>"Tea where are you going?" Addy calls out urgently, seeing the hypnotic trance the glowy thing has he in, following her along, "w-what is that?"

>Stray Shot goes over to Griff, slinging his crossbow. "Are you alright?"

>Griff nods to Stray.
“Yeah, thank fuck fer mah....OH!”
>He laughs, and reaching into his pack, pulls out a shittily wrapped...thing, and hands it to Stray.
“Ah made ya something tha other day.”
>Patting Stray on the back, he walks up to the others, looking at them.
“Well, err....i guess....everyone ready to go then?”

>" That one guy went crazy and started twitching so I went over to that pillar thing, and started drawing the marks I sa-OOOOhhhhh......" Day says,

>Griff, finally noticing the others, looks to Tea.
“..what the fuck are you holding?”

>Stray Shot takes the wrapped up thing, blinking up at Griff slowly in confusion as he walks up to the others. He stays behind, looking down at the wrapped up gift before slowly unwrapping it with his hooves.

>"...well, you answered your own question." Lights sighs again in relief, a small smile on his face as he shakes his head. "This is a nightmare... let's head out then?" He reconvenes with the group, tilting his head in perplexed thought

>As stray unwraps the package, he sees a familiar material, before pulling it out and notcing what it was.
[Stray gain pony Gator Leather Armor!]
[Griff loses Pony Gator Leather Armor! What a Clutz!]

>Tea blinks at the rock with a mesmarized gaze, a sea of blurry memories mixing and matching under the drums of pumping heart and adrenalin, the wild ride of flashbacks clicking on the image of the a certain pastor, scraping something with his knife on the stone, all the way back at the town, "I.... don't know, but...", she wasn't sure why, but the whole 'talisman' thing was really allluring right know... in comparison to a slingshot of a rock that Homily was seemingly making, "... errr... Addy? Can you-- call that guy?", she points her hoof at Homily, while her gaze closely stared at and scanned the glowing rock between her hooves.

>Homily is now wearing a plank, just like last week old times. "Thanks."

>Addy nods from the crater and runs over to homily grabbing him by the shoulder and pulling him toward the crater "there's something you need to see!!!"

>Homily jumps as he feels someone grab him, put follows Addy to the crater when he sees he sees he isn't in danger.

>As Homily eyes the stone however, something flickers in his mind.
>Some of the visions come back, or perhaps he never forgot them and they simply now make sense.
>A destroyed Castle, A King, old and frail, sitting in his throne in the empty thing.
>The stone sits in his hand, cupped like a gobblet as he leans back deep in the seat, an odd way for a pony to sit.
>If it was a pony.
>Laughter fills his head as he is pulled back to reality, unable to draw out any more info.

>Stray Shot looks down at the pony Gator Leather Armor. For the first time in a while, Stray smiled, wide, almost ear to ear, as he glanced up at Griff, and then back down to the armor. Just from a glance, he could tell the hide was from a gator. He remembered how tough gator hide was back home. Shooting one in the neck with a .45 bounced off it, so he knew what this meant for his own protection. He quickly takes off his cheap leather armor and dons the alligator hide version, stuffing all of his crossbow bolts into his leather ammo bandoleer. Stray gallops up to Griff's side. "Wh-... Really? You didn't have to do this for me, Griff," Stray says softly, his voice reflecting his gratitude. "Thanks, buddy," he says, giving a genuine, happy smile up to the griffon.

>Stray Shot, for the moment, had mentally escaped the hellish situation before him. How could he even be a little happy in a situation like this? Horrible things were happening, but... he didn't feel as panicky as he did the first time.

>Griff smiles, shrugging as he smiled at Stray.
“Yah seemed interested in mine tha other day, so ah decided after all tha shit id make yah sum.”

>Homily rubs his head as he remembers the visions. "What do you want..." He whispers.

>Lights tilts his head and trots up to Homily, "What was that?" If Homily was hearing voices, well, that could mean two things now.

>Stray gives Griff another lopsided smirk, adjusting the armor over his chest. "Well, thanks. I think I'm gonna need it..." he mutters, looking over to Homily before walking over to him. "Hey man, you feelin' alright?" Stray asks

>Clearing his throat, Griff speaks up.
“RIGHT, WELL! We wont figure anything out standin round here! South it is!”
>He beckons to the other, before walking towards the swamp, clearly just wining it.

>Tea Tiem kept all of her attention on the rock, ears twitching as she heared noises approach. "Addy, thanks. This is Mr. Pastor Sermon--", she paused and stared at the stallion, "-- don't know what yer doing here being all hero and all, Mister-I-Don't-Want-To-Visit-The-Embassy, but was that whole talisman-carving shiddazzl--- hey, are you alright?"

>Daybreak sits up. Her attention shifted from her strange journal markings, to the glowing item Tea had. Then to the crater? And was that other pony getting armor? There was so much going on at once it was hard to follow. The young mare that tried to act older than she was stood up in aggrevation, " HEY! Where the HELL are these demons? " her eyes dart to Homily, " And what the HELL are you going on about now?! Wait! Where are YOU going?!"

>Homily looks away from the rock, and up to the group forming around him. "Yes, yes I'm fine. Oh, hello Ms. Tea."

>Stray Shot all the sudden stands to attention and loyally hops over to Griff's 6-o'clock, following him south. He glances back at Daybreak as the mare hollars after them, gesturing for her to catch the fuck up .

>Lights just follows the leader, thinking that any more time spent here is time wasted.

>Griff yells back at Daybreak.
“WE DONT GOT ALL THA TIME IN THA WORLD, WE AINT SOLVING THIS SHIT SITTING HERE!”

>hadn't a clue what-where-or-why-the-heck did they wanted to move.. as she lifts her hoof and slaps Homily while he was distracted with Day
"OI!!!"
"FOCUS!!"

>Homily recoils from the unexpected attack. "Ow! W-what?!"

>'Tea basically try to jam the rock to his snout, "LOOK. CLOSER.", she barks out with a growl, "YOU talked of demons?? You were talking of making talismans??"

>"EXACTLY! " Day gallops over to them, nudging forward anypony that wasn't with the main group.

>"How about you hold the FUCK on and explain what the bloody FUCK IS GOING ON IN THESE SLUMS???" Tea says.

>"I don't know what's going on! I mean it!"  Homily Replies

>Cury hounds on the team from a safe distance, like watching over them as she stopped concealing her presence. Gradually, she tails the expedition. It is hard to get bored when watching the frantic group.

>"Fucking wind-in-pants-drifting wankers.", Teaadds after Homily's words, "What kind of a priest carves shit on stones and then HOPES that that will protect against THOSE things, huh???", Tea barks again and throws her hoof to the side, pointing at crater, "THIS. Came from THAT.... Whatever the HELL that was. And what'cha do?? Go into the forest for a bloody merry-ol' sacrificin' yourselves??"

>"I don't know anything, just that we need to go south!" Homily says frantically.

>Griff, near the edge of sight, yells back at Homily.
“KEEP UP YA SILLY PREIST!”

>Lights stifles a snort as he trots along with the group, crinkling his snout. The mare has a point, but he wasn't sure if it was going to help anyone for him to get involved.

>Homily turns around to see the group leaving. "Look, I wish I know more, but... I don't." Homily gallops off to join the group.

>Stray Shot had noticed that Curiosity left without them. Knowing the territorial mare, she had gone ahead south to her swamps to recon the area before them. He looks back at the brown mare going on behind them, regarding Tea Time with a frown. "I have to go with my friends... I know it doesn't make sense." Stray states flatly as he trails behind Homily and Griff. "And..." Stray thinks back at the scene in the forest with the remains of ponies strewn about by the demon. "Look, I don't know what all is going on. Last week, I was on an expedition with Griff 'n Homily to try to rescue some ponies, but we only found a demonic monster that had eaten them. Now this happens, and I gotta suspect that it's connected." Stray shrugs. "As far as why we're goin'... I know I can't sleep with somethin' like this out here. The least I can do is have my friends' backs," he says.

>Tea just remains there on her spot with the glowing stone sittin' on her hoof, watching the merry-ol'-faggots marching off into the jungles, "Holy cunt-o'-Molly.", the little mare rolls out another cuss and would just... sit there. She didn't really had much of a reason to follow the suicidal gang, not with all that happened, or explanations... Heck, the pastor seemingly had no idea what was going on, or why they were heading away to the forest. So she'd remain behind.

>Stray Shot continues to ponder exactly why he was following Griff and Homily. Yes, they were his friends, but the real reason of his interest suddenly popped into the stallion's head. "!" His eyes go wide as he realizes something that he didn't even think of before... ...The Demons knew about humanity. They knew about humans. ...And that means they knew about Earth... Right?


>It was hours later, Miles of Swamp turned Jungle behind them, and who knew how much more ahead of them.
>The Sun was still up ahead, but many did notice it had moved quite a bit.
>So far little had happened besides the average jungle noises, that is until those more perceptive(Homily and Day for their experiences) started seeing...familiar symbols carved up in the taller trees, one that hurt to look at...and others noticed, the sounds of animals became scarcer and scarcer until they seemed to stop altogether.
>Everyone felt it, something was not right, as they looked around the jungle, the silence so overbearing even the trees seemed to not make a sound.

[EVERYONE, make a Roll! D10, 7+ Success!]

1. Griff 2 = 7, pass
2.Homily Sermon 2 =8, pass
3.Northern Lights 2 = 6, fail
4.StrayShot 2 = 8, pass
5.Notim/Curiosity 2= 3, fail
6.DayBreak 2= 6, fail

>Suddenly, Griff, Homily, and Stray see movement further in the jungle, swift, quick, sudden...silent.
>Then another, closer.
>And another, much closer.
>As they prepare, the others following suit though not knowing exactly whats going on, the thing is suddenly just....gone.

>And then they hear it.
>”yeee har har har! What we got ere EH?”

>Swerving around, everyone sees an...odd sight.
>it...is SHAPED like a pony, but perfectly covered in an old, moldy cloak, not a single thing but a small puff of grey beard peaking out the hood.

“I...wha? Who...wha?” Griff says.
>He raises his weapon, but halts, not knowing what the hell to do as he looks at the others.

>Stray Shot sees the movement coming closer and closer, He draws his crossbow with speed, his heart starting to beat faster as the stranger comes into view. Stray brings his crossbow to shoulder, aiming the sights straight down at the pony's chest. He doesn't say anything, but does back several feet backwards.

>Homily raises his hoe at the stranger. "Who are you?"


> Stray Shot just keeps his eyes and crossbow trained on the stranger, with a look of 'don't try anything' on his face. It might be more intimidating if Stray had a more imposing form...

>The being laughs, and everything smells like rancid garlic as he does.
>”Yee hoor! Who are YOU is what must be asked! I happen to just be a simple old pone wit a simple old pone brain, and ya got no authority to make me say nuthin!”
>He laughs again, doing a little dance, though oddly his cloak still never allows even his hooves to be revealed.

>Griff blinks, leaning over to Homily.
“Is...he possessed or something? Wha does the bible say about this?”

>"This is a waste of time." Light frowns, scuffing the dirt with a hoof and a soft snort. "Our town is in the most danger it's been, do we not have higher priorities than giving this... thing... the time of day?"

>Homily whispers, "I'm pretty sure the Bible doesn't cover this situation, maybe we should just ask him if we can pass?"

>Cury watches the hobo spin, and decides to cut the conversation short. "Do that again!"

>She stomps over to the old pone, " What are you doing out here old man? You say you don't know anything but I'll make you talk if I have to! Where do bears and rabbits come from!? What do you know about the demons running around here?! "


>Griff looks at Light, frowning.
“This...thing, might be realted to our problems.
>”Nope, im really not Daneil.” the thing says, dancing more at Curys Request.
>Griff takes a step back, beak open wide.
“I...WHAT!?”
>it was then that Daybreak walked over to him....and in just a single blink, the thing was behind them all, further away, laughing.
>”oh hohoho! No touching!”

>Griff spun, nearly falling on his ass.
“What the fuck!?” is all he can say, Axe raised higher, panic clearly setting in a bit.

>Stray Shot sniffs, suddenly smelling the garlic surrounding them. His suspicion suddenly skyrockets as he realizes that the smell isn't coming from the old pony's breath, but from everything surrounding them. He backs up several more feet, holding his crossbow aiming right at the pony's chest. Hearing the pony say Griff's real name, his heart skips a beat. Finally, Stray says to the pony, in a forceful, but curious, voice, "Are you one of the demons?"

>Cury smiled at the spining being repeated, and thought less nervously of the situation. "Day, don't give him shi---" Then the literal teleports behind you happens and she's left with wide eyes.

>Lights sighs, and raises his brow- "Welp- confirmed multiverse?"

>Homily jumps back and keeps his hoe trained on Cap'n Crunch.

>She scrambles over, nearing falling on her face once he dissapeared and appeared again, "Oi! OI! Cut that shit out and take your beatings properly!" and scurries over to him in the new direction. If she had stats, her INT wouldn't be too high.

>Cury follows Daybreak with the eyes, but stays looking away from the creature, scythe aimed at random directions, like trying to predict where it'd land. What day tries was sudden and silly but it is better than doing nothing.

>Suddenly, the thing is infront of Stray, and boops his nose....still,somehow, not an whisp of fur, not a single bit of hoof being shown.
>”Close, but ya thinking to much like Homily over there.”
> suddenly the thing is back a few feet again, tossing Strays crossbow bolt he had loaded up and down in a covered hoof.
>when Day approaches again though, somehow, everyone suddenly knows...it was smiling at her.
>And suddenly its a few feet ot the left, Day slamming into a tree instead.
“Now, THATS a silly human.” The thign says, nodding.

>Griff blinks, and cringes a bit as Day slams into the wood.
“I...Fucking hell what ARE you even fucking doing here you....THING!”
>He lowers his axe, realizing it is useless gesture, grumbling to himself.

>"Silly humans not here on our own accord. What business do you have with us?" Light says.

>As the thing says Homily's name, Homily panics. W-what are you?! What do you want with us?!"

>>"?!?!?!?" Stray Shot grunts in confusion as he sees the being take his crossbow bolt, making him scowl at the creature as he quickly drops a hoof to his ammo pouch and loads another bolt. For Stray's rules of engagement, this pony had already given him enough reason to shoot him. Knowing that the thing could just teleport, though, he had a feeling it wouldn't do much. He stares at the creature, echoing Homily's question. "What... are you...?" he asks in awe

>Daybreak "oofs" as she hits the tree, and gathers herself back up to go after him again, saying something along the lines of "asdfghjkl!!" she would continue this over and over until she ran out of breath and got all that extra anger out while the others tried talking with the old looking horse.

>Cury cringes as she hears something slamming on a tree, and has some sympathetic suffering in silence for Day after she confirms it was her. "Oh shiiiiiiet" The mare says as she darts for the battered pony, thinking of how similar the situation must have been when that happened to her. However, the unexpected burst of energy halts her on her steps and she stays still, observing the parade of Daybreaks, each more injured than the last one, until they stop. Only then she goes to check on her again.


>The thing rolls its head...and then shoves the crossbow bolt into its hood, and everyone hears ti clearly eating it.
>”weelyeee hooo! I was summoned! Sorta! By HIM!” it says, laughing as it points at Homily.
>It does another jig, and suddenly.....Homily sees things again.
>The king on the throne, the giggling, it floods his mind for a moment, before vanishing back into his head.
>As Day approaches him again, he simply turns and looks at her.
>“Well, I suppose you kinda summoned me too, har!” it says, and suddenly for a moment, Day cannot move or breath, before such features return and she almost collapses.
>It turns back to the others, bobbing up and down.

>Homily mutters, "The king." under his breath. "Are you here to... to help us?"

>Lights is half-stupified and half-enraged at this point, quivering as he tries to hold himself back. "And how do we send you back to the depths of Hell where you belong?"

>Griff just gawks, the entire situation so unreal he hardly knows how to react.
“Guys...are we fucking mental or something?”

>"No, but it seems like this world's trying to make us that way."  Light says

>"Are you still alive?" Cury asks to Daybreak after helping her up to her hooves.

>Stray Shot starts to visibly shake, the non-religious pony oddly muttering a Hail Mary under his breath as he makes his way over to Daybreak, standing in front of her with his crossbow trained on the pony, still, even though he knew it probably wouldn't do anything.

>Lights realllly wants to shoot that abomination... but knows it's as immortal as he is "Do you know what's going on right now?"

>The mare catches her breath after just loosing it, calmer than before but still had an angry pout on her face for not being able to catch that fucker. She'd say something about Stray standing in front of her but didn't have the energy just yet. Looking at Cur Notim, she rubbs her bruised snout, " Of COURSE I am. Stupid...magic using...good for nothing..."



>The thing is suddenly right in Homilys face, bobbing up and down.
>”HAR! What IS help? Help from what YOU know, pastor, or help from what I KNOW?”
>its suddenly infront of Light, patting his head, still somehow nothing being revealed under his cloak.
“YES!” it says, laughing garlic in his face, “But none of you need to know right now!”
>IT hops back, ending up next ot Cury and doing a little wiggle at her, before speaking again.
>”They aproach, ooooooohh you guys are in fer some bad times, your weapons are pointing  the  wrong direction fer sure!”

[ROLL A D20 FOR REACTION! WILL GO IN ORDER OF BEST ROLLS! 8+ pass, 14+ success, 4- Crit Fail]

1.Griff 2 = 8, pass
2.Homily Sermon 2 = 10, pass
3.Northern Lights 2 = 17, success
4.StrayShot 2 = 13, pass
5.Notim/Curiosity 2= 16, success
6.DayBreak 2= 5, fail

>The group almost doesn't hear it, the slight rustling behind them, as the all swerve at the things warning.
> Northern Lights reacts the fastest, his unbridled anger becoming speed, Bow out quickly as a shape is suddenly in the clearing with them.
>A Good, quick shot sends the blur retreating back into the Jungle.
>Curiosity is nearly just as fast, another TWO blurs jumping at her, but a roll and a kick sends one back into the distance, the other skidding to a stop behind her.
>She flinches, as looking at it simply seems to not work....it is about twice as big as them, maybe less? More? It is a blur, he mind somehow unable to actually picture the thing properly as she stands, facing it down.
>Strayshot, only a few moments of moments later, was next, barely able to dodge himself as another swung at him, its frame half over him as he tried to scoot further away, his mind screaming as it tried to make sense of what it could not.
> Homily was only able to flump onto the ground, the one injured by Light came back out, his mind able to focus on the very clear Arrow sticking out in order to help relive the mental stress of looking at them, as he held his Hoe between himself and the thing.
>Griff simply bellyflopped as another two jumped at him, cursing as one ended up nearly on top of him, the other circling around him and his adversary.
>Daybreak, head still thumping, was simply not so lucky.
>The one Cury had kicked being kicked into her, knocking them both over though far apart, both quickly getting up.
>And the hooded thing? It was simply dancing as it cheered the group on....

[simply tell me what you wish to do then ill post what everyone needs to roll]

>Griff quickly swerved onto his back, letting his axe go as he went for his dagger, stabbing upwards quickly at his enemy, a battlecry echoing from his throat loudly.

>Lights pants out with adrenaline, lowering his light bow after the shot was fired. "...Jesus, Mary and Joesph what the hell is going on?" He scampers over to the group, swearing under his breath before trying his best to steel his nerves, before firing at the hooded figure]

>Stray staggers back several feet, bringing his crossbow to bare at the strange enemy and firing a shot at it's midsection.

>As adrenaline pumps through Homily's veins, the only things he can focus on are himself, and the thing in front of him. He goes to smack it with his hoe!

>Cury _oofs after the kick, and looks down to the strange being with a frown. Yet the thing moves too fast, leaving her confused as to its shape, and even less pleased at how the events turn. "Gah! Stay still you twat!" She says in exhasperation, trying to bonk the thing with her sturdy spear.

>Before she could realize what was happening, Daybreak was already back down on the ground again after she had just gotten up. What was that just now? Things were about to get serious and so the mare took out the war ribbon she had buddled up in her saddlebag, ready to attempt a strike should the thing return, standing on guard .

[WARNING, DANGEROUS ROLLs]
[Griff, Roll aD12, 7+ pass, 11+ success, 3- Crit Fail]
[Stray, Roll a D20, 5+ pass, 12+ success, 4- Crit Fail]
[Homily, Roll a D12, 7+ pass, 12+ Success, 1- Crit Fail]
[Cury, Roll a D20, 7+ pass, 11+ success, 2- Crit Fail]
[Daybreak, Roll a D20, 10+ pass, 17+ success, 3- Crit Fail]
[Light, roll a D20, 20+ pass]

1.Griff 2 = 4, fail
2.Homily Sermon 1 = 1, Crit Fail, re-roll= 12, success
3.Northern Lights 1 = 12, fail, re-roll= 12, fail
4.StrayShot 2 =  7,pass
5.Notim/Curiosity 2= 20, Success
6.DayBreak 1= 3, Crit fail, re-roll= 16,Pass

>Northern, wasting an arrow, Watches as the hooded Figure simply grabs his arrow out of the air and eats it, laughing.
>Daybreak gets up quickly, using her her war ribbon(?) to deflect an incoming blow, though barely, as she and the beast line up at eachother again.
> Cury then slams down her spear, cutting cleanly into her opponents supposed skull, the thing simply turning to goop on the ground as she look at the others.
> Homily too gets a good hit, tearing his target down the middle, though his explodes goop outward at him a bit before collapsing.
>Strayshot had only mild luck, the thing staying on him as he kicked back, his bolt getting embedded in its chest, making it lurch back a bit, but back on his trial a moment later.
>Griff was not anywhere near so lucky, the thing rolling away from his stab attempt before he was forced to roll  from his second enemy jumping at him, barely avoiding its possibly claws.
>Then a sound, and two more enter the area, both near Cury as they possibly lick their lips.


>Griff, dagger out, stands, waiting for one to leap before going for a stab as it does.

>Stray Shot drops the crossbow from his hooves, leaving the weapon dangling from his neck as he draws his machete instead, switching to his secondary weapon. With a gutteral yell, he hacks his machete at the enemy still hot on his trail
"Stay the hell away from me!"

>Daybreak clumsily managed to dodge a bullet there, then brought her focus to a tree. She needed to get to higher ground to get a better view of the scene and possibly get to a better zone to strike from.

>Cury lifts her war scythe, the long and sharp head dripping with the same goop that leaks from the dead monster's skull. Before she can put much attention on the corpse, or even remark something, two more creatures preventing her from going too far. The weaponized tool she brandishes keeps distance between her and the monsters, but she opts to open way soon, charging against one of them with the scythe while they are still unprepared!

>seeing his agressor go down, Homily seeks out a new target. He sees Griff trying to fend off two at once, and runs to his aid! He swings his hoe at one of the monsters.

>Lights decides to help the Swamp Sheriff, seeing as the preacher man is helping Griff. He channels all of his perturbed energy into his horn, hoping to ZAP those fuckers.


[WARNING, DANGEROUS ROLLS]
[Griff, Roll a D20, 8+ Pass, 14+ success, 3- Crit Fail]
[Stray, roll a D12, 6+ Pass, 11+ Success, 3- Crit Fail]
[Daybreak, Roll a D12, 8+ Pass, 11+ Success, 3- Crit Fail]
[Cury, Roll a D20, 7+ Pass, 16+ Success, 5- Crit Fail]
[Homily, Roll a D10, 7+ Success]
[Lights, Roll a D12, 9+ pass, 3- Crit Fail]

1.Griff 2 = 16, success
2.Homily Sermon 1 = 7,Success
3.Northern Lights 1 = 12,pass
4.StrayShot 1 =  2, Crit fail, Re-Roll= 19, success
5.Notim/Curiosity 2= 18,success
6.DayBreak 1= 6,fail

>Stray Swings hard with his Matchete, getting the thing in the neck.
>He grimaces as goop showers his face, before rolling as the rest of the thing almost becomes goop on top of him.
>Cury had leaped forwards viciously, knocking one off balance and getting another with a down swing, killing the thing as she got out into the open.
>Lights struggles with the unfamiliar magic, but is able to get off a strong bolt towards one of Curys enemies, however in a stroke of bad luck Cury had just pushed it out of his sights so he missed. (Magic Missile 1/10!)
>Griff was next to act, or react, as one lunged at him, a quick step forward and a stab into its neck as he was pushed back a bit, but the thing slowly became goop as he stepped back, Dagger ready yet again.
>Quickly, with the hooves of a TRUE expert, Homily took his long, hard Hoe and jab its hard and viciously into the back of Griffs other adversary, emitting a low moan from the beast as it gooped everywhere and was ended quickly.
>Daybreak however was not as lucky, her attempt at climbing being interrupted as she was forced to roll away from her enemies swipes.

[One on Day, One on Cury]

>Griff nods to Homily, quickly grabbing his Axe and running to help Cury, swinging down hard at her last adversary.

>Lights stares, dumbfounded- he scowls at missing, but certainly smiles wide as he sees the strong bolt leave his horn. He's so telling Key about that. Have a renewed vigor about him, he aims to rid Daybreak of her last spoop. This time with his bow!

>Day jumps up toward the tree but instead performs a dodge roll out just time time before getting hit by the creature. She tries flinging her odd weapon at the thing in hopes it wraps around it and bring it to a stop from moving.

>Homily sees Griff take off after one, and selects the other beast to assault. Homily swings the hoe at the foe, he's on a roll!

>Stray goes to the beast Homily is assaulting and takes a swing at it!

>Cury stops a few hoofsteps after the charge ended with the monster. She sees the thing fall dead from the spear's tip, and turns around to take a look at the entire battlefield. Daybreak's situation distracts her until Lights goes to take care of it. A sudden shudder goes down her spine at the idea of so much stabbing going on, but she doesn't waste time on that and tries to fire to the hooded figure with magic. "Stop dancing!!" She shouts.



[ROLLS LESS DANGEROUS DUE TO LARGE NUMBERS ADVANTAGE]
[Griff, Roll a D20, 10+ pass, 16+ Success, 1- Crit Fail]
[Light, Roll a D12, 7+ pass, 10+ success, 4- Crit Fail]
[Day, Roll a D10, 5+ pass, 8+ success, 1- Crit Fail]
[Homily, Roll a D20, 10+ pass, 16+ Success, 1- Crit Fail]
[Stray, Roll a D20, 12+ pass, 14+ Success, 1- Crit Fail]
[Cury, Roll a D10, 8+ Pass, 1- Crit Fail]

1.Griff 2 = 6, fail
2.Homily Sermon 1 = 17, success
3.Northern Lights 1 = 9, fail
4.StrayShot 1 =  8, fail
5.Notim/Curiosity = 7, fail
6.DayBreak 1= 6, fail

>Homily shows off his competence by Smacking down the Thing after Day from behind, gooping the thing, before Lights arrow lands an inch from his hoof.
>Cury missed her magic bolt, also almost hitting Homily, before Griff came charging in...missing the thing as it dodging him aswell, his swinging at nothing.
>Day flung out her weapon, but the thing was dead, so all she did was almost hit Homily on the other side.
>as Homily has a heart attack, Stray runs by, unable to stop his momentum completely until he slams his Machete into the ground....right at Homilys other hoof.

>Griff grunts, correcting his footing and swinging at the thing again.

>Light powers up his horn, for one... last... shot...

>Stray gulps when he sees where his machete landed, giving Homily a sheepish grin as he picks the blade up and turns around to attack the monster going after Cury and Griff.

>Homily yelps and jumps back when he sees a machete fly in front od his vision, and almost swings his hoe at Stray before seeing who it is that nearly hit him.
>Homily watches as a horde converges on the last monster, and takes a moment to catch his breath.

>Cury clenches her teeth as the trick fails, but she hasn't let her guard down, and has her scythe ready to fend off the charge and impale the monster with some luck.

>" Gotcha! " she cried out, only to realize it missed and almost hit that homely looking stallion. " ...Goddammit, you got in my way!" She decides to go for the old weapon, the 1-2 punch she was used to as a human, but this time waiting for the others to take their shot if need be.

[ROLLS ARE EASY DUE TO NUMBERS,BUT SOME ARE FAR AWAY SO HAVE “HARD” ROLLS]
[Griff, roll a D20, 10+ pass, 12+ success, 1- Crit Fail]
[Light, Roll a D10, 8+ pass, 1- Crit Fail]
[Stray, Roll a D12, 9+ Success, 1- Crit Fail]
[Cury, Roll a D20, 8+ Pass, 12+ Success, 1- Crit Fail]
[Day, Roll ad D12, 8+ to pass, 1- Crit Fail]
[Homily, Roll to not have a fucking heart attack, D20, 2+ success, 1- Super Crit Fail, Free re-roll]


1.Griff 2 = 4, fail
2.Homily Sermon 1 = 15, success
3.Northern Lights 1 = 8,pass
4.StrayShot 1 =  4, fail
5.Notim/Curiosity = 8, pass
6.DayBreak 1= 9, pass

>It was a glorious team effort, Stray and Griff missing their target as Cury pinned the thing in place.
>Next, Lights Blast blew off part of its arm as Day got the things neck tied up, and Homily came in with a powerful downswing, decapitating the thing as it melted.
>As everyone panted and huffed, they looked around, the scene a mess of black goop and puddles.
>”well yar har har! You twats arent so incompetents afterall!” the hooded thing said, apearing in the middle of the scene, clapping.

>Lights is snorting out, one eye twitching as he seems to seethe at the dancing mad man. "What do you want? "

>Griff takes a moment to catch his breath, before pointing at Light.
“What he bloody said ya fuckin bastard.”

>Day was out of breath again. They beat them all, but it was harder than it seemed in the vidya gaems back home. Wasn't this the part where something lights up and says you got 100 exp? No. No it didn't. It was real life* and it was starting to sink in where exactly she was. " What exactly were those things? Shadows? " she tried to focus her mind on other matters to keep those thoughts at bay.

>Cury huffs loudly and blows a bang of mane off her face. The scythe's blade goes up once more and the mare leans on it for a while, to watch the funniman stranger do his thing. As he speaks, she levitates a canteen out of her saddlebags, opening it in the process. "You are the twat, twat! And of course we are not incompetent! Now cut it out with your kingdoms heart bullshit, that game is weebshit for god's sake. Don't do me like this, bud."

>"I get it, we're all playthings for you. But doesn't it get old? What does all this accomplish for you?" Lights is getting a little more flustered, swaying on his hooves as his snoot scrunched in peevedness. "If you're cursed with eternal life, isn't this brief moment of chaos worthless for you?"

>Homily cautiously approaches King Crunch. "So, who are you here to help then?"

>Stray puts his machete away and redraws his crossbow, heading over to Cury and Lights with his crossbow trained on the funnyguy.

>Griff shakes his head.
“I dont right know, but ah dont think we should stick round too long tah find out....” he says to Day.
>The hooded figure laughs, and suddenly, theres a...potion? In both his front hooves, as he stands on his back legs.
>He is now somehow, clearly, just noticeably taller then a pony should be when doing this action, STILL somehow his cloak covers everything.
>Har Har! Im here to help YOU, but not Help you. “He says to no one or everyone.
>He does a little dance, before dropping the potions onto a table suddenly infront of him.
>”Hohoho! One is a drink that tells the truth, but not one you should ever know! One is a drink that tells a lie, but one that is only so right now!”
>The cloak suddenly falls to the ground, whatever was inside having disapeared, before the claok simply becomes a moss patch on the floor.
>Echoing around the area, the group hears one last thing.
>”What you seek is not what you need, but what you need will never be what you seek. The ruins lie near the shore, you WILL go there to do what you must, but perhaps that, is the problem!”
>With a little more laughter, its voice fades away, leaving the group to stare at the potions.

>Griff grimaces.
“I dont think we should even go near those damned things....”
>However, he felt...drawn to them, like he knew he needed to, or at least someone needed to, drink them.
>They all did.

>Homily is in this far already. He reaches for a potion before anyone can say anything.

>Northern Light raises his brow, letting Homily be stupid.

>Griff quickly puts his hand on the Potion in Homilys hoof, looking him in the eyes.
“Yah fucking sure bout this?”

>Cury drinks from her canteen instead.

>Day takes out her own canteen and drinks as well. Only to find she never filled the damn thing up.


>"This is bound to help us somehow. I trust the King." Homily shakes Griff's claw off his hoof and brings the bottle to his mouth.

>Stray watched with frustration and awe as the old man did his thing, raising an eyebrow as Homily went up to the potion to drink it, looking at Lights with weariness in his eyes. He looked towards the east, towards the coast, where the old man referenced. Whatever forces were at work knew of their humanity. If these beings had ANY information on earth or humanity, perhaps how to get back to it, Stray had to know...
>Stray stands next to Lights, watching Homily take the potion.
>Day whispers to whoever is next to her, " Who's the king?"

>"Tells a truth you'll never know..." Light whispers.
>Griff deadpans a bit.
“Kind, wh-oh ok sure just fucking drink it then!”
>He throws his arms up in the air, before staring at the other potion.
“..Fuck it.” he says, and grabs it, looking it over with fear clear in his eyes.

>Lights widens his eyes and tries and takes the other potion before Griff can get to it.

>Stray blinks at the word 'king', grimacing. "I DON'T trust the king."

>"Better he than me..." The unicorn says after sating her thirst. A chuckle escapes her as she watches Daybreak's problem, and levitates her canteen closer to the thirsty adventurer. "Hey Gryphon." She addresses Griff without looking him. "Do you plan on going farther?" carelessly asks the mare, her eyes fixated on the potions being fought over.

>Griff raised the potion higher as Light reaches for it.
“what the fuck man?!” he squawks out, doing an odd instinctive peck at Lights hoof.

[Homily, Roll a D2, then Roll a D10, 6+ Success, 5- Crit Fail]

1.Griff 2
2.Homily Sermon 0 = 2, then 5,Crit Fail, re-roll= 10, Success
3.Northern Lights 1
4.StrayShot 1
5.Notim/Curiosity 2
6.DayBreak 1

>Day is suprised by the gesture and wonders for a brief moment if it's poisoned before taking a sip. The hell is this king business they're going on about? She'd bet he's rich. She'd bet he's not always watching.

>Lights yelps at the peck and gives a very, very weird look. Was that a kiss? He didn't think the griffin was gay. And unfortunately Lights wasn't gay, which would make it awkward.

>"A truth I'll never know? A lie that's only so right now?" Light said,"Either way... it's a truth in the future."

>Griff looked at the potion, then to light.
>”I.....”

>Meanwhile Homily burps...and then his vision goes back to that strange place from before.
>His vision is yet again assaulted, His mind screaming in agony.
>He blinks, as a vision gets picked out by his mind.
>The King is standing infront of his Throne, still unclear what he is, as he clenches the stone tightly.
>”so, thats it?”” he says to something, “All I have to do is devour a few innocent hearts? Bah, you think me a child!? I HAVE WAITED MY ENTIRE LIFE FOR THIS MOMENT, YOU DARE SAY I AM NOT WILLING TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE!?”
>The scene fades, as another comes to light.
>He sees....their group....Everyone looking exhausted, as they stand before...something.
>”Yes...” A Voice says, making their ears bleed, “ I can help you gain what you wish Stray, all of you, but you must be willing to cast off your shackles, to embrace what we offer.....”
>IT fades, his mind screaming for mercy, screaming for relief.
>And then the next vision comes.
>He stands alone, a creature pure white, bright as the sun, another as dark and beautiful as the moon.
“No, we can never tell them, We still dont know if it was TRULY our fault....all we can do now is help them as much as we can, fix what we mightve broken....”
>And then he was back, sprawled out on the ground, coughing up black goop.

>Everyone else had simply seen Homliy collapsing vomiting black goop and watching him twitch.
>Griff had quickly sat down the potion, going to aid his friend.

>Light sighs, "Well, that had to be the bad one." He sneaks the second potion ;3

[Roll a D10 Light, 7+ Success, 6- Crit Fail]

[rolled a 10!]

>Homily opens his eyes, and gets up slower than last time. He was prepared for the vision this time. As he sits himself up, he eyes Stray with suspicion. "That wasn't the King, I was wrong."

>Cury observes the stallion's twitch and squirm, but it soon bores her, and her eyes go to the canteen and the pony holding it for her. Her magic picks the item and pockets it once more. "And who the fuck are you?" She says to Daybreak in reply to the odd look she gives her; a frown later the mare actually remembers who is the adventurer. "Oh... didn't we have something to do? Perhaps this is a good time."

>Stray Shot hurries over to Homily's side as he comes to from his vision, concern plastered on his face. "What was it, Homily? What happened?" He asks with worry .

>Griff spits at Cury.
“Damnit give us a moment.”
>He turns to Homily
“You fucking crazy bastard what the hell is going on with you?”

>Homily backs up from Stray. "The demon we first fought, that's the King."

>Stray raises an eyebrow in confusion in reaction to Homily backing away from him. "Wh-what... THAT was the king?!"

>"Nothing's going on with me, we have to go south."
"Yes, that's the king! We weren't the first ones to try settling here." Homily says

>The mare Daybreak cringes seeing the guy cough up that black stuff, " eew...I think, I 've had enough for tonight. " She didn't want to admit she was tired and too weak to go on. This place gave her an errie feeling that she couldn't shake. She looks to the other mare, " You're the other one that got the boot. I didn't bring mine along but..." She looks at the others. She wasn't strong enough for this kind of thing. She needed to actually do some damn training before going on crazy things like this, "...I'll cath you losers later. " she backed away and started to make her way back to town

>Homily turns to watch Daybreak leave. "You're leaving alone?"

>Stray looks to Daybreak, even more confused now.

>"What of it, old man?" Day had her usual annoyed look on her brusied face

>"You shouldn't go do that trip alone. It was a long way," Stray says with genuine concern.

>"Nothing, feel free to head into the dangerous jungle alone." Homily said

>With that, Daybreak left.
>she makes it back to town more or less safely.

>As Light falls the fuck backwards, he himself goes to inside his mind, feeling ti reel in pain.
>He drifts among the visions, before finally one sticks out.
>It is Him, standing among his dead companions, his eyes glowing blue and purple flames, his horn black.
>”You have taken the first step to ruling this world, come...we have much more to offer....”
>And then its a different scene, him standing on a balcony, much older, but this time clearly normal.
>A Mare comes out, giving him a small peck.
>”Well, your up early...” she says with a giggle.
>He smiles at her.
>”Well of course, what good husband sleeps in on a weekday?”
>It is suddenly gone, another vision.
>Griff sits on a pile of skulls, an empire before him.
>Suddenly Homily is leading Crusade in the next Vision.
>Then its a simple scene, this one feeling...different, more likely.
>The Group stands in some ruins, before...something.
>IT reaches out to them.
>”Come, join us....we can do more for your kind then the ponies could ever hope to....You are a race of evil, or war,  do not let them turn you into something you are not!”
>And then his mind almost breaks, more and more possible futures and visions assaulting him, before, suddenly, one last one gently lands in his minds eye.
>The group stands before the ocean, the breeze lovely.
>Something...kind, is near them.
>”I can not protect you, but I can help you, offer you advice. Everything the demons offer? It is true, it is possible....but it is twisted. You will not get what you want without giving up more then who you are....”
>And then he awoke, in his own puddle of black goop.

>Lights sighed as he snapped back into consciousness, groaning as he slowly squelches in the sticky stuff. His head felt like ten Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters were ingested, but he was able to vividly recall those visions that he thought turned men insane. "Well, that was... Useless."
"...ow..."

>Griff shakes his head, looking at Light.
“Damnit you bastard, you ok?”

>Stray rushes over to Lights now, getting his hooves all up in the puddle of black goop as he looks down at it in disgust. "What the hell, man? Are you okay?"

>Cury shows her boot to Daybreak, chuckling at the memory. "It's actually warm." However, Griff's spit interrupts her and makes her lose her patience. "Let's just bail, my deal is to shove those things away, not to chase them into a trap." She says after rolling her eyes. Calmly, she follows Daybreak all the way back to the city.

>"Apparently not even twisted visions from unknown potions can get me." He sighs once more, "exactly what you would expect from... whatever inter-dimensional things give visions. A king and his wife, a warlord Griff... and us, once we reach the ruins."
"We can either choose power and knowledge and side with demons, or you know, not give our souls up for an easy way out."
>raises an eyebrow, tilting his head at Lights. "...Really?"

>Homily is offput by the bluntness. "I vote we don't give our souls up, I'm saving mine for someone else."

>Griff raises his own eyebrow.
“That sounds...hard to believe? Fuck at this point ah dont know what tah believe....”

>Lights crinkles his snout and grumbles. "The Hell do I know? I just had a bloody vision! It could've been a trick. All in all I just want the town safe, and to fuck those demons back to the depths of Hell where they belong."

>Stray chuckles. "No, I mean, I think they're feeding us a bunch of bullshit, man!"

>"Well Stray?" Light yawns, oddly nonchalant about it. "Apparently, Either I can take the power of the demons and rule the land by force or choose the righteous path and eventually rule a pleasant kingdom with a beautiful mare at a much older age. Really, the whole thing is rather offputting."

>After, somewhat, recovering from half those left drinking strange potions, the group headed further south towards the shore, hoping the instructions they had been given would be of use.
>However, with a small motion of his head, Griff got Stray to fall back a bit, and leaned over, whispering to him.
“Hey....watch those two, somethins just...not right, how willing and easy they are acceptin all this and them potions and such....Cury had a point, much as shes a bitch, this startin to feel too much like a trap.”
>Not waiting, Griff was quick to not linger, quickly catching up with Homily and Northern Lights.
“So....ya got ANY hints at what were actually walkin into....wherever the hell were goin?”

>Lights huffs and sighs, closing his eyes and dusting himself off as much as possible. "It's clearly a trap."

>Homily keeps his gaze straight ahead. "South. I'll know it when I see it."

>Stray nods to Griff. "Got it. I'll watch. This whole thing seems like we're being bullshitted."

>"Honestly, I'm a little offended they tried to tempt me with a kingdom to rule with an iron fist!" Lights says.

>"Why would you be offended at the prospect of owning a kingdom?" Homily replied

>Lights chuckles and winks, nudging Homily in the wither. "A king whose subjects do not like him does not deserve to be a king at all"

>"Tru dat!" Stray said with a nod.

>"Ah, true that. Perhaps that is what happened to the king?" Homily said.

>Griff blinks, shaking his head at Homily and Lights responses.
“I Know its a trap....that answers nothin though.”
>He nods to Homily, but raises an eyebrow at Light.
“If ya say so, ah mean, seems like a weird thing to offer to someone who dont want it.”

>Griff looked at Homily.
“Who IS this damned king ya keep mentioning?”

>"The king is the demon we fought when we first arrived, I think." Homily says."That's what the visions seemed to show me, at least."

>"Well, the other things it showed were fairly graphic too... That being said, have we considered what happens if we don't take the trap?"  Lights asks.

>Stray suddenly stops, looking at the others. "Wait... Griff, you said you knew this was a trap, so..." Stray looks confused, glancing at the three others, "...why are we doing this?"

>Homily looks back to the party. "What do you mean? We have to go south."

>Stray tilts his head, grimacing as he shakes his head at Homily. "Get a grip, dude. We don't have to do shit! These guys are full of shit. I'm telling you, my bullshit detector is going off big time."

>Griff sighed.
“If thats true Homily, tha only raises more questions...”
>Griff shrugs, turning to Lights.
“Nuthing good, ah bet wherever were headed is tha only place to solve this problem, trap or not....”
>He shakes his head.
“Its a perfect trap, because they put it in the only place we have to go.”

>Homily turns back to the path ahead. "Well, maybe you don't have to go south. You didn't see it. But I have to go south."

>Griff puts a claw on Strays Shoulder, giving him a weak smile.
“Ah understand, really ah do....but Homily is right....heading back now will wont do us any good....not now...”

>"...It would do us a lot of good by not getting killed." Stray suggested.

>Lights gives a weird short horse sound, his question not being answered in a way that would allow him to convince the others not to do this silly thing. Taking a couple seconds, he sighs out before looking up with that serene expression on his face. "A hero's complex is what gets them all killed. We should alert the embassy and see if they know anything about this."

>"Look, if y'all really still wanna go, I'll come with you, but my gut is really telling me to go back to town, regroup, investigate, that type of thing..." Stray looks up at Griff, clearly full of fear, but also a bit more resolution than previously seen in the pegasus

>Lights nods in accordance. "And likewise. I'm more worried for you three than me."

>Griff laughed, and nodded, shrugging as he trotted to keep pace with Homily.
“where wont we die Stray? At the Town marked for death or subjugation by the demons? Nah, Ah would rather die tryin to make sure that never becomes a problem, nor more then it already is at least....”

>"We're already out here though, what would the embassy know about this? We're getting closer, I can tell." Homily added.

>Griff nodded.
“Ah dont trust the equestrian much more either, never will. They may not be as bloody but they still have their own interests at heart first.”

>Light chuffs out and tilts his head, looking up at the sky he swore had a darker tinge to it on this fateful night. "And you can say the same about yourself, Griff. We're all in this town together." "...Now, lead the way before I change my mind and do the smart thing."

>Stray sighs as he catches up with his comrades, giving a nervous sideglance to Lights, and then Griff. "A-alright... We can at least go see what's there, but... if this becomes an obvious suicide mission, we gotta go regroup, okay?" Stray nods in agreement with Lights, smiling nervously. "Okay okay! let's just get there already, heh..."

>Griff shrugged, giving Light a weak smile.
“Ah WISH I was more selfish.....But yer right, lets head on.”
>IT was a bit of a ways further, before the group at first noticed MORE symbols, many closer to eye level, and even noticed a silence so heavy they started hearing each others heartbeats...
>And then, the smell of the ocean, the sounds of seagulls, and the view gave way to the beach.
“Well....south then, right?” Griff asks, looking at his group.
>”**that would be correct, my little ponies.**”
>The female voice suddenly came from everywhere and nowhere.
>Griffs axe was out instantly, him swerving in a circle, doing some sorta bird sound of anger.
“I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD I AM NOT PUTTING UP WITH THIS SHIT AGAIN!”  Griff yells.
>The air is filled with playful, but kind giggling.
>”**im afraid you will have to, for I cannot show my solid form here even if I so wished to. IT is not my domain, so it is not my right or power to do so.**”

>Homily stops walking. "And who are you?"

>The hair on Stray's back stands up as the voice suddenly speaks, making him instinctively draw his crossbow and frantically look around for the source. "What do you want from us?" He asks meekly .

>Lights avoids rolling his eyes, his muzzle scrunching to a side as he can't hide his disapproval once Griff turns back around to lead. In his opinion, a sacrifice was fairly selfish if alternatives were available... but- He jumps at the female voice, bristling with a little qt raised back at the source of the sound. "It's not our domain either, but we're somehow in the flesh."


>**Harmony, in a sense at least. Lately though, some interesting new creatures have started showing up, ones that make Harmony impossible to truly exist. So I guess,now, I am only a something, or a nothing. MY name WAS Harmony aswell, but I suppose that might be wrong now aswell, no?**” The voices says with a giggle.
>Griff spits, axe resting on his shoulder, but far from relaxed.
>”**Now....Sto? Strat? no...Stray? Ah, sorry, im not at good at...pulling info from the unwilling as some others. Im merely here to observe, to guide a bit, to warn you before you reach the ruins. But you still have a bit to go, you wont be there til the moon is out....it is going to be a lovely one, you should enjoy it...just in case...**”
>The voice sounds incredibly concerned and sad.
>While Griff and Stray see or feel nothing, Homily swears he saw a...hand? Something sea green, Brush against Northerns cheek for just a moment, while Northern swears he felt something warm on his cheek, but was nothing.
>”**You were already flesh though, mine was always simply magic taken form, much different rules....ah though, all your minds....so mangled, so tortured. But that is how your species is, no?**”

>Griff shakes his head, looking at the others.
“AH think this is just more fucking bullshit....”

>Lights feels like the heebie jeebies got him, but he looks more ruffled and huffy than actually spooped. Stamping a hoof into the ground, he retorts. "To be mangled and tortured means having lived a harder and more fulfilling life. But that's how my species is." he added in "pleasedon'tdothatagain"


>Homily becomes uneased at the prospect of the possible mind reading currently going on. "What do you want with us, other than to screw around in our heads?"

>Stray stays standing completely still, his muscles tense and hishoof on the grip of his crossbow. "Name's Stray Shot. And benevolent or not, I ain't necessarily gonna believe you."


>”**Call it what you want....Mc....No...Daneil....though....hmm....your last name...there is conflict there....oh? Im so sorry, that must have been hard on you, no wonder your mind never rests....**”
>The voice sighs, while somehow seeming a calm sigh, it is an odd sensation to have echo around like such.
>”**Yes Lights, your species is resilient, hardy, but you break the rules, and that only means more suffering then you could ever had had back home...**”
>Suddenly Homily sees what looks like the same hand momentarily brushing hair out of Strays eyes, and while Stray cant feel it he does notice the hair move.
>”**I cannot make you trust me, but never the less I wish to help. But if it will help...please...ask me, or say what I might do to prove my intentions are not ill against you? My power here is limited though, there are rules I cannot break, and ones they cannot either....you humans,however....**”

>Whether they were paying attention or not, Griff, slowly, lost grip on his axe, his face one of utter terror as he stood stock still, not even when his axe landed with a thud.
>His mind was panicking, and he was shaking, his breath shallow.

>"Stop... touching people. What happened to the king?" Homily asked.

>"Oh please, Griff- they can clearly read minds, get a hold of yourself! Think of everything you just saw, a-are you surprised?" He frowns and huffs, trotting over to the gryphon and nudging him in the shoulder to pick up his axe. "C'mon, you know the rule- if they're magical beings, just... you know... they just want to fuck with us!"

>Stray shivers down his spine as he sees the hair in front of his eyes move. As Griff stiffens in terror, Stray becomes more worried, taking several steps closer to the griffin, unable to tell what was wrong. "G-Griff? What's wrong?" He says with increasing panic in his voice. "Well for one you can stop messin' with us!" Stray says loudly, a frustrated look on his face as he shakes his head, tightening the grip on his crossbow. "Nothin'll prove your intentions except how useful the information you give turns out to be later!"


>”**Which kin-oh, im sorry, you seem to be thinking two are the same, not different. The one with the stone is long dead, he was...weak, like the forces said he was. His son,however.....Well, you know how kingdoms work of course, if the king dies, then the firstborn....and the firstborn isnt allowed to be weak...**”
>Griff blinked, then, overly hard, pushed Lights away, taking a few steps back.
>”**oh...oh im so sorry.....i....**” The voice sounds insanely concerned, and homily sees it reaching for Griff, clearly trying to calm him,this time seeing an entire arm for a moment.
“I....That isnt real, I was a fucking shut it, alone, always....i never fucking....that was never real....you cant make it real again, I decided it wasnt...because it couldn't be, because I was a loser, and so I could never....i...”
>Griff stumbles backwards, landing on his back, before spinning around and clawing at the sand, as if trying to escape from something.
“You..I...No...she...they.....” Tears are streaming down his face, as he simply gives up, lying on the ground.
>”**I....im sorry......I saw you had tried to protect from that, tried to deny it....but I did not read why.....**”
>IT sighs again.
>”**All I can give you is this. Everything the demons offer? It is true, it is possible....but it is twisted. You will not get what you want without giving up more then who you are....**”

>Lights rolls his eyes and groans, huffing a little more as he begins to shout with little hops to accentuate his passion. "GRIFF! You don't need that! "

>Homily shouts towards the sky. "What did you do to Griff?!"

>”**I brought forth memories he had made himself repress....im not very good at this, I so think im not very good at this....**”

>Stray Shot's face is pure bewilderment as he advances several feet towards Griff and Lights. He was very confused. "I coulda guessed that, lady," he says at her last words .
>"G-Griff..." Stray says softly as he lays a hoof on the griffon. "C-come on man... P-pull it together..." He says with worry in his voice

>"Stop trying to go through people's heads!" Homily says.

>"It's really beneath you!" Light yells.

>Griff simply lays there,, before turning on his side and curling up halfway, staring at his claw.
“Ive never been good at this....helping others....protecting them.....”
>He blinks, the tears stopping.
“But what else do I have to live for anymore?”
>”**I.....Do not know how else to get the information I would need to help you though, then to look for it....does it not save time and questions, no?**”
>The voice is flustered, VERY flustered.
>”**I...Ill stop....you are so much more complicated then ponies....**”

>Stray Shot is really kinda too confused to do or say much, just looking down at Griff in deep concern.

>"Equestrians are fools. Don't dig through our minds."  Homily says.

>Lights crinkles his snout and huffs, almost pouncing on the gryphon and repeatedly nudge his shoulder with both hooves. "With how you're acting now you're certainly living up to that! Get a HOLD of yourself!" He hides a little frustrated yell as he slaps the much larger gryphon with his foreleg. "The Griff I know isn't some pussy, and needs to be PROTECTING his FELLOW HUMANS "

>Stray puts his hooves on Griff's upper body, weakly pushing against him. "Come on, man, we gotta keep going! W-we can't go down like this!"

>Homily approaches Griff. "These two are right. You're one of only a few who do some real good around here, if we lost you we'd be crippled."

>Griff, finally, slowly gets up, wiping at his eyes after blinking from the slap.
>He pushed Light and Stray off slowly, but not aggressively, taking deep, deep breaths.
“I.....Fuck....Yer Right....Lets just end this.......Lets just go end this shit....”
>He stumbles over to his axe, picking it up, and spends a good while just staring at it in his shaking hands.
“Ah.....Im not as brave as you guys think I am.....Ah just dont know what else I could do but pretend I am...”
>He turned around, clearly scared out of his mind.

“AH dont want to go wherever it is were going, because if it offers me what I think it will.....im not sure im strong enough to say no....”

>Stray Shot narrows his eyes at Griff, frowning. "Wait... you're saying you'd actually buy into that bullshit? You don't wanna deal with those creeps, you're gonna get played like a bad card!" Stray scoffs. "That life you're being offered sounds like shit, anyway. Why would being a brutal warlord even appeal to you?" He asks in frustrated dissapointment

>Griff looks down.
“Appeal? no.....thats not what I think they would offer me...thats what id have to let them make me I reckon....”
>The voice spoke up, extremely concerned.
>”**You will just have to find a way to resist it, take solace Daneil, this is a chance to not let it happen in this world, never forget that those who love you wish only for you to live happy....I must go, and so must you, they will send their hounds to to drag you to their lair if they must....**”

>Stray gulps nervously. "Hounds...?"

>Homily doesn't say anything, preferring to stand and listen.

>Griff looks around, but like the rest can feel the spirit or whatever is gone.
>Sighing, Griff shrugs.
“Lets....head off then...”
>IT was indeed a pretty moon, high above by the time it appeared infront of them.
>Desolate, ragged, the Ruins were once clearly great, but time, and perhaps more, had done their number.
>“Come...enter....be our guests....” A gruff voice echoes from inside what was once the main hall, as the four Towns Folk came to the entrance.

>Homily stops just before entering as he hears the voice. "Who's there?"

>Lights crinkles his snout and looks around, his ears pinned behind his head. "What's there?"

>Stray Shot stiffens when he hears the voice as they enter the ruins, his eyes tracing along the lines of the broken down surroundings. He doesn't respond to the voice, or draw his weapon, but he is clearly tense and looking around nervously for anything dangerous

>Griff stiffens, his claws gripping his axe so hard he expected to break it.
>”What do you think I am?” The voice asks, echoing from deep within the ruins it seemed.
>Suddenly, they hear a snarl, many, and behind them is suddenly around a dozen and a  half horrid, dog shaped, but hardly still so, beings.
>”Now now, they dont bite....unless I tell them to. I Do not wish for us to fight, if you do not make it necessary.” IT says, a bit of laughter echoing around the hollow shell of stone.

>"Haven't you figured out we want NO fighting??" Lights yells.


>Stray swings around towards the dogs, drawing his crossbow and aiming it at one of them. He knows they're outnumbered, but felt the need to give them some sort of cover. He looks up at the ceiling, speaking to the voice, "We just wanna be left alone!"

>Homily raises his hoe. "What do you want with us?"

>”Enter, please. We can discuss everything face to face. My hounds will stay and...watch the door for us. “ The voice says simply.

>Griff turns to the others, and shurgs meekly.
“Ah dont think we have a choice....”
>He turns, walking into the ruins.
>Inside is mostly bare, only rotting wood left in some places to show it once had furniture, a metal hook or two here or there where once proud banners hung.
>IT is silent, many of those similar, mind altering symbols carved here or there.
>Up ahead though, is light, where the dinning hall most likely once was.
>Turning the corner into it was...quite a shock, A room brightly lit by torches lit with bright, magical blue flames, giving off more then enough light to keep the room well lit.
>There was a massive stone table, made to fit dozens, with fresh food of all kinds laid out, seats clearly set for them near the other end.
>And many would notice, that a lot of their favorite,still edible, foods were all around a specific seat....
>And up above, at the other end, sat a throne, some...thing, something like before, their mind unable to make it out, sat upon it.
>”Welcome. Come, sit, eat. You HAVE had a long journey, no?”

>Homily takes the seat that appears to be for him. "Why do you want us here?"

>Stray Shot trots into the room behind Griff, his eyes going over the table with food and drink. He looks at the being with suspicious, narrow eyes. "Are you the demon we ambushed the other day?" He asks as he holsters his crossbow and heads over to the table, standing next to a chair, but not sitting down.

>Griff walks over slowly, staring at the seat intended for him.
>Frowning, he simply remains standing, turning to take in his friends expressions.
>Staring at...whatever that thing was hurt anyways, so he hardly could look at it instead.

>Stray brings his gaze down in front of him on the table, eyeing the food and wondering what kind of fucked up things would happen if he ate it.

>"...A journey that I don't wish to be much longer than it already has been..." Lights takes a NOT seat next to Stray, still not plopping his rump down.

>It laughs, a deep heavy laugh that actually somewhat shakes the room.
>”No...i have never met any of you in person, though you may of met another Deamon of the round table perhaps.”
>IT stands, or at least you think it does and takes a few steps down the stairs infront of its throne.
>”I want you here because you are special, the only humans both brave, strong, and perhaps, foolish enough to actually come this far.”
>IT picks up a fruit as it reaches the head of the table, the thing simply disappearing into its form.
>”You see....you humans, you break the rules, rules no other creature in this world can break...that makes you quite valuable....”

>"What rules do you mean, specifically?" Homily asked

>"Yeah yeah, free will and intelligence, I know basic philosophy." He huffs and seems to get a little more tense, that Snow White tail swishing impatiently. "I still don't know if you're actually inter-dimensional or just some magic thing that can read minds..."

>Griff simply stares as closely at the thing as he can, axe still in his hands, ready to bring it up the minute he thought it necessary.

>Stray furrows his brow, sideglancing at the creature but averting its gaze. "Like Lights said... we break rules as our free will, and personal morals, dictate." Stray shakes his head from side to side once, sitting on his haunches and folding his hooves. "I ain't your personal army."

>"But either way..." he frowns once more, "either you're capable of decimating everything and everyone here, or just all talk. Regardless, c-could you PLEASE just make up your mind? We actually have an internal clock...""...or capable of decimating everything but not allowed to?"

>The thing laughs, clapping a bit.
>...and the entire room shakes cracks appearing in the walls.
>”Well, the problem you see, is not if I can kill you, but that I dont want to.”
>IT sighs, absorbing another fruit into itself.
>”I have a right to kill, you but at the same time, it would be a waste unless you make me. You see, in this world, the balance, the harmony, must be maintained....more or less. Evil and Good both have...limiters, on what they can do. Pacts and prophecy guide our hand, no matter how much we wish to stray. IT is not fully set in stone, of course, but the room to maneuver is...limited.”
>IT smiled, a smile so wicked you could actually somehow partially make it out.
>”but you, you are free, the rules have not been hammered out for you yet. OH, yes....that is my first, of many, things I offer. Without my help, the so called forces of good WILL find a way to shackle you like everything else in this world, or they will make sure you cease to be the exception.”

>IT was then, both Homily and Light have a small vision.
>The...thing, reveals itself, a horrid, terrible thing, that just the sight of nearly kills them all....
>But then, the table cracks, and splinters apart, the Demon looking surprised, angry....scared.
>And then a sword comes out, its blade glowing, made of strands of moonlight and sunlight strung together perfectly.

>They come back to the thing tapping on the table, everyone having watched Homily and Light twitching.
>Both of them groan, each vision having taken a worse toll on their mind.
>”...my second offer is to fix your minds. The visions im sure are helpful, but you WILL eventually die from them, sooner then later.”

>Lights quivers and winces as he regains his sense of composure, that voice getting a little scratchy for a second. "H-hah, visions? I've been getting those for years! A-and really? Offering help for... what? Breaking us free of fate ?"
>"I-I.... ohhhh, that's not pleasant.. n-nn." He grits his teeth and forces a chuckle out, "I've been unfairly thrown about by fate my whole life, you think I'm not welcoming it by now? Every time it's slammed me down, I learned something new and became stronger."

>Homily looks over at the others as he comes out of his vision, and sees Lights coming out of it to. "And, what does 'fixing our minds really entail?"

>"I'd rather be shackled to a society of loving cute ponies than align myself with a monster that eats sapient beings and is deluded enough to think that it has a right to kill. I don't understand what the fuck you're even talking about, all I know is I want you to leave me and my friends alone!"

>"Your first mistake is thinking we- well, I fear death. And the second is thinking that asking a fella of faith to sell his soul to a demon would ever be a good idea."Light added.

>"I don't even know if a God exists, but I know for damn sure I want nothing to do with a monster like you."

>Griff, however, asks a much different question.
“Yer offerin much more then just that, arent ya?”

>It Laughs, the room shaking again.
>Then it raises up its hands, and everyone sees visions.
>Visions of everything they want, of, to, and from both worlds.
>Visions of their loved ones, their happiest moments, everything they could be in the future.
>And then....of Earth....something quite wrong.
>A Sea green light, many in fact, are tearing it apart, almost like they are eating it.
>And somehow they know....it is a force of Equestria doing it.
>And then they are back in the ruins.

>”I Offer you everything in exchange for serving , me. Keep your souls, they are more valuable to me free then bound. But know this, there is a price for everything, good, bad, the middle ground. And the forces of good are more then willing to devour your earth 'for the greater good'. “
>The Thing seems to suddenly be much bigger, its details a bit more clear.
>”I may be evil, I will not deny what I am, but I KNOW what I am, and what you humans really are. You are a taint, even the best among you more capable of the darkest evil then the Equestirans could hardly imagine! Accept my offer, See your loved ones again, be like gods, save your planet, your people. Do not make the mistake of so many others and think choosing a darker path is never necessary.”

>Homily rubs his head, all the visions giving him a major migraine. "How do I know you aren't lying?"

>Griff almost falls over, leaning on the table, the visions still swimming in his head.
>He was shaking, fighting back tears.
“I.....dont trust ya...ya cant bring tha dead back tah life!” He yells angrily, standing back up and flipping the thing off.

>Lights quivers before taking a deeep breath and sighing out with even more fire in his eyes. "If fate doesn't wish it, it shouldn't happen. And if it shouldn't happen, that's because fate played out that way. It's never necessary, goddamn it's just always easier."

>Griff swerves around, outright spitting at Light.
“Fate!? FATE!? I DONT CARE ABOUT FATE, FATE CAN GO DIE IN A FUCKING DITCH.”
>He roars, slamming his axe into the table as the creature smiles.

>Stray's eyes go wide as the visions play past his vision. Visions of his friends and family from Earth, his important moments growing up, the people he loved... After the visions stop, he just sits there on his haunches with his eyes closed, recovering from the sudden overstimulation of seeing all the memories that were already burned into his brain before this, from how much he missed his old life.

 His voice is shaky, raspy, and desperate. "I'd rather die in this world and never see any of them again before I serve a creature like you. You deserve to die." He says coldly, holding himself with his forehooves.

 His gaze snaps to Griff at his outburst, making him fold his ears back as he watches the griffon slam his axe

>Homily snaps his head toward the outburst, surprised at the sudden yelling match. "Calm down, Griff! We can't get angry at each other now, of all times!"

>Lights cringes, subconsciously swaying to Stray's side before frowning with those piercing blue eyes. "Do you seriously think a supposed DEMON will give you something and it'll all turn out right? Jesus Griff!"
"...I'm not going to let you take their offer, Griff. I saw what it would do for you."


>Griff ignores Homily, turning back to the Creature.
“...Can you bring them back?”
>IT nods.
>”I can, it would not be easy, but I have brought souls from the beyond back before. “
>Griff simply looks down at the table, shaking madly as he fights his mind.

>Stray jumps to his hooves, stomping up to Griff and scowling up at the griffon. "Are you seriously gonna go Anakin Skywalker on our asses?!" "This type a shit NEVER works! This is a buncha bullshit, I'm tellin' you"

>Homily stands up in his chair. "How about you show yourself to talk to us, huh? Seems a little dishonest to accept anything from a disembodied voice."

>"You want to be a murderer? To sit on a throne you inherited through dark deals, screwing everyone else over- ESPECIALLY your family?" He begins to get genuinely upset, shouting those words now. "HEY GRIFF! YOUR WIFE AND KIDS ARE BACK FROM THE DEAD, AND THEY LOOOOVE HOW YOU DID IT!"


>Griff stares at stray, eyes full of fear and sorrow, tears streaming down.
“I just want to see them again Stray....I never even had a chance to name him.....” He says somewhat incoherently, before slamming his axe up and down into the table a few more times, the thing laughing as it watched.
>Griff stutters as he stops assulting the table, shaking as he shakes his head.
“I know...I know its not the right decision, I know that stray! But every part of me feels like it wont let me say no....Wont let me forget the first time I had to see everything I care about disappear because GODAMNED FATE decided so!”

>Griff turns, tossing his axe at Light.
“DONY YOU DARE MENTION THEM! DONT ANY OF YOU!”

>The thing laughs, and laughs.
>IT strolls over to Homily, its smile very visible.
>”I see no reason to reveal myself and end the fun just yet, do you?”

>"Oh trust me Griff, they're going to be SO PROUD OF YOU!" Light yells out.

>Stray Shot scowls in disgust, throwing his hooves up in the air. "Fuck it." He looks towards the unseeable monster with an averted gaze, his face red. "I'm ready to go, demon-guy. Sorry to deny your deal, but I want nothin' to do with it. Can I go, now?"

>The thing turns from Homily, smiling at Stay.
>”I said you got to live unless you made me have to kill you, and such an answer means the second, StrayShot. I Advise you to reconsider.”

>"That makes two of us." He spits on the axe that Griff threw at him, scowling at the gryphon. "Be a man, Griff. Act like your wife and kids are watching."

>"I don't see why not. Go ahead, or do you not really have enough power for any of this, let alone fully materializing?" Homily asks.

>Stray Shot looks towards the monster incredulously, a shiver of dread, and fear, going down his spine. "S-so what, you're saying I have to either serve you or die? What kind of 'offer' is that? I want nothing to do with you!"
>"I only came here because of loyalty to him!" Stray yells, pointing accusingly at Griff. "And he's lost his damn mind! So I'm done here!"

>Homily glares at Stray Shot, and whispers, "Calm down, and wait for a second."

>Griff growls, walking over and staring Light down point blank, Claw on his dagger.
>But he simply stands there, looking light in the face.
“...You're right...i know you're right....but im not a man Light....”
>He Pulls the dagger out...and pushes it into Lights hooves.
“And I dont think im gonna be strong enough to keep fighting this. You were wrong about me, im a coward, nothing more, nothing less. Didn't even go to their funeral...”

>Meanwhile, the thing laughs, and suddenly, is slowly getting bigger, its details more defined.
>”OH come now Daneil, Dont be so modest! You have potential, your just...a little rough in the edges”

>The room slowly is shaking as the thing grows, even the table starting to splinter, to crack.

>Light grips the knife tight with his magic... twisting it around before sighing.

>Homily eyes the knife exchange with obvious confusion.

>>Griff turns, scowling at the thing. “I know these people, all three of em. They're good folk, strong folk, you wont get tha better of em. Not ever. They're the reason I was able to pull myself this far, and they'll find a way tah defeat ya without me.” >IT laughs. >”But no with you?” >Griff shakes his head. ”No...dont reckon im strong enough tah face ya....not now, not yet...”

>Stray looks at Lights and Griff with an incredulous, and horrified, look. "Is this really fuckin' happening right now?" Stray goes up to the door, trying to beat it open. "J-just let me fuckin' leave, man!"

>Lights gives Griff one last chance. "Griff. Tell the demon you reject his offer. Become the man your family would be proud of."
>"The man that I trust with keeping Hayven safe."
"I know you aren't a coward, and temptations are hard to resist for a reason. Prove me right.•

>>”Dont listen Griff, Your family waits, freedom from the Equestrians waits, from the masters they bow to! Earth might very well hang in the balance. Without my help Griff, even your friends in this room are in more danger then I pose now....” IT tilts its head, smiling, “You know its true, you can feel it....a second chance...the hypocrisy, the lies of the Equestrians....You know they are as much a threat as I ever could be...”

>"You said you were gonna protect ponies with me Griff..." Stray says with a dejected, depressed expression on his face, casting his gaze to the ground .

>Homily shouts, "Why won't you show yourself?!"

>Lights sighs and readies that dagger- of course, with the pointy side away from the gryphon. All it would take was a sharp flick of his horn, and the blunt handle would slam into the back of Griff's head- in theory knocking him unconscious with naught but a slight concussion. He waits till the last moment though, hoping Griff won't be weak anymore

>
>Griff looks around the room, unsure of what was even real to him anymore.
>He stared down at his claws, stared at Stray and Homily.
“I.....”
>He Clenched them
“Neither option is the right option......”
>He looked up tears streaming down his face.
”But....Damnit Stray has a really good puppy dog face, ah cant betray those damned things....”
>The thing frowns, but then laughs, suddenly expanding quickly.
>The room slowly is shaking as the thing grows, even the table starting to splinter, to crack.
>”A Shame, you were all so promising.....But ill find other, more willing humans.”
>And just like that, the thing explodes, it form becoming true, visible.
>everyone screams, just its presence starting to melt the mind to damage it, as the room shakes like all hell.
>The walls start to shatte,r the ceiling getting blown away....the table cracking and shattering
>”YOU WILL FUEL MY EFFORTS NONE THE LESS, HUMANS!”
>And then it appeared, the sword glowing, the Deamon reacts....and only a moment of clarity to act.

 [for lunging for the sword if you so wish, or you can try something else] [
 Roll a D20, 10+ pass, 15+ Success, 6- Crit Fail]

1.Griff 2 17, success
2.Homily Sermon 0 13, pass
3.Northern Lights 1 16,success
4.StrayShot 1 15,success

>In a moments notice, everyone knows the sword is important, the key to ending this...
>And in another, all lung for it.
>While homily french slides a bit too far, Griff, Lights, and Stray all end up catching hold of it.
>Staring at eachother they nod, using their combined strength, along with Homilies who jumps to join in, to pull the thing from the ground, where it was still deeply embedded.
>Griff then lets go, letting it be someone else who wields it, though the minute he does, he screams, suddenly having nothing protecting him from the deamons presence, clawing at his throat in agony.
>The monster approaches, and while holding the sword dims it, everyone still can barely stand looking at the beast.
>”You may have that sword, but you still must fight me to end this!”
>It swings its arm at you, hoping to swat the group away like flies.

>Homily decides holding the sword together like this will just get us killed. He lets go of the sword to dodge the attack, and pulls out his crucifix instead.

>Stray and Light continue holding the sword, going strong.

>AS Homily screams, his crucifix catching fire, and Griff collapses, Stray and Light almost dont have to swing, the thing putting the necessary momentum in for them to cut its arm off.
>It screams, falling backwards as the room is full of blinding light, the arm dissipating once cut from its owner.
>The assault on their minds ends, Griff and Homily getting up, as the group approaches, the sword blinding bright, the light itself eating away at the creature.
>And just like that, it is a simply....pony, a misshapen one with scars and some sorta disease across its skin, but just a pony.
>”i....You wont be so lucky with the rest of the round table, my power was always borrowed, theirs is not.....I do not ask for mercy, only that you heed my warning. Do not let yourself be bound, or your race. Do not let the masters claim another set of slaves.”

>Griff raises an eyebrow, staring at the sword, its light keeping the deamon in its original form....for now.
“Err....ah guess one of ya can do tha honors?” he says, waving his arm at the deamon.

>"With PLEASURE." Light yells.

>Homily tries to put out the crucifix.

>Lights smirks out, readying the sword. "I knew you were nothing but words."

>"Nothing Personnel, fucker. REPENT!"  Light says, bringing the blade down.

>The thing howls, nearly blowing them all back, as the sword sticks to the deamon like glue.
>Like strands of hair, the light unfolds, enveloping the deamon pony as it screams, before sucking it and the strands into the hilt, leaving neither blade nor deamon.
>The runes on the hilt glow for a moment,then stop.
>And silence ruled the Ruins.

>Cleaning out his ear, Griff looked around the even more ruined ruins, frowning.
>He looked at his friends, then down at the hilt.
“Ah...guess its over...fer now anyways?”

>Homily sits, trying to catch his breath. "Was... was that it?"

>Stray gets up, brushing himself off and holstering his slung crossbow. He looks at the others, blinking a few times in confusion. "What the fuck just happened..."

>Lights keeps it for now... but chuckles as he wipes his hooves clean. Shaking his head, he sighs out. "Another day in Outer Hayven. And while.. that's... over..." he gets a little serious. "I think we all learned things about ourselves today."

>Stray glances, somewhat glumly, towards Griff, before folding his ears back and looking at the ground sadly.

>Griff shrugs.
“Ah...guess so...damn lucky we found that sword, or well, I doubt luck had much to do with it...”
>He turns, and strolls over to the hole where it appeared.
>He looks back a moment, shrugging at Stray.
“Sounded like what just happened is we killed ah deamon of the round table....or somethin....”

>"Sure, you can believe that." Light says.

>Griff sighs, shaking his head as he turned to face Light.
“Ah reckon the thing was full of nonsense, but I reckon not taking to heart some of what it said might bite us in our asses later.”

>Stray shakes his head, a blank, incredulous look on his face as he stares at the round table. "Whatever man..." he says with a sigh, getting up and heading towards the exit. "I'm going back to town..."

>Homily yawns. "I'll catch you back at town tomorrow then, I'm too tired to travel back there now."

>Lights nods with Stray. Altogether, he... was a little disappointed in the gryphon, honestly. "Taking anything claiming to be said by a 'daemon' seriously bites you in the ass far harder." He yawns is well, "Care for a drink when we get back Stray?"

>Stray chuckles dryly, his exhausted voice barely able to go above a whisper. "I'll take you up on that, Lights. I could really use a cold beer right about now."




>Griff nods gloomily at the rest of the group, not saying anything as he sits, looking around aimlessly.
“You folks have ah good walk...” He finally says.

>Stray glances back to Griff, a blank expresison on his face for a moment as he calls back, "I wouldn't stick around here too long, man. You might wanna come on back."

>The icy Unicorn begins to sway, as if facades of physical toughness were going out the window as he stumbles along the way.

>Griff shakes his head.
“Nah, ill be fine...ah got some things I need to think through, and ah know myself, ah wont think properly back in town....

>"I think you've proven otherwise... c'mon." Light says.

“And ah think yer a ripe cunt, but that dont mean ah dont wish ya tha best.” Griff says, chuckling as he picks up his axe from where it still lay.
“Ah know the way back, but im not heading back just yet. Yah can accept that, or not, but it wont make a difference.”

>"I'll stay with Griff, I don't feel like survivng a demon to get eaten by nocturnel jungle predators. Good luck making it back to town, you two." Homily said.

>Stray nods to Homily and Lights. "Alright, y'all be safe," he says flatly, leaving with Lights and heading back to town without incident. Fade to black for me here

>Griff however, walked up, putting a claw on Homilys shoulder.
“Ya head back with them, ah need to think, to BE, alone.”

>Homily looks hurt. "Are... you sure? I can just find somewhere else in the ruins to go if you really want to be alone..."

>Griff nods.
“Not gonna force ya to do nothin...but company...isnt what I need right now....”
>He shrugs, turning and going to sit on part of what was left of the bench, as he stared up at the moon.
“....It really is a damn beautiful moon tonight...”

>"Alright, well..." Homily gallops off the way the other two left. "Wait for me, I'm leaving too!"