Chapter 17: Of Life and Death

It was late afternoon; Midnight was still flying in a southerly direction. I was too sore to move or for that matter talk. My legs especially ached, the bones still splintered but bound by the mare sitting next to me. The painkillers laced with morphine were doing a good job, but it still left me feeling incredibly uncomfortable. I was privately glad I was housed in this small carriage, it was spacious enough for me to lie down however the windows were small meaning I didn’t have to look outside and suffer crippling sickness.

“How much further?” I croaked not moving.

“Not too far now hon,” Alyshia said caringly. “We’ll arrive a few hours after dark; we’ll get you into hospital right away okay?”

I nodded and Alyshia ran her hoof through my mane before giving my head a brief hug. Luckily the only part of my body that wasn’t broken.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

It was dark, I had my pipbuck light on which was the only form of light in the small carriage, Midnight was now left navigating using the lights of a tower on the horizon. “Another twenty minutes,” she gasped from ahead.

“Finally,” Alyshia groaned, happy to almost be there. “Finally we can get some decent r-“

Bang

My head jerked upright as the carriage shook. I heard Midnight shout and all I saw was an electric green bubble shoot past the window. Midnight shouted out and before we knew it we were diving.

“What’s going on?” a deep voice bellowed. “Midnight are you-“

Bang

The carriage shook again and the carriage levelled out.

Midnight wha’ the hay is goin’ on?” Lionel growled looking out the window.

“Alicorns.” she screamed as a green bolt missed her by inches.

Midnight pulled into another dive again, the feeling of weightlessness filled me once again. I held onto Alyshia before glancing out the window. A purple and blue bolt soared through the window and hit the steel carriage, singing a hole in it.

“Fucken land” Brax yelled out. “Midnight, land the fucking thing before we die.”

Midnight screamed again as a purple hit the front of the carriage, once again missing her by inches. She pulled out of the dive sharply and the carriage smashed into the ground, the suspension buckling and all four of us in the carriage bounced around inside. My broken body screamed in pain again, but I lacked the strength to actually scream out.

Midnight struggled to get the reins off, but she came free and before I knew it she vanished as green, purple and blue shot through the air. Brax and Lionel jumped out the back; Alyshia kissed me on the forehead and said, “Stay here.”

“What?” I croaked. “No, I can help.”I pulled my sniper rifle out.

“No darling, you’re injured. You can’t fight,” she said sympathetically. Alyshia left me in the carriage on the seat. Instead I levitated my rifle at the ready and propped my head up out the window, three Alicorns, each firing different coloured magic, a purple one, a blue one and a green one.

Lionel threw a grenade at the green one whom had a poisonous green shield. The grenade exploded lighting the green up with red but the shield held. I saw a purple one as well; this one seemed to be blindingly fast, so fast in fact that it seemed to be teleporting. The blue one stood there, the thing’s eerie blue eyes visible in the dark. I took aim as it simply stood there, the thing not even trying to fight. I positioned the rifle to aim in the blue eye, the brightness almost blinding. My magic touched the trigger; before I could fire it vanished.

I pulled my eye away from the sniper rifle as I heard a female scream. Lionel had shot the purple Alicorn with a shotgun, the huge monster screaming. How he hit it I didn’t know, all I saw was the Alicorn hit the ground when Lionel shot it again.

He turned to the green Alicorn. “Come get some ya brutes” he yelled ecstatically.

He raised the shotgun as the Green Alicorn charged up a magical shot, ready for Lionel. “Look out” I screamed. Suddenly the blue Alicorn popped up behind lionel and wrapped him in a blue field. The yellow Alicorn blasted him with a huge charged up bolt. I ducked, unable to watch. I heard an explosion and another shriek. “Lionel!” Brax roared.

“That’s one more” Midnight yelled. “The blue one’s dead.”

I missed that too. I didn’t see. I glanced back up to see the final Alicorn standing. The green alicorn stood high on a large slab of concrete, its shield impenetrable. The green light illuminated the ground; its two companions were down. Lionel wasn’t visible but I couldn’t tell if he was alive or not.

I loaded my rifle with the special blue bullets. I had to do something, before it hurt anypony. I heard explosions and I saw Alyshia take shelter behind a piece of steel. The alicorn charged up another bolt of green lightning. I saw everyone take cover. I ducked myself and without warning a huge explosion sounded against the carriage. It shook hard, followed by wrenching metal.  I tumbled to the ground, my magic vanished around the sniper rifle and it vanished into the dark. I hit the rough bitumen hard, my broken bones screaming as they shifted.

I looked up, feeling groggy. Everypony was still hidden, the pony was charging up another bolt aimed for me. How it knew I was there I had no idea but before I knew I had a bolt of green coming for my face. I activated my shield without thinking, knowing I stood no chance against a demi-god goddess alicorn thing. The green beam met my shield. The shield turned green itself, completely overrun by the massive spell. Rune symbols rippled the electric green shield and before I knew it my shield fell apart, as if it was paper burning felfire.

My companions did not come out, her shield was clearly too strong. I was however still unprotected. The Alicorn charged up her green beam again, I charged my shield up once again and before I was complete her shield collapsed and the spell thundered from her horn, meeting the surface of my half-finished spell.

The shield shattered and the green light hit me in the chest as if I was shot a thousand times in the same spot. Humongous pain hit my heart, followed by a melting feeling that spread from my heart and into my veins. I felt my body fly through the air and I landed hard on the ground.

“Amethyst No,” a female voice sounded from nearby through the confusion.

My head swam, unable to breathe. I then blacked out.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

Point of View Change

Alyshia

BANG

A huge green bolt of energy hit the old carriage in front of me. The carriage collapsed and I saw the a hint of purple wrapped around a gun before it vanished. Amethyst was in there. Fear crept from my heart. Please let her be okay I thought please don’t be… I looked around the sheet of metal I was hiding behind. The large green Alicorn was charging up another devastating spell from behind her shield.

I looked back at the carriage and a purple shield formed, the light casting the injured filly into perspective, her face gaunt and filled with pain and concentration. The green Alicorn collapsed her shield and shot Amethyst with a thick green beam. The beam connected with the shield, bathing everything in green light. Amethyst’s shield rippled and seemed to solidify as the green encased the purple. Finally the Alicorn released the magic and Amethyst’s shield, instead of collapsing as usual flaked away, the remanent as thin and light as paper and they burned with a green flame casting her with a green hue.

The Alicorn charged up again and I saw that Amethyst wasn’t ready. I panicked and shouted out, “Amethyst no!” But as I said it the filly’s shield began to form but before it was complete the green bolt shot through it as if it was vapour. Amethyst lit up brightly, her body green and she was thrown several feet through the air.

“Amethyst No,” I shouted, desperate. I jumped away from my hiding spot and almost got hit by a bolt myself. I jumped back and looked at where Amethyst was. I only found her because her flankers were torn, her cutie marks shone brightly in the darkness but without warning they waned before winking out.

My heart twisted. I didn’t care if I lived or died. I had to get to her, she can’t be dead. She cannot be dead. There is no way she’s dead. I jumped out from my hiding spot, my own pathetic shield encasing me and I dashed to the young mare. I heard a scream from behind me followed by a series of explosions, as if it was coming form an automatic grenade launcher. I didn’t look, I just jumped forwards and came to a stop next to the filly I had grown so fond of.

Amethyst was lying stomach down and was bleeding from the forehead; her pipbuck casing was also dented. I got to work strait away. I levitated a large chunk of concrete to put us out of harm’s way before tending to her. I flipped her onto her back as carefully as I could. When I saw the damage I almost wept, the barding on her chest was gone and her skin was left blackened. I placed my hoof to her neck to feel for a pulse but it was nonexistent. “No, no” I cried as I pulled out some tools and several syringes, as I did so Amethyst stopped breathing.

I ripped her barding off, the metal plates were full of holes and fell out as the material tore easily . As the barding fell away, Amethyst's patched dirty white coat was exposed. I pulled her socks off her forelegs, three syringes at the ready. Faint marks covered her forelegs but I gave it no notice, I injected her with adrenaline, then of morphine and then of steroids.

I heard another series of explosions and background noise of Brax and Midnight fighting, I thought I heard another female voice but this didn’t matter. All that mattered was bringing Amethyst back. I concentrated on the spell, the spell I always had issues performing. I closed my eyes and relaxed, allowing my mind to clear. Finally when calm enough I activated the spell. Amethyst jolted as my purple spark entered her chest and leaving behind another ball floating just above her coat. I levitated a breathing apparatus and squeezed it magically, my hoof on her chest. Her chest rose and dropped as I squeezed, my purple ball let off a spark again and her body jolted slightly. I felt her heart beat once then wane, another spark went off and again it beat once.

I began to cry out in frustration, tears streamed from my eyes as I tried to bring her back to life. I never knew how much I loved Amethyst until now; it would be like losing my only daughter. I couldn’t give up. “Come on Amethyst” I gasped. “Nineteen is too young, you need to come back.”

Jolt

BANG BANG BOOOM

Light lit up the entire area, casting Amethyst in light. I heard the shriek of the Alicorn followed by triumphant whoops. I felt Amethyst’s heart beat again, then again and again.

I let off a great sigh and the ball of light vanished. Amethyst however still couldn’t breathe on her own and I had to continue to breathe for her.

Amethyst’s cutie marks lit back up but dimly, the filly was still alive but only just. I looked towards Tenpony Tower, just a few kilometres away, its windows lit brightly.

“Lionel” Midnight called. “Lionel where are you? Alyshia? Amethyst?”

Of course, the colt was missing. He was hit by a spell and vanished in the dark. I didn’t see what happened of course but the fact he was gone worried me. I could have two patients. “Go find him and bring him to me,” I called through the darkness. “I’m over here tending to Amethyst; find Lionel  and bring him back to me Brax and Midnight please.”

Midnight landed softly next to me as I continued to monitor our youngest member, her heart ticking softly and her chest rising and falling with each squeeze of the breathing apparatus. I heard another set of steel hooves clop onto the frozen bitumen. “Brax, can you go find Lionel,” I said turning to the stallion.

“I’m not Brax,” a female said through a thick helmet. She was a pegasus I noted, I glanced at her wings and she had the white tips as the pony on the mountain did. Was the pegasus following us? “My name’s Serine, but my friends call me Seerie. I saw what was happening and yeah. I helped.”

“Why are you here?” Midnight growled. “Go home. We didn’t need your help.”

“I’ve been sent on a mission. I can’t go home,” the pony said matter-of-factly. “And it looks like you did.”

“Why were you following us?” Midnight demanded. “Are there more enclave following us?”

Serine nickered. “No there isn’t. I’ve actually been sent to fix a relay tower that’s broken near Hoofington, my superiors have other missions that are of a secret nature to the enclave.”

Busy I turned back to Amethyst, unsure how to get her to hospital without risking her heart or for that matter without her breathing on her own.

“Secret to what? Go ho-“ Midnight began.

Losing my temper I cracked. “Midnight stick a horseshoe in it please, who cares. If she wants to help then fine but in case you haven’t noticed your best friend is on her deathbed, I have to breathe for her so could you make yourself useful or put a sock in it.”

Midnight looked down at Amethyst and cringed. Her head was still bleeding slightly but she had gained some colour since I got her heart going again. “Is she going to be okay?” Midnight asked, ignoring the enclave pony.

“I dunno, I thought she was dead before ,but we need to get her to hospital” I said sombre. “Brax where’s Lionel?” I roared remembering we were missing two ponies.

“I… umm.” He coughed. “He’s dead,” he said in a flat reply from the darkness.

“Are you sure?” I asked glancing into the darkness.

“I am sure” Brax growled. He came closer, into the light from my horn. “Is Amethyst okay?”

Midnight began to weep, my heart broke for her but I had to answer Brax’s question. “Not really,” I said trying to sound positive. “Least she’s still alive. You sure Lionel’s dead? Can you bring him here?”

Brax shook his head. “The alicorn hit him in the throat and it’s completely melted to the bone. He’s dead, no pulse and he’s not breathing. Which makes me wonder why she’s still alive?” Brax pointed a hoof at Amethyst.

“I saw her… She was trying to shield herself again but the shield didn’t form properly. Could it be that it negated the energy and it hit her lighter or something?”

“I’m not sure, but we need to get Amethyst to the hospital,” I said urgently.

“Where’s Lionel?” Midnight croaked.

“You don’t want to see him,” Brax growled. Midnight made to move but Brax caught her in his strong steel forelegs. “No Midnight, you can’t see him. Please.”

“I can take Amethyst to the Hospital if you want?” Serine suggested. “The tower is just over there and-“

“How’s she going to breathe?” I snapped, losing my patience at this unknown pony. “You can’t fly and breathe for her.”

“Midnight can help, if she want’s she can carry her and I’ll operate the breathing thing,” she suggested.

“I-“the idea was the best that had been suggested. I can’t fly nor can I get Amethyst to breathe on her own. The longer I waited, the less chance of Amethyst waking up again.

“Fine,” I breathed. “Midnight, stop struggling please.”

“I want to see Lionel,” she sobbed.

I sighed, “No Midnight please, we need to save Amethyst, we can’t do it without you. Lionel is gone, Amethyst is still here but only just. If she dies then she’s gone.”

Midnight stopped struggling and looked at me, her crimson eyes shining with tears. Finally she nodded.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

“So how do I use this?” Serine said, holding the breathing apparatus in her armoured hooves as Alyshia continued to squeeze it.

“Squeeze it, wait three seconds for her to breathe out then squeeze it again,” I said demonstrating with my own hooves. “Do not overdo it, and please don’t forget. Her life is in your hands.”

Serine nodded and took over; she did well for the first time but how well while flying. “Okay off with you two,” I said trying to remain positive. Midnight gave me a sullen look with Amethyst tied securely to her back, a tube in her mouth being pumped by an enclave pony. I prayed to Celestia and Luna that I would return to Amethyst alive and breathing.

The two pegasi took off together, slowly but carefully.

I looked over to Brax and broke down, fear tearing into my heart. I couldn’t let her go. My poor poor Amethyst, I wish I could have looked after her, protect her. Brax attempted to comfort me, his strong cold hooves wrapped around my shoulders.

“Hey,” he growled. “She’ll be fine.”

“No she won’t,” I cried. “She’ll be dead when I’m back, she’ll be gone forever, ripped from me before I could even know her properly.”

“Hey, this wasn’t your fault,” Brax said as softly as he could. “She’s a strong filly, she’ll live.”

“She was in the carriage all by herself. I told her to stay put,” I cried. “She’s dead because of me.”

“Hey, hey she’s not dead.” Brax said. ”She’s still alive Alyshia. She’s lucky to not be like Lionel.”

“Lionel’s dead.” I coughed. “I feel bad that I’m not sobbing because he’s dead. But Amethyst is… Amethyst is my life.”

It felt wrong to say it. A filly I’ve known for a fe, weeks. But I care so much, too much about the young white pony from a stable.

“Hey, I understand. It’s fine Alyshia, let’s go to the tower. Come on.”

“What about Lionel’s b-body,” I sobbed.

“I’ve. I’ve shifted a slab of concrete over his body. To hide it from view. We can’t make a grave for him here and he’s too big to carry. I’d be afraid his head would-“ Brax stopped unable to continue.

“We had best get to the tower.”

I nodded and together, cut and distraught left the scene.