[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/Tbwu6ye.jpg[/img]
Prologue
There among the plane that we cannot see lies an endless wall of wood carved figures. Each figure, a life, and with each life that enters the chess board, the game expands. The game of life where countless pieces move in fixed directions that correspond to the will of the stars. A Trojan is to take a pawn, which is to be taken by a rook. Though these pieces are mostly free of sculpted will, they are all destined to end in one result.
Fate is quite a fickle thing. Though not everyone believes their life has been foretold as by the sun and stars, the adherents follow the road that has been paved out for them and abide by the cracks that come along with it are the ones most likely to reach the end of their journey with expected results. If your fate foretold of a tragic life, would you abide by the star's will or will you defy their word. But what if their will has you in a life under the light, surrounded by every desire you spend countless nights wishing upon? Still do you defy their will? Both tragedy and wish cannot be seen by mortal eyes, yet most who do not question their free will blindly walk down their predefined path.
This talk about fate, destiny, and future is quite a complex subject, I know. So, rather than having a discourse on the matter of will, just sit back and watch the stars align to this very chessboard...
Rules
- Standard Forum Rules
- Keep all OOC in the OOC thread. (http://forum.legendsofequestria.com/index.php?topic=12419.0)
- Please use full sentences in your posts.
- Only up to 2 OCs are allowed per player
- Events known as 'Writs' may occur
- When a Writ takes effect (unless specified), you must comply to it
- Please do not control nor add NPCs into the RP unless specifically told to do so
- Warning: If this thread goes beyond out of hand, it will be locked without warning. This is a test jump in.
In the planes of the unseen, a being of unknown appearance approaches the chessboard and places down several pieces onto random locations across the board. Its skeletal like elongated fingers picking up each piece and rearranging them in specific patterns. "The moon foretells of destiny along with its children of dusk."
A few miles near the outskirts of Ponyville was a grey unicorn trying to grasp his location utilizing a map and compass. Though he was walking in the right direction at first, he repeatedly redirected himself in various routes away from it before wandering off into the Everfree forest. "Hmm....this doesn't seem right," he muttered to himself. He continued wandering deeper into the forest until he stumbled upon a rather large boulder completely blocking out the trail in front of him. He tries to turn around, but he finds himself trapped as another boulder was behind him, blocking all routes. He yelled out for anyone nearby, "Hello! Is anypony out there? I require assistance!"
Another unicorn, not too far away but still out of sight, flicked his ears toward the direction of the other's yell. His eyes were still on the creature he was attempting to associate with, although it appeared that the little fae dragon was aware that Shard's mind had wandered. It flew off, but not before lightly flicking the stallion in the face with its tail.
He shook his head and sighed before standing up and trotting over to the source of the yell. "What's wrong?" Shard noted the boulders, and suspected that those were the only obstacles, but it'd still be unwise to proceed without knowing the situation.
"I'm not entirely sure," the grey unicorn yelled back confused. "I was just walking down this narrow trail to find a rock just standing in the middle of the darn thing, blocking it off." He paused for a short moment before he began to pace around his confined space. "Also, I don't remember this other lump of rock blocking the way behind me," he yelled bewildered by the appearance of the new stone.
"Alright." Shard replied. He figured that it was relatively safe then. He was worrying that there was a creature trapped inside with the pony, but if none had been detected yet, then it was probably safe enough. The unicorn levitated himself onto the top of the boulder farthest from town, within sight of the other pony.
"Are you okay with me lifting you up with magic?" He had the intent to bring them both to the Ponyville side of the boulders, again using a trusted levitation spell he used while rock and ice climbing. However, whether that worked or not was up to whatever other powers were in the forest, and less so his magical ability.
A red male unicorn stumbled across the dirt path within the Everfree Forest. he was quite exhausted of his travels thus far trying to make his way into ponyvill but alas their was but one more obstical blocking his path. A giant bolder stood before him and looking left and right their was no way around it; the forest for the treeline was far to thick to simply walk through.
with a sigh the stallion mumbled to himself "confound it all!". but as he listened closely through the noises of the wildlife and the leaves clashing in the wind he could hear the voices of other stallions perhaps on the other side,
he continued to listen.
"That'd be nice," the grey stallion called back in relief. "Would you mind taking me to the town's brewery?" he yelled, waiting for the other unicorn to pick him up.
"Alright. And no, I do not mind." And with that, Shard levitated the grey unicorn out from between the rocks somewhat slowly and then gently placed him on the ground on the path that headed toward Ponyville, unobstructed last he was aware. The stallion paced along the top of the boulder instead of immediately heading downward, preferring not to use too much mana all at once while in the Everfree.
While carefully making his way around, Shard noticed the other stallion and called out to him. "You need a lift too?" The unicorn gave a weak smile. While the offer was completely genuine, Shard was also aware how draining all of this would be.
The red stallion hearing the voice from above clearly this time jumps a little in surprise before backing up and looking up to the unicorn on top of the rock. "Good havens it seams my weary eyes be failing me" He groans from his exhaustion placing his hoof over his face trying as if to wipe the sleepiness from his eyes.
"But no matter. I appreciate the kind offer, however a large bolder such as this cannot stop me from striding forth to my goal!" he makes it sound like it was a simple challenge to over come, he always loved a good challenge, no matter how hard it may be.
With a few steps back he charged toward the bolder concentrating on the knowledge of magic he wields and his horn starts to glow, brighter and brighter until he shouted a strange chant of his and teleported "TALI-HO!"
*CRASH!!!* As he cleared the first bolder appearing on the other side but was unaware of the second one blocking the path and slams face first into it at full stride. "OOF!!~" Stumbling backwards he falls down to the ground feeling dizzy and shaken from the self blow to the head.
In the unseen planes, the unknown figure with the elongated fingers placed 2 stone carved chess pieces around 3 wooden Trojans. "The first labor shall limit your will."
Writ
Eponym's Deceit
Upon crashing into the boulder heads first, the large piece of Earth began rumbling before forming crease lines and growing spikes along a line. The boulder began unrolling itself to reveal a crocodile made entirely out of stone. It popped it maize-yellow eyes suddenly before bellowing a deep-voiced hiss. The other boulder reacted to the call and began to unball as well to reveal a second stone crocodile of a smaller size. Both predators took an offensive stance as if they're ready to launch at the 3 unicorns.
Shard instinctively closed an eye, flinching at the sound and sight of the crash. He jumped off of the boulder and ended up next to the red stallion, using a touch of magic to ease his landing.
Then, another sound attracted his attention, and it wasn't a particularly comforting one. Shard tensed as the stone in front of him grated and uncurled into a dragon --no, a crocodile or perhaps an alligator. At least, the hiss it uttered wasn't a dialect of dragon-tongue the unicorn recognized. Well, whatever it was, it wasn't an ally, and judging from a similar sound behind them, there was more than one.
The light blue unicorn turned and backed up a step so that he could see both beasts. If it was just him, he'd simply levitate and flee. However, it wasn't just him. Here there was a disoriented, possibly severely injured unicorn and another whose magical skill was in question. On impulse, Shard had created a loose plan: "Red and I will use magic to dodge, and Grey can run and get help?" he suggested quickly, but not strongly. It was unreliable at best, and Shard was hoping the others had better ideas.
"I'm on it," he replied before hastily galloping into town.
One of the stone crocodiles launched a weak snap towards the red stallion, just weak and slow enough for him to dodge. After missing it's attack, it freezes in place with its eyes in a dazed-like state. The larger stone reptile began to back away into the dense woods. Within a few seconds of being out of sight, the sound of splashing water could be heard in the distance.
The dazed red stallion tried his best to get his Bering, to cast his magic, to do something. His mind was still in a daze and it was hard to focus, feeling the pain subsiding ever so slowly to what must have felt like forever. The only thing he could do was a good taunt for distraction and to move around to be a hard target. But it looked more like stumbling about.
"A vast you dumbfounded bolder! If its a losing battle you wish you came to the right place!"
The gator before him snarls and takes a quick snap once again at the red stallion. Trying to side step but trips instead and rolls over onto his back as the gator rock creacher misses and his jaw is above him.
The stallion on his back bucks upward kicking the stone jaw with his rear hoof. But of course we all know in a game of Hoof vs. Rock. The rock will always win.
The red stallion onky gorans in pain from another self afliction and did nothing but irritate the beast that is on top of him and the stallion was falling short of ideas.
'Oh, so we're going with this plan. Great,' he thought. Then, before Shard could take any other meaningful action, the reptile was upon the red stallion. The pale blue unicorn was about to stab the beast in the eye in attempt to lessen the power behind its next attack. But then he noticed its sudden lack of movement; it appeared to be paralyzed, glaring down with glazed eyes.
A confused expression passed over Shard's face before he remembered that they weren't out of the woods yet. "Red, can you walk? I think it's paralyzed for the time being, and we should move."
the stallion wiggles out from under the gator trying to get a safe distance from its teeth before lifting himself off trying to shake of the last of his daze he is able to focus a little better. The kick from earlier however sprained his back left hoof and he is left in a bit of a limping state.
winching in the minor pain he looks at the light blue unicorn and states without hesitation "If it is a retreat we must take, then let it be so, set the pace and i will keep up with the"
"Alright. Tell me if you need to rest or anything," Shard said with a nod. It was unfortunate that he wouldn't be able to splint it here, but there'd be more risk using the plants of the Everfree than it was worth. He turned and walked at an easy pace, hoping that the stone crocodile wouldn't regain its mobility, but he kept an ear turned backward in case it did.
keeping up the stallion follows the light blue unicorn trotting on his 3 good hooves as they attempt their escape looking back to see the gator just still with his glazed glowing eyes... something didn't sit well with these recent events to the red stallion
"Hmm? Strange. Why hath you skipped your move?" The figure in the unseen plane pondered to himself. Redirecting his attention to a grey piece, he waved his hand over it. "Let's try this..."
Saiko had just reached the outskirts of Ponyville when out of nowhere, his hind hooves received a sharp pain. He collapsed to the ground, unable to continue to town.
The single stone crocodile broke its statue like stance and began charging towards the 2 unicorns with haste, pounding on the ground with its stone feet. It swung its head back in fourth as if it had been provoked into an outrage. Slowly it gained on the crippled stallion and unicorn.
They were barely a third of the way back when the sound could be heard, sudden and unexpected. Shard swung his head around toward it. Nothing could be seen for a few moments, and then his suspicions were confirmed. At the sight of the moving stone he said, "Ah... How about I levitate us now?"
If the answer was yes, then they'd be quickly lifted up. Once they were level with the treetops, they'd slowly make their way toward Ponyville, following the path below. And if the red stallion declined, well, Shard wasn't particularly keen on thinking about that.
The red stallion stood right next to the light blue stallion as he peered at the charging beast, his focus was back and with this endeavor they are facing he has a small boost of energy from adrenalin. His horn glowing yellow brighter and brighter just like the first time he had used his magic as he spoke
"Indubitably good sir, it is a pity I am far to tired for combat. How about i present us a faster alternative"
the aligator charging and is only a few yards away from them, jaws ready to snap at the 2 stallions. calmly placing a hoof on the back of the unicorn he closes his eyes and their was a bright flash as the gator snaps his jaws around them, but it was to late, they were already gone, teleported far away till they both appeared at the exit of the Everfree Forest outside of ponyvil. the red stallion breathing heavily from the large jump he just made with 2 ponies.
"Now, now. That's cheating..." The figure said picking up 3 trojan pieces and placing them between two stone pieces. "What's the fun of a game you quit from?"
In an instant the 3 unicorns were teleported back into the Everfree forest. The 3 were relocated into a swamp area of the forest with one end being a dense land of trees and the other side being a dark murky lake. On the side of trees approached an obscure figure of unknown height and size as the fog tampered with long ranged view. "Huh? How'd-" Saiko startled before realizing the situation. He struggled to get back on all fours. "We've got to m-" he stopped half way and collapsed back onto the floor.
'Faster, but not necessarily more efficient,' Shard thought, noting the other's heavy breathing. And then they were back in the Everfree, and the unicorn was thinking how unfortunate this situation was. He looked at the pony he had dubbed Grey, crumpled on the ground.
"Yes, we have to move. Over the lake? I don't really see any other choice." His horn emitted light, indicating that he was fully prepared to whisk them to an area over the water, where his companions could cast some offensive spells if able. "You two are in poor condition it seems, so what do you say? Unless you have a better idea?"
"I guess- wait, I see something in the water!" He exclaimed looking into the murky depths. Within the lake slithered a reptilian like creature. It was gliding in a figure eight formation, waiting for something. As time passed, the shadow in the fog crept closer towards the 3, continuing its silence. "We can either cross a crocodile infested lake or risk facing whatever's hiding in the fog," he got out casually.
The red stallion looking back and forth in great confusion "BLUNDER! this was not the location i set us out toward" he exclaimed, he knew something dark was at work here and it was out of his control. It was like an unfair game of chess and we were just pawns to some ones entertainment. still breathing heavily he works to reacquaint himself with some composure
"Very well, if we cant leave the game then we simply will just have to play it out... Come gentlecolts, in out slow state it would be wiser to hide in the fog, it will be out best defense to be unseen."
with that statement said he reaches down and lifts the grey stallion off from on the ground, and tries to move forward on his 3 good hooves.
"Mm, I guess fog it is," the pale stallion muttered, letting the light of his magic disappear. He then raised then raised an eyebrow at the red stallion. How one with a sprained fetlock could bear the weight of another was beyond Shard's comprehension.
"How about I take Grey?" he offered, still amazed by this unicorn's apparent strength, seeing as their race wasn't particularly known for it. "As you yourself are injured and so far I am not?"
the red stallion looked back at the unicorn and thought for a moment before giving a bit of a nervous and weary laugh
"ahhhha yes *ahem* my apologies. Force of habit of mine, helping ponies on my own. please take him and i will watch the rear as we make out escape"
"Taaag! You're iiiiit!"
A gargling gritty, yet youthful shout broke the atmosphere as a pony seemed to fall from the sky, directly atop the stone alligator in the lake with a loud and intentional THUMP, and sprung back up to land in the shallows of the lake. It was a young stallion earth pony. His coat was treebark brown, gritty and unkempt. His mane and tail orangish-red, like a deep sunset, and also dirty, tangled with a few leaves and twigs. Aside from his cleanliness (or lack thereof), he looked stoutly built, with legs like small tree trunks.
The strange pony galloped toward the other three, stopping abruptly in front of them. He spun around into a braced stance, ready for the possibility of a counter-attack. Taking a moment to look back at the three misplaced travelers with his wide, fixated golden eyes and a big creepy grin, he rapidly blurted out a few broken sentences.
"Thing doesn't belong, reptile. Definitely not soft. Ponies soft. Tag? Not soft. Tag is Tag. You is lost. To the base you want. To the town you want. Not to the teeth you want! Hah-ha!"
Tag looked (and spoke) like he hadn't seen civilization in years. He whipped his head around again to scout the trouble, still with that wild grin and braced stance, as if he was ready for anything.
Two twin pegasi mares suddenly wandered into view, looking very confused at the situation the crimson one spoke. "What's goin' on 'ere?"
The other, with a black coat, looked at the group and cowards behind her sister.
The red stallion stared at the jittery little pony as he babbled careful not to make any alarming motions as he saw the little ponys stance, tho very erratic it was in a fight or flight stance. before he could speak another mares voice echoed through the swamp, he looks over to see the 2 mares in the distance looking over to us
in his mind this was a bad situation, potently young ones and mares lives were in danger. he could not allow that. "Quickly" he shouted with a bolstering voice "this is a dangerous place and we must make our escape, i may need your assistance for we have an injured one here with us!"
quickly looking back to see the jittery little creacher with a smile"come young one, if it is a game you want to play, then you have found the right stallion i live for delightful challenges, perhaps we can see who can find the exit of the forest first"
"Want game? Hm, yes. Game is everything. Game is life. Play good or don't play! Hah! Soft ponies, exit is good. Forest not so soft."
With the stone crocodile or the creature in the fog not yet having made a move, tag took the opportunity to lay down in front of the crippled gray stallion, offering to help. "To the back! Tag is strong. You is light."
Looking back at the red one, he said in a more sincere tone, "Play game together. One to lose is all to lose."
"Uhm...as long as somepony doesn't leave me for dead, I'll take whoever..." Grey muttered in his bewildered state. The figure in the fog grew closer until it began to shape. The once obscure neutral formed into an Earth mare. At the point of identity, the fog grew less dense as if she had control over it. Once lifted, the violet mare with long light frosted brown hair emerged and threw a locked black box onto the ground. Before anyone could react, she was devoured by a second wave of thick fog.
From the lake, air bubbles began to surface, signaling an attack from the predator lurking in the depths.
The two twins took to a state of panic, the crimson one motioning for ponies to follow her. "Ponyville is that way!" she called pointing ahead.
The red stallion only watched in almost in a state of aww as the mare of the mist appeared but then disappeared he wanted to see her again, but before he moved the waters of the Swamp began to stir and approach the group of us.
The red stallion commanding everyone to run in the direction of the crimson mare and everyone headed that direction, leaving himself behind as he turned and faced the dreaded beast below the murky waters. Was he going to fight? No only but time for all of them. The Swamp water swirling bubbling and shifting as the beast came closer and closer the stallion wielding his magic at the ready tasting the beast "Have at the, you foul beast!"
With fury the beast busted from the water shaping at him, but he was already gone, he telephoned far out of the way as he planed he would. Giving more time for escape before the confused beast realized where we were.
Springing up to his hooves, Tag said the gray injured pony on his back, "Hold. You stay tight on back."
As he was just about to spring forth in the direction of the crimson pegasus, Tag saw by the body language of the red one, and knew he was going to face the beast. "You don't die," Tag reassured him. Then Tag took off toward Ponyville with the others.
Tag glanced back just in time to see the stone gator chomp down as the red stallion poofed into nothingness. Unsure about what had just happened, he chose to trust the red one and kept running toward town. An anxiety began to build inside as Tag thought more about the town, though for now he was able to divert his focus to the issue at hand: surviving.
The black coated twin suddenly fell to the ground, as her crimson sibling stopped to help her. "Keep goin' we'll catch up!"
in the distance where the ponies ran from you could ear the sound of snarling and clashing of stone teeth snapping in the air the red stalion jumping around with his magic distacting the beast still with what ounce of magical strength he had within "OVER HERE YOU BLUNDERING FOOL!"
catching the beasts atention and it charges at him again, but before the gator could get even close, the stallion appears in another place ontop of a rock "NAY FOUL BEAST I RESIDE OVER HERE!" jumping once more standing in the shallow part of the swamp "DO YOUR EYES FAIL YOU I AM HERE!"
the gator locked on him and charged once more causing tides of water to spay out each side as the beasts seamed to only get faster in the water, the red stallion had only one good jump in him and he would make his escape, but then *SNAP* a smaller gator bit his bad leg, holding it tight and making the red stallion immobile he could not teleport if something is holding on to him, he would teleport both him and the gator and he didn't have the energy, the giant stone gator drew closer and closer before lunging at the red stallion "Oh blunder..."
*SNAP!*
Quiet and accommodating with the arrival of a few more ponies, Shard let others deal with managing a group of this size in such unfamiliar territory. However, he found himself deeply disagreeing with the red stallion's choice to stay. Unfortunately, the stallion had teleported away before Shard could express his disapproval. He looked at the black box on the ground, analyzing it for a moment before his attention was stolen by "Red" taunting the beasts. Shard pressed his lips together, not liking the situation.
And then with a snap, he liked it even less. Shard winced slightly before casting a spell with the intent to freeze both creatures. After all, he had quite a bit of experience with freezing water, which was essentially all he was doing-- freezing the water that covered the creatures as well as whatever liquid, if any, they had in their bodies. Shard then picked up a rock half the size of the smaller beast's head. Magically thrusting the stone into its frozen skull, he hoped that it would release, whether from being dazed or killed. The unicorn also hoped that the ice and cold would make the creature more brittle and easy to break.
With a loud crash the smaller gators head cracks and shatters falling apart and hitting the frozen swamp. The larger gator that snapped down on the red stallion was frozen in place but the rescue attempt was just to little to late... His jaws were clamped down on his target crushing it within the beast jaws, and all that could be seen through the chilly mist was the silhouette of a pony between its jaws.
but then something unexpected happend...
"Goodness, you are surly quite the well reserved unicorn good sir! An impressive display!"
It was the RED STALLION! sneaking and standing right beside the unicorn, as the mist cleared the silhouette of the pony in the gators froxen jaws, were just logs and sticks of wood that shaped the body of a pony. looking at his own craftynes he said "I didn't think that little trick would come in handy" the stallion chuckled wearily from probably over using his magic wabbling a little, but trying to stand tall on his 3 good hoofs his hind leg still sprained.
(Regarding the last 3 posts, please redirect to the OOC thread for a message. This post shall be deleted afterwords.)
((What about the pegasi twins?))
((Oh okay.))
The two sisters were now both up and in the air, flying towards Ponyville at high speeds.
Tag followed the twin pegasi, able to keep up while on ground. Tag, however, couldn't keep pace with them flying. They quickly disappeared into the haze over the forest.
Tag knows his way around the Everfree, having lived there most of his life, and would have had no problem finding Ponyville. Many a time has he seen it from between the trees, observing it from afar. Finding his way there was not a problem. The problem now, was that he had to think about going there. While following the others, he didn't have to think much about it, but now it was in the forefront of his mind. Going to Ponyville. Town. Buildings. Crowds. City. His mind reeled as he imagined an exaggerated vision of Ponyville, and he began to slow down.
"No," Tag stated. "Ponyville no good. Tag not go. The base is good. Base good, Ponyville no good. Going to the base!" Tag diverted his direction as panic overcame him. He was headed not quite back the way they came as he started to sprint toward his base, deep in the Everfree, with the gray injured stallion still on his back.
He didn't make it very far, though, before stumbling hard and sending him and the other pony flying to the ground. "Aaagh!" groaned Tag as he began to lift himself back up. His adrenaline had slowed enough now that he could feel the repercussions of his actions. "Reptile definitely not soft. Ankles... Rrg.... feels no good" Tag winced as he stood back up on his inflamed, swollen ankles and hobbled back over to the fellow-injured gray unicorn. This did at least help Tag to clear his mind and calm his panic. "Slowlier. We go." just before Tag offered again for the other pony to ride his back, he thought to ask what he wanted. "You. You like forest or you like Ponyville. To the base? To Ponyville?" Tag paused a moment to consider his own options, then continued. "To Ponyville, Tag is carry you to forest end. To the base, Tag is carry you whole time." He patiently awaited an answer.