//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Tyrant's Demise // Story: Dead Anon // by Bastinator //------------------------------// “Ladies first.” His body disappears in a flash of light and you duck just in time to avoid his fist. You pull him over the top and deliver a quick punch to the chest. He raises a hand towards you and sends out a telekinetic burst blasting you back. You managed to raise a shield in time to deflect most of the damage, but it’s merely a Band-Aid. ”Stay still,” his voice commands in your head. He throws a projectile towards your paralyzed form. You thrust him out of your mind and duck just in time for it to pass over. He throws his hand upwards as he commands his missile to turn about. You charge him while he’s occupied and slam your shoulder just below his ribs. You land atop him, your head caught under his arm. He uses his free hand to deliver a series of punches to your side, his projectile hitting the ceiling and delivering a hail of stone. You grimace as your bones begin to bruise, but he has you pinned in this position. In a ditch effort you hit him in his most vulnerable spot and get out of there while you can. His eyes burn in anger as he gets to his feet. Throwing his arm towards you, a small dagger trains in on your chest. It hits you square in the middle, piercing the skin and stopping at the bone. You tear it out and look up to watch his fist collide with your face. You plant your hand on the ground and swivel your hips, swiping his feet out from under him. You stab at him while he’s down, but his hand intercepts yours. You push further and further, the point inches from his neck. His body begins to quake and he throws you back in a bout of strength. You stand up and prepare yourself as he closes in. You sling the knife back at him, the metal melting around him. So that’s how it’s going to be. You put up a shield of your own and go in on the left. It connects with his side as he knees you in the chest. His hand slaps you down further to the ground. You block his foot, the force rolling you over to your stomach, allowing you to pounce at his leg and tip him onto his back. A jet from flame erupts from the ground as you close in. He gets further and further away as you rocket away and into the wall. You land on your stomach, your chest seared to a crisp. “He is no match for a living god. Take this to heart.” You push off the ground, wiping the dust off your pants, a breeze running across your barren chest. “Was that it?” He looks back to you, the smirk on his face gone. “Shame, I liked this shirt.” You jump on your toes akin to a boxer, your fists at the ready. “Let’s get serious.” He holds out his hand, a battle axe forming his hand. You try to find where you left your sword, the pony having vanished. ”Come here!” Another wave throws you towards him as he readies his axe. You subdue the flame with one hand and roll under his cleave. Your fist meets his stomach, Anonymous wheezing at the blow, and you jump behind him. You widen your hands and bring them together with a massive clap, the air knocking him head first into the floor. He doesn’t move. Did he slit his throat on his axe? ”That was nice, I’ll admit.” He reaches his feet and pats the back of his axe in his palm. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.” You charge at him, your body freezing again. He brings his weapon down just as you free yourself from his control. You back away, Anonymous coming in and coming in hard. He’s not only using his strength but speed as well. The crowd parts as he pins you closer to the wall. ”ANON Catch!” You catch your blade and block, your weapons meeting for the first time. He pushes in and you push right back, his face red with exertion. You lean against the wall, his overbearing strength slowly forcing you down. You focus your mind as you reach the floor and throw yourself between his legs with seconds to spare. You wish you’d saw his face. He swings around and charges in, a dark mist coating his weapon’s edge. So he wants to play like that. ‘With the stars blinding light, lend me its power and help me fight the darkness.’ You meet his axe as you both charge, sparks tossed around of mystical nature. ”Impossible!” You parry and kick him in the chest, knocking the air out of him. Light radiates from your sword as it gathers further strength. “This is for Celestia.” He roars in anger and swings, your blade cutting through his own. You pull a shard from the air and slice down, Anonymous jumping back. You smile, his blood dripping off the broken piece. “Thank you Celestia,” you mutter to yourself, her strength dealing the first real blow to him. ”That wench deserved what happened to her, just like your girlfriend.” The light vanishes as he starts to get to you. “Don’t speak of her to me.” ”You must’ve been pretty desperate to get with a bug.” Oh he fucking didn’t. That bastards dead. You charge forward, rage imbued with every step and thrust forward. ”Anon wait!” You stab clean through him, his form evaporating into mist. ”It’s a trick.” He strikes at the base of your neck, your body collapsing as your body tries to recuperate. Your sword slides out of your hands and he tips you over, your own weapon pointing down at you. ”Pathetic.” The floor works around your wrists and solidify, trapping you to the floor. ”I expected something more.” The doors creak open and you turn to look, the three of them coming back. Luna finds her way to them and Anonymous grips your chin and turns it towards him. ”You’re just as helpless as you were back when I found you. Did you seriously think you had a shot against me?” He lets go and turns his back, “Or did you already know that?” You look back to your comrades pleadingly, Luna looking back to you. ”Perhaps you sought something else to help you.” She shakes her head, “Something that failed to defeat the lord of chaos again.” He snaps once more, magic permeating the air as he brings the elements to his grasp. ”These pesky items are little more than relics of an age of peace, but they still hold influence.” He grabs the tiara in his hand and squeezes, the gem straining and eventually- *crack* -breaking. “NO!” Trixie screams at his display, the others holding her back. He breaks them one by one, the elements little more than dust. ”Do you see? You have no hope. Just give up.” You don’t why, but you laugh. “At least he sees the humor in it.” “You’re so blind…” ”I’m victorious.” You stare at him defiantly. “The elements cannot be destroyed, for their virtues lie within us all, and no matter how much you squeeze, you will not defeat our will.” ”Then I’ll get someone else to do it for me.” He gathers the blood from his wound in his hand and gets closer to you. ”There are some fates worse than death. Allow me to introduce you to one.” You squirm as he presses his hand against your mouth. ”Do bite, please, give me what I want.” You can’t let him do this. You don’t want this! ”Is that fear I see? Drink deep Anon. DO IT!” His voice echoes in your head, but you can’t… you… do. The taste drives you insane, like crack to an addict. You begin to suckle at his hand like a child to their mother’s tit. Stop it! Please stop. But your body doesn’t, it just keeps going. ”Good boy. Let it sink deep.” You scream as you regain control of your body, the bonds shattering as you plunge forward. You can feel it, the pain… it’s already in you. It’s not too late, you can- “GAAAH!” You dig your fingers into the floor as your blood ignites and freezes in seconds. Your friends try to help, but Anonymous keeps them back, “Watch. Anon is evolving.” Every fiber of your being feels like its being torn apart and dunked in acid. You grip your hair, tufts of it falling off in droves. “Please help him!” ”No can do kiddos. I’m enjoying the show.” Your bones crack and expand as you grow. Your muscles bulge obscenely before compounding back in on themselves. “Get out while you ca- AAAH!” Your vision darkens and the world grows red… You watch in horror as your skin cracks away and obsidian scales shoot up from within. Your fingers blister and stretch, the points sharpening to that off talons. “Kill me please!” Your teeth sharpen into an intimidating maw of visceral knives. ”I gave you the choice, and you chose this.” Everything just… seems so- simple. Blood, death, hunger, feast. How could you not see it for what it is? You get to your feet, your claws tearing through the floor. “I want more.” Anonymous points to four meatbags standing close to the center. ”Have fun.” You grin menacingly and lunge at them, swatting the bigger one away with your hand. The flying one kicks you in the face, and you just meet the fool with a gaze of your blood red eyes. “Let’s play!” She takes up to the sky and you leap after her and cling to the ceiling, “Anon it’s us!” “Too slow,” you swipe at her, barely missing. You love your food to run. It keeps you in shape. ”It’s me, Spitfire.” “That’s an odd way to say ‘food.’” You send her crashing to the floor with a heavy thud. You poke her, the flying one not moving. “Anon you’re a monster!” the tall skinny one laughs. “Look, he wants to play too.” ”Anon, are you in there?” You stop inches away from him, the nice smelling one staring back at you. ”Stop this madness. We’re your friends.” “Friends? Can you hurt friends?” “No Anon, you can’t.” “Then I guess we’re not friends!” You head butt him, his horn stabbing under one of your scales harmlessly. “Fun fun fun. I want more!” “There’s one more my little abomination,” the tall one points out, his meaty finger outstretched. You can almost taste it… He points to the last one cowering before you, her star scattered coat not quite as lovely without blood on it. You leap on her, a strand of saliva falling from your teeth and onto her shivering form. ”Where do you get your strength?” What an interesting question. It deserves an interesting answer. “The blood of my enemies, silly.” ”I know you’re better than this. Anon wouldn’t let this form control him.” You growl happily at her fear, almost as delicious as her flesh must taste. You lick your lips and drag your finger along the soft flesh of her stomach. ”Anon’s not a monster. He’s my friend.” Her skin is so weak, just an ounce of pressure would yield the most savory of meat. You trace up her body, her stomach, chest, neck… neck. A soft glow captures your attention. This gem- it’s captivating. ”I grow tired of this. Anon kill her.” You feel strange, an ache growing in your skull. The ache amplifies into a migraine and you grip your head to make it go away. ”I said kill her Anon! I’m waiting!” It’s… W- why’s everything… Oh. Trixie looks up at you, “Anon?” You place your hand on her chest, her heart pounding away. “I get it from in here.” She smiles and relaxes as you stand back up and look to Anonymous. “I am not a monster. I am not an abomination.” You tighten your corrupted fist, a spark igniting within. “I am Anon. I am a hero, and I will defeat you.” “It’s always something with you hero types. You never know to stay down.” The air detonates around you in a snap of his fingers, but when the smoke clears you stand unwavering. “You know, there’s one more element that you may not know about. Far more powerful than the others.” Lightning erupts from your hand and strikes Anonymous who quickly shields himself. He turns to his side to find your fist already on a collision course. “The element of Surprise!” He’s thrown clear across the room, stars floating around his head. He summons two midgets in cloaks to fight you, “GET HIM!” They throw telekinetic waves and barriers against you, but you walk right through such puny attacks. You pick up one and break his back over your knee, the other you sink your teeth into his neck and rip out his throat. Anonymous’s breathing is erratic as he summons two large knights, each a little taller than yourself. You tear through them with a single swipe of your claws, their bodies dissolving. “MORE MORE!” He exerts all of his power, a dozen xenomorphs sprouting from the ground on all sides. ”Stall him!” he screams before making a mad dash for the throne. “Good, let’s go.” The xenos attack and you slice the first one in half, his acidic blood having trouble melting through your hardy scales. A tail imbeds in your back and you reach back and rip him off, crushing two more with his tail. Another xenomorph lunges at you before exploding in a yellow mist. Trixie takes up position beside you, soon joined by Spitfire, Luna and Mr. Light. ”Kick his ass Anon.” You charge through the fray and go straight for Anonymous. ”No you don’t!” he hollers, jets of molten rock and fire spawning from below. You move straight through them, your speed only matched by your ferocity. He sends orbs, paralyzing bolts, waves of flame, each as useless as the last. He slams his fist on the chair, a trap door giving way beneath you. You shove your hand to the ground and throw yourself over the hole, Anonymous just below you. “No rancor stew today.” The ground quakes at your landing and you slam Anonymous back into his throne. He tries to catch your punch, but that only works if you’re the stronger one. His bones shatters as you nearly snap his arm clean off. His screams are music to your ears, even managing to rival Octavia’s sweet melody. “You could’ve given up, but you had to keep pushing and pushing…” You slam his head into the wall two more times before giving him a break. “Sometime’s the world pushes back.” You land a devastating attack on his stomach, blood erupting from his mouth. “And with interest it looks like.” He reaches towards the guards for help, but they’ve already fled for their lives. You’re already on a power high as it is. “I am going to make things right. All the people you hurt are going to be safe again. This soulstone is toast,” you say picking it up. “You don’t know what that’ll *cough* do.” “I don’t care. They’ll be free, whether of pain or this shell is unimportant. It’s better than an eternity of captivity. I know that.” At least you had a recreation area. “But first, I still have something to do.” You punch him in the face, breaking his nose. “That’s for Vic, the douche you don’t even know.” Another . “For Octavia, who’s life you ruined.” Another. “For all the people you caused pain.” You impale your hand into his chest, his life almost ended. “For your brother, the hero who should’ve finished you in the first place.” You find his heart, each beat causing him exorbitant amounts of pain. “And this?” You grip his beating heart, Anonymous’s eyes go wide, “This is for Chrysalis.” You tear it from his body, the tyrant falling dead on his throne. “You motherfucker.” It’s over. It’s finally finished. His machinations fade with him into Tartarus. The warden will take extra special care of him. ”Are you alright Anon?” Luna asks as they come up behind you. “I got a souvenir,” you say grinning at his heart. ”You know what you have to do.” “Destroy it? Seriously? The item that could give me powers beyond imagination and you just want me to throw it away?” You catch the fear in her eyes and shrug your shoulders. “Alright.” You squeeze the heart dry until only the useless husk remains. ”You had us worried there for a minute,” Light gasps. “Well, I can’t say that this wasn’t a total loss.” The others examine your corrupted body, your mind the sole survivor of the transformation. “I’m sorry if I hurt any of you.” ”It’s ok. It all worked out in the end,” Trixie adds. “Thank you, if it wasn’t for you… Things might’ve ended differently.” ”I guess there was a reason you gave this to me after all.” “Fool’s luck.” You look down to your black claws, then to the stone. “There’s only one thing left to do.” You pick up the stone, the voices of the captives echoing from within. ”Will just breaking it be enough? What if it does some freaky magic stuff?” Spitfire asks. “We’ll never know until we try.” You sit down on the throne with the stone in your hands, “Well if it does, I want you all to know that drinks are on me.” “I might hold you to that,” you begin putting pressure on the stone, “See you all on the other side.” You strain as you put more force into cracking it open. You pour every ounce of your strength into destroying it, and when that doesn’t seem to be enough, you call upon magic. Adrenaline pumps through your muscles, but it doesn’t seem to- The crystal begins to crack at your onslaught. Just give it some more juice. They watch as it’s close to breaking. It’s…. almost… *crack* A white light engulfs you, and then? Darkness… You take a deep breathe, your chest pounding painfully. You roll to your back on the dew-covered grass. Things aren’t red anymore, you can see clearly. You look at your hands. It’s gone. You’re back to normal. You lay your head back, listening to the gentle rhythm of your heart… Your eyes shoot open and you lean up. You press your hand on your chest. Could it be? Ba bum. Ba bum. Ba bum. It’s done. By some miracle, you’re back in flesh and blood. You leap into the air in a fit of joy, doing a little jig for good measure. A shot rings out across the forest you find yourself in, birds crying and fleeing. You tear yourself out of your celebration. Ponies don’t own firearms. Especially firearms that sound like that. Another shot rings out, the sound definitely familiar. Was that… a pulse rifle?