Chapter 10: The Last Word
Rainbow Dash was out of the hospital and flying towards Sweet Apple Acres at breakneck speed. She passed the Cutie Mark Crusaders huddled in a group outside, no doubt discussing their next nefarious plot to earn their cutie marks, though for once, Sweetie Belle looked apprehensive. Riven’s surprising recovery would have turned the poor filly pale if she wasn’t already chalk white.
With a confident salute, Rainbow Dash picked up her pace with a powerful flap of her wings. The three filles were rewarded with a muted roar as the older mare tore through an air pocket; a miniature Sonic Rainboom.
“So… awesome…”
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Scoots, Rainbow Dash has been yer caretaker fer months now. Ain’t’cha ever gonna get over her?”
“No. You ever gonna get over apples and giant red bows?”
Apple Bloom gasped and pawed at her accessory like it was her security blanket. “Shhh! She’s sensitive!”
“… Your bow is a ‘she’?” Scootaloo nudged Sweetie, who had set aside her fear in favor of muffled laughter. “Does ‘she’ have a name too?”
“… Mahbe.”
“Tell us! Tell us!” Sweetie chanted, and was soon joined by Scootaloo.
“Fine then, Ah will! Her name is—”
“Girls!” Rarity approached, the task of retrieving Pinkie was at the forefront of her mind, but it was temporarily set aside in favor of the three rambunctious fillies. There was no time for distractions or lollygagging when she had a pink purveyor of pastries to procure. “What are you doing out here? You need to go home! It’s dangerous!”
“Ponyville’s dangerous?”
Rarity nodded at her sister’s remark and turned all three in the direction of her boutique with a delicate application of magic. “It is today. You can play at our home if you wish Sweetie, but don’t go outside. Not until an adult says it is safe to do so. Understood?”
“Yes Miss Rarity,” two of the three fillies said in unison. Sweetie groused but nodded. Rarity watched them depart observantly, ensuring that they wouldn’t cover their escape with firecrackers and dart behind a building. Once she was certain they were at least heading in the direction of Carousel Boutique, she continued her own task of retrieving Pinkie Pie and meeting everypony back at Twilight’s library. She could only hope Pinkie wasn’t preoccupied with one of her many confectionary experiments. Trying to pull her away from what she perceived as a stroke of genius rarely resulted in more than a headache.
Rainbow Dash covered the distance between Ponyville General and Sweet Apple Acres in less than five minutes. On hoof, it was easily a half hour trot. For any other pegasus, the flight would take at least ten minutes. However, a sleepless night followed by a stressful, napless day had taken its toll, and Rainbow could not control her descent. She came in hard and knocked two blooming branches out of an apple tree. Her tumbling body dug a trench a yard long through the orchard before finally coming to a stop at the hooves of an equally tired and very ornery-looking earth pony.
“Rainbow, if’n there was ever a day where Ah could have done without you breakin’ mah property…”
Applejack paused instinctually. This was usually the point when Rainbow would burst out of the crater she had just made and the two mares would exchange playful invectives. Instead, Rainbow’s wobbly limbs struggled to find purchase and her cyan face had yet to make an appearance from the hill of dirt she drudged up, so being the neighborly pony that she was, Applejack lent a helping hoof.
What she saw wasn’t the confident, brash pegasus she’d come to know and love, but an exhausted mare who clearly hadn’t realized just how out of sorts she was before making this journey.
“Ah, Rainbow? You all right, sugar?”
Rainbow coughed up a cloud of dirt and lazily shook a bit more out of her mane. “How do I look, AJ?” Came the snarky reply.
“Like death.”
“Well good. I feel like death.” Rainbow extricated herself from Applejack’s grip and sighed painfully before she felt ready to deliver the message that had brought her here in the first place. “We gotta get to Twilight’s place. Like, yesterday.”
“Rainbow, unless Twi is on ‘er deathbed… Ah’m sorry but today jus’ isn’t a good day.”
“Celestia’s orders. This is big. Like, ‘holy crap if we don’t put on our magical jewelry the whole world is bucked’ kinda big.”
Applejack’s brow furrowed and she looked over her shoulder toward her home. Through the open front door she could make out her family huddled around the dinner table. It wasn’t Apple family policy to bottle up something that was bothering you, so she and Big Macintosh had informed Granny Smith of their mutual dream. Though she didn’t understand it, the elderly pony possessed infinite compassion for her kin.
“AJ, have you been… crying?”
With a sniff she turned back to Rainbow and blinked tightly to squeeze out a few errant tears. “So what if Ah have?! Can’t a gal be emotional from time ta time?”
“I don’t suppose that gal will share with her friend?”
Applejack sighed and nodded curtly. “It was… jus’ Ah dream, Rainbow. Ah stupid dream. Twern’t nothin’ ta get worked up about.”
Rainbow’s eyes widened in understanding and she stepped closer. Before explaining why, she nuzzled the side of Applejack’s cheek. “Was it a shadow with white eyes?”
Applejack recoiled and gasped. “H-H-How could y—”
“You’re not alone, AJ. It’s gotten a few of us.” Rainbow glanced up at her friend with tortured eyes. “Like me.”
Now it was Applejack’s turn to show a little compassion and physically reassure her friend. “Oh, darlin’. Are you OK?”
“I will be when we dropkick this thing back to whatever hole it crawled out of. The princess is getting the Elements and Twilight and the others are at the library right now, trying to figure out how we’re gonna trap it. You know that alien? Riven?”
“Kinda hard t’forget, Rainbow.”
“Well, she’s there too, and she has a name for it. ‘Knock Knock’ or some junk. Anyway, you comin’?”
“Of course. Jus’ lemme go say goodbye. Ah’ll be right back!”
Rarity entered Sugarcube Corner to the chime of a bell positioned above the door. She did not see Cup or Carrot Cake, or the twins, but she did hear clanking and singing coming from the kitchen behind the display counter. With delicate steps, she approached the register and cleared her throat. “Pinkie Pie? Darling, are you back there?”
The response she received was another crash, a high-pitched “eep!” and a sound similar to a pillow striking a solid object. A moment later, a powder white Pinkie Pie bounced out, looking pleased as punch despite being covered head to hoof in flour. “Hiya, Rarity! You sure startled me. But I suppose you shouldn’t have seeing as how these are business hours and ponies would be coming in around this time for lunch but I’m running the place all by myself today because the Cakes are visiting family in Manehattan but they said they’d only be gone for one day and all I’d have to do is keep up the stock and sell stuff like I usually do which is TOTALLY unrelated to you startling me in the first place and probably has nothing to do with you coming here unless you’re just here to say ‘hi’ in which case HI RARITY!”
Pinkie Pie beamed. Rarity looked exasperated. There was a time when she would have attempted to stop Pinkie from ranting but realized that anything short of shoving a hoof into her mouth was futile. Seeing as how she was unwilling to ruin her hooficure when she could just wait the hyperactive pony out, Rarity did just that.
“Actually, the princesses require your — that is, our — services at Twilight’s library. If you would please get cleaned up.”
Pinkie looked shocked at the mere suggestion. “But Rarity, the store is still open! I can’t just close it down and leave! That would be… be… dereliction? No, that would be if I was a guardsmare. Malingering? Well, that would be the dictionary definition but also really super snooty of me.” Pinkie snorted and looked at Rarity, who seemed mildly put out. “Um, no offense. Let’s just say it would probably get me in trouble, and I can’t afford to take a pay cut, Rarity. I have a lot of expenses. You know… partying.”
“Darling, if Princess Celestia herself asked, I’m sure the Cakes will understand.”
“Oh, you don’t know how angry Misses Cake can get when somepony jeopardizes the financial future of her foals.”
“Pinkie, for the love of Faust go take a bath and come with me!”
“But—”
“NOW.”
Pinkie groused and trotted away. “Fiiiiiiiiine. But if I get fired, you’re going to hire me!”
“I will! I am in need of a reliable stockmare!”
Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack all arrived at the library shortly thereafter. Riven greeted them with a silent nod. Cream didn’t so much as look up from his fevered study over any tome that appeared relevant. Fluttershy was looking out of the window broken during Riven’s arrival, smiling at the birds nesting nearby. Twilight and Shining Armor were speaking to one another, but greeted their friends warmly. Neither left Spike’s slumbering side, however.
Princess Celestia had also arrived. This time she had not come alone; a number of covert operatives from the ranks of her military were likewise in the library, but no pony or human had seen them since they first arrived. Shining Armor occasionally shifted an eye toward conspicuous locations, implying he was aware of where they had decided to hide. Both the princess and the captain of the guard had agreed that, despite the sensitive nature of this event, the ruler of Equestria should no longer travel without the proper security.
While Celestia was rarely keen on being monitored like a child, the return of the nightmare reminded her of the possibility that it could target her as its next host. While it was unlikely that anything short of a combined, concerted effort between her sister, her number one student, and every unicorn in her court would be able to defeat her should that eventuality come to pass, it was agreed that if she did not fight back, she could be struck down before Nocturne’s influence twisted her into something truly terrifying. Twilight was horrified by the idea; Shining Armor and the agents all nodded solemnly.
Each bearer was given her respective element: Magic for Twilight Sparkle, Honesty for Applejack, Generosity for Rarity, Laughter for Pinkie Pie, Loyalty for Rainbow Dash, and Kindness for Fluttershy. They received a brief lecture about what would occur, but Celestia also mentioned that not even she knew exactly what would transpire. She trusted Luna and asked her ponies to do the same. Precious seconds would undoubtedly decide the fate of Equestria should her sister succeed, and when the princess of the night did reappear and blinked out of the glass enclosure, it was Shining Armor that proved quickest on his hooves.
But now a dead silent room watched a faded purple fire radiate off of the lavender prodigy, and listened to a bone-chilling voice reverberate around another that so many thought beautiful. Shining Armor was so frightened that he could not even bring himself to cry as he watched his baby sister mutate into something unrecognizable, but a voice in the back of his mind was thankful their mother was not present.
The fire was not just for dramatic effect. Twilight’s fur burned away, making room for limbs cracking and splitting as they elongated and strengthened. Her horn twisted, her mane flared, and a bloody black coat grew to replace what Nocturne’s pestilent influence had destroyed moments before.
Outside, the sight was like one of Nocturne’s nightmares made manifest. Inside, Twilight Sparkle raged.
Nocturne polluted her thoughts with cruel whispers.
She battled back with pleasant memories.
Nocturne called her a failure, an outcast, and a fool.
She dismissed these claims with proof that her mentor was proud, that her friends and family loved her, and that she was intelligent.
Intelligent enough, in fact, that she could recognize what Nocturne was attempting to do and was battling back. Nocturne quickly picked at more of her insecurities, but she dismissed each with the wisdom that a few negative quirks did not define her. Each time Nocturne lost a bit of ground, Twilight’s body began to return to its normal shape. The darkness in the room faltered, and Nocturne’s power waned.
“If you expel me… I will kill your friends instead. For their sake… give in.”
“No…” Twilight’s brow furrowed and her restored horn began to shimmer with a lavender light. “They will defeat you, just like they did before. Be banished again, nightmare!” The tiara upon Twilight’s head resonated in time with her natural magical aura, and soon Nocturne began to feel a familiar sensation: Pain. So much pain, in fact, that it could not remain within Twilight Sparkle without risking its well being. It seeped from her mouth, ears, eyes, and nostrils like smoke, and Riven was quick to capitalize on Nocturne’s momentary vulnerability.
She dashed forward, propelled by force of will alone, and bisected the beast with a mighty cry. Nocturne shrieked but its ethereal form reconstituted almost immediately. Once free from Twilight, the unicorn collapsed, bloody and furless, but alive. Nocturne acknowledged the desperation of its situation, and Princess Luna sensed its panic. “Now, my little ponies! Strike it down!”
Twilight cracked open an eye and used what little energy she had remaining to unite the power of the Elements of Harmony, channeling the camaraderie of her friends and focusing it into a opaque beam of chromatic light. Riven slashed at the beast again, but this time her great sword was parried, and the nightmare dove at her with reckless abandon.
Riven’s eyesight darkened and she yelped in surprise. In its weakened state, Nocturne could not maintain its shadowy magic, so the exile’s vision returned quickly, but not before two crimson blades plunged into her chest and pinned her against the far wall. The impact removed Riven’s ability to control her legs and she vomited up blood, but in a last act of defiance, she stabbed her sword though Nocturne’s serpentine body. The blade slipped through harmlessly and the monster laughed, confident that even if it was defeated here — again — it would take at least one other life with it.
“I might never see home,” Riven choked, her every breath a labor. “But I will still fight for it.” The eldritch runes on her blade began to glow and an intense wind quickly built up speed, whipping her hair about. Nocturne’s fiery eyes widened in shock and its torso began to swell as hurricane force winds fought to escape their confines.
Nocturne’s howl was drowned out by the shrill whistle of the wind that explosively obliterated its body. Scraps of wispy black “flesh” scattered throughout the library, and every pony covered their ears to preserve their senses from the piercing storm. The burst of magic from the unified Elements of Harmony amassed Nocturne’s tattered essence and dispersed it once more, hopefully to a realm where it could never again do harm. When the cacophony died down, the scene could be properly observed to determine the damage. Few ponies could resist the urge to cry.
Twilight Sparkle was unconscious and neither Celestia, Luna, or Cream had the energy to heal her adequately, not after the Hercoltean effort it took to restore Riven… but she would live. Riven was in far worse shape, however, and no pony was certain or even confident that she would survive. Rainbow Dash applied pressure to the gaping wounds in her chest but the blood would not stop flowing. Fluttershy helped and choked out reassurances that this was the proper course of action, but that was of little comfort as Riven herself seemed resigned. Content.
“Can you… really not send me back?” She whispered, each word burbled out between coughs and dribbles of blood.
Celestia kneeled down in front of Riven and nuzzled gently under her chin. “No. I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right,” Riven gasped and closed her eyes. She continued to breathe, but her chest was rising less each time. “I always knew I’d die away from my home. But I… have a regret.”
“Speak it,” Luna said next, stepping around Rainbow and leaning her head down low. “We will see to it personally that you die with a clear conscience.”
“I…” Riven gasped, and one hand reached out for something — anything. Fluttershy moved her head up underneath, and Riven began to gently scratch her mane. “I never got to apologize…”
“For what?”
“For my actions… the lives I’ve taken… I just fled. I’m a coward... and I never said… I was…”
Riven said no more, and as she was, she never would again.
The Ten Thousand Aeries of Griffhala was both a natural wonder of the world and one of its most powerful empires. Griffons were not naturally peaceful like ponies were; they were carnivores who honed their predatory nature practically from birth. The peace that existed between Griffhala and Equestria was tenuous at best, likely maintained by the continued existence of Princess Celestia alone. If not for her, that nation of grass-eaters would have been conquered millennia ago.
A vast mountain range served as Griffhala’s most potent defense; a natural wall that had never once been breached. Carved into it were numerous battlements and griffon patrols were on a constant vigil. Today, one such guard had briefly abandoned his post, having flown down to the forest at the boarder of griffon territory to eat his home-made mouse casserole. The captain would not return to his post for several hours. Plenty of time for a lunch break.
The guard popped the lid off his plastic container and inhaled the aroma therein with delight. He scooped a dollop of meaty goodness onto one talon and was mere inches from savoring that bite when a mighty red appendage kicked through the forest and crushed his body between one taloned toe.
On account of having his spine shattered, the guard felt no pain, but experienced stark horror as a titanic beast lumbered from the tree line and looked down at him with an expression similar to a smile, but upon its alien face, he truly saw only murderous glee.
“Ah, what is this? I appear to have stepped on something.” The creature leaned down and sniffed the paralyzed griffon, who could do little but stare wide-eyed in response. “Flesh, yessssssss… delicious meat. It’s been too long since I dined on the flavors of a new world.” The monster’s mouth opened wide — far wider than conventional physics would assume possible. The griffon’s beak parted to scream, but was devoured before he could utter a sound.
Cho’Gath, the Terror of the Void, grew even larger. Now towering above even the walls of Griffhala, it licked its lips and trundled forward, scything claws eager to mow down anything unfortunate enough to get in its way and curved fangs dripping with anticipation. “I am free. Woe betide you, lesser creatures.”
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Riven died.........OBJECTION, there has to be more to it than that
good story though
1301221
"there has to be more to it than that"
Eeyup.
Oh I've seen on of these before... strangely equestria and LoL crossovers always have Riven. Oh god... I know why now
1301325
... Is the main picture coming into play? But all the casters who would know how to do it are all drained/unconscious....
OMG... MY FAVORITE CHAMPION PLUS PONIES.
X
OMG!!!!
Great story so far, keep up the good work, mate!
1301588 If Cards says this is a good story, then it MUST be true.
So if she can only get a headache and rarely at that, what is the problem?
Pretty sure that should be "border".
Oh goddamnit. Now they're REALLY boned.