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// 22 - Bravery is not Competency// Story: Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone// by David Silver//------------------------------//

Sore, bleeding, and exhausted, the party drew off the little trail. Flint carried Paul carefully. "Damn idiot. You didn't need to do that. Ya didn't even help!"

Maud raised a brow lightly. "That's not true. He slowed it down, got you to move, and without him, I would have been its target."

Tree winced in the memory. "It could have killed you. Completely uncool." She sank to her belly in their chosen resting area a moment, too frazzled to even draw out her bedroll. "Is everyone alright?"

Flint sank down and gently laid out Paul. "Yeah, fine, I guess. Can't ya make some of them healing berries?"

Tree frowned slightly. "I would, but feeding them to him now is a totally bad idea. He can't chew."

Fast circled the camp, scouting for something. "She's right. He can't eat them. Still, go ahead and make them. May as well feed the horses while we're bedding down."

Flint gestured at Maud. "Shouldn't she be givin' them ta Maud, or you? You both look like you were dragged half way to hel and back."

Maud shrugged. "I'll be fine. We don't have horse food."

Tree sighed softly. "I'd rather be helping you all. You were righteous out there... I barely did anything."

Fast snorted and turned to Tree. "Barely anything? You saved Maud twice over, and Paul may be out, but he's here thanks to you. Your animals may not have dispatched the undead outright, but they were incredibly useful. I was less useful than you, Tree Hugger. I failed in the most obvious way imaginable." She grunted as she turned back away. "Always carry different weapons. A lance is powerful, sure, but a long sword would have carved through that dead flesh a lot easier."

A soft caw called from above and Tree Hugger looked up at Bright Feathers. "Are you feeling down? Come here, Bright. You tried your best."

Flint pulled out his blanket and unfurled it before throwing it over the fallen form of his friend. "He's still a damn fool. A brave fool. They die the youngest ya know."

Tree nuzzled her companion gently. "Don't say that. He did what he could do. We should be proud of him."

Maud nodded before reaching for a rock and looking it over. "He'll grow."

Fast glanced at her fellow ponies. "I don't think they're wrong. This was a big step for him. I think he's ready to leave his safety behind."

He scowled at her. "And if I think he shouldn't do that? Gods take it all, this isn't fair."

Maud raised an empty hoof. "Nobody said life was fair."

The sound of a horse approaching drew their attention towards the path they had left. The man that had crossed them and drew the undead on them came back along it, with the undead behind him, following with smoldering eyes, but docile.

Fast rose to her hooves quickly, though still shaking mildly in her pain, peering at the man suspiciously.

He held up a hand. "Peace. You saved me no small amount of trouble today. Two of them? Too much, but one, that I could handle."

Tree tilted her head with confusion. "Why is it so mellow now?"

The man waved the same hand. "Think little of it. He saw reason once I convinced him which of us should be in charge. Now, I don't bel--"

Flint shoved to his feet. "It doesn't take a damn genius to recognize a bloody necromancer when one sees one!"

"And?" He gave an imperious snort. "I have things to do. My personal honor demands I show some gratitude for your timely assistance, even if it was likely motivated by self-perseverance."

Fast relaxed a little. "Right, that's very fair of you, sir. A powerful wizard such as yourself is quite generous to spare us the time."

"Ah, someone with sense." He reached into his robe and drew out a pouch with a glass neck poking free of it. "Here, a little memento of our chance meeting." He gave it an underhanded lob that Fast easily caught. "Gods smile." He nudged his horse and he took off, his undead minion following closely behind him.

Flint grunted in annoyance. "We did a favor for a bleedin' necromancer after all that? What'd he even give us, poison?"

Tree Hugger canted her head lightly. "What's a necromancer, and why's it got you in a twist, man?"

Maud approached Fast, eyes on the pouch. "Is that one of the medicine potions?"

Fast set the pouch down and nuzzled it open before she pulled the bottle free of the bag. Sitting down, she worked the cork free of the bottle and extended her tongue in a tiny lick. "Mmm, not poison. I think Maud got it right in one. We could get Paul back on his feet with this."

Flint crossed his arms. "Ain't no way you're giving no friend of mine some shit a necromancer pissed out at us."

Tree looked over Flint and the downed form of Paul. "If it means that much to you, Flint, he can sleep until morning. I should be able to make him cool again then."

Fast rolled her shoulders. "Just as well. I'm fairly certain, but why risk someone already at death's door." She flipped the bottle over, landing neck first in her snout. She chugged it down with loud gulps despite Flint's look of apprehension. Her wounds sealed quickly before their eyes, restoring her to a perfect example of vim and vigor. "Not very pleasant tasting, but who buys them for that?"

Flint threw up a hand. "Even if it did work, you're going into debt to evil. Is that worth it?"

Maud rolled a hoof. "If he's a bad man, than we just used a potion he won't have later, and took other things from him." She picked up the bag on the ground and upturned it, letting some coins fall to the ground.

Fast chuckled softly. "Maud's right. It was given freely, and won't go towards any evil he may have in mind. Did you want to try tackling him to the ground right there? His friend would have ripped us in half."

Tree Hugger looked confused. "What's wrong with that dude? He was mostly polite, and he thanked us for being righteous."

Flint settled beside Paul. "Sot it all. I'll let that one go. You didn't die or nothin', guess he was just doin' right by whatever twisted rules he follows."

Tree looked to Fast. "Lay it on me. You've lived here a lot longer than me. What's a necromancer?"

Fast let out a slow sigh. "Well, some use their magic to animate the dead into a mockery of life, like puppets. The things we fought were those, undead. They were the worst kind, that still have minds, and use them to hunt the living. While some undead happen on their own, necromancers think they can gain power by creating and controlling the beasts."

Maud seemed to consider the matter a moment, but said nothing.

They all settled to rest, and found it easily. The next morning Paul was still out, but Tree could, and did, mend him. His sorely tested friend wasn't too difficult to rouse, and was soon on his feet, wobbling but whole. "What happened? Did I bitch the whole thin' up?"

Flint clapped him on the back, almost knocking him over. "You were brave and stupid. They often go together, so don't sweat it. Welcome to adventuring."

Fast burst into a genuine laugh. "I'll second that. You're a true adventurer now, Paul."

Tree clopped her hooves with the good cheer spreading around. "You were very brave. You might have saved us, Paul."

Maud nodded lightly. "You didn't die."

Paul put a hand behind his back, looking all the more awkward at their praises. "I couldn't do nothin'. You were all in huge trouble and there I was just standin' there... I don't want to be helpless, not when y'all need someone at yer side that's ready t'do somethin'."

Flint grabbed for one of Paul's hand in a sudden shake. "Then you'll get yer wish. Soon as we get our hands on 'em, I'll start showin' you around a blade. Just promise me you won't be chargin' nothin' with a stick, right?"

With their wounds stable and their objective clear, they mounted up and resumed their journey. No other strangers dashed across their path, nor patrols came into view, allowing them to reach the stairs Tree and Maud had emerged into Everglow from. Without knowing where it was, it was fairly well concealed into its surroundings, but the guidance of the two took them directly to it, and the dark secrets that promised beyond the crumbling steps.

Maud circled the stairs once before nodding. "This is it." She stepped down without delay, picking her way slowly. "Watch out for where there aren't stairs." She vanished from sight quickly, sliding out of sight.

Tree gestured forward. "The last half of stairs is nothing but rubble and stuff. Just take it easy, alright?" Stepping down, she began to pick her way down carefully, with the others coming down behind her. As they reached where the stairs ended and the slope began, she tried to set her hoof on the most sure part she could find, just to slide down the remainder of the stairs with a squeak. 

She came to a stop as she slid several feet to Maud's hooves. She soon had company. Paul slid down just as gracelessly and landed beside her, allowing Flint and Fast to come down in a more controlled fashion.

Maud reached a hoof out and helped Paul and Tree get their footing. "You should practice that."

"You're back!" The short blue figure from earlier came into view, his bulging eyes squinting at them dangerously. "I fixed my traps! No more walking around them. No no no!" With a cackle, he ran off into the dark, withdrawing from the meager light around them easily.

Flint peered after the little man. "Someone you've met before?"

Tree nodded with a sigh. "Little dude thought he could stop us from getting out with totally gnarly traps before, but we got around them and it really tweaked his day. I guess he's ready to try again."

Fast scowled a bit as she brought out a torch and struck it to a brilliant light. "We're going into proper darkness, light them if you have them. Tree, use your magic. Maud, take point. Let's take this nice and slow. We're not in a hurry and being fast and dead isn't worth the trouble."

Maud took the lead without objection, with Tree following a few steps behind her, eyes scanning across the ground and walls for traps.

Flint's whistle brought them to a stop. He pointed to the ceiling, where a large black blade swayed precariously, waiting to come down on the uwary. The group split up, some going left and others right, but both avoiding the channel of the scythe.

A moment too late, Tree Hugger saw the faint outline of a channel alongside the walls. Before she could even call out, serrated blades popped free of them, sending them diving for safety, which put them in line for the original blade that swung down at them with a soft click.

The trap maker hadn't been lying.