# Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone

## by David Silver

### 8 - For His Entertainment

The ceiling above them suddenly slid open and they could hear a large crowd above. The ground beneath them jolted and began to raise up with the ratcheting of some roughly-hewn gears.

A loud human male shouted to the crowd as they began ascending towards the new floor, "In this corner, a new contestant! They would be known as beasts, and perhaps this is true, but our lord sees through them easily. Behold, Ponies, lost children of their mythical kingdom!"

Maud and Tree arrived on the sand-covered floor of the arena. There were people watching from every angle. The lord and a few other important-looking humans sat together in an isolated balcony while the rest sat on wood benches or stood and made noise freely. All eyes were on them, but that changed quickly.

"In the other corner, secured and brought in from the wilds by our lord himself!" The floor slid open just large enough to allow a new pony to be risen. "Born a warrior, she may die one too!" The pony that came into view was clearly shackled to the ground. She had long pink hair for her mane and tail, while being a more mundane brown across the rest of her body. "This match will be one for the chroniclers! Defender of the past, against those that have forgotten." She didn't look like them. She wasn't a pony. She was a horse. A little horse. "In his magnamity, facing against two, her weapon will be returned to her!"

The lord stood up and suddenly hurled a lance to embed in the sand beside the pony.

She snapped up the blade and shoved it against her side, where it clicked softly into a bracket there. "You're twice the fool for arming me, but I will not fight your boorish battles."

The announcer grinned. "How long will those morals last? You fight, or you all get put to death. Either way, a fine show for everyone!"

"N-No!" Tree looked towards the blurt and saw Flint dragging a shouting and struggling Paul back to his seat and silencing him. "They can't!"

The lord leaned forward on his balcony rail. "I am not a cruel man. Whoever the winner proves to be will earn their freedom, and a few coin to begin their journey. All you need do is fight, and do keep it entertaining." He settled into his seat and put an arm around a human female there, looking quite comfortable.

With a sudden snap, the shackles fell loose of the pony and she pawed at the ground. "I'm very sorry... My country needs me. I can't stay here."

"Be the tree...," said Tree Hugger to herself as she imagined the powerful bark of a tree, and lo, it was. Bark ran over her fur. She became much less fluffy, but more formidable. "Do we have to fight, unknown sister?"

Maud didn't speak, she moved. She darted across the arena, kicking up sand behind her. When she got within striking distance of that lance, it blurred into motion. She barely ducked under the first lunge, for the second to painfully jab into her side. Whoever that pony was, they struck with far more skill than the bandit had. She closed despite it and brought in her head with lightning speed, rocking back the challenger with the powerful sound. The crowd cheered for the both of them, feet stomping and fists pumping.

Tree Bit at her wooden lips, unsure what to do. Should she attack a fellow pony? It felt wrong.

The unknown pony backed carefully from Maud. "You're not like the rabble here. Do you really trust him to give you anything?" She swung her lance with a powerful pivot of her body, but Maud jumped over it and landed on top of her.

Maud performed a quick set of three blows to her victim's back, bringing stars to her eyes before sliding off to the ground. "No. Do you?"

Each blow stung, but she knew the truth of it. She wasn't being murdered by this odd-looking pony. She was being subdued. She grit her teeth against the ache. "My name is Fast Shadow. My... Our people, they need us." She saw an opening and went for it, pushing the sharp tip of the lance into her opponent's chest and forcing her back with a pained grunt.

It was enough to spur Tree Hugger to motion. With her friend stabbed cruelly, she suddenly broke into an uneven gallop, kicking up sand wildly in her poor attempt to charge.

Maud kicked the pole aside. "They can't need me. They don't even know me." She drew a fore hoof back and Fast expected a punch, but Maud shoved it in the sand and lifted herself on it, instead lashing out with a pair of kicks across Fast's face. Both were looking winded from their battle, bruised, pierced, and battered. Bleeding, in Maud's case.

Just as Tree Hugger was getting closer, Fast jabbed her lance lower and sent Maud to the ground with a fresh new wound in her left fore-knee.

Tree Hugger wailed and charged at Fast Shadow, only to catch a lance in her shoulder for her trouble. She tried to flail at Fast. To her credit, the thorny hoof came down solidly on Fast's side, but it lacked strength, and the thorns could only so so much.

Fast scowled, then kicked out, knocking Tree Hugger senseless and to the floor of the sandy arena. She turned slowly to the lord. "I am the winner."

"That you are." He leaned forward, fingers steepled. "But you're not done. They're both still alive."

Fast Shadow glanced back at the fallen bodies of the other ponies, then back at the lord. "I am not your executioner."

Several men with bows readied them and aimed arrows down into the pit, some pointed at the fallen ponies, others at Fast Shadow. "If you insist, but my executioners aren't very selective. Kill them, or die with them. The choice is entirely yours."

Fast glared at the lord for a few tense moments. The people were quiet and hushed, watching the two lock horns, metaphorically. She turned away from him with a toss of her long hair, then reached down and plucked up Maud with some effort, slinging the earth pony over her back. She grabbed Tree Hugger next. "Wake up, druid. Wake up now or we all die."

Tree Hugger woke up, barely. With squinted eyes she blinked at the one holding her by the scruff. "What's going on?"

"Go ahead..." The lord watched on with failing patience.

Fast grunted softly. "They are preparing to kill us. Can you heal? Heal your friend, now. No more delays."

Tree reached out for Maud and with a prayer and a soft touch, green flashed through her, banishing the worst of her wounds. She woke suddenly and moved to push off of Fast, but Fast hissed quickly. "We are in grave danger. We work together, or we die together. Four archers, armed, skill level, likely low. Situation is far from favorable."

The lord suddenly stood. "Our warrior horse clearly needs more incentive, or perhaps her battle lust isn't sated. Unleash the dogs!"

The crowd erupted into cheering as gates opened in the bottom of the arena walls, allowing about ten angry looking dogs to enter. They were quick to spot and begin charging as one for the ponies. Maud suddenly sprang from Fast's back and didn't move for the dogs, but for one of the gates they came through. Moving like lightning, she slid into position just in time to catch the lowering iron and hold the gate aloft.

Fast broke into a gallop to make use of the exit provided. The lord noticed the escape with a sudden mask of fury. "Open fire!"

Arrows rained down on Fast and her precious pony cargo. The dogs reached her in the midst of the hail and proved to be more bothersome. A dog chomped at her legs, tripping her and sending her and Tree Hugger to the sand roughly.

Tree rolled to her hooves quickly. "Animals of the wild, we are not your interest today!" She spread her hooves and green magic washed over herself and Fast Shadow. The dogs suddenly looked confused, looking around, lost. Even the one with its teeth on Fast let go and began sniffing around. It was as if they were completely unaware of what happened to the ponies.

Fast Shadow quickly scrambled to her hooves, an arrow landing where her leg was moments before. "Go!" She charged for the exit Maud provided, with Tree Hugger just behind. The moment they were past the gate, Maud released the iron and it came down with a clang. and the dull thud of displaced sand.

There was a human there, looking frightened and wary. "I-I just take care of the dogs!" He threw up his hands.

Fast glared at him witheringly. "Where did your lord hide my equipment?"

He cowered back. "I wouldn't rightly know! He keeps most ah his precious things in his manor."

"And that is...? Speak quickly, or our patience will run dry."

With a cry of fear, he pointed. "That way! Big manor! You can't miss it. Gods as my witness! I swear!"

Tree Hugger spied a bottle laying beside the other dog supplies and sniffed it gently. "I think this will help."

Fast smiled. "Sharp eyes! You--" she looked at Maud. "You got your friend's healing, I'm taking this." She moved quickly to snatch up the bottle and chug it down, some of her sores and bumps fading away, including the teeth marks the dog left behind. "Probably meant for the dogs. They don't need it." She moved for the door and kicked it open, revealing a surprised guard that hurried to draw his blade.

When Fast's lance began to glow a pale blue, his will to fight withered, and he backed away a few steps. "Wise man." She glanced over her shoulders. "Not all humans are bad, or stupid."

The guard snarled. "You aren't getting out of here in one piece."

Fast raised a brow. "We are. Do you plan to interfere?"

Perhaps he found his spine. He charged at Fast, but she was faster. She met him in the center, driving the lance deep into his gut, only to kick him free to collapse lifelessly to the ground. "Just most of them."

Tree frowned a little as she advanced. "Your karma must be so cloudy. You didn't even hesitate... Is he?" She didn't have to get much closer to confirm. The human was dead and gone.

Maud shook her head. "We should go." She looked at the body, then Fast. "First dibs."

Fast looked surprised. "You didn't strike me as the sort to know that sort of phrase. No time for that. If you see a money pouch or vials on his belt, take it, otherwise, we move." She moved to stride down the hallway purposefully. "I don't meant to be curt, but considering the situation..."

Tree did spot a dangling pouch and reached for it with a trembling hoof. "I'm sorry," she spoke to the fallen body and quickly procured the pouch before hurrying away from it.

There was little time to consider. They had to escape.