Equestrian Darkness: Friendship's Requiem

by My Little Scribbler

The Guardian

Equestrian Darkness: Friendship’s Requiem
Chapter 8: The Guardian

Twilight’s analytical mind was working as she examined the situation. Despite all her fears and inhibitions, her mind easily calculated a plan.

Rarity was gawking at the zombies, staring every which way as if considering a blind escape. “What’re we going to do?”

“Every pony, stand back.” Twilight whipped out the Tome of Eternal Darkness from her saddlebag, and dropped the book onto the floor. Before her friends could ask what she was doing, she telekinetically flipped through the pages and found the magical attack spell.

Her friends gasped in surprise as they saw five green runes appear around Twilight.

Antorbok...Pargon...

As Twilight’s five-rune spell was being cast, the monster immediately countered with a three-rune magical attack spell.

Redgormor...Xel’lotath...Par—

Twilight’s spell was interrupted with a screech of green sparks once she was hit by the monster’s offensive spell. She let out a scream as the spell lacerated her skin, leaving shallow cuts. She struggled to stay on her hooves as pain and nausea threatened to overtake her.

Rarity telekinetically withdrew some cloth as she tried to clean off the blood dripping from Twilight’s injuries.

“What in tarnation did ya do?” asked Applejack.

Twilight stood on her wobbly legs, feeling drained from her failed spell-casting attempt. “This book gives me access to the Ancients’ spells.” She was snapped out of her stupor when she noticed the zombies approaching Fluttershy. “Pinkie, Rarity, I want you two to lure the zombies away from Fluttershy.”

“What?” interjected Rarity. “But how can we...”

Before Rarity could finish her question, Pinkie charged toward the zombies with Rarity following close behind (after a second of hesitation).

“HIIIIYAAAA!” shouted Pinkie as she kicked a zombie in the chest with a clumsy buck of her hind legs. “Come on, you undead doo doo heads.” She proceeded to make goofy faces, taunting the zombies.

Rarity countered by magically repelling a zombie.

Like mindless drones, the zombies immediately turned toward the new threat. They did not move quickly, allowing Pinkie and Rarity to get away, but there was not far to escape to.

Twilight watched Rarity and Pinkie with concern. “This is bad, I can’t use a spell higher than three runes without getting hit. I need a distraction. Rainbow, Applejack, I need you two to go over and distract the monster.”

“I’m on it.” Rainbow rocketed toward the monster with Applejack close behind.

As Rainbow approached, the monster summoned a three-rune spell. Antorbok...Redgor— Thanks to Rainbow’s trusty speed, she struck the monster in the head, interrupting the spell.

The monster, rather than counterattack, vanished. In its place was a glowing blue will-o’-wisp hovering off to the other side of the room.

Rainbow watched the glowing ball of light float away. “Hey, come back here!”

Applejack halted her pursuit when she heard a scream. The scream came from Rarity who she and Pinkie were trapped in a corner as the zombies ganged up on them.

“Hang on.” The farming pony charged and dove head first into the crowd of zombies, bucking them with all the strength as she could muster.

Pinkie also dove right in, fighting to clear a path. Although her pink coat was growing stained in red, she fought on with a desperate ferocity.

While all that was going on, Twilight sat next to Fluttershy as she searched the Tome for the right spell.

Nethlek...Pargon...Redgormor...Xel’lotath...Pargon.

In an instant, Fluttershy was freed. Once she regained control of her muscles, she stood there, shaking. Cold sweat dripped from her head.

“Are you all right?” asked Twilight.

Fluttershy only slowly nodded her head.

“Come on, we need to get...Oh no!” Twilight saw the sphere of light hovering in front of the only exit. The monster rematerialized from the sphere, blocking escape.

Rainbow, who had been chasing the monster, dive-bombed toward it. “You’re not getting away this time.” The monster lifted its eyes upon its attacker, and Rainbow felt another psychic intrusion. She convulsed wildly as she crashed belly first against the metal floor with a metallic thud. She tried to pry herself up, but the monster entered deep into her subconscious, eating away at her sanity.

Rainbow opened her eyes, and saw herself in a dark basement. She tried to move, but her hooves had been strapped to a brick wall. As she looked around the room, all she could see was a few tables placed nearby. Each one had a number of tools lying on it, mostly cutting instruments, and all of it caked in blood. On another table, she could see what appeared to be muffin tins and mixing bowls, all of it just as unwashed as everything else. “Where am I?”

“You’re in my kitchen,” croaked a voice from the darkness. Into the dim light, Pinkie emerged, but she was shriveled like an old mare. Her pupils were large and dilated, giving her an alien stare. Her hooves were all covered in dried blood.

“Pinkie, what’s going on here?” asked Rainbow, her voice shaking with fright.

Pinkie got up on her hind legs. Her muzzle nuzzled Rainbow’s ear as she said, “You’re going to help me.”

“Help you with what.”

She ran her tongue seductively over her prisoner’s ear. “You’re going to help me make some...cupcakes..."

Pinkie leaned over to the table and gripped a knife with her teeth.

Rainbow was panting with fright. “No, wait.” She let out a scream as Pinkie sank the blade into her abdomen. She shrieked and squirmed in agony as Pinkie slowly made the incision, gutting her like a fish.

“Rainbow, what’s wrong?” asked Twilight.

The blue pegasus was lying at the foot of the monster, convulsing and sobbing as she felt pain that was not there.

Without anyone to stop it, the monster casted a spell.

Bankorok...Pargon...Redgormor...

Twilight flipped through the pages of the Tome, but she could not find the magical attack spell fast enough.

Pargon...Pargon...Ulyaoth...Pargon.

A force field was erected by the runes, creating a barrier and preventing escape.

Meanwhile, Pinkie and Rarity had managed to force their way passed the zombies—receiving more slashes for their troubles—but Applejack was still surrounded, furiously bucking and kicking each zombie. More sweat and blood stained her orange coat with every bite and cut.

As Applejack bucked off the head of a zombie, it suddenly began to glow. Without any other provocation, all of the zombies got up onto their hind legs and energy coursed through their chests like a web of an electrical current. She stared at the odd sight as the zombies convulsed and shook.

Twilight watched the zombies with alarm. “No, get out of there...!”

The zombies exploded. Waves of magical energy rocked the air itself like a noiseless sonic boom. As quickly as it happened, the blast disappeared along with the zombies. On the floor lay Applejack. She was on her side unconscious as blood pooled around her.

“APPLEJACK!” Rarity ran toward her friend, withdrawing more bandages from her saddlebag and hastily tried to the stop the bleeding, but Applejack’s breathing and heartbeats were slowing, threatening to stop permanently.

Twilight could only watch in disbelief. One friend was dying before her eyes. Another was lying on the floor trapped in a nightmare. The monster hovered at the exit, ensuring that they cannot escape. She suddenly remembered the Elements of Harmony she had in her bag, but with Rainbow and Applejack out of commission, the Elements were useless.

Just as Twilight was going to cry out in despair, Dr. Lionheart appeared beside her. The ghost waved for her to follow.

“Everyone, follow Dr. Lionheart!” Twilight called out. “I’ll take care of Rainbow and Applejack.” As the others fled, she telekinetically lifted Applejack and Rainbow as she ran, dodging another magical attack spell from the monster.

The ponies followed the ghost, weaving around the various contraptions until they stopped at the end of the room. They anxiously watched Dr. Lionheart as she pointed at a plate faceted to the floor.

“What could that be?” asked Rarity as she panted from exertion and adrenaline.

Twilight gawked with understanding. “I’ve seen one of these. It’s a transporter of some kind.” Her mane suddenly stood on end as she heard the monster cast a summoning spell. She knew company was coming.

Dr. Lionheart directed their attention to a floor-bound wheel next to the teleporter. It had odd symbols engraved on it, symbols that Twilight could not read. Dr. Lionheart ran her hooves along the face of the wheel. Following her example, Twilight moved the wheel into position. Once she got the wheel in the position indicated, she cried out, “Everyone, get onto the plate.”

Despite their confusion, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity got onto the plate without question and vanished in a flash of yellow light.

Once Twilight heard the sounds of moaning zombies approaching, she placed her two unconscious companions onto the plate allowing them to escape. As she stepped onto the plate and teleported away, for the briefest of seconds, she caught a glimpse of zombie coming around the corner.

Twilight reappeared into another room, the sudden change of venue baffled her already fatigued mind. Next to the plate, she saw Applejack lying on the ground looking pale and still. Fluttershy was pressing her hooves against Applejack’s chest in a desperate attempt to resuscitate her.

She telekinetically pulled the Tome of Eternal Darkness out of her saddlebag and flipped through its pages, finding the spell she needed.

Narokath...Pargon...Aretak...Pargon...Pargon...Chattur’gha...Pargon.

The energy of the spell wrapped itself around Applejack and before their eyes, her injuries and spilt blood disappeared as if time was reversing. When the spell was complete, she was only left with a few minor cuts.

Twilight released her telekinetic hold on the book, suddenly feeling too tired to keep it aloft magically.

For a tense minute, the group watched Applejack, waiting for any sign of life. There was a collective sigh of relief as Applejack’s eyes opened.

Applejack let out a groan as she put a hoof to her head, nursing a headache. “W-What happened?”

She was suddenly strangled with affection as Fluttershy held her up in a relieved hug.

“Oh thank goodness. We thought we lost you.”

“Fluttershy, you’re crushing me.”

Twilight, sweating profusely and shaking from exhaustion, walked over to Rainbow. Who was lying on the ground, shivering with fright and staring off at the ceiling with a glazed eyed stare.

Twilight conjured another spell, this time with green runes instead of red.

Narokath...Pargon...Aretak...Pargon...Pargon...Xel’lotath...Pargon.

Much like with Applejack, the spell surrounded and enveloped Rainbow. As the spell was cast, she stopped shaking and began to regain consciousness.

Rainbow dozily opened her eyes to see Pinkie staring down upon her. “Ahh, get away from me!” She backed away from Pinkie as if she had the plague.

“What’s wrong with you?” asked Pinkie.

Rainbow calmed down as she regained her senses. “Oh...I’m sorry.”

Twilight did not hear what happened next because the fatigue of using two seven-rune spells took its toll. Before she even hit the ground, she was asleep like the dead.

When Twilight opened her eyes, she saw Fluttershy standing over her, lovingly wrapping the bandages around Twilight’s injuries.

“Are you all right?” asked the yellow pegasus.

“Yes. I’m sorry, those spells drain a lot of my strength.”

She looked around the room and saw the others also wrapped in bandages. Although none of them were seriously injured, the sight of them bruised and cut left a painful lump in Twilight’s stomach. She saw the Tome lying beside her, and she angrily shoved it aside.

Fluttershy noticed and said, “It’s not your fault.”

“I know, but why do I feel this way? We’re fighting against such terrible monsters, and we can’t even defeat one of them.”

“We’re still alive, and that’s all that matters.”

“But I failed every pony.”

“I know how you feel. When those zombies attacked us while we were looking for you, I...panicked and abandoned every pony only to get myself captured. I-It’s all my fault we got into this mess.”

Twilight sat up and noticed the tears sliding down Fluttershy’s stern face. She opened her mouth, about to say something encouraging to the pegasus, but nothing escaped her lips.

Without any introduction, Dr. Lionheart appeared before them.

“Dr. Lionheart, thank you for saving us.” Twilight stared at the ghost as she started waving her hoof with urgency. “You want us to follow?”

The ghost vigorously nodded her head. Her eyes showed fear and panic.

Twilight reluctantly pulled herself onto all four legs. She placed the Tomb back into her saddlebag, and followed the ghost with her friends following close behind, now fully trusting of their spectral companion. No one asked questions. They knew something serious was going on.

As they walked, Twilight took a first look at the room she was in. It appeared to be a hall, but rather than metal, the walls were made of stone that was crumbling and broken, revealing exposed earth. The party wondered down the hall and into the next room. As they entered, Dr. Lionheart vanished again. The ponies found themselves in a brightly lit chamber, a chamber whose inhabitant quickly caught their attention.

Fluttershy let out a shriek as she saw the abomination. It was a pulpous mass of eyes and mouths. The creature groaned as its massive body pulsed with every breath.

“Mantarok,” whispered Twilight. It was just as hideous as its portraits depicted it.

The ponies were so transfixed by the deity before them, it took them a while before they noticed the three artifacts—located in front of the Corpse God—and the ponies guarding them. Twilight immediately recognized the objects as the other three Essences she saw from her vision. The Essences were all levitating off of pedestals, looming with the power they possess. Guarding the artifacts was Tarik who stood as still as a gargoyle. Before him was Abdullah, standing in a face off position.

“Is that Tarik and Abdullah?” asked Fluttershy.

“Yes, and those are the Essences to the other Ancients,” said Twilight.

“But why are they standing there?” asked Rarity.

“I think they’re waiting for Mert.”

The two cursed ponies did not respond to Twilight and her friends. They just stood there in calm silence.

Suddenly, Abdullah snapped in attention like a tiger hearing prey. “She’s here.” He charged off to the side and struck an invisible object out of the air.

Mert’s invisibility deactivated as soon as she hit the ground.

The bell jar containing the Essence of Mantarok shattered into pieces against the stone floor.

Abdullah charged toward the heart, but Tarik held him back telekinetically.

Tarik teleported beside the heart, but before he could grab it, Mert exerted her will upon his mind, paralyzing him.

Twilight stared at the fight, remembering what had happened when they all went ever her. “All right, girls, now’s our chance.” She withdrew the Elements of Harmony and handed them out to their respective owners.

The ponies put on the Elements.

“All right, let’s do this,” shouted Rainbow.

Twilight’s eyes began to glow as magic from the Elements of Harmony coursed through her body. The party levitated off the ground as the spell was activated.

The three cursed ponies did not even pay attention to them, too busy fighting each other for control over the heart. The only force that stopped the fight was when a rainbow of light came down upon them. The magic of friendship coursed through their bodies, causing them to stand paralyzed as they were all frozen into stone. Once the spell was complete, the three ponies were petrified and harmless.

The ponies took a few seconds to check if they were victorious before they relaxed.

“Yes, we did it,” cheered Rainbow, breaking the silence. “That was for the princesses.”

Rainbow’s joy quickly turned to horror as Abdullah suddenly shattered his stone prison. With a shake of his body, he shrugged off the stone fragments.

Rainbow’s mouth hung agape. “No way!”

Blue flames engulfed Tarik’s stone shell, burning it away as if it was made of paper.

Mert’s stone body dissolved into dust, freeing her as well.

As if nothing had happened, the three ponies resumed their fight over the heart, which lay on the floor, awaiting its next captor.

“What do we do now?” asked Fluttershy.

Twilight could only peer out in utter shock. With the Elements useless, she slid off her crown, numb with grief. Her eyes wondered toward the heart, its incessant beating drawing her gaze toward it. As she looked at the heart, her mind raced for ideas. She telekinetically pulled out the Tome and ran through its pages. Desperate for something to gain her an edge, a wild idea popped into her head. With her horn glowing brightly, she teleported and reappeared beside the heart. With the Tome open, she accessed a spell. This time, she drew from the power of Mantarok. Dark purple runes appeared around her and a sinister whisper of a voice spoke the incantation.

Bankorok...Redgormor...Mantarok.

A purple force field materialized around her, maintained by the runes.

Finally paying attention to Twilight, the three cursed ponies halted their assault and gathered around the field, glaring at the unicorn with cold and murderous intent.

Mert’s telepathic voice echoed in Twilight’s mind. “Curse her. Curse her. Trap her in nightmares. You should not have interfered.”

The ponies struck the field with their hooves. The force field kept them away, but since the field was at such a low level, it was only a matter of time before they would break through.

Twilight’s mind raced with desperation. Because of how sporadic her plan was, she had no idea as to what to do next. She could teleport, but Tarik would easily know wherever she teleported to and follow. Not to mention she was still tired and just casting that force field drained what little energy she had left. She was trapped and had no way to escape.

I could help you fight them.

Twilight ignored the voice as best she could, but it was louder and more oppressive now that she was next to the heart.

Only through me can you defeat them. Only through me can you help your friends.

If Twilight’s resolve had been stronger, she would have gladly died than accept. But her mind was addled with fear and dementia. Emotions of sadness overrode her rational mind. She leaned over and as soon as the force field vanished...she bit down on the heart.

A wave of Mantarok’s power channeled through Twilight’s body, mingling with her own and expelling out in a flash of unholy light. Her saddlebags and bandages were burned off her body and collected around her in a singed heap.

The three cursed ponies backed away in surprise as evil magic coursed through the unicorn, corrupting her body and soul.

Once the magic faded away, Twilight stood there, but she was not the same. Her mane and tail now waved like fire. Her face was skull-like, every bone more prominent and pointed. Imbedded deep into those hollow eye sockets were glowing orbs of bright purple light. Her lips were peeled back, exposing her teeth into a skeletal grin. The star-shaped Cutie Mark on her flank was gone. In its place was the rune of Mantarok.

In a deep voice, Twilight said, “Now Mantarok shall bring the Eternal Darkness to Equestria.”

Comments

[Necrovore]

Loved the Cupcakes reference and looking forward to the next chapter.

[Kartac]

Oh wow, Twilight... what have you done?

Is she going to get a cool arabic/tribal name too? Because I would absolutely love that.

[Cobra 1]

Her description att the end sounded like Pious