Discharged

by The_Last_Centurion

Chapter 22

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 22

Luna and I came to the end of Ghastly gorge with all of the earth pony troops, walking confidentially but cautiously; we were now in enemy territory and we all knew it. The Fire-Eaters knew it too.

Two large flaming projectiles were launched from the end of the gorge from two catapults. They hurtled toward us and the troops started to worry, but Luna just flicked her mane out of her eyes. Her regal horn glowed and a large, semi-transparent blue orb covered all of us. It took the blast of the two firebombs easily, and we started marching again, moving forward at a steady but slow pace.

Our pace slowed to a halt as many unicorns with white, or white painted coats, popped up from the bushes and surrounding woods to batter the shield with their own fireball attacks. Luna yawed and walked forward, making the troops cheer. However, they were cut short as the large firebombs from the catapults started coming faster and faster. Soon, Luna was literally battered to a halt. I could see beads of sweat run down her face and her teeth start to grit.

I threw my head over my shoulder and called to the crowd. “Syringe, Solitary, Fenrir, and anypony else who can use magic, come help Luna!” There was movement in the crowd and my friends and comrades came forward along with the three elements of harmony we had. They each used their own form of magic to strengthen the shield, the unicorns using shield magic, Fenrir letting loose a long howl into the shield's front, and the element bearers sharing their elemental energy with the shield. I took up a good, grounded stance and threw my hood over my head. My eyesight darkened a little, but not by much as I reached into the earth and felt our magic intertwine. I cast my head over my shoulder again and looked up towards the setting sun. Not much longer.

I used my magic to create a large depression in the earth on the other side of the Fire-eater ground troops, trapping some inside, but making sure the rest couldn't retreat. I knew this wasn't the full force of the army, probably 300 out of the 500 though. That was good enough for me. I surprised the hateful unicorns by raising large earthen walls behind the trench I had made, locking them away from the rest of their comrades.

I glanced over to Luna and my friends and watched them become more and more lethargic. They couldn't take this much longer. I looked over my shoulder one last time, and saw the sun was beginning to set. I whistled, giving the 'get ready signal' to Puck Unit. Now we just had to wait. Luckily, I heard what I was waiting for in a matter of moments.

WOOSH.

WOOOSH.

WAACH.

The TARDIS's arrival stopped all of the Fire-Eaters attacks and silenced the soldiers. A long panel on the bottom side of the TARDIS slid open and a cannon-like appendage came out of it. It targeted the catapults and shot the foamy potion Pinkie and Zecora had created hours ago. It put out the fires of the projectiles and got itself caught up in the gears. The Fire-Eaters opened fire on the TARDIS but the doors opened up and out flew all of our pegasi friends.

Big Mac led the way on his mechanical wings, throwing his fast-acting invention at the unicorns legs, with the rest of the pegasi doing the same. Soon the Fire-Eaters were nothing but immovable half-statues.

Luna dropped the shield and called to the eath ponies. “Knock them out! Do not maim, for they will receive justice after we have them caught!” Rainbow Dash flew by over head and I could hear her sandy chuckle at Luna said this. She flew low to the unicorns and readied her trusty bat.

“BOINK!” she shouted as she hit one of the Fire-Eaters not-so-gently. The Fire-Eater slumped in unconscious, but was held up by the solid substance that covered his hooves. With that first knock-out, the earth ponies charged letting out war-whinnys at the surprised unicorns.

“I'm gonna headbutt ya! I'm gonna headbutt ya! I'm gonna headbutt ya!” screamed Rainbow as she did indeed headbutt one of the scared Fire-Eaters.

While the troops took care of the Fire-eater ground troops and catapults, Puck unit and I stayed behind with Luna. We were silent for a minute, but we knew what to do next.

“Go.” said Luna and I bowed to her.

“Yes Princess.” I said as the sun set, making me completely invisible. “Puck into the forest around the gorge. We are going to infiltrate their base and take back the innocent unicorns.” I said starting to run into the forest, knowing they couldn't see me,but at least hear my voice. My hood made the trees seem like they were in the middle of the day, only light streamed up from the ground, not onto it. “They have not only all the unicorns of Ponyville, but Shining Armor, head of Celestia's guard, and Princess Cadenza Mi Amore. There is NO failing this mission.” I directed from my shadow cover.

We sped through the forest until we reached past my trench and walls and slowed down when we saw 20 Fire-Eater troops stationed in a large semi-circle around the main wall. They had their horns poised and ready to attack anypony who would come through the wall. I gave a quite “shhhs” to my team as I walked up to the one closest to us. I looked at him and saw that his coat-paint was startign to run from his nervous sweat. I don't know why a kid like him would want to join a militant suprem ist cult, but he was just as scared as the other ponies from Ponyville.

“You know, you don't have to do this.” I whispered next to him. He jumped and looked around for a pony, but found none.

“All this will lead you nowhere.” I said making him freak out even more. I didn't want to scare the kid, but it was no use. I was invisible.

“Hey Shimmer?” the young unicorn called. “Did you say something?”

A unicorn a little ways away shook his head. “Why Fleet?”

“I thought I heard somepony....” Fleet said.

“You did.” I said making the Fire-Eater jump out of his skin.

“There's somepony there! There somepony there!” called out Fleet, making all the Fire-Eaters to face towards me. The rest of Puck had hidden themselves so the would not be seen, but I no longer had to do that.

“You're just jumpy Fleet.” smirked one of the other Fire-Eaters.

“Are you so sure about that?” I called out, making all the Fire-Eaters to become shocked. They started to fire off fireballs randomly in my direction. I didn't have to move since nothing came even close to me, and I waited until they stopped.

“See? It was nothing. Probably just a......some sort of animal.” said one of the fire-eaters shakily.

“You should have never come here.” I said as I let my magic and the Earth's mix. I felt the trees all around me and let their limbs grow. The surprised screams of the Fire-Eaters acknowledged me to the fact that my magic had worked. They were now caught in wooden prisons, formed by the trees that had once hid them. I quickly rose pillars of earth to cover the wooden tendrils, so they couldn't be set a flame.

“Shimmer!Shimmer! What just happened?!?” screamed Fleet.

“The forest just attacked us!” Shimmer answered back.

“It was a forest spirit!!!!” screamed another Fire-Eater.

I moved away from where I stood and whistled. Puck came out of hiding, all smirking or chortling.

“Lead us on all might Forest Spirit, wherever you may be.” said Solitary mockingly.

“Fine.” I said begrudgingly. “But first...” I paused for a moment and the large earthen wall the Fire-Eaters had been protecting sunk back into the ground. I heard the troops become surprised by it, but they would go and investigate. However I whistled again and we went onward.

Only 180 enemy troops left.

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Puck and I slowed to a halt as we came to the edges of a large compound. Numerous Fire-Eaters hurried through the compound, packing up and carrying things to be taken with them. They were getting ready to cut and run, knowing that they were going to be besieged and that they had already lost most of their troops.

I turned to Solitary and started to speak in hushed whispers. “Solitary. Make a dim light.” he obliged and his horn glowed with the faintest of lights. Now that I could be seen, many of Puck jumped back, not knowing I was so close to them. I ignored it and continued.

“Listen, Syringe, Fenrir you two are coming with me into the compound. We need to get those unicorns out of there. Solitary, you lead the rest of Puck and create a diversion. Lead the Fire-Eaters right into the main force and we can catch them off guard. Can you do that?”

His face spread into a wide and goofy smile. He put a hoof to his forehead in salute. “Distraction is me middle name Gen'ral. Don't worry, we'll give 'em a fun lil' runaround, won't we mates?” there was a quite and happy murmur of agreement and I saluted Solitary back.

“Let the night protect us....” I said as I crossed hooves with one of my oldest friends.

“...An' may we find solace and whatnot in its darkness.” Solitary said, crossing hooves with me before he led Puck off to do their job. They rushed through the dark forest, leaving Syringe, Fenrir, and I waiting. We didn't have to wait long.

“OY! YOU BLOODY WANKERS COULDN'T CATCH ME IF YA TRIED! NAH-NAH-NANNAH-NAH!!!” shouted Solitary's voice from the opposite end of the compound. All the Fire-Eaters within sight dropped what they were doing and chased after the obnoxious unicorn with the contrasting black coat into the forest, just as we had planned. I shook my head at Solitary's ridiculousness, but got ready to move. A few more Fire-Eaters rushed by, and I looked around the compound. Everything looked clear.

“Let's go.” I said to the two as we moved silently into the compound.

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We rushed through the compound, the magical lights making me visible for seconds until I stepped into the shadows again. The compound was made of large canvas tents and was much larger than the one we had gone through months earlier. The thought of Oakleaf started to boil my blood, but I again felt her gentle love and thoughts of Twilight popped into my mind. There was no way I would let that happen again.

“Split up. Look in each tent. Find them.” I said gruffly, and the three of us split up to examine the compound. I passed many tents and found them all to be empty, but as I was searching throughout one of them I heard a startled 'yip' and I knew Fenrir had found something. I rushed off towards his voice and heard a blast of fire and a shout before everything went quiet again. I ran faster and met up with an equally incised Syringe and we pulled to a sharp turn as we heard more struggling noises. We rounded into a long tent and found the source of the noises.

The inside of the tent was well lit by magical lights, so the Fire-Eater that Fenrir held at Ursa Major claw-point gasped when he saw me. I smelled burnt and looked around until I saw that part of Fenrir's side had been singed. Fenrir now held the Fire-Eater against a table, his head turned sideways and throat inches away from Fenrir's glowing claws. I strode up to the captured prisoner and took a hard look at him. Unlike the Fire-Eater Fleet, he had an actual coat of white and his mane was of marigold yellow. His large blue eyes shook in fear as I approached and I could see that he was a middle-aged unicorn.

“Where are the prisoners?” I asked him.

He gulped and stopped shaking. “What prisoners, you swine.” he said defiantly.

I sighed and then nodded to Fenrir. He growled and his claws grew slightly, coming closer to the unicorn's throat. The Fire-Eater saw and started to quiver again.

“Where are the prisoners?” I asked again.

“I don't....” he said as he watched with big eyes as the claws grew more. Now they were touching his throat.

“Where are the...”

“There's a secret path at the southern end. Follow it and it leads into the gorge. All the prisoners are there. Please don't kill me.” he stammered out quickly before I could even finish the question.

I nodded to Fenrir. “Knock him out.” All Fenrir had to do was grow his claws a millimeter more and the unicorn fainted. Fenrir let him to the ground slowly and I created an earthen cage around him before we left the tent. The three of us rushed to the southern end and found a rough stairway leading down into the gorge, just as the Fire-Eater had said.

“Let's go.”

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The bottom of the gorge was completely dark and the high cavern walls made it have a very oppressive aura. Every nerve in my body was telling me that something was wrong, but I ignored them knowing that Twilight was down here somewhere. I whistled and led the other two down the winding path of the gorge, trying to find any clue that could lead me to Twilight.

After a few minutes of running, we came to a large fork in the gorge. I looked at both of the paths but neither gave us any sense of which way we should go. I looked as far as I could down the far path and saw that it just led on deeper into the gorge. Then I looked to the path on my right and saw nothing. I was about to lead the way down the long path, when something caught my eye off in the right path. It was a little sparkle.

“This way!” I said as I dashed down the path on the right, knowing I had seen something.

The path curved and became narrower and narrower as we went further into it, and finally it ended in a dead end. I sighed and rested up against the dead end. I knocked on it with a frustrated hoof before I started to turn around.

“Let's go ba....” I started to say.

knock.

My head whipped back to the dead end.

“You two do that?”

“No.” they both said as I inched closer to the wall. I knocked again and waited. Again it was answered and I took a hard look at the wall. I found a small gap and peered through. I quickly pulled away, blinded for a moment. I took off my hood and rubbed my eyes.

“What is it Crimson?” Syringe said noticing my floating head.

“It's this wall,” I said blindly pointing to it. “It's glowing pink on the other side.”

“Move for a moment brother.” Fenrir said as he walked up to the wall. I backed away and he started sniffing intently around and on the wall.

“It smells of ponies.” he said pulling away from it. “And it is not too thick. They are on the other side.” he said with certainty.

I rubbed my eyes one last time and put my hood back on. My heart beat with anxiety and excitement as I connected myself to the earth. I took a deep breath and let the Earth's magic course through me. I let out my breath and the wall sunk into the earth, making a small ramp for the three of us to walk through. A glowing pink light emanated from the hole, apparently enough to show I was there, because when I entered Syringe and Fenrir followed.

The space we entered was large and layered. It was a large earthen made amphitheater, and it was vast and empty. Empty, except for the glowing orb at one end of the amphitheater's floor. I raced over to it as soon as I saw what it was. Like Luna's circular shield that protected us from the fireballs, this one did the same, only held all the unicorns in.

As I came closer to it I saw Twilight on the other side with Cadence and Shining, all pounding on the wall of the shield. I took off my hood and put up a hoof to the shield and smiled. Twilight did the same, and even though we were separated, I felt like we were connected.

“How do I get you out of here?” I asked her. She shook her head and started to speak, but I couldn't hear a word she said. Apparently, the orb trapped sound in as well.

I shook me head and pointed a hoof at my ear. “I can't hear you.” I said.

Twilight stopped shaking her head and pointed a hoof upwards. I looked and my heart sunk. The dome of the orb was holding a large rock outcropping on it. I looked back down to Twilight and she mimed to me what would happen.

If I took down the shield, they would all be crushed.

“Brother! I hear ponies coming.” hissed Fenrir. I looked back at Twilight quickly and threw my hood back on. I quickly made a rock pop up from the ground and Syringe, Fenrir, and I managed to hide behind it as a pony's hoofsteps could be heard.

“Hello my little unicorns.” said a malicious voice. “And other trash.”

Lights blazed down into the open room, startling the three of us and all the unicorns in the orb. I saw Twilight start banging on the wall of her confinement desperately, trying to get out to help.

“I know you are there, you vermin.” the voice said smugly. “And I know who you are General Steelhooves.” it said sarcastically. “Go on get up out of your hidey-hole with your two friends and meet who your end is.”

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, and stood up with Syringe and Fenrir. I looked at their faces and saw they held the same grim looks I did. We looked up to see the unicorn that addressed us. He had a white coat, a black mane, and deep red eyes. He wore an elaborate piece of chest armor and a golden circlet on his head, but other than that he looked just like any other Fire-Eater. His gaze turned dark as he saw me and Fenrir and the ring of Fire-Eaters surrounding the amphitheater in a lethal circle tensed at his look.

“You two may call me Master.” he spat at us. “You should be lucky I have not had you killed yet. Every pony of our noble blood knows that timberwolves are nothing but swine to be killed and that earth ponies belong on our farms, working for the superior race.”

His look changed when he spotted Syringe. It went from a nasty look of disgust, to a fatherly look.

“You are called Syringe, are you not? Well Syringe, you could join us. You could not only become powerful beyond your wildest dreams, but you could even be my right-hoofed stallion. I am in need of a unicorn with your ability and wisdom, and you would be second to me in the new world we create.”

Syringe looked at him in boredom and pushed his glasses further up on his face.

“Tell you what?” the unicorn called Master said. “I'll even let you pick your own mates from our little collection.” he said, jerking his chin towards the trapped unicorns behind us.

Syringe took off his glasses and blew on them. “So I can assume that you will kill me if I refuse this preposition?” he said wiping his glasses on his coat.

“I would rather not have it come to that.”

“But you are going to kill my General and Friend here, correct?”

“If you insist, you can keep them as slaves.” the Master said, his face slowly turning into a frown.

“Hmm. Mares, power, and slaves.” Syringe said putting a hoof to his chin.

“Yes, yes!” the Master said happily, his smirk returning.

“It does seem intriguing.” he said, tuning to me with a fake look of interest. “So what do you think Daring would say about this?” he asked me while looking straight at the Master.

“She'd probably just beat you up. And not in the good way you kniky perv.” I answered.

“Daring?” the Master asked.

“Oh, she's my marefriend. She's a pegasi. But that means you would kill her too.” Syringe said flatly.

“You could...” the Master stuttered.

“And all my earth pony and pegasi friends. They would be killed too, wouldn't they? And all the rest of the non-ponies we met on all of our missions. The griffins, the dragons, the buffalo and the camels. You would kill them all.” Syringe said, becoming more angry than I had ever seen him. “And you want me to betray them all, just for some fake promise?” His horn erupted in light and a large iceball shot from it, catching the Master off guard and knocking him down.

“Fire-Eaters! Kill them!” shouted a weak sounding Master.

Fireballs rained down on us, but Syringe was faster than all of them. His magical shield covered all three of us, but I knew that it wouldn't hold long. I reached into the earth and melded my will with its. A large stone dome closed rose from the ground and covered us. Syringe let his shield go and fell to the floor panting. He may be able to heal vast amounts of ponies, but offensive and defensive magic were an ordeal to him. After that last iceball attack, I wondered how many more he had left in him.

“Are you alright Syringe.”

“I....I can still fight. I just need to ration off my magic. Use weaker spells with more precision.” he panted. Suddenly, the sounds of fire hitting my dome stopped.

“They're climbing down.” Fenrir growled, his ear on the dome.

I gulped and took a deep breath. “We have to stop them, but make sure you don't hurt 'the Master'. I have a feeling he's the reason why the shield around the Ponyville unicorns is still up.”

Fenrir and Syringe nodded and I let my magic intertwine with the Earth's. I could feel the Fire-Eaters descending the rock face and coming closer to us. When I felt that they were close enough I gave a silent nod to my two friends and threw down my hood. Then I used my combined magic and blasted the rocks of the dome out in all directions.

Fenrir lunged away from us with a fierce growl, the Ursa Major claws enlarging as he ripped into surprised Fire-Eaters. Syringe created small icicles with his magic, and shot them out at the enemies, hit them in precise spots, immobilizing or killing them. I lept away from the others as I was surrounded by Fire-Eaters and had to fight for my life. I dodged fireballs and other attacks with horns that were meant to gore and weapons like hoof-axes and maces, using Colt Maga, my gauntlets, and our magic to fight.

“RRAAGGHH!!” went a scream from one side of the large earthen battlefield.

“Syringe!” Fenrir and I yelled as we responded to his yell. I tried to rush to my hurt comrade, but I was again surrounded by Fire-Eaters. There was no end to them. A few moments later, a loud howl echoed from the other side of the rock amphitheater.

“NO! Fenrir!” I screamed is desperation. They had gotten him too. I picked up my attacks, my rage fueling myself so much that I didn't notice the feel of an attack until it was too late. I bent over as a terrible pain filled my innards and I fell to the ground gasping in pain.

“Pick him up.” commanded a cold voice and I felt myself being pulled up by uncomfortable hooves.

“Bring him to the others. I want them to see what happens when you oppose us.” said the same voice. I was dragged to one side of the amphitheater and I saw from pain-teared eyes that I was opposite of the Ponyville unicorns. I also blearily became aware that a badly beaten Fenrir was held up by magic on my left, and Syringe was held up on my right. Syringe had a deep gash that rand down his side. I could see the pain in his eyes and his grit teeth, but his horn glowed faintly, so I knew he was working his magic on himself as we were held. Fenrir also had a fire in his blackened eyes. We may have been caught, but we weren't beaten. Not by a long shot.

“Hold his head. I want to see his face when he realizes he will lose this battle.” said the Master. My head was wrenched backwards and I was forced to look up at a snarling Master and the Ponyville unicorns in their magical cage.

“I was generous. I gave you a choice. But you decided to reject my generosity and attack all of us.” he said in cold fury. “So now, you will die. But first, I want you to become desperate. I want you to know that you can't save anypony. That you failed.” he said with a finality that made my coat bristle.

“Know that you failed.” he said as his horn glowed. The magical cage-dome around the Ponyville unicorns disappeared and heavy rocks and Earth started to fall towards them.

Time slowed to a screeching halt. I could see the rocks falling towards my loved ones. Shining and Cadence's horns started to glow, along with Twilight's, but I knew it would be too late. I felt utter desperation as the rocks inched closer to them. I screamed aloud and gazed at the Master. Oh the hate I felt for him. I was about to use the Earth's magic to crush him, but I stopped dead as a I noticed movement that moved faster than all of us in this slowed-time reality. Everything came to a halt as a green and brown unicorn mare stepped out from behind the Master and looked at me.

“Oakleaf.” I said in my mind as she walked up to me. I could feel tears wet my cheeks as she came up to me and nuzzled me. I could feel her, warm and alive, but I knew she was dead.

“Don't hate.” she whispered. “That isn't the stallion you are. That isn't the stallion I love.” I cried silently as she rubbed up against me. She pulled away from me and looked dead into my eyes.

“It wasn't your fault I died.” she said. “I did it to protect you.” she whispered heavily, conveying all her love in those few words as she walked to the Ponyville unicorns who were frozen in time. When she got next to Twilight she turned around and looked straight at me.

“Now protect them like I protected you.” she said sternly, but lovingly.

Time resumed as I connected to the Earth with teary eyes.

“Yes, cry fool. Know your death is here.” said the Master noticing my tears. He grinned but then noticed the look on his soldiers' faces. They looked at the Ponyville unicorns in awe. The Master quickly turned to see what everypony else saw.

The rocks that would have crushed, would have killed, my loved ones were suspended mid-air. All the Ponyville unicorns looked at them in shock, except for one. Twilight stared straight at me and I saw the love in her eyes, but also a worried fear for me.

“This ends here.” I said, my voice deeper and by the magic of the Earth's aspect of protection. The unicorns holding me jumped away as they noticed the flow of power coming from me and how the air around me seemed to pulse.

The Master started to shout something to the Fire-Eaters, but I used the raw power of the Earth to magically teleport all of Ponyville's unicorns, Syringe, and Fenrir out of Ghastly Gorge and to Luna's position. Then I stared challengingly at the Master.

He looked at me shocked, and scared, and his voice trembled as he shouted one command. “Kill him!”

I looked at all of the approaching enemies with one thought in my mind. It was not hate of them, nor anger. Just one simple thing: I needed to stop them to protect my loved ones.

Earth and Fire-Eater flew threw the air as I attacked the attackers, unleashing my overwhelming power on all of them. However, there was a lot. Three hundred unicorns against one pony? Not nearly a fair fight for the three hundred. My earthen attacks beat any thing they could muster, they attacking with fireballs, while I used the very Earth to aid me. Ponies flew around as I flung them away with slabs of Earth, rock pillars, and whirlwinds of dust, coupled along with my own attacks with Colt Maga.

As I continued my attacks I became aware that I was getting heavier. In a small lull in the fight, I glimpsed my hooves and was shocked to find they were becoming stone. I remembered Century Sentry's warning about the last Earth Pony to use the Earth's protecting magic for too long and I gulped. However, my mind was taken off of it as the last vestiges of the Fire-Eater's force charged me and I saw the Master climbing away with a small guard. I grimaced and blasted the rest of the Fire-Eaters away from myself with an attack, and then I concentrated.

I felt the Master running away from Ghastly Gorge through the Earth's magic and I connected myself fully. I then let it all go as I moved through the Earth, teleporting to confront the Master.

Teleporting through the Earth was much different than that of teleporting with raw magic, as Twilight and the unicorns do. While they use magic to teleport themselves fully, the Earth moves you, not the other way around. It pulls you in and tunnels you through it's magic to the destination IT knows you should be. It feels very strange not being in control of where you are going, but also comforting for some strange reason.

I came up out of the Earth farther ahead of where the Master was running and I waited for him to come into sight. They ran through the dark woods on the edges of Ghastly Gorge, coming straight at me, but never seeing me in the dark shadows of the night.

As the first of the Master's guard came into sight, running as fast as he could, I protruded a stone pillar from the ground, sending him tumbling down the side of the gorge. The others saw and rushed to the side of the gorge, yelling his name. I noticed how the trees grew around the gorge, and with my magic, I accelerated their growth around us, creating a arced wall of plant life on the left side of the path, the gorge on the right. The Fire-Eaters noticed this too late.

Trees attacked the guard as they fired fireballs in every which way, setting some of the trees aflame, but still, the tress moved, grew, and attacked them, responding to the Earth's command of protection I issued them.

I saw the fear on the Master's face as he shot more flames, until he shot one past my head and onto a tree behind me. It set ablaze and he saw me from the light it produced. He tripped and cowered back as the trees trapped the rest of his Fire-Eaters in cages of their limbs. I walked slowly towards him. He frantically shot a few more fireballs at me, but they all missed, his aim failing him in his fear.

“You are a demon!” he screamed at me as I approached.

“You have no right to call anypony that.” I responded. “You have led these unicorns to pillage, destroy, and kill. You are the only demon here tonight.”

The Master gave a scared laugh. “I am not the one using the darkness as a shield. I led my Fire-Eaters on the path of righteousness.”

“I may be a creature of the night, but I am not the monster that you are.” I said coldly as I threw back my hood. He trembled when he saw my face.

“You hurt and destroyed the lives of numerous ponies, caused terror in Equestria, and killed my late wife and unborn son.” I said without malice as I leaned in closer to his face. His eyes grew wide in terror.

“But most heinous of all,” I said slowly, flatly. “You threaten the ones I love. The ones who still live, and you tarnish my beloved's memory with all your hate.”

“But we are the superior ones.” the Master whispered.

“Really?” I said. “Then become like one who thought he was superior. One who thought he could rule all of Equestria in his chaotic hands.” I said as I raised a hoof to touch the Master's horn. I noticed my leg was almost completely stone, but I willed myself to do this one last act of protection.

I touched the Master's horn and let the Earth's magic course through me. The Master gasped as he saw the stone spread up my leg, but it also spread down his horn. His mouth opened in a silent scream as his lower body turned to stone and his whole body became encased in it's final prison. I let go of my magical connection with the Earth knowing that my deed was done. I protected all my loved ones by stopping him.

I sighed with relief, which quickly became a sharp gasp of pain as I looked down at my hooves. Even though I had stopped using the Earth's protection magic, the stone still spread up along my body. It was slow, but I knew it wouldn't stop. I hobbled over to a tree and sat against it laughing to myself.

I would become just like the very unicorn I had just stopped.

“No.” I told myself. I knew I wouldn't become like him. I knew I might turn to stone, but I'd never become him. I had a whole town of loved ones, and I had let go of my hate while he still held onto it. In truth, I didn't even hate him for his actions. I was just disappointed, but I forgot my disappointment when I thought about my friends.

“Maybe I'll make a good statue for the Library?” I said aloud before laughing hysterically and fainting from the pain.