The Equestrian Omni-Knight

by Azure5555

What remains

My reminiscence makes me oblivious to the congregation of students gathered before me...

"Class if you would all open your books to page 312, we shall begin the lecture." Stated the balding Earth pony professor.

'Another lecture hall, bored and lifeless as the rest.'

"Which pony among you will be able to enlighten us on what this statue is exactly?"

It's always the same, one of the brown nosers will spout some nonsense about mythical creatures whilst going completely off top-

"Index number 213, code name: Demon Armor. Believed to have started the rebellion between the three kingdoms and their subjects."

'That's a familiar voice...but I can't-'

"Sealed in stone near the end of the war, two gifts were given; one each to the dragon and gryphon kingdoms.

More information can be found on page 432. section 3."

"Thank you Sunset, at least one pony here pays attention."

'Sunset...The what now!?'

The crowd left in a hushed manner, some expletives targeted at Sunset could be faintly heard.

But for some reason she stood there. Looking at me, shocked and curious.

'Nothing to see here move along.'

"You can talk?"

'And you can hear me!' I proclaimed more than questioned.

"Are those stories true?"

'Partly, but let's have this conversation another time. I'm not going anywhere, but you have a class to catch up to. Touch my sword.'

She gave me a kind of weird look but did it anyway. I was hoping this would work seeing as how I've had centuries to prepare but no one to test with.

She touched the ridge of my blade, a soft light emanating from it. As the light subsided she was wearing a pendant shaped and colored like her cutie mark.

'Bitchin!' Focus on that before going to sleep. You'll enter a dream state which will link your mind with mine. Don't be late now.'

She ran off, she had a little kick in her step. She thinks she can use me to become powerful. I can change that so she can become something greater than what she would have been.

That night...

I spent all morning and afternoon making my little mental training room. Endless expanse, anything can be willed into existence, and best of all it was between me and whoever held a pendant.

'Now we play the waiting...'

I felt a tug, a significant magical force wanted to overpower my own. It was a cute attempt.

"Cm'ere!" I yelled as I launched a kunai with rope into the aether.

The force seemed to shrink as I pulled it into my own magical sphere of influence.

Sunset landed with a slight *pomf* on the ethereal ground before me.

"I cushioned your fall so as not to startle your mind."

"You threw a spear head at me!"

"And you wanted to hijack my brain. I'd say we're even you and I."

"I should have been able to overpower you!"

"The thing about magically infused prisons is that after the first hundred years it becomes less a prison and more an incubator.”

I was calm. At least it looked like I was. I wasn't scared or anything, this was my brain after all.

No, I could feel my heart race! This is the first instance of contact I've had in forever!

“I'm Celestia's personal protege! The spell I used was written to break my opponents!” Shouted Sunset.

She didn't like being beaten...noted.

“And whom, may I ask, made the spell?” Taunt her, make her flare!

“If a wretch like you must know. It came from within Celestia's secret spell books.”

“Then allow me to tell you why that spell had no effect on me...”

---

- 1487 years ago – End of the War. -

I would face the tyrant of the Sun for what would be the last time. I purposefully weakened myself for this fight for reasons I will explain when I feel you have grown as your own mare, and not as Celestia's pawn.

*Stop! I am pawn to no pony!

Cute, but yes...you are.

I found myself alone on that battlefield, the three kingdoms having formed a truce to end their 'War'. I had an entire 2 year campaign to learn as much of my power and of my enemies as humanly possible.

*Human?

Yes, human. You can put a name to my species now. As is obvious, I wore very much the same armor you see me in now. (Advanced Demon Knight, Horo-Show Void Vanquisher, Harp)

Her first move was that very spell. What I immediately learned was that though it did have a crippling effect on it's target it in no way made the user's magical presence stronger.

As Celestia hovered before me, she began to increase her magical power as if tapping into an endless well. I knew what my fate was, so it didn't matter if she had the power of ten or twenty alicorn, the Elements would defeat me, not Celestia.

*Intellect Roll: 80 [Can you withstand the intense pressure, or fold to it's will?]

-63: Int.Bonus +20-

“You would refuse to yield to me beast!?”

Her facade quickly shattered. Whatever spell she used only masked her true presence.

“Instead of hiding behind parlor tricks, how about you come down and fight me tyrant!?'

It angered her, being called a tyrant. The truth hurts. But that ends the lecture.

*Lecture!? You think you can just lecture me!? And what was that even supposed to teach me!?

Quite easily, as for the lesson to be learned, you call the wrong being 'Teacher'.

If one day you wish to learn, to TRULY learn, then I await you. If you return it means you no longer trust in Celestia's tutelage, and who would trust to learn from a coward?

---

Present Day – Mind Scape

“What could you possibly teach me that even Celestia would be unable to?”

She was curious. I need her to be curious.

“Tell me, what was your entrance exam?”

“A simple show of my magic. A parlor trick by your standards.”

“Ho? Show me then.”

She summoned her magic within the realm, and created a small cyclone of fire to appear. She maintained it for quite sometime. It's heat rather intensive.

“Adorable, what can you do with that now?”

She scoffed at my challenge. I used to like to play King of Fighters from time to time, and the cyclone she created put Joe Higashi to shame. I could do her one better.

“I summon thee...Solar Incinerator!”

A small gate opened between us. A pillar of fire burst forth, rising higher and higher.

“How do I know that actually exists?”

“Touch it.” She did, the tip of her hoof would have melted off had she actually made contact. Thankfully her singed hair was enough indicator.

“If when you wake up and you happen to have a small patch of singed hair, then you'll know.”

“...What can you teach me? Now I mean.”

“Something Celestia should have started with. Look within yourself. Past your desires, past your ambitions, past the fire that drives you forward!”

A brilliant light shone forth from her. As it left, a small ball of fur could be seen atop her head.

“Hmph, Just like I thought, it was nothing but a waste of my time.”

“Don't be so sure, your head must be feeling kind of heavy.”

“My...head?” As she raised her eyes higher, a pair of golden eyes lowered to meet hers.

The screech would have been heard by every guard and student in the building had she been awake.

“What in Tartarus is that thing!?” The “thing” in question fell of her head and landed on the floor with a pomf in front of her.

“That...would be your familiar. A fire fox as it would seem.”

“And what does it have to do with me?” She said giving the small fox a debilitating stare. It shrunk at her apparent disgust.

“It has everything to do with you as it IS you. At least the part of you that your subconscious has refused to accept. He is your weakness, your kindness, your fear, your happiness. Everything you seek to turn away from.”

“He?”

“Your animus. Your feminine masculinity,-” I was cut off as the fragile animal was kicked, KICKED, right at me. Sunset had used her bad hoof, coupled with the fact she just harmed a part of herself, she buckled onto the floor in pain.

I caught the small fox in my hands carefully. Quite a few tears had been shed on it's part. I set the hurt creature down beside me. Sunset began to rise from her pained shock.

“What did you expect to find within yourself Sunset?”

“POWER! Something Celestia refuses to give me!”

“You say you want power!? Then let me show you the power that your weakness brings!”

I wasn't mad. I've always been very patient with those around me. And so, I would give her what she wanted. I poured a bit of magical essence and spirit power(1) within her familiar.

He grew to almost reach my neck, fires began to form on and around his shoulders and his paws. A smooth and elongated muzzle and pale white slit eyes made up his facial features.

His long tail flowed and shifted as if it were a living flame. This is what Sunset would become, an empowered beast born from weakness. I could see the fire in her eyes! She began to see her future, her real future! Most think of her as a phoenix rising from it's ashes, but she is so much more!

Immediately, I recalled my energies, reverting the fox to it's primary state.

“NO! Change it back!” The fire within her eyes extinguished themselves. Her fear gripping her being.

“You want that power? Then decide if my class is something you want to explore. If not, then good luck...and good morning.”

Her presence began to fade from my mind scape. I shouldn't expect her back this following night. It would be asking far to much of her, but at least I can see what she does...

Author's Note:

(1) SP is a self regenerating form of energy.)

Comments

[The oracle]

Sunset, just do it. Learn from the man in stone.

[Hoppa_21]

I'm a bit worried that there is no Sunset tag. I mean, it does mean she won't be that important in the long-run right?

[Crimson Blade79]

He pulled a Solas.

[Armyidiot]

Fair explanation of the SP mechanic, yet I wouldn't have expected Sunset's familiar to be a fox. I will admit though, the stat roll actually did get to me chuckle a little. Yet, for some reason, you have 100 in Intellect. I doubt that in an actual fight in AQ that would be helpful, unless you're likely only level 100. Why the armor set though? Demon Armor, while nifty in some circumstances, provides very few actual bonuses in terms of combat. The Void sword is a good one in particular, and I can't remember what the Harp does. I think it's a Charisma boost for SP but I'm not sure. A strange set for battle, since the Void sword would use Melee, the Harp would correspond to a Beastmaster, and the Demon Armor, while effective for a Warrior, wouldn't have that many uses since it's Darkness/Fire and many of it's powers correspond to those Elements, which only Darkness would be effective against Celestia, if not Fire healing her or doing nothing. As a whole, I think the Overlord armor would have faired better.

Interesting though, I'm rather intent to see where this leads.