A Bit(e) of Hope (Private)

Given the reactions he got, he only got even more flustered when his mild concern that there was something to his lovemaking with Lightning he should have been aware of was likely brought up for nothing after all; Though it did lessen his personal worries with the Thestral there for now, at least. "... That... I'm still mulling on. This is not something I deal with on the regular, certainly not this lopsided. Nevermind how much time we got to estimate Lightning's safety... I expect her to plan on escaping, so we risk the chance of her managing it while we end up running into an ambush as well, and complicate things further..."

With the airship at top speed, his gaze was steely over to the horizon they were giving chase on, considering what Sky had last said. "Sky, if you think you can have our airship safely roam for us to return all by yourself once we approach their general location, then I guess I have little choice but to leave my airship in your care, while I watch Menacy's back. I promise you though..." He looked to her somewhat, mustering what little optimism he could at that moment. "I'll be sure to give them an extra swing and flaming balls for ya to make up for it."

"maybe," menacy said, pondering the mares escape, "but i dont think she saw a way out, i dont know how long she was expecting this, but i expect she thinks this is taking the bullet for our safety, shes not stupid, but i think shes hoping we just go on without her, i think if we find her bag there will be a list of things for us to do to get her job done, we could find that and do as im sure she asks, but, i think i speak for all of us when i say, we are coming for you."

as they flew and sky was spoken too she nodded "i will do my best, but don't forget the beacon, manpower is what you will need for sure." she finishes as the landed airship came into view, landed next to a rather small building. "ok guys, its time you bounce or we will miss our shot of suprise."

Sugary gave the device a cautious glance shortly before they unboarded at their destination, placing it away with care among his Inventory. "Shame I can't beckon a bit of merciful company out of it. It's just trouble we can only hope is more troubling for them than it is us. Sky, I leave the defense of the airship to you. Menacy, let's go and save Lightning, and see if we can't knock some of their ships down while we're at it before we leave."

"Ah, noone too hostile will come though, my ex can be a little cold but she means well," sky explains immediately followed by Menacy scoffing, but there wasn't long before the craft was over the spot and the 2 blinked down to the ground 30 meters from the building, one guard outside seemingly tracking the black mambo as it passes over head and. Menacy places a hand on Sugary's shoulder and and using her almost unnoticeable magic blinks them round the corner from the guard. "sir, looks like she was telling the truth the ship has completely overshot us" a voice says, probably the guard who has a rough feminine voice.

Briefly musing on what that was all about with the ex and Sky, he was nonetheless getting right into the thick of it as soon as Menacy teleported together with him, and taking note of their surroundings, and what their potential foes might be assessing about them so far. "Overshot, eh...? Doesn't look like they mean to give chase. Either they got limited resources and only want Lightning, don't see us as a threat, or maybe they're not all as hostile as the few that boarded us... If it were another time, it might be worth seeing who could side with us along the way, but we just don't have the luxury of time right now. Let's just slip past them while their airship distracts their view." He said in a very low voice, using very subtle magic too as to carry his words over to Menacy's ears and being heard none further away even nearby.

Menacy took a breath, placed her hand on his shoulder and then the other on the building and suddenly an overlay became apparent to the sturdy stallion, it showed what was contained within the building, or at least the structure. inside was a basement, and below that a sprawling underground structure, many rooms, floors and paths.
"they have aligned with something truly evil, and my mercy for them has run dry," she explained telepathically, her face reflecting her sentiment, as she blinked around the corner as soon as the guards report was over, and with great prejudice the timeless mare she killed the guard quickly and quietly, before the body was erased. "i can only take them one at a time without letting them know we are here, so from here, i will let you deal with them." she explains further

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skkg2FL9Z_k

At the sight of blood drawn and disintegrated, the stallion knew full well what sort of situation this was, trusting Menacy's instincts, even if it did take him a moment to breathe in deep, and steel his nerves for what they were about to do as the blueprints of the area were traced into his mind as he walked after her. "... In lieu of Lightning giving the orders on how to handle these threats, what you say goes. Very well..." His hands curled into fists, crackling with energy, his steps gradually becoming more dainty and swift, and his motions more of a blur where he stood as his mane lightly shone and fizzled with plasma, then seemingly shooting like lightning right into the first hallway to begin his lethal assault against one guard after the next with the pathing given and his senses strong against roaming lifeforces, ... something he would turn out to excel at as such flames of vigor would be cut short with extreme speed and prejudice.

making there way down the first floor, as they progressed it quickly became apparent that there numers were huge, and with Menacy leading them into a side room once making sure the coast was clear, she closed the door. "as much as im sure i will hate this part, its time to call in the troops as it were" she said gesturing to the beacon

With his plasma strikes sizzling bodies and clothing similar to how Menacy went about it, he made sure the wolfpony knew his time cozying up to Lightning and Sky as a reliable warrior was not for show. Having cleared up enough of a trail, he did give Menacy a cocked stare, his eyes showing runic crests at the corners in that he was keeping track of her blueprints. "Already? Then again, if we keep going further in, they're likely to start noticing their missing members, and the stronger ones are definitely deeper... This is probably the best spot to raise a ruckus from within with ample space... Here goes nothing..." With mild hesitation, he brings out the beacon, and seeps his magic into it to activate it, daring to hope this all really works out...

as his magic surrounded and then began to soak into the structure it began to change shape, very much like much of lightnings gadgetry, and as he placed it on the ground the structure impossibly grew to form a high tech yet extremely arcane gateway, Menacy moved round to have the same angle on the frame as a golden disk formed in the structure before turning, dark? in the centre, it didn't take long to recognise that the gateway was open and the room was simply dark, which didn't last long, as the lights flicked on, the walls covered with weapons gadgets and equipment. no one could be seen but movement was heard.

suddenly it all went dark, it was like the only thing visible to him was himself not even the floor was apparent "what have we here, you're not either of the bosses, a theif maybe?" a unnervingly sweet voice spoke to him, sounding like it came from all around, quickly he would find it hard to move at all, like sleep paralysis, as impossible to see figures approached, "we cant be having that can we" the voice said, the figures growing closer, before the room became clear once more, a mare seemingly being held by a talk very stocky mare, by the back of the head, immediately the voices identiy became identifiable, as the restrained demonic mare. "mania, when i say enough, you stop" the much more intimidating mare said before letting 'mania' go. mania was short, not very broad but somewhat buxom, she had 2 l shaped horns her atire seemed much like that of lightnings or skys and on her back were 2 much more demonic wings than much that he would have lile seen before. the taller one was built, her face was sturn and it was clear her eyes didn't work, on top of this, her horns, seemingly normally like manias, had been cut off, as was her wings and tail. she turned to sugary and then menacy, quickly seeming to understand what was happening. "so, you're finally done hiding shit from her little amery?" she said with genuine contempt for menacy who seemed to have mutual feelings the the demon. "letting her know would have destroyed her, and if it wasn't for the fact that they probably would destry her, i still wouldnt start this, we don't even know what will happen, she could be lost in the process," Menacy said, seeming to mostly believe what she was saying. following this, 3 more individuals came through the portal before the device shrank, back to its offline state. "whatever, that poor girl has been through enough, so just sort your shit out and we will weed off the the numbers," the broad mare said before turning back to the stallion who seems to have been thrown some what into the deep end of their drama. you offered a handshake, "Kalic, you must be important if you are here instead of sky, so here's a word of advise" she grabbed his hand tanking any residual magic that she did or didn't discharge and got close "you hurt lightning, your next century will be with one of unending torment, got it." her grip was like that of sky's, despite not being as tall, it was not hard to believe that she was as strong as sky and maybe stronger.

Sugary took a few steps back, mindful of what Menacy was going to make of this. The grand spectacle was welcomed on his part with cautious curiosity, for this group did not seem to bring in quite the same members as the last time, some who were quite keen on sharing history with Menacy it seemed. Whatever plane of existence they were from, Tartarus for all hew knew, it was clear they were out for blood as part of some pact. He was also rather drawn to Kalic, in part for her physique, her demonic energy and vigor, but also the familiar look of her, certain Lightning had spoken of her before; Though his handshake to her did not falter in giving a hard grip in turn. "Sugary. And that goes both ways... If the ruckus you bring hurts her, you'll find Sky's not the only one with a lot to vent through fists among us."

He then felt like smiling a little after saying that, as though coming to terms with their conditions, and feeling an odd sense of trust within her. "Lightning spoke of you. Fairly fondly I would say. I'm ready to fight as much as the rest of ya still. We're only part way there, but we've taken out at least a dozen of the outer security so far. Menacy's already tugged my arm into bloodlust; What would you have me do to aid Lightning's rescue?"

"Make sure 'She'" Kalic gestured to Menacy "gets to lightning, I wont pretend to know what will happen, but if we arn't to loose her," she took a pause "i think you will best get through to her when it happens." she looked to her other trainees, that had followed her through the portal, a slightly plump darker coated mare with bright pink hair, she peculiarly gave of extremely positive vibes, she seemed friendly enough as well, smiling as she helped the mania up, looking both embarrassed by the demons behaviour but also somewhat seeing the funnier side of it, all the while 2 metallic mice danced and around her, seemingly unable to get more than 2 foot away from her, but could walk on air as if solid. behind her was a mare much taller than the rest of them, almost like a teenaged sky, she seemed uninterested in what was going on, more excited for what came later. finally, next to the tall mare was a somewhat stoic but serious tigress, built yet wider than Kalic but also taller as well, her clothing still much like that of the others but with raps for the hands and feet as well as it being more suited to allowing her to move easier, lightnings take on what appeared to be traditional combat attire.

"Guess we got ourselves quite the strange bedfellows... Now then, ladies, let's go knock some heads, save Lightning, and trash the place up." Welcoming those that seemed likely to come along with him and Menacy, the group continued their sabotage and search for Lightning. Sugary felt strange around these demons, their presence as much of an enigma as Menacy, but he didn't have time to second guess company nor aid. More than anything else on his mind, was the drive to bring his lover back home to embrace, and enjoy science and travel with again.

with the go ahead from sugary the new allies got into position. and time was not waisted, Kalic gestured a circle at the ground seemingly causing it to dislodge all the way to the floor below, as cracks appeared at her gestures. With little warning the cylinder launched up and out through the levels above letting in the dim grey light of the outside "leave no one, and let there blood be penance for wronging us and our friend" kalic said before once again looked down the whole "and Menacy, don't do that thing you do where you fuck everything up." and with little time to react Kalic disappeared down the hole, red runes following her followed but a massive explosion and hellfire erupting from the hole. flares of magic erupting, akin to that of a soul being rendered to magic. the pupils followed next, the one that resembled sky finally seemed interested, drawing a pistol and developing clear claws of magic in her other hand, a subtle hunger in her eyes much like that which the stallion was familiar with, her eyes flashing red. next was mania, who seemed to melt into the ground a twisted smile on her face, and a simple, or even in-depth check on where she had gone, worryingly resulted in her being,, throughout the building complex, you'd almost perceive black tendrils in the corner of your vision in the corners and cracks of the complex. next the excitable plump mare left, skipping up to the stallion, giving him a curtsy and, a kind and excited smile on her face as she leans in, "much trouble is to come, hehe but dontchu worry, its gunner work out this time" she says, surprising him with a kiss on the cheek. this was, clearly some form of magic as warmth and hope poured from the spot she had kissed you., and with no warning the mice moved suddenly up and in an explosion of speed and magic they plunged into the ground creating a new hole which the energetic mare hopped down. finally the stoic tigress moved her face unmoved by the theatrics, she gave a bow to the 2 and as magic surged her body, her stripes began to glow and ripple, as she two disappeared down the first hole.--

as they journeyed down the halls, they would find the soldiers, although more active, were fewer, some running to stair wells, or in opposite directions from there, explosions going off in the distance. the first group of guards that even noticed them since the arrive of backup drew there guns ready to shoot, and if not destroyed immediately horror on there faces would take hold, some getting on there knees and the rest executing their friends, giving the go ahead to the pair to continue down the stairs as these soldiers who seemed to have a change of heart? ran for the action, gun fire quickly following.

It was a surge of emotions and energies and moods that gave the stallion a bit of whiplash in such a place as twisted in Ether as this region with such powerful and talented ladies coming about into the fray. The scent and feel of bloodsheed got his heart and soul racing, though as he ran through the halls with Menacy, that gentle kiss did make it easier on him to focus, its warmth oddly soothing long after contact. If it was a blessing, he welcomed it their aid and existence still a mystery to him he hoped to learn from after rescuing Lightning.

There was a pause in his hostility and motions when he saw other soldiers suddenly acting amicably and coordinating with him, but once he felt the mice taking hold of their bodies it made sense as he ran past them, patting them on their shoulders for good luck, both in part to encourage a job well done, and a smaller part that the unwilling hosts might prove useful enough to live out their regrets for making such alliances. Either way, the gunfire did not daunt him any, for fast flying iron was still led by hostile forces he could dodge and deflect well enough with his movements and magic, though he could also handle grazing with little problem, only direct hits feeling like hard elbow and knee jabs to him; He was a tough one for sure, as expected of one who could handle a berserk Sky for a time, and his mind not being easy to corrupt even with the intruding demon among the Elemental bedlam on arrival.

To the soldiers he didn't kill on sight, which be proved to be quite adept at doing with his spells and sheer brute force crushing heads now that saving Lightning was his main priority, the Warrior Sage fought fiercely down the stairs. If he was possessed by anything here, it was his drive and vigor to find his lover, made tangible as his oaken fists tore polymer and steel like butter and bullets bounced off his hardened skin even without his magic, a true battle beast held down with a heart and soul as the fight and Elemental energies went on around him... With Lightning a hopeful mate to his instincts, his potential being pushed and urged on by her strange allies meshed with his magic and style quite well when he held very little back.

blasting past the troops and down the stairs they heard shots ring out right behind them. Menacy once more shares her her vision of the structure, gesturing down another flight of stairs he would see a very dark presence in the lower levels, probably the entity faced before. and as they enter the room at the base of the stairs they find an old generator room, a huge cage in front of them with a large generator long since broken obscures the view but beyond it they could hear the enraged ranting of what sounds to be a late teenager, looking through the cage they could just about see the source, a young colt, emanating twisted energies rants at lightning, who had been chained to the wall, she seemed to have been crying, and if listened close you can tell he was accusing her of being the cause of the destruction of his people, first by drawing the attention of the empire and then by angering the empire and abandoning them, its clear she also believes this, further in the room is the dark spector from before.

"look, what im going to do, how we are going to save her, and us, we could loose her but you have a connection to her, if anyone could snap her out of it, its you, so here's the plan ok, you need to rush in, do all you can to distract the big guy, i will get to lightning and,, wake her.. and from there,, i don't know, do what you need to to break through to her,,," Menacy says without words, oddly not registering like telepathy by like she was talking as a thought.

Menacy's words slipped and processed through his mind like quicksilver, the sight of Lightning suffering and being held up igniting his desire to save her all the more now that he was here. He was compelled to attack, but he didn't forget that the curse Lightning suffered from could hurt her if he got too liberal with his magic. So he simply teleported right in front of the big creature from before, staring them down. "THIS is what you had her surrender to you for?? To make her feel more guilt than she already does!? Her work is to try and make amends! I'll be taking her back now, you have no clue what she's going through." Though the colt and Lightning concerned him at the back of his mind, he trusted Menacy to know what to do there. He just had to vent where he could and buy time, though he was more than ready to smack this cursed magic bluntly if needed; He only worried for his lover, not her captor.

things from here moved quickly. faster than sky even, the hulking shadowy form collided with Surgary, the three engaged in an epic brawl took enough attention away from lightning, as Menacy rushed over the the chained up mare. "S-Surgary, no its not-" "ssh, its okay, look, look at me".

5, eyes met, a seemingly hypnotic trance between the two. the colt goes for a blow with his metal club, skillfully parried.
4, Menacy places her hand upon lighting, who was still in her trance, a growing beat of 3 just beyond sound grew more powerful.
3, Menacy stepped back "I'm sorry." before a torrent of magic filled the room lightning trance stopped and her eyes grew bright, filled with a cold sense of duty.
2, the quiet, the stillness as if time slowed down, and to a degree, the magical torrent seemed to slow the dark figure.
1, "Surgary, you are up!" Menacy shouts, throwing a wave of magic to take the other two to allow him to disengage, but thats when the trouble started.
A blast rang out of the same energy that was pouring from lightning. The wall she had been chained to gone, the chains themselves dissolving as the unending and growing tide of magic blasted out, as the complex began to quake. no warning given, the colt and dark entity were were pinned by the growing divine magic, lightnings hand out stretched, she spoke. "this magic is twisted and wrong, i bring it to its end" her voice still hers but, the cadence, the emotion was gone, and with her order she began to force the twisted magic off of both the spirit colt all the while the stagnant magic in the air began to rend, almost feeling fresh. the quake continued and it also seemed the air was growing cooler aside from the warmth of lightnings magic.

Sugary's role was limited in buying time for a distraction, but he had his fair share of titanic foes. At first, hardening his body with a metallic and stony sheen and a hardy barrier in front of him to simply tank the blow from his opponent, forcing them to hit themselves on him with their charge and stagger them. Every rushed moment after that was pure frustration as he bobbed and weaved with great finesse in great contrast to that gutsy maneuver just now; Sky was indeed very fast, but his own control over his body was acrobatic when focused and the magic only made it flow like water.

He then braced himself again with the next release out of Lightning with concern, expecting something very volatile when it came over him... Instead, he briefly breathed a sigh of relief, that energy of hers abundant yet not hostile for once. "Menacy, what just happened!? Did it work? Is she good to go?" He kept his leg very close to a loose object on the floor near him between the fight, wave, and quaking, ready to kick it full force at the monster with detonating magic.

with a gesture the spirit was separated from the dark magic and what was left was a deer, draped in ragged cloth, weak and frail. "n,no, she said you would come,, but, you weren't meant to,," the colt stuttered as he too lost the darker magics. as the building continued to shake cracks began to form, light shining though despite being on the sub-floors.

The magic both spreading and dispelling got him to zero in on a weakened target. It was utterly tempting to just kick his object over to the deer's neck for a swift crack and death with his heightened spirits from the surrounding presence of hostilities and power shaking the base and the fighting that is still going on elsewhere nearby. But he also couldn't risk harming what could be blameless. "Tch...!? Amery, your call. Do we get this one out of here to, or leave them to their fate? Looks like we gotta flee, right now." Saving Lightning and not losing their allies was his priority. Though a weak figure like that was just pitiable that moment.

"You need to focus on calming lightning down, its too late to escape, our best bet is to pacify her" shouted menacy as the rumble of the building only grew louder. And any movement from the stallion would unveil why as the ground continued to fissuer and what could be seen through the crack in the sub basement floor would shake most ponies resolve, they were already a few hundred feet in the air and climbing and the sight from lightning was to say the least not promising, the golden wings once more appearing alongside her bat ones, an overwhelming amount of magic pouring forth from her, the air crackling and warping, her face full of hurt, a rightious furry, but more so, she simply wasnt her, control was gone, and her acts were those of someone who had seen far to much death and war and could wipe it away with a gesture.

The great surge of magic meant his judgement on the matter was being clouded some until the obvious fissures and skyrocketing came up. He barely caught Menacy's idea to just calm Lightning down; Frankly, he didn't really know how to go about it, but there was no time to think when the situation was dire, and his lover was both hurting and displaying tremendous power. It was risky what he would attempt, but he would just step over to her, calling for her, trying and hoping to cuddle her and remind her of where she was and who she was with using his voice and touch, even if that meant enduring the pressure of intense magic through it. "Lightning! Sweetie, you're a daring gutsy genius, and I know it's been a long awful day for you. Please, let me take you back to our airship, Sky, Menacy, and your other companions are worried about you. We'll have a shower, snacks, and a nap together."

a tear welled in her and the magic billowing from her discarded the last, "it needs to end, it must end" a look of conviction on her face grew as a second torrent of the intense magic came forth "I WILL END IT, HERE AND NOW, THE LAST OF HER TAINTED LEGACY TURNED TO DUST!" she cried but he could see it in her eyes, she wasn't in control but what was was loosing confidence in her actions, was she doing the right thing, was she the one in the wrong, the one that this resulted from killed her mother, but she was dead and gone, and the last of her lackies were now subdued. 'Lightning' looked down in guilt, but the torrent of power still flowed.

Sugary could only hold on near such tremendous force of magic, using his own to anchor himself if need be, but he then realized his magic was reflexively preparing Time Magic sigils around them; The force she was expelling, it felt dated, and so he thought he began to understand what was happening. "No...! No, honey, here and now is good for us! It's good for you! So many of your allies are nearby. They're waiting for you to come back to them. We did all the fighting for you, you can let yourself relax. You made so much possible for us to be here and make it so already. Your life's work, it still waits for you."