My Little Pony: The Flurry Heart’s Story

by Arkogon

Chapter 11: Revenge of the Soul King

“It begins in my chamber, where I was born. It had resurrected me when the death of Twilight Sparkle as I crawled out from. I thought I escaped death, but she did something to me. I was reforming my body until I saw myself as an alicorn. That’s when I knew her magic poisoned my soul when I was eradicated along with her. Took me years to get used to the new body as I was weak to fight, until I found a solution to restore my strength. My eyes have brought me to the Everfree Forest to consume Timberwolves’ essence. They gave me strength as I continued to devour them all one by one, leaving the forest to die, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy me.”

And back to the present. “And now, you found me, Flurry Heart. Because of you, you let me enter the Crystal Empire. You let them see me. And now, I will show them the truth… their real princess is dead!” He laughed maniacally, as Flurry was terrified for what she had done. “Now, time for revenge.”

He angrily uses red magic on her throat. He started doing it until Spike saw him choking Flurry Heart.

“Hey!” He shouted, getting Clipso’s attention.

But he silenced him in a stiff while choking her to death. Then her parents came and saw the trouble. “Flurry!” Cadance yelled as she managed to hit him with magic.

It releases Flurry as Shining caught her in mid air levitation, but Clipso regains back up and faces them. Then the guards and the sisters arrive and see him. They were shocked to see a real stallion alicorn standing in front of him. But he didn’t fight and escaped through the stained glass, to the night sky. They do not know who it was but were relieved Flurry was okay.

“Sweetheart,” Cadance asked. “Are you okay?”

Flurry nodded as a yes, and Celestia asked Spike who was that alicorn. “Spike, who was that alicorn?”

“I don’t know,” said Spike. “But he was a stallion alicorn.”

“That’s impossible,” Stygian added. “There’s no stallion alicorn that exists in Equestria.”

“His name is Clipso,” Flurry remarked, getting their attention surprisingly. “He’s an alicorn now.”

She has told them everything, Clipso was reborn and has been draining Timerwolves’ lifeforce and disguised as Twilight Sparkle. And Stygian knew something wasn’t right about her.

“So Twily is gone?” Shining asked, feeling guilt.

“I’m afraid so,” said Celestia.

And he sobs with grief, learning Twilight is really gone. But they now must focus on Clipso now he is alive roaming around Equestria.

“So where did that monstrous alicorn run-off to?” Luna asked, wanting to find him.

“We do not know,” Stygian replied. “The guards searched all over Equestria but found no trace.”

“And Flurry Heart?” she asked.

“She’s okay. Cadance is with her now,” said Stygian. “But I do not understand why he would be at the library? Something he seems interested in. I’ll have to return to the library and figure out what he's been searching for.” As he heads back to the library, leaving them alone time.

In Flurry’s bedroom, Cadance was worried if she’s okay after the choking. But Flurry was guilty of finding Twilight who turned out to be the entity.

“Is there something wrong?” she asked.

“It is,” Flurry responded. “I was foolish to think that was Aunt Twilight. But it wasn’t. I brought him into Crystal Castle and let him find what he was looking for. And everypony now sees Twilight’s gone, sad and hurt after learning the truth.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” said Cadance. “He wanted to hurt us just because he believed it would work. But I know he’s using our emotions against us. He uses yours to convince you as he imitates her. And this time, we know the real Twilight who supports friendship.”

She was right, Twilight Sparkle was their real ruler of the Equestria. And Clipso is just an entity pretending to act like her. He may have her form but he doesn’t know anything about her life. And when it settles, Spike comes into the room to inform her.

“Cadance, we found it.”

“You found Clipso?” She asked.

“No,” he responded. “But we found what he’s been looking for.”

In the library, Stygian found a book with torn pages about Windigos. “This is what he’s been looking for. Half of the pages are missing and I have no clue what it was.”

“I think I've seen it before,” Spike commented. “In Hearth's Warming Eve, Twilight was reading about Windigos were the pages I saw.”

“Do you know what it was?” Celestia asked.

“I don’t remember,” he said. “But if I can remember what it was, I’m sure I can remember the page he took.”

“Maybe I can,” said Stygian. “I’ve been learning from Twilight’s friend from another universe. She taught me how to read people- I mean, ponies thoughts, memories, and feelings. If I can use my magic, I can figure out what it was.”

“But you don’t have magic,” Spike concluded. “And it will take a lot of it to see through my memory.”

“Not if we grant our magic to him,” said Cadance. “I gave some of my magic to Shining Armor in case he needs it. We can give some to Stygian in order to find Clipso.”

“Then we shall begin,” said Luna.

As they prepared themselves, Stygian was ready to read through Spike’s mind. And the three alicorns shared their magic to him, as he is able to use it to read Spike’s memory. As he got through, he searched for the memory of Hearth's Warming and found it. He watches Spike as a little dragon walking up to young Twilight. And saw the page she was reading, a ritual site of how to summon the Windigos. But it was cut short when his magic was depleted, returning to the awakened world.

“Stygian,” Shining responded, helping him up.

“It's a ritual,” he cried. “He’s planning to open a rift for the Windigos to cross over.”

“Oh dear,” Cadance worried. “Why would he open for them to cross over? Does he know they feed on fighting and hatred?”

They don’t know, but Spike concludes it. “He’s not gonna release them to Equestria, he's planning to consume them. Remember what Clipso said to her, how he devours Timerwolves’ life force but wasn’t enough to satisfy his body. Perhaps he needed an unlimited source to regain his strength.”

“And the only spirit he can do that is Windigos, “ said Celestia. “They are the winter spirits that have existed in Equestria for a long time. If he does it, then who knows what monstrous he can become.”

“So how do we find him?” Shining asked.

“He needed to be somewhere so he could start the ritual,” said Cadance. “But what place can he be at?”

None of them knew until a unicorn guard came in a rush with an emergency. “Sir! Cerberus is running loose on the Crystal Empire.”

Shining Armor hurries to the balcony and sees the three-headed dog running around, barking and crying. He ordered some guards to tame it, and they did, as he wanted to know what it was doing here.

“Cerberus? What the hay is he doing here?”

“Did he run off from his post again?” Spike asked.

Then Cadance spotted a cut that she believed something must’ve happened. “Something must’ve attacked him at the Tartarus.”

“But that’s impossible,” Luna declined. “There’s nothing in there. Every evil being has been cleaned out of there since… the….. Moons.”

And that’s when they realize there can only one being who could’ve done it. “Clipso,” they all recalled.

“If Cerberus is here, that means he’s there.” Spike concluded.

“Then we better get there and stop him before it’s too late,” said Stygian.

Before they can go, Shining needs Cadance to stay. “You have to stay here. Who knows it could be a trick to lead us away from here.”

“He's probably right,” he agreed. “It might be a diversion to take us away from Flurry Heart. She still needs somepony to protect.”

Princess Cadance understands, and Celestia and Luna will remain here with her in case he comes back again. So Stygian, and Shining Armor and Spike, bring several guards to aid as they all travel to Tartarus.

---

In the Tartarus, Clipso was at Tirek’s spot writing hieroglyphs speaking in a ritual language. He continued on but was careful not to mess up his glyphs. And soon, he was done and ready to begin the rift.

“At last,” he said, relieved. “I can finally strengthen my body again. When they come out from the rift, I will consume them and have myself to live again. And this time, I won’t be disturbed.”

He starts the ritual by speaking in a spell language. Meanwhile, the heroes have reached the gates of Tartarus and find it was already open.

“Seems like somepony made a mess around here,” Stygian added. “This must be his work.”

“Then that’s settled,” said Shining Armor, turning towards his guards. “I need all of you to stay here. Keep an eye out for anything that moves.”

They understand and stay guarded, as he and Spike and Stygian enter. They hurried to reach the prison chamber and spotted Clipso at the top of the peaks.

“There he is!” Spike shouted.

Shining Armor and Stygian rush and try to stop him, but are caught by a magic barrier. “What the-?” He was surprised. “What is this?”

“It’s a spell barrier!” Stygian recalled. “Must be used to trap creatures and ponies when they step in. But how did he learn it?”

And Spike knew. “Twilight’s magic. He’s using her magic to slow us down.”

They try to break the barrier but it was too strong, and Clipso is getting closer to finishing the spell. They kept on trying until Stygian had an idea. “I got an idea, but it requires all our powers to do it.”

The two listen to his plan and agree, as they all focus on breaking the barrier. They fuse their powers all at once and purge with all their might. But Clipso is almost finished, and they are almost able to break free. And then, the barrier was gone and they hurried to stop him.

“Clipso! Stop!”

They all each use their powers together right at him, but he manages to finish it. The ritual was complet, blasting them away to the ground, as the rift was open at last. Windigos were coming out of it, as Clipso had them right where he wanted.

“Windigos,” he claimed. “I now see you.”

But they felt his hatred and all gathered to feed on him. And when they did, they realize they cannot devour it out of him.

“Too bad for you,” he chuckled. “I can feed on you.”

His horns shot out red magic, capturing every single Windigos one by one and draining them into him. Then he dug deeper into the rift and consumed every last of them, feeling their spirits filling his hunger. And soon, he was done and the Windigos were no more. Spike and the others regain consciousness and saw Clipso have finally devoured the spirits and fully strengthened again.

“It’s too late,” he said with a sinister look. “I am now full power. I thank you for inviting me to your library to look for the source. The Timberwolves weren’t enough to satisfy my body. But the Windigos…” He wipes his mouth. “They tasted perfectly.”

“You bastard!” Stygian exclaimed. “You went all this just for Windigos. After what you have done, you use Twilight’s magic against us.”

“Don’t be jealous of what I use,” said Clipso. “Besides, wearing that hat doesn’t mean you're like Starswirl. He’ll be a shame if you fail, like he was before.”

This enraged him and fully shot out magic at him, but he clearly teleported himself behind them. He then collapses the ceilings, sealing them inside the chamber, as he walks away. But he stumbles across guards waiting outside, as they spot and try to stop him. The heroes were trapped behind some rocks, as Spike managed to headbut their way out. They made it outside and found several guards were beaten by his tentacles.

“He has tentacles?” Spike asked, watching tentacles coming out from his back. “That
impossible!”

“Doesn’t matter,” Shining Armor exclaimed. “He’s still an alicorn.” As he pursues to attack, Clipso's tentacles start to move towards him.

Stygian used spells to wrap them around, and more came out of them and proceeded to catch him. Spike intervenes and burns several tentacles, but he becomes angry and unleashes his magic around them, putting them down.

“You burn me,” said Clipso. “But it’s not enough to hurt me.”

Suddenly, a sword pierce through his chest. Shining Armor has managed to kill him at last. “This is for Twilight,” he said, releasing the sword and letting him die slowly.

For a moment, he coughs as if he was dying for his last breath but still stands like he was moving still. And then, he slowly pulled the sword out and the chest regenerated, as they were shocked he was still standing.

“That was….” Clipso said, breathing while staring at the sword. “Disturbing.”

“No,” said Shining Armor. “No!!!” He shouted, and tried to stop him.

Clipso holds him still in magic as he reveals everything about how he cannot be killed. “Have you understood I cannot be killed with anything? I am dead, and I cannot be killed by a living unicorn who would have vengeance for his little sister.”

Stygian regained consciousness and saw Clipso holding him as he hurried and picked up a sword. He leaps and tries to swing right to him, but Clipso sees it coming and quickly turns with a strike of his hooves into him. But his hooves was a blade which pierced Stygian, as Spike witnessed the tragedy.

“You should’ve been Shadow Pony instead,” he said, pulling it out from Stygian and looking at his new blade. “This is new.”

He released Shining Armor, as he hurried to hold dying Stygian in his arm. “Stay with me, Stygian.” He cried, putting pressure to the wound. “It's just a wound. You'll make it.”

“I…” As he breathed. “I don’t think…. I can’t.” He coughs some more. “He got me.”

“No, no, no,” Spike recalled. “You still have time. Gotta take you back. Cadance can heal you.”

“Don’t.” He tells them. “It’s okay. At least I’ve redeemed myself after all.” As he spoke with his dying breath. “Starswirl will be proud of my sacrifice. I guess I can see him in the afterlife.” Then he gave Starswirl's hat to him. “Tell Cadance, it was an honor to be her friend.”

With his last breath, he passed away leaving them to mourn their lost best friend. Clipso was busy staring at his new blade and then formed many things such as his own claws.

“I can form weapons from my body,” he commented. “Guess Equestria has given me more purpose.” He chuckled and looked at them. “Tell your princesses, I’ll be coming for them.”

He flew away to the air and disappeared, as the guards awakened and saw Shining and Spike cried to their lost friend. And they gather feeling sad for Stygian.

---

Princess Cadance and the others were waiting for their return until they saw them. And when they came they found them deep sadness that’s when they saw what was behind. And soon, they saw him and grief. Flurry was in her bedroom and heard the crying from outside as she wanted to know. When she got there, she saw them sad as they saw her, and Cadance approached her and told her about Stygian. And when she did, she grieved and hugged her mother, as she quietly calmed her.

Soon, everypony gathers for Stygian’s funeral. There they stand and honor his life, as Cadance gives a speech. “We all gather here to honor our good friend Stygian. Stygian was a kind of pony who bravely united our bravest heroes together to save the land from great evil. But his jealousy of their action made him into a living being Pony of Shadow. Until they save him and realize their mistake, making Star Swirl finally understand his action. And he let Stygian redeem himself by rejoining their group. Now we will honor him as Star Swirl’s apprentice and part of the Pillars.”

Then they settle to let Stygian’s coffin to be buried, as the friends watch seeing their friend gone to the ground. And Cadance blame herself for bringing him along. After a while, all of them remain in the castle not knowing what to do but know Clipso is coming for them with new powers they have never expected before.

“So, what do we have to do?” Spike asked, not knowing what to do.

“Clipso is full power,” said Celestia. “And he’s coming for us. We must be prepared to defend ourselves if he ever shows up.”

“But you have never faced him before,” he exclaimed. “He is like something we never expect him to be.”

“We understand,” Luna agreed. “You literally pierce his back with a sword. He is just an immortal creature like us, but we can take it away if we have to face him again.”

“Luna,” Cadance respond. “We don’t know if it could work. He may look like an alicorn but there’s nothing we can’t do. We cannot let anypony involves in this kind of battle.”

“Cadance, what are you suggesting?” Shining asked.

“I want all crystal ponies in Crystal Empire to evacuate and leave this city, and never again return,” she concluded. “That’s my final word.”

With that, he accepts it and will have ponies to evacuate. Celestia and Luna watched as they were deeply sorry for the citizens of Crystal Empire. They have home there but now have to leave and cannot return due to Clipso’s arrival. And Flurry, she was now deeply sad cause not only the citizens will have to leave she cannot see her best friend again. So she decided to write a letter to her again one last time.

“Dear, Luster Dawn…” She cannot think of anything to say but worried this might be the end for Crystal Empire and for them.

Then her mother came into the room and found her with a letter. “Letter for Luster?” She asked.

“Yeah,” she replied. “Just for once but I’m afraid I can’t. You ask my father to evacuate all our ponies away from the Crystal Empire. I won’t get a chance to see my friends again.”

“Yes,” said Cadance. “Everyponies has to leave for their safety. Clipso will come for us, and I do not know what will happen. But from what I can tell, you won’t be able to see your friend again.” She calmly hugs her for a moment and has to head outside. “Now I will have to give my speech for the citizens. Hopefully they'll understand they might not return again.”

As she leaves, she then gives orders to every guard to evacuate and ready to return to their families when the empire is clear. And Spike guided many ponies to their destination of their tribes, as the Crystal Empire was finally silent with no joy or happiness only to be left in forgotten.