//------------------------------// // An End to All Things // Story: The Temporal Shattering // by There Is Nothing Here //------------------------------// "Wake up Rainbow Dash. Welcome home..." The cyan Pegasus opened her bloodshot eyes. She looked around her, she saw nothing but darkness. She was back Alphion's Nightmare. "Great..." She thought to herself. "So. Rainbow Dash, you know, I find it a disappointment that you declined my offer. But that can't be helped, I see that you will never join me. But, you know the terms of our deal, if you didn't join me, you know what happens next." Rainbow Dash instantly jumped to her feet. She wasn't going to let Alphion decimate the soul of every pony in Equestria, not unless she fought until she was dead as well. "Oooh. You still have some energy left I see. Well, I'm too tired to finish you off now. Why don't you, go play with your friends?" Alphion laughed menacingly. Rainbow Dash felt herself fading away, she looked at the floor. She was being dragged down, by something. Her screams echoed throughout the halls of Alphion's lair. She awoke, cold and stiff, on a hard blue icy ground. She looked around her, this was, this was where she had suffered in Alphion's Nightmare before. This place would haunt her even in death. The mere thought of being chased by those illusions made her shriek. If only being chased by those illusion was a mere thought... The cyan Pegasus turned around, and 5 ponies stood behind her. Not just any ponies though, Alphion's forsaken illusion. "Hi Rainbow Dash. Master Alphion has instructed us to keep you company until he is ready to finish you off once and for all." Fluttershy said. "What do you say we help him out a bit?" Twilight said. "Sounds like a good plan to me dear." Rarity said. The 5 ponies looked at Rainbow Dash. The rainbow maned Pegasus slowly backed away from the damned illusions. Applejack stomped her hoof on the ground, making the ice crack. Small shards of ice flew through the air. Rainbow Dash looked in confusion at the 5 ponies. Then, Fluttershy jumped into the air and grabbed a shard of ice. She lunged at Rainbow Dash, sticking the ice right into her port wing. Rainbow Dash shrieked in pain. She attempted to move her wing, but she was in too much pain to budge it. Applejack stepped closer to her. She grabbed the Pegasus by the throat and began to choke her. Pinkie Pie took a step closer, and pulled a small knife out of the satchel on her back. She raised the knife, and began cutting into the cyan Pegasus. Rainbow Dash stuck out her leg and delivered a hard kick to Pinkie Pie's stomach. The knife flipped wildly into the air. Rainbow Dash jerked herself away from Applejack and move her into the path of the plummeting blade. The knife struck Applejack in the back of her neck. The earth pony fell to the ground, a pool of blood began to form around her. The 4 illusions stood silent as they looked at the corpse of the battered pony. "Oh you're in for it now Rainbow Dash." "What do you want from me Alphion?" "I have one final request of you." "No, I got you Rainbow Dash, I have no interest in helping you anymore. Just kill her and leave the ponies alone." "You will do what I tell you, or you can say goodbye to the rest of the ponies of Equestria." "..................." Rainbow Dash backed away from the remaining 4 illusions. "Come on, who's next." Fluttershy stopped. She opened her mouth and began to speak. "All of us." Just as those words were uttered the four illusions pounced on Rainbow Dash. "Hold her down." Fluttershy turned around, and took the knife out of Applejack's corpse. She slowly moved the knife towards Rainbow Dash's left eye. "I hope you can see fine with one eye." "I'd prefer not to." Rainbow Dash then spun around, freeing her legs from the other illusions grip. She then jumped off and knocked Fluttershy off her. "I've had enough of you." Fluttershy then raised her hoof and threw the knife at Rainbow Dash. Just as the knife was inches away from the Pegasus's face, it stopped. The blade stood suspended in mid-air. A black cloud of smoke formed around it, and Alphion appeared, blocked the knife. "Enough. Rainbow Dash, it's time." He grabbed the Pegasus by her throat, and dragged her down back into his lair. "This is the end for you Rainbow Dash. The end for you and every other living creature in Equestria." "Just get it over with Alphion. Kill us now and be done with it forever. Why risk me resisting and escaping again?" "Because there is no where for you to escape to now. You're alone here, there is no way for you to leave. So why would I end this quick when I could enjoy it?" "Of course you would say that." Rainbow Dash spoke in a very sarcastic tone. She was completely sick and tired of Alphion at this point. She didn't care if she died. She didn't care if her friends died. She just wanted the relief of death. Alphion raised his right arm. Small orbs of light began filling the room. Rainbow Dash looked around at the lit areas. Under the light, stood all the ponies of Equestria. Their eyes were all fixated on Rainbow Dash. All of their faces held the same expression, "help us." She looked at all these innocent ponies who had lost all hope, and all faith. The only light of hope was Rainbow Dash, who had given up as well. Rainbow Dash looked at the crowd of ponies, and slowly shook her head. "Aww. How touching. Now Rainbow Dash, there is some pony I want you to meet." Another light appeared next to Alphion. A pony stood next to him. It stepped into the light. "....................................................." "Blitz?" The red maned Pegasus didn't say anything. "What the hell is going on here?" Rainbow Dash looked at Blitz, then at Alphion, who stood there smiling. It couldn't be, Blitz was, with Alphion!? Blitz jumped down from her platform and landed a few feet away from Rainbow Dash. "Why Blitz. What the hell is wrong with you!" Rainbow Dash felt herself speaking in a very violent tone. The only pony in this world she trusted, was nothing more than one of Alphion's pawns. "I feel that you should know the whole truth before Alphion sends you to oblivion forever." Rainbow Dash stood at silence. Now she wanted nothing more than to knock this deranged pony into a coma. "I was Alphion's original choice as an agent. But, as a new being I had a choice. And I refused to help him. So then he created Sonic Spark as his new agent. Then, you were sent back to Equestria to find Alphion's agent. You assumed it was me, when it was actually Sonic Spark. You know what happened from there." The cyan Pegasus couldn't believe what she was hearing. Blitz was just another one of Alphion's creations. "Then, after Angealla resurrected us, that where the problem began. Angealla and Temporaz became weak not because of your resurrection, but because of mine. Angealla had resurrected a dark creation of Alphion, causing her and Temporaz to become weak. I knew what was happening, and I planned to tell you then. But one night, Alphion came to me while you were sleeping. He told me that Black Flare had been resurrected as his new agent. But he knew that he would fail. He asked me, that in exchange for you, he would leave Equestria alone. I couldn't refuse the offer, so I accepted." "You bitch. Why in hell would you listen to anything he said! He has been deceiving every pony for the longest time, but you trusted him!" "I am his creation, I could only resist trusting him for so long. So I tried over and over to bring you Alphion. Black Flare discovered our encampment because I told Black Flare where we were hiding. Even though you escaped, your good will made you go back." "Why Blitz, your responsible for the death of all of those innocent human ponies." "I'm doing what I was created to do." "Wait, if you were working with Alphion. That time, when Alphion fired that blast at me, you protected me." "All part of the plan. Because even if that blast had hit you, you would have gotten up and escaped. I wanted you to believe that I was still helping you and that I was gone. You trusted me, so you attacked Alphion later to avenge me and every pony else." "Blitz... I don't believe you. After everything we've been through, after all the nice things you've done, you're just another one of Alphion's creations." Alphion then spoke up. "How touching. But believe it Rainbow Dash, even if you won't join me, I still have Blitz. Ever since you defeated me before, this has been the plan from the beginning. To have you here, right now. Nothing you did changed that, with Blitz helping me, this went exactly as planned. And now, you get to watch the souls of your friends burn away into oblivion!" "No Alphion! We had a deal!" "Exactly Blitz. We HAD a deal, I'm cutting it short." Blitz looked helplessly at Rainbow Dash. "Do you see what you've done." Alphion then raised both of his arms, and black chains formed around Blitz's legs. "Rainbow Dash, I'd like to offer you one final deal." Blitz started to speak, but Alphion raised his arm and chained Blitz's mouth shut. "Kill Blitz, and I shall grant you and every other pony a swift death. Or instead, I can torture you all one by on until you all fade out of existence." Rainbow Dash slowly walked towards Blitz. She looked into Blitz's soft light blue eyes. She had the same innocent look she always had on her face. But, didn't hold this expression because she was innocent. It was because she wanted to be forgiven for her betrayal. Rainbow Dash lifted her hoof, and then put it back down. She lowered her head and squeezed her eyes shut. She clenched her teeth and lifted her front hooves. She grabbed Blitz's head, and snapped the Pegasus's neck. The cyan Pegasus collapsed to the floor, letting out heavy sobs. She looked up and saw Blitz hanging from the chains, with her head twisted to the side. There was blood dripping out of her mouth and neck. The only sound in the room was the blood dripping onto the floor. Alphion clapped his hands. "Fantastic Rainbow Dash, you gave a wonderful last memory to the ponies of Equestria." The cyan Pegasus looked at the ponies surrounding her. They all looked in horror at Rainbow Dash and at Blitz's corpse. The rainbow maned Pegasus flinched as she looked at the faces of the other ponies. "Well Rainbow Dash, it's time. I'll end you now! End you and every other living thing in Equestria!" Alphion cuffed his hands together and a purple ball began to form. Alphion's lair began to shake widly. Loud crackling noises could be heard as the orb grew. "GOODBYE RAINBOW DASH!" Just as Alphion prepared to fire the orb at her, he dropped his arms and fell to the ground. Rainbow Dash looked behind him. And there, Sonic Spark faded into existence and was floating behind Alphion. "R---Rainbow Dash. I can hold him back, come on. Go finish him now!" "But Sonic Spark! You'll fade away with him! I can't lose you too!" "It's ok. I accepted this fate long ago, I'm prepared to die if it means keep Equestria safe. Do it! You can't let them down! Not after everything we've been through." Rainbow Dash pulled the ice shard out of her wing. She rose up into the air, and charged full force at Alphion. A rainbow pulse formed behind her, and Rainbow Dash performed the hardest and fastest sonic rainboom she could muster, and crashed straight into Alphion's chest. "Aggggggggggghhhhh!" Alphion's bloodcurdling screams could be heard echoing throughout the room. He slowly faded away, screaming in agony as the last piece of the dark lord had faded away into oblivion. Sonic Spark landed in front of Rainbow Dash. She put her hoof on her shoulder. "Good luck." Sonic Spark smiled and faded away as well. Rainbow Dash began to smile. "It's over. Finally." The darkness around her began to fade, she closed her eyes and she faded away. Rainbow Dash opened her eyes. She looked around her, she was standing in Equestria, still frozen in time. Most of the land had shattered but it still existed. She looked around at the gray torn world. Then, a blue figure began appearing in front of her. As the figure became clearer, Rainbow Dash knew who it was. Temporaz. "Rainbow Dash, you have freed us all from the horrible fate. Alphion is gone, forever." "But, how. How are your here? What's going on." "With Alphion gone, darkness no longer rules over light. Angealla returned into existence and used her power to bring me back. She had a message for you before she disappeared again. Dear, Rainbow Dash. Thank you, as the spirit of light I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I wish I could live to see you, but without Temporaz, Equestria will be destroyed. I am giving all of my power to Temporaz, to make sure that time continues to move forward. Goodbye Rainbow Dash, I trust that you will keep Equestria safe from any darkness that may enter it from now on." Rainbow Dash didn't speak. She stood at silence before Temporaz. "I shall return to my dissension and get time going again. Eventually Equestria will heal itself and the ponies will begin to re-appear. "Wait, what about the human ponies? What about Anne?" "They will be returned to Earth as the Equestrian timeline is fixed. Goodbye Rainbow Dash, good luck." Temporaz faded away back into his dimension. I never did see Temporaz again, I didn't have to. Without Angealla and Alphion, there were no forces to make light or darkness more powerful. The ponies of Equestria have returned, and life has returned to normal. Every pony looks at me as a here, although I wish I could be treated normally again. I can only dream of being treated like a regular Pegasus again. Every night I lay in my bed and dream of times before Alphion, when I enjoyed being with my friends. I remember the good times I spent with Blitz and Sonic Spark. I only wish that they could be here now. If only Blitz had changed like Sonic Spark. I can only wish these things. I can only dream. I can only dream, of a time before, The Temporal Shattering.