July Event: In the Shadow of Despair

July Event: In the Shadow of Despair

Despite the guards’ and volunteers’ best efforts, it wasn’t long before everypony knew some of the infected were on the loose. Unease spread throughout the city. Many ponies shut themselves away inside. Even the infected seemed distressed, gathering in crowds around the quarantine barriers. In spite of all their hardships, the infected didn’t want to spread the condition. Not only did it mean more suffering, but it also meant a cure was less likely to be found. The stress of the situation sat heavy over the Crystal Empire like a wet drape. For many, this scenario was the beginning of the end.

Among the crowd of infected, a pony hunched over suddenly, his face obscured by his mane. A hiss came from his figure.

“This despair…it is just what we were waiting for,” came words mingled with a moan.

He lifted his head, revealing that his facial features had morphed into a somewhat skeletal appearance. Smoke billowed from his eyes and his mane took on the same vapor-like form.

“Now is our chance! Destroy the heart! Drown these ponies in despair!’ He shrieked. A few more infected hunched and spasmed. They too revealed changed faces, grinning in only the way a skeleton could.

A handful of the warped infected jumped the fence and dashed toward the heart of the Empire. The rest began to destroy the quarantine barriers and terrorize nearby infected and uninfected alike. The more panicked the ponies became, the more warped infected seem to appear. Guards rushed to engage them, but for every one that met a warped infected in combat, another seemed to stumble in confusion. Their eyes glazed over and suddenly they were lost in a world no one else could see. They would scream and cry, fighting or running from invisible forces or foes. This was more than wild magic at work…this was something much darker at play. And the Crystal Empire was now teetering on the brink of destruction. 

Interactive Event: Click here to learn more!

Monthly Prompt: Show your character reacting to the turning infected. Do they run from them? Try to chase them down? Do they try to keep the barriers up? Do they try to bring other terrified ponies to safety?

All entries are due at 11:59PM EST on July 31st!