All is Dust

by Rennoc215

The Challenge

Twilight looked long and hard at the hedron, which had now been relocated into the center of Ponyville, surrounded by Twilight's defensive network, which was erected in order to others out. Especially after what had happened to Spell Seal. Twilight shuddered at the memory.

The brown unicorn stepped up, calling to all how his talent was magical locks. He looked into the hedron, his magic probing the lock. Twilight watched him worriedly, knowing something was about to go wrong. He probed the seal, and found what resembled a magic gate. Smiling, he went for it, pushing his aura into the gate, trying to slip past. Twilight watched in horror as his horn began to heat up, but he was far too deep now. His face contorted in frustration, but then he gasped in pain. His horn was glowing a super-hot red, and he screamed as it exploded. Horn shards went everywhere, with Spell Seal being knocked out cold.

There was no reason to let any other pony tempt fate, risk ruining their horns, and most ponies complied. Every know and then, desperate unicorns had raced forward, trying to tap the limitless power within. Thus prompting for the barrier.

Twilight was once again trying the seal, reaching deeper into the defenses each time. In fact, occasionally she would see a portion of the magic reserve flash a shade of purple, before returning to the faint, pale transparency it usually held. Before she could investigate further, she heard a call from behind her. "Twilight," Came the defiant voice of one particularly stubborn unicorn.

Twilight turned away, seeing the proud blue unicorn striding up brought up a pent up frustration, which burbled like a fresh spring. "What do you want, Trixie?" Twilight spat.

Trixie smiled boastfully (Yes, it is possible. It's that look where... You know what, you probably already know what it looks like.). "Oh, I can't visit my rival in Ponyville anymore? I just wanted to test my magic to yours again. I feel like I might have something on you this time."

Twilight raised an eyebrow suspiciously. So, Trixie now thinks that those "Competitions" are leisurely events, times to flaunt one's abilities? Very well, I'll play her game. Twilight thought with a smile. "Alright, Let's see what you've got."

Trixie's smile could have matched Twilight, but it was soon replaced by a grimace of focus. Twilight focused particularly hard on Trixie's horn, seeing if the color was different. To her surprise, it wasn't any shade other than her regular blue-ish. Twilight, in her analytical mind, knew something was off. The color, was it a shade lighter? Was it her new found approach? Twilight thought frustratedly. Finally, she sighed, and actually looked at what Trixie was doing. What it was made her gasp slightly.

Trixie had focused on a small, young bush, and began to make it bloom. Of course, Twilight knew that the color on the blooms was perfect, since she had seen the bush in bloom several times before. So she isn't creating flowers, she is aging the bush to make it think it is time to bloom. Clever. And since she is doing it gradually, rather than instantly, it is taking less magic. Even more clever. Twilight thought.

Finally, once the bush had bloomed sufficiently, Trixie let out a held breath and puffed her chest out triumphantly. "Very well." Twilight said, a wry smile creeping across her face. She focused on said bush, reversing the process just as gradually, undoing any damage to the bush. Then, Twilight focused on a nearby tree, causing it to grow a single, large, golden apple, which promptly fell from the tree. Twilight used her telekinisis to bisect it multiple times, until eight perfect slices floated around her. She pulled two plates nearby, and put four slices on each, before passing a plate to Trixie. "Can't compete without refreshments, can we?" Twilight asked, somewhat mockingly.

Trixie took it in stride. "No, we cant." She focused again, and Twilight gasped. Storm clouds were gathering around them, unguided by any pegasus, instead softly encased in the light blue aura. But, that's pegasus magic! Twilight thought, sawing her pull more cloud together. They reached a certain point, and Trixie pulled two nearby glasses near. She wrung the clouds out, funneling the drops into the glasses. She focused on it, and part of the water froze, chilling the drink. "Now, we can begin." Trixie said, taking a sip from her glass.

Twilight shook her head. You've got this, Twi. She reassured herself. Her horn sparked as she tapped into other magics, trying to bridge the gap like Trixie had. After probing them she found a bridge that seemed more than willing. That meant that some being, nearby, was close enough that it would let her tap into its' power. She shifted around, finding light knowledge on all the magics. Primarily fire magics. Spike, Twilight thought comfortably. She saw the way he warped fire to his command, and so she reached out, and set a fire.

She focused on it, crafting it into the shape of a dragon, and caused it to fly off into the distance. Once it reached an appropriate distance, it banked sharply, and turned to pass over the town again. It repeated this display a few times, and on its fifth pass, it turned upwards, into a vertical climb right over the town. When it was rather high, it stopped, hovered for a moment, and then exploded in a large, firework-like display of reds and golds.

Twilight let out a gasp of breath, noticing that the mental strain had caused her to start sweating. She delicately lifted a glass to her mouth, and lightly sipped at it, in such a way that would make Rarity proud. Trixie's brow furrowed, and her smile became dead serious. "My new found power is unmatchable. Not even the fabled alicorn amulet can match my new found power!" She said, her voice slowly getting louder as she spoke. "Now, Witness my power!" She shouted, before her cape began to billow in an unblown wind. Her body was lifted into the air, a gale of loose leaves blowing around her.

Twilight laughed. "Nice trick." She said, making another stab at her pride.

Trixie's eyes, opened, and they glowed with a soft, clear light. "I am not a conjuror of cheap tricks." She stated calmly, before the wind around her became even more vicious. Her cape billowed out, and from beneath it came a few small, floating objects, each glowing with the same clear light. Twilight looked closer, and saw that these were very much like the larger hedron inside the field, albeit much smaller. Each glowed with an unbound light, which began to arc out at nearby objects, before linking together, and then to her.

A pulse of power shot from her horn, and the ground beneath them all began to rumble. "I am the master of the seas, of the soil." She said, in a voice much deeper than her own. "I control the mountains and the oceans. All that you see before you is mine, as are you. For I am the lord, the creator of this land. And it is now time for the harvest." She floated higher now, the gale strong enough to pull small, loose items into it. The ground was now violently shaking, knocking open doors and throwing unsecured furniture around. Dark clouds began to gather, and darkened the midday sun, creating an overwhelming darkness, like the twilight hours of the day, when you can see, but it is quite dark.

"I feel what power is rightfully mine, and I will have it." The voice said, and a beam of power slammed into the defensive barrier, overpowering it and blasting through the shack, revealing the large hedron. "Come to me." It commanded, and the hedron was lifted into the sky. "With this might, I will rend the heavens and split tartarus. My might will be unmatched, and then I will be free." It continued, using Trixie's body as a conduit. The hedron lit up, and arced to her present collection. "You once belonged to my brother, but now you are mine. Open wide your gates, and feed me your might." Another pulse of magic hit the hedron, and it lashed back, stopping this beam in a battle of might. "You are mine!" The voice screamed. "OBEY ME!"

The magic lashed back, slamming into the beam and sending Trixie to the ground. "Bah." The voice said. "This form is weak. Soon, I will come, and then you will be mine." The lights faded, the hedrons lowered, and the tremors faded.

A blur of blue came across the skyline as the clouds began to disperse, and as Twilight followed it, she realized it was coming at her. Soon, her prismatic-maned friend had just pulled to a landing beside her, and was berating her with questions. "What happened? Are you alright? Who did this?" were the more common in the storm of questions.

"Rainbow, I'm fine. I was just having a friendly magic duel with Trixie when something went wrong." Twilight said, hoping it would calm her friend down.

"Who was messing with the clouds?" Rainbow asked accusatively.

"Trixie."

"Who was shaking the ground?"

"Trixie."

"Who's voice could I hear halfway across town?"

"Trixie."

"Who was throwing around the big bolts of magic?"

"Trixie."

"One last question: Who did the flaming dragon?"

Twilight shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Wha...? Oh! That one was me." She said, puffing her chest out.

Rainbow Dash nodded her head approvingly. "I thought so, 'cause it was too cool."

As the two friends were discussing what happened, Twilight was interrupted by a grinding sound, followed by a loud crack. The ground shook lightly, and then all was silent. Not even the birds chirped, the silence was definite.

Skreee!

Comments

[All is Dust]

Hmmm is that what I think it is.....

[Listie The Scribe Maid]

(Joke) Alt. Title: All My Dusting

[Rennoc215]

1766721 1794926

It very well may be. We'll just have to wait and see...

[Rennoc215]

1795134

That's a title for...

YESTERDAY!