Once CC had woken up and left her room, I sneak into her bathroom to find some gauze to bandage my hooves with. Since when could my horn actually do magic? I never even had a spark come out of my horn before. Whatever, I wrap my hooves up as quickly as possible, trying to get out of here .

"By the way, that was great. Please do let me know the next time you're going to do something like that again."

"Fuck you Strages."

"Damian?"I turn around to see Patches giving me a rather confused look. "Why are you in CC's bathroom, and why are your hooves wrapped up?" Well... shit. Need to think fast.

"I uhmm.. saved a fire from a baby...." Fuck, bad lie.

"You saved a fire... from a baby?" He asks as he raises an eyebrow while tilting his head.

"Yea... the baby was really wet so I needed to save the fire."

"I'm lost, was it a fire spirit or something?" He asked in confusion as I edge past him and out of CC's room.

"Yea, totally, I gotta go." I yell back to him as I run down the hall. I run around somewhat aimlessly as I try to think of where to go. The medical ward was where again? Two stories up then five doors down, make a left and go eight doors.... no, twelve-

"Damian!" Hammer yells out as he pops out from some random room. "Dude! I just found a bass guitar! SLAPPA DA BASS!" He yells as he whips out a bass and gives it some smacks.

"AAAAAH! What the fuck Hammer?!"

"What?" He asks innocently.

"What do you mean what?"

"What's a fuck?"

"Why did you.. I... *sigh*... it means buck."

"Oooohhh.... well did you hear where our mission is taking us?" He asks as he sets the bass on his back.

"No I didn't even know we had a mission."I admit as he begins to walk down the hall. I follow after against my better judgement. He should know where the medical ward is.... maybe.

"Well I did, and it's on The Spine."

"What's got us going all the way out to The Spine?"

"By the sound of it, it seems to be a mountain spirit trying to extend to the mountain range to the east and west of The Spine. Not very smart, seeing how the west is water, but I guess that's why we're going."

"Yeah, I see how that could be a problem. Water spirits tend to get bitchy." I rub my chin with my hoof as I think about.... ow, my hoof. Anyway, it sounds like a really powerful spirit if it can do that. My bag starts to glow, and I can feel a hunger growing inside me. This mountain spirit would make me stronger if I get him.

"Burrito?" Hammer asks as he offers me one. I blink a bit and realize that he brought me to the cafeteria.... when-

"Hey Damian, where have you been?! I went to your room to take you to the mission debriefing and you weren't there." CC says as she walks up behind me and takes a seat.

"Well I was doing stuff...."

"Like?"

"Like saving a fire from a wet baby!" Patches yells as he trots over to us. Oh fuck you Patches.

"Well that does explain the bandages on your hooves," CC says hesitantly.

"Good thing you were here Damian, that baby could have caused a lot of trouble." Hammer says with a dumb smile on his face before chowing down on two food tubes.

"Well anyways, when are we leaving for the mission?" I ask CC as I turn to her .

"Patches and I were thinking we could go now-"

"Does that mean we don't need to be knocked out anymore?!" Hammer and I ask as we jump up and smile.

"Uhh... sure." CC says hesitantly, but me and Hammer don't care. We jump up and hop around the table in joy. No more concussions! No more random clothing! NO MORE BABYSITTING TO LEAVE! "Why don't you two lead the way then."

"We will, cause we are awesome." Hammer and I say together as we lead Patches and CC out of the cafeteria and strut down the hall. We walk through the corridors, up and down stairs, and pass dozens of guards, smiling to each other the whole way. We turn down the final corridor and see the giant stone double doors. The Statera emblems almost shine to us as we-

THWACK

I wake up in a carriage next to Hammer sitting across from CC and Patches. My bag is on and surprisingly nothing else, well that's good at least, I'm not clothed again. I look over to CC to see her giggling.

"What's so funny?" I ask as I raise an eyebrow at her.

"*snicker* Nice hat." She says as she leans over to flick the propeller on the beanie I am apparently wearing. Her and Patches burst into laughter that wakes up Hammer. He looks around the cabin, then sees me and starts to laugh as well. I feel burn as a large blush covers my cheeks... why? I open the window to the carriage and throw the beanie out before crossing my fore hooves as I sit back, scowling a little. Everypony else continues to laugh for the next ten minutes until they finally collect themselves.

"Well, now that everypony has calmed down, can I get a better explanation on who we have to stop?"

"Well our sources tell us the spirit's name is Niger Mosa. He was the spirit of a pre-purgian mountain." Patches tells me as he relaxes back into his seat.

"Well the purge happened over four thousand years ago, why is it deciding now to act out?" I ask as I tap on the window while watching the scenery go by. It seems we were traveling fairly quickly through the forest. From this position all I can tell is that it's about mid afternoon.

"As amazing as our information network is we still can't read peoples' minds Damian," CC points out.

I nod then relax back into my seat "I suppose everypony has their limits, even giant powerful organizations that somewhat run the world." I smirk at her slightly as I put my hooves behind my head.

"Hey we do not run the world," she defends. "We just guide it slightly while protecting it." She then smiles pleased, with her answer. We travel for a few more minutes until the carriage comes to a sudden stop. We all get out of the carriage and stretch bit as CC walks over to the carriage driver. "Thanks for bringing us all the way out here Steady Reins," she says with a smile.

A stallion's voice replies to her. "T'was my pleasure CC. Though it may be mah job, I still always enjoy getten Statera members where they need to go."

"Well thanks again, best of luck with your date, Pickles is a good guy, you two should get along fine." Once CC is done talking we start heading off.

"So our driver is gay?" I ask as we begin to walk down a path.

"Yes he is Damian, but you have Hammer and he's going on a date with Pickles tomorrow. Shame on you, asking about another stallion right in front of your boyfriend."

"But I.. we aren't...." I turn to Hammer and start gesturing to him. "Fix it!" His response was a simple apple filled smile as he continued to trot on. I sigh and I hang my head in defeat, for the moment... I hate him so much. We continue to walk in silence for about an hour until we come across a wall.... *looks up* mountain, very big mountain. "Is it just me or is this not supposed to be there?"

"No this mountain range isn't on any map..." CC says cautiously as she stand and readies her bow. Hammer, Patches, and I take our stances and ready our weapons. We slowly move forward as we hear a loud rumbling, followed by a slight earth quake. Without warning the ground suddenly shoots up into the sky.

CC and Hammer begin screaming as we all hold onto the ground for dear life. Once the earth stops moving, I look around and realize we are now as high as the mountain itself. A giant figure made of stone rises up from the tip of the mountain and glares down at us. He's looks to be made of large chunks of earth and is holding a large hammer that seems to be made of earthen spikes. He slings it over his shoulder and smirk's down at us. CC and Hammer put on their goggles as Patches put on his monocle. He stands roughly eight feet tall.

"Salve Statera et grata ad meum novum domum." He says as he wrings his hand on the handle of his hammer. "Quid venistis hic?" His voice was rather loud and deafening, shaking the air along with it.

I stand up straighter and stare him down with my sword drawn. "Ventum est eo rogatum ut reverterentur ad aridam naturam. Vos es destruens bestiae, ostentantes chaos ac inquietat."

He narrows his eyes and takes his hammer into both hands. "Redeunt ad suam naturam terra? Studeo reddere quod ablatum! Cum patriam amisi vobis homines, non aliam te!" He leaps up into the air and comes crashing down between all of us, slamming his hammer onto the ground. Large pillars of stone pop up and throw each of us into the air. CC spin back with a flap of her wings and starts to take shots at him.

Tink Tink Tink

Each of her arrows seems to just bounce or slide off of his stone body. I twisted myself around as I fell through the air to get a better look at the situation. I was still a bit of a way from the ground, so I begin feeding energy into my body to help brace for the impact. This is going to suck so much.

THUD

THUD

KABOOM

"Owwwww *groan* that sucked." I stand up to see patches pulling himself back together and Hammer charging at Niger Mosa. He swings and hit him directly in the chest. He just laughs as Hammer stares up at him, confused and dumbfounded. He smacks Hammer away with the back of his hand, sending him flying into a near by fallen tree. I charged at him and begin hacking away with my sword.

Tink Tink Tink Tink

Each of my hits seemed to just slightly chip away at his earthen armor. He chuckles some more as he looks down at me. He knees me in the stomach and drops me to my knees. I look up to him as he swings his hammer like a golf club, sending me flying down the mountain.

"Damian!" CC yells as I hit the ground and bounce slightly. I slide against the ground until I hit a log that stabs me in the back with an extended branch. I cry out in pain as I pull the branch out of my back.

KABOOM

Tink Tink Tink

THWACK

KRABOOM

I hear everypony fighting, and losing. We can't beat him, I don't think even Patches is able to hurt him. What do I do?

"Give in, use my power to crush your foe."

I can't do that, if I give in to you you'll probably kill all my friends and just run wild.

"Aaaah!" CC screams out in pain as a spike made from earth shot out of the ground and went through her leg, then nicked her wing causing her to fall to the ground and crash. I hold my breath as I watch her fall to the ground, wincing when she slams into the hard floor.

Fine.

"Excuse me?"

Give it to me! Just whatever the catch may be, make sure I don't hurt any of them. Strages chuckles at this.

"It's not up to me."

I reach deep within myself and grasp the dark energy."AHHHHHH!" I scream out in pain as I can feel my body writhing and convulsing. I look over my body and see my skin bulge as dark, bloody metallic scales burst through. Four claws push through my fore hooves and start to wiggle around a bit. I feel my teeth sharpen as they graze my tongue. Why the fuck did I not feel this before?!

"I made sure you wouldn't feel the change that time. I figured you would never attempt to change in a fight if you knew what it felt like.

"Graaah! FUCK YOU!" As I shout I can hear what sounds like Strages yell with me. Every pony stops to stare at me. Even Niger Mosa stops to stare at me as he holds Hammer in the air, both of their mouths hunging agape.

"Quia cum potuit convertere Statera mannis in daemones?"

"Damian?" CC says nervously as she backs away from me. It pains me to hear that kind of fear in her voice, especially when it's because of me, but I need to do this. I need to protect my friends and make sure they make it out alive. I summon my sword only to find two black curved blades spawn in my hooves. For every step I take toward CC and Patches, they took two back.

I dash at Niger Mosa and slashed him across the chest. His stone chest cracks deeply, giving way easily beneath my power.

"AHHH!" He screamed in pain as he lets go of Hammer. I slam the handle of my other sword down onto his shoulder, separating the two chunks of stone from one another, forcing him to drop his weapon. I smiled as I let go of my left sword and grabbed his face with my hoof, the claws digging into his head.

"That's it Damian, show them all your new power and destroy him."

I hold the spirit there for a moment as I try to clear my head. Killing him would be easy. The others are already scared of me, why not? The way CC looked at me... no! I can't give in like that. They were scared, but noponies ever seen this before.

"Immo! Dimitte ergo me, ut dimittas me!" The spirit yells as I hold my hoof out and let the green energy begin to build. I glance over to my arm and blink a few times when red lines form around my hoof. They wisp away from my.... fingers and fade away with the green energy, sometimes making strange text. The spirit lets out one last yell as he quickly begins to glow green. Once his whole body is a bright green, my bag sucks him up, adding him to my powers.

"Heh.... hehe, I got-"

THUNK

I recoil back as one of CC's arrows buries itself into my shoulder. I look over to her and blink as she holds her bow to me.

"CC..."

"St-stay back demon."

Author's Notes:

Sorry, stuff happened and I got lazy. Here's a chapter. This is totally not TB right now.