Chapter 18
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Isaac held on for dear life as the Leviathan hoisted one of its bug-like legs into the air,before slamming back down on the ground with a deafening crash. Digging his blades into the thick skin of the beast, he continued to climb higher up the leg, occasionally taking a break due to the sheer size and difficulty of the task. Each time he slammed his blade it took almost his full strength just to pierce the Leviathans body, the blade only going a few inches deep, not even drawing blood. From his viewpoint he could see the rest of the army at the other end of the valley, tending to wounded and readying themselves should this all go downhill. Isaac's soul bomb still strapped to his back, it's near-weightlessness making his trip a little easier. But with no idea where to place the bomb, he aimed for the beasts' eyes.
"Shining....Shining how long until the Leviathan reaches you?" Isaac said between sharp breaths, the familiar crackle of his communicator brought a response a few seconds later.
"Judging by the distance, about 5 minutes, give or take a few. But we'll fall back if you need more time."
"No, I can do this. I need to." Looking down towards the ground, Isaac noticed how far he'd come in the past few minutes. Being almost at the joint of the massive leg, Isaac found confidence, and pushed himself to the limit to travel further. His forelegs aching, his fear of losing almost overwhelming him, Isaac thought of everything he had to lose and promised to himself that he would succeed. He had finally made it to the main body of the beast, and upon seeing the red eyes, hastily made it towards the bulging, demonic circles. But unfortunately Isaac saw that the Leviathan was looking right at him, all three eyes focused on him and he found himself frozen on the spot, his blades still inside the thick hide of the monster.
"Shining....You may want to take a few steps back..." Isaac said into his communicator, but a crackly response was not what met his ears. Instead, a deafening growl struck him, Isaac turned around to check his surroundings, and found another large leg sprout out of the Leviathan's body. With a yelp, Isaac was grabbed and hoisted into the air, the jagged limb slicing into his body. Isaac screamed in pain as he was disoriented and flung around, one of the blades strapped to Isaac's hoofs flung off and descended towards the ground below.
"Come on! Come on!!!" Isaac yelled to himself as he attempted to get his bearings. After a few more seconds of dizziness, the colt found himself staring into the circular, gaping maw of the beast, its multiple jagged teeth shifting and bumping into each other above him. And he was helpless as he found himself thrown upwards into the mouth, the teeth instantly clenching shut behind him, creating a pitch black area around him as he landed on one of the large teeth.
"Ah, dammit....Shining. This is gonna take a little longer than I hoped..."
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"Twilight! You and your friends need to see this!" Shining Armor called out to his sister as he stood beside Celestia, both of them with scratches and cuts from battle, and their armor chipped and damaged. Twilight stared back at her brother before calling out to her friends, who were all helping around the site. Upon exiting one of the large tents, Twilight looked on in horror as a large limb sprouted out of the Leviathan. Noticing Isaac who was now almost at the eyes of the beast, she called out in vain as the tentacle grasped the unicorn and thrashed around.
"Irrie?...... No!!" Fluttershy screamed, being held back by a terrified Applejack. The mare felt completely helpless as she saw her coltfriend get thrown around as he was scraped and scratched by the jagged limb, looking around, she saw that the others were in just as much shock as the limb carried Isaac towards its gaping maw. And cried out in horror as he was thrust upwards, the teeth clearly visible as they extended, and swallowed the white colt whole.
"Isaac!?..... Isaac we can't wait much longer! Isaac!" Shining called into his communicator as he looked over to a hysterical Fluttershy, Twilight holding her close as the other mares stared at the beast taking another step, the ground shaking as it's leg slammed into the ground. Shining made his way over to the yellow pegasus, her eyes bloodshot from crying. He gave her his best reassuring smile as he placed his hoof on her shoulder.
"He's still alive Fluttershy. He's in there, and he'll get it done." Fluttershy wiped her tears away as she glanced at Shining Armour, then smiling back as she heard the news that he was still alive.
"Shining...I'd like to talk to him...If that's okay.." The timid mare felt reassured as the colt took off his communicator and connected it to Fluttershy, holding a hoof on her ear, she talked into the device, praying for any kind of response.
"Irrie? Irrie it's me...Are you there?" Fluttershy waited a few seconds before her expression changed to sadness, fresh tears falling as she began to lose hope. Her pink mane wet with the light rain that still fell from the clouds above.
"Fluttershy? Is that you?!" The yellow mares ears perked up as she beamed and spoke back to her coltfriend.
"Irrie! Are you okay!?"
"I'm fine....It stinks in here though, ugh..." She chuckled lightly as she heard the witty response, but her smile faded when her next response came.
"Irrie...If one of us doesn't make it, I...." She found herself stopped as a crackled reply interrupted her.
"No. Fluttershy, I WILL see you again. I promised that I would come back, and i'm going to keep it." Fluttershy didn't change her expression, she simply looked towards the Leviathan, which edged closer with every second. She found herself surrounded by her friends and other allies. The army seeming to form once more, Celestia, Shining Amour and her friends stood next to her as the army formed behind her. Every soldier able to walk stood by each other as they prayed for Isaac to return safely.
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Isaac lit up his horn as he continued onward inside the beast, it's foul stench filling the air as he walked around, looking for a way out. He narrowed his eyes at a small passageway to his right, and with no other option, followed it deeper into the Leviathan. Shifting through the passageway, he made sure his soul bomb was attached, after confirming this. He shone his light through the tunnel, and appeared on the other side of a large chamber. As the unicorn made his way into the new area, he saw a red light at the other end of the cave.
"So, you're Celestia's champion?" An ominous, deep voice was heard from the other end of the chamber, Isaac wanted to plant his bomb then and there, but felt drawn towards the source. As he got closer to the red glow in the distance, he noticed a large pony, surrounded by spherical rocks with strange symbols.
"Who the hell are you?" Isaac was terrified, but stayed strong as he conversed with the dark figure. The area felt instantly darker and more eerie as the colt looked up, two fiery red eyes almost lit up the room as he opened them.
"Oh who I am doesn't matter, nor does this conversation. I am the future ruler of Equestria. That is all you need to know." The colt's look of confidence and evil faded for a second when he noticed the glowing green orb attached to Isaac's back.
"Now, what have we here?"
"Let me ask you something first, then i'll tell you." Isaac spoke with confidence in his voice, despite the fear inside of him.
"Why are you doing this? Why kill so many, let loose this...Beast, let it run rampant?"
"So naive, just like Celestia." The figure laughed maniacally as he continued. "The Leviathan is under MY control. I do this for my own reasons, you might call it...Greed? Evil? A desire for power? All of these are my reasons, but it matters not. I will have this land, and I. Will. Kill. Celestia."
Isaac was taken aback by the fact that the reasons were so simple, and not some complex plan. The white colt pondered to himself for a moment before the bellowing voice of the figure spoke up once again.
"Now. Answer my question. What are you?" Isaac let a smirk slide across his face before bringing the soul bomb in front of him, standing up on his back legs, he lifted the orb into the air before throwing it into the wall of the chamber.
"I'm just a soldier, but sometimes. That's all it takes." And with that he turned tail and ran back out of the chamber. Blood Horn looked around in a panic as the Leviathan let out another deafening cry as its insides began to burn where the white unicorn threw his soul bomb. Isaac, meanwhile, was almost back at the mouth of the beast when his heart began to burn. He let out a wail of pain as his chest felt like it was on fire, but just as quickly as it arrived, the pain disappeared. Isaac had made it to the floor of teeth that blocked his exit, and desperate to leave, began smashing his hoofs on them in an effort to move them. However, he paused when he heard a cry of rage from the figure he had met earlier, and the flesh around Isaac began to burn and disappear in a flurry of red and orange ashes. He saw the light of the outside creep back to him as dozens of gaping holes burnt their way through the Leviathan. Unfortunately for Isaac he came to a sudden realization. The teeth had also disintegrated. And with a yelp, Isaac began to plummet towards the ground.
"Uhhh...Shining? Help?"
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"Look! There!" Rainbow cried out upon noticing a large flash appear in the side of the Leviathan, it's deafening roar causing the army to hold their ears, some even grunting and collapsing due to the sheer volume. Everyone was so mesmerized by the display of fire and ash from the burning monster, only Fluttershy saw Shining Armour turning and holding a hoof up to his ear.
"Isaac, Isaac what do you mean, 'help'?"
"Shining? What happened?" Fluttershy's soft voice made the captain jump, he took once glance at the mare before looking back towards the Leviathan, and from it's underside he saw a small blip appear, a small blip with gleaming silver-green armor. Shining called out to Celestia, who had also seen Isaac. The two began to charge towards the fiery being, quickly being followed by Fluttershy and her six friends. Most of the army looked on as the small group ran into the distance, but the remnants of Isaac's entire remaining unit looked at each other before following.
"Celestia! Do something!" Shining called out to the princess, who instantly spread her wings and bolted towards the falling colt, dodging falling pieces of black flesh as she flew straight at Isaac, who was now silent and had his eyes closed. Believing the fall to be his end, he braced himself for the impact, only to feel himself in the hooves of a very familiar alicorn.
"You took your time." The unicorn said between sharp breaths, Celestia smiled as she landed back next to the main group, Isaac shifted his way out of the alicorns hoofs and landed on the ground. He was about to collapse from exhaustion, but upon seeing Fluttershy, his heart soared as she grabbed him and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Told you i'd come back." Isaac said with a smirk, too busy enjoying his reuniting with his mare to see Celestia's look of deep confusion. After a few more seconds, Isaac let Fluttershy go as he turned to Shining Armour, only to see him staring at the princess, still stunned by something.
"I don't understand, you should be...."
"Dead?"
"No....The bomb you made, rips the soul in two. You should just be a shadow of your former self.."
"A stubborn enough pony can survive just about anything. Besides, I've got a lot to live for now." Isaac smiled as he turned back to Fluttershy, blushing deeply after seeing her coltfriend again. Isaac heard a cheer as his army celebrated their victory in the background, the other five mares smiling happily at him, one or two even going a bit glassy eyed at the meeting. The group was about to leave when Isaac noticed a shifting in the pile of ashes formed from the remnants of the Leviathan. He turned to hear a sharp, terrifying voice.
"DIE CELESTIA!!!" A split second later, a red bolt of magic flew out of the ashes, narrowly missing the princess. The ashes quickly gave way to a large black colt, several cuts ran along his body, and his orange mane blackened and singed from the heat of the bomb. Shining Armour moved a few meters closer to the colt, shouting towards him.
"Give up Blood Horn! You've lost!"
"No! Equestria is MINE!" Blood Horn fired another bolt straight towards Celestia, the red beam slicing through the air. Isaac made a split second decision and, lighting up his horn, dove inbetween the bolt of magic and the Princess. The two colts locked in a duel. Isaac's green beam emitting from his own horn met in a flash of white light. The army looked on, stunned by the display and not knowing what to do, they watched on as the pair fought. Isaac's magic rivaled Blood Horns', but the power he put into making the soul bomb and the climb up the Leviathan took most of the energy out of him. Blood Horn laughed as he overpowered Isaac and sent him flying to one side, Isaac let out a wail of pain as Blood Horns' beam met his horn, and broke it in two. The blast caused by the fight had sent sparks flying and a loud shockwave across the valley, knocking everypony down.
null (Great end music if you guys want it)
Isaac lay helpless on the ground as Blood Horn moved closer towards the first pony in sight, which happened to be Fluttershy, she lay shaking on the ground as the black colt readied his magic to begin his slaughter, but he found himself knocked to one side by a sudden force. Isaac made his way over to Blood Horn, but another strike of pain flowed through him as he saw Blood Horn about to kill the yellow pegasus. He looked towards the fallen colt with such anger and such rage that he had never felt before in his life, and as the blood dripped from his the shattered remnants of his horn, Isaac's rage got the best of him.
"You. Will not. Hurt. My. Friends!!!" Isaac screamed to the air as his white coat suddenly became a pitch black, Isaac had his eyes closed while the process began to change him. Celestia beckoned everypony to move back as dark clouds surrounded Isaac,
"Get back! Get back!"
"I was afraid of this." Celestia thought too herself as the colt changed in front of them. The healed scars now reopening as blood poured from the wounds, and two large gashes appeared that forced Isaac to scream sprouted a pair of large, demonic wings. Isaac opened his eyes to Blood Horn who stood still, completely stunned by the event taking place. Isaac opened his eyes to reveal crimson retinas surrounded by completely black areas that where once white. Blood Horn was about to charge up his magic to finish the job, but was instantly thrown off his hooves, a result of a rage-filled Isaac slamming into him.
"What...What are you?!"
"I'm just a guy. Who got a second chance." Isaac stretched his red and black wings and took off, flying straight at Blood Horn. The evil pony attempted to fire another bolt, but was instantly taken into the air by Isaac, smashing him in the face again and again as he flew higher into the air. Isaac managed to hear Shining Armour call out on the communicator.
"Isaac! What are you doing!?" Isaac thought to himself for a few moments before replying.
"I'm making sure he never hurts anyone again."
"But he's finished! Let us take him back to Canterlot!"
"I can't do that, Shining! I'm finishing this! Now!" And with that, Isaac threw Blood Horn towards the ground, divebombing after him as they fell. Isaac pushed himself closer with his wings and grabbed hold of the large colt once again, before thrusting the jagged remains of his horn into his chest. Blood Horn let out a wail of pain as the two inched closer and closer to the ground. A few more seconds passed and Isaac heard Fluttershy call out to him as they hit the ground. Isaac heard a couple of satisfying cracks as Blood Horn crashed into the earth below, blood pouring from the wound Isaac caused. Isaac felt like it was finally over, until he realized one of the cracks, came from him. The bones in his spine became cracked and broken, and Isaac felt himself slip in and out of consciousness. Looking over to his right, he saw Fluttershy grab a hold of him and bury herself in his chest.
"It's over....No more fighting..." Isaac felt his coat change back to the grey color he had began with, his demonic wings still present, and his horn still broken. Fluttershy sat crying next to him as he stroked her mane.
"Please don't go, Irrie....Please..." Fluttershy sobbed as she looked at the dying colt, he continued to stroke her mane, coughing up blood as he spoke.
"Hey, it's alright...We had fun though, didn't we?"
"I..I don't want you to leave me....I want more time...." Isaac turned to face Fluttershy, a sad smile evident on his face as the other ponies watched. Some crying, some smiling back at him. But all of them clearly devastated.
"I love you, Fluttershy...I....I...." Isaac felt his world go black as he tried to finish his last sentence, all of his energy drained from him as he tried to speak. As his heart stopped, Fluttershy cried deeply as she shouted at Celestia.
"Help him! Please help him!" Celestia felt there was nothing she could do, but the look in the crying mares eyes told her that she had to at least try and save him. Lighting up her horn, she placed it on Isaac's chest, jolting him with magic. No response.
"Do it again!"
Another jolt, no response.
Another jolt, no response.
Another jolt.....
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