Equestria: A Flux Tale

by Star Sage

Bonds

“Discord!” shouts a familiar, lovely voice, like the dawning of the sun, and you turn, as does your captor, to gaze upon the snow white visage of Celestia. Beside her are the Element Wielders, decked out with their shiny things, and above floated Spitfire and the Captain, all of whom just stared at the Chaos god, as he prepared to do whatever it was he planned to do to you.

“Ah, Celestia, it has been too long. And Twilight and her friends too. So good of you to come,” he said, instantly losing that angry expression, and causally waving his hand. Instantly you shot off towards a nearby tree, Discord probably intended on your smashing against it, now that he had some new toys to play with. Luckily for you, the Captain is fast as the blink of an eye while wearing his armor, and he was suddenly between you and the tree, catching you in his surprisingly soft hooves.

“Oh, spoil all my fun why don’t you,” said Discord as he stuck his tongue out at the Captain, before bringing his hands together and looking at Celestia and the Six.

“Heh, so, come to end my reign of terror I take it?” he asked, floating in the air, and then spinning so that he was looking at them upside down.

“Yes, we are. We will not allow you to continue to terrorize the ponies of Equestria, nor shall we allow you to take the life of the Little One,” she declared, as the Captain flew around Discord, giving him a wide berth, and then landing lightly beside his Princess, while setting you on his head.

“So, you actually care about that tiny thing? I should have known you’d find yourself some hard luck case to take in. Still, it’s not that important, just some business. I got my freedom, he loses his life, you know how it goes,” he said casually, smirking at you, making you grip the Captain’s mane tighter.

“Discord, we sentence you to return to the stone sleep. Now Twilight!” shouts Celestia, and behind her, you see the Mane Six floating a bit off the ground, as their bling shines with a light brighter than the moon overhead. That light from each of their elements swirl together over them, and begin to build to a crescendo that ends with a blast of rainbow color arcing over them towards Discord.

“Oh no, the Elements of Harmony, whatever shall I do?” said Discord in a mocking tone, holding up his hands and shaking them, even as the rainbow struck him, washing over him like water, and turning him back to the stone he’d been sealed in for all those centuries. Silence covered the clearing in the woods as every eye just stared at the statue, the sneer on it visible as your eyes adjusted back to the gloom of the night.

“Ah, that felt bracing,” said the statue suddenly, its stone cold skin moving with renewed life, and it’s arms swinging out. The ponies gaped at him, unable to believe their eyes as Discord, after being hit with the Elements of Harmony, resumed his flesh tones, the gray of the stone fading away.

“Oh please,” he said dismissively, “Did you really think that would work again? Fool me once, shame on Celestia and her dear little sister, fool me twice, shame on me for underestimating Sparkle and her friends. Fool me thrice and I must really be an idiot.”

“Princess?” asked Twilight, looking at her mentor for guidance. Obviously there was no backup plan for what to do now. None of them had considered what to do if the Elements failed, and now, face to face with the Chaos God, only one thing came to Celestia’s mind.

“Run,” she said quietly, and then folded her wings in front of her as Discord shot out a burst of his magic. A shield of some sort appeared before Celestia, her hooves gouging deep grooves in the ground as the blast still pushed her back, forcing the ponies, including the Captain to back up.

“I said run!” commanded Celestia as she recovered, and her horn glowed with awesome might. The night around her lit up like it was the noon day sun she had birthed inside her, before she let it loose as a beam of magic, which Discord countered with his own, his two hands brought together and letting lose a flow of power that slammed into Celestia’s, the two gods locked in combat, even as the ponies turned and fled.

The ponies tore through the undergrowth, nopony, or you, saying a thing. You’re too stunned by being rescued again, and they’re too stunned that their greatest weapon, the only thing that had ever stopped Discord, had failed. Behind, you could hear explosions of power as the collision of energies between the two deities continued to move and warp.

After several minutes of running, your group finally breaches the last barrier of civilization, and comes to a stop, everypony breathing hard, as even the Captain falls to the ground. All eyes, now that they don’t have to run, turn back towards the fight happening in the forest, as flashes of lightning fill the sky, and the war cries of gods echo through the air.

“What now?” you ask, as everypony starts to recover, and they all look at you, and then at each other. On every face is a look of worry, but also, confusion.

“I don’t…I don’t know. The Elements should have worked. They should have resealed Discord,” said Twilight.

“Well, they didn’t….they didn’t…and that means we should run, like the Princess said. Gather up everypony in Ponyville and get as far from Discord as we can while Celestia keeps him busy,” offered Rainbow Dash, falling back on the training she’d started as a Wonderbolt, which beat into her head that the most important thing in Equestria was the citizens, and if you couldn’t stop the threat, then get them out of the way of it.

“Good idea, Dash. Let’s go,” Spitfire told her, and Dash did one of those embarrassed smiles of hers as they both lifted off the ground, only to stop when they realized that nopony else was following them.

“Darlings, that’s a nice sentiment, but I don’t think it will do any good. I hate to bring it up, but we really can’t get away from him. Remember how far his power reached in a single day. Remember what he did to us…” said Rarity, and the two Wonderbolts looked at each other. It was true after all, Discord wasn’t something you could run from, and if you started running, then it was all over anyway.

“So then what do ya’ll think we should do? Come on ponies, we need an idea, a plan, somethin’ to help Celestia!” said Applejack, and again, everypony just looked at each other. Even the Captain beneath you didn’t seem to have any brainstorms, just looking down at the ground in front of him, as minds searched for something, anything that could help.

“I have a bad idea….a terrible idea, but if nopony else has one, then listen up,” you said suddenly, having hoped that somepony would speak up. The Captain, hearing that, leaned forward so you could jump off his head, and everypony got closer, listening as you went over the details of your idea.

“That’s doesn’t sound very safe, Mr. Human,” said Fluttershy as you finished with your plan, and you couldn’t do anything but nod at the pegasus.

“I did say this was a bad idea, terrible really, but it’s all I’ve got. I’m open to suggestions though,” you offer, and then look at the massive faces that fill your sky. They all take a moment to look at each other, their faces expressions a mix of concern, anxiety, and desperation. You could tell they wanted to come up with another idea, but soon, they all turn back to you, silent apologies comes from each set of eyes, as nopony had anything to offer.

“Then we go with this. Saddle up, and move out,” you ordered, motioning for the Captain to pick you back up, which he did, setting you between his wings, and then taking off into the sky with Spitfire. The Six below you nod up, and then everypony runs back into the woods, to the sound of thunder in the distance.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

“Oh, Celestia, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to see you like this,” said the voice of Discord, as Celestia, sweat and froth covering her flanks, making her coat shiny, even as she continued to maintain her beam. She couldn’t even sense her little ponies anymore, this battle so draining her, and the worst part of it was that Discord didn’t even seem to be trying.

“Ha! Nothing to say? No declarations of how even if I win today, somepony, something else will rise up to oppose me? That’s kind of disappointing. Then again, your sister had so much more to fear from me,” he told her.

“Do you know what she did you me Celestia? Did she tell you? I was asleep this time while trapped in the stone. Sparkle and her friends sealed even my mind, but within the world of Dreams, your sister’s power is absolute. So she decided to take it upon herself to punish me,” he began.

“Oh, she could have just tormented me, peeling off my skin, ripping out my eyes, anything like that, but she took the most severe route she could think of. She left me, Celestia, left me buried alive!” the last was a shout of anger, as his power redoubled in effect, pushing the Sun Goddess back.

“Locking me away in the lowest level, where every day passed like a year, where no one ever goes, for no one dreams that deeply. All alone, for centuries, with nothing to do but think of my revenge,” he told her.

“First, I’ll turn you both into statues, and let you watch as I destroy this pathetic little nation you’ve built out of my glorious chaos. I think I’ll tie Sparkle up in front of you, and let you watch the punishments I’ll inflict on her. First, I’ll tear out her…huh?” the Chaos God’s rant was interrupted, as the sound of pegasus wings came closer, and he looked upwards just in time to see four bolts of magic shoot from the sky, and slam into his back, making him lose concentration.

The instant his beam failed, Celestia fell forward, her own power ceasing, as her exhausted body collapsed. She didn’t fall to the ground though, as she would have expected, and when she opened her eyes to find out why, she saw that she was being supported by the Element Wielders, who’d gathered about her, as Discord began to fire bolts into the sky at his assailant.

“Twilight, I told you…to run,” said the Princess weakly, her breathing coming in ragged gasps. Twilight didn’t respond to her though, as she nuzzled her mentor’s neck, and then helped the others set her down gently onto the ground.

“I won’t abandon you, ever,” was all she said, as she and her friends turned to face their foe.

“Discord!” shouted Twilight, and the draconequus turned to find that he had even more toys to play with, a smile creeping back onto his lips.

“Ah, Sparkle, decided to face me after all did you?” he asked.

“We won’t let you hurt anypony else,” she declared, and Discord fell over laughing.

“Let me? Let me? Twilight, you can’t even begin to stop me. Let’s be serious for a moment. The Elements won’t work this time, and they really were the only thing that could have saved you,” he told them, and he raised his head, grabbing at the necklaces with his magic, only to find Twilight’s magic already protecting her friends.

“The Elements may have been the focus Discord, but it’s not the Elements that stopped you last time, or when Luna and Celestia did it all those ages ago. It was the Friendship that they represented, the bonds between us that even your strongest magic can’t break!” declared the lavender unicorn, as the field only grew stronger, her friends at her side.

“Gag me with a spoon. Is this your plan, to cutesy me to death?” he asked.

“No, but it makes for a great distraction!” you cry as you leap off the Captain’s head, diving down towards him. Discord, caught off guard, can’t move in time to get out of the way, or raise any kind of defense. Which is too bad for him, because as you fall, you slash with the Atma Weapon, drawing the blade forth, and then burying it deep in his chest, cutting a long, deep gash through his body, before getting caught by Twilight’s magic, and gently set on the ground, pinning Discord between the Six, and you.

“GRAH!!!” he screams, and you jump out of the way as one of his feet slams down in the grass where you’d fallen. Luckily, Twilight had good reflexes, and moves you away, Discord, clutching at his chest, fire in his eyes, crying out his frustration as you continue to lead him away from the ponies, as the Six gather around Twilight, their Elements starting to glow.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

“Okay, have you got it? Distraction is the key here, we keep him off guard and angry, and then we strike with everything we have while he’s still recovering,” you finish, and the ponies just stare at you.

“But what if you can’t take it? The Elements are a lot of power, more even than Celestia’s. Are you sure it’ll work?” asks Twilight, concern in her voice, and you give a thoughtful chin stroke as you look down in the dirt at the game plan you’d been laying out.

“I don’t know, honestly, but it’s the best chance we’ve got. Even if Discord’s off balance, I don’t think the Elements will work this time, he’s prepared for them now, he knows they’re coming, and would raise some kind of defense. I’ve already shown I can pierce those defenses though,” you tell her, holding up the Atma Weapon, and then slashing with it, igniting the blue glowing blade that cuts through a small stone nearby, creating a glowing gash in it as it falls into two halves.

“I don’t know, sugarcube. That’s still a pretty big risk,” says Applejack.

“I said it was a bad idea, didn’t I? And unless somepony else has a better one…” you trail off that last bit and look up at their faces. They’re all concentrating, trying to think of something. It actually made you feel kind of glad. None of them wanted you to take this risk with your life. Still, after a minute, they all look dejectedly down at you. Nopony had a better plan than yours.

“Alright then, Operation Orbital Friendship Cannon V 2.0 is a go,” you say, and they just stare at you, before nodding. The Captain leans down, and picks you up with his hoof, setting you down on his head again.

“Hey, Captain,” you whisper, so none of the others can hear.

“Yes?” he says back in the same quiet tone as he takes off.

“If…if I don’t make…if this doesn’t work out, can you tell Vinyl and Octavia, that I’m sorry I broke my promise?” you ask him, and are surprised when he lets out a laugh.

“Little One, if this doesn’t work, then I’m afraid there’s going to be no pony left to take any messages anywhere. So don’t think about failure. Focus only on victory,” he advises, and you look down at him, before trying to put on a serious expression, what you hoped was a war face, as you dive follow the others from the air.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Discord keeps stomping towards you, Twilight moving you subtly with her magic. Or at least trying to, as your foot gets tangled in something, probably a grass root, and you fall back into the dirt, a shadow of a foot growing around you. Turning you point the Atma Weapon upward, wondering if it’ll be enough to stop the falling appendage.

Luckily, it doesn’t have to, as a massive shape slams into Discord, and knocks him off balance, sending him falling onto his side, before leaping off into the air again, dodging a bolt of Chaos magic as it does so. Bolts of other magic then fly at Discord, making him furiously start sending blasts into the sky, as the Captain and Spitfire do their part.

“Come on Twilight, charge those things,” you whisper, running to get into position, even as Discord turns to you, and then turns back towards the Six, a smile blooming on his face as he wipes away the last of the blood from his chest wound, which was completely healed.

“So, this is your plan then? Distract me, and hope that I can’t block the Elements again. Do you really think that’ll work?” he says, and focuses another blast at the girls, only to be startled as a beam of pure white light fires at his, the two seemingly canceling each other out in a blinding burst, forcing you to cover your eyes as you keep running, finally reaching your mark, and then standing stock still.

“I told you, -gasp-, Discord, -wheeze-, You will not hurt another pony so long as I stand,” says the Goddess of the Sun, standing on shaking legs, her power dim, but still there, as Discord just stares at her. Before he can recover, the light from the Six Elements of Harmony, join together, a double spiral coming out of them and then joining together to form a massive rainbow that shoots out toward Discord, making him smile again, as he opens his arms, expecting the Rainbow of Light to strike him.

He’s very surprised, therefore, when the Friendship Cannon misses him by more than a meter, and instead comes right down on you, your sword at the ready. All eyes are on you, no one blinking, as the glow strikes you.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!” you scream.

Everything was on fire. The world was made of pain, and it felt like every cell of your body was going to burst. Inside, your blood boiled, your heart raced, and every breath you took felt like it was going to pop you. You didn’t let it kill your focus though, you couldn’t, not now. This was important, too important…something was. You had to do something.

You mind reeled, and you began to sense things through the pain. In the light that surrounded you were thoughts, feelings, memories. A smile from friends as they supported each other, stood by each other, even when things seemed hopeless. Twilight as she fought off Nightmare Moon, Rarity as she dealt with her jealousy of Fluttershy, Applejack opening her heart to accepting the help of friends, Rainbow Dash seeing that some things were more important than winning, Fluttershy that sometimes you had to try, no matter how scared you were, and Pinkie Pie that even if they didn’t always say it, your friends were there for you.

Beyond those was a sadness, a darkness that had threatened to tear the bonds apart, and make them as nothing. Still they worked their magic though, for bonds, even ones tainted by jealousy, were still there, and still strong. They tried to cleanse the hatred that corrupted one of their wielders, and when that failed to work, they put her somewhere she could do no harm, until a solution could be found, and a friendship could be forged anew.

Deeper the memories went. Two survivors of a holocaust that had taken so many lives, broken so many families, even their’s. Together they went on to become rulers, to become the ones to end the suffering of their people, and to lead them into the light, building a nation that would stand the test of time, and strength the bonds of all who lived there. Two sisters became the symbols of Unity, and their people became their new family.

Still farther back, a thousand conflicts, a thousand wars brought to a close because these were the ties that bound all together, that created peace for years to come. Always something new, something horrid would rise to test those bonds, to break friendships and shatter lives, but it could only do so for moments, never forever, for the bonds of friendship, once forged in Honesty, Generosity, Kindness, Loyalty, Laughter, and Magic were as unbreakable as the stars.

Your screams ended as you felt that heart, the very core of what the Elements were, and you mastered them. You were Wielding not a weapon, but a Shield. It was a power that protected those who needed it most, and focusing on your friends, on Octavia, Vinyl, The Captain, Rainbow Dash, the Professor, and all his apprentices, and the Princesses too, you vowed to protect them from this monster that stood before you.

Beyond, the Wielders knew nothing of your condition, focused as they were on their own part in this, but above, the Captain and Spitfire stared transfixed as the Light passed into you, becoming part of you. When your screams echoed, Spitfire seemed like she was about to abandon the plan and grab you, but the Captain held her back, keeping her from interfering, as the struggle within you ended, and the Light blazed forth, becoming part of you.

“Am I supposed to be impressed?” asked Discord nonchalantly, but in his eyes you could see than hint of worry, as your stare bored into him.

“Monster!” you shouted at him, holding the Atma Weapon out towards him, the blade, formally blue in color, now seemed to be made of rainbow colored fire.

“You don’t belong in this world!” you declared, and drew your weapon back, going for an overhead swing, that Discord, now a panicked expression on his face as he raised his defenses that had blocked the Elements earlier, and then redoubled them, a barrier of chaos magic springing up between him and you.

To the surprise of all though, you shifted your grip on the sword, pointing the blade down, rather than up, and then drove it forward, burying the burning blade into the cold ground. No one speaks or even breathes for a heartbeat, as they take in what just happened, and then Discord bursts out laughing, pointing a finger down at you.

“That’s it? That’s the big payoff for all that build up at that screaming? I must say, I was expecting something more…explosive?” the last comes out as a question, as the ground begins to rumble a bit, a smile creeping onto your lips.

“Rainbow!” you cry, and the shaking grows worse, Discord having to dig his claws into the ground to remain standing, while the Princess jumps over, and wraps her wings around the Six, putting up a glowing barrier between them and Discord with the last of her magic. In the sky overhead Spitfire and the Captain take off, flying farther away, but keeping an eye behind them.

“Star!” this cry is followed by pillars of light in six colors shooting up out of the ground around Discord, sailing into the air until they were higher than the tress, and then staying there. Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red. Each pillar shines brighter than the noon day soon, blazing against Discord, and forcing him to cover his eyes.

“FIRE!” this shout causes the pillars to begin spinning, the shaking growing worse, Discord hovering off the ground as he blindly starts to feel for some way out, only to have his hand burned as it touches one of the lights.

“COLUMN!” with a crash, the pillars join together, and their spinning causes the colored light to spin together, creating a spiral in the air. Realizing at last the danger, Discord claws at barrier that surround him, barely noticing as his hands start to catch fire at the touch of them.

“FLARE!!!” the final command, and Discord looks down just in time to see the ground beneath him erupt in rainbow colored fire. The power of the elements, distilled into their purest form, and focused through a weapon that pierces all defenses. Within the column of light, you could see Discord’s silhouette, writhing in agony, jerking this way and that. More you could see little bits of him breaking off, vanishing into the light, and burning away to nothing.

Then it’s over, just as suddenly as the power came to you, it leaves, and you fall to your knees, catching yourself with your hands, the Atma Weapon vanishing, as you breathe hard. The air, the cold air of the night, has a sharp bite to it that makes you groan in pain. Around you, the ponies blink against the blindness the light caused, all of them slowly recovering, even as you feel your own power fading fast, darkness coming over the edge of your vision, but every eye is on the crater, which still smokes from the touch of the Elements’ power.

“Oh, very nice. Such a pretty light show,” came a voice, and everypony gasps. Out of the smoke, some of it coming from his body even, steps Discord. He appears more than a little worse for the wear, but still standing, still powerful. His mane has been singed, and in several places you can see where bits of his body hair have been burned off. His horns are blackened, like they had been held in the fire as well, and his lion’s paw hand doesn’t look like it can move, being held limply at his side.

“All for naught, of course, but still, very pretty,” he says, walking forward until he’s standing right over you, his feral grin making your heart turn to ice, as his eyes shine with evil in the moonlit night.

“Not that it was completely ineffective. I don’t think I have time to play with you now, so let’s make this quick, and as painful as possible then, shall we? I think setting you on fire, would be the appropriate thing,” he said, holding out his good hand, bringing the claws together, and snapping them.

Comments

[Star Sage]

1325389

I think you now see why I chose the weapon I did for this.

[Fat Autistic Weeaboo2222]

1333515 so im guessing karys also out of the question

[Star Sage]

1334098

For now, probably.

[CPT]

Damn,thought he was gone for good can't wait for the other chapter

[Fat Autistic Weeaboo2222]

1333500 you need one of the two ultimate wepons

the judgment sword or the longinus knief
(xionic madness 1 n 2)(the entire xionic madness series)

[Fat Autistic Weeaboo2222]

1334125 for now

i. fucking. love. you

[Spirit Shift]

God everyone knows that in order to kill discord you need the blade that radiates perfection an impossible sword in that even its atoms are in perfect balance. You need the Vorpal Blade