Lord of the Sprites

With a slow crunch of a hoof stepping on dry soil, Cross Roads peers back at his two companions, Sky and Kestrel. Not sure what to make of them, but he had a job to do and his only concern was whether theyd make themselves relevant.

As he gazed down the road he saw the ever-decaying corpse of what must've been community and that brought out nostalgia in him that he could not afford to carry. He forced himself to ignore the town and signaled to his companions to watch their hoofsteps. There was a buzzing in the air and it was their job to make sure that any threat to travelers was dealt with in an clear and thorough matter.

The group began to fan out while Cross Roads went into a house to search for any supplies but again all he found were the pointless possessions of Ponies long since past. He gazed upon a small photo that had a blue unicorn on it. While he daydreamed he heard a snap from outside a nearby and quickly brought his horn to bare and was met with glowing gold eyes.

"Dammit Kestrel, watch it!"

Kestrel, the stoic gryphon he was, didn't even blink at when the horn turned about to face him, and the only response he gave was a quick flick of his neck towards some unknown location behind him. He had found no Bloatsprites in his search, it was time to move along to another house.

"C'mon." he said, voice just as icy cold and gravely as always. He didn't wait for a reply. The large leather-clad gryphon just turned and began making his way across the rubble and refuse of what used to be Ponyville; this time he made sure not to step on anything that would give him away.

Peering through a window of a half intact house, Sky made her way inside to loot anything that hasn't been taken in the years before. As of nothing value was worth to take Sky quickly walked outside to see the husk of a giant tree, still standing after all the years of abuse it has taken.

The buzzing noise she had heard once she entered the town had soon gotten much louder. With every step she took at the tree, the noise just came right at her ears. 'Bloatsprites.' she thought. Knowing full well she isn't capable to take on a nest of those vile creatures. She turned into the opposite direction, Now that she had found the bloat sprites, she needed to find her companions.

As soon as Cross Roads stepped outside, he heard hoofsteps rappidly approaching, as he turned towards Sky to scold her for being so loud he glanced at the horde of bloatsprites rapidly closing on her.

"Sky in here quickly!", they both launched into the house and shut the door, not without a pair of bloatsprites managing to make it past the slamming door. Cross Roads grinded his teeth as it dawned what was wrong

The two bloatsprites were blocking the way to the window in the back of the house. Without shutting it, they risked the horde finding its way in. taking a quick agreeing look at Sky, he powered up his horn and charged towards the closer bloatsprite.

A while he wondered where Kestrel was, not that he had to great concern for the bird.

Meanwhile, outside, Kestrel had begun to search around for the main next of the irksome little creatures known as Bloatsprites. At least, he had been until he had heard the sound of stamping hooves and a slamming door coming from a nearby house.

The gryphon's pupils shrank and then dilated again as he turned his powerful gaze towards the familiar shape of a nearby house. 3 of the irksome little bugs could be seen angrily buzzing just outside the door. Aggressively, they bashed themselves against the walls and windows, attempting to find a way inside.

Seeing no other alternative, Kestrel pushed off the ground took flight. It was only a few moments flight towards the group of flies.

The predators first target was the one furthest away from the other sprites, incidentally the smallest of the three. With little more than a low grumble Kestrel gave a final push with his wings, bringing his back feet up.

Should his attack land the first of three bloatsprites would be crushed against the cold, unfeeling wall of the house with a loud thump.

Seeing the unicorn charging towards one of the two bloatsprite,she noticed the second one going for Cross in his attempt to take out one of the two bloatsprites. "Cross"She tried to call for him but she knew he couldn't hear him over the sound of all the buzzing, without even thinking, she quickly flapped her wings, and took off towards the second sprite knowing that she would reach it before it reached Cross. Just as she took off a loud thump could be heard coming from the wall.'kestrel.' She thought.

Within a heart beat she was within reach of the bloatsprite, still flying towards it she quickly turned around ready to give the bloat sprite a good bucking, and so she did.

With his horn glowing, Cross Roads manage to grasp one with his magic and slam it against the other, it wouldn't be enough to kill him but that would left the window open.

He rushed up to the window and closed it, yet he realized in horror the glass was missing, he'd have no choice but to fight. He looked for any nearby objects to use as a weapon but he'd spotted nothing that deal any good amount of damage

'Of course', he thought, 'I could just telelport' away. But when he saw Sky had followed him into the the fray and was bucking down a bloatsprite. His greater sense of honor binded him and he sighed and powered his horn and with luck found a screwdriver he stabbed into the downed bloatsprite.

All while maintaining his blank expression.

Outside, Kestrel felt the carapace of the bloatsprite he had attacked give way under the force of his assault. A thick, wet splat resounded and the Gryphon felt what was once the 'insides' of the bug seep between the toes of his foot.

Most folk would be disgusted at this, but Kes? Kes just went along with it. He was no stranger to the sensation of gore, and he didn't mind it one bit; then again next to nothing did.

'It'll wash.' he would say, had someone been there and asked him about it.

Wasting no time celebrating this small victory, Kes flexed his muscles again. The sleek ropes of flesh bunching up as they absorbed the remaining momentum of impact. For a split second the Gryphon seemed to hover mid-fall, but with a hard push and a flap of his wings he pushed off. Propelling himself towards the other two sprites.

His next attack would come in the form of a brutal swipe of his claws, aimed right at the body of the next Bloat fly. Hopefully this attack would go just as well as the last.

Bucking the bloatsprite had knocked it off the air, Sky turned to see it slam into the wall with a sickening snap. The fowl creature didn't move, laying on the floor lifeless. She turned to face Cross who had dealt with his enemy, by stabbing it with a screw driver.

Seeing the window still open, She flew right to her companion. "Cross, we need to go help kestrel."

Felt his claws cleave deep into the soft fleshy underbelly of the next bloatsprite. The insect letting out an anguished cry as a wide arch of bile colored gore squirted out of its wounds. The blood flew in wide arch, splattering across the walls of the house and the body of the next sprite.

Kes might have grinned happily at this latest victory, but that was not his style. No, instead he just tossed the bug attached to his talons a side with a sickening wet crunch; his face never changing from the infallible mask of frigid calm.

The final bloatsprite, finally having noticed that its siblings were dead and gone, turned to face Kestrel; all the while buzzing angrily and preparing to attack.

For a few seconds, the buzzing had stopped, Cross looked at Sky and was preparing to respond but the buzzing returned and the door was beginning to bulge. Cross looked wide-eyed at Sky.

"Hurry we have to get out of here, we dont have much time!" he stammered as he rushed to hold the door back "Kestrel can take care of himself!, but we need to get out here NOW!". Though he would have never had said it, as deadly as the gryphon had proved himself he could quickly become a liability if the his bloodlust forced his companions to give him their full attention

"Do you remember any way to the sewers??"

Sky thought for a moment and remembered she had seen a sewer grate in the street in front of the dead tree she had encountered the bloatsprites. "yeah I remember, only thing is its near the tree where they chased me from," She said, help keeping the door shut as the bloatsprites.

"and it would be better if we went out the back window." She said with a smirk.

Cross Roads let out a small chuckle, he had a better idea and luckily he remembered the spot she was talking about from he gazed over the town.

"I have a better idea" It had been some time since he put his Twilight Society training to the test but their lives possibly depended on it. He hugged Sky and his horn released a flowering light that filled the whole room. A few seconds later he gasped and starting panting exhaustively.

The teleportation spell required an exact distance a few feet under the sewer grate otherwise Cross would have risk mending them two within the earth. Once he captured his breath his head began to feel dizzy but he ignored and tried to take notice of his surroundings.

It was reallllllly dark.....

Darkness, ow how sky really hated the dark. she couldn't see her hoof in front of her face, and the smell. even after two hundred years there is still a faint smell of sewage that lingers could be smelled, but that didn't matter they need light and the only light source she could think of was the unicorn that was with her.

"hey Cross can you use your horn to light the sewer, or your still exhausted from the teleport spell?"

A small flicker shone out...then died again. It took a whole 30 seconds but eventually he managed to bring himself to light up the sewer. His head shook from the headache that was starting to come on but in all likelihood he would die down here, especially if anything happened to his one remaining companion.

"..Yea, I ...got it" He said groggily. Perhaps they should have negotiated for a higher pay, or at least some weapons. He tried to step forward and face planted into the concrete and looked up past a staring Sky into the darkness beyond.

It appeared to be gazing back.

"Um....Sky?, don't....turn....around"

Sky froze at the words of Cross, she didn't want to turn around but hearing those words only made her mind think of the worst case scenario. 'sprites, nah they live up top. raiders, same there up top.' she could hear a loud growl and a couple others soon could be heard after the first. "ghouls, it had to be ghouls." she muttered under breath as she ran towards Cross who was trying to get up from his face plant.

Kes noticed a bright flash from a few houses over, but paid it little attention. The largest portion of his focus was dedicated to the angry buzzing creature hovering in front of him.

Dodging to the side of a volley of spines, the gryphon drew his weapon. It was an old, rusty blade. But it was sharp, and it served it purpose well enough.

Another grunt, slash, and kill later and Kes was finished with his group of enimies. It would take a few hours to get the smell of bug guts out of his fur. Wiping a bit of excess off of his beak Kes began to look for his companions again.

House after house was empty, and no more bloatfiles were to be seen.

'Where did those two wander off?'

He silently wondered, leaning up against the trunk of an old gnarled tree. Glancing down he spotted what looked to be the an old sewer cover.

'What's this?'

...The sewer cover levitated off and red caped figure burst forth and looked everything frantically. Cross really hoped Sky was following behind him.

He spotted Kes and his expression switched to surprise but he adjusted himself. He wasn't about to lose face to this Talon Company Reject. He lifted his head walked towards the tree.

"Good Job Kes, Excellent work" he stated in a surprisingly confident voice, and continued walking faster once he was out of his line of sight.

After seeing Cross shoot out of the sewer using only his magic, Sky was surprised to see that he could still lift the cover even after using so much magic in a short amount of time, She was surprised he could still do so much. She flew right out of the sewer to see kes look at her. "well don't just stand there and help me close this up." Sky commanded at kes, who only grunted back at her.

Kes decided to comply with Sky's request, if only to keep her quiet. What was it with ponies and talking so much? Words dont mean a damn thing without action to back them up, or some-pony to believe in them. That's why Kes kept his beak shut and let his actions do the talking most of the time. It seemed to work, though it did give him the reputation of being a heartless killing machine half the time.

'Just following natures way.' he thought.

A quick flexing of his muscled arms and the Sewer Cover slid back home, the sound of grinding metal unmistakable in the otherwise dead air of Ponyville's ruins.

Cross Roads heard the sound of a sewer lid sliding back into place, he turned back and saw Sky and Kres to be safe which brought a huge wave of relief.

Last thing he wanted was for them to realize his horn was burned out and it would be awhile till he could cast again. It haven't very slowly but shame was starting to fill Cross's conscious. He couldn't bare the thought that he was done, if he failed those two here, why bother even reaching for his dreams?

He wasn't about to falter now, no, not here.

He returned to his companions without a word, whatever it took, he'd finish the job with or without his magic.

All he needed was a weapon...

With the sewer grate now fitting in place, the sound of silence on ensued. Cross made his way to us, not speaking a a word while making his way to us. Sky really wished she still had her security armor when she escaped the stable, but after a year living in the waste it was nothing but a broken armor vest and helmet, not even worth taking into the wastes.

looking around to see that they were all back at the tree, they still had a job to do, clear out this town and get paid. All she needed now was a weapon, seeing a nearby house she signaled the others she was going to look around.

Seeing that his partners were returning to their search, Kes took off on his own once again.

Unlike the other two Konstantin had a weapon, but the old rusty blade was nearing the end of its service period. Surely there would be something in one of the surrounding houses?

A better knife, or even an old pistol would satisfy Kestrel's lack of offensive prowess; a shotgun or even a rifle would be better, though in reality that was a bit much to ask.

His goal in mind Kes set off to the ruined form of some long abandoned homestead, preparing to search for something to possibly make dispatching the Bloatsprites a bit easier.

As Kes took off again, it dawned on Cross that he did have a weapon!

"Ughh where is it!?", he muttered as he went through his bags, as soon as he found out it, he pulled it out and waved it releasing his father's baton. It had been months since he's needed it but now without his magic he would have to rely on his own martial skills to fend off his foes.

He rarely needed to add a personal touch to his assignments, yet this would be an interesting change of pace for him.

Cross began to climb the tree, while Kes and Sky searched around the surrounding area, he would keep watch and prevent any encounter similar to the previous.

Yet, again, gazing at the stripped out town brought back feelings of a time long lost in the great war.

Going to the remains in to the what appeared to be a shop of some sorts, the house seemed very odd to say the least. It had seemed the house was made of candy, a quick look onto the sign revealed it to be a bakery,"sugar cube corner?" Sky whispered to herself. The owners must have been mental or smart to make there house look like a candy house.

Sky pushed the door open to the bakery, ring chimed as she pushed the door open, freaking out Sky she jumped out of pure instinct expecting something to happen but her surprise the only thing attacking her was a bell that fell from the top of the door. "fucking bell." she cursed under her breath. She got up and dusted herself off. "now lets see whats in this place."

She had searched around behind the counter, nothing worth of value to take, she saw a staircase leading to the second floor. A door with party streamers and popped balloons were taped to the door, she opened it with ease, and inside, same story the door. party decorations lay all over the floor and walls. "who ever lived was defiantly mental."